News from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. August 12, 2004 Volume 34, Number 235

Contact: Ken Reynolds, Fish and Wildlife, phone: 302-653-2883 or Jason Gleockler, Public Affairs, phone: 302-739-4506

New Deer Management Practices on Cedar Swamp and Woodland Beach State Wildlife Areas

The Cedar Swamp and Woodland Beach State Wildlife Areas are now Quality Deer Management Areas. All deer hunters (except hunters under 17 years of age and non-ambulatory hunters) hunting these areas shall not take an antlered deer with a minimum outside antler spread of less than 15 inches at any time. Only bucks that qualify for the existing Quality Buck Tag are now legal. Antlerless deer can still be legally harvested.

Quality Deer Management is a management philosophy/practice that typically involves the protection of young bucks (yearlings and some 2 1/2
year-olds) combined with an adequate harvest of female deer to maintain a healthy population in balance with the existing habitat conditions. This level of deer management involves the production of quality deer (bucks, does, and fawns), quality habitat, and quality hunting experiences.

"When judging size in the field, remember the guideline that you can’t shoot a buck in a Quality Deer Management area unless it has an outside antler spread that is wider than its ears (at least 15 inches)," says Ken Reynolds, Fish and Wildlife. "If the outside spread doesn’t extend beyond its ears, let it walk."

Hunters under 17 years of age and non-ambulatory hunters are exempt from the 15-inch minimum outside spread but must abide by all other area and statewide regulations.

For additional information about these new management practices and any other management practices on wildlife areas call the appropriate office, Cedar Swamp, 302-834-8433, Woodland Beach, 302-284-9417, or Dover, 302-739-5297.

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This story is also available on DNREC Online at http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec20....asp?PRID=1371 or check the DNREC Online Home Page at http://www.dnrec.state.de.us .