MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin wildlife officials estimate the number of elk in the state will grow to more than 500 animals by July.
The Department of Natural Resources began reintroducing elk to the state in 1995 by importing 25 animals to the Clam Lake region.
Judge releases man in 1990 slayings of 2 Michigan hunters
February 24, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — A man was released from a Michigan prison Friday after nearly 21 years, freed from a life sentence after state authorities acknowledged that an Ohio serial killer could have been the person who killed two deer hunters in 1990.
Kill order for New Mexico feral cows issued by US officials
February 17, 2023 GMTALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A helicopter with a shooter will fly over a portion of the vast Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico next week, searching for feral cows to kill.
U.S. Forest Service managers approved the plan Thursday to protect sensitive spots in the nation's first designated wilderness area.
$1,000 reward in deer poaching near Ruby Lake Refuge
January 12, 2023 GMTRENO, Nev. (AP) — A citizen's group that works with the Nevada Department of Wildlife is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in a suspected deer poaching case in northeast Nevada.
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn’t happen this week
January 6, 2023 GMTA roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out.
2 men arrested in 2018 slaying of deer hunter near Lansing
December 22, 2022 GMTBATH TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Two men have been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a hunter in a Michigan state park during the 2018 deer season.
Thomas Olson and Robert Rodway, both 34, were arraigned Thursday on charges of felony murder and using a firearm during a felony, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.
Firearm buck season kills up 18% in West Virginia
December 16, 2022 GMTSOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The number of antlered white-tailed deer killed in West Virginia during the two-week firearms season increased 18% compared to a year ago, wildlife officials said.
Land Between the Lakes adds areas for archery deer hunters
December 1, 2022 GMTGOLDEN POND, Ky. (AP) — Land Between the Lakes will open additional areas for archery deer hunting, officials said.
The select areas, which are typically off-limits to hunting, will be open Dec.
Hunters kill 14% more deer during Wisconsin 9-day gun season
November 29, 2022 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Hunters killed substantially more deer during Wisconsin's nine-day gun season this year than in 2021 thanks largely to snow cover, relatively stable weather conditions and a lack of standing corn that deer use to hide, state wildlife officials said Tuesday.
DNR: Opening weekend deer kill up 14% from 2021
November 22, 2022 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Hunters killed 14% more deer during this year's nine-day gun season's opening weekend than in 2021 largely due to snow cover that made hunting easier, state wildlife officials said Tuesday.
Boy dies in apparent hunting accident in western Wis.
November 21, 2022 GMTSENECA, Wis. (AP) — An 11-year-old boy died in an apparent accident in Green Lake County during the opening weekend of Wisconsin's deer hunt.
The boy was shot in the chest around 9 a.m. Sunday as a 41-year-old man was trying to unload his gun while it was in the back seat of a vehicle, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office said.
Wisconsin deer hunter rescued from river when kayak capsizes
November 19, 2022 GMTFOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) — A deer hunter whose kayak capsized Saturday morning in an eastern Wisconsin wildlife area was rescued after spending about an hour in icy waters.
Authorities say the 27-year-old man from Waupaca was being treated at a hospital for hypothermia after Lamartine firefighters used an inflatable rescue sled to pull him from the Fond du Lac River north of the Mascoutin Valley State Park Trail.
Firefighters rescue doe, fawn from icy Montana river
November 18, 2022 GMTMISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Firefighters in western Montana pulled a doe and her fawn from the icy Clark Fork River in sub-zero temperatures Friday morning, officials said.
“They darted up the bank and ran east,” City of Missoula senior firefighter Brett Cunniff said.
Cold and snowy conditions to greet Wisconsin deer hunters
November 17, 2022 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Hunters can expect near-perfect conditions when Wisconsin's annual nine-day gun deer season opens Saturday.
Wisconsin Public Radio reported Thursday that temperatures in the 20s and 30s will allow hunters to sit in one area comfortably if they choose and snow-covered ground will make deer more visible and easier to track.
Idaho finds another deer with chronic wasting disease
October 24, 2022 GMTBOISE, Idaho (AP) — The first confirmed case this year of chronic wasting disease has been detected in a deer in Idaho County in north-central Idaho, state wildlife officials said.
Idaho Fish and Game on Friday said a white-tailed deer found dead along the side of the road tested positive for the disease.
Mexico charges man with killing 32 deer with dogs
October 12, 2022 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — A man in central Mexico has been charged with crimes against animals after he allegedly entered a pen at a nature park with his dogs, which proceeded to kill 32 deer at the facility.
‘Forever chemicals’ in deer, fish challenge hunters, tourism
October 5, 2022 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Wildlife agencies in the U.S. are finding elevated levels of a class of toxic chemicals in game animals such as deer — and that's prompting health advisories in some places where hunting and fishing are ways of life and key pieces of the economy.
North Dakota man loses appeal in a New Mexico poaching case
September 15, 2022 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court has upheld an appeals court’s judgment that ordered a man to pay $74,000 restitution to the state Game and Fish Department for poaching a trophy mule deer buck in December 2015.
West Virginia taking applications for controlled deer hunts
August 29, 2022 GMTSOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Applications are being accepted for controlled deer hunts at four state parks in West Virginia.
Hunters have until Wednesday to apply for the hunts this fall at Beech Fork, Cacapon Resort, North Bend and Twins Falls Resort state parks, the Division of Natural Resources said in a statement.
Prosecutor: Man sentenced on gun charge in officer shooting
July 2, 2022 GMTCINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a hunter has been sentenced to just under a decade in prison for illegal possession of a weapon used to shoot and seriously wound an Ohio Department of Natural Resources officer investigating a deer poaching complaint in 2020.
Reynolds expands deer hunting with semi-automatic rifles
June 21, 2022 GMTDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa hunters will be able to use semi-automatic weapons including AR-15 rifles to kill deer in more parts of the state during a newly created antlerless season in January under a bill signed by Gov.
Mule deer population 34% above long-term average in ND
June 13, 2022 GMTBISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A spring survey by state game officials shows the mule deer population in North Dakota is 13% higher than last year and 34% above the long-term average.
The Game and Fish Department has conducted the aerial survey each year since the 1950s.
Police: 2 people dead after vehicle strikes deer, trees
June 3, 2022 GMTCHELMSFORD, Mass. (AP) — Two people died early Friday when their vehicle struck a deer followed by several trees, Massachusetts State Police said.
The SUV was heading north on Interstate 495 in Chelmsford just before 5 a.m.
Deer causes fiery crash on interstate near Forest Lake
June 2, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A deer caused a fiery crash on Interstate 35 near Forest Lake.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported the crash took place about 8 a.m.
Iowa lawmakers OK deer hunting with semi-automatic rifles
May 24, 2022 GMTDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Deer hunters would be able to use semi-automatic rifles during a newly created antlerless season in January under a bill approved by lawmakers Tuesday and sent to the governor.
Deer hunting: Early velvet season for bucks set
May 21, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Deer hunters in Mississippi will have a chance to harvest a buck in velvet during the state’s first early archery hunt in September.
The season is set for Sept. 16-18.
Russ Walsh, wildlife chief of staff for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said those dates reach a balance between allowing bucks to reach their maximum antler growth for the year and giving hunters a chance to harvest them before they shed their velvet.
Viral disease reduces deer hunt licenses in North Dakota
May 10, 2022 GMTBISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The number of licenses for this year's deer hunt in North Dakota has been reduced because of an outbreak of a viral disease last year.
The state Game and Fish Department is making 64,200 licenses available, down 8,000 from last year.
About 330 deer culled from select areas in Meridian Township
March 28, 2022 GMTMERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — About 330 deer have been shot earlier this year in one Lansing-area community.
Part of Meridian Township's Deer Management Program, the cull is intended to reduce the deer population and the number of vehicle crashes involving deer, WLNS-TV reported Monday.
Road to table: Wyoming’s got a new app for claiming roadkill
March 12, 2022 GMTLANDER, Wyo. (AP) — The aroma of sizzling meat in melted butter wafts from a cast iron pan while Jaden Bales shows his favorite way to cook up the best steak cuts from a big game animal.
The deep red backstrap pieces, similar to filet mignon of beef, are organic and could hardly be more local.
WVa hunters kill fewer deer in 2021, Preston County tops
March 10, 2022 GMTSOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The number of white-tailed deer killed in West Virginia during the recently completed hunting seasons fell slightly compared to a year ago, wildlife officials said.
Hunters killed 105,278 deer last year, a 1.5% drop from the 106,861 deer killed in 2020, the Division of Natural Resources said Wednesday in a news release.
Second case of deadly deer disease found in NW Alabama
March 8, 2022 GMTFLORENCE, Ala. (AP) — A second case of a disease that's deadly to deer has been found in Lauderdale County in northwest Alabama, a state agency said, prompting stricter rules about feeding wildlife.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife holds hearings on moose, deer
March 6, 2022 GMTMONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding public hearings this month on next fall's proposed moose hunt in the northeastern part of the state and the health status of the deer herd.
University of Michigan-Dearborn conducts deer cull
March 1, 2022 GMTDETROIT (AP) — An ongoing deer cull is expected to reduce the deer population Detroit area from 86 to 36, officials said.
The cull that the University of Michigan-Dearborn started last weekend in the 300-acre forest near the school will continue until Sunday.
University starts deer cull on Detroit-area campus
February 27, 2022 GMTDEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Sharpshooters have begun the process of culling dozens of deer in a forest on a university campus in the Detroit area in a bid to reduce health and other risks the animals pose.
Federal officials to cull up to 180 deer on NY’s Long Island
February 23, 2022 GMTSMITHTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Federal wildlife specialists will cull Long Island's deer population by shooting up to 180 of the animals in New York state parks and other locations this year, authorities said.
SW Michigan man faces prison time after poached bucks plea
February 17, 2022 GMTPAW PAW, Mich. (AP) — A southwestern Michigan man faces prison time and can no longer hunt in the state after pleading guilty to charges stemming from illegal deer poaching, authorities said.
Not just humans: Study finds NYC omicron spike hit deer too
February 8, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — When New York City’s COVID-19 rates spiked last December due to the emerging omicron variant, humans weren't the only mammals affected.
SC offers lifetime hunting license for killing tagged coyote
February 6, 2022 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina wildlife officials have released 16 more coyotes with a special tag and if hunters kill them, they can get a free hunting license for life.
The Department of Natural Resources has been releasing the tagged coyotes since 2016, when the lawmakers created the program to help limit the population of the animals.
First Louisiana case of deadly deer disease found in Tensas
February 6, 2022 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Authorities say Louisiana’s first case of a slowly developing but always lethal deer disease has been confirmed in a deer killed in Tensas Parish.
Deer on Maui airport runway prompts additional fencing
January 24, 2022 GMTKAHULUI, Hawaii (AP) — A reinforced fence has been installed around a Maui airport after a deer blocked a runway earlier this month.
Vinyl fencing now overlaps an existing wood fence surrounding Kahului Airport to prevent deer from squeezing through, Maui District Airports Manager Marvin Moniz told The Maui News.
Teen driver crashes into deer, then watches as vehicle burns
January 23, 2022 GMTORWELL, Vt. (AP) — A teenager survived after his car crashed into a deer and caught on fire in Orwell, Vermont.
The crash happened Saturday evening on Route 22A when the deer ran into the path of the vehicle, state police said.
Fire department rescues deer trapped on Lake Champlain
January 18, 2022 GMTNORTH HERO, Vt. (AP) — Four deer trapped on Lake Champlain have been brought to shore, the North Hero Volunteer Fire Department said.
The deer had been trapped on the ice since Sunday afternoon, the department said on its Facebook page.
Wasting disease confirmed in Alabama deer for first time
January 7, 2022 GMTMONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A deer killed in northwest Alabama was infected with chronic wasting disease in the first confirmed case of the illness in the state, game officials said Friday.
Live deer found in car’s hatchback during traffic stop
January 7, 2022 GMTNEWBERRYTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Police who pulled over a suspected drunken or drugged driver in Pennsylvania discovered a live deer that had apparently been hit and then placed in the hatchback area of her car.
Deer tested in 2 N Louisiana parishes free of fatal disease
January 7, 2022 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — More than 300 deer tested in two parishes near Arkansas were all free of a deadly brain disease, so hunters in those parishes may resume baiting, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said Friday.
Chronic wasting disease found in four more Arkansas counties
January 1, 2022 GMTDALTON, Ark. (AP) — Chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in deer in four more Arkansas counties, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Deer harvested in Randolph, Crawford, Franklin and Van Buren counties have been confirmed with the disease, the commission said Friday.
Buck found in Mississippi tests positive for CWD
December 30, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A buck found near Vicksburg has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks said Thursday.
The department said the mature buck was reported in mid-December as potentially diseased given its drastically emaciated and lethargic condition.
Preliminary numbers show drop in Vermont deer hunt harvest
December 30, 2021 GMTMONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Hunters in Vermont took more than 15,000 deer in this year's seasons, several thousand less than in 2020, based on preliminary reports, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
Meridian Township cull aims to reduce deer-vehicle crashes
December 29, 2021 GMTMERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — About 200 deer are expected to be culled as part of a deer management program in a Lansing-area community.
The cull in Meridian Township was expected to start Saturday and run to Feb.
So far, no chronic wasting disease found in Louisiana
December 26, 2021 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Intensified testing in two Louisiana parishes next to Arkansas has not found any deer with a lethal, slow and highly infectious brain disease, The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says.
Teen mistakes brother for deer, shoots him: deputies
December 14, 2021 GMTSOLON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A teenager mistook his 12-year-old brother for a deer and shot him with a rifle, authorities said.
The younger boy had gone to call his 17-year-old brother in for dinner Monday evening when the shooting occurred in Solon Township, north of Grand Rapids, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said.
Maine hunters kill the most deer since 1968
December 14, 2021 GMTBANGOR, Maine (AP) — Maine hunters killed the most deer during the season that ended last weekend in more than 50 years, according to preliminary figures.
An online dashboard operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife indicates hunters killed 38,889 deer since September, the most since 1968, when 41,080 deer were tagged, the Bangor Daily News reported.
Tennessee IDs chronic wasting disease in deer in 13th county
December 13, 2021 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee officials say a 13th county has a confirmed case of chronic wasting disease in deer.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says a deer harvested in Crockett County has tested positive.
Vermont’s muzzleloader deer hunting season ends on Sunday
December 11, 2021 GMTMONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont's deer hunting season is coming to a close.
The muzzleloader season, which started a week ago, ends on Sunday.
Final stretch of Maine’s deer hunt ends for 2021
December 11, 2021 GMTAUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The final stretch of Maine's annual deer hunt is ending for the year on Saturday.
The last two weeks of the deer hunt are reserved for people who hunt using muzzleloaders and some archers.
Deer kills during WVa gun hunting season up over 2020
December 10, 2021 GMTSOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The number of antlered white-tailed deer killed in West Virginia during the two-week firearms season went up 10% compared with a year ago, wildlife officials said.
Officer accused of using a patrol car in illegal deer hunt
December 8, 2021 GMTCOUSHATTA, La. (AP) — A police officer in Louisiana is accused of using a patrol car while off duty to illegally hunt deer at night without a hunting license, authorities said Wednesday.
Javarrea Pouncy’s three companions included a convicted felon who was illegally carrying a firearm and also didn’t have a hunting license, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said in a news release.