Hunting is an effective and cost-efficient way to manage our states' deer herds. Photo by Tom Evans.

Amidst such challenges as expanding human populations and outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, the Mid-Atlantic region provided yet another productive season last year.

Game managers from Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey expect the upcoming deer season to again be rewarding for the region's hunters.

Hunters must keep abreast of the ever-changing world of deer management in order to understand the rationale behind such changes -- but also to make the best of the many varied opportunities available.

Following is a look at each state's past harvests, what to expect this season, as well as changes that affect your prospect of putting venison in the freezer.

MARYLAND
"Last year's deer harvest was very similar to the year before," said Brian Eyler, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Deer Project Leader.

"We harvested 92,208 deer, which is less than 1 percent away from what we bagged the year before.

"Last year's seasons got off to a slow start. It was slow through early muzzleloader season, but rebounded during the firearms season."

Maryland's antlered deer harvest decreased by 2 percent, while the antlerless harvest increased by 3 percent.

The western Maryland counties of Allegany and Garrett, comprising Region A, witnessed a slight drop in overall harvest -- from 9,259 during 2007 to 9,004 last year. The harvest in the rest of the state varied.

The eastern counties of Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester featured Sunday hunting for the first time last year and experienced increases in deer harvest. In Calvert and Prince Georges counties, however, the harvest was down. An outbreak of hemorrhagic disease is thought to be at least part of the reason for the lower numbers in this area.

"We aren't exactly sure why the early part of last season got off so slow," he noted. "It may have been weather-related. But it was a funny year. The states around us experienced a similar thing."

Regulatory changes in Maryland are likely to affect this season's harvest. Highlighting such modifications are adjustments to allow the growth of the whitetail herd in portions of western Maryland's Region A.

"In Region A we've cut back the public-land bag limit," said Eyler.

"In the past, hunters have been able to take one antlerless and one antlered deer with each weapon. They'll still be able to do that. But no more than two antlerless deer may come off of public land. So if a hunter wants to take antlerless deer with each weapon, only two of them can come off public land.

"You'll have to choose which two weapons you want to do it with. It's a way of giving the public lands in Allegany and Garrett counties a boost.

"Another adjustment we've made in Region A for this year is to increase the antlerless portion of the firearms season to two days on private lands. For the past several years, antlerless deer could be harvested on only the final day of the season.

"Some private landowners in this area have commented that they could use extra help managing the deer on their properties. So now it's going to be the final Friday and Saturday, instead of just Saturday."

For several years, crossbows have been an integral part of the Maryland deer-hunting picture. The use of crossbows has gradually expanded, and for this year's hunt, more options are on the horizon.

"Crossbows will be allowed during the entire archery season in the suburban archery zone," continued Eyler.