Data show flooding had little impact on Atchafalaya Delta deer herd

Wildlife Management Area produces consistent numbers of deer

The final statistics for archery deer season at the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area are in, and overall this past season was an average one for the Delta in total numbers.

Some interesting stats included that the number of hunter efforts was almost identical for October and December, while November efforts were double that amount. This reflects the fact that the rut usually occurs in late November through early December.

The deer-per-hunter effort was very good for a bow-only refuge.

None of the bucks weighed more than 200 pounds. I saw photos of the 12-point that sported an 18-inch spread, and it was a beast. But it only weighed in at 175 pounds.

In comparison to the 2009 season, the numbers from 2011 are remarkably similar:

Total kills in 2009: 171
Total kills in 2011: 176
Percent of bucks in kill (2009): 57 percent
Percent of bucks in kill (2011): 61 percent
8-points or better killed (2009): 25
8-points or better killed (2011): 24

The breakdown by gender for the 2011-12 kills was 108 bucks and 68 does.

Total ratio by hunter effort was 1 deer for every 17 hunter efforts

October: 710 efforts; 1 deer for every 13 efforts
November: 1,425 efforts;1 deer for every 21 efforts
December: 745 efforts; 1 deer for every 20 efforts
January: 140 efforts; 1 deer for every 9 efforts

Kill Breakdown by month

October
29 bucks, 25 does
2 youth hunts: six bucks, four does

November
46 bucks, 23 does

December
27 bucks, 11 does

January
six bucks, nine does

Antler size
8 points or better: 24
8 pointers: 17 (heaviest 180 pounds)
9 pointers: 2
10 pointers: 3
12 pointers: 1 (18 inch inside spread, 175 pounds)
13 pointers: 1 (14 inch inside spread, 175 pounds)

All of this data would lead me to conclude that, as expected, the floods from the of spring 2011 had no effect whatsoever at the Atchafalaya Delta WMA.