HARRISBURG — Hunters in Pennsylvania killed an estimated 361,560 deer during the 2006-07 season, a 2 percent increase from the prior season, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced Friday.

Hunters killed 135,290 antlered deer in the 2006-07 season, up 14,790, or 12 percent, from the previous season. They killed 226,270 antlerless deer, down 7,620, or about 3 percent, from 2005-06.

Hunters killed a total of 354,390 deer in the 2005-06 season, the commission said.

The decline in the antlerless harvest mirrors the commission's 2 percent reduction in antlerless license allocations, spokesman Jerry Feaser said Friday.

Hunters can kill only one buck, but can apply for permits to shoot more than one doe or buck with antlers shorter than three inches.

The kill numbers will be factored into the commission's decision, expected next month, on how many antlerless licenses will be allocated next season, Feaser said. The commission has not yet analyzed the numbers to draw any conclusions about the season.

The commission will also consider the health of the state's deer herd, habitat improvement and its desire to reduce destruction caused by deer and vehicle accidents.

Harvest estimates were based on 136,932 harvest report cards turned in by hunters and 29,581 deer examined by commission staff in the field.