Hunters prepare for major rule change in Vermont’s deer rifle hunting season

BARRE — Shoppers at R&L Archery knew what they were here for: a hunting license, a box of ammo, synthetic deer urine and, for some, a homemade pie. Vermont’s 16-day rifle deer hunting season begins Saturday. For Joe Sanborn, that means hundreds of customers through the door Friday at R&L Archery, the Barre outdoor sports store he manages. “It’s always busy, it’s always hectic,” Sanborn said. “Opening the door, we had six trucks in the yard ready to go.” The state expects to see between 60,000 and 65,000 hunters out over the next two weeks, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Deer Project Leader Nick Fortin. Some hunting regulations have changed this year, as they do every five years, he said. One rule change has left some seasoned hunters excited, and others wary. For the first time in 39 years, Vermont hunters can shoot antlerless and female deer during the regular season.

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