Hunters killed more antlerless deer than bucks for the first time in 1999. Doe harvests remained high many seasons afterwards; however, that trend faded by 2015, and we have since struggled to kill more antlerless than antlered deer. Our annual Deer Report contains evidence for renewed emphasis on doe harvest in the USA. We surveyed state wildlife agencies and collected data on the number of white-tailed deer harvested during the 2023-24 season and prior, the percentage of Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) currently at/above/below density goals, trends in fawn recruitment (FRR) and doe fawn breeding rates, depredation permits, and urban deer issues. In total, 21 of 37 states (57%) shot fewer antlerless deer in 2023 than their five-year average, and the combined harvest decreased 3% from 2022 in the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast regions. A quarter of all WMUs in these same regions maintained deer densities above goal five years ago, and that number has risen to 43% today. The Southeast had the largest increase, with the percentage of WMUs above goal rising from 19% in 2018 to 48% in 2023. Since 2014 the national FRR has decreased 10%, and the proportion of doe fawns breeding has declined from 13% to 10% since 2016. Twenty-one of 36 states (58%) issued more depredation tags than they did five years ago, while only six states (17%) reported issuing less. Because of this changing landscape, it is more urgent than ever that hunters do their part to harvest an appropriate number of antlerless deer.
