Many New Rules For New York Hunters In The Works

The DEC wants to introduce a number of new rules for New York hunters to follow. Hunters are told to review and comment.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

On Wednesday, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos released the State's final Deer Management Plan. The plan is the product of public input, expert review, and sound science that will improve the management of white-tailed deer across New York State.

In addition, to enact several management recommendations included in the plan, the DEC issued proposed regulations that are available for public comment until Aug. 8, 2021.

"This second-edition deer plan marks a major step forward in DEC's effort to manage deer responsibly to protect the environment and public safety," Seggos said. "The plan aligns public values for deer with ecological data to advance management decisions that benefit deer, deer habitats, and New Yorkers."

For all the news that the Hudson Valley is sharing make sure to follow Hudson Valley Post on Facebook, download the Hudson Valley Post Mobile App and sign up for the Hudson Valley Post Newsletter.

The plan outlines strategies to manage deer populations across a range of abundance levels and diverse deer-related impacts. The plan enhances DEC programs that provide relief to landowners and the public experiencing deer damage and conflicts, seeks to protect New York's deer from the devastating potential of Chronic Wasting Disease, officials say. Importantly, the plan also identifies opportunities to improve deer management legislatively, particularly in urban and suburban areas.

DEC released its draft deer management plan for public review in the late fall of 2020. The final plan released Wednesday includes revisions and clarifications based on the DEC's review of more than 2,000 comments submitted by individuals, organizations, and elected officials.

Major elements of the plan include:

• Establishing desired deer population trajectories for 23 ecologically unique regions of the state using an assessment of deer impacts on forest regeneration and public preferences for deer population changes;
• Monitoring deer populations for disease and taking steps to reduce disease risk;
  Providing additional hunter opportunity and increasing antlerless harvest strategically where needed;
• Promoting hunter choice for buck harvest by encouraging hunters who want to take older, larger-antlered bucks to voluntarily pass up young, small-antlered bucks;
• Encouraging deer hunters to use non-lead ammunition to reduce lead exposure of non-target wildlife;
• Assisting communities to prevent and respond to local deer overabundance through development of community-based deer management programs;
• Working with landowners and land managers to monitor deer browse impacts on forests with the Assessing Vegetation Impacts of Deer (AVID) protocol; and
  Understanding and addressing public values and interests regarding deer and deer management decisions.

The DEC is proposing the following rule changes that officials believe will improve deer management, simplify big game hunting, expand hunting opportunities and increase hunter safety:

• Strategically increase antlerless harvest where necessary by establishing a 9-day season for antlerless deer beginning the 2nd Saturday in September with firearms in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F, and with bows in WMUS 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C;
• Reinstate either-sex deer harvest opportunity during the early muzzleloader season in WMUs 6A, 6F, and 6J;
• Extend the legal hunting hours for deer and bear to begin 30 minutes before meteorological sunrise and end 30 minutes after meteorological sunset, consistent with legal hunting hours in most other states; and
• Increase hunter safety by requiring all hunters pursuing deer or bear with a firearm, or anyone accompanying them, to wear a solid or patterned fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink hat or vest or jacket.
• In addition to implementing portions of the deer plan, the regulatory proposal includes a change to simplify bear hunting in the Adirondack portion (WMUs 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6C, 6F, 6H, and 6J) of the Northern Zone by extending the regular firearm season to cover the entire hunting period. Currently, the season structure allows bears to be taken with rifles and shotguns for 72 out of 79 days, excluding the seven-day period where bears could only be taken with a muzzleloader, crossbow, or bow. Under the proposal, hunters would be able to use any implement during the entire 79-day season.

Keep Reading: