Wildlife Commission Asks Deer Hunters to Participate in Jawbone Submission Program

RALEIGH, NC (September 18, 2018) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is seeking volunteers for its annual Deer Jawbone Submission program. Jawbones should be submitted from does and bucks of all ages, not just large deer. Biologists use the information from this program to estimate the age structure of the harvest.

Hunters who harvest a doe or buck of any age and would like to submit the jawbone, have two submission options this year:

• They can complete an online enrollment form, and receive two Tyvek business-reply, postage-paid envelopes. Participants are asked to make sure each jawbone is dried before being sealed in the envelope and returned to the Commission.

• They can submit photos electronically to their district biologist. By following the detailed instructions on the form, hunters can email digital photos of their deer’s lower jawbone.

Commission biologists will estimate the age of each deer based on tooth replacement and tooth wear patterns. Participants will receive a report with the estimated age(s) of their deer the following summer. To view past harvest summaries and deer season frameworks evaluation reports, visit the Commission’s deer webpage.

About the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

Since 1947, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has been dedicated to the conservation and sustainability of the state’s fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use, and public input. The Commission is the state regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws and provides programs and opportunities for wildlife-related educational, recreational and sporting activities. To learn more, visit www.ncwildlife.org.

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