The Outside Story: Oh deer! How deer contribute to the spread of invasives

A winter walk in the forest reveals a flurry of wildlife activity that often goes unnoticed during other times of the year.

Boosted by a strong rifle season, 2022 surpassed 2021 in the overall number of deer weighed at an Addison County wildlife reporting station, but just barely because archery season numbers were average at best while muzzleloader and Youth Hunting Weekend c … (read more)

At five-feet, four-inches tall, Kristen Nolan Patterson of Bridport does not present an imposing stature most of the time.

Many hunters brought deer to Buxton’s Store in Orwell to be weighed during the successful final two weeks of rifle season, including several trophy bucks.

After a slow start to Vermont’s 16-day rifle season for deer locally, hunters brought a near-record number of bucks to be weighed at Addison County’s wildlife reporting stations.

Many hunters were successful locally as Vermont’s 16-day rifle season for deer opened this past weekend — but not as many as in most recent seasons.

Eighty-eight young and first-time hunters brought deer they’d shot to Addison County’s wildlife reporting stations during Youth Hunting Weekend on Oct. 22-23.

Hunters are gearing up for the start of Vermont’s traditionally popular 16-day regular deer season that begins Saturday, November 12, and ends Sunday, November 27. 

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking hunters for help gathering biological data on the state’s deer population.

Although not many hunters were happy after December’s deer muzzleloader and archery seasons, overall 2021 remains the fifth most productive year for deer hunting in Addison County since 2005.

The county’s rifle deer season fell short of setting a third straight record for number of bucks taken to local reporting stations, but plenty of venison was served or packed into freezers between Nov. 13 and 28.

Local hunters once again in 2021 took advantage of the Department of Fish & Wildlife’s October-November archery and October muzzleloader seasons, bringing in 269 deer to be weighed at one of Addison County’s seven wildlife reporting stations.

Once again, the region’s deer hunters appear to have gotten off to a successful start in 2021, although it looks like they might not be on a pace to set a record annual harvest for the fourth straight season.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking hunters for help in a statewide initiative to gather more biological data on the state’s deer population.

Hunters are gearing up for the start of Vermont’s traditionally popular 16-day regular deer season that begins Saturday, Nov. 13, and ends Sunday, Nov. 28.