Pilot Antler Restriction Project

The pilot antler restriction program in the Southern Catskills has been expanded and now includes WMUs 3C, 3H, 3J & 3K.

The regulations REQUIRE that bucks taken in WMUs 3C, 3H, 3J and 3K have at least one antler with 3 points (or more) which are at least one inch long. This restriction applies to the archery, regular and muzzleloading seasons.

Important: Hunters under 17 years of age are exempt from the three point requirement.

Why is this change being made?

For nearly 100 years, a "legal buck" has been a deer with at least one antler that is 3 inches long or longer. However, in recent years, other states have experimented with programs to change the age structure of bucks. In simple terms, these programs produce bucks that live longer. These programs have been well received in other locations, and we are now examining this form of deer management in New York State.

The pilot program was initiated in 2005 in WMUs 3C and 3J. Based upon strong local support, the antler restriction pilot has been expanded to include WMUs 3H and 3K in 2006. It will provide important information for both hunters and the DEC, and the results will be widely shared when they are available.

With 2005 being the first year of antler restrictions in WMUs 3C and 3J, buck harvests were down 65% in WMU 3C and 40% in WMU 3J. This was an expected decline, but DEC predicts that buck takes will return toward normal levels in 2006 and 2007 with a larger number of older bucks seen and taken by hunters. A similar trend is predicted for WMUs 3H and 3K with a reduction in buck take in 2006 followed by steady increases toward normal buck harvests in subsequent years.