According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), the state recorded another high deer harvest during the 2020-21 hunting seasons. Pennsylvania hunters took an estimated 435,180 deer which topped the 2019-20 seasons total of 389,431 deer. The state’s record overall deer harvest was 517,529 in the 2002 season.

In addition, the statewide buck harvest of 174,780 set a new record in the antler restrictions area, a seven percent increase over the previous season’s 163,240.

The antlerless deer harvest was 226,400 that exceeded the 2019-20Õs harvest of 226,191, a 15 percent increase.

Unlike in 2019-20, when the antlerless harvest decreased in almost half of the state’s WMUs, in 2020-21 antlerless harvests either increased or were similar to the previous year in all but one WMU (3B). This decrease, says the PGC, was expected as the allocation was reduced in 2020-21. The largest harvest increases occurred in western Pennsylvania and in WMUs 1A, 1B and 2B.

The percentage of older bucks taken in 2020-21 remained high. About 64 percent of bucks taken were at least 2.5 years old with the remainder being 1.5 years old. The PGC attributes this to antler restrictions initiated by then deer biologist Gary Alt, who came under heavy criticism for doing that. But in retrospect, it paid off with hunters being able to take older, larger, big-racked bucks.

The harvest brakes down even further with about 68 percent of the antlerless deer taken being adult females; button bucks comprised 17 percent and doe fawns making up 15 percent.

Bowhunters took over a third of Pennsylvanians 2020-21 overall deer harvest with 160,480 of which 80,130 were bucks and 80,350 were antlerless deer and with either bows or crossbows. In comparison, the 2019-20 archery harvest was 145,908 (74,190 bucks and 71,718 antlerless deer).

As for the estimated muzzleloader harvest, there were 28,260 deer shot that is down slightly from the previous year’s harvest of 29,604. And it included 1,140 antlered bucks compared to 1,260 in 2019-20.

For the local tri-county area around the Lehigh Valley, harvest numbers are as follows with 2019-20 figures in parentheses:

WMU 3D: 6,200 (6,000) antlered, 6,400 (4,900) antlerless

WMU 4C: 7,000 (antlered), 8,100 (8,300) antlerless

WMU 5C: 8,400 (7,600), 15,200 (14,427) antlerless

These figures break down even further:

WMU 3D: archery, 2,670 (2,250) antlered; 2,240 (1,470) antlerless; muzzleloader, 30 (50) antlered, 760 (830) antlerless

WMU 4C: archery, 3,260 (3,550) antlered, 2,890 (2,960) antlerless; muzzleloader, 40 (50) antlered, 1,010 (1,240) antlerless

WMU 5C: archery, 5,810 (5,330) antlered, 7,410 (7,075) antlerless; muzzleloader, 90 (70) antlered, 990 (1,042) antlered

FREE FISHING

DERBY

As a reminder from last week, for three hours on April 17, South Whitehall Township Parks and Recreation is hosting a Youth Fishing Derby beginning at 9 a.m. at Covered Bridge Park, 2465 Wehr Mill Road, Allentown. The derby is for youths ages 15 and under, with registration beginning at 8 a.m.

The event is for youths only as no adults are allowed to fish for some of the 1,000 trout to be stocked in that portion of Jordan Creek. Prizes will be awarded for each age group of under 4, 5-8, 9-12 and 13-15. Check South Whitehall Township’s website for further rules and regulations.

LEHIGH RIVER

STOCKING

According to Willie from Willie’s Bait & Tackle in Cementon, the Lehigh River Stocking Association stocked trout Saturday (Apr. 10) in the Lehigh River from the pavilion area on Canal Street in Northampton upriver to the gap. Consider joining this fine organization which will provide added trout fishing opportunities.