More deer killed by hunters in N.B. than any year since 1997

Deer hunters in the province are bringing more venison to put on the table this year. 

They took 11,780 deer in New Brunswick this fall — a 31 per cent increase since last year, and the largest number of deer harvested in the province since 1997. 

"We were expecting an increase in harvest," said Joe Kennedy, a provincial deer biologist, in an interview on Information Morning Fredericton.

"We've been tracking an increase in the population for the last 10 years really, and we were expecting about an eight per cent increase in harvest this year, but the 31 per cent increase was larger than expected and we were quite surprised."

For the past 10 years, winters in New Brunswick have been mild, Kennedy said, leading to higher survival rates.

WATCH | Ecologist explains connection between deer population and weather:

Deer populations in N.B. have rebounded. Here’s why

2 months ago

Duration 1:23

Hunting season begins in New Brunswick this weekend, and after a dramatic drop in 2015, the province’s deer population is healthy again.

"And because of the continual increase in young animals that's allowing for a growth, we're having more and more expansion of herds all across the province because of the abundance of young animals who are now breeding."

If another winter follows this year, we could see another increase in successful deer hunts next year, he said. 

"Of course, as populations grow, there's going to be some internal competition among the animals."

In parts of the province where deer populations have grown too large, such as St. Andrews or Quispamsis, scientists have started to see a reduction in body size because of the competition for food. 

"So that limits population growth, but we're also trying to counter that by increasing our harvests. We've been expanding the harvest on female deer, and we will continue to do that as the population grows."

Kennedy also said there are more hunters in New Brunswick. The number of licences sold in the province rose five per cent in 2024.

"That's interesting because we had been seeing a continual decline," he said, adding that the number of hunting licences issued across North America has been falling.

"I suspect that's also because people are seeing more year when they're travelling around the woods and recognize that they have an opportunity," Kennedy said.

"So the hunters responded in New Brunswick by buying more licences."