Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Resources News Release

August 31, 2006                                                                 Contact: 1-800-858-1549
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            

Deer and Small Game Numbers Up; Outlook Good for Fall Hunting Seasons

Frankfort, Ky. – A warm winter and stable spring have boosted deer, quail, rabbit and squirrel numbers this year. That’s encouraging news for hunters this fall. 

Experts estimate Kentucky’s deer herd at 900,000 animals. “From all appearances, the herd is very healthy right now,” said Tina Brunjes, big game coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “We had an excellent fawn crop last year with lots of twins and triplets.”

Deer hunting kicks off September 2 with the start of archery season, which continues through January 15, 2007. The number of deer taken by archery hunters remained relatively stable over the past several years, averaging between 11,000 and 14,000 each year since 2000.

This year’s season should be an excellent one if nature cooperates. “To have a good harvest, we need cool weather this fall,” Brunjes said. “We need cool weather to get the deer moving. The more deer move, the better the hunting.”

Small game numbers are up despite some rough years previously. Trees that produced few nuts (mast) two years ago rebounded with a strong crop last year. That helped more animals survive.

“We had a catastrophic failure of the mast crop in 2004,” said John Morgan, upland game coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “Whatever food was available was quickly decimated by squirrels and other wildlife that year.”

The timing of the mast failure of 2004 in many parts of Kentucky couldn’t have been worse for squirrels. “In 2003, we had one of the best mast crops in 20 years and that set the stage for disaster in 2004,” Morgan said. “We had high reproduction and high numbers of squirrels combined with a very poor mast crop for squirrels to eat.”

By January and February of 2005, the lack of food for squirrels began to take its toll. “We received reports of crazy squirrel activity and lots of dead squirrels,” Morgan explained. “They swam across lakes and drowned. Boaters found them and scooped them out of the lake and released them ashore. They washed dead up on the banks. I received a report of 74 squirrels killed in one small section of road. A biologist counted 36 squirrels in one tree.”

The numbers of squirrels are again on the upswing. “The great mast crop of 2005 and the mild winter should increase squirrel numbers,” Morgan said. “This promotes multiple litters from one female. This is a very good step for us to rebuild the population.”

Squirrel hunters should concentrate near hickory trees in the early season, then shift to oak and walnut trees as the season progresses.

The good conditions also improved rabbit and quail numbers from last year. “This type of winter helps the early rabbit reproducers,” Morgan said. “I’ve heard more positive rabbit reports this year.”

Although rabbits can be found throughout Kentucky, the outer Bluegrass region and reclaimed mining areas in western and eastern Kentucky offer the best hunting.

Quail numbers, based on rural mail carrier surveys, are up 20 percent over last year. “Quail are looking better,” Morgan said. “The mail carrier data for last year was the worst in over 40 years, so the increase is encouraging.”

Peabody Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in western Kentucky, Yellowbank WMA in Breckinridge County and reclaimed strip mine areas in eastern Kentucky are good quail hunting areas.

For more information about hunting opportunities, pick up a copy of the 2006-2007 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide available wherever hunting licenses are sold.

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