VERMONT'S ANTLERLESS DEER REGULATION 2005

WATERBURY, VT - Vermont's antlerless deer hunting regulation for 2005 was finalized at the July 20 meeting of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board in Montpelier.

An "antlerless deer" is defined as a deer without antlers or with antlers less than three inches long.

The regulation allows a hunter who wins an antlerless deer permit in a lottery to take one antlerless deer by muzzleloader during the December 3 - 11 muzzleloader season. Antlerless deer permit applications are now available on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department's website www.vtfishandwildlife.com and from license agents.

The wildlife management units (WMUs) that will have muzzleloader antlerless permits this year are A, B, F1, F2, J2, K1, M2, N, O2, and Q. The 6,521 muzzleloader antlerless permits being issued are expected to net a harvest of just over 1,300 deer.

Hunters have until 4:30 p.m., Friday, September 2 to make sure their lottery application is delivered to the Waterbury Fish & Wildlife office. The cost is $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. A person may submit only one application.

During the October 1-23 and December 3-11 archery season, hunters may take a legal buck with one antler having two or more points anywhere in the state. In addition, one antlerless deer may be taken by bow and arrow during the archery season in the following WMUs: A-B-C-F1-F2-G-H1-J1-J2-K1-K2-M2-N-02-Q. The hunter must use archery licenses to tag these deer.

During Youth Deer Hunting Weekend, a youth with a Youth Deer Hunting tag may take one deer of either sex anywhere in the state. No antler restrictions apply for Youth Deer Hunting Weekend.

Vermont has an annual limit of two deer per hunter per year.
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Attached is a map showing which Vermont's wildlife management units are open, and which are closed to antlerless deer hunting in 2005.


For Further Information please contact: Craig McLaughlin at 802-241-3700 or email to craig.mclaughlin@state.vt.us