THE NATIONAL DEER ASSOCIATION makes its Annual Deer Report available to all members. Becoming a member is possible through the NDA website: https://deerassociation.com/. (Photo copyright John Jefferson 2023)

by John Jefferson

It’s chilly as I sit here bundled up on a damp, dreary, late February day. I catch myself sinking. Deer season is way past over. And the next one is nine months away – except for bowhunters.

I asked my wife why it was winter again.

“Because we live in Texas,” she replied. That reminded me to count my blessings. Living in Texas is one of them. I checked the forecast. Monday looked warmer. Maybe we can go fishing.

Earlier this week, I received notice that the National Deer Association’s Annual Deer Report for 2023 was available. Regular readers will recognize NDA from various studies they have done that I reviewed. NDA merged with the former Quality Deer Management Assn. (QDMA).

They report on important policy issues concerning the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting.

The “Deer Report” is a voluminous compilation of practically every aspect of deer hunting — hunters like that! The data comes from state wildlife agencies, including Texas Parks and Wildlife. Since most deer hunting just ended and data collection can be a lengthy process, all statistics are from the previous season (2021) instead of the one recently concluded (2022). It also includes two seasons prior to that.

Showing the past three seasons exposes trends.

Texas led the nation in ANTLERED DEER harvested with 447,972, followed by Michigan (223,476), Wisconsin (153,112), Pennsylvania (145,320), and Missouri (143,815). We’re a big state with many hunters. When you look at the buck harvest per square mile (PSM), it tells a different story. Texas doesn’t make the top five among the Southeastern states. Texas is seventh (tied) in the Southeast. South Carolina had the highest PSM kill among Southeastern states with 3.2. Michigan led the nation with 4, followed closely by Delaware with 3.5.

Reading the statistics charts can give you eyestrain, especially since the nation is divided into four geographic areas, and usually it’s necessary to check all four areas to see who led the nation. Texas is in the Southeastern area column in the report — the area having the most deer harvested. Texas skewed the records some, but the entire region had impressive harvest numbers.

Looking at age structure was interesting. The top five states with the LOWEST % of YEARLING bucks in the harvest were all Southeastern states. Mississippi led with only 10 %. The HIGHEST percents came from the Northeast and Midwest.

The top five of the HIGHEST % of 3.5-YEAR-OLD bucks harvested were all southeastern states. Mississippi led, followed by Louisiana, and Texas in third place.

Texas also led the nation in antlerless deer harvest, with 379,958. Texas led in lowest % of fawns harvested and was second nationally in antlerless deer 3.5- years of age and older. Lone Star State hunters seem to be heeding the idea of shooting older does first for population control since they are the most successful breeders.

A disturbing statistic reported that 18% of hunters only shoot one deer — and that’s usually a buck!

JJ