Deer Opener Finds Happy Hunters

Opening weekend of deer season found more hunters afield and more deer harvested than last year, with most hunters reporting having at least seen deer during their hunting excursion. The results come from four Idaho Fish and Game check stations scattered across the Southwest Region. "Overall, this is a great start to the 2009 deer hunting season in southwest Idaho," said Steve Nadeau, Southwest Region wildlife manager for Fish and Game. Mild weather, more favorable ground conditions and high fawn survival all contributed to harvest success. Fish and Game staff checked 2,748 hunters and 368 mule deer - mostly yearling animals - an increase of 62 percent over the 227 animals checked during opening weekend in 2008. The harvest success rate was 13.4 percent for opening weekend, compared with 8.6 percent last year. Hunter success in big game management unit 39, the region's most popular, was about the same as last year. But desert units witnessed increased hunter numbers, higher harvest and increased success rates over 2008 figures.