Mountain Maryland deer hunters took advantage of new regulations to dramatically increase the number of antlerless deer killed during the recent firearms season.
Antlerless deer include female animals as well as males whose antlers are smaller than three inches. I use “doe” and “antlerless” interchangeably.
The Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service, earlier in 2024, announced that hunters would have more days on which to bag antlerless deer in Allegany and Garrett counties. The annual doe limit would remain at two, but hunters during rifle season would have eight days to harvest those deer instead of the one or two days that were the rule in the past.
In addition, hunters would be allowed to harvest both does (antlerless deer) during any single “weapon season,” meaning bow, muzzleloader or firearm. Previously, only one doe per weapon season was permitted.
Harvest results from the recent season show that the Allegany County doe kill increased by 45.5%. Hunters there bagged 707 does this season compared to 486 in 2023. The boost in Garrett County was 50.9%. There were 1,219 checked in this season whereas 808 were killed in 2023.
The firearms buck harvest in the mountains was stable. Allegany hunters tagged 864 this year compared to 856 a year ago. In Garrett, 1,452 bucks were killed, a slight increase from the 1,409 of a year ago.
The statewide deer harvest was 30,833, an 8.9% jump from 2023, although the buck kill of 11,709 was down 2.7%. The antlerless harvest of 19,124 showed a climb of 17.4% from 2023.
“The two-week firearm season continues to be our most popular deer season, WHS Director Karina Stonesifer said in a press release. “We’d like to thank all those who participated in the management of Maryland’s deer population this firearms season and congratulate those hunters who were successful in putting venison in their freezers.”
More than 4,062 deer were taken on the two Sundays during the season, representing just over 13% of the total harvest. Deer hunting is currently permitted on select Sundays in 20 of 23 counties.
The final portion of the late muzzleloader season, Dec. 28 through Jan. 4, is also open to the taking of two antlerless deer for hunters who have not yet killed any. As during the firearms season, only one of those does may be taken per day.
That same antlerless limit and opportunity exists for bow hunters as well. That season continues through January. Sometime in February we will get the total 2024-2025 antlerless harvest numbers, which will add up to a lot of grilled tenderloin and venison stew.
The ample opportunity afforded doe hunters this year is notable. During past seasons, a bad storm could wipe out the one or two days hunters had to bag those animals. I like the fact that the antlerless regulations now apply to all lands in the state, whether private or public.
I anticipate there will be some moaning and groaning regarding this substantial increase in doe harvest. My take is this. The last thing WHS deer managers would do is make a regulation that would be detrimental to the animal that is the reason most hunting licenses are purchased. By the way, the public had ample opportunity to comment about this regulation when it was being considered this past spring.
The white-tailed deer is a remarkable, fecund animal that weaves and bobs with hunting season after hunting season and still eats your ornamental flowers and steps out onto Interstate 68 in front of your sport utility vehicle.
I will add only this to my analysis of the season. Vampires could learn a lot about being nocturnal by hanging around with nice whitetail bucks.