2012 Preliminary deer season results are in
In a recent news release, MassWildlife gave preliminary harvest figures on the 2012 paraplegic, archery, and shotgun deer hunting seasons. Some game check stations had not yet reported their tallies.
During the special three-day deer hunting season for paraplegic hunters, 4 deer were taken statewide in 2012, which compares to 8 taken in 2011, 5 in 2010, 4 in 2009 and 8 in 2008. For the archery deer season, an unofficial statewide total of 3,879 deer were checked in 2012. This compares with 3,765 in 2011, 3,778 in 2010, 3,492, and 3,521. For the shotgun season, some 4,945 were taken in 2012, which compares to 5,349, 4,846, 4,927 and 5,793. In addition to the shotgun season total, the DCR Quabbin Reservation reported 84 deer taken during that deer hunt in 2012.
Here are the Western District (Zones 1 – 3) figures based upon MassWildlife’s preliminary 2012 figures and final figures for 2008 to 2011: Archery – 314 deer in 2012, 321 in 2011, 282 in 2010, 269 in 2009 and 301 in 2008; Shotgun – 638 in 2012, 624, 550, 595 and 727. I have purposely listed the 5 year totals so that hunters can draw their own conclusions as to the deer trends in our area. I expected a higher deer kill this year due to the mild winter experienced last year and presumably higher survival rate, but when factoring in this year’s lack of tracking snow and other weather conditions, the figures seem fairly consistent with other years.
No statewide figures are available for the bear hunting season which ended on November 24. In the Western District 96 bear were harvested during the September season and only 3 during the November season (with one station yet to report).
Muzzleloader season figures will be reported later this winter. Remember, all of the 2012 figures are preliminary; the final official harvest numbers will not be available until later this year. *****
In his last report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden announced that his staff has been marking boundaries of their properties. Each year they mark different properties and last year they marked more than 25 miles of DFW lands. True, not exactly a shocking announcement, unless of course, you are encroaching upon their properties. *****