Mary Young
Media Relations
NYS DEC
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-1016
518-402-8000


For Release:
IMMEDIATE
Contact: Gabrielle Done
Tuesday, May
31,2005
(518) 402-8000

DEC ANNOUNCES ADOPTION OF NEW DEER HUNTING SEASON CHANGES

Hunters Can Plan Outings for the 2005-06 Deer Season

              New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced the adoption of a
number of proposed changes to the southern zone deer hunting season for 2005.

             After several months of evaluating the input received from the
public, DEC's modifications to the deer hunting season structure represent
a number of changes that will enhance youth hunting opportunities, expand
existing seasons, and create new and unique opportunities to learn about
additional deer management tools,Commissioner Sheehan said.  These changes
reflect the changing needs of deer management and deer hunters.

             The most prominent change is moving the opening day of the
southern zone regular deer season from a Monday to a Saturday. This change
provides opening day hunting opportunities for young hunters and others who
are unable to take time off from work during the week. DEC hopes this
opportunity will be actively embraced by young hunters.  Similarly, a
switch to a standard Saturday opening day for the early archery season
accomplishes similar benefits for bowhunters. Extending the late archery
and muzzleloader seasons that occurs after the regular season to nine days
in length affords consistency to the late deer hunting opportunities.

             A pilot program to expand the age structure of the buck
population will be implemented in two Wildlife Management Units (WMUs)
located primarily in Ulster County. The pilot antler restriction program is
the result of a strong level of local support from sportsmens groups. This
new harvest strategy will require that bucks taken in WMUs 3C and 3J to
have at least three antler points on a side to be legal. Similar voluntary
alternative harvest programs have been implemented in various locations
throughout New York State, but success has been hindered by their voluntary
nature.  Similar mandatory programs exist in other states where they have
been successful and are well received by sportsmen and women. Young
hunters, under the age of 17, would be exempt from the three point
requirement.

              An earlier proposal to establish a new early, special,
antlerless-only muzzleloader season in the Southern Zone was met with
considerable opposition. The proposal was intended to enhance and diversify
antlerless deer harvests, which are a key component of New Yorks deer
management program. Deer numbers have declined throughout much of the
Southern Zone as a result of a number of factors, including two successive
harsh winters. Accordingly, this proposal will be deferred until deer
numbers recover and the season could have more value as an additional
management tool.

             In response to lower deer harvests throughout a large portion
of the state in 2004, DEC wildlife biologists have reduced the number of
deer management permits (DMP) in many areas. Approximately 320,000 DMPs
will be available this fall, representing a decline of about 40 percent
from the 2004 levels.  This change reflects the lower deer numbers
throughout most of the Southern Zone.

         A minor change to the Northern Zone will change WMUs 6A, 6G, and
6H to allow the taking of deer of either sex during the special
muzzleloader seasons.  Previously, only antlerless deer had been legal
during the special muzzleloader seasons.

             Since hunting season dates for some other game are aligned
with deer hunting seasons, some modifications of these seasons have also
been adopted. The regular open seasons for black bear hunting will be
advanced in the Catskills to the Monday following the opening weekend for
firearms deer hunting: bear opens November 21 this fall.  The Allegany
region bear hunting season will commence one week after the opening of the
deer hunting season. The fall turkey and pheasant hunting seasons in some
areas of western New York will be adjusted to also open on a Saturday and
close on the Friday before the regular season opener in order to maintain
the same number of days of hunting for these species.

Specific Deer Season Changes the Southern Zone for 2005:

         Early Archery Season - First Saturday in October after Columbus
Day to the day before the Regular Season (35 days).

          For 2005: October 15 through November 18;

        Regular Season - Third Saturday in November for 23 days.

                      For 2005: November 19 - December 11 (includes four
weekends);

        Late Archery and Muzzleloader Seasons - First day after the close
of the regular season running for nine days.

          For 2005: December 12 - December 20 (Any leftover tags are valid);

        Antler Restriction Pilot Study - WMUs 3C and 3J (all
seasons).  Limits harvest of antlered deer to those with at least three
antler points on one side.

Smaller antlered bucks cannot be taken.  Hunters under the age of 17 are
exempt and may take a buck with an antler or antlers measuring more than
three inches in length; and

        Black Bear Regular Seasons

                      Catskill Range: November 21 - December 12
                      Allegany Range: November 26 - December 12

             Additional information on upcoming hunting seasons will be
posted on the Department website at www.dec.state.ny.us as it becomes
available.