Region 1 Deer Forecast
Unit Summary for the 2007 Season
Included in the discussion of most Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) is a term called the Buck Take Objective (BTO). The BTO for a WMU is the desired number of antlered bucks expected to be harvested per square mile when the WMU's deer population is at the desired level as determined by the Citizen Task Force. The BTO is not the estimated take for the coming season but rather is the objective of our management efforts. The annual buck harvest is used as a gauge of population size and it's relationship to the desired population level.
WMU 1C
Area = 903 square miles
Buck Take Objective = No objective set for this unit
2006 Buck Take = 0.9 bucks harvested per square mile
2006 Total Deer Take = 2.6 deer harvested per square mile
Deer take in Suffolk County during the 2006 hunting seasons was 2,357 deer. This was a 14% increase from the 2,076 deer harvested in 2005, but still less than the record harvest of 2,456 deer in 2003. All towns increased their deer take except for the town of Riverhead which had a drop in their deer take by only 8 deer.
For the coming hunting season, hunters should expect to see a slightly higher number of deer than last year as the past two winters have been very mild and deer survival was likely very good. Also, this appears to be a good reproduction year as there are many does being seen with multiple fawns. Deer should be a bit heavier on average this fall due to the mild winter and lush growth of forage available through a moist spring and summer.
Hunters in Suffolk County may see greater movement of deer in the upcoming season due to local variations in acorn availability. The key to the early season will be to scout and find the areas of good acorns. Whenever deer become more active in their search for food, sightings and opportunities to harvest deer should increase as well.
The special January firearms season will run from January 7 through January 31, 2008. By law, the January season cannot start until the Monday following the first Saturday in January and continue weekdays only through the last weekday in January. The late start this year is due to News Year's Day falling on a Tuesday. This eliminates the entire first week of January, allowing only 19 days of hunting during the month. Those who wish to hunt deer during the special January season on NYSDEC managed lands in Suffolk County must enter a drawing. This year the drawing will be held on December 4, 2007. All entries must be received by 4:45 PM on December 3, 2007 to be included in the drawing.
To enter the drawing, send a No. 10 legal size envelope to: NYSDEC-Deer Drawing, P. O. Box 659, Ridge, NY 11961-0659. This envelope must contain a self-addressed, stamped legal-sized envelope. You must write your back-tag number on the back of the enclosed envelope. Each hunter may only submit one entry. Within two weeks of the drawing date you will receive a drawing number in the mail. This number will indicate the day on which you are to make a reservation to hunt. The hunter or their representative must come to the Ridge Hunter Check Station to make the reservation. To learn more about hunting opportunities on Long Island, check out DEC's Long Island hunting opportunity webpage.
Deer Management Permits (DMP) for WMU 1C are guaranteed to all applicants, but hunters are reminded that DMPs can only be used in the WMU for which they are issued. Hunters can apply for two DMPs during the initial application period which ends on October 1. On or around November 1, hunters can acquire two additional DMPs which are issued on a first come first serve basis. Bonus Permits will also be available to hunters who successfully harvest an antlerless deer on a DMP only. During the archery and January firearm season, hunters in Suffolk County can use any regular or special season tag to harvest an antlerless deer, but DMPs used in Suffolk County must be for WMU 1C.
