U.S. deer hunters gave the antlerless deer harvest a much-needed boost in the 2024-25 season, putting the total back above 3 million for only the third time in 11 years and ahead of the antlered buck harvest. The National Deer Association’s Deer Report, released on January 15, also found deer hunters took the highest percentage of 3½-year-old and older bucks ever recorded.
Most eastern states should be harvesting more antlerless deer than antlered bucks to keep whitetail populations in balance with their habitat and in good health. However, except for a surge in antlerless harvest during the COVID pandemic of 2020, doe harvest has barely kept pace with buck harvest for the last decade.
View the Deer Report 2026 Here.
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