The 2003 Maine deer hunt will be underway in less than a month as 170,000 licensed deer hunters take to the woods. The general firearms hunt for deer runs from Nov. 3 to Nov. 29. Maine residents get a jump start on the hunt with an opening day of Nov. 1.

New legal hunting hours this fall are from one half-hour before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. All hunters must wear a hunter orange hat and a vest or jacket that contains at least 50 percent hunter orange.

In all 30 of Maine’s wildlife management districts (WMDs) there is a bucks-only regulation. This means that only hunters with valid any-deer permits may take an antlerless deer.

What are the prospects for this fall’s deer hunt?

Quite good in most sections of the state. The state Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council this spring approved recommendations from departmental biologists to issue 72,600 any-deer permits this fall. While this figure is a reduction from last year’s quota of 76,989, it is still the second-highest any-deer permit quota ever!

A complete district-by-district breakdown of this fall’s any-deer permits is available on MDIF&W’s website: www.mefishwildlife.com. As usual, the good news is tempered by the historic feast-or-famine aspect of Maine’s deer populations. In Maine’s northernmost and easternmost WMDs, there were no any-deer permits issued whatsoever. Tough winters and a marked reduction in deer wintering areas, along with deer predation by coyotes and bears, have take a toll on deer numbers in northern and eastern Maine.

In marked contrast to this, there are four wildlife management districts where deer densities are actually pushing the envelope when it comes to carrying capacity of the habitat. Hunters take note: These are WMDs 20, 21, 22 & 23. These four districts comprise more than 40 percent of the total any-deer permits issued for the entire state. For purposes of reference, the central communities in these four districts respectively are Sanford, Gray, Litchfield and Unity.

This fall’s hunt opportunities were expanded markedly. Hunters had the option to choose up to three different Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs) for their any-deer permits. This is a creative innovation that underscores the Department’s intent to provide enhanced opportunities to sportsmen when it can be accomplished within the bounds of good resource management.

After a successful inaugural youth deer hunting day, hunters over 10 and under 16 will have their own day once again. The second-annual youth deer hunting day is Saturday, Oct. 25.

The statewide muzzleloader season for deer runs from Dec. 1-6. In WMDs 12, 13, 15-18, 20 through 26, and 30 the blackpowder season least until Dec. 13. Will one out of four deer hunters bring home the venison again this year? It depends, especially on the weather. Allowing hunters that extra 15 minutes of hunting time during that magical half-hour at dusk should help some, too.

Here are some hunting tips from those who study whitetail behavior:

1. Scout early and obtain permission from landowners when possible.

2. Look for deer in wet areas along streams, swamps and lakes during hot, dry weather.

3. Hunt during mid-day. Big bucks often move at this time.

4. Look for the most nutritious foods currently available in your hunting area. Deer will be nearby.

5. When you locate doe and fawn family groups, bucks will be there, too, during November. And once again, all of us who carry a hunting rifle in the November woods need to redouble our efforts to hunt safely.

Contrary to the popular notion, hunting remains the safest and most accident- free outdoor activity in the Pine Tree State. The Maine Warden Service suggests:

Be sure that someone knows where you are headed, and when you plan to return.

Carry emergency survival gear, a flashlight, map and compass, matches and water.

Stop periodically to eat and re-hydrate yourself.

Wear two pieces of hunter orange that are in good condition.

Be sure of your target, and what is beyond it.

Always keep the muzzle of your firearm pointed in a safe direction.

Unload your firearm before entering a dwelling, before entering a vehicle, or before storing it.

If you have not yet decided on which vacation days to take for your deer hunt, keep this in mind: the peak of the rut, according to deer biologist Gerry Lavigne, will be during the third week in November.

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal.He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WCME-96.7/FM) and former information officer for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected].