Vermont antlerless deer hunt applications available

Category: Sports

Created on Thursday, 14 June 2007 08:25

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 June 2007 08:25

Published Date

06/14/2007

Vermont's antlerless deer hunting lottery applications for the muzzleloader season are now available on the Fish & Wildlife Department's website and at license agents statewide. The permits are only for "antlerless deer," which is defined as deer without antlers or with antlers less than three inches long. 

A hunter who wins an antlerless deer permit in the lottery may take one antlerless deer by muzzleloader in the designated wildlife management unit (WMU) during the December 1 through 9, 2007, muzzleloader season. Antlerless deer permit applications are now available on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department's website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). Go to "Hunting and Trapping" and click on Lottery Applications.
   
"We appreciate that most hunters are supportive of scientific deer herd management," said Tom Decker, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Operations Chief. "They realize a certain number of antlerless deer must be removed in some areas of the state in order to scientifically keep the deer population in balance with its habitat.  Wildlife biologists make recommendations annually, based on winter severity, habitat conditions, deer population goals and harvest objectives."
      
The wildlife management units (WMUs) that will have muzzleloader antlerless permits this year are A, B, F1, F2, H1, H2, J1, J2, K1, M2, N, O2, and Q . The 11,050 muzzleloader antlerless permits being issued to help slow the growth of the deer population in these units and are expected to net a harvest of about 2,000 deer.
 
Applications must be postmarked no later than August 24 or delivered by 4:30 p.m. that day to the Waterbury Fish & Wildlife office. A person may submit only one application.
Vermont has an annual limit of two deer per hunter per year.