deer population by state 2021 deer population by state 2021

. They live all over the state, and the Department of Wildlife and Parks says the population is growing. In Wisconsin, there have been 1,822 entries for the buck, which is . 4) Iowa: Deer population around 400,000. The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife estimated a population of 1 million white-tailed deer at the start of the 2020-21 hunting season. Indiana: 28 deer per square mile. The state banned hunting in 1841, and the deer population increased. Their tail is thinner than the white-tailed deer, with a distinctive black tip at the bottom. West Virginia Department of Natural Resources: big game hunting information. 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 . Estimated at 314,850 in 2020, down from 372,500 in 2018. Kansas is home to two kinds of deer, white-tailed deer and mule deer. White-tailed deer and mule deer roam the grasslands and prairies of Wyoming. The state is home to more than 400,000 white-tailed and mule deer. White-tailed deer are a popular game animal found in almost every part of the United States. Icon. In public hunting areas the population is estimated at 950-1050 deer. About 74,000 hunters participated in the state's 2017 spring turkey season, and killed 33,000 birds. A deer stocking program began in 1932 and continued for nearly 30 years. 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. New Hampshires Fish and Game Department says human feeding has damaged its deer populations. Learn more. Recently the state has been increasing their any-deer (does or bucks) permits in an effort to bring down the population due to complains about too many deer and high levels of Lyme disease in certain areas. This coupled with careful management clearly has allowed deer in Mississippi to make an impressive comeback. Hunters in Region B the remainder of the state harvested 62,916 deer, down 13% from 72,346 . North Dakota is home to both white-tailed and mule deer. The tail is straight and black on top with white underneath. When resources are scarce, they will eat insects and small animals. Nebraska is another state that is home to both white-tailed and mule deer. However they are not out of the woods with continued habitat loss and disease (such as the 2017 screwworm epidemic that killed a large portion of male Key deer) threatening their numbers. According to this article current estimates are about 40,000 60,000 on Molokai, 20,000 on Lanai and 30,000 50,000 on Maui. Sampling of ticks in the ESA, conducted in May 2021 by the MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife found a high number of black-legged ticks (42 juveniles and 1 adult), which are known vectors for a number of diseases, including Lyme disease . "With roughly 35 calves per hundred cows, we know the herds are increasing. The distribution of hunted deer is about 60% mule deer and 40% Coues deer. White-tailed deer are an important game animal in the state. White-tailed deer in Florida tend to be a little smaller than in other states, due in part to the warm climate. Deer are popular among hunters and wildlife watchers. As the largest of the lower 48 states, Texas has lots of room for deer. About 206,00 hunters used a crossbow and harvested 93,000 deer. View the latest Missouri deer harvest numbers by county. If it is just a garden you are trying to protect, you can net off that specific area rather than your whole yard, Motion detecting sprinklers can work great to startle them away. The majority of the North American population lives east of the Rocky Mountains. I could not find an exact count that was more recent, however based on estimated deer harvest numbers the total population in Florida as of 2019 may be closer to 550,000. These sika deer were originally from Japan and were released from private property in Maryland during the early 1900s. Upwards of 400,000 deer are hunted in the state each year. 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. Try these articles next! Bobcats and coyotes also prey on deer, but human hunting is the main way to control their populations. Many towns are trying to figure out programs that will work for them to keep the deer population in check. However, the abundance of deer in many parts of the state is causing increasing problems, particularly in suburban and urban areas. Deer hunting in the state is an important tool to raise money for wildlife management and land acquisition. It will be something the state keeps an eye on going forward. This is quite a noticeable decline from the population high of 250,000 seen in 1988. The white-tailed deer is native to North America, Central America and parts of South America. The white-tailed deer found in Arizona belongs to the subspecies called Coues. North Carolina's major efforts to restore our state's deer resource took place in the 1940s through the 1970s. The state almost destroyed its deer population. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources: hunting in Utah. However in many areas of eastern Massachusetts where hunting is restricted by town firearm laws or land closures, the deer population is not well controlled. Deer live in every county of the state. The dark green shaded counties have the most dense deer populations in Tennessee. Deer overpopulation causes habitat destruction, crop damage, vehicle collisions and disease all of which threatens the long-term survival of white-tailed deer in Wisconsin. Biologists believe a new framework for deer management is in order, and one that takes into account the ecological capacity of the current ecosystem. Conservation efforts, game management programs, and habitat protection have all helped them survive. There are an estimated 35 to 36 million deer in the U.S. Once hunted almost to extinction, they have made a successful recovery. On average in North America, males weigh 121 331 pounds and females weigh 95 198 pounds. Maryland Department of Natural Resources: hunting in Maryland. White-tailed deer were once common in Delaware, but hunting reduced their numbers. They remain an important part of the states economy, generating an estimated 1.2 billion dollars through hunting. Alabama: 25 deer per square mile. Sitka are the smaller subspecies weighing between 80 120 pounds. 5) South Dakota: Deer population around 300,000. This study from 2020 says that while imprecise, their best estimate is 333,000 346,000 black tailed deer live across Alaska. Pennsylvania: 34 deer per square mile. Tennessee hunters harvested 159,879 deer in the state this hunting season. The first recorded sightings of the white-tailed deer in Utah happened in the northern part of the state, Cache county, in the late 1990s. They are small deer with fully grown males rarely weighing over 100 pounds. Market hunting decimated the states population by the late 1800s. Hawaii has about 1,000 black-tail deer and 110,000 Axis deer. During the 2020 deer season it is estimated that a total of 107,212 bucks and 90,681 does were harvested for a statewide total of 197,893 deer ( Table 1 ). The Wyoming Fish & Game Department notes, Many hunters choose where they hunt deer based on the type of terrain and scenery they want to experience in Wyoming.. Michigan: 31 deer per square mile. Idaho Fish & Game: Deer Hunting information. When alarmed, white-tailed deer will raise their tail straight up, flashing the white. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department: white-tailed deer hunting information. Recent estimates indicate about 80,000 to 100,000 mule deer, and 10,000 to 15,000 Coues and other white-tailed deer. As recently as 1968 the in-state population estimate was only 25,000, but through conservation and management by 1990 that number skyrocketed to 100,000. Like other states, Mississippi used conservation efforts to bring deer back from the brink of extinction. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. But what is their population by state? Deer Meat: 10 Things You Should Know About Venison, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Caught In Maine. Coat color tends to be more reddish-brown in the spring and grayish-brown during winter. The sika deer population is mainly found along coastal regions and is much lower than the white-tailed deer. However the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says that they are both crossing the border with Canada and starting to colonize. The endangered Columbian white-tailed deer are only found in the far southwestern corner of Washington along the lower Columbia River. By the turn of the century people began to realize they needed conservation programs or the deer would go the way of the buffalo. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation: deer hunting resources. 2021 population numbers listed by the state estimate 293,950 mule deer and 212,814 white-tailed deer. How many deer live in the United States? There is also a small population of black-tailed deer on the island of Kauai that were introduced from Oregon in 1961. However world-wide there are 26 known subspecies, with 17 of those occurring in the U.S. This time the population grew to 212 deer in only 6 years. According to the state of Massachusetts deer management page, there are an estimated 95,000 white-tailed deer in the state. New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife: White-tailed deer hunting and harvest. Managers have been able to relax hunting regulations over the years in response to increasing deer herds. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? Deer numbers in Arkansas significantly declined due to unrestricted market hunting during the 1800s until 1915. The mule deer population has been in decline since 1980, decreasing from 300,000 to todays estimate of 170,000 190,000 in 2020. They are largely concentrated around the so-called Hill Country and Edwards Plateau regions. Wisconsin: 33 deer per square mile. White-tailed deer are not native to Alaska and do not have well-established populations there. It is estimated that only 10,000 deer inhabited the state in 1900. . Have some feedback for us? With laws enacted and amount of farmed land decreasing, deer began to rebound. Title. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Please note that tracking wildlife populations is not an exact science. Michigans many deer are all white-tails. They also state the greatest density of deer can be found in Rockingham, Hillsborough and Cheshire counties, as well as along the Connecticut River Valley in Grafton County. This 2021 article in the Greenville Sun quoted the states wildlife resource agency as estimating 900,000 white-tailed deer in the state. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the return of this deer is a tribute to good landowner attitude and progressive management, research, and enforcement programs.. File Layout [< 1.0 MB] Annual State Resident Population Estimates for 5 Race Groups (5 Race Alone or in Combination Groups) by Age, Sex, and Hispanic Origin: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021 (SC-EST2021-ALLDATA5) [< 1.0 MB] With each new release of annual estimates, the entire time series of estimates is revised for all years back to the last . Browse, which is a collective term for shoots, twigs, leaves, and buds. The main deer population in Utah is mule deer, with a 2021 estimate of 314,850. Historically mountain lions and wolves helped to control the deer population, but with the absence of those predators today hunters are the only real population control. In 1960, there were 22 deer management areas and most deer seasons were only 2 to 4 weeks, with the longest at 56 days. (Texas is big in everything, it seems even deer!) Survey data is collected by field biologists using aerial and ground surveys in the . Like other deer species they grow new antlers each spring and shed them during the winter. Using Remote Sensed Data to Monitor Mule Deer Population Performance: Mark Hurley: 10:25-10:55 AM: . White-tailed deer dominate Texas, being found in 252 out of 254 counties across the state with an estimated population of 5.3 million. There are more than 490,000 acres of wildlife management areas in West Virginia. Most of these are mule deer. Iowa Department of Natural Resources: Deer hunting information. Post hunt population estimates are the starting point for setting antlerless quotas and harvest of antlerless deer is the primary way to manage deer herd abundance. White-tailed deer are an abundant and sustainable game species in Louisiana and the species most targeted by Louisiana hunters. Their population is recovering due to prohibiting antlerless harvest for a few years and milder winters. Iowa's most recent . As part of the states deer management plan, the state is divided up into numbered permit areas, each with their own deer population goal. In 2021 the Nevada Department of Wildlife started the Mule Deer Enhancement Program to bring together people from all areas of the state to look at and address causes. Why do so many states allow deer hunting? The 2021 estimate for mule deer is 249,691. The estimated population total today is 427,500 mule deer and white-tailed deer. Theres a lot more interesting history you can in Colorados Mule Deer Story. Controlled hunting laws have kept the population stable. There are no western states with over a million deer. Montana has a large population of two types of deer, the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. All this brings us to today. 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's 2021-22 deer hunting season concluded Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, with 196,988 deer checked, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. They are only found in the Florida keys and are an endangered species. Mule deer make up the majority, with white-tailed deer mainly found in eastern parts of the state and a few pockets in central and mountain areas. Deer adapt to changing environments, and that adaptability has helped them make a strong comeback. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks: deer hunting information. 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. The estimated all-time low whitetail deer population numbers in Louisiana was about 20,000 in 1925. It is important they have access to both the cover provided by the forest and the grazing in open areas and along the forest edge. The most credible white-tailed estimate I could find came from the 2017-2023 South Dakota white-tailed and mule deer management plan, which listed the 2016 preseason population estimate at 425,000. It also has about 320,000 black-tail deer, and the rest are mule deer. 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. Ohio's average harvest compiled from the past three seasons is 184,746 deer. They are the most hunted big game in the state. Oregon Department of Fish & Game: how to hunt deer and elk in Oregon. Many white-tailed deer live in forests and prefer habitat with young growth and forest edge. Deer hunting plays an important role in keeping ecosystems balanced. It was sometimes an up and down battle for the deer, but things really began to improve in the early 1970s when management of deer was turned over from the state legislature to the department of natural resources. The Illinois Division of Wildlife Resources says deer are an important part of the states economy. Mule deer make up the largest portion of the population and 95% of the annual deer harvested. Fortunately, the early to mid 1900s is when most management programs began to try and reverse this population loss. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission: deer hunting information. Have some feedback for us? Habitat loss, decrease in forgeable food and hunting brought species to the brink by the early 1900s. 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. However Texas is also home to mule deer, who live in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions. The Columbian white-tailed deer is an endangered species so is protected rather than hunted. 20+ Foods, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, The 4 Best Deer Repellents: Reviewed and Ranked, Fallow Deer vs. White-Tailed Deer: Key Differences. Idaho is home to both mule deer and white-tailed deer. Sitka overall have a darker coat than the Columbian. There are six subspecies of mule deer found across California. There are three main types of deer in New Mexico, the mule deer, the Coues deer and the Texas white-tailed deer. In the April 2020 state wildlife report, estimates put the elk population in the Black Hills at approximately 6,000 - 8,000, and the population in Custer State Park at approximately 460. The Columbian white-tail is a rare species named after the Columbia River. North Dakota Game & Fish: deer hunting information. Some states also have small populations of endemic deer species found only in that state. Last year, both rifle and archery harvests were below average. Many animals, such as songbirds, rely on this understory habitat. However, they have adapted well to many environments. Title. Its 2020 estimate . In some states, deer are so plentiful that regular hunting is needed to keep a balanced ecosystem. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. South Dakota has more than 80,000 mule deer and 420,000 white-tail deer. The supply of deer food throughout the state was in generally good condition. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Put up a fence but it has to be tall. Today, it is thriving. Delaware hunters reported harvesting 15,383 deer during the 2021/22 hunting season, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. States With Minimal Deer Populations. Ohio had lost most of its deer by 1900 due to habitat loss and hunting. The numbers above do not include deer . Since then, the introduction of white-tailed deer, habitat protection, and controlled hunting have allowed the deer to thrive again. They will lose these spots after a few months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Both species were introduced to Hawaii, but they have not damaged Hawaiis native ecosystems. If you ever see a deer in the woods and they spot you, you might catch them flagging as they run away. They now live on several Hawaiian islands, and their population is estimated at around 100,000. Generally cloudy. 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. They mostly live in the states coastal regions. A 2018 estimate puts the white-tailed deer estimate around 18,000 for Rhode Island. These deer gained the name mule due to their elongated ears that resemble a donkey. The rest are mule deer. 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. Harvest numbers come from harvest reports submitted by successful hunters and data collected from meat locker records. Additional Sources used in this article : WildlifeInformer.com is your #1 source for free information about all types of wildlife and exotic pets. Nevada is the western state with the . After gathering 2020 data the state reported stable mule deer herds and slightly increasing whitetail herds. This not only allows them to digest a wide variety of foods, but they can eat and wait until later to digest. White-tailed deer are classified as the species Odocoileus virginianus, the Virginia white-tailed deer. That was a 26 percent increase from the 2019-2020 season of 126,452. . Today, they are an important game animal and a key part of the states ecosystems. There is a really nice timeline of events affecting the deer on the states history of deer management page. Depending on the time of year, they eat: The total population of all deer in the U.S. is around 25 to 35 million. In the western states, Idaho is the only state that has at least 750,000 deer within a state. It is one of the few states where mule deer are a more popular game animal than whitetails. During the past deer season, 209,356 deer were reported killed by deer hunters in Virginia (Figure 1). The states only deer species is thriving in every region. Each year CDFW biologists estimate the deer population in California using a computer model that uses harvest numbers along with survey data. However in localized urban and suburban areas, many populations are increasing. This remains pretty average for the states deer population over the last 20 years which has ranged from about 115,000 to 160,000. After many years of stability, the state reports deer population trended downwards between 2003 and 2015. Producers working to lower deer populations in their fields have found that these early hunts are critical in reducing the total number of female deer over the course of the year. Every three years, the DNR approves population objectives for each deer management unit based on population metrics and CDAC input. LDWF biologists and technicians collect harvest and biological data and conduct other research on public . State wildlife officials say the actual number may be higher. The only population estimate I could find for sika deer was approximately 10,000 in 2016. Deer where nearly extirpated from the state by the early 1900s, with only a few thousand left in remote pockets. Careful management slowly brought the population back and by 1985 hunters were able to harvest 32,000 deer. 20+ Foods, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, The 4 Best Deer Repellents: Reviewed and Ranked, How and Where Do Deer Sleep? 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 . The harvest was 13% lower than the 2020-2021 total of 81,729 deer. Hunting seasons, bag limits, deer restocking and habitat restoration are just a few of the management practices that sprung up. That brings us to the topic of this article, where we will dive into what the deer population is in each U.S. state, and which types of deer you can find there. Deer eat a lot, about 2,000 pounds of plant matter each year. 2021 seemed to show a higher-than-usual occurrence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), but at the time of writing this article is is unclear if it will significantly impact the states overall deer population. 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. 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. The most recent number listed on the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks site estimates 1.75 million white-tailed deer in the state. Currently, the estimated deer population in Georgia is 1.27 million. Colorados white-tailed deer mostly live in the eastern and central mountain areas. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks: deer information and hunting guide. The White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the most popular game species in Misissippi.Nationally, the white-tailed deer population likely exceeds 30 million. Black-tailed deer in their native Pacific northwest range live in dense coastal rainforest and semi-open habitats including riparian forest (along river banks) and areas of tangled shrubs and thicket. 2021-2023 Deer Population Objectives. The 2020-2021 deer season showed hunters how . Maryland also has a population of sika deer. 48 State Parks. Washingtons deer thrive in the mountain regions. Sounds good for hunters, but populations this high can be problematic. Whereas the size of white-tailed deer can vary greatly, mule deer dont show as much of a difference across their range. This has rebounded from the estimated 10,000 deer in 1900. For both species females are smaller than the males. 4382 WMAs. Mule deer are the most populous with a 2020 estimate of 85,000-100,000 mule deer in Arizona. Hunting is the leading cause of deer mortality in most of the state (Figure 3). White tailed deer are found throughout the state, with the highest numbers in eastern half. What is the White-Tailed Deer Population by State? Thank you for visiting! With larger deer populations there is also an increased risk of elevated deer tick populations. Kansas has about 50,000 mule deer, and the rest are white-tails. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission starting putting limits on hunting in 1916 to try and turn the tide, with an estimated 2,000 deer remaining in the state. A 2021 article in the Press Herald quoted a state biologist as saying the 2019 whitetail deer population estimate was 230,000 250,000 and that today the numbers are likely closer to 280,000 300,000. Three of those are abundant enough to hunt, the white-tailed deer, mule deer and black-tailed deer. Deer friendly reports a white-tailed deer population of 72,900 in 2019 based on hunting data.