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1998 Deer Kill Report

The 1998 Deer Kill Report summarizes information gathered from hunter returned deer tags and from non-reporting rates derived through a telephone survey of deer hunters. The 1998 report tables were reformatted and renumbered in 1995 to reduce redundancy and allow for improved understanding. The new table format contains the same information as previous years, but as a result of the changes, care should be taken when comparing these data to pre-1995 reports. Additionally, in 1997 Tables 17-20 were added detailing the reported Private Lands Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Management Program (PLM) deer kill. For a more detailed breakdown of reported and estimated deer kill see the Appendix: Tables 1-20

1998 ESTIMATED DEER KILL

The estimated deer kill is partially derived from the reported deer kill data for individual zones and hunts from the deer tag database. The reported kill is adjusted by the non-reporting rates for individual zones or hunts to develop the estimated kill numbers. A telephonic survey of deer hunters (conducted in 1994 and 1995) indicated the average statewide non-reporting rate was 49 percent. The estimated kill is the most accurate reflection of the number of deer killed during the hunting season and should be used when reporting harvest. Comparisons of estimated kill numbers between text, figures, and tables may not agree due to rounding.

In 1998, the statewide estimated deer kill for all zones, hunts, and PLMs combined was 34,759 (Figure A). Of this, an estimated 32,750 deer were killed during the General and General Archery Seasons (including Archery Only tags) and the C-1, C-4, and X Zone Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-1 through A-20). The estimated kill for Additional Hunts including: General Method Hunts (G-1 through G-37), Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-21 through A-31), Muzzleloading Rifle Hunts (M-3 through MA-3), Junior Hunts (J-1 through J-12) and Fundraiser tags was 1,393 deer. The Private Lands Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Management Program (PLM) kill was 616 deer.

General Zones Estimated Kill

The combined estimated kill for General Zone Seasons (Zones A through X-12, using all legal methods of take), General Zone Archery Seasons (Zones A through B-6, C-2, C-3, and D-3 through D-19), Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-1 through A-20: Zone C-1, C-4, and X-1 through X-12 archery hunts), and Archery Only tags (AO1 and AO2) was 32,750 deer (Figure A). Of this estimate, 31,755 deer were killed using General Zone tags (General Zone and General Zone Archery Seasons); 542 deer were killed using Area-Specific Archery tags; and 453 deer were killed using Archery Only tags (AO1 or AO2).

Additional Hunts Estimated Kill

The 1998 estimated deer kill for Additional Hunts including General Method Hunts (G-1 through G-37), Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-21 through A-31), Muzzleloading Rifle Hunts (M-3 through MA-3), Junior Hunts (J-1 through J-12) and Fundraiser Tags (Golden Opportunity and Open Zone) was 1,393 deer (Figure A). Of this estimate; 1,020 deer were killed during General Method Hunts, 144 deer were killed during Area-Specific Archery Hunts, 134 deer were killed during Muzzleloading Rifle Hunts, 92 deer were killed during Junior Hunts, and 3 were killed using Fundraiser tags.

Private Lands Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Management Program (PLM) Deer Kill

PLM operators reported taking 616 deer in 1998 (Figure A). The PLM deer harvest accounted for 1.77 percent of the total statewide estimated harvest. Of the 616 deer killed on PLMs, 132 were does, 484 were bucks. The PLM reported deer kill is treated as the actual kill and non-reporting rates are not applied. For more detailed information on the PLM deer kill see the Appendix: Tables 17-20.

Estimated Archery Kill Summary

Of the estimated 34,143 deer killed statewide (excluding the 616 PLM deer), 2,237 were killed with archery equipment (Figure B). Of this, General and General Archery Season combined archery kill was an estimated 1,098 deer (not including AO tags); Area-Specific Archery kill for hunts A-1 through A-20 was 542 deer; Area-Specific Archery kill for hunts A-21 through A-31 was 144 deer; and hunters using AO tags (AO1 or AO2) killed an estimated 453 deer. In 1998, AO tags were valid in Zones A, B-1 through B-6, C-2, C-3, and D-3 through D-19; and Additional Hunt G-10.

1998 REPORTED DEER KILL

The reported deer kill is derived directly from deer tags returned by successful hunters. These numbers are not adjusted for non-reporting rates and are thus lower than the estimated kill. In 1998, 18,755 deer (excluding the 616 deer killed on PLMs) were reported killed by hunters during the General, General Archery, Area-Specific Archery, Archery Only, and Additional Hunt seasons (Figure A). Of the statewide reported kill, the General Season, General Archery, Area-Specific Archery (A-1 through A-20), and Archery Only reported kill was 17,707 bucks. The Additional Hunt reported kill which includes General Method hunts (G-1 through G-37), Area-Specific Archery hunts (A-21 through A-31), Muzzleloading Rifle hunts (M-3 through MA-3), Junior hunts (J-1 through J-12) and Fundraiser tags (Golden Opportunity and Open Zone) was 1,048 deer.

1998 REPORTED AND ESTIMATED DOE KILL

In 1998, there were 42 Additional Hunts, the same number as in 1997. These included buck only, antlerless, and either-sex hunts, using various methods of take. Currently, the only hunts authorized for the taking of doe/antlerless deer are certain Additional Hunts and on PLMs. The 1998 statewide reported and estimated doe kill for Additional Hunts and PLMs combined was 411 and 464 does, respectively (Figure C). The estimated doe kill (464 does) accounted for only 1.4 percent of the total statewide estimated deer kill (34,759 deer). Of this, 28.4 percent (132) of the statewide estimated doe kill was on PLMs, while 71.6 percent (332) of the statewide estimated doe kill was through Additional Hunts (includes 1 illegal doe kill in X3b).

1998 REPORTED AND ESTIMATED SUCCESS

A breakdown of reported and estimated hunter success rates by season or hunt types is provided in Figure D. The 1998 statewide reported and estimated hunter success rate for all Zones and Additional Hunts (not including PLMs) was 9.8 and 17.9 percent, respectively. The reported success rate underestimates the actual hunter success rate, since numerous deer are killed and not reported through the mandatory report card system. In addition, the 1994 and 1995 Chico Survey showed a percentage of hunters possessing a deer tag may not even hunt. When describing percent hunter success, estimated hunter success rates should be used. Reported success rates should only be used for historical comparisons.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Deer hunting zone and season date information are contained in the California Hunting Regulations, Mammal and Furbearers booklet, 1998. Information on tag allocation procedures, buck-doe-fawn rations, and effects of deer hunting are contained in the 1998 Final Environmental Document Regarding Deer Hunting.

Figure A. 1998 Reported and Estimated Deer Kill, and Estimated Kill as Percent of Total Statewide Estimated Kill by Season or Hunt Type Category.
Season or Hunt Type 1998 Reported Deer Kill 1998 Estimated Deer Kill 1998 Estimated Deer Kill as Percent of Statewide Estimated Kill
General and General Archery Seasons 17,065 31,755 91.4%
Archery Only (AO1 and AO2) 245 453 1.3%
Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-1 through A-20) 397 542 1.6%
Additional Hunts Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-21 through A-31) 94 144 0.4%
Additional Hunts General Method (G-1 through G-37) 772 1,020 2.9%
Additional Hunts Muzzleloading Rifle (M-3 through MA-3) 87 134 0.4%
Additional Hunts Junior (J-1 through J-12) 92 92 0.3%
Fundraiser Tags (Golden Opportunity and Open Zone) 3 3 <0.1%
PLMs 616 616 1.8%
TOTALS 19,371 34,759 100%


Figure B. 1998 Estimated Archery Deer Kill, Percent of Total Estimated Archery Kill, and Percent of Statewide Estimated Kill by Season or Hunt Type.

Season or Hunt Type 1998 Estimated Archery Deer Kill Percent of Total Estimated Archery Kill Percent of Total Statewide Estimated Kill (a)
General Season and General Season Archery 1,098 49.1% 3.2%
Area-Specific Archery (A-1 through A-20) 542 24.2% 1.6%
Additional Hunts Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-21 through A-31) 144 6.4% 0.4%
Archery Only (AO1 and AO2) 453 20.3% 1.3%
TOTALS: 2,237 100% 6.6%

(a) Based on statewide estimated kill of 34,143 (does not include PLM kill).


Figure C. 1998 Statewide Reported and Estimated Deer Kill by Sex and Percent of Statewide Estimated Kill.

Season or Hunt Type 1998 Reported Deer Kill by Sex 1998 Estimated Deer Kill by Sex Percent of Total Statewide Estimated Kill
Bucks Does Bucks Does Bucks Does
General and General Archery Season, Area-Specific Archery(A-1 through A-20), and Archery Only (AO1 & AO2) 17,705 1 32,746 1 94.2% <0.1%
Additional Hunts and Area-Specific Archery (A-21 through A-31) 771 278 1,065 331 301% 1.0%
Private Lands Management Areas (PLM) 484 132 484 132 1.4% 0.4%
TOTALS: 18,960 411 34,295 464 *98.7% *1.4%

* Percent calculation may not total 100% due to rounding.


Figure D. 1998 Reported and Estimated Hunter Success by Season or Hunt Type Category (a).

Season or Hunt Type 1998 Reported Percent Hunter Success 1998 Estimated Percent Hunter Success
General and General Archery Seasons 9.8% 18.2%
Archery Only (AO1 and AO2) 5.4% 10.1%
Area-Specific Archery Hunts (A-1 through A-20) 10.6% 14.5%
Additional Hunts: Area-Specific Archery (A-21 through A-31) 4.8% 7.3%
Additional Hunts: General Method (G-1 through G-37) 14.4% 19.0%
Additional Hunts: Muzzleloading Rifle (M-3 through MA-3) 13.5% 20.8%
Additional Hunts: Junior (J-1 through J-12) 50.5% 50.5%
Fundraiser Tags (Golden Opportunity and Open Zone) 30.0% 30.0%
OVERALL: 9.8% 17.9%

(a) Does not include PLM information, since hunter effort is unknown.


1999 Deer Kill Report List of Tables

Table 1 - 1998 Reported Deer Kill by Zone or Hunt and Hunt Type.

Table 2 - 1998 Reported Deer Kill by Zone and Hunt Type.

Table 3 - 1998 Reported Deer Kill by Zone or Hunt and Method of Kill.

Table 4 - 1998 Reported Deer Kill by Zone or Hunt and Sex/Antler Class.

Table 5 - 1998 Reported Deer Kill by Zone and Sex/Antler Class.

Table 5a - 1998 Reported Deer Kill by County and Sex/Antler Class.

Table 6 - 1998 Reported Deer Kill by County and Sex Class.

Table 7 - 1998 Reported Buck, Doe, Unclassified Deer, Total Kill and Percent of Total Kill by CDFG Region.

Table 8 - Reported Buck Deer Kill for 1995 through 1998 and Record Year by County.

Table 9 - 1990 through 1998 Total Reported Archery Deer Kill by County.

Table 10 - 1998 Reported Archery Deer Kill by Zone and Hunt Type.

Table 11 - General Season Reported Buck Deer Kill for 1991 through 1998, and 5-Year Average by Zone.

Table 12 - 1998 Deer Tag Quotas, Tags Issued, Reported and Estimated Kill and Percent Success by Zone or Hunt.

Table 13 - 1990 through 1998 Reported Percent Hunter Success by Zone or Hunt.

Table 14 - 1998 Additional Hunt Tag Quotas, Tags Issued, Kill by Antler Class, and Reported and Estimated Kill and Percent Success.

Table 15 - 1998 Summary of 1998 Deer Hunting Seasons.

Table 16 - 1998 Deer Tag Drawing Information for Area-Specific Archery, Additional Hunts, and X Zones including: Tag Quotas, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Total Choices.

Table 17 - 1998 Reported (Actual) Deer Kill by Private Lands Management Area.

Table 18 - 1998 Private Lands Management Area (PLM) Reported Deer Kill by Zone.

Table 19 - 1998 Private Lands Management Area (PLM) Reported Deer Kill by County.

Table 20 - 1998 Private Lands Management Area (PLM) Reported Deer Kill by Sex and Antler Class.