Vermont Deer Hunters Had a Good Year in 2018 ...

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says preliminary numbers show 18,845 deer were taken during Vermont’s 2018 deer hunting seasons, the highest total since 2000. Reports from big game check stations indicate hunters had successful deer seasons in 2018, taking 3,980 deer in archery season, 1,341 in youth season, 7,458 in rifle season, and 6,066 in muzzleloader season.

"The legal buck harvest of 9,993 was 8 percent more than the previous three-year average of 9,267, and the second highest buck harvest since 2002,” said deer project leader Nick Fortin. “Harvest numbers increased during the archery, rifle and muzzleloader seasons. The muzzleloader harvest of 6,066 is an all-time record.”

"The relatively high harvest was due to several factors. First, recent mild winters have allowed the deer population to grow throughout Vermont. Additionally, lack of fall foods caused deer to be more concentrated and snow helped hunters locate them, resulting in increased success. The department also issued more muzzleloader antlerless deer permits this year to provide more harvest opportunity and to limit population growth or reduce deer numbers in some parts of the state.”

The 18,845 deer brought home by hunters yielded more than 3.7 million servings of local, nutritious venison.