Arizona has a small population of whitetails, though they tend to prefer areas with more vegetation. For instance, in farmland management zones, harvesting approximately 25% of the . New Hampshire: 100,000. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation: deer hunting resources. Colorado Parks & Wildlife: Big Game Hunting. 2021's deer season in Kentucky exceeded already high numbers coming out of the pandemic-affected 2020 . Montana has about 300,000 mule deer and about 213,000 white-tail deer. 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. There are eight accepted subspecies in the U.S., including the two black-tailed species. It is estimated that only 10,000 deer inhabited the state in 1900. White-tailed deer are mainly found in the Black Hills, Bighorn Basin and Riverton regions. 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. This has rebounded from the estimated 10,000 deer in 1900. White-tailed deer were once common in Delaware, but hunting reduced their numbers. Why do so many states allow deer hunting? However Texas is also home to mule deer, who live in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Nebraskas deer population includes 300,000 white-tail deer and 130,000 mule deer. Deer were in trouble in Florida with low populations between the 1700s and 1940s due to unregulated hide trading, hunting and a cattle-fever tick scare that caused mass deer removal. Deer live in almost every country of the world. Current Management. Wildlife managers are tasked with the difficult mission of maintaining or recovering deer populations, dampening the magnitude of potential future declines, and stabilizing hunter . Many white-tailed deer live in forests and prefer habitat with young growth and forest edge. Deer play vital roles in the natural and cultural environment of New York and are highly valued for their beauty and grace as well as the utilitarian benefits they provide. Field studies from across the United States, including Pennsylvania, show that predators - notably coyotes, bears, and bobcats - prey on white-tailed deer. I am a freelance writer with 22 years of experience. . North Dakota is home to both white-tailed and mule deer. These deer live on a series of islands along the river. Mule deer are found in the western third of the state, mainly in the High Plains, Smoky Hills and Red Hills regions. Black-tailed deer have a white patch on rump, which their tail mostly covers. They are accurate to the best of our knowledge. In general, black-tailed deer occur in the western half of the state, while white-tailed and mule deer occur in the eastern half. They have adapted well and currently coexist peacefully with the states native ecosystems. Once present in only a few counties, they are now abundant in each of the states 95 counties. Factors causing deer populations to grow in recent years include expansion of homes into rural areas that are hospitable for deer but are not suitable for hunting. Deer hunting has become a major industry in Alabama, the state has 33 wildlife management areas totaling over 700,000 acres where white-tailed deer can be hunted with a permit. When Europeans first came to America, they found deer a plentiful resource in most states. Read more about New Yorks deer abundance on the DEC site here. Generally cloudy. A 2019 study by the South Carolina department of natural resources estimated the white-tailed deer population in the state to be about 730,000. During the past deer season, 209,356 deer were reported killed by deer hunters in Virginia (Figure 1). In Vermont they also prefer the valley areas that have a mix of forest and fields. Deer Harvest Map. Every three years, the DNR approves population objectives for each deer management unit based on population metrics and CDAC input. Recent estimates indicate about 80,000 to 100,000 mule deer, and 10,000 to 15,000 Coues and other white-tailed deer. 10 Black Snakes in Georgia (With Pictures), 16 Species of Bats in Texas (With Pictures), Black Bear Population by State (Recent Reports), Mountain Lion Population (In Each U.S. State), Moose Population by State (Estimates and Info), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Maryland white-tailed deer management plan, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks site, 2017-2023 South Dakota white-tailed and mule deer management plan, 2021 Range-Wide Status of Black-tailed and Mule Deer, 12 Types of Animals With a Long Tail (with Pictures), 6 Types of Water Snakes in Illinois (Pictures), 460,420 (black-tailed and mule deer combined), 427,500 (combined white-tail and mule deer), central to eastern Canada, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New England and Nova Scotia, Key deer / Florida Keys white-tailed deer, Florida keys, mainly from Sugarloaf Key to Bahia Honda Key, Coues white-tailed deer / Arizona white-tailed deer / fantail deer, Arizona and parts of New Mexico into Mexico, Dakota white-tailed deer / northern plains white-tailed deer, western and central Canada, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, North & South Dakota and western Minnesota, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County South Carolina, south-central Oregon and southern Washington/northern Oregon border, U.S. central plains including Texas panhandle, parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska, Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge, McIntosh county Georgia, Rocky Mountains white-tailed deer / northwestern white-tailed deer, western Canada and northern Rocky Mountains, Gulf coast of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, Virginia white-tailed deer / southern white-tailed deer, Pacific Northwest and northern California, southeastern coastal Alaska, south central Alaska, coastal British Columbia, California mule deer (Westside of Sierra Nevada down to south coast), Desert/burro mule deer (southwest California, northwest Mexico and Arizona), Southern mule deer (Southernmost California and Baja California), Rocky Mountain mule deer (Northwest California, western and central North America), Inyo mule deer (Sierra Nevada, California). 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 over-arching goals of this mule deer plan are: 1) Preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage deer and their habitat to ensure healthy, productive populations; 2) Manage deer for a variety of recreational, educational, and . 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. In the 1920s, the population almost went extinct from hunting and deforestation. 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 state almost destroyed its deer population. We also share helpful tips and guides on a variety of topics related to animals and nature. Despite this, the deer population has remained stable for many years. While nobody knows exactly what the deer population was before the European settlers showed up, it is believed there are many more today than there were historically. According to the state of Massachusetts deer management page, there are an estimated 95,000 white-tailed deer in the state. LDWF biologists and technicians collect harvest and biological data and conduct other research on public . These deer gained the name mule due to their elongated ears that resemble a donkey. They will lose these spots after a few months. Indiana: 28 deer per square mile. The Kansas DWP reports that white tailed numbers have increased dramatically in the last 20 years. On the other hand, hunting them provides food for many and their meat is very prized. Studies of mule deer populations have shown that they have been recorded as eating nearly 800 different plant species. A 2021 estimate puts mule deer at a population of between 90,000 130,000. This may seem small compared to the 10.1 million people living in Georgia, but it does not account for an accurate number of deer in urban areas. The state Department of Environmental Conservation is concerned that this population may not be sustainable. Icon. Thank you for reading! Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency: deer hunting guide. This is quite a noticeable decline from the population high of 250,000 seen in 1988. That was a 26 percent increase from the 2019-2020 season of 126,452. . Restrictive game laws also helped allow the population to grow. Combined with habitat protection measures, this ban allowed deer to thrive. Hawaii has about 1,000 black-tail deer and 110,000 Axis deer. These sika deer were originally from Japan and were released from private property in Maryland during the early 1900s. About 74,000 hunters participated in the state's 2017 spring turkey season, and killed 33,000 birds. Ready for more deer facts? Marylands deer population includes 207,000 white-tail deer and about 10,000 Sika deer. But what is their population by state? It is a tough balance for the Axis deer on the islands. Caption: Ohio's deer archery hunting season . We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. As conservation efforts increased, deer restocking programs helped bring in just over 4,000 deer from other states between 1928 and 1992. Their size can vary greatly dependent on their location. 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. Small herds also exist on prairies in Fall River, Meade, Butte, Bennett and Gregory counties. Arkansas nearly lost its deer population. Mule deer are found in the central mountains and southern deserts of the state, while white-tailed deer are most populous in the northern forested areas. Key deer are the smallest subspecies of white-tailed deer in North America, weighing only about 55-65 pounds. Which states have named the white-tail deer their state animal? 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. The longest known mule deer migration occurs in Wyoming where deer travel 150 miles from the Red Desert to the mountain slopes around the Hoback Basin. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Estimates of deer density were: White = rare, absent, or urban area with unknown population, Green = less than 15 deer per square mile, Yellow = 15 to 30 deer per square mile, Orange = 30 to 40 deer per square mile, or Red = greater than 45 deer per square mile. However, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently added white-tailed deer to the states hunting regulations since the species is slowly migrating into the state. They theorize habitat change, two decades of aggressive antlerless deer harvest, and the complete colonization of the state by coyotes and their impact on fawn survival as possible causes. Making deer dependent on human feeding can make them more vulnerable to predators, diseases, and vehicle collisions. We couldnt find any hard numbers and its likely an estimate has not yet been made. By 2000 the deer population in the state was estimated at 1.75 million. 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. The 2,500 hunter sample size is more than adequate, statistically, to produce precise . White-tailed deer are an important game animal in the state. Colorado doesnt count deer species separately. In the current Maryland white-tailed deer management plan the most recent population estimate I saw was 207,000 tailed deer in 2018. but is also indicative that the deer population is trending toward a population level that reduces damage to agriculture and minimizes impacts on our natural communities. Sika deer are native to Japan, but a small herd of them was introduced to the wild from a private farm. 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. By 1990 the population had grown to 250,000. The Columbian white-tail is a rare species named after the Columbia River. . In fact the 2020-21 hunting season is reported as one of Ohios most successful with 197,735 deer harvested. To try and combat this, the state has a community deer management assistance program, that includes additional licenses hunters can obtain to harvest deer on private properties, with landowner permission. 3) Colorado: Deer population around 25,000. Please note that tracking wildlife populations is not an exact science. Most of the population growth in recent years has occurred in the southern half of the lower peninsula. State wildlife biologists were concerned about damage from these non-native deer, but monitoring programs have found they coexist peacefully with the states native species. Predation is a natural form of mortality for white-tailed deer. Using Remote Sensed Data to Monitor Mule Deer Population Performance: Mark Hurley: 10:25-10:55 AM: . Survey data is collected by field biologists using aerial and ground surveys in the . White-tailed deer are one of three deer species native to North America. Visit our site to view our resource on Estimating Deer Populations on Your Property: Population Dynamics. Its 2020 estimate . Deer Season Summary and Population Status Report . The main deer population in Utah is mule deer, with a 2021 estimate of 314,850. It may be that monitoring of this species separate from overall deer in the state has not yet been established. Unfortunately, this is also where the majority of the states human population live, and too many deer can increase car crashes and crop loss. Deer adapt to changing environments, and that adaptability has helped them make a strong comeback. This represents a 2.4 percent increase in harvest from 2019 (193,073) and is 38 percent below the record harvest established in 2002 (319,902). The states only deer species is thriving in every region. Pennsylvania Game Commission: hunting and trapping resource page. The Columbian white-tailed deer is an endangered species so is protected rather than hunted. Iowas first conservation law came around in 1856, restricting what time of year deer could be hunted. Deer Meat: 10 Things You Should Know About Venison, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Caught In Maine. Unlike the white-tailed deers antlers which branch out from a single main beam, the antlers of mule deer are bifurcated.