These older bucks, which many hunters desire, accounted for 48 percent of harvested adult bucks statewide in 2013, compared to only 33 percent (45,350) in 2000 when New York’s deer population peaked, and only 28 percent (about 33,000) in the early 1990s. Hunters took a record number of bucks (approximately 55,300) aged 2.5 years or older in 2013.
In these areas, DEC and hunters must begin considering new ways to the increase antlerless deer take to achieve deer populations that are compatible with ecosystem health and consistent with the public’s interests. Even with very liberal opportunities for take of antlerless deer, not enough females are being taken to reduce populations to desired levels.
In many Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), including portions of southeastern New York and the Lake Plains region of western New York, harvest trends indicate that deer populations are too high – above levels recommended by local stakeholder groups who live, hunt or manage land in those areas. This year’s harvest shows a continuing trend of concern to DEC deer managers. According to a press release issued by DEC: An estimated 8,860 junior hunters participated in the Youth Deer Hunt, resulting in 1,275 deer taken (728 adult bucks and 547 antlerless deer).ĭEC wildlife managers now believe that more antlerless deer need to be taken and that older bucks are are becoming a larger portion of the adult buck harvests. During the Youth Deer Hunt, 14 and 15-year-old junior hunters could take one deer, antlered or antlerless, with a firearm when properly accompanied by a licensed and experienced adult. This year marked New York’s second Youth Deer Hunt, held over Columbus Day Weekend. Comparisons of these harvest estimates with past seasons can be found online. In the Southern Zone, excluding Long Island, hunters took 208,300 deer, including about 94,200 adult bucks. Hunters in the Northern Zone walked out of the woods with roughly 32,300 deer, including 19,500 adult bucks. The deer take included approximately 128,850 antlerless deer (adult females and fawns) and about 114,700 adult bucks (1.5 years or older), both estimates being within 4 percent of the 2012 take. Hunters killed approximately 243,550 deer during the 2013-14 hunting seasons, nearly equivalent to the statewide take last year, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).