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Expanded Antlerless Hunting Season Proposed

Montpelier, Vermont - July 20, 2009

Hunters are learning more about the state's proposed 10 year Big Game Management Plan at meetings across the state. About 50 hunters turned out, Monday night, in Montpelier. The group had mixed feelings about the plan so far.

One of the many proposals in plan is the expansion of the muzzleloader season for antlerless deer. The Fish and Wildlife Department says an earlier season might be the most effective way to manage the population because it will reduce the 3-1 ratio of doe to buck prior to mating season.

"That can make sure that more doe get bred in their first estrus, which means the birthing period is more synchronous, fawns survive better when the birthing period's more synchronous," Shawn Haskell, the biologist heading up the state's deer program, told the group Monday night.

Biologists say an earlier season would also leave more food for deer in winter, and since does and fawns stick together prior to mating season it will help hunters distinguish between the two.

"Most people would opt to shoot a doe when they're antler-less deer hunting," said Haskell. "Eighty percent are does, 20 percent are fawns, most people would pass on fawns if they could make that judgement."

Some hunters say they are on board with the idea.

"If the biologists determine it's necessary to have a doe season, I'm all for it," said Allan Heath, a hunter from South Barre. "They're the ones that are taking care of the deer herd and it's my opinion they've done a great job with it."

Other hunters say an early season would make shot deer harder to track since there is no snow on the ground yet. Many hunters say the state needs to give current management plans more time to work before it makes any changes.

"They had a plan a few years ago that was going to be a five year plan, they've changed it and changed it and changed it, they've come to a ten year plan and I'm figuring it's going to be the same way, they're just going to keep changing it," said hunter Bernard Peters of Irasburg.

Since the 10 year plan is still in draft phase there will be more changes before it is final. Those changes will be based on hunter input to the current proposal. The state is taking comments from people through the end of July.

Bianca Slota - WCAX News