November 16th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reports that hunters harvested over 16,000 deer during the early portion of the 2023 archery and muzzleloader seasons. The harvest was an 18% decrease from the same period last year. Less than ideal weather conditions and abundant acorns in many areas contributed to the decline. The deer harvest can fluctuate from year to year because of hunter effort, weather, and other factors. Allegany County’s deer count was 710, down from 847 in 2022.