White-tailed deer. Photo via PexelsDepartment of Fish & Wildlife officials say the deer population is robust and hunters are primed for success as they head to the woods for the start of the annual deer rifle season.“There are a good number of deer out there, certainly more than we’ve had the last few years,” Fish & Wildlife biologist Nick Fortin said. He said it can be hard to predict harvest numbers, but anecdotal evidence suggests there are more bucks this year.The two-week period, commonly known as rifle season to Vermont hunters, allows for a hunter to take one legal buck until Dec. 1, according to the department.While Vermont hunters don’t need to be aware of any regulation changes going into this season, Fortin said he encourages them to give the department a tooth from any deer they take. This can be done at any check station and helps the department gather valuable age information about Vermont’s deer herd, according to Fortin, who is also the department’s deer project leader.However, even if a hunter doesn’t take a deer this year, they can still provide useful information by contributing to the department’s deer hunter effort and sighting survey. It’s part of an annual effort to collect information from hunters, such as how many hours a day they spend hunting and how much wildlife — including deer, moose, bears, and turkeys — they see. The survey will be available for participants to complete on the department’s website beginning Saturday. Nick Fortin is a deer and moose project leader at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. He demonstrated how he tracks deer through the woods of Ferdinand on December 08, 2023. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerHunters can be found all around the state — while Orleans and Essex county have the highest percentage of hunter participation — with 12% of all Vermonters hunting. Of those 12%, around 79% of those resident hunters hunt deer, according to department data.During the Covid-19 pandemic, participation in Vermont hunting and other outdoors activities increased, however, the department is now seeing those numbers return to pre-pandemic figures, according to Christopher Saunders, fish and wildlife project coordinator for the department.When asked about what Vermont hunting could look like in the future, Saunders said he foresees an overall decline in hunter participation in Vermont as the state’s demographics continue to change. READ MORE However, hunting is still an “important part of Vermont’s landscape,” Saunders said. “What we’re feeling in Vermont isn’t as dramatic as other places.” While Saturday marks the first day of the November regular season, Vermonters have been on the hunt for white-tailed deer since October for the archery, Youth Deer Weekend, Novice Weekend and muzzleloader antler portions of the hunting season.  One of the biggest things to remember for the upcoming season is to wear hunter orange when out in the woods, Fortin said. This applies not only to hunters, but also to anyone in the woods where there may be hunting activity taking place.“Get out there and have fun,” Fortin said, “but most importantly, be safe.”Read the story on VTDigger here: What Vermonters should know about white-tailed deer hunting this season.