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2008 Deer Forecast: The SouthBy Alex Robinson Herd assessment numbers are in. How will your fall deer season stack up? Here's Part 2 of OL.com's exclusive state-by-state report. Aug 14, 2008
THE SOUTH
ALABAMA
Estimated deer population (early fall): 1.6 million 2007 deer harvest: 436,900 2007 hunters: 207,500 Success rate: 210 percent
Forecast: Assistant Wildlife Chief Keith Guyse says Alabama hunters should expect more of the same—fine hunting—this deer season. The state saw drought conditions last year, which limited food sources. Guyse says when drought conditions hit finding water usually isn't a problem for deer because there are an abundance of ponds and streams throughout the state, but the heat puts stress on the deer and slows their movements. With milder drought conditions this summer, Guyse says Alabama hunters should expect another good season.
Public hunting spots: There are plenty of Wildlife Management Areas throughout the state that have good whitetail hunting. For your best odds set your sights on 46,550 acre Choccolocco, which is located in Cleburne County in the eastern part of the state. Or try to get a permit to hunt Blue Springs located in Covington county in southern part of the state.
Trophy spot: The mountainous Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area is not only the biggest WMA in
For more info: http://outdooralabama.com/
ARKANSAS Tag fees: $25 resident; $150 non-resident Estimated deer population: 750,000 2007 harvest: 169,853 2007 hunters: 300,000
Forecast: The annual deer harvest has been steadily increasing since 2005 and deer coordinator Brad Miller says he expects that trend to continue this season. There was no spring frost—which sometimes kills mast crops—and overall the deer herd is in great condition, Miller says. There was some flooding in the Mississippi delta habitats located in the southeastern part of the state, which misplaced some deer earlier this summer. But when the water receded, there was plenty of forage regeneration, and most of the deer will have migrated back to their original ranges by fall Miller, says. In the northern mountain areas the herd is doing so well that the state is adding an extra doe tag to the regular deer permit in order to keep the population in check.
Where to hunt: A great spot to kill a trophy buck is the 7,676-acre Choctaw Island WMA, which sits in the middle of the Mighty Miss. The WMA is a quota hunt and is pretty popular, but if you draw a tag, you have a good chance of seeing a mature buck. There is a 5X5 slot antler restriction set up for the island, meaning that you can either kill a small buck that has 5 or less total points or a trophy with more than 5 points on one side. This gives hunters the opportunity to kill the forks that don't have great genetics, while allowing quality 8-pointers one more year to grow into trophies. The Ozark National forest and the Ouachita National Forest are two great places for hunters looking for walk-on public land hunts. The Ozark National forest receives plenty of hunting pressure, but because the forest is 1.2 million acres, there's enough room to get away from the pressure. The Ozark is located in the mountains of northwestern Arkansas and is covered by mostly oaks and mixed pines. The Ouachita is 1.8 million acres and is located in the western part of the state. It's full of fairly steep, rugged terrain covered by dry, pine forests.
For more information: http://www.agfc.com/hunting/
Estimated deer population: NA 2007 harvest: 120,000 2007 hunters: 192,000
Forecast: Florida has had a fairy consistent harvest over the past four seasons, and deer program leader Robert Vanderhoof says hunters should expect more of the same in 2008. Despite the annual harvest being higher than it has been in the past—bottoming out in 1997 when only 60,000 deer were killed—deer hunting in the Sunshine State is no walk in the park. Deer habitat in Florida is much different than it is in the rest of the country and in most cases it is less fertile. In many regions of Florida, deer reproduction and antler growth is poor when compared to other states. When it comes to deer harvested per square mile, Florida ranks 15 among the 16 southeastern states, according to Florida's deer management plan.
Where to hunt: The most deer and biggest bucks are usually found in the northern panhandle, where there is the most phosphate soil, Vanderhoof says. If you're looking for trophies, stay out of central Florida, because the pine-scrub flatwoods habitat produces the smallest beam diameters in the state, according to the deer management plan. If there's one thing Florida Deer hunters have going for them, it's the abundance of public land. The state has 5.6 million acres of public land, and most of it is open to hunting. Consider hunting Ocala National Forest in Marion County. The area has 389,000 acres of highly diverse habitat, and there is also a shooting range, so you can warm-up your barrel before the season starts.
For more information: http://www.floridaconservation.org/hunting/
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Alabama, but it's also well known for producing big, healthy bucks. Located in the northern part of the state and spanning over 98,000 acres there is plenty of room to roam in Black Warrior. For your best shot at a trophy buck, hunt the areas that are walk-in access only. You might have to do some hiking, but these areas see less hunting pressure and consequently, are home to bigger bucks. 
FLORIDA
