Large deer harvest forecast for 2011

INDIANAPOLIS (WANE) - Firearms season for white-tailed deer in Indiana opens Nov. 12, and a DNR wildlife expert predicts another year of near-record harvest numbers.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, hunters are coming off a third straight record harvest, having tagged 134,004 deer in 2010. DNR deer biologist Chad Stewart said conditions for the 2011 season are shaping up similarly to the 2010 season.

“I’d hate to predict a record, but we should be close to it” Stewart said. “It’s almost guaranteed to be a top-three harvest.”

Firearms season generally accounts for about 65 percent of the overall deer harvest. Legal firearms for firearms season are shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns and center-fire rifles of specific cartridge dimensions.

The 16-day firearms season ends Nov. 27.

Hunters on opening weekend of firearms season last year harvested 37,525 deer.

Steuben County led the state in overall number of deer harvested last year with 3,948. The harvest exceeded 1,000 deer in 64 counties; exceeded 2,000 deer in 17 counties; and exceeded 3,000 deer in five counties. Counties with high harvests tend to have a good mix of woods and farm ground.

“For a deer hunter, Indiana is great because it can sustain a very high population and a very healthy population,” Stewart said.

The number of antlered deer harvested in 2010 was 53,007, or about 40 percent of the overall harvest.

Approximately 60 biologists will be at check stations across the state on opening day of firearms season to collect biological information and sample deer for the presence of chronic wasting disease.

Biologists also will collect samples to test for bovine tuberculosis at the following locations:

–Dearborn County: Tedesco’s Convenient Store, 24486 State Line Road, Lawrenceburg (812-637-5777); Day Nite Food Mart, 13891 Indiana 350, Moores Hill (812-744-4300); Widolff General Store, 7981 York Ridge, Guilford (812-487-2665); and Manchester Deer Processing, 18675 Willoughby Road, Aurora (812-926-2600)

–Fayette County: Mustin’s Taxidermy, 1660 W CR 350 S, Connersville (765-825-5943)

–Franklin County: 52 Pik-Up, 11183 U.S. 52, Brookville (765-647-3600)

–Ripley County: French’s Locker/Prime Meats, 106 Sycamore St., Batesville (812-934-2902)

Muzzleloader season starts Dec. 3 and lasts through Dec. 18. Early archery season, which is already underway, lasts through Nov. 27. Late archery season opens Dec. 3 and lasts through Jan. 1, 2012.

Unless otherwise exempted, a license is required to hunt deer during the firearms season. The DNR is encouraging hunters to buy their licenses early and avoid waiting until the last minute. The DNR Customer Service Center and the DNR Deer Hotline will not be open on Friday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

Licenses can be purchased online at www.IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov , or by calling the DNR Customer Service Center at (317) 232-4200, or at a retailer or DNR site listed at www.IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov .

The Deer Hunting Guide is available online at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/6032.htm .