deer population by state 2021
While deer are prey for some large carnivores, there are not enough of these predators to keep deer numbers in check. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Hunters harvested 168,427 deer during the 2021-22 season; a robust number indicative of a strong population. Deer hunting is a huge sport in the state, and the 2020-21 season saw a whopping 435,180 deer harvested, one of the largest in the country. Predators kill white-tailed deer. Newborn deer, or fawns, have white spots on their coats that help camouflage them in the forest. While statewide estimates are gained mainly through harvest data, in 2021 a thermal imaging drone was flown over Arlington in efforts to gain more accurate data. White-tailed deer are not native to Alaska and do not have well-established populations there. Deer living in suburbs and areas not zoned for hunting are hard to monitor due to the fact that most of the data about the deer . Harvest numbers come from harvest reports submitted by successful hunters and data collected from meat locker records. Mule deer are primarily found in the badlands alongside the Little Missouri River. Late spring to fall, they consume grasses, blackberries, apples, fireweed, pearly everlasting, forbs, salmonberry, salal, and maple. 2) Oklahoma: Deer population around 500,000. The 2020-2021 deer season showed hunters how . This means you would have had to put in an application for the 2021 controlled hunt draw and have been successful in order to hunt any eastern Oregon units for deer this year. In some states, deer are so plentiful that regular hunting is needed to keep a balanced ecosystem. Loss of habitat too many deer in a forested area can completely eat through the green understory. This 2015 article states the Arizona Big Game Management estimated Coues population at about 50,000-60,000 deer. Emily is an editor and content marketing specialist of five years. The 2021 mule deer survey put their population within the state at 227,392. (Texas is big in everything, it seems even deer!) They mostly live in the states coastal regions. Virginia has a healthy population of white-tail deer. Indiana Department of Natural Resources: White-tailed Deer History & Biology. Deer were in trouble in Florida with low populations between the 1700s and 1940s due to unregulated hide trading, hunting and a cattle-fever tick scare that caused mass deer removal. 2021 Virginia Deer Season Review. We researched to find out. Have some feedback for us? This graph published by the NJDEP Division of Science and Research shows the 2018 population estimate at just over 125,000 white-tailed deer. Today, the state enjoys a healthy population of almost 1 million white-tailed deer who live in each of its 75 counties. Learn more about the gestation period of fawn in this article. Even though black-tailed deer are considered subspecies of mule deer, there is still some debate on their origins and they are often counted separately. Florida has a healthy deer population that includes a large number of white-tails and fewer than 1,000 rare Key deer. All this brings us to today. Wisconsin is having a deer boom, with this 2021 article reporting the states population of 1.6 million is the highest its been in decades. The mule deer working group estimates the 2021 mule deer population at 330,700. Currently, the estimated deer population in Georgia is 1.27 million. This helps them avoid the harsher high elevation winter conditions such as deeper snow that covers up food. White-tailed deer are statewide but more populous in the east, while mule deer are found in the western two-thirds of the state. Like many states, Ohio successfully reintroduced deer, and they are now thriving. As the population grew, the demand for market hunting increased and deer were hunted in greater and greater numbers. This remains pretty average for the states deer population over the last 20 years which has ranged from about 115,000 to 160,000. However, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently added white-tailed deer to the states hunting regulations since the species is slowly migrating into the state. Bobcats and coyotes also prey on deer, but human hunting is the main way to control their populations. Regular hunting ensures that a state will only have the number of deer its ecosystems can support. While the white-tailed deer more or less stop east of the Rocky Mountains, the mule deer take over west of the Rockies. Columbian weigh between 88 180 pounds. They have made most of this information available online at Minnesota DNR Deer Populations & Goals. However, they have adapted well to many environments. It is one of the few states where mule deer are a more popular game animal than whitetails. Today Arkansas enjoys plenty of deer, with a 2020 estimate of 900,000 white-tailed deer. Delawares White-Tailed Deer: Hunting and Management. This 2021 article in the Greenville Sun quoted the states wildlife resource agency as estimating 900,000 white-tailed deer in the state. Finally, Maine's deer population grew prolifically through the 1990's as a result of the regulatory system that limited doe harvest, plus a series of mild winters. There is a great timeline of deer management through the years on the wildlife departments website. The estimated all-time low whitetail deer population numbers in Louisiana was about 20,000 in 1925. The most recent number listed on the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks site estimates 1.75 million white-tailed deer in the state. So what are the problems that come with too many deer? Although it has some mule deer, most of the deer in this state are members of the white-tailed family. There is some concern that in the long run, they may outcompete the native mule deer. There are nearly 2,000 different species! On average in North America, males weigh 150-300 pounds and females weigh 88 198 pounds. When Europeans first came to America, they found deer a plentiful resource in most states. Mule deer are native to the state, and the white-tailed deer were introduced by Idaho Fish & Game in the 1950s to present more hunting opportunities. The tail is straight and black on top with white underneath. Wyoming is home to 70,000 white-tail deer and about 330,000 mule deer. Williamson, WV (25661) Today. By 1930 less than 500 deer remained. Field studies from across the United States, including Pennsylvania, show that predators - notably coyotes, bears, and bobcats - prey on white-tailed deer. According to this article in the Washington Times Herald, as of 2020 the white-tailed deer population in Indiana was estimated at 680,000. develop estimates of deer density across the state. At that time, many state wildlife agencies were formed with the goal of conserving the nation's depleted wildlife resources. Hunting, Research, and Management. State wildlife biologists were concerned about damage from these non-native deer, but monitoring programs have found they coexist peacefully with the states native species. Thank you for visiting! Deer are a favorite big game animal. Making deer dependent on human feeding can make them more vulnerable to predators, diseases, and vehicle collisions. Mule deer are found in the western third of the state, mainly in the High Plains, Smoky Hills and Red Hills regions. Many towns are trying to figure out programs that will work for them to keep the deer population in check. Thats an impressive comeback from the near extinction they faced in the state at the turn of the 20th century. Once the objectives are set, wildlife biologists and the CDACs work together to set hunting quotas and seasons to move the local deer population in the direction of that objective. There are as many as 70,000 deer-motor vehicle collisions a year in New York state, and about 200 people across the country are killed in such accidents each year. But numbers have been on the rise since then, from an estimated 20,000 in 1940 to 700,000 in 2014. State Harvest Statistics 2022 - 2023 Deer Statistics for Alabama # of Deer reported: 195241 # of antlered reported: 102366 Public Land. The Alabama Department of Conservation and other groups began restocking white-tailed deer as early as the 1930s, with most of the restocking efforts happening during the 50s and 60s. Conservation efforts, game management programs, and habitat protection have all helped them survive. The total deer estimate for the state in recent years is about 280,000 300,000. Unlike white-tailed deer, some mule deer are migratory. How many deer are in Wisconsin 2021? One of the things that makes white-tailed deer so widespread is their ability to adapt to many environments. States With Minimal Deer Populations. Illinois Department of Natural Resources: deer hunting information. If this growth rate remained constant until year 10, the population would number about 900, or 1 deer per 1.3 acres. The state does not count its two species separately. The state department of wildlife and fisheries began to manage deer by setting hunting seasons and restocking in the late 1940s. Despite these high harvests, the population still remains pretty stable. Fortunately, the early to mid 1900s is when most management programs began to try and reverse this population loss. The estimated population total today is 427,500 mule deer and white-tailed deer. The only state they havent established at least a small population is Hawaii. Nebraska is another state that is home to both white-tailed and mule . Their tail is thinner than the white-tailed deer, with a distinctive black tip at the bottom. Considering our current coyote population, these numbers go a long way in explaining why the deer harvests have decreased over the last few years. For both species females are smaller than the males. Deer eat a lot, about 2,000 pounds of plant matter each year. The total deer population in Kansas was listed in this article as being 700,000. White-tailed deer are classified as the species Odocoileus virginianus, the Virginia white-tailed deer. Mule deer are found in the central mountains and southern deserts of the state, while white-tailed deer are most populous in the northern forested areas. When too many deer are in one environment, they can be a detriment by not allowing plants to grow to maturity or even completely wiping out a species of plant from an ecosystem. Nevada is one of the few states where deer populations have declined in recent decades. Icon. Iowa Department of Natural Resources: Deer hunting information. It also has about 320,000 black-tail deer, and the rest are mule deer. Try these articles next! Vermont is near the northernmost part of white-tailed deers range, and the deer must look for areas of shelter with mature evergreen trees to withstand the low temperatures and deep snow of winter. There are nearly 2,000 different species! While overall the deer population is considered to be stable, the migratory populations in the Sierra Nevada and the black-tailed deer in the northwest are likely in decline, while suburban populations are increasing. Population expansion is expected at about 1-2% each year in the near future, how some areas of middle and west Tennessee may be trying to lower the deer numbers to a more manageable level. I am a freelance writer with 22 years of experience. Columbia Black-tailed deer (Northern California and Pacific Northwest). Wyoming Game & Fish Department: Deer Hunting. They live all over the state, and the Department of Wildlife and Parks says the population is growing. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. White-tailed deer dominate Texas, being found in 252 out of 254 counties across the state with an estimated population of 5.3 million. Iowa has produced some of the largest bucks in the history of our country. "With the information we gathered from the aerial counts and the harvest reports we can then adjust the hunting permit levels for that area," Palmer said. North Dakota Game & Fish: deer hunting information. 2021 population numbers listed by the state estimate 293,950 mule deer and 212,814 white-tailed deer. Deer Harvest Map. Some conservationists think the number of deer is too high. The longest known mule deer migration occurs in Wyoming where deer travel 150 miles from the Red Desert to the mountain slopes around the Hoback Basin. They are most populous in states like Georgia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and New York, but they are slowly infiltrating other areas like Alaska as well. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Michigan: 31 deer per square mile. This is according to the most recent (2019) population estimates conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife (TP&W).. Deer species in the U.S. are split into eastern and western groups, with some cross over in the middle. The two species live in different parts of the state. New Mexico has three native deer species. Hunting is now an important part in keeping populations managed in the state, especially to help reduce populations in urban areas. Depending on the time of year, they eat: The total population of all deer in the U.S. is around 25 to 35 million. Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries: Deer Research, Management and Reports. Recent estimates indicate about 80,000 to 100,000 mule deer, and 10,000 to 15,000 Coues and other white-tailed deer. We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. Theres a lot more interesting history you can in Colorados Mule Deer Story. Things began to turn around when state refuges were created and periodic deer stocking occurred. Because of this permits and licenses are becoming more flexible opening up new opportunities for the states hunters. File Layout [< 1.0 MB] Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 (NST-EST2022-POPCHG2020-2022) [< 1.0 MB] With each new release of annual estimates, the entire time series of estimates is revised for all years back to the . They are most populous on the western Great Plains, in the Rocky Mountains, the southwestern states, and on the west coast of North America. Deer in the suburbs are well-known for eating the nice flowers and shrubs youve spent time planting in your yard. Hunters in southwest Michigan will be able to use a firearm from Nov. 15, 2020, through Jan. 1, 2021, except for Dec. 1-3. . In a 2020 article the state DNR estimated a white-tailed deer population of about 900,000 1,000,000. Since 2015, the statewide deer harvest has increased sharply, to a record high of 14,757 last year, with more deer killed east of 495 than the central and western parts of the state combined. . A 2020 study by the Mule Deer Working Group put total deer population (including black-tailed and mule deer) in California at 460,420. By 1990 the population had grown to 250,000. I could not find a specific estimate for the smaller white-tailed deer population. The Columbian white-tail is a rare species named after the Columbia River. The only Southern state in the top 10, Mississippi has an estimated 1.75 million white-tailed deer. The distribution of hunted deer is about 60% mule deer and 40% Coues deer. Arkansas nearly lost its deer population. White-tailed deer can be found throughout the state while mule deer are mainly found around and to the west of the Missouri River breaks. Outdoor Alabama: Deer hunting information and regulations. The Kansas DWP reports that white tailed numbers have increased dramatically in the last 20 years. Deer hunting in the state is an important tool to raise money for wildlife management and land acquisition. The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife estimated a population of 1 million white-tailed deer at the start of the 2020-21 hunting season. Visit our site to view our resource on Estimating Deer Populations on Your Property: Population Dynamics. While caribou, elk and moose are all Cervids, that is members of the deer family, we are not discussing them in this article. 2021 WAFWA Deer & Elk Business Meeting: Jim Heffelfinger: 1:00-2:40 PM: Deer Session 3: Disease: New Hampshire's Fish and Game Department says human feeding has damaged its deer populations. This 2021 article in the Observer-Dispatch reports a white-tailed deer population of approximately 1.2 million. Like other states, Mississippi used conservation efforts to bring deer back from the brink of extinction. It will be something the state keeps an eye on going forward. The White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the most popular game species in Misissippi.Nationally, the white-tailed deer population likely exceeds 30 million. White-tailed deer prefer the more agricultural and upland areas of the state, whereas the sika deer prefer marshes and forested wetlands. Colorados white-tailed deer mostly live in the eastern and central mountain areas. There were fewer than 500 deer left at the time. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. According to the state of Massachusetts deer management page, there are an estimated 95,000 white-tailed deer in the state. Mule deer are the most populous with a 2020 estimate of 85,000-100,000 mule deer in Arizona. The antlers are used during the breeding season to compete for breeding females. However they are a popular game species for the state, perhaps because they inhabit less hospitable terrain and are better at staying hidden than the mule deer, offering hunters more of a challenge. Courtesy of onX Hunt, here are the eight states in the USA with the highest deer density: Mississippi: 38 deer per square mile. Whereas the size of white-tailed deer can vary greatly, mule deer dont show as much of a difference across their range. The 2,500 hunter sample size is more than adequate, statistically, to produce precise . Like other deer species they grow new antlers each spring and shed them during the winter. Like most deer, black-tail browse on what vegetation is available in each season. Each year, DNR compiles county-level deer data across Indiana. There is a really nice timeline of events affecting the deer on the states history of deer management page. 15 SOAs. White-tailed deer are mainly found in the Black Hills, Bighorn Basin and Riverton regions. Deer are one of the most populous and hunted big game animals in North America. Deer populations are actually higher than they were historically in many areas, or they are at the point of exceeding the carrying capacity of their local environment. Wishau said the industry is seeing a real decline in new hunters. There are no western states with over a million deer. Be on the lookout. Three of those are abundant enough to hunt, the white-tailed deer, mule deer and black-tailed deer. Deer are popular among hunters and wildlife watchers. The reader should bear in mind that many . In fact the 2020-21 hunting season is reported as one of Ohios most successful with 197,735 deer harvested. They will spend the summer in higher elevations, then travel down to lower elevations during the winter. The rut, which is their mating season, occurs in the fall and the fawns are born in the spring. The majority of the North American population lives east of the Rocky Mountains. Arizona is home to two main types of deer, the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. The white-tailed deer has a reddish-brown coat in the spring which fades to a grayish-brown coat during the fall and winter. The program aims to address many factors impacting mule deer such as post-fire rehabilitation, pinyon-juniper removal, invasive weed abatement, re-establishing beneficial shrub/grass/forbs to compromised habitats, water development, spring protection, highway crossings, migration corridor protection, disease surveillance, assessing and trying to mitigate impacts from mining/energy development, predator management, and collaring and monitoring mule deer to identity limiting factors/mortality/habitat selection, etc.. but is also indicative that the deer population is trending toward a population level that reduces damage to agriculture and minimizes impacts on our natural communities. Spotlight surveys have been used by biologists nationwide since the mid-1900s and are effective for monitoring population trends, determining the distribution of species, identifying habitat use, and predicting disease outbreaks. When alarmed, white-tailed deer will raise their tail straight up, flashing the white. We couldnt find any hard numbers and its likely an estimate has not yet been made. The 2021 estimate for mule deer is 249,691. Read more about New Yorks deer abundance on the DEC site here. While deer are not naturally found in Hawaii, an invasive species has taken over in the last 150 years, the Axis deer. While nobody knows exactly what the deer population was before the European settlers showed up, it is believed there are many more today than there were historically. White-tailed deer, also known as whitetails or Virginia deer, are a common game animal in the United States. That number sure has come a long way from 1900 when they were thought to have been completely wiped out with no wild populations left. Deer friendly reports a white-tailed deer population of 72,900 in 2019 based on hunting data. The states fish and game page describes mule deer as boom and bust, meaning their populations can vary quite a bit year to year based on environmental conditions such as drought. State wildlife officials say the actual number may be higher. This coupled with careful management clearly has allowed deer in Mississippi to make an impressive comeback. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Colorado Parks & Wildlife: Big Game Hunting. According to the Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, most of the state conservation efforts are funded through hunting and fishing license sales and firearms sales. Statewide, deer populations benefited from a relatively mild winter and favorable weather during fawning season and early summer. The most recent data I could find for white-tailed deer reported around 300,000 in 2016. The state says its population is well-managed and sustainable. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency: deer hunting guide. Washington has the most variety of deer. On the other hand, hunting them provides food for many and their meat is very prized. Wisconsin: 33 deer per square mile. This may seem small compared to the 10.1 million people living in Georgia, but it does not account for an accurate number of deer in urban areas. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation: deer hunting resources. White-tailed deer were once common in Delaware, but hunting reduced their numbers. Washington has the most variety of deer. There are approximately 5.6 Million White-tailed deer in Texas. They are the mule deer, Coues deer, and Texas white-tail. According to this article, the DNREC estimated the deer population at the start of the 2020-21 season at 45,000 white-tailed deer. The overall size, length, and branches on antlers depends on how well-fed the deer is, how old it is, and some is just genetics. The DNR estimated 574,000 hunters spent 8.7 million days afield during the 2017 deer season, and harvested 376,000 deer for a nearly 50% success rate. Hunters in Region B the remainder of the state harvested 62,916 deer, down 13% from 72,346 . Its 2020 estimate . As part of the states deer management plan, the state is divided up into numbered permit areas, each with their own deer population goal. Deer Meat: 10 Things You Should Know About Venison, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Caught In Maine. Mule deer are classified as the species Odocoileus hemionus, the Rocky-Mountain mule deer. South Dakota is home to both the white-tailed and mule deer. This is due in part to lack of predators and changes in land use (less mature forest, more transition zones). They will lose these spots after a few months. The TWRA page states that the deer population has expanded from just a few counties in eastern Tennessee during the 1940s to being present in all 95 counties state-wide today. Their size can vary greatly dependent on their location. An article published in November of 2021 in the CT Insider quotes the CT DEEP stating that the three year average for total deer population in the state is 101,000. Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The following section is not related to the 2021 Deer Hunter Survey but is offered as information relevant to the state's deer population. Since at least 1962, WRD has used scientifically valid, survey methodology to get estimates of not only deer harvest, but also harvest estimates of other game species. White-tailed deer are one of three deer species native to North America. That was a 26 percent increase from the 2019-2020 season of 126,452. . Sitka overall have a darker coat than the Columbian. The mule deer working group states it is difficult to estimate black-tailed deer numbers, however the 2004 estimate of 320,000 is likely close as the population has been stable since then. Delaware hunters registered a record 17,265 harvested deer during the 2020/21 hunting season with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, surpassing the previous record harvest of 16,969 deer set last year during the 2019/20 hunting season. Other deer related concerns in the state include Lyme disease and deer-vehicle collisions, which are taken to account in the states management practices. That includes white-tail deer, mule deer, black-tail deer, and a handful of rare deer species. Deer Season Summary and Population Status Report . Although Fayette County had the highest harvest rate at 2.6%. The top of their tail is brown, but the underside is very fluffy and white. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Found in forests as well as the suburbs, deer are often thought to have spiritual meaning and can bring nature close to home since they are often seen in backyards and neighborhoods. It is easy to see deer in most U.S. state parks, reserves, and even suburban yards. Careful management slowly brought the population back and by 1985 hunters were able to harvest 32,000 deer. I have seen some debate on this but at the time of writing this article the consensus is that black-tailed deer are a subspecies of the mule deer. On average in North America, males weigh 121 331 pounds and females weigh 95 198 pounds. Based on hunting data the white-tailed deer population in 2017 was about 135,000. Long story short, conservation and advances in wildlife management brought the deer back. That is a quick comeback from the estimated 662 that were left in 1941. For many years deer hunting wasnt allowed in the state in efforts to allow the population to recover from the overhunting of the 1700s and early 180os. In the 1950s, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission brought deer from other states to repopulate parts of Florida. Today its hard to image they werent always so abundant. In 1960, there were 22 deer management areas and most deer seasons were only 2 to 4 weeks, with the longest at 56 days. In 1974 the state passed the Deer Management Act and had its first deer hunting season the following year. It was hard to find a species break-down, but in general it appears each of the three main species make up a fairly equal portion of that total, about 100,000 each. State/Province Updates: Moderator: Sara Holm: 1:00-1:10 PM: California Deer and Elk Status Update: . Their population is recovering due to prohibiting antlerless harvest for a few years and milder winters. Have some feedback for us? They now live on several Hawaiian islands, and their population is estimated at around 100,000.
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