Public Meetings on Deer Management
Columbia County, 2008
NYSDEC is interested in changes to the deer program that will enhance our ability to manage deer considering the many differences in regional deer populations, habitat conditions, and social interests. We recognize that there are many stakeholders interested in New York's white-tailed deer resource and that there are many challenges to successful population management. To help us prioritize the issues that are most important to NYS deer hunters and the public, we held a series of public meetings in September and October 2009.
Meetings Concluded
All meetings have been completed. However, we welcome hunters and non-hunters to view the presentation and other materials linked below and to submit comments by using the suggestion sheet linked below.
Continued Opportunities for Public Input (through November):
- 2009 NY Deer Program Suggestion Sheet (PDF, 183 kb) Help us prioritize the issues that are most important to you. Use this form to give us feedback and either mail it to us at the address included on the form or use the e-mail button on the form to send it to us electronically.
- Send us an e-mail: Comment on Deer Management
- Write us a letter: Deer Management Program, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4750
Meeting Presentation and other Materials
2009 Deer Program Update (PDF, 2.8 mb) For those who could not make our scheduled meetings, you may view the presentation here.
Poster of DEC Deer Reproductive Study (PDF, 923 kb) Preliminary results of a 3-year research project to determine rates and timing of deer breeding in New York.
Poster of the Foraging Ecology of Coyotes in New York State (PDF, 1.7 mb) Preliminary results of a multi-year project conducted by researchers at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to estimate coyote densities and quantify coyote kill and scavenge rates on deer.
Poster about Antler Restrictions in New York (PDF, 975 kb) DEC encourages hunters interested in protecting young bucks and seeing older, larger bucks to work with local hunting clubs and neighboring landowners to develop cooperative voluntary antler restriction programs.
Poster displaying Deer Program Suggestions - Current Issues Identified by Hunters (PDF, 1.2 mb) Preliminary input from hunters and various organizations regarding their suggestions for changes to the New York Deer Program.
Next Steps:
DEC will summarize the input received during these meetings and focus management attention on the key issues identified. We intend to craft a survey for deer hunters to get additional feedback on specific ways to address issues related to potential hunting regulation changes. Results from the survey will help guide DEC in future changes to the deer program.
