The Maine deer kill was around 18,000 animals which is a disaster for a state this size. No one in my area hardly saw any deer a

[libertyfirst]

The Maine deer kill was around 18,000 animals which is a disaster for a state this size. No one in my area hardly saw any deer at all. The state is blaming it on a harsh winter but Maine always has tough winters and the typical take is around 30,000 deer. Everywhere I go, especially to the east and north, the conversation always comes back to predation. Maine has a huge population of Bobcat, Black Bear, Fisher, more and more Lynx, more wolf sightings and the big one Coyote. The fawns are getting hit hard. We can't be the only state with this issue. What do other states do to control predators?

[tkd10]

Sounds like it's time to open season on some predators in Maine lol

[mjbooth]

sounds just like wisconsin.

[themadtoruter]

lol we hunt in maine and out of all our friends we did pretty good 5 deer 4 bucks 1 doe waay better than last year's record... 1

[themadtoruter]

oh and the season isnt over yet theres still muzzle loading

[Treestand]

The hunting season has not ben good so fer in Fl.But
it ant over till jan 28/2011 our lease takes 35 to 45
deer a season with 56 members sofer 28 is the take.

[jay]

deer numbers are also down in the midwest. Illinois down 10%; Wisconsin down 25%; Missouri and Iowa are also down. I know my part of Illinois has been hit hard by unethical outfitters, blue tongue and an increase in coyotes.

[Elmer Fudd]

in VA they are blaming the big mast crop, the deer are really dispersed, and can go where they want. I can verify there are acorns everywhere. Havent heard a report on numbers taken

[jamesti]

i've heard the same here in new york. there are A LOT of coyotes here. i plan to do my part to begin rectifying that.

[joelr271]

Jay-
Not all of the Midwest. Numbers are up in Minnesota. I cannot give you a percentage right now, but saw a DNR posting that there was an improvement.

Speaking of predators, some good news in Minnesota this week. As of next year, the gray wolf is going to be taken off of the endangered species list. Hopefully there is a hunting season on the horizon.
-This all assuming the radical PETA groups don't shut it down in court, once again.

[Hunter Savage]

Sadly here in New York the only thing the D.E.C does is sell trapping licences . These day's that dont do us much good with the fur prices down and the cost of gas and every thing else going up, hard core trappers are few and far between . I normally run 15 -20 set's in the fields behind my house to show my son the in's and out of trapping and to keep the cat killers at bay . But I dont have the time to set iron like I did when I was in my teen's and twenty's .