By DAWN R. SLACK
DNR Fish and Wildlife

Indiana hunters harvested 120,073 deer in the 2014 season, according to data released today by the Department of Natural Resources.

While Harrison County was the top producer for the second straight season with 3,054 deer harvested, and the only county to top 3,000, Kosciusko County was among the top counties harvesting over 2,000 deer.

A total of 2,333 deer were taken in Kosciusko County. Other top counties were Washington (2,794), Switzerland (2,721), Franklin (2,620), Noble (2,615), Steuben (2,536), Dearborn (2,534), Parke (2,379), Kosciusko (2,333), and Jefferson (2,258).

Harvest exceeded 1,000 deer in 58 counties and 2,000 deer in 16 counties.

Benton had the fewest deer reported with 88, followed by Tipton with 121.

Although it was a decrease from the previous two years, the outcome is by design and reflects DNR efforts to reduce the deer population. Despite the overall decline, four counties set unofficial records in 2014 – Decatur (832), Fayette (1,052), Floyd (821), and Hancock (339).

“Several years ago, we modified our management strategy to focus deer herd reduction in a strategically targeted manner to more adequately balance ecological, recreational and economic needs of Indiana citizens,” said Mitch Marcus, chief wildlife biologist for the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. “We are no longer managing for a stable to increasing deer herd, so the declines in harvest are expected.”

The 2014 total was a 4.4 percent drop from 2013 and an 11.9 percent drop from the all-time record harvest of 136,248 deer in 2012.

To view the full report, go to www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/ and locate 2014 Deer Report in the Hunting & Trapping panel.

The 2014 season was composed of three statewide segments: archery, from Oct. 1 to Jan. 4, 2015, firearms, from Nov. 15 to Nov. 30, and muzzleloader from Dec. 7 to Dec. 21.

A late antlerless season was available from Dec. 6 to Jan. 4, in 63 counties. Additionally, licensed youth age 17 or younger were eligible to participate in a two day season in late September, and designated urban zones allowed archery or crossbow hunting from Sept. 15 through Jan. 31.

As is typical, the firearms season was the most productive, accounting for 67,989 deer or 57 percent of the total. The archery season accounted for 34,600 deer  or 29 percent, followed by muzzleloader with 10,825 or nine percent, late antlerless with 4,171; 3 percent), and youth (2,488; 2 percent). The archery season total included the urban zone harvest.

Hunters had three options to report their harvest – traditional in-person check stations, online, or by phone. For the first time since the online CheckIN Game program began in 2012, more deer were reported online or by phone (66,309) than at physical check stations (54,034).

Hunters have harvested approximately 3.38 million deer since the modern era of regulated deer hunting seasons began in 1951.