The Deer Rut is Right Around the Corner
Peak breeding of deer in New York falls around the 2nd to 3rd week of November each year, 
but bucks are already pursuing does, checking to see which ones are in estrous. These are exciting times to be in the woods, to hear a buck grunt from thick cover or to witness an eager buck chasing a doe in heat across a goldenrod field, nose to tail.
Many deer hunters dream of seeing and shooting a large buck, and that dream is becoming more of a reality as hunters across the state choose to pass young, small antlered deer. Working together, hunters can increase their likelihood of seeing older, larger bucks by choosing to Let Young Bucks Go and Watch Them Grow.
Deer & Bear Harvest Update
Many New York hunters are already enjoying the fruits of a successful hunting season, but most harvest is yet to come. Compared to last year at this time, hunters have reported taking about the same number of deer in the Southern Zone and about 10% more in the Northern Zone.
It’s a different story with bears, likely due to the warm weather and the abundance of wild foods, which limits bears’ movements and reduces their exposure to hunters. In the Northern Zone, hunters have reported about 60% fewer bears than at this point in 2016. The reported harvest is tracking similarly to 2011, another year with lots of fall foods for bears. Reported bear harvest in the Southern Zone is down too, running about 20% lower than last year.
DEC relies on hunters to:
Take It · Tag It · Report It
Remember hunters, DEC’s Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife App has e-License and game harvest reporting features.
Junior Hunters – Be on the Lookout for a Survey about the Youth Big Game Hunt
DEC recently sent a short survey to 4,000 junior hunters who were eligible to participate during the annual Youth Big Game Hunt held over Columbus Day weekend. The questionnaire helps DEC track participation rates and deer and bear harvests during the youth hunt.
Hunters – Don’t bring deer, elk, or moose carcasses into New York
DEC reminds hunters that because of the risk of chronic wasting disease (CWD), it is illegal to bring deer, elk, or moose carcasses harvested in many states into New York. This includes animals harvested in nearly all western and mid-western states and provinces and a handful of eastern states. Only specific allowed parts may be brought into New York. People who shoot confined deer, elk, or moose in a fenced facility anywhere outside New York, must remove all prohibited parts from the carcass prior to returning to New York. See CWD Regulations for Hunters for details. Please report violations (1-844-DEC-ECOS; 1-844-332-3267) and protect our wild deer and moose.
Wetland Conditions at Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area (NMWMA)
There are over 40 wetland impoundments on NMWMA. In these restored wetlands, DEC staff raise and lower water levels each year to produce food and usable habitat for marsh wildlife. This also provides access for hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. DEC and the Friends of Montezuma have put together an update on water levels and conditions on the state managed lands to assist the public as they plan trips to the property this fall.
