Maryland deer hunters continued a successful 2008 – 2009 deer season with an unofficial harvest of 44,802 deer during the recent two-week firearm season. The harvest represents a very slight decline compared to last year’s official harvest of 44,913 deer for the same period. The antlered harvest of 15,695 deer (474 sika deer) was down 2 percent compared to 16,018 antlered deer (443 sika deer) taken last year. This year’s antlerless harvest of 29,107 deer (570 sika deer) was a 1 percent increase over the 28,787 deer (493 sika deer) taken last year.

“It is encouraging to see the strong harvest we experienced early in the season continue through firearm season, particularly for antlerless deer,” said Wildlife and Heritage Service Deer Project Leader Brian Eyler. “Antlerless deer harvest remains our best tool to ensure successful deer population control.”

County

Antlered

Antlerless

Total

Calvert

295

485

780

Charles

714

1,262

1976

St. Mary’s

479

803

1,282

While the weather cooperated for much of the two-week firearm season, junior firearm hunters were not so lucky. The Junior Firearm Deer hunt on Nov. 15 was plagued with rain across much of the state. Junior hunters bagged an unofficial 1,526 deer, down 31 percent from last year’s official total of 2,211 deer. Junior hunters harvested 907 antlered deer and 619 antlerless deer this year compared to 1,237 antlered deer and 974 antlerless deer last year.

Junior hunters may obtain an official DNR Junior Hunter Certificate for deer that they harvest this year. The certificates are available from participating retail agents. Junior hunters can also have their picture posted on the DNR website by visiting www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/Junior_Hunters/md_jr_hunter.asp.

Maryland’s two-week late muzzleloader season opened Dec. 20 and closes on Jan 3.