FALL 2012
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BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM
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BDN MAINE OUTDOORS 13
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ■
The case for predation management for improving deer survival By Gerry Lavigne White-tailed deer populations in Maine crashed following two brutally hard winters in 2008 and 2009. The decline was particularly severe in the northern half of the state, where deer populations had already been dropping for three decades. To address the deer problem, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is implementing a comprehensive plan to improve deer survival that is intended to address all forms of deer mortality. The plan can be found at mefishwildlife.com — Maine’s Game Plan for Deer. The plan includes addressing the negative impacts of coyote predation on deer survival. The arrival of eastern coyotes in Maine since the 1960s has created an added mortality burden on deer. Statewide, coyotes annually remove about 10 percent of the deer population. By the early 1980s, DIF&W was already
During the past three decades, hunters have borne the brunt of offsetting higher natural losses among deer. On average, hunters in deer-friendly central and southern Maine have had their doe and fawn harvests cut by at least one-third, compared to pre-coyote times. In eastern and northern Maine, antlerless deer hunting is no longer allowed during most years. And at best, doe harvests are but a tiny fraction of what had formerly been sustainable. From a deer-management perspective, there really are two Maines. In central and southern Maine, overall deer mortality is lower, fawn survival is higher, and deer populations are more resilient to changes in mortality, as when the occasional severe winter occurs. In this region, deer populations consistently respond to deliberate changes in the hunter harvest of does and fawns. Deer populations vary greatly depending on hunting access, but range
square mile in many areas. During the pre-coyote, pre-spruce budworm era, deer density in the same region often exceeded 10 to 20 deer per square mile. Moving northern and eastern Maine deer populations to a positive trajectory will require a sharp reduction of nonhunting mortality. Clearly, predation management needs to be implemented, along with wintering habitat management and hunter management. The precipitous decline of Maine’s white-tailed deer population has been accompanied by a proportionate loss of hunting opportunity and the economic benefits that hunting and wildlife watching bring to the state’s rural economy. During the past three decades, deer harvests have been curtailed by several hundred thousand deer to offset higher natural losses. After decades of lost opportunity, hunters and non-hunters alike are wondering if deer losses can be lessened
by DIF&W and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. As the effort gets off the ground, it may prove to be an interesting experiment. For a long time, hunters have accommodated the coyote. Eastern coyotes are a valuable, but underutilized, renewable fur-bearing resource. Coyotes are challenging to hunt, and more hunters are pursuing them. Increased hunting and trapping pressure prior to winter may temporarily reduce coyote abundance. As a result, a diminished presence of coyotes on the winter landscape may allow deer populations in the northern half of the state to become sustainable and economically viable, for the benefit of the people who work and recreate there. Time will tell. Gerry Lavigne, SAM board member, is a retired deer biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and is SAM’s consultant on deer-
Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine 205 Church Hill Road, Suite 1 Augusta, Maine 04330 Telephone: (207) 623-4589 EMAIL: members@sportsmansallianceofmaine.org
WEBSITE: www.sportsmansallianceofmaine.org
Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine
OFFICERS: President – Jim Gorman Vice President – Cheryl Timberlake Clerk– Jim Hilly Treasurer – Paul Davis
DIRECTORS: Nick Archer Jim Tobin Matt Dunlap Erik Hart Gerry Lavigne Amos Eno Thom Watson
STAFF:
Expanded shooting range opportunities The Maine Department Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will partner with the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to expand opportunities for shooting sports across the state. The DIF&W plans to invest funds provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to offer more opportunity for the public to participate in shooting sports. “The days of using a local gravel pit to sight in a rifle or shotgun are over,” said John Boland, DIF&W director of resource management. “Suburban sprawl, safety concerns, and evolving landowner attitudes are limiting shooting sport opportunities. This partnership will provide more opportunities for the public.” Currently, DIF&W is compiling an inventory of Maine’s existing shooting ranges. The department and SAM will then develop a database of Maine’s ranges, which would include their locations, the
opportunities provided, costs, public accessibility and other pertinent information. This inventory will be used to determine how to best utilize funding to increase shooting opportunities. “SAM is excited to be a partner in this venture. Providing more opportunities for the public to get involved with Maine’s traditional outdoor sports helps both SAM and DIF&W,” said David Trahan, SAM executive director. A committee of yet-to-be-determined members will assess this information and make recommendations for improvements or additions to existing shooting ranges in Maine. John Boland is the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife director of resource management.
David Trahan – Executive Director Becky Morrell – Operations Manager
The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) is a non-profit corporation founded in 1975 to promote conservation of Maine’s wildlife resources and to be an advocate for hunters, anglers, trappers and gun owners throughout the state. SAM News is a publication of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. It is published 6 times per year. Meetings of the SAM board of directors are held on the second Wednesday of the month at 5:00 PM at the SAM Conference Center in Augusta, Maine. All editorial inquiries should be directed to the address listed above.