DNR says deer harvest down, still 4th best ever

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says the number of deer killed by hunters in the state was down nearly 4 percent in 2011 after three straight record-setting years.

But the DNR’s Division of Fish & Wildlife says the 129,018 deer bagged by hunters was still the fourth-best season on record. The agency says the statewide harvest was nearly 5,500 deer above the 10-year average, and 64 counties registered totals that were higher than their 10-year annual averages.

Deer management biologist Chad Stewart says the numbers show the deer population is thriving in Indiana. He says local populations in some areas may be down, but the state’s herd overall is abundant and healthy.