Environment DEC
From the August 2007 issue
New Law Lets Big Game Hunters Use Rifles in Three Counties
Deer hunters prefer the accuracy of rifles over shotguns
At the urging of DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis, Governor Eliot Spitzer has signed a new law that allows big game hunters to use rifles in three Southern Tier counties beginning this year. The legislation allows rifle use for big game in Chemung, Steuben and Yates counties. Similar to legislation enacted in 2005, this measure expires in one year and would have to be renewed in 2008 by state lawmakers. The counties wanted the measure as a tool for deer herd management.
Rifles as Safe as Shotguns
"The most important tool for deer herd management is hunting," Grannis said. "Many hunters prefer the accuracy of the rifle to hunt deer and bear. Further, the rifle has proven to be as safe an implement as the shotgun, as hunting related shooting accidents in rifle areas are no greater than in shotgun-only areas."
The law will be in effect for the upcoming hunting season. Regular Deer Season in the Southern Zone, including all of Chemung, Steuben, and Yates counties, runs from November 17 to December 9. Regular Bear Season in the Allegany Bear Range, including portions of Chemung and Steuben counties, runs from November 24 to December 9; the rifle authorization applies to bear hunting in those portions of Chemung and Steuben.
Hunting Accidents on the Decline
Hunting accidents generally have been on the decline. The 2006 hunting season saw just 35 shooting incidents, the fourth lowest since records have been kept. During the 1960s, the accident rate was 19 incidents per 100,000 hunters. Since 2000, the accident rate is one-third of that, averaging 6.3 incidents per 100,000 hunters.
During the 2006-07 season, hunters statewide harvested 189,108 deer, about 8,900 more than the year before. Yates County-one of the counties covered by the new law-had the highest rate of harvest, at 10.4 deer per square mile. See the DEC website for more big game hunting information.
