Entering the modern firearms hunting season for deer, there were some hunters who questioned whether the addition of an October muzzleloader season earlier this fall would have an adverse impact on the current two-week season that opened last Saturday.
Ed Golden, head of the state's deer management program, said Tuesday that preliminary counts from opening day indicate a good success rate by hunters across the state.
"Even given that the bow kill so far through their season has been up from last year and that we had the early muzzleloader season in October," said Golden, "it was a good opening day.
"And a lot of that can be put to the weather. It was a good day to hunt all across the state, really."
Based on data collected so far, Golden said, the opening day take of 14,438 deer is about 2,000 more than last year, when there was poor weather in some parts of the state.
Wildlife managers depend on deer hunts to control the deer population across the state because whitetailed deer have few wild predators in the state. Golden said that usually between 40 and 50 percent of the firearms season kill is recorded on opening day.
"When you have bad weather," Golden said, "the percentage drops to the 40-percent range, and in good weather it runs up to about 50 percent."
In the five western counties -- Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick and Carroll -- all or parts of hunting areas were restricted to antlered deer on opening day. As a result, Golden said, the counts in the restricted areas may have been lower than expected, but can be expected to increase to normal levels as the season progresses.
In Carroll, Frederick (Zone 2) and Washington (Zone 1) counties, antlered or antlerless deer may be taken from Monday to Dec. 10.
Hunters with the appropriate permits may take antlered or antlerless deer in Garrett, Allegany, Frederick (Zone 1) and Washington (Zone 2) counties on Dec. 9 and Dec. 10.
"If I had to guess, it looks like the total through the season easily will be up over 30,000," Golden said. "But I am not going to predict that this gun season will set a record."
Last year, excluding special hunts in the state, the modern firearms season produced a kill of 34,251, the third highest on record. The record (35,133) was set in 1992.
"It was a good opening day," Golden said. "And at this point, it appears that neither the record pace of the bow kill nor the early muzzleloader season are having much of an impact on the gun season."
OPENING DAY
The following are preliminary county-by-county totals for deer taken on opening day of the two-week modern firearms hunting season.
County .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Number
Allegany .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 1,283
Anne Arundel .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 289
Baltimore .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 546
Calvert .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 268
Caroline .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 319
Carroll .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 616
Cecil .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 576
Charles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 607
Dorchester .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 1,316
Frederick .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,004
Garrett .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 1,077
Harford .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 385
Howard .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 302
Kent .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 903
Montgomery .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 391
Prince George's .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 177
Queen Anne's .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 697
St. Mary's .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 316
Somerset .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 427
Talbot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 417
Washington .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 983
Wicomico .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 444
Worcester .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 684
Totals 14,438*
* Note: Totals include kill on Aberdeen Proving Ground.
