In response to the impact of harsh winter conditions on deer populations in various locations throughout the state, Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife commissioner Roland Martin is proposing to reduce Antlerless Deer Permits -- also known as Any-Deer Permits -- by approximately 30 percent for this year's regular and special muzzleloading deer hunting seasons.
DIF&W also has been petitioned to consider a proposal to allow ice fishing on the St. John River in Aroostook County.
Martin also is proposing to restrict the regular archery season and Youth Hunting Day to bucks only in those wildlife management districts that have no antlerless permits being allocated.
Archery season is scheduled for Oct. 2-31, and Youth Deer Day is Oct. 25.
In the Department's Agency Rulemaking Proposal, the commissioner outlines his recommendation that 51,125 Any Deer Permits be made available to hunters this season in 13 of the state's 29 Wildlife Management Districts -- a decrease of more than 15,000 permits from last year and a reduction of seven management districts that were open to permit holders last year.
The proposed WMDs in which Any Deer Permits would be allowed are 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 29.
Martin said his numbers are preliminary and could be modified once additional data are available from department biologists.
"Harvest levels are established for each wildlife management district to move the district toward a population goal," Martin said.
"After reviewing biological and harvest data for deer compiled by department biologists, and after factoring in winter weather's impact on deer populations, we decided a 30 percent reduction in permits was prudent to help us achieve population goals within specific management districts."
Deer permits will be allocated to applicants by district using a random drawing.
