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Connecticut Deer Hunting - 2003 Statistics The
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
announced that hunters harvested almost 13,000 deer
during Connecticut?s 2003 regulated deer hunting
seasons. The 2003 harvest increased by six percent over
2002?s harvest of almost 12,000 deer. Over the past 10
years, the number of deer permits issued has fluctuated
between 60,000 and 63,000 annually. Over the past five
years, the total deer harvest has fluctuated between
11,000 and 13,000 deer.
"Weather conditions and the fall acorn crop probably
play the biggest role in influencing annual hunter
success rates," said Howard Kilpatrick, Leader of the
DEP Wildlife Division?s Deer Project. "During years with
poor acorn crops, deer travel more to feed, increasing
their vulnerability to hunting. The presence of snow
cover also increases deer visibility, making them more
vulnerable to hunting."
Snowcover was present during the second half of the
shotgun-rifle season and much of the muzzleloader and
late archery season. In 2003, the muzzleloader season
harvest increased by 41% and the archery season harvest
increased by 13%. During the shotgun-rifle season, windy
conditions countered any benefits from the snowcover,
resulting in a similar harvest between 2002 and 2003.
In deer management zones 11 (Southwest CT) and 12
(shoreline towns) where deer populations are high,
efforts to employ aggressive deer management techniques
to control deer population growth continue. In December
2002, the archery season was officially extended in
zones 11 and 12 to include the entire month of January
(2003). However, some hunters probably were not aware of
this change, which may have reduced participation in the
January 2003 season. Extension of the archery season was
better publicized this past year, resulting in more deer
being harvested (+133%) in January 2004 compared to
January 2003.
As of October 2003, hunters were allowed to use bait
for hunting deer in deer management zones 11 and 12.
This law was changed to increase harvest rates in areas
with high deer densities, especially where access to
private land is limited.
In December 2003, the replacement antlerless tag
program was extended to include the muzzleloader deer
hunting season in zones 11 and 12. In the past, free
replacement antlerless tags were available to hunters
who harvested an antlerless deer during the
shotgun-rifle or archery deer season only. During all
deer hunting seasons in 2003, just over 1,000
replacement tags were issued in zones 11 and 12 and one
in every three tags issued resulted in the harvest of an
additional antlerless deer. This program has been
effective at focusing hunter effort on removing female
deer in those areas of the state where deer populations
are higher than desired. Removing one female deer during
the fall hunting season will effectively reduce next
year?s deer population by three (1 adult doe and 2
offspring). "Expansion of the replacement tag program
and the ability to use bait in zones 11 and 12, combined
with the presence of snow cover, boosted harvest rates
during the 2003 deer season," added Kilpatrick.
In many other areas, deer populations are relatively
stable at reasonable levels. However, because of
relatively low deer numbers in deer management zone 4A
(northern Tolland County), restrictions were set in
place five years ago to limit the harvest of antlerless
deer. This restriction is starting to show a rebound
effect on deer population growth in this area.
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