These 8 States Badly Need to Boost Their Doe Harvest

By Lindsay Thomas Jr. – National Deer Association

Two years ago, I rang the alarm about declining doe harvests in too many states. NDA is always careful to emphasize that doe harvest is not one-size-fits-all and should be set based on local information, but it was clear doe harvest was falling in too many regions where it should not have been. It’s time for another report card, and I’m sorry to say we did not make the honor roll yet.

We are struggling to get back into a world where doe harvest is consistently higher than buck harvest. The goal is made more difficult by the fact that the national buck harvest is at a record level, which for many hunters means the home venison supply is adequate – no room in the freezer for a “freezer queen.” In the 2023-24 season, hunters harvested 3% more antlered bucks than antlerless deer, the largest gap since 1999. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY