(Host) Wildlife experts say Vermont’s deer herd is at least 10% smaller than last fall, down to about 123,000 deer. Those numbers will have an impact on rifle season, which starts this weekend.
VPR’s Patti Daniels reports:
(Daniels) The state anticipates that 80,000 licensed hunters take about 15,000 deer each fall. The state also uses permits for hunting antler-less deer to help regulate the size of the herd.
John Buck is a wildlife biologist who leads the state’s deer project. He says the Department of Fish and Wildlife gave far fewer antler-less permits for this season, because the herd is smaller:
(Buck) "So we’re trying to keep the deer population in that middle road of the high and low bounds as specified by the Game Plan, and anticipate what this coming winter might be like too, which is always a wild card."
(Daniels) Buck says the heavy snowpack Vermont had at the end of last winter is the reason the herd is smaller:
(Buck) "Snow plays a great role in deer survival. And when that snow falls during the winter is even more important."
(Daniels) Deer go into winter well-fed, but they lose weight throughout the cold months. Heavy snow into the spring affects them when they are their weakest.
(Buck) "Deer, even 200 lb, great big deer, don’t stand very tall. So when snow gets up to 18 inches, 20 inches you know, it doesn’t take much snow to start to really weigh on their energy costs."
(Daniels) Buck says even though the herd is smaller this year, he still considers the deer population a healthy size, right in the middle of the range that the Department of Fish and Wildlife says can be supported by the landscape and human priorities.
For VPR News, I’m Patti Daniels