Numbers are out:

Release #029-08

GAME COMMISSION RELEASES 2007-08 DEER HARVEST ESTIMATES
The Pennsylvania Game Commission today reported that hunters harvested an
estimated 323,070 deer in the state's 2007-08 seasons. That's down 11 percent
from the previous seasons' harvest.

Hunters took 109,200 antlered deer in the 2007-08 seasons, down 19 percent from
the previous license year's harvest of 135,290. Also, hunters harvested 213,870
antlerless deer in 2007-08, a five percent drop from the 226,270 antlerless deer
taken in 2006-07.

"What stands out most when looking over the harvest data is the difference in
the opening day deer kill of the two-week firearms season," said Dr. Christopher
Rosenberry, Game Commission Deer Section Supervisor. "Report cards sent in by
hunters show the antlered deer harvest on the opening day, Nov. 26, dropped more
than 50 percent from 2006. Daily harvests for the rest of the two-week season,
Nov. 27-Dec. 8, were similar to 2006.

"The firearms season's opening day antlerless deer harvest also dropped nearly 50 percent from 2006. However, the antlerless
harvest throughout the remainder of the two-week season increased and, in due
course, erased some of the opening day's harvest shortfall."

Based on past year's results, Rosenberry noted that it wasn't surprising that
the drop in opening day harvests had a larger effect on the antlered harvest
than the antlerless harvest.

"Historically, a majority of the antlered deer harvest occurs on opening day,
whereas the antlerless harvest is typically more evenly distributed across the
entire two weeks," Rosenberry said.

For more information, please visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission - State
Wildlife Management Agency website:
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=11&Q=173862