These deer gained the name mule due to their elongated ears that resemble a donkey. By the turn of the century people began to realize they needed conservation programs or the deer would go the way of the buffalo. A deer stocking program began in 1932 and continued for nearly 30 years. Florida Coastal White-tailed Deer (panhandle and northwestern portion of the state), Florida White-tailed Deer (northwestern, central and southern portion of the state). When I go for my daily runs I often see herds of elk, deer, and bald eagles. Arizona is home to two main types of deer, the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. An article published in November of 2021 in the CT Insider quotes the CT DEEP stating that the three year average for total deer population in the state is 101,000. . North Dakota Game & Fish: deer hunting information. This represents a 2.4 percent increase in harvest from 2019 (193,073) and is 38 percent below the record harvest established in 2002 (319,902). Fallow Deer vs. White-Tailed Deer: Key Differences Discover the different traits between the white-tailed and fallow deer species. Habitat, not predators, is the major factor determining mule deer numbers in Nevada. Conservation efforts, game management programs, and habitat protection have all helped them survive. According to a quote in the Michigan Bridge made by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, there may be as many as 2 million deer in the state today. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation: deer hunting resources. Colorado doesnt count deer species separately. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Spring Spotlight Survey Results, 2022 RALEIGH, N.C. (May 10, 2022) Results from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's annual deer harvest summary indicate hunters across the state reported harvesting 168,427 deer during the 2021-22 hunting season a 6.3% increase . I live in the Pacific Northwest and am surrounded by nature. White-tailed deer were once common in Delaware, but hunting reduced their numbers. In the 1950s, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission brought deer from other states to repopulate parts of Florida. . Like many other states, Kentucky outlawed deer hunting in the early part of the 20th century. As the population grew, the demand for market hunting increased and deer were hunted in greater and greater numbers. If this growth rate remained constant until year 10, the population would number about 900, or 1 deer per 1.3 acres. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. The program aims to address many factors impacting mule deer such as post-fire rehabilitation, pinyon-juniper removal, invasive weed abatement, re-establishing beneficial shrub/grass/forbs to compromised habitats, water development, spring protection, highway crossings, migration corridor protection, disease surveillance, assessing and trying to mitigate impacts from mining/energy development, predator management, and collaring and monitoring mule deer to identity limiting factors/mortality/habitat selection, etc.. For these numbers, we have included all deer species. However in many areas of eastern Massachusetts where hunting is restricted by town firearm laws or land closures, the deer population is not well controlled. Things began to turn around when state refuges were created and periodic deer stocking occurred. Lets find out. The white-tailed deer is the most common game species in the state today, however hunting was banned between 1841 and 1954 to allow the population to rebound after a huge decline in the early to mid 1800s. In the late 1800s, India gifted eight Axis deer to King Kamehameha V. These eight ended up on Molokai and have since been introduced to most of the other Hawaiian islands. Their size can vary greatly dependent on their location. Hawaii has about 1,000 black-tail deer and 110,000 Axis deer. The good news seems to be that the white-tailed deer numbers have recovered from the hit they took in 2012-2013 from a bad outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). The white-tailed deer found in Arizona belongs to the subspecies called Coues. North Dakota is home to both white-tailed and mule deer. Over time this heavy hunting and habitat loss took a real toll. Because of that, out-of-state hunters' dollars have been a huge boost to the Iowa economy. Apparently people feeding deer, especially during the winter, has been an issue in the state. If it is just a garden you are trying to protect, you can net off that specific area rather than your whole yard, Motion detecting sprinklers can work great to startle them away. In 1974 the state passed the Deer Management Act and had its first deer hunting season the following year. In 1960, there were 22 deer management areas and most deer seasons were only 2 to 4 weeks, with the longest at 56 days. This helps them avoid the harsher high elevation winter conditions such as deeper snow that covers up food. Damage to landscape overpopulation of deer in the suburbs makes them more and more apt to use your flower beds and gardens as a snack station. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission starting putting limits on hunting in 1916 to try and turn the tide, with an estimated 2,000 deer remaining in the state. Put up a fence but it has to be tall. But what is their population by state? They are adaptable to a wide range of climate conditions. Deer populations and the deer kill across most of the state should be stable to increasing. There are no western states with over a million deer. Most other western states have between 100,000 to 540,000 deer per state. While populations still continue to fluctuate due to habitat loss, weather, disease and other factors, it remains in the hundreds of thousands. (Texas is big in everything, it seems even deer!) Their population is recovering due to prohibiting antlerless harvest for a few years and milder winters. Estimates of deer density were: White = rare, absent, or urban area with unknown population, Green = less than 15 deer per square mile, Yellow = 15 to 30 deer per square mile, Orange = 30 to 40 deer per square mile, or Red = greater than 45 deer per square mile. New Hampshire Fish & Game: Deer Hunting in New Hampshire. White-tailed deer populations are growing at a steady pace in Texas. While populations often have good and bad years, the state feels its time to step in and try to improve the situation. A 2021 estimate puts mule deer at a population of between 90,000 130,000. As recently as 1968 the in-state population estimate was only 25,000, but through conservation and management by 1990 that number skyrocketed to 100,000. Many towns are trying to figure out programs that will work for them to keep the deer population in check. In the early 1900s not many deer remained in Alabama after overhunting, estimates were down to about 2,000. The white-tailed deer is the states only native deer and is Illinoiss state mammal. White-tailed deer are an important game animal in the state. The following population estimates were taken from state government websites and other authoritative sources. Many white-tailed deer live in forests and prefer habitat with young growth and forest edge. White-tailed deer dominate Texas, being found in 252 out of 254 counties across the state with an estimated population of 5.3 million. Wolves and mountain lions, their natural predators, no longer live in the state. New Hampshire: 100,000. Colorado Parks & Wildlife: Big Game Hunting. I could not find a specific estimate for the smaller white-tailed deer population. Considering our current coyote population, these numbers go a long way in explaining why the deer harvests have decreased over the last few years. The main noticeable difference between the mule deer and the white-tailed deer are ear size, tails, and antlers. Deer Gestation Period: How Long Are Deer Pregnant? All of these states are located east of Texas. South Carolinas deer are all white-tails. White-tailed deer in Florida tend to be a little smaller than in other states, due in part to the warm climate. A 2020 study by the Mule Deer Working Group put total deer population (including black-tailed and mule deer) in California at 460,420. They are mostly herbivores who eat browse, which is a collective term for all types of roots, twigs, bark, grass, leaves, and other vegetation. Deer are an important game animal in Georgia, and the state is among many that used conservation efforts to increase its population of these deer. High 62F. Deer Population by State: How Many Deer are in the U.S.? Whereas the size of white-tailed deer can vary greatly, mule deer dont show as much of a difference across their range. Overall outlook: "Unless there is a significant EHD event, deer populations and the deer kill across most of the state should be stable to increasing," Matt Knox, deer project coordinator with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, wrote in his 2022 forecast. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? Predation and Deer Population. Patterns and Habitats, Deer in Texas: Types, Populations, and Where they Live. The only population estimate I could find for sika deer was approximately 10,000 in 2016. White-tailed deer prefer the more agricultural and upland areas of the state, whereas the sika deer prefer marshes and forested wetlands. They are only found in the Florida keys and are an endangered species. Deer Population Facts Population History In the early 1900's there were an estimated 500,000 white-tailed deer in the United States. She now has three rescue cats and two high-needs Pomeranian mixes to take up her love and attention. Arizona Game & Fish: deer hunting rules and regulations. This remains pretty average for the states deer population over the last 20 years which has ranged from about 115,000 to 160,000. 4) Iowa: Deer population around 400,000. Hunters Enjoying More Older Bucks They are the mule deer, Coues deer, and Texas white-tail. State Harvest Statistics 2022 - 2023 Deer Statistics for Alabama # of Deer reported: 195241 # of antlered reported: 102366 Public Land. Michigan State University Extension . White-tailed deer are statewide but more populous in the east, while mule deer are found in the western two-thirds of the state. Based on preliminary data provided by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) the number of reported deer-vehicle collisions for 2021 was 6,409 . By 1930 less than 500 deer remained. We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. But by that time, damage to deer herds had already been happening for almost 30 years. The TWRA page states that the deer population has expanded from just a few counties in eastern Tennessee during the 1940s to being present in all 95 counties state-wide today.