Maine wildlife officials advise harvesting does first for bigger bucks

By V. Paul Reynolds

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is encouraging deer hunters this fall to pass on young bucks so more can reach maturity, resulting in a population with larger, older deer.

Hunters no longer need to choose between venison and antlers. It’s now legal to harvest both a buck and a doe in many areas, and wildlife officials suggest filling the freezer with a doe first before holding out for a mature buck.

According to the department, data from recent years show just how much deer can grow with time. 

“Looking at three recent years of biological data from deer in Maine, our average yearling buck sported between 3 and 4 antler points, and our average 2-year-old buck had 6 to 7 points,” the department said. 

“While the most significant antler development takes place between the yearling and 2-year-old age classes, it’s not until around year 5 that our Maine bucks begin to approach their peak antler growth potential.”

A yearling buck weighed an average of 122.5 pounds dressed, while a 2-year-old averaged 148.6 pounds. By age five or six, bucks approach their peak body mass with an average dressed weight approaching 200 pounds.

“You’ll see the biggest jump in antler growth between a buck’s first and second year,” a department biologist said. “But real trophy potential comes a few years later.”

For hunters trying to judge deer in the field, yearlings often resemble does aside from their small antlers. By age two, bucks look more muscular with thicker necks and boxier faces, and by four years and older, their bodies appear heavier and more rugged.

Wildlife officials say the choice now lies with hunters: if you want to see bigger bucks in Maine’s woods, give the younger ones a few more seasons to grow.

The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide and host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network. He has authored three books. Online purchase information is available at www.sportingjournal.com, Outdoor Books.