BIGGER DEER, OLDER BUCKS
Hunters are optimistic about Vermont’s archery, youth weekend, 16-day rifle, and muzzleloader deer hunting seasons—and with good reason. Vermont has more older, bigger bucks after a regulation was enacted in 2005, protecting many yearling bucks.
The antler regulation for a “legal buck” is designed to recruit more older bucks into the population. A legal buck must have at least one antler having two or more points one inch or longer, thus, spike-antlered deer are protected. A point must be one inch or longer from base to tip. The main beam counts as a point, regardless of length.
THREE-DEER ANNUAL LIMIT
Three deer per year – only two may be legal bucks in any combination of seasons
(Archery, Youth Weekend, November Rifle, December Muzzleloader). See annual regulations.
PLANNING YOUR HUNT
The previous year’s Vermont Deer Harvest Report, available from the Fish & Wildlife Department’s web site has a wealth of information to help plan a hunt, including the number of deer taken in each town. Click on “Hunting and Trapping” and “Big Game” to download a copy.
Christian Bergeron with his 125 7/8 buck killed in Brandon, 2010
Vincent Gaiotti with his 145 7/8 buck killed in Mount Tabor, 2010
Gerald Coe with his buck shot in Montgomery, 2010
Remo Pizzagalli with his 124 2/8 buck killed in Huntington, 2010
Regulations in red are new this year.
Purple text indicates an important note.
