New proposed hunting regulations could shorten this deer hunting season by nearly four weeks. A study from the state Dept. of Natural Resources showed that the longer hunting season during the past 10 years has reduced the deer population from 1.4 million to slightly less than 1 million. Those 400,000 animals are the difference between overabundance and a balanced herd that matches the food and shelter resources available.

The revision also moves the Middle Georgia bear season from two days in November to one Saturday in December when females are like to be in their dens since they were more than half of the harvest in recent years. It also adds rules for hunting deer with primitive weapons and establishes rules for hunting fox, grouse, opossum, quail, rabbit, raccoon, squirrel and sets bobcat bag limits.

The DNR board will vote on the proposed regulations at its May meeting.

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