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COUNTING DEER HARVESTS is important for management, but how do they do it? Each year, millions of hunters set foot in the woods and harvest millions of deer.

1 COUNTING DEER HARVESTS is important for management, but how do they do it? Each year, millions of hunters set foot in the woods and harvest millions of deer. We count these harvests as a way to manage the whitetail population and to attempt to quantify an area s deer hunting opportunities. However, not all states determine their harvest totals using the same methods. Means of coming up with a total harvest include surveys, mandatory registrations, car checks and physical counts in the field. But they can be divided even further. Some surveys are done online, over the phone or through the mail; and some mandatory registrations require physical check points while others are done on the phone or online. How They Count Counting deer harvests is something state wildlife agencies have experimented with for many years. Most states have switched up their methods more than once, and most continue to do so in an attempt to get the most accurate and convenient method while maintaining a reasonable budget. b y D a n i e l l e b e y e r Having mandatory registrations with check stations is a very accurate way of reaching a total because, in theory, each whitetail harvested is accounted for. However, many hunters oppose this because of the inconvenience. And the costs of managing check stations and hiring personnel to collect and analyze the vast amount of data can add up quickly. Despite the downfalls, mandatory registrations are still very popular. Twenty-five states and four Canadian provinces use some sort of mandatory registration practice. Surveys are also a very popular option for estimating harvest totals. Fourteen states and four provinces use surveys as their main method of calculating harvests. Post-hunt surveys often include information such as the sex, age and weight of the deer, whether it was antlered, where it was killed and what harvest method was used. Some surveys will even ask for the antler measurements so records can be kept to reflect trophy potential. 94 Mathews Bowhunting Whitetails mathewsinc.com

2 mathewsinc.com Bowhunting Whitetails Mathews 95 P H O T O S B Y L O N L A U B E R

3 All-Time Single-Season Whitetail Harvests State Year Harvest *1. Texas , Wisconsin ,274 *3. Texas ,800 *4 Texas ,385 *5. Texas ,317 *6. Texas ,706 *7. Texas ,482 *8. Texas ,534 *9. Texas , Michigan , Michigan , Alabama , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin ,169 *16. Texas ,215 *17. Texas , Alabama , Wisconsin , Texas , Pennsylvania , Alabama , Michigan , Wisconsin , Michigan , Pennsylvania , Georgia , Wisconsin , Michigan , Michigan , Alabama , Texas , Michigan , Texas , Texas , Texas , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , Michigan ,706 * In 2009, Texas recalculated its deer kill for the past eight seasons using a new formula against previous survey data. This correction factor increased the reported harvest by more than 100,000 deer per year. Statistics compiled by: Deer Hunters 2010 Almanac, F&W Media. Most agencies that use surveys generate a random sample from a list of hunting license holders. They will then request the selected hunters complete a survey online, through the mail or by the phone. The idea is that the data from the selected sample should be representative of the total population. The downfall of surveys is that it is sometimes difficult to get hunters to participate if it isn t mandatory. For example, each year South Carolina chooses 25,000 hunters at random to participate in its survey in an attempt to get reports from 15 percent of licensed hunters. In 2009, South Carolina s Department of Natural Resources received 6,501 surveys back, which was about a 26 percent response rate. However, when considering the number of hunters in the state, the survey only measured about 4 percent of the total hunting activity. Going Digital Saves Money Some states are getting creative with their reporting methods and are choosing to incorporate new technology into their calculations. Many states now allow hunters to report their harvests online, and Arkansas has even developed its own harvest-reporting app for the iphone. For the 2010 hunting season, Idaho is attempting to go completely paperless with its reporting. Agencies taking advantage of new technology are saving money as well as making hunting preparation more convenient for hunters. In most states, hunters can now purchase their hunting licenses online, and many allow deer tags to be printed from their website, too. Not all states have been able to improve their calculation methods though, even with the help of advancing technology. Harvest calculations cost money, and with a declining economy in the past few years, some states have had to cut back on funding for wildlife agencies. Florida has not had an estimate for harvest totals since 2004 because of staffing cuts at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. And Michigan had to eliminate some check stations in 2009 and 2010 because of budget cuts. However, Florida has proposed a new method that would begin producing harvest estimates in the next couple years. Evolving Models Other factors that affect harvest calculations are changes to the calculation method itself. Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho and Texas have all recently altered their methods for estimating whitetail harvests. Most changes are simply new rules for surveys that will alter new harvest calculations slightly. However, in 2009 Texas changed its formula for estimated white-tailed deer harvests, which ultimately changed its harvest statistics for the past 10 years and put its 2008 harvest as the new all-time single-season record for the entire country. Texas still sends out mail surveys similar to many other states, but it has adjusted the non-responding bias correction factor, which has in turn increased the yearly harvest by more than 100,000 deer. The state s wildlife authorities reported the bias correction factor was changed because of information obtained in telephone follow-ups to the mail surveys sent out in the 2005 to 2007 seasons. Why We Count Although many hunters consider harvest calculations to be inconvenient or intrusive, gathering information about each statewide harvest serves many purposes in managing wildlife. State wildlife agencies can use the information from these counts to set bag limits, estimate deer population and assess hunter approval. Many wildlife agencies use the number of deer harvested each season to estimate how many deer are in the area. This gives them an idea of how many deer the state s hunters should aim to harvest the next season. If the harvest estimate is inaccurate because of lack of reporting by hunters, it could lead to a significant imbalance in the deer population in future seasons. For example, one way wildlife agencies estimate the total deer population is through the SAK (Sex-Age-Kill) method, which is used in Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, SAK is used when the hunting season is over and the total harvest is known. It uses the number of bucks harvested, the age structure of the harvested bucks and does and the fawn-to-doe ratios 96 Mathews Bowhunting Whitetails mathewsinc.com

that were observed during summer to estimate the number of deer in the state before the hunting season began. Then, to determine the posthunt population, they multiply the total harvest by 1.

4 that were observed during summer to estimate the number of deer in the state before the hunting season began. Then, to determine the posthunt population, they multiply the total harvest by 1.15 (to factor in an estimated 15 percent non-recovered wounding and poaching mortality) and subtract from the pre-hunt population. This count is then used to set goals for the upcoming hunting season. Because surveys issued often include information beyond just the number of deer harvested, the agencies can look at how satisfied hunters were with the season and make changes accordingly. Hunters who participate in surveys and follow mandatory registration rules ultimately help make hunting better for all who are involved. Harvest calculations for each state and province are listed within the state-by-state statistics provided. This data has been compiled with the assistance of state wildlife authorities. EDITOR S NOTE: This section is designed to educate hunters on various aspects of deer hunting in the United States. Regulations are provided in general terms. Read and understand the official regulations before going afield. Single-Season Whitetail Harvests by State State Year Harvest Alabama ,092 Arizona ,181 Arkansas ,687 Connecticut ,740 Delaware ,669 Florida ,000 Georgia ,000 Idaho ,042 Illinois ,705 Indiana ,752 Iowa ,451 Kansas ,000 Kentucky ,321 Louisiana ,000 Maine ,735 Maryland ,663 Massachusetts ,416 Michigan ,895 Minnesota ,000 Mississippi ,159 Missouri ,829 Montana ,410 Nebraska ,600 New Hampshire ,186 New Jersey ,444 New York ,216 North Carolina ,743 North Dakota ,147 Ohio ,314 Oklahoma ,349 Oregon ,475 Pennsylvania ,529 Rhode Island ,945 South Carolina ,920 South Dakota ,872 Tennessee ,093 *Texas ,650 Vermont ,932 Virginia ,512 Washington ,000 West Virginia ,356 Wisconsin ,274 Wyoming ,423 * In 2009, Texas instituted a new formula with a larger correction factor, and current data should not be compared to un-corrected counts before mathewsinc.com Bowhunting Whitetails Mathews 97

5 ALABAMA Deer Population million Average Harvest ,125 Bow-hunters... 69,600 Forested Land million acres ,000 47, , ,100 43, , ,200 34, , ,200 53, , ,749 51, , ,000 54, , ,600 55, , ,100 46, , ,700 37, , NA NA NA Highest total harvest...535,092 ( ) Lowest total harvest... 31,123 ( ) Bow hunting record... 55,500 ( ) Division of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources 63 N. Union Street, Suite 584 P.O. Box , Montgomery, AL (334) Arizona Deer Population... 75,000 Average Harvest... 5,081 Bow-hunters... 24,000 Forested Land... No estimate , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,205 Highest total harvest...7,181 (1984) Lowest total harvest...1,535 (1971) Bow hunting record...1,315 (1994) Arizona Game & Fish Dept. Game Branch 221 W. Greenway Road Phoenix, AZ (602) ArKANSAS Deer Population... 1 million Average Harvest...167,793 Forested Land million acres ,328 14, , ,791 9, , ,862 9, , ,891 13, , ,516 13, , ,363 21, , ,524 15, , ,294 18, , ,613 18, , NA NA 187,000 Highest total harvest...194,687 ( ) Lowest total harvest ( ) Bow hunting record...21,814 ( ) Arkansas Game & Fish Commission No. 2 Natural Resources Drive Little Rock, AR (800) COLORADO Deer Population ,000 (all species) Average Harvest... NA Bow-hunters... 11,507 Forested Land... NA Colorado does not distinguish between white-tailed deer and mule deer in its harvest statistics. State biologists estimate 1,000 whitetails are taken each year. Colorado Division of Wildlife 6060 Broadway Denver, Colorado, (303) CONNECTICUT Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 11,994 Bow-hunters... 13,333 Whitetail Habitat... 3,971 square miles ,586 2,687 13, ,424 2,262 12, ,093 2,889 11, ,412 3,258 12, ,201 3,334 13, ,658 3,006 12, ,482 3,157 11, ,151 2,924 11, ,299 3,559 12, ,056 4,718 11,774 Highest total harvest... 13,740 (1995) Lowest total harvest (1975) Bow hunting record...3,334 (2004) Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT (860) DELAWARE Deer Population... 40,000 Average Harvest... 13,605 Bow-hunters... 7,000 Forested Land ,928 acres , , ,945 1,037 12, , , NA NA 14, NA NA 14, ,480 1,504 14, ,794 1,747 13, ,222 1,467 13, ,614 1,682 13, ,778 1,622 12,400 Highest total harvest...14,669 ( ) Lowest total harvest...1,494 ( ) Bow hunting record...1,747 ( ) State of Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife 4876 Hay Point Landing Road. Smyrna, DE (302) Mathews Bowhunting Whitetails mathewsinc.com

6 FLORIDA Deer Population... No estimate Average Harvest... NA Bow-hunters ,000 Forested Land... 29,280 square miles ,319 18, , ,000 23, , ,642 8, , ,665 7, , ,342 8, , NA NA *NA 2006 NA NA *NA 2007 NA NA *NA 2008 NA NA *NA 2009 NA NA *NA * Harvest totals for recent seasons not available. Highest total harvest ,000 (2001) Lowest total harvest... 48,900 (1971) Bow hunting record... 23,000 (2001) Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Farris Bryant Building 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, FL (850) GEORGIA Deer Population... 1 million (2007) Average Harvest ,108 Bow-hunters... 91,234 Forested Land... 38,145 square miles ,400 44, , ,200 37, , ,500 37, , ,084 40, , ,884 30, , ,607 35, , ,734 35, , ,250 39, , ,037 42, , Highest total harvest ,000 ( ) Lowest total harvest ,000 ( ) Bow hunting record...49,368 ( ) Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Commissioner s Office 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S. E. Suite 1252 East Tower, Atlanta, GA (404) IDAHO Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 20,153 Bow-hunters...17,000 Deer Habitat... 30,000 square miles required for first-time bow-hunters , , , , , , , , , , , , ,000 2,000 22, , , NA NA 18, , ,491 Highest total harvest... 39,042 (1998) Lowest total harvest... 15,491 (2009) Bow hunting record...2,000 (2006) Fish & Game Department Box 25, Boise, ID (208) ILLINOIS Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,077 Forested Land... 7,896 square miles ,433 42, , ,566 42, , ,890 51, , ,960 57, , ,817 63, , ,479 64, , ,576 65, , ,411 64, , ,411 64, , ,413 64, ,277 Highest total harvest ,763 (2006) Lowest total harvest...1,709 (1957) Bow hunting record... 65,187 (2006) Department of Natural Resources One Natural Resources Way Springfield, IL (217) INDIANA Deer Population... No estimate Average Harvest...127,562 Bow-hunters... 58,748 Forested Land... NA ,313 22,412 98, ,047 24, , ,156 19, , ,823 21, , ,000 22, , ,300 24, , ,937 27, , ,784 26, , ,827 26, , ,336 29, ,752 Highest total harvest ,752 (2009) Lowest total harvest...68 (1954) Bow hunting record... 27,444 (2006) Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife 402 W. Washington Street, Room W273 Indianapolis, IN (317) IOWa Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,383 Bow-hunters... 55,209 Forested Land million acres ,934 15, , ,161 18, , ,401 20, , ,915 23, , ,467 31, , ,333 34, , ,110 23, , ,287 23, , ,745 23, , ,809 24, ,504 Highest total harvest ,451 (2005) Lowest total harvest...2,423 (1954) Bow hunting record... 34,118 (2005) Department of Natural Resources 502 E. 9th Street Des Moines, IA (515) mathewsinc.com Bowhunting Whitetails Mathews 99

KANSAS Deer Population... 450,000 Average Harvest... 76,582 Bow-hunters... 21,780 Deer Habitat.

7 KANSAS Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 76,582 Bow-hunters... 21,780 Deer Habitat... 81,000 square miles 2000 NA NA 108, ,856 9,259 98, ,000 10,000 87, ,300 8,200 72, ,565 9,435 77, ,947 10,963 74, ,000 11,000 79, ,000 11,400 76, ,600 18,000 75, NA NA NA Highest total harvest ,000 (2000) Lowest total harvest...1,504 (1965) Bow hunting record... 11,770 (1999) Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks Operations Office 512 SE 25th Ave. Pratt, KS (620) Kentucky Deer Population... 1 million Average Harvest ,465 Bow-hunters ,700 Forested Land million acres required for people born after Jan. 1, ,821 18, , ,278 13, , ,129 11, , ,027 11, , ,617 14, , ,238 12, , ,815 15, , ,148 15, , ,108 15, , ,919 14, ,585 Highest total harvest ,321 (2000) Lowest total harvest...3,476 (1976) Bow hunting record... 18,500 (2000) Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Resources No. 1 Sportsman s Lane Frankfort, KY (800) LOUISIANA Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,480 Bow-hunters... 42,600 Deer Habitat million acres ,900 20, , ,000 20, , ,800 18, , ,000 22, , ,400 22, , ,200 22, , ,400 22, , ,400 13, , ,000 11, , NA NA 147,300 Highest total harvest...276,000 ( ) Lowest total harvest... 16,500 ( ) Bow hunting record... 27,200 ( ) Department of Wildlife & Fisheries 2000 Quail Drive Baton Rouge, LA (225) MAINE Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 25,191 Forested Land... > 90% of state ,724 2,161 36, ,558 2,211 27, ,124 2,029 38, ,849 2,464 30, ,243 2,683 30, ,676 2,324 28, ,862 2,494 29, ,566 2,236 28, ,699 1,853 21, ,279 1,813 18,092 Highest total harvest... 41,735 (1959) Lowest total harvest...5,784 (1919) Bow hunting record...2,683 (2004) Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife 284 State Street, 41 State House Station Augusta, ME (207) Mathews Bowhunting Whitetails mathewsinc.com

8 MARYLAND Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 91,333 Bow-hunters... 50,600 Forested Land million acres ,535 18,241 84, ,431 18,356 83, ,026 19,088 94, ,988 18,577 87, ,545 19,193 70, ,826 21,382 73, ,939 21,991 90,151* 2007 NA NA 92, ,091 26, , ,290 27, ,663 Highest total harvest ,663 (2009) Lowest total harvest... 18,420 (1983) Bow hunting record... 21,991 (2006) Maryland Department of Natural Resources 580 Taylor Avenue Tawes State Office Building Annapolis, MD (877) MASSACHUSETTS Deer Population... 95,000 Average Harvest... 11,159 Forested Land million acres ,455 2,811 11, ,016 2,914 9, ,598 2,819 12, ,980 3,045 12, ,250 3,016 12, ,162 12, ,211 3,385 10, ,266 3,303 11, ,776 3,521 11, ,874 3,247 10,121 Highest total harvest... 12,417 (2002) Lowest total harvest...6,708 (1989) Bow hunting record...3,521 (2008) Department of Fish & Game 251 Causeway St. No. 400, Boston, MA (617) MICHIGAN Deer Population... 1,800,000 Average Harvest ,721 Bow-hunters ,000 Forested Land... NA , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,047 Highest total harvest ,895 (1999) Lowest total harvest...8,000 (1916) Bow hunting record ,615 (1999) Wildlife Office Department of Natural Resources Mason Building, Box Lansing MI (517) MINNESOTA Deer Population million Average Harvest ,572 Bow-hunters... 72,000 (2007) Forested Land million acres ,754 15, , ,557 15, , ,306 14, , ,300 21, , ,897 20, , ,200 23, , ,500 25, , ,526 24, , ,300 22, , ,519 20, ,178 Highest total harvest ,000 (2003) Lowest total harvest...1,279 (1971) Bow hunting record... 25,350 (2006) DNR Center 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN (651) or (888) Mississippi Deer Population million Average Harvest ,534 Bow-hunters... 39,805 Forested Land million acres ,000 33, , ,248 43, , ,757 52, , ,854 32, , ,988 34, , NA NA NA ,053 35, , ,814 37, , NA NA NA ,082 44, ,854 Highest total harvest ,159 (2002) Lowest total harvest (1971) Bow hunting record... 52,738 (2002) Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks 1505 Eastover Drive Jackson, MS (601) MISSOURI Deer Population million Average Harvest ,161 Bow-hunters...150,000 Forested Land million acres ,495 23, , ,752 26, , ,858 29, , ,814 33, , ,227 37, , ,689 36, , *280,732 41, , ,166 39, , ,021 43, , ,849 49, ,461 *Includes crossbow figures Highest total harvest ,829 (2006) Lowest total harvest (1944) Bow hunting record... 49,612 (2009) Missouri Department of Conservation P.O. Box 180 Jefferson City, MO (573) mathewsinc.com Bowhunting Whitetails Mathews 101

9 MONTANA Deer Population... No estimate Average Harvest... 61,212 Forested Land... NA required for all first-time bow-hunters ,242 6,212 51, ,208 2,559 38, NA NA 47, NA NA 58, ,595 3,231 53, ,179 4,353 *56, ,968 5,660 **69, NA NA 65, NA NA 60, ,283 3,632 53,915 * Figure based on 390 kills by unknown weapon. **Figure based on 783 kills by unknown weapon. Totals before 1999 include mule deer figures. Highest total harvest... 69,410 (2006) Lowest total harvest... 38,767 (2001) Bow hunting record...6,212 (2000) Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 1420 E 6th Ave., Box , Helena, MT (406) NEBRASKA Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 54,088 Bow-hunters... 16,000 Forested Land... 3% of state ,401 4,300 49, ,876 3,939 48, ,717 3,673 44, ,357 3,775 44, ,828 4,091 45, ,462 4,125 49, ,938 4,384 53, ,530 4,591 57, ,200 7,400 68, ,199 7,612 41,811 Highest total harvest... 68,600 (2008) Lowest total harvest... 0 (1949) Bow hunting record...7,612 (2009) Nebraska Game & Parks Commission 2200 N. 33rd Street Box 30370, Lincoln, NE (402) NEW HAMPSHIRE Deer Population... 85,000 Average Harvest... 11,444 Bow-hunters... 19,221 Forested Land ,000 public acres ,889 1,970 10, ,566 1,577 9, ,235 1,854 11, ,651 1,841 9, ,975 2,158 10, ,624 1,971 10, ,210 2,978 11, ,109 3,808 13, ,940 2,740 10, ,706 2,678 10,384 Highest total harvest... 14,186 (1967) Lowest total harvest...1,402 (1923) Bow hunting record...3,808 (2007) New Hampshire Fish & Game Department 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH (603) NEW JERSEY Deer Population ,000 (prehunt) Average Harvest... 53,878 Bow-hunters... 34,800 Forested Land million acres ,602 24,842 77, ,153 23,516 68, ,474 21,557 63, ,099 25,357 69, ,913 22,651 58, ,413 23,244 59, ,887 22,786 56, ,705 17,312 47, ,243 21,017 53, ,725 23,059 52,784 Highest total harvest... 77,444 (2000) Lowest total harvest...86 (1909) Bow hunting record... 25,357 (2003) New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife Box 400 Trenton, NJ (609) NEW York Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,848 Bow-hunters ,100 Forested Land million acres (2006 est.) ,867 29, , ,939 28, , ,961 33, , ,162 29, , ,631 29, , ,783 26, , ,654 29, , ,081 31, , ,613 32, , ,252 34, ,798 Highest total harvest ,216 (2002) Lowest total harvest... 15,136 (1945) Bow hunting record... 34,546 (2009) Deptartment of Environmental Conservation Bureau of Wildlife 625 Broadway Albany, NY (518) NORTH CAROLINA Deer Population million Average Harvest ,229 Forested Land... 38,544 square miles ,920 13, , ,501 8, , ,120 13, , ,855 8, , ,357 7, , ,701 8, , ,846 9, , ,557 11, , ,005 12, , ,169 13, ,273 Highest total harvest ,743 (1992) Lowest total harvest... 14,616 (1949) Bow hunting record... 14,000 (1995, 1997) Wildlife Resources Commission Division of Wildlife Management 1722 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC (919) Mathews Bowhunting Whitetails mathewsinc.com

10 NORTH DAKOTA Deer Population... NA Average Harvest... 92,930 Bow-hunters... 20,769 (inc. mule deer) Forested Land... 6% of state ,275 3,300 66, ,000 NA NA ,625 4,700 88, NA NA 86, ,548 5, , ,300 NA NA ,076 6,790 99, ,230 6,792 96, ,500 6,346 95, ,000 NA NA Highest total harvest ,147 (2004) Lowest total harvest...2,665 (1941) Bow hunting record...6,792 (2007) North Dakota Game & Fish Department 100 N. Bismarck Expressway Bismarck, ND (701) OHIO Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,603 Bow-hunters ,000 Public Hunting Land million acres ,291 34, , ,092 34, , ,990 48, , ,226 50, , ,817 60, , ,423 60, , ,404 67, , ,154 78, , ,161 85, , ,793 91, ,314 Highest total harvest ,314 (2009) Lowest total harvest (1943) Bow hunting record... 91,521 (2009) Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife 2045 Morse Rd., Bldg. G Columbus, OH (800) OKLAHOMA Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,777 Bow-hunters... 82,635 Forested Land... 37,425 square miles ,885 14, , ,728 12, , ,303 14,278 98, ,276 13, , ,050 14,639 94, ,500 14, , ,782 17, , ,801 11,090 95, NA NA 111, ,288 19, ,175 Highest total harvest ,349 (2006) Lowest total harvest...3,508 (1964) Bow hunting record... 19,887 (2009) Department of Wildlife Conservation Box Oklahoma City, OK (405) OREGON Deer Population ,000 (all species) Average Harvest Bow-hunters... 38,200 Forested Land million acres ,013 NA 1, ,095 NA 1, ,475 NA 1, ,112 NA 1, NA ,013 NA 1, NA NA NA NA 1, NA NA NA NA 1,000 Note White-tailed deer are rare in Oregon. In fact, the 1992 season was the first time the Oregon Department of Wildlife distinguished between mule deer and whitetails in harvest totals. Oregon s estimated deer population includes mostly mule deer and blacktails. Department of Fish & Wildlife 3406 Cherry Avenue N.E. Salem, OR (503) mathewsinc.com Bowhunting Whitetails Mathews 103

11 PENNSYLVANIA Deer Population... No estimate Average Harvest ,758 Bow-hunters ,841 Forested Land million acres ,078 78, , ,963 74, , ,881 69, , ,790 65, , ,860 62, , ,450 60, , ,740 64, , ,180 60, , ,030 64, , ,480 73, ,920 Highest total harvest ,529 (2002) Lowest total harvest... 40,925 (1954) Bow hunting record... 78,522 (2000) Pennsylvania Game Commission 2001 Elmerton Avenue Harrisburg, PA (717) RHODE ISLAND Deer Population... 16,000 Average Harvest... 2,578 Bow-hunters... 3,250 Forested Land ,400 acres mandatory , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,422 Highest total harvest...2,945 (2008) Lowest total harvest (1973) Bow hunting record (2004) Department of Environmental Management 277 Great Neck Rd. West Kingston, RI (401) SOUTH CAROLINA Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,876 Bow-hunters... 42,555 Forested Land... 21,920 square miles ,700 16, , ,647 19, , ,598 19, , ,426 15, , ,608 13, , ,451 15, , ,155 14, , ,124 15, , ,369 18, , ,557 17, ,703 Highest total harvest ,920 (2002) Lowest total harvest... 18,894 (1972) Bow hunting record... 19,322 (2002) Department of Natural Resources Box 167 Columbia, SC (803) SOUTH DAKOTA Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 70,763 Bow-hunters... 20,000 Forested Land million acres ,600 2,600 42, ,340 3,418 48, ,367 4,224 62, ,739 4,283 58, ,000 5,500 73, ,334 7,450 69, ,393 7,235 70, ,787 7,253 70, ,865 8,007 73, ,305 8,188 69,493 Highest total harvest... 73,872 (2008) Lowest total harvest... 34,474 (1987) Bow hunting record...8,188 (2009) South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks 412 West Missouri Pierre, SD (605) TENNESSEE Deer Population , ,000 Average Harvest ,989 Bow-hunters... 90,000 Forested Land million acres ,580 19, , ,864 20, , ,265 18, , ,598 19, , ,076 20, , ,056 21, , ,934 23, , ,150 17, , ,541 20, , ,415 20, ,202 Highest total harvest ,093 (2006) Lowest total harvest... 6,567 (1971) Bow hunting record... 23,159 (2006) Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Box Nashville, TN (615) TEXAS Deer Population... 3 million Average Harvest ,209 Bow-hunters ,000 Deer Range... 39,557,788 acres 2000 NA NA 424, ,215 10, , ,432 16, , NA NA 346, ,950 17, , ,719 17, , ,267 15, , NA NA 511, NA NA 619, ,330 28, ,357 Highest total harvest ,650 (2008) Lowest total harvest ,383 (1980) Bow hunting record... 28,027 (2009) Texas Parks & Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, TX (800) Mathews Bowhunting Whitetails mathewsinc.com

12 VERMONT Deer Population... NA Average Harvest... 13,605 Bow-hunters... 20,151 Forested Land... 7,500 square miles ,975 4,523 20, ,340 3,633 14, ,140 3,492 16, ,617 3,911 14, ,349 3,576 11, ,845 1,701 8, ,129 2,553 12, ,684 2,832 14, ,332 3,714 17, ,205 3,032 15,237 Highest total harvest... 25,932 (1980) Lowest total harvest...90 (1899) Bow hunting record...5,296 (1999) Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department 10 South,103 South Main St. Waterbury, VT (802) VIRGINIA Deer Population... 1 million Average Harvest ,651 Bow-hunters... 70,000-75,000 Forested Land... 26,245 square miles ,527 17, , ,392 18, , ,325 18, , ,901 17, , ,671 16, , ,318 22, , ,302 24, , ,706 26, , ,200 27, , ,109 26, ,512 Highest total harvest...256,512 ( ) Lowest total harvest...1,158 (1935) Bow hunting record... 27,478 ( ) Department of Game & Inland Fisheries Box Richmond, VA (804) WASHINGTON Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest... 26,832 Bow-hunters... 18,790 Forested Land... 1,200 square miles ,565 3,411 *40, ,253 3,758 *41, ,068 3,702 *38, ,356 4,450 *40, ,421 1,268 14, ,406 1,430 14, ,957 1,581 12, ,928 4,964 37, ,005 5,113 35, ,919 4,859 33,778 *Washington is one of several states that has limited numbers of white-tailed deer. The above harvest figures before 2004 are for all species, including blacktails, whitetails and mule deer. Highest total harvest... 66,000 (1979) Lowest total harvest... 30,253 (1998) Bow hunting record...5,113 (2008) Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife 600 Capitol Way N.,Olympia, WA (360) WEST VIRGINIA Deer Population ,000 Average Harvest ,429 Bow-hunters... 80,000 Forested Land million acres ,184 30, , ,155 33, , ,212 37, , ,465 29, , ,839 26, , ,412 21, , ,173 25, , ,612 26, , ,195 31, , ,732 28, ,214 Highest total harvest ,356 (2002) Lowest total harvest (1939) Bow hunting record... 37,144 (2002) Wildlife Resources State Capitol, Building 3 Charleston, WV (304) WISCONSIN Deer Population million Average Harvest ,457 Bow-hunters ,000 Forested Land million acres ,494 86, , ,264 83, , ,983 54, , ,344 95, , , , , ,907 78, , , , , , , , ,601 99, , ,862 87, ,103 Highest total harvest ,274 (2000) Lowest total harvest... 2,500 (1897) Bow hunting record ,010 (2007) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Wildlife Management (WM/6) 101 S. Webster Street, Box 7921 Madison, WI (608) WYOMING Deer Population... 52,000 (2006) Average Harvest... 14,113 Forested Land... NA , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,879 1,076 13, ,653 1,139 14, ,977 1,436 15,413 Highest total harvest... 15,413 (2009) Lowest total harvest...4,306 (1972) Bow hunting record...1,436 (2009) Wyoming Game & Fish Department 5400 Bishop Blvd. Cheyenne, WY (307) mathewsinc.com Bowhunting Whitetails Mathews 105

Traffic Safety Facts. State Traffic Data Data. Overview

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