been telling people for years we were killimg our deer off by cutting out deer yards, but on one cared. i can remember years ago when we had winters worse than the last two we had, but there were deer yards so the deer got by, now they have nothing to eat so there fore they die, this has all been man made and the state took no stand in it. as the old saying go ,money talks. Mr Holyoke i sent you e-mails called you trying to get you to come up to the county to show you what was going on, but you did not even answer my phone calls or e-mails. just think your writting might have made the state take a look at what was going on and we may have saved a lot of deer. i'm too old to go out hunting as i cannot walk like i used to, but still ride out into the woods and see how it is being raped. everyone wants to hunt but no one wants to do anything about it, if anything is to be done now is the time to do it while we still have a chance. so please take this to heart, so our grand children will have a chance to hunt like i did when i grew up.

Here is a fact: There are less deer yards today than 5 years ago. The state needs to step in and help create more deer yards and THEN help feed the deer through the winter. Closing the season, and adding antler restrictions might help, but will only create more frustration for hunting enthusiasts. As a kid I used to look forward to hunting and shooting a deer with my father. With the direction we are going in now the only thing my kids can look forward to is sitting in the woods, listening to squirrels, and catching a cold. State of Maine, please listen to your residents!

northportboy, what do you want, trained deer that come up and eat out of your hand? How do you think that dear survived for millions of years without the state government creating yards and feeding deer?

I harvested a nice 8 point 180 pound buck in Washington County with my 45 caliber black powder in-line muzzleloader on Thursday at 2:00 pm. Took him through both shoulders and had a complete pass through. The buck still ran almost 200 yards before he went down. There are deer to hunt if one puts a little time in and does some scouting. Most just ride the roads and don't see anything. I hunt Cooper and the Dennys River watershed a lot and the deer sign is very low in those two places this year. Lots of coyote sign.

If the numbers for the harvest are down this year then that would suggest an increase in the population next spring due to more does being around for birthing....agree with the comments in regards to the feeding yards but on another note there are many deer being raised on the feedings supplied by homeowners (one may be surprised how many people feed deer) and deer become dependent on these feedings rather than following nature and "yarding" in the winter months.....so far this year the hunt and the weather favor a rebound in deer numbers, an indication that controlling the harvested numbers will most likely benefit and increase population....IMHO

I agree the cutting of the deer yards is a major issue. We should not be allowed to cut anymore deer yards up north.

The winters have been difficult, coyotes abundant, this all plays into the picture. I do not believe we have to feed them, just stop cutting the deer yards

and kill as many as the coyotes as we can. The time to act is before it is too late. The key word is ACT, not REACT!

After hunting over 40 years in Maine, I think it's safe to say if there is any population decrease it will rebound. This year's numbers have more to do with the warm weather than anything, notwithstanding the bad winters. Maybe the State should consider kicking deer season back a few weeks into December. Just a thought. When's the rut if it's warm? It'd be nice to have a tracking snow for a change. There'd be a lot less loss of wounded deer, too. Start the season the week of Thanksgiving and carry it through Christmas. At least working people would be able to get out more than just a few saturdays. Of course, Mama would be a little aggravated with BOTH the late arrivals on Thanksgiving AND Christmas for dinner.

We had three 7 deer born around my farm this Spring-- 2 survived --- coyotes

--Oops I do mean 7 !!

Benoddway is correct and the biologists say the same. They also admit that it is NOT the coyote; their population has been steady for twenty years. I would normally agree that the herd will rebound but the complete devastation of winter habitat has me worried. The cutting practices of companies like Plum Greed is a tragedy that could have been avoided.

How about openning up hunting on Sunday so working people can put 2 days of hunting together and also get their money's worth for the purchase of a license.

Seems to me there are less deer. Maybe we shouldn't shoot as many, in a bid to let the numbers come up a bit.

I don't understand PabMainer's comment that if the numbers are down that there will be more does in the spring. Maybe, just maybe, the numbers are down because there are fewer deer...

Remember cod?

The rut has nothing to do with Temp.

It's the amount of daylight that sends them into the rut...

My Honda van almost bagged a deer Saturday night,,,,,,

I hunted the northern part of Maine for years. Escourt,St. Pamphille and never shot at a deer on opening day even if we saw a dozen or more. This was in the 60.s and 70.s Got a moose permit in the lotto in 82 and did get my moose. Over the years I have been back a few times but I can say that the deer population has decreased and the moose have taken over. Deer and moose don't seem to get along too well. I never failed to bag a deer in the 60,s and 70,s Got a 12 pointer that dressed at 270 near camp 106 on the Robinson rd. I canoed on the allagash water way a couple of times and saw very few deer. PLENTY OF MOOSE .

There is a lot less deer than before, a person can't argue with that. There is a big difference from southern maine compared to northern maine, southern maine doesn't seen the decline YET, and thats why nothing is being done about it. It is true that the cutting of deer yards contribute to the lack of deer, but that isn't the main reason in why the deer population is declining. The main reason for things that the state can fix is coyotes. Now I know that the hard winters is the #1 reason but we can't do much to prevent it, we can help feed them but the state is to cheap to do that. I know that a lot of wardens emailed the head biologist and said they need to do something about this, but the state doesn't want to, because they fear of less money coming in to the state from hunters. If I were in charge I would put a bounty on coyotes, the state can sell the furs to make their money back, stop the cutting of deer yards, shut the hunting down north of bangor for five years, and drop feed during the winter. Instead of doing that, there is talk about introducing the wolves back in maine to help take care of the coyotes, so they want to replace one problem with another. It's sad to say, but I think northern maine deer hunting is at its end because of the state.

tanker99-I agree. The problem today though is the lack of mind or reason to admit that predation regarding certain species is a reason for their low numbers. Not too many years ago the state would hand out ammunition for free to people that would shoot cormorants in the bays to try and save a few salmon smolts after they were stocked into a given river. I know of a particular court house that had to shut down one day in the 80's because the shooting in the river prevented the judge from being able to hear what was being said. Then we used to snare coyotes in the deer yards to help save the deer in the winter time. Both practices have been eliminated, and the results? Atlantic Salmon on the endangered species list, and a deer herd in big trouble. Do I think the practices in the past against predation made a difference? You bet I do. The big problem is no one in charge today who want's to get the vote of the people are willing to put their emotions aside and do what needs to be done, not to mention the fact they are constantly pressured by animal rights groups and constantly threatened by lawsuits which the state seems to constantly yield to. We are becoming a liberal state where our leaders are soft, and unwilling to do what needs to be done.

Twit. Liberalism means giving a crap about people and your environment and thinking of others. You ddin't see me blaming "republicans" and "right wing whackos" for the deer problem, but it's easy: big money right-wing corporations, thinking only of their stockholders and tomorrows profit margin, are stripping every piece of fiber they can get out of the State of Maine, with all the profits going elsewhere. The focus is on lining their pockets, nothing else. Devastating winter deer yards. I know. I worked for Scott Paper when they raped Soldiertown in the '80's. Biggest clearcut you ever saw. Drawing lines is dangerous. Opining that there's "liberals" out there that don't think the same way you might on a subject is simply intellectually weak. And it causes some of us to step back and say "o.k., if that's what you want, fine, I'll argue with you." All conservatism means to me these days is pure, unadulterated greed and twisted reasoning. And, of course, as here, blaming everything on those damn "liberals" is a favorite pasttime of those educated by talk radio. There's enough blame to go around. Skip the morning listen to VOM-it radio and try thinking for yourself.

You walked right into a leg hold. Like my post clearly says, the issue of predation is clearly being avoided, and your post solidifies everything that I have said.

I apologize to Mr. Holyoke for the foregoing. I enjoy reading his articles and the political tripe does not belong here. Knee jerk reaction. Type before thinking, and asking "why bother." I will not do it again, and the BDN can feel free to delete my comment.

Lovely. But I'm keeping my promise. IF&W biologist told me 25 years ago it was coyotes, and I grew up during the time that there were TONS of deer downeast to when you couldn't find one for 100 square miles. And ya, you're a real trap. It's all a giant left-wing plot. Crap! There I go again.

I'm from Washington County,what used to be "the destination" for deer hunting in Maine.No more and never again.The deer here have been on the decline since the early 80's.That's about the time spruce budworm and coyotes really started showing up.In the name of spruce budworm large tracts of softwood stands (spruce,cedar) were leveled and in the process deer wintering areas started to disappear at an astonshing rate.Next an unnatural predator starts showing up (in numbers).The coyote starts to have it's way with deer in the winter yards (and what used to be yards),and in the spring with the fawns.Also because of the cutting practices;Moose start showing up in large numbers.A moose will eat the deer out of house and home,they can browse much higher and consume much more.Now what we have is the PERFECT STORM.I have no figures but I'd be willing to bet that by the mid 90's our deer herd was less than half what it was in early 1980's.And the state's answer for all of this for the past 20+years "bucks only".Has it helped?Like trying to put a bandaid on a gunshot wound.The snaring of coyotes by some excellent trappers was starting to have a positive impact in helping the deer herd recover.But because some of the "higher-ups" in DIFW lacked any good sense and a backbone,they bowed down to the anti's and suspended the snaring program because of the "threat " of a lawsuit and some coyotes were suffering.All the while the deer herd downeast suffered.This state would much rather protect a non-native species with no economic benefits (the lynx).PLEASE DIFW do something to help the downeast and northern deer herds that are left! Reinstate coyote snaring,allot more moose permits,by some means make large landowners leave some mature softwood stands for deer wintering.Possibly close or shorten the deer season for awhile.

Sincerely,a concerned citizen/deer hunter from Maine.

Junebugg-Excellent post.

That was a good post Junebugg.

Last year there was a deer yard in Wash CTY off RT 9 where the biologists counted like 300 deer.

I remember back in early 80's seeing a whole pack of Coyotes....

I agree on cutting the hunting season for a few years. In the long run it will pay off.

From what I see there seems to be a lot of bear too.

Wasn't too many years ago that we harvested a record deer kill. This occurred right in the middle of a twenty year biologist confirmed STEADY population of coyotes. Their predation on deer has nothing to do with the current crisis. I have hunted and guided in the North Woods for thirty years and the loss of critical habitat is the culprit and glaringly so. This notion of the evil coyote is old school and flat out ignorant. Kill as many as you want and they will remain steady in numbers and in influence. This "hunting club" intellect of kill a bunch of somethings always comes from this misguided minority and thankfully the state biologists seem to be turning a deaf ear. These groups would do better to protest Plum Greeds cut for cash flow policy and be damned with the deer yards. Better yet if they really want to help, stop hunting deer for a few years, fat chance!

I agree, good post Juneie. Perfect storm of greedy harvesting, habitat loss with the bud bugs, tough winters and predation. But growing up with camps in Osborne and off the Stud Mill Road towards Grand Lake Stream, I must say that the habitat devastation by clearcutting came along long before the budworms and coyotes. St. Regis went crazy for several years in there.

Coyotes kill alot of deer,and when you have a deer herd that is not even holding its own from year to year such as Downeast, it only makes sense to remove some of the predators (coyotes) during the herds most vunerable time WINTER.When we had some very good Downeast trappers snaring 40-50 coyotes in and around the deer wintering yards it WAS helping the herd show some signs of recovery (or at least hold their own).I saw it with my own ignorant eyes.I agree that habitat loss is the # 1 reason but predation is a close second.

There is no way you can sit there and say the Coyotes have no effect on the deer population Cecil, .

Maybe thats why you should give up guiding.....

Tele: Coyotes are just like the bear in the way are opportunistic. They do get some as do the bears, but they are not the reason for the decline. I remember the picture of Lee Kantar in the paper standing around a pile of deer remains. The deer had died of starvation and the coyotes nor anything else had touched it. My guiding career has nothing to do with what coyotes do. They were around the during the whole thing. We use to get aerial maps from Great Northern every year and we watched the designated deer yards disappear even then before it really got out of control. We got so many trophy deer for clients and it was because of one thing; hard work; and the ones we got did not muster a dent in the population because the deer there are the toughest hunt in America. I was lucky to be around when everything had a nice flow to it.

I've been hunting deer in Aroostook County around Sherman/Siler Ridge since 1963. My father, born and raised in Sherman Mills showed me the ropes of tracks, scrapes, rubs, etc. I took some GREAT bucks out of there, including a 9-point, 241 pounder. Every year I always had at least one chance to take home a deer. My last Maine deer? It was 1993 and I was just lucky that someone else pushed him my way. Throughtout this span I've seen clear cutting that is driven by Corporate GREED. Along with that, coyote tracks, LOTS of them. What else did I see during this time frame? More and more moose! I got picked this year for a moose permit, WMD zone #11, second time in four years. Neither year did I see a deer while moosin' but I did see LARGE coyotes, coyote "sign" and LOTS of bear sign. What I'm alluding to is you are having a perfect storm up there; horrible winter snows, deer yard decline, more moose, more coyotes and more bears. What does this mean: LESS DEER! Here in SW CT we're overrun with deer. Why? They live in people's backyards (a deer's new deer yard), very little snow in comparison, very SMALL coyotes but lots of them and NO moose or bear.

The coyote population has been stable for twenty years according to IF&W. The major denominator of difference is the loss of habitat. Throw in the winters that demand the big yards and strike three. Stop feeding bears for three months every year would be a nice start as well.

"blaming everything on those damn "liberals" is a favorite pasttime of those educated by talk radio"

funny!!! i find talk radio to be very informative. what a jerk!

Outlook not rosy for deer hunters

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In Maine, the deer harvest is expected to be the lowest since 1987.

By CLARKE CANFIELD, The Associated Press

October 30, 2008

Maine's deer-hunting season is projected to be the poorest in more than two decades because of the heavy toll of last winter's harsh conditions on the deer herd.

Hunters are expected to harvest about 24,000 deer during the season, which begins Saturday for residents and Monday for nonresidents, according to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

"That represents the lowest harvest since 1987," said spokeswoman Deborah Turcotte.

Hunters last year harvested 28,884 deer in Maine, which is in line with the state's 20-year average harvest of 28,700.

But this year's hunt won't be as productive.

With the deer numbers down because last winter's deep snows, the state issued fewer permits to hunters to shoot antlerless deer during the 2008 season as part of a management strategy to help deer populations rebound from last winter. The state issued 51,850 any-deer permits for the season, a 23 percent reduction from last year.

Deer populations, especially in the northern parts of the state, were stressed by the heavy snows that began in early December and continued into March. Many deer starved to death, froze or fell victim to predators.

The deer harvest in New Hampshire is expected to be down as well. Officials in Vermont, however, expect an improved deer hunting season over last year's.

One bad apple ruins the barrel? CecilG, you are the bad apple my friend. good luck beautiful state of maine.

Bangorean, you are right there with him.

CecilG-feeding the bears does not have anything to do with the number of bear that there are. I operate 25 bear stands during the bait hunt. I buy 4 ton of bait (8,000 pounds). I distribute 50 lbs. every 3rd day during the bait season before the hunt starts, then every other day a few days before the hunt starts. Of my 25 bait sites, I estimated last season that I had +-125 bears checking in to at my bait sites. Some sites had 1 bear, other sites had 8-12 bears. I was able to determine a rough estimate of the total number I have given by observing tracks, dropping sizes, and trail camera photos. 8,000 pounds of bait divided by 125 bears is 64 pounds of bait per bear. Divide 64 pounds of bait over 45 bait days is only 1.422222 pounds of bait per bear per day. This is only a fraction of what a bear consumes in any given day. One must now consider the amount of natural feed that occurs annually. Strawberries, bunch berries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, chokecherries, apples, nuts, and large quanties of plants and roots that are too many to list. A black bear will feed 14-18 hours a day during this season. With tens of thousands of pounds of natural feed hanging for the bears to consume, the bait I use amounts to nothing more than an hor d'oeuvre for a black bear. It is the type of bait or scent that is used that gets the bear to come into view for a hunter. Since black bear are nocturnal and are most active at night, bait hunts provide a great opportunity to not only harvest a bear but also for viewing and photography. If we stopped feeding bears for 3 months out of the year, there would be an explosion of the bear population which would result in an even greater mortality for the deer. Even more importantly, thousands of folks in Maine either depend on or benefit from this annual hunt of bear.

Thank you for confirming that 25 bait sites consume four tons of junk. I would bet that of the bears you say you "observe" that many are repeat offenders. How much tonnage does Helmstrom use or other big oufitters? The whole thing is anti hunting and anti conservationist. Your extrapulation of a bear population explosion is ridiculous. It did not happen in states with bigger pops. than ours and it would not happen here. The deer population was a hell of lot bigger before baiting came around.

I'm a little confused..

What does baiting bear have to do with deer population?

Are you saying deer are also getting shor because of bear baiting.

I did happen to see 2 bear within a couple of days riding the dirt roads in Wash Cty in May of this year...

Saw no deer.

"funny, I find talk radio to be informative, what a jerk"! My point exactly.

Coyotes are the #1 reason for the decline of the white-tailed deer population in the state of Maine. The statements made about deer starving to death is foolish. What, have the deer forgotten how to eat? Coastal islands not only along the coast of Maine but elsewhere that do not have coyotes are thriving with deer. Eastport, ME and Anticosti Island off of the Bay of St. Lawrence are two prime examples. These Islands both allow hunting, have no coyotes, and are loaded with deer. Now move inland. Coyotes everywhere, not many deer. Hmmmmmmm............I'm sure there is a rocket scientist that will disagree regardless of the obvious testimonial I have posted. I am aw-struck by how some members of society complicate the simple things that are so brutally clear. It appears as though some folks are just too afraid to point the finger at the real culprit out of fear of hurting a coyotes feelings or being bitten on the a$$ by one.