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2005 Deer Harvest Down as Expected but Hunting Safety Up

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Approximately 180,000 deer were harvested last year during hunting seasonDuring the 2005 season, hunters harvested slightly more than 180,200 deer, including 89,000 bucks and approximately 91,200 antlerless deer. The total deer harvest for 2005 represents a 14 percent reduction from the 208,000 deer taken in 2004 and is the lowest total deer take since 1994. Declines in 2005 were expected following an intentional 35 percent reduction in deer management permit (DMP) availability, an action intended to rebuild and stabilize the deer population in many areas of the state.

"While the 2005-06 big game season was one with many changes and challenges, it continued to provide hunters throughout the state with quality hunting experiences," Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan said. "This year we enacted new regulations and legislation, like the first-ever Saturday opener, expanded the use of rifles and continued to address chronic wasting disease. I would like to thank all the hunters both in the containment area and throughout the state for cooperating with our surveillance for CWD and for making 2005 the safest year on record for hunting in New York State." 2005 Deer Take The state's deer hunters took about 89,000 bucks in 2005, roughly the same as in 2004 and an indication that the overall deer population is stabilizing. Steuben County led the state with the highest take?a total of 8,577 deer, including 4,541 bucks. Allegany County was second with 7,335 deer (3,880 bucks), followed by Cattaraugus County with 7,321 deer (3,921 bucks). Erie County with 6,232 deer (2,563 bucks) and Ontario County with 6,053 deer (2,082 bucks) rounded out the top five counties in the New York.

The statewide adult female take included almost 61,200 deer, down from about 80,200 adult females in 2004. This was an anticipated decline resulting from DEC's reduction in the total number of DMPs available during the 2005 season. A little more than 387,600 DMPs were issued in 2005, about 220,000 fewer than in 2004. DMPs are valid for the taking of antlerless deer only and serve as the cornerstone for statewide deer management efforts.

Deer Populations Deer populations vary considerably throughout New York State and approximately 20 percent of current wildlife management units (WMU) have deer populations that are within 10 percent of desired levels. About 15 percent of the units have deer populations greater than desired, while remaining units have lower than desired deer populations. The goal of DEC's deer management program is to maintain deer numbers at levels that meet local interests and habitat conditions, while also providing quality hunting opportunities for the state's 540,000 deer hunters.

"Reducing the number of adult female deer harvested, such as was accomplished in 2005, should allow for the population to rebuild toward desired levels where necessary," said Commissioner Sheehan. The current winter has not yet had a significant impact on deer survival, and small increases in deer populations can be expected for the 2006 season if mild conditions continue."

Safest Hunting Year Ever

2005 marked the safest hunting season on record in New York stateReports of hunting-related shooting incidents received by DEC indicate that 2005 was the safest year for hunting in New York State since records have been kept. During 2005 hunting seasons, there were 29 hunting-related shooting incidents. The previous record low was 32 incidents in 2003. The record low of 29 compares to an average of 45 incidents per year for the previous 5 years, and to 137 incidents per year during the 1960s.

Two changes to the big game season were enacted last year but did not adversely affect the safety of the state's hunters. These changes included moving the Southern Zone season opening day to a Saturday instead of the traditional Monday opener and expanding the use of rifles to new areas of the Southern Zone. No rifle injury was reported in the new area, and only 15 of New York's 29 incidents occurred during the big game season, making it the safest such season in history.

Hunting-related shooting incidents (per 100,000 hunters) are declining much faster than the number of hunters. Hunter numbers have declined about 10 percent since the 1960s, while the rate of hunting- related shooting incidents declined nearly 66 percent during the same period.