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Share your white-tailed deer observations with the Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey
Add science to your winter adventures!
We're seeking your help in identifying where deer are naturally spending their winters. Your observations could help inform land acquisition, conservation, and management efforts for Maine's white-tailed deer.
When you observe any wintering white-tailed deer in northern Maine between January 1 and March 31, please share your observations, including:
- Location
- Date and time
- Number of deer seen (dead or alive)
- Whether you have seen deer at this location before
For this project, we are interested in receiving observations from the area of the state colored in blue on the map to the right. You do not need to submit reports of deer in or near towns.
We hope you have a great winter, full of incredible views of Maine's beautiful landscapes and wildlife as you snowshoe, ski, hike, walk, trap, or snowmobile.
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What is a deer wintering area?
Deer in northern Maine exist near the northern extent of their range and are often subjected to severe winter conditions, which limit population growth. To persist through these severe winters, deer employ different strategies. Traditionally, deer in northern Maine used deer wintering areas consisting of mature softwoods cover with good canopy closure to protect them from the elements, and in recent decades, many deer have taken to wintering in or near towns where they are safer from predators, have access to artificial feed provided by humans, and can use snowmobile trails and plowed trails to get around.
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