Maine Wildlife Management Districts Bucks Only for 2008Biologists for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife have pretty much determined that this past winter’s severity took a huge toll on the state’s whitetail deer herd, particularly in the Northern and Downeast portions of the state. The MDIFW Advisory Council approved the recommendations and as a result, no “Any-Deer” permits will be issued in Wildlife Management Districts 1 – 14, 18, 19, 27 and 28 (See map to the left. Gray-shaded WMDs will be “bucks only”).

This is a reduction of more than 14,000 “doe permits” from the number of 66,000 issued last year.

The only exception to the rule of hunting for bucks only in these WMDs is Youth Day. Youth participating in that special day will still be able to take a doe. According to Kevin Miller, Bangor Daily News, the feedback officials at MDIFW got from the public about the possibilities of reducing or eliminating “Any-Deer” permits, was all in favor of no doe hunting but were outspoken about retaining the practice for the Youth Day.

But the council, acting with the support of DIF&W leadership, decided to let young hunters continue targeting doe deer on Youth Deer Day throughout the state. The annual event is intended to cultivate future generations of sportsmen and women.

DIF&W Commissioner Roland “Danny” Martin said none of the small number of speakers at two public hearings or those who submitted written comments disagreed with the department’s decision to reduce the number of any-deer permits.

But pretty much everyone who voiced an opinion opposed the plan to restrict Youth Deer Day participants who are hunting in a bucks-only district, Martin said.

“As a result, youth will be allowed to continue to hunt as usual,” Martin said.

It sounds like officials at MDIFW listened to the public and responded accordingly.

Wildlife officials are already speculating that the deer hunt in 2009 will continue to see reductions of “Any-Deer” permits as well. Biologists believe that in the hardest hit areas nearly all the fawns and yearlings did not survive.

Tom Remington

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