HuntingNet.com Forums - View Single Post

12-03-2006 | 05:46 PM

#35

Duckmastor2

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 699

Likes: 0

From: Wilmington Delaware USA

RE: Maryland Monster

Press Releases | Search DNR | DNR Home

[blockquote]Opening Weekend Deer Firearm Harvest Steady
New State Record Non-typical Buck Taken in Charles County
[hr]
ANNAPOLIS — Deer hunters had a good start to the firearm season this year with an opening weekend harvest on par with last year and one hunter taking home the biggest non-typical whitetail ever harvested in Maryland.
Hunters unofficially harvested 17,231 deer during the opening weekend of the firearms season, 80 more than the unofficial number of 17,151 reported last year during the same period. The reported antlered harvest increased from 7,956 deer last year to 8,019 this year, while the antlerless harvest increased slightly from 9,195 to 9,212.
Sika deer comprised 143 of the antlered and 147 of the antlerless deer during opening weekend, making it comparable to the 133 antlered and 164 antlerless sika deer reported during last year’s opener.

Hunters tolerated fog and warm temperatures to harvest 2,529 deer on Sunday in the 14 counties that permit Sunday hunting, representing an increase of about 3% over last year’s Sunday total of 2,462. This year, Anne Arundel and Montgomery were added to the list of counties that permit Sunday hunting. Both of these counties experienced a significant increase (more than 15 percent) in the opening weekend deer harvest over last year.
“Sunday hunting is gradually catching on with our hunters,” said Doug Hotton, Department of Natural Resources’ Deer Project Leader. “This day is proving to be a viable option to increase harvest and balance our deer population with its environment and human neighbors.”
A new state record buck was taken by Bill Crutchfield, Jr. of Charles County near his home in Newburg, Maryland. Crutchfield watched the buck for approximately two hours mid-day Monday before finding an opportunity to take the massive deer with a single shotgun round.
Maryland DNR Wildlife & Heritage Service and Natural Resources Police personnel examined the buck on Tuesday. DNR staff confirmed that the buck has 26 scoreable points (13 per side) and a preliminary antler score of 268 5/8 inches. If approved by national scoring organizations, the buck will eclipse the current Maryland non-typical record by 40 inches, becoming the number one non-typical buck ever taken on the entire East Coast, and ranking among the top20 all-time largest non-typical deer in the world.
Bob Beyer, associate director for game management, preliminarily scored the buck but official confirmation will not be possible until the antlers have met the minimum 60-day ‘drying’ period and an official score is taken. A deer’s antlers are classified as being typical when they are symmetrical and regular in shape. Non-typical antlers are those that have uneven or unusual tines, irregular points or outgrowths.
“For its size, Maryland has always been one of the top-producing trophy whitetail states,” said Paul Peditto, director of DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service. “Our hunters have kept our trophy status a well-guarded secret; I expect that will change now.”
Crutchfield’s buck weighed 150 pounds after field dressing and had a 22-inch inside spread and massive 25-inch main beams sporting more than 5 inches of circumference mass along each beam-length. The former non-typical record was taken in November 1987 by Jack Poole in Montgomery County during the firearms season and scored 228 4/8 inches.
Beyer, who measured the former non-typical record nearly 20 years ago added, “This new record buck is truly remarkable and is a perfect testament to the superb potential of Maryland’s deer management program and the quality of our state’s deer herd and habitat.”
Deer firearms season continues through December 9.

[align=center]

Table of Antlered and Antlerless Harvest by County

Maryland Unofficial Opening Weekend Firearm Deer Harvest Numbers, 11/25 - 11/26/2006.

Saturday 11/25
Sunday 11/26

County
Antlered
Antlerless
Total
Antlered
Antlerless
Total
Grand Total

Allegany
664
0
664
109
0
109
773

Anne Arundel
130
207
337
26
55
81
418

Baltimore
284
446
730
*
*
*
730

Calvert
140
180
320
42
86
128
448

Caroline
152
224
376
55
82
137
513

Carroll
499
608
1107
*
*
*
1107

Cecil
209
315
524
61
110
171
695

Charles
257
322
579
88
153
241
820

Dorchester

whitetail
165
248
413
70
113
183
596

sika
84
79
163
51
61
112
275

Frederick
685
797
1482
*
*
*
1482

Garrett
585
0
585
107
0
107
692

Harford
223
310
533
*
*
*
533

Howard
97
155
252
*
*
*
252

Kent
263
434
697
65
135
200
897

Montgomery
188
330
518
67
129
196
714

Prince George's
158
211
369
*
*
*
369

Queen Anne's
258
372
630
66
109
175
805

Somerset

whitetail
185
303
488
*
*
*
488

sika
1
0
1
*
*
*
1

St. Mary's
158
192
350
53
93
146
496

Talbot
164
267
431
50
116
166
597

Washington
872
879
1751
146
231
377
2128

Wicomico

whitetail
220
318
538
*
*
*
538

sika
2
1
3
*
*
*
3

Worcester

whitetail
315
535
850
*
*
*
850

sika
5
6
11
*
*
*
11

Total
6963
7739
14702
1056
1473
2529
17231

*Sunday hunting not permitted.

[/align][hr]
November 30, 2006
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov
[/blockquote][/align]

Reply

0