ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) _ Residents in North Carolina can expect more deer visiting flower beds, dining in vegetable gardens and wandering along roads this spring and summer.

The Citizen-Times of Asheville reports that 18 percent fewer white-tailed deer were harvested by hunters in North Carolina last deer season than the year before.

The report from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission shows that 154,000 deer were harvested. The previous year hunters shot more than 188,000.

Last year's harvest was the lowest since 144,000 deer were reported harvested almost a decade ago.

The smaller harvest means more deer are expected to wander through backyards and along roadways this year.