Indiana DNR says '13 deer harvest fell 8 percent

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana's wildlife agency says disease and new hunting rules may account for a big drop in the number of deer that hunters took during last year's harvest.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says hunters killed about 125,600 deer in 2013, or more than 10,600 fewer than state's record harvest of more than 136,000 deer in 2012. That's an 8 percent drop.

DNR biologist Chad Stewart says at least two and possibly three factors contributed to the lower harvest. He says that includes the lingering effects of a widespread outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in 2012 and a record antlerless harvest that year.

Stewart says the second season of new hunting regulations aimed at lowering deer densities in some areas of the state may have also played a role.