AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine’s junior hunters are out there looking for a few bucks.
Saturday is Youth Deer Day in the Pine Tree State. Hunters who hold a valid junior hunting license have their own days for deer, bear, turkey and waterfowl, and the deer day signals that the full deer season is coming soon.
Normal hunting laws for deer apply on youth hunting days. Hunters are allowed to take one deer of either sex with a firearm, bow and arrow or crossbow.
The full firearms season for deer begins on Oct. 29. The archery season is currently taking place and ends on Oct. 26.
Deer biologists say the deer herd has been strong in recent years, but they are taking precautions to avoid chronic wasting disease appearing in the state.
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Exposing the Big Game 
While hunters are touted as the answer to all wildlife-related problems, and rarely the cause, one must wonder how the loss of predators has allowed the spread of disease in ungulate poplations. Here, for instance, is a paper that suggests Puma concolor (mountain lions, cougars) fill a hygienic role in stopping the spread of CWD.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2865069/
Good point–thanks for the link Bob! Sharing…