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South Mountain Land Association

Harvest Deer Data Results
C.D. Denmon

            For the sixth year in a row the North Mountain Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association conducted its annual harvest data collection at the Suburban News office.  The first day of buck season is the day that a weight scale is set up and officials from the local QDMA branch take various antler measurements and exact body weights for their records.
            In the six years that the North Mountain Branch has been conducting this ongoing study, they have taken information from 271 deer.  From that total, 244 were antlered bucks, with the remaining deer being that of does or button bucks.  The idea behind taking this information is to gather information about the local deer which can help determine the overall health of the deer herd and the habitat that sustains them.
            Statistically before antler restrictions, approximately 80% of the bucks harvested were 1.5 years old and only 15% were 2.5 years of age.  By the North Mountain data collections records, those numbers have drastically changed.  The highest percentage of 1.5 year old deer during the study was only 29 %.  However the amount of 2.5 year old deer increased to as high as 42%.  In 2007 55% of the deer brought into the check station were 4.5 years old or older.   No doubt that the ideas of letting younger bucks go to harvest older ones is growing by leaps and bounds each year.
            As time has progressed through this ongoing data collection, an increase in body weights has become noticed overall with a few slight variances.  The one problem that is encountered is that they are dealing with a relative low number of deer to record as compared to the overall kill in the area.  This year, they weighed and measured 66 deer and with that number being broken down into six age classes ranging from .6 years of age to 5.5, it can be difficult to get accurate data that could truly represent a particular age class if only a handful of those class deer are brought in to be measured.  The more deer that is recorded, a more accurate the data becomes.
            Even with that said, the North Mountain Branch’s data still holds some information that is consistent with what is going on in other areas and in relation with local food patterns and other variables as well.  For instance, on average the deer in agricultural areas are 10% heavier in body weight and often have antlers larger than those deer harvested in more remote mountain areas.   Such things as the abundance of mast foods for deer also show a direct relation to increased body weights for those years and increased antler sizes the following years. For those that are new to this, the latter food intake for a deer such as acorns once the deer’s antler has been developed will affect next year’s antler growth potential. 
            It is the early spring green up and the amount of lush green available during the spring and summer months that contribute greatly to the body and antler sizes as well.  While, not all the data for this year has been completed regarding their studies, in the past it has been directly correlated to the amount of warm season moistures between the months of April and September that have a substantial effect on body size.
            The amount of warm season moisture directly affects not only the amount of palatable greens for deer to eat during the spring and summer months but also can have an effect on the amount of digestible protein that plants will carry depending on the amount of rainfall.  Studies like this have been done in Texas where the amount of rainfall is expected to have a substantial impact on deer health.  With The North Mountain Branch study, it is also apparent that the amount of rainfall in Pennsylvania can also dictate the increase or decrease of antlers and body sizes.
            In the future it is the hopes of the North Mountain branch of QDMA that more hunters bring in more antlerless deer to be weighed.  The data collected on does can be of equal importance as it is with the bucks.  If you would like to become more involved with the North Mountain Branch and their activities you can do so by calling 477-2303.

 

North Mountain Branch Harvest Data