Maine's deer population is getting a boost from this winter's mild weather after two straight harsh winters that thinned the ranks of the state's signature game animal. With warm temperatures and scant snowfall, deer have had to expend relatively little energy fighting off frigid cold or tramping through deep snow in search of food. Deer biologist Lee Kantar of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said fawns that were born last year have had a high survival rate, and the baby deer that are born this June are expected to be in good shape because their mothers are strong. The most recent estimate puts Maine's deer count at under 200,000, down from more than 300,000 a decade ago.
Article, Portland Press Herald, March 27, 2010
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