Post by Woody Williams on Dec 10, 2006 12:09:01 GMT -5
Deer harvest at 110,000 as muzzleloader season reopens
By Gary Garth
Special to The Courier-Journal
The second half of Kentucky's muzzleloader deer season opened yesterday in all zones and will run through Dec. 17.
The total checked season kill through Friday was 109,903 deer, including 8,786 taken by muzzleloader hunters. Typically, 8,000-10,000 deer are killed during the second half of the muzzleloader season.
State game managers hope hunters will kill more does than bucks this week to bring the season ratio closer to 50-50 -- or even shaded toward the female side. So far the statewide kill has been about 54 percent bucks.
"We need a little over 50 percent doe harvest because that gives you a more stable deer population," said Tina Brunjes, the state's big-game program coordinator. "We'd like to encourage hunters to take does as a management strategy, and we'd also like to encourage them to take advantage of Hunters for the Hungry."
The Hunters for the Hungry program distributes venison to homeless shelters and food banks throughout the commonwealth. Processing is free from any of the deer processors participating in the program. A list of those is in the current Hunting and Trapping Guide, at www.fw.ky.gov or at www.huntersforhungry.org.
The archery deer season will continue through Jan 15. Crossbows are legal through Dec. 31.
For up-to-date harvest information go to www.fw.ky.gov.
By Gary Garth
Special to The Courier-Journal
The second half of Kentucky's muzzleloader deer season opened yesterday in all zones and will run through Dec. 17.
The total checked season kill through Friday was 109,903 deer, including 8,786 taken by muzzleloader hunters. Typically, 8,000-10,000 deer are killed during the second half of the muzzleloader season.
State game managers hope hunters will kill more does than bucks this week to bring the season ratio closer to 50-50 -- or even shaded toward the female side. So far the statewide kill has been about 54 percent bucks.
"We need a little over 50 percent doe harvest because that gives you a more stable deer population," said Tina Brunjes, the state's big-game program coordinator. "We'd like to encourage hunters to take does as a management strategy, and we'd also like to encourage them to take advantage of Hunters for the Hungry."
The Hunters for the Hungry program distributes venison to homeless shelters and food banks throughout the commonwealth. Processing is free from any of the deer processors participating in the program. A list of those is in the current Hunting and Trapping Guide, at www.fw.ky.gov or at www.huntersforhungry.org.
The archery deer season will continue through Jan 15. Crossbows are legal through Dec. 31.
For up-to-date harvest information go to www.fw.ky.gov.