Like many areas of the northeastern United States, a better balanced, more natural deer population is one of the objectives of Maryland deer managers. Recent harvest trends indicate the agency, thanks to the hunting public, is making progress.

"The decrease in buck harvest, combined with an increase in antlerless harvest, suggests we have been successful in implementing our deer harvest strategies," Peditto added.

"The outcome of this effort over the long term will be a healthier, higher-quality deer population, which is balanced with its environment and human neighbors. We've got a long way to go, but this data demonstrates that we're on the right track."

In Region A, deer numbers have dropped below the level deer managers desire. During last year's seasons, deer harvests dropped significantly in Region A. The antlered harvest in Region A was 4,659 bucks, 25 percent lower than the previous year, in which the antlered harvest was 5,253, a reduction of 12.5 percent.

According to the DNR, the state's deer management plan is geared toward stabilizing white-tailed deer numbers at levels close to the level of the 1997-98 time frame. Last season's harvest numbers indicate Allegany and Garrett counties' deer population has exceeded that deer plan goal. As such, this year's hunt will see a reduction in the number of either-sex deer hunting days. Consult your 2005 Summary of Hunting Regulations for exact details on this.

NEW JERSEY'S 2004 TOP 10 COUNTIES
County	Harvest
Hunterdon	11,138
Sussex	5,775
Warren	5,320
Somerset	5,069
Burlington	4,937
Monmouh	4,146
Morris	3,822
Salem	3,079
Cumberland	2,798
Ocean	2,766
Total Harvest	58,564

Biologist Hotton noted a variety of factors might affect deer harvests. Perhaps the most significant is weather. Antlerless harvests can suffer when the weather is inclement and hunting pressure slacks off.

Top harvest counties in Maryland last season include Washington with 10,149, Frederick at 7,492 and Baltimore with 5,663. Other top harvest areas include Montgomery, Allegany and Garrett.

Washington County WMAs include Indian Springs and Sideling Hill, both of which boast several thousand acres. Public lands can be found in Frederick County at the Frederick City Watershed and the Monocacy National Resources Management Area. Liberty and Prettyboy reservoirs provide the most significant public land in Baltimore County, and are limited to bowhunting only.

Hotton notes that the Chesapeake Forest Lands provides a significant addition to public hunting land in Maryland, and is not yet being used to its full advantage. These lands first became available to the hunting public in 2003.

"The Chesapeake Forest was previously owned by the Chesapeake Forest Products Company (CFPC) and was purchased jointly by the state of Maryland and the Conservation Fund in 1999 with the help of the Richard King Mellon Foundation," explained Mike Scofield of the Maryland DNR.

"The 58,000-acre forest is composed predominately of young pine plantations, as the management goals of the previous owners were to produce wood fiber. The CFPC also maintained private hunting clubs on 100 percent of the land. The goals and management styles have changed dramatically since state ownership."

In addition to adding impressive areas of land for public hunting, the Chesapeake Forest Lands also provides diverse habitat for the hunter. Information on this area is included in the current booklet on hunting and trapping regulations supplied with your license. Hunters can find maps, directions and descriptions of the public hunting areas on the DNR's Web site at www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests. Click on "Forestry Programs."

DELAWARE
According to Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife biologist Ken Reynolds, hunters harvested a total of 14,438 deer in the state last year. This is an increase of 24 percent from the previous year. The harvest is also 19 percent higher than the prior record that was set in 2001. These high harvest numbers racked up over the past few years indicate a strong deer herd in the First State, though the available habitat is ever changing.