Download the report for the 2021 season. Market hunting decimated the states population by the late 1800s. The data are then monitored over time to improve deer management and inform decisions about harvest goals. The total deer population in Kansas was listed in this article as being 700,000. White-tailed deer were once common in Delaware, but hunting reduced their numbers. White-tailed deer are an important game animal in the state. Also, their numbers can fluctuate quite a bit based on how severe the winters are from year to year. Those areas where populations are rapidly increasing are typically urban/suburban areas where the utilization of hunting as a management tool has been greatly hindered. Like many other states, Kentucky outlawed deer hunting in the early part of the 20th century. Arizona is home to two main types of deer, the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. Arizona has a small population of whitetails, though they tend to prefer areas with more vegetation. In the 1800s, however, several Axis deer from India were sent to Hawaii. This flash can alert other deer that danger has been spotted, and is known as flagging. Sitka overall have a darker coat than the Columbian. 15 SOAs. Which states have named the white-tail deer their state animal? They are most populous on the western Great Plains, in the Rocky Mountains, the southwestern states, and on the west coast of North America. The first recorded sightings of the white-tailed deer in Utah happened in the northern part of the state, Cache county, in the late 1990s. 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. The Illinois Division of Wildlife Resources says deer are an important part of the states economy. Wildlife managers are tasked with the difficult mission of maintaining or recovering deer populations, dampening the magnitude of potential future declines, and stabilizing hunter . Elk Population By State (Estimates and Info) - Wildlife Informer A 2021 article in the Press Herald quoted a state biologist as saying the 2019 whitetail deer population estimate was 230,000 250,000 and that today the numbers are likely closer to 280,000 300,000. As conservation efforts increased, deer restocking programs helped bring in just over 4,000 deer from other states between 1928 and 1992. File Layout [< 1.0 MB] Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 (NST-EST2022-POPCHG2020-2022) [< 1.0 MB] With each new release of annual estimates, the entire time series of estimates is revised for all years back to the . Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. White-tailed deer are classified as the species Odocoileus virginianus, the Virginia white-tailed deer. While overall population is down from the peak years of the mid to late 1990s, density of deer still remains a problem in many suburban parts of the state. They seem to be everywhere, but how populous are they? By 1930 less than 500 deer remained. Deer are plentiful, and people who enjoy watching wildlife will find many opportunities to see them roaming free in forests and parks all over the country. The numbers above do not include deer . Like other deer species they grow new antlers each spring and shed them during the winter. Many white-tailed deer live in forests and prefer habitat with young growth and forest edge. Mule deer make up the largest portion of the population and 95% of the annual deer harvested. The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife estimated a population of 1 million white-tailed deer at the start of the 2020-21 hunting season. Lets find out. New Mexico has three native deer species. Their numbers rebounded through conservation efforts from 25 in 1955 to 800 in more recent years. 2021 data shows an estimated mule deer population of about 84,000 90,000 in Nevada. Conservation efforts, game management programs, and habitat protection have all helped them survive. While populations often have good and bad years, the state feels its time to step in and try to improve the situation. This total included 101,509 antlered bucks, 13,637 button bucks, and 93,005 does (44% females). The states Department of Natural Resources and other groups want to attract more hunters to reduce deer populations. In the current Maryland white-tailed deer management plan the most recent population estimate I saw was 207,000 tailed deer in 2018. Deer are a favorite big game animal. If you ever see a deer in the woods and they spot you, you might catch them flagging as they run away. Deer eat a lot, about 2,000 pounds of plant matter each year. This graph published by the NJDEP Division of Science and Research shows the 2018 population estimate at just over 125,000 white-tailed deer. While caribou, elk and moose are all Cervids, that is members of the deer family, we are not discussing them in this article. White-tailed deer in Florida tend to be a little smaller than in other states, due in part to the warm climate. Post hunt population estimates are the starting point for setting antlerless quotas and harvest of antlerless deer is the primary way to manage deer herd abundance. A 2020 study by the Mule Deer Working Group put total deer population (including black-tailed and mule deer) in California at 460,420. Maines many wild, pristine forests are a healthy habitat for deer. Black-tailed deer in their native Pacific northwest range live in dense coastal rainforest and semi-open habitats including riparian forest (along river banks) and areas of tangled shrubs and thicket. This includes flowers, grass, tree and shrub fruits, nuts, acorns, berries and lichen. Despite these high harvests, the population still remains pretty stable. But what is their population by state? However Texas is also home to mule deer, who live in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions. When you click and buy we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. 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. Deer Population by State: How Many Deer are in the U.S.? A popular game animal, it is so iconic to American forests that it has been named the official mammal of several states. There are an estimated 35 to 36 million deer in the U.S. Once hunted almost to extinction, they have made a successful recovery. In 1960, there were 22 deer management areas and most deer seasons were only 2 to 4 weeks, with the longest at 56 days. 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. Due to many factors including over-harvesting, hunting and habitat loss the white-tailed deer became uncommon in Connecticut between 1700 1900. Texas is home to around 225,000 mule deer and millions of white-tail deer. Deer Population by State: How Many Deer are in the U.S.? However, in West Virginia, drivers had the highest likelihood of hitting an animal. The Coues deer are most commonly found in the southeastern mountains but also up through the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains. This remains pretty average for the states deer population over the last 20 years which has ranged from about 115,000 to 160,000. After many years of stability, the state reports deer population trended downwards between 2003 and 2015. Things began to turn around when state refuges were created and periodic deer stocking occurred. Wolves and mountain lions, their natural predators, no longer live in the state. Washington has the most variety of deer. Deer populations and the deer kill across most of the state should be stable to increasing. Deer Hunting Forecast 2021: A State-by-State Guide - Outdoor Life The overall size, length, and branches on antlers depends on how well-fed the deer is, how old it is, and some is just genetics. 2021 seemed to show a higher-than-usual occurrence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), but at the time of writing this article is is unclear if it will significantly impact the states overall deer population. Today Arkansas enjoys plenty of deer, with a 2020 estimate of 900,000 white-tailed deer. Virginia has a healthy population of white-tail deer. Montana has a large population of two types of deer, the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. It is important they have access to both the cover provided by the forest and the grazing in open areas and along the forest edge. Every three years, the DNR approves population objectives for each deer management unit based on population metrics and CDAC input. 2021 WAFWA Deer & Elk Business Meeting: Jim Heffelfinger: 1:00-2:40 PM: Deer Session 3: Disease: Deer populations are actually higher than they were historically in many areas, or they are at the point of exceeding the carrying capacity of their local environment. It is the only deer native to the state. The state's 630,000 deer hunters generate $2.2 billion annually, but according to a report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum, hunting license sales dropped by 5.8 percent from 1999 to 2017. Colorado doesnt count deer species separately. Even though black-tailed deer are considered subspecies of mule deer, there is still some debate on their origins and they are often counted separately. Marylands deer population includes 207,000 white-tail deer and about 10,000 Sika deer. Like many other states with healthy deer populations, Delaware uses managed hunting to control population levels. Vermont has more deer hunters than any other New England state. The most recent estimate I could find for West Virginias white-tailed deer population was about 550,000 in 2017. White-tailed deer are a popular game animal found in almost every part of the United States. The Best Deer Hunting States in 2022 - Silencer Central The program aims to address many factors impacting mule deer such as post-fire rehabilitation, pinyon-juniper removal, invasive weed abatement, re-establishing beneficial shrub/grass/forbs to compromised habitats, water development, spring protection, highway crossings, migration corridor protection, disease surveillance, assessing and trying to mitigate impacts from mining/energy development, predator management, and collaring and monitoring mule deer to identity limiting factors/mortality/habitat selection, etc.. Nebraska. There is also a small population of black-tailed deer on the island of Kauai that were introduced from Oregon in 1961. Winds light and variable.. Tonight State Population Totals: 2020-2022 - Census.gov There are approximately 5.6 Million White-tailed deer in Texas. However the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says that they are both crossing the border with Canada and starting to colonize. Nevada is the western state with the . Nebraska is another state that is home to both white-tailed and mule deer. The reader should bear in mind that many . Coat color tends to be more reddish-brown in the spring and grayish-brown during winter. For instance, in farmland management zones, harvesting approximately 25% of the . Hunting seasons, bag limits, deer restocking and habitat restoration are just a few of the management practices that sprung up. There were fewer than 500 deer left at the time. . According to this article current estimates are about 40,000 60,000 on Molokai, 20,000 on Lanai and 30,000 50,000 on Maui. I could not find a specific estimate for the smaller white-tailed deer population. Ohio had lost most of its deer by 1900 due to habitat loss and hunting. White-tailed deer and mule deer are not native to the area. Today, the deer population is estimated to be at least 500,000. Today, it is thriving. Deer management units with the highest fall densities were mostly in the east-central, south-central and southwestern parts of the state. Trying to figure out their population in the state is challenging due to the remote and densely forested areas where they live. That is up from an estimated 1.7 million ten years ago. Archery (including crossbows) accounted for 14% of the deer kill; muzzleloaders, 23%; and firearms, 63%. At that time, many state wildlife agencies were formed with the goal of conserving the nation's depleted wildlife resources. Ohio's Final 2021-22 Deer Harvest Report - Ohio Department of Natural The white-tail deer is the most common type of deer hunted in the United States. Nevada's mule deer 'problem': It's not what they say The mule deer is a generalist and will forage on whatever is available. This 2021 article in the Greenville Sun quoted the states wildlife resource agency as estimating 900,000 white-tailed deer in the state. 27. Outdoors: Deer population in New York wasn't always so high Deer Harvest Map. Deer Statistics - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources White-tailed deer are found throughout the state even in some coastal locales. The rut, which is their mating season, occurs in the fall and the fawns are born in the spring. We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy . It also has a small but healthy population of sika deer (Cervus nippon yakushimae) They are not native to the state, but they were released into the wild from a private farm. This time the population grew to 212 deer in only 6 years. While deer are not naturally found in Hawaii, an invasive species has taken over in the last 150 years, the Axis deer. The Mississippi State University Extension says only Texas has a larger deer population. Other deer related concerns in the state include Lyme disease and deer-vehicle collisions, which are taken to account in the states management practices. They live in forests, prairies, coastal areas, and grasslands. Deer Population - Georgia Wildlife Blog While there is no one fail safe solution to keep them away, here are a few top tips. There is a great timeline of deer management through the years on the wildlife departments website. Overall outlook: "Unless there is a significant EHD event, deer populations and the deer kill across most of the state should be stable to increasing," Matt Knox, deer project coordinator with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, wrote in his 2022 forecast. White-tailed deer are mainly found in the Black Hills, Bighorn Basin and Riverton regions. Deer species in the U.S. are split into eastern and western groups, with some cross over in the middle. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. They have made most of this information available online at Minnesota DNR Deer Populations & Goals. 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. About 206,00 hunters used a crossbow and harvested 93,000 deer. In 1927 a huge flood in the eastern part of the state forced deer into small areas of high ground where they were unfortunately picked off by opportunistic hunters. Title. North Carolina's major efforts to restore our state's deer resource took place in the 1940s through the 1970s. Vermont is near the northernmost part of white-tailed deers range, and the deer must look for areas of shelter with mature evergreen trees to withstand the low temperatures and deep snow of winter. Indiana Department of Natural Resources: White-tailed Deer History & Biology. Predation is a natural form of mortality for white-tailed deer. Thank you for visiting! According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the deer and elk meat industry begun in Colorado as early as 1880. Since losing its mountain lions and wolves, the state depends on hunting to keep the population under control. They are mostly herbivores who eat browse, which is a collective term for all types of roots, twigs, bark, grass, leaves, and other vegetation. Deer are one of the most populous and hunted big game animals in North America. How many deer live in the United States? Black-tailed deer have a white patch on rump, which their tail mostly covers. Recently, the number of hunters applying for a deer tag (residents and out-of-state applicants combined) is in the range of 60,000 to 80,000. Once present in only a few counties, they are now abundant in each of the states 95 counties. White-tailed deer density estimates across the eastern United States 2022 - 2023 Deer Statistics for Alabama - Game Harvest Menu The states Department of Natural Resources says these deer are abundant in every county and habitat of West Virginia. Whereas the size of white-tailed deer can vary greatly, mule deer dont show as much of a difference across their range. Deer Gestation Period: How Long Are Deer Pregnant? Fallow Deer vs. White-Tailed Deer: Key Differences Discover the different traits between the white-tailed and fallow deer species. Tennessee's Most Efficient Deer Hunting Counties - ArcGIS StoryMaps Hunters Enjoying More Older Bucks Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission: information for hunting in Florida. What is the White-Tailed Deer Population by State? This study from 2020 says that while imprecise, their best estimate is 333,000 346,000 black tailed deer live across Alaska. Deer living in suburbs and areas not zoned for hunting are hard to monitor due to the fact that most of the data about the deer . Montana has a large population of two types of deer, the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. Sitka are the smaller subspecies weighing between 80 120 pounds. Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources: Kentuckys Deer Restoration. This not only allows them to digest a wide variety of foods, but they can eat and wait until later to digest. The 2021 big game outlook states that the white-tailed deer population is stable to increasing. Take a look! 4) Iowa: Deer population around 400,000. 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 . . States With the Most Registered Hunters | Stacker Unlike the white-tailed deers antlers which branch out from a single main beam, the antlers of mule deer are bifurcated. They will lose these spots after a few months. After the breeding season is over males will shed their antlers during the winter. I am owned by two dogs who take me on hikes in the mountains where we see coyotes, black bears, and wild turkeys. Read more about New Yorks deer abundance on the DEC site here. Williamson, WV (25661) Today. These sika deer were originally from Japan and were released from private property in Maryland during the early 1900s. State Population by Characteristics: 2020-2022 - Census.gov The state is also home to the rare, endemic Key deer, which is the smallest subspecies of white-tailed deer. The Columbian white-tail is a rare species named after the Columbia River. Ohio's average harvest compiled from the past three seasons is 184,746 deer. Spotlight surveys have been used by biologists nationwide since the mid-1900s and are effective for monitoring population trends, determining the distribution of species, identifying habitat use, and predicting disease outbreaks. While their historic range expanded further east, today you can find them in western Oregon, northern California, Washington, the Alaskan panhandle and areas of British Columbia. Based on 2015 deer populations estimates from North American Whitetail Magazine, here are the worse deer states to live: 1) Georgia: Deer population around 1.2 million. Patterns and Habitats, Deer in Texas: Types, Populations, and Where they Live. Some conservationists think the number of deer is too high. Emily is an editor and content marketing specialist of five years. 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 includes during the winter and early spring, they feed on Douglas fir, western red cedar, red huckleberry, salal, deer fern, and lichens growing on trees. Washingtons deer thrive in the mountain regions. Population Dynamics of Deer - Mississippi State University Careful management slowly brought the population back and by 1985 hunters were able to harvest 32,000 deer. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? However they are a popular game species for the state, perhaps because they inhabit less hospitable terrain and are better at staying hidden than the mule deer, offering hunters more of a challenge. State Farm says in any state, the risk of hitting a deer doubles in the fall, when the animals are mating. It was sometimes an up and down battle for the deer, but things really began to improve in the early 1970s when management of deer was turned over from the state legislature to the department of natural resources. We researched to find out. Overall the state reports the population is currently stable or slightly declining. Wisconsin's deer population is at a critical high Preliminary figures show that hunters registered 175,667 deer during the What Is The Deer Population In Wisconsin? Nebraska Game & Parks: deer hunting in Nebraska. Despite this, the deer population has remained stable for many years. Virginia DWR: deer hunting regulations and seasons. They mostly live in the states coastal regions. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Newborn deer, or fawns, have white spots on their coats that help camouflage them in the forest. In some states, deer are so plentiful that regular hunting is needed to keep a balanced ecosystem. It may be that monitoring of this species separate from overall deer in the state has not yet been established. New Hampshire: 100,000. White-tailed Deer in Florida | FWC - Florida Fish And Wildlife What is the White-Tailed Deer Population by State? While the white-tailed deer more or less stop east of the Rocky Mountains, the mule deer take over west of the Rockies. You can find blacktail deer in western Oregon, whitetail deer in northeastern Oregon and mule deer east of the Cascade range. During the 2020 deer season it is estimated that a total of 107,212 bucks and 90,681 does were harvested for a statewide total of 197,893 deer ( Table 1 ). Deer Friendly - Utah The 2021 mule deer survey put their population within the state at 227,392. U.S. Deer Populations - DeerBusters.com That was a 26 percent increase from the 2019-2020 season of 126,452. . If the deer population gets too large, it can damage forest growth and destroy native vegetation. Harvest numbers come from harvest reports submitted by successful hunters and data collected from meat locker records. 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. 2) Oklahoma: Deer population around 500,000. Deer hunting in the state is an important tool to raise money for wildlife management and land acquisition. DNR: Fish & Wildlife: Indiana County Deer Statistics According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the return of this deer is a tribute to good landowner attitude and progressive management, research, and enforcement programs.. We also share helpful tips and guides on a variety of topics related to animals and nature. Arkansas nearly lost its deer population. Many towns are trying to figure out programs that will work for them to keep the deer population in check. In fact the 2020-21 hunting season is reported as one of Ohios most successful with 197,735 deer harvested. . They will spend the summer in higher elevations, then travel down to lower elevations during the winter. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation: deer hunting resources. Historically mountain lions and wolves helped to control the deer population, but with the absence of those predators today hunters are the only real population control. However world-wide there are 26 known subspecies, with 17 of those occurring in the U.S. 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. Icon. But by that time, damage to deer herds had already been happening for almost 30 years. Today, they are an important game animal and a key part of the states ecosystems. The states fish and game page describes mule deer as boom and bust, meaning their populations can vary quite a bit year to year based on environmental conditions such as drought. SCDNR - 2021 Deer Harvest Report - South Carolina Department of Natural The 2021 estimate for mule deer is 249,691. Over time this heavy hunting and habitat loss took a real toll. Sounds good for hunters, but populations this high can be problematic. 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. 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.