The population might have declined somewhat from 2021, but not catastrophically. “We did not observe any major mortality events last winter, and although some areas of the island are still recovering from the winter of 2019, the population overall has recovered well, and we anticipate a good quality deer hunt this fall.”Ĭharlotte Westing, Prince William Sound area wildlife biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said 2022 pellet surveys there indicate medium deer densities. Overall outlook: “The deer forecast for the Kodiak Archipelago for the upcoming season looks decent,” said Nathan Svoboda, area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak Island. Blacktail populations fluctuate considerably based on winter severity. Species: Sitka black-tailed deer some mule deer have been sighted from the eastern interior to northern southeastern Alaska.Įstimated population: Not available. Hunters willing to travel can hunt the rut on Alabama’s WMAs from mid-November through early February. Barbour Wildlife Management Area, in Barbour and Bullock counties, covers more than 29,000 acres, and offers good opportunities for mature bucks in January, before and during the peak of breeding.Ĭook said hunters should check out Alabama’s Deer Rut Map at to help plan hunting efforts. Alabama’s southernmost counties are also worth a look, Cook said.

Black Warrior WMA, in Lawrence County, offers the chance to kill a buck earlier - mid- to late-November - as deer there rut earlier than in other areas of the state. Where to Hunt Deer in AlabamaĬook said northwestern Alabama is always a good bet, considering the quality and quantity of deer harvested there. Deer are abundant throughout the state, and the age structure of bucks in the annual harvest seems to be increasing. Overall outlook: Chris Cook, deer program coordinator for the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, said everything looks good for the 2022 season. Click on your state here to cut to the chase.Īlabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyomingįall 2021-22 harvest: 186,417 reported through Game Check total estimated harvest will be generated after summer phone surveys. So check out these state-by-state reports to to get an idea of what the deer hunting season forecast is where you hunt. But in many other places, deer populations continue to climb, the overall harvest includes more mature bucks (and fewer yearlings), and there’s plenty of accessible land to hunt. Some states in the Midwest and East are dealing with Chronic Wasting Disease and epizootic hemorrhagic disease. Some Western states are struggling with severe drought conditions, wildfires, and declining mule deer herds. And now, the 2022 season is almost here, but what will it hold? We went shed hunting, scouted new ground, tweaked trail camera placement, prepped new food plots, and fine-tuned our shooting at the bow range. Most hardcore deer hunters began planning for this deer hunting season the moment the last one ended.

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