Nearly 60 years of aerial deer census, combined with post- season harvest surveys, give the Game and Fish Department a wealth of information. Perhaps the most important thing is this: You can hunt whitetail does and maintain a healthy deer population.
When the Pittman-Robertson boys got started, North Dakota had a deer season every other year, with only about 2,000 licenses issued. "Back then, it was almost a mortal sin to shoot a doe," says Jim McKenzie, Game and Fish big game management supervisor. "...over the years we have been able to almost eliminate the deity of does...and the deer are doing great."
The early biologists were the first to suggest that a controlled and uniform deer harvest could actually improve the quality and quantity of the state's deer herd. It took awhile for many hunters to buy into this concept, but over the years, McKenzie said, it has proven correct.
Research and surveys made possible with federal aid dollars led to today's deer season management scheme, which specifies where, and what species and sex of deer people can hunt. While some hunters still consider themselves above shooting a doe, the current system supports enough animals so that anyone in the state who wants to hunt deer can get a license.
In addition to surveys for all big game species, Pittman- Robertson has also helped fund numerous research projects dealing with big game. Perhaps most notable is the Game and Fish Department"s investigation of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, a virus that occurs periodically and can kill a good percentage of whitetails over a large area.
After more than 30 years of studying all aspects of EHD, Game and Fish is still not able to predict it or prevent it, but the Department is able to keep hunters informed and make season adjustments when necessary.