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Louisiana
Deer
Harvest
2008
‐
09
Mail
survey
‐
Each
year,
a
6%
sample
of
licensed
hunters
between
the
ages
of
16
and
59
receive
a
harvest
survey
by
mail.
Participants
return
the
survey
and
statistics
are
compiled.
Youth
and
senior
hunters
are
not
included
in
this
survey,
so
estimates
are
best
used
for
monitoring
long
term
trends.
The
mail
survey
index
for
hunters
and
harvest
for
the
2008/09
season
is
162,600
and
158,200
respectively.
The
harvest
by
weapon
type
and
sex
is
shown
in
Table
3.
While
the
hunter
number
index
has
been
relatively
stable
the
last
few
years,
the
harvest
index
was
down
21%
this
year
and
is
the
lowest
value
since
1986
(Figure
2).
Two
more
major
hurricanes,
as
well
as
the
effects
of
Katrina
are
largely
impacting
the
landscape,
and
are
thought
to
have
caused
access
and
visibility
issues
across
the
state,
but
especially
in
the
coastal
zone.
Temporary
flooding
events
caused
some
deer
mortality
in
isolated
areas
during
and
after
Ike.
Trees
and
forested
habitats
were
affected
well
into
central
and
even
northern
Louisiana
during
Hurricane
Gustav.
Reduced
visibility
and
accessibility
due
to
storm
debris
impacted
many
hunters.
Anecdotal
hunting
reports
were
mixed
this
year,
with
some
hunters
(especially
in
the
southern
parts
of
the
state)
reporting
reduced
harvests,
and
some
reporting
normal
or
exceptional
harvests.
In
southern
areas
the
mast
crop
was
reduced
by
the
storm,
but
many
hunters
still
saw
good
acorn
availability.
Heavy
rainfall
following
the
storms
may
have
increased
fawn
mortality
in
some
coastal,
bottomland,
Florida,
and
rice
prairie
parishes
such
as
Lafourche,
St.
Landry,
Tensas,
Pointe
Coupee,
Concordia,
East
Carroll,
Tangipahoa,
St.
Helena,
Evangeline,
and
Jefferson
Davis.
Lower
than
average
lactation
rates
were
observed
on
a
few
WMAs,
and
DMAP
clubs,
and
there
was
one
report
of
low
fawn
observations
on
other
private
land.
This
may
reduce
recruitment
into
older
age
classes
in
affected
areas
and
could
result
in
reduced
harvests
of
that
age
class
(fewer
1.5
year
olds
next
year).
Human
expansion
and
development
also
impact
wildlife
habitats
and
deer
carrying
capacity
and
we
continue
to
see
an
increase
in
exurbia
in
some
areas
of
Louisiana.
Forest
management
practices
of
the
last
decade
have
also
impacted
the
landscape
and
reduced
carrying
capacities
are
being
observed
in
some
pine
dominant
parishes
and
regions.
Hog
populations
may
be
high
enough
in
some
areas
of
the
state
to
affect
deer
numbers
through
direct
competition
for
food
resources.
And
although
there
were
no
large
scale
hemorrhagic
disease
(EHD
or
BTV)
outbreaks
reported
or
identified,
it
is
possible
that
some
populations
suffered
mortality
rates
higher
than
perceived,
and
this
may
have
impacted
harvest
at
some
local
levels.
Hunter
attitudes
and
preferences
may
be
changing.
Some
hunters,
even
on
WMAs,
now
are
sometimes
“passing”
females
and
younger
bucks
in
hopes
of
harvesting
a
trophy,
or
possibly
because
they
simply
do
not
have
the
time
or
desire
to
do
the
work
of
processing
the
animal.
This
may
be
especially
true
of
the
growing
number
of
senior
hunters
and
the
younger
generation
of
busy,
affluent,
trophy
‐
type
hunters.
Some
hunters
and
managers
may
be
becoming
more
comfortable
with
managing
for
lower
numbers
of
deer
that
are
more
balanced
with
the
habitat.
Biologists
have
seen
no
indication
within
the
available
data
that
statewide
over
‐
harvest
of
female
deer
has
occurred
since
implementing
the
new
3
antlerless
deer
limit.
We
are
continuing
to
monitor
and
take
public
comment
from
concerned
hunters
where
overharvest
has
been
a
concern
at
local
levels.
Table
3.
Distribution
of
deer
harvest
as
recorded
by
the
annual
LDWF
mail
survey,
2008
‐
09.
Weapon
Male
Female Total %modern
gun
71947.5
60552.5 132500 83.7%primitive
7811.4
6288.6 14100 8.9%bow
5227.2
4672.8 9900 6.3%cross
bow
705.6
694.4 1400 0.9%null
400.0
0.0 400 0.3%Totals
86092
72208 158300
Figure
2.
LDWF
hunter
and
harvest
estimates
from
its
annual
mail
harvest
survey,
1970
‐
2008.
Internet/phone
reporting
results
‐
This
year
was
the
first
mandatory
year
for
tagging
and
reporting
deer
through
the
new
system.
Results
provide
a
count
of
male
and
female
deer
harvested
by
weapon
type
and
parish
on
private
and
public
lands.
Participation
in
the
reporting
program
is
believed
to
be
less
than
100%
and
it
may
take
a
period
of
time
for
all
hunters
to
learn
the
system
and
comply
with
the
law.
It
is
important
for
hunters
to
report
their
deer,
so
that
complete
data
is
available
for
future
deer
management
decisions.
There
were
227,001
sets
of
deer
tags
issued
in
2008
‐
09.
A
summary
of
the
reported
harvest
along
with
the
WMA
managed
hunts
and
program
totals
are
presented
by
parish
in
Appendix
1.
The
top
total
harvest
parishes
are
presented
in
Table
4.
The
top
harvest
parishes
by
forested
acres
per
deer
are
presented
in
Table
5.
The
total
harvest
count
from
all
3
sources
of
data
is
116,571.
The
harvest
sex
ratio
of
the
95,718
deer
reported
taken
on
non
‐
program
private
lands
was
58
%
male
and
42
%
female.
Table
4.
Top
20
deer
harvest
parishes
derived
from
the
new
reporting
system
,
2008
‐
09.
Parish
Harvest
Parish
Harvest
Union
7915
Winn
3272
Bienville
5387
Morehouse
3041
Claiborne
5171
Desoto
3014
Vernon
4311
Avoyelles
2828
Bossier
3930
W.
Feliciana
2786
Jackson
3689
Sabine
2729
Webster
3652
Lincoln
2623
Iberville
3398
Beauregard
2443
Natchitoches
3384
Rapides
2329
Tensas
3376
St.
Landry
2283
Table
5.
Top
20
harvest
parishes
by
forested
acreage
derived
from
the
new
reporting
system,
2008
‐
09
Parish
Acres/deer
Parish
Acres/deer
E.
Carroll
32
St.
Landry
73
Tensas
34
Iberville
76
Madison
50
Webster
79
W.
Baton
Rouge
55
Bienville
84
W.
Feliciana
58
Claiborne
84
Morehouse
59
Jackson
85
Union
60
Lincoln
90
Richland
66
Bossier
93
Avoyelles
69
Concordia
93
Point
Coupee
72
Franklin
96
Mail
survey
vs.
reporting
system
harvest
‐
The
mail
survey
index
of
158,200
is
higher
(36%)
than
the
system
reported
harvest
of
116,571.
Since
the
mail
survey
is
a
single
mailing,
there
is
the
potential
to
bias
the
index
high.
The
mail
survey
index
is
best
used
to
monitor
trends
over
time
and
not
as
an
absolute
estimate.
The
new
reporting
system
count
is
likely
low
due
to
less
than
100%
participation.
We
anticipate
greater
compliance
with
the
system
in
the
future.
However,
it
is
possible
that,
due
to
a
number
of
reasons,
the
statewide
harvest
from
the
reporting
system
will
continue
to
be
lower
than
the
mail
survey
index.
Wildlife
Management
Areas
‐
The
Department
manages
over
1,000,000
acres
with
deer
hunting
opportunity.
Archery
and
either
sex
gun
hunts
are
the
primary
methods
for
keeping
deer
numbers
in
balance
with
the
habitat.
Youth
and
handicapped
hunts
also
are
available
on
many
areas.
Buck
only
seasons
provide
extended
hunting
opportunity
and
generally
are
held
near
or
during
rut.
Harvest
rates
are
highly
variable
on
the
WMAs
according
to
deer
physiographic
region,
habitat
conditions,
and
hunter
efforts.
In
some
years
WMA
harvest
rates
equal
or
surpass
intensively
managed
DMAP
properties.
On
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