The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking hunters to participate in its annual deer hunter effort and sighting survey.

The survey asks hunters to record how many hours they hunted and how many deer, moose, bears, or other wildlife they saw each day they hunted. This information helps the department evaluate how hunting pressure and the number of these animals varies around the state.

The easiest way to complete the survey is to use the Deer Hunting Log feature in the Vermont Outdoors mobile app. The app allows hunters to track their effort and wildlife sightings each day during any of the 2024 deer hunting seasons. It also includes useful features like a check station locator tool and lots of hunting and fishing related information. Vermont Outdoors is available through the App Store or Google Play.

A web-based version of the survey will also be available on Fish and Wildlife’s website www.vtfishandwildlife.com after the start of the regular season on November 16.

“This survey is a great opportunity for hunters to let us know what they saw and to help inform management of deer and other wildlife,” said Nick Fortin, Fish and Wildlife’s deer and moose project leader. “If we hear from more hunters, our population estimates will be more reliable, and our management will be more effective.”