Published: December 17, 2008 11:11 pm      

W.Md. antlerless deer kill up, buck kill down

Hunters bag 2,274 in Allegany

CUMBERLAND — Bolstered by an increase in the taking of antlerless deer, the kill in Maryland’s two westernmost counties during the recent two-week modern firearm season was up a bit over 2007. However, the buck kill was down in both Garrett and Allegany counties.

Garrett County hunters knocked down 2,548 deer this season, compared to 2,372 a year ago. In Allegany County, the recent harvest was 2,274 whereas it was 2,222 in 2007.

Brian Eyler, who directs deer management for the Maryland Wildlife Service, called the numbers unofficial, meaning they will change a little as the returns are given additional scrutiny by biologists.

In Garrett County, hunters this year bagged 1,374 bucks and 1,174 deer without antlers. A year ago, those numbers were 1,500 and 872, meaning the buck kill has gone down by more than 100 while the antlerless kill has risen by more than 300.

The Allegany County numbers show that 1,325 bucks were taken this year, down 74 animals from last year’s count of 1,399. The antlerless deer harvest in Allegany rose, however, going from 823 in 2007 to 949.

“The increase in antlerless harvest would be because of the expansion on private land to a two-day season,” Eyler said Wednesday. In 2007, antlerless deer were legal for only one day on private land.

Eyler said the kill in Region A (Allegany-Garrett) remains stable. “A difference of 100 bucks one way or another isn’t something I’ll lose sleep over,” he said. “When we get all of the numbers in at the end of archery season we’ll be able to look at them and see if any large differences in harvest are apparent.”

Eyler said he knows that in some parts of Maryland hunters are choosing not to shoot bucks with smaller antlers, thus reducing the buck kill.

“I’m just not sure if that is taking place in Garrett and Allegany,” Eyler said. “I don’t have a good handle on that.”

Eyler said deer management, including the establishment of regulations, is based on multi-year trends and not from the results of one season.

“Western Maryland had great weather on opening day, but Sunday was a disaster,” Eyler said of the second day during which heavy rains fell.

“Western Maryland appears to be holding steady. There are some counties on the lower Eastern Shore that are down a bit (in harvest) and we’ll be keeping an eye on them.”

Statewide there were 44,802 deer killed this firearms season, very similar to the total last year of 44,913.

Maryland is beating the bushes for young hunters, having seen a rise in sales of the less expensive senior hunting licenses and seeking an increase in the more expensive sportsman’s license sold to adults younger than 65, according to a report by Anath Hartmann of the Capital News Service.

A senior license costs $5, but the sportsman’s license sells for $24.50. There are additional charges for certain stamps, such as a stamp to hunt deer with archery equipment.

“All the studies that have been done nationally show that the younger you can get a child involved in (hunting), they’re more likely to stick with it, as opposed to someone (starting) in their later years,” Bob Beyer, associate wildlife director, told Capital News Service.

Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.