The first Doe Harvest Challenge will be held January 4-6th 2019. This Challenge has been initiated by farmers and landowners in Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester Counties. The whitetail deer herd continues to thrive throughout Maryland and especially on the lower Eastern Shore. Our area has many public lands that are not easily accessible to hunters which provide sanctuaries for the deer herd. Unfortunately, these areas also run adjacent to agricultural lands which serve as a buffet for the deer herd.
The Doe Harvest Challenge was conceived after a tri-county meeting was held this past August on deer crop damage. The meeting took place at the Wicomico County Extension Office, and was coordinated by Maryland Farm Bureau, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester County Farm Bureaus, and two Maryland Department of Fish & Wildlife representatives. Over fifty farmers and landowners attended this meeting. Using maps, provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, indicating all state and federal owned lands, areas of extreme crop damage were determined. The recurring theme was deer crop damage occurs with highest severity throughout the lower three counties, but is considerably worse on property adjacent to state and federal owned lands.
Rules of the Doe Harvest Challenge:
– Hunters abide by all Maryland Game Laws
-The Challenge encompasses deer harvested in Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester Counties ONLY during the last firearms season of the 2018-19 Maryland Whitetail Deer Season
Designated check in stations:
Wicomico County:
Off The Neck Game & Butchershop
7712 Todd Ln.
Mardela Springs, MD 21837
443-783-3036
Longhorn Butchershop
5296 Morris Rd.
Pittsville, MD 21850
410-422-3942
Somerset County:
Winks Sporting Goods
12122 Carol Ln#A
Princess Anne, MD 21853
410-621-0400
*Deer received at Winks and donated to the Maryland Food Bank will be taken to Wright’s Brothers Butchery & Taxidermy. (26920 Siloam Rd. Salisbury, MD 21801. 410-546-2053) Members of the Doe Harvest Challenge will transport the deer to the butcher shop.
Worcester County:
TBD
Hours for check in will be 9:00am- 12:00pm and 4:00pm- 7:00pm.
Check in will be done by Doe Harvest Challenge Committee Members.
Hunters bringing in a deer will receive a duplicate ticket and the other ticket will be placed in the drawing. Does or antler-less deer may be donated to the Maryland Food Bank. There is no charge incurred by the hunter. All deer processed for the Maryland Food Bank will be paid for by the Doe Harvest Challenge. Deer not donated to the Maryland Food Bank will be identified to assure there will be no duplicate check ins.
Prizes:
For each doe or antler-less deer brought to a designated station, the hunter will receive one ticket and a duplicate ticket will be placed in for drawing.
There is $10,000.00 in Prize Money;
There will be TEN tickets drawn for $1,000.00 each on Sunday night, after all check-ins are complete.
Hunters do not have to be present to win.
Hunters are responsible for following all Maryland Game Laws and all deer must be tagged and registered with Maryland DNR. The DNR number must be on the deer along with the hunters’ information.
All Doe Harvest Challenge funds are handled and distributed by the Wicomico County Farm Bureau.
The Doe Harvest Challenge is not responsible for deer registration.
The Doe Harvest Challenge looks forward to working with hunters, landowners, and the Maryland Food Bank to help keep Maryland’s deer herd balance. We will also be working with Maryland Farm Bureau this session, in Annapolis, to encourage greater and easier access to Maryland Public Land within the lower three counties.
Good Luck!
Doe Harvest Challenge
