Big Game Briefs: March/April 2002
The Big Game Briefs are a compilation of recent events, program status and anecdotes pertaining to deer and bear management issues across the state. Submissions of local interest from each regional Deer Biologist, along with statewide perspectives from Central Office Big Game staff are consolidated to present a review of current deer and bear management program issues across the state.
REGION 1
DEER DAMAGE
A total of 75 Nuisance Deer Permits have been issued to date for 2002. The North Haven permits for winter 2002 expired on March 31 and most kill reports have not been returned at this point. Although the deer take during the past hunting season was high, we experienced a mild winter which resulted in minimal winter mortality. The difficulty for hunters to obtain access to private lands and local firearm ordinances result in safe havens for deer during the legal hunting seasons in many of the areas adjacent to properties enrolled in the Nuisance Deer Permit program. We continue to explore options with landowners, such as DMAP enrollment, to alleviate deer damage. Currently, twelve properties are enrolled in the DMAP program and we hope to increase the number of properties for the upcoming deer season.
DEER CONDITION
Region 1 experienced an extremely mild winter of 2001-02. Deer in the region did not encounter snow accumulations of greater than 6 inches for prolonged periods. Minimal snow accumulations combined with a bumper acorn crop during the fall of 2001 provided an opportunity for deer to enter the winter in good shape and maintain their condition up to spring.
BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LAB
The New York State Department of Health has found that samples of deer meat from the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) did not contain levels of 137Cs above the recommended guidance levels. Although the BNL is not open to hunting and few deer are harvested in the area, NYSDEC staff will continue to collect samples of meat for examination at the Ridge Hunter Check Station from deer harvested within one mile of the BNL.
VENISON DONATION
A cooperative effort is underway to develop a venison donation program in Region 1. The success of the venison donation program throughout the rest of New York State and the country has led representatives from several groups to participate in monthly meetings that started in April to explore steps that need to be taken to facilitate the process of starting a successful donation program. Hunters have historically expressed concern that the main reason they do not harvest more deer is that they have no outlet for the excess deer meat. We hope that the venison donation program will become a reality in the region and that hunters will have a means to provide meals for those in need.
REGION 3
DEER CONDITION
The unseasonably mild weather that led to a decrease in the number of deer harvested during the fall 2001 hunting season has continued throughout the winter and spring. Thus, winter mortality is expected to be negligible, and the deer population in the region as a whole is expected to continue to increase.
DEER DAMAGE
As of May 14, 176 deer damage permits have been issued in the Region for the 2002 calendar year; this is a record pace and a 14% increase over the number of complaints filed by the same date last year. The majority of the complaints are for agricultural crop and ornamental plant damage. Complaints have been received from all seven counties in the region, with the majority coming from Dutchess, Ulster, and Westchester counties.
REGION 4
CITIZEN'S TASK FORCE
A Citizen Task Force was held in Wildlife Management Unit 4P, situated in northeastern Delaware County. The consensus recommendation of the task force was to reduce the size of herd by a level of about 15%. This figure is a compromise, and results in a revised Buck Take Objective for the unit of about 2.2 bucks per square mile. The hunter stakeholder group wanted to see less of a reduction, while those concerned primarily with forest regeneration wanted to see a greater decrease. Other concerns were motor vehicle/deer collisions and agriculture damage, although damage was spotty in the unit.
The Task Force members also prepared a statement detailing their additional concerns. Included among these was a need for a deer herd with a more balanced sex ratio, with Quality Deer Management explored as one means of bringing this about. It was recommended that DMAP be promoted more by the DEC, and farmers and other landowners should be made aware of this program and it's value to local problem situations. The members of the Task Force were most enthusiastic and showed considerable interest and initiative. Approximately 150 local residents were surveyed by Task Force members. They are to be commended for a job well done, especially Janet Aldrich of Delaware County Cooperative Extension who served as facilitator for the group.
REGION 5
DEER CONDITION
The winter of 2001-2002 was relatively mild and dry, allowing the deer herd to come through the winter with minimal losses and in good condition for this spring's fawning season. Browsing observed in wintering areas was noticeably lighter than the previous winter, and no dead deer were found during searches. The high survival of last year's fawns should mean a good crop of yearlings for this fall's hunting seasons. Lingering results of the very harsh winter of 2000-2001 should still be evident in the harvest this fall, but the overall outlook is good.
VENISON DONATION
A preliminary meeting was held in March to begin organizing a venison donation program for eastern New York. Attendees were from three regional Resource, Conservation and Development Councils, the area Food Bank, Cornell Cooperative Extension, US Dept of Agriculture, Soil and Water Conservation District, Community Action, JCEO, NY Bowhunters, Whitetails Unlimited, and DEC. A follow up organizational meeting will be held in May to determine task assignments, funding possibilities, and logistics. The goal is to have a venison donation program operating in eastern NY by this fall.
REGION 6
CITIZEN'S TASK FORCE
A Citizen's Task Force on Deer Management was recently completed in Wildlife Management Unit 6C, a transitional Unit between the St. Lawrence Valley and the Adirondacks. The group reached a consensus recommendation for a 30 percent reduction in the deer population over the next five years. This will result in a buck take objective for the unit of 2.0 bucks per square mile. The Task Force also noted some distinct differences in deer populations from one end of the unit to the other, and made a second recommendation to reconfigure the WMU at the earliest opportunity for a boundary adjustment. Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County facilitated the Task Force meetings.
DEER CONDITION
In April, Regional Wildlife Staff led interested constituents on two winter deer yard surveys. At the Dead Creek survey in St. Lawrence County 33 volunteers participated, while at Highmarket in Lewis County 22 volunteers were present. The observed winter deer kill in each survey was below long term averages. The mild winter period was undoubtedly good for overwinter deer survival. There was some fawn loss noted, particularly at Highmarket where conditions this past winter were near average with over 200 inches of total snowfall.
REGION 7
CITIZEN'S TASK FORCE
A Citizen Task Force was convened for Wildlife Management Unit 7A, which encompasses much of the western half of Oswego County and small portions of Cayuga and Onondaga Counties. Common concerns voiced by members of the Task Force were agricultural damage and highway safety. Impacts on forest regeneration and on plants and birds was also discussed. The consensus recommendation of the group was that the unit's current deer population should be reduced slightly. After much discussion, it was agreed that if DEC continues to manage for the objective set by a 1997 CTF, it would meet their interests. The Buck Take Objective for the unit will remain at 1.8 per square mile.
DEER CONDITION
The winter of 2001-02, though it made some late attempts to be bothersome, will have had little impact on regional deer populations. Spring rains have the fields greening up nicely and deer should be living high on the hog. Barring a cold rainy fawning season productivity should be high this spring.
DEER DAMAGE
Nuisance permit numbers have been on the rise for the last 5 years and last year saw Region 7 issue over 100 nuisance permits for the first time. The mild winter and green spring have helped to cut down on nuisance problems so far this year, but high deer numbers in parts of the region have still resulted in a some complaints. Twenty-five nuisance permits have been issued to date. In classic, "you can't keep everyone happy" fashion, some farmers say procedures make it too difficult to get a permit when they need it and hunters say permits are given out to freely. The current statewide effort to review the program will hopefully improve the situation.
REGION 9
CITIZEN'S TASK FORCES
Three Citizen's Task Forces were completed in the Region during the past two months.
WMU 9M's Task Force consisted of 15 members and reached consensus with a recommendation to reduce the deer population by 20 percent. This northern Cattaraugus County unit will have a revised buck take objective of 5.1 bucks per square mile.
WMU 9W's Task Force considered the size of the deer herd in this unit situated in northwest Allegany and northeast Cattaraugus County . The nine member Task Force reached a consensus recommendation to reduce the population by 25 percent. The revised buck take objective for this unit is now 4.4 bucks per square mile, well below the 2001 buck take of 5.9 per square mile.
WMU 9Y's Task Force included ten members who examined this Allegany County unit. The unit has had a high deer population and had a buck take of 7.7 per square mile during the 2001 season. They reached a consensus recommendation for a decrease in the deer herd of 35 percent. This results in a new buck take objective for the unit of 5.0 bucks per square mile.
All three Task Forces were highlighted by a better understanding by the members of the multitude of deer issues that result from high deer numbers, especially the amount and extent of deer damage that can occur to agriculture. There was also wide acceptance of newer programs like DMAP and the harvest needed to control overall deer impacts.
CENTRAL OFFICE REPORTS
DECALS...AT LONG LAST
Considerable progress has been made as the final plans for implementation of the DEC Automated License System (DECALS) are concluding. Pilot systems in Albany and Erie Counties have become operational in late March. In addition to state of the art license issuing and record keeping, a number of other needed improvements will occur with the new system. Efforts to provide "one stop" shopping for sporting license buyers are a key component of the program. The mail-in hunter report card will also be replaced by a toll free number for telephone reporting of deer, bear and turkeys taken by hunters.
DEER
DMPs WITH DECALS
The new system to issue hunting licenses in New York via computer (DECALS) provides the opportunity to issue Deer Management Permits (DMPs) directly to hunters when they buy their licenses. The target number of DMPs to be issued will be determined by DEC deer biologists in a similar manner to quota development as in the past. They assess the size of the deer population for each WMU in relation to the desired level or objective established as a result of Citizen's Task forces. Permit numbers are then based upon the number of adult females that need to be removed to reach the desired deer population level. Final DMP targets include consideration for the hunter success rate trends within the unit.
With DECALS, the probabilities of selection for each application group (landowner, resident, nonresident, previous non selection preferences) will be assigned based upon the predicted number of applications in each unit, Similar to an instant lottery, hunters will know immediately if they will receive one or more permits. Successful applicants will receive their permits on the spot, and this is a major improvement over the mail-in application system that has been in existence for over 40 years. A brochure highlighting the changes will be mailed in early July to all hunters who applied for a DMP during the 2001season.
STATE OF THE DEER HERD MEETINGS
As a follow-up to the Future of Deer Hunting meetings held in the spring and summer of 2000, members of the Deer Team will conduct a series of meetings across the state during May and June. The "State of the Deer Herd" meetings will serve as an opportunity to present and discuss the changes to deer hunting and deer management that will occur as a result of the input received during the meetings two years ago. A total of eighteen meetings are scheduled beginning on May 14th in Binghamton and concluding on June 19th in Canandaigua.
The meetings will begin with the results of the 2001 deer hunting season and will be followed by a review of the challenges that are ahead with a deer population of over one million animals and a declining number of hunters. Changes in license issuance and DMPs that result from the implementation of DECALS will be covered, as will the status of recently enacted and currently pending legislation and regulations revisions which could result in some of the most sweeping changes in deer hunting practices in New York in many years. Additional changes such as season modifications and alternative harvest strategies that may be considered in subsequent years will also be discussed.
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
The heightened awareness of chronic wasting disease (CWD) as a result of it's discovery this spring in Wisconsin has had an impact on almost all state wildlife agencies, including DEC. This disease of cervids, which always results in the death of the animal, is characterized by lethargy, emaciation and loss of weight. The cause is an agent known as a prion, which is a modified protein, however the mode of transmission is unknown.
DEC has declared a moratorium on the importation of live captive deer, elk and moose for 90 days. Work is currently ongoing with the Departments of Health, Agriculture and Markets and USDA to develop a protocol for monitoring and surveillance of white-tailed deer in New York
BEAR
2001 BLACK BEAR HARVEST
Hunters harvested a total of 801 black bears during New York's 2001 bear hunting seasons. The Adirondack harvest of 523 bears is slightly higher than the 10 year average take of 515 bears. The Catskill range harvest of 208 bears is well above the previous 10 year average of 169 bears. The harvest of 70 bears in the Allegany range breaks the previous record of 55 for that area that was set last year and is also well above the 10 year average of 38 bears.
