Deer kill figures released

The Pa. Game Commission this week reported the deer kill at 361,560 for the 2006-07 seasons, slightly higher than the figure of 354,390 from the previous year.

Hunters took 135,290 antlered deer in the 2006-07 seasons, compared to the previous year's harvest of 120,500.

Also, hunters harvested 226,270 antlerless deer in 2006-07, compared to 233,890 in 2005-06. The 2006-07 antlerless deer license allocation was reduced by two percent, from 879,000 to 859,000.

Yearling bucks comprised 56% of the 2006-07 antlered harvest, up from 52% in 2005- 06. Button bucks and doe fawns were 23% and 19%, respectively, of the antlerless harvest, which is the same as in the 2005-06 seasons.

Total deer harvest estimates for the 2006-07 seasons in the local wildlife management areas in the region were as follows (with 2005-06 figures in parentheses):

- WMU 2G: 7,200 (5,000) antlered, 4,600 (6,200) antlerless; 2G includes all of Cameron County and portions of southern Potter and McKean counties, as well as most of Clinton County and parts of Elk and three other counties.

- WMU 3A: 4,500 (4,000) antlered, 8,800 (8,700) antlerless; 3A includes all of Potter County north of Rt. 6 and much of the northern sections of McKean, Tioga and Bradford counties.

Total deer harvest estimates will be used to develop a 2007- 08 antlerless deer license allocation proposal, which will be presented to the Game Commission next month.

Season-specific deer harvest estimates are as follows:

- WMU 2G: firearms, 6,380 antlered, 3,530 antlerless; archery, 750 antlered, 330 antlerless; muzzleloader, 70 antlered, 740 antlerless;

- WMU 3A: firearms, 3,770 antlered, 6,970 antlerless; archery, 710 antlered, 780 antlerless; muzzleloader, 20 antlered, 1,050 antlerless.