New Opportunities
for Deer Hunters
Expanded Call
Center Hours and Online Sales
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos
today announced that hunting and trapping licenses and Deer Management
Permits (DMPs) for the 2021-2022 seasons are on sale now. In addition,
DEC announced new opportunities for hunters this year, including expanded
hunting seasons and allowing youth ages 12 and 13 to hunt deer with a
firearm or crossbow in upstate counties that have passed a local low and
'opted in' to participate.
"Hunting is a
longstanding tradition for many and an estimated half a million New
Yorkers enjoy the sport each year. The upcoming, expanded hunting seasons
bring even greater excitement and opportunities to encourage greater
participation in the sport," said Commissioner Seggos. "As
always, DEC encourages hunters to plan ahead, get outdoors responsibly,
and follow the principles of hunter safety."
Licenses and permits can be
purchased online (leaves DEC's website), at
any one of DEC's license-issuing agents (leaves
DEC's website), or by telephone at 866-933-2257. New hunting and trapping
licenses are valid from Sept. 1, 2021, through Aug. 31, 2022; annual
fishing licenses are valid for 365 days from date of purchase.
New York's habitat serves a
critical role in maintaining healthy and sustainable fish and wildlife
resources. Purchasing a hunting, fishing, or trapping license helps
support conservation projects and ensures the protection of the State's
natural resources. In addition, DEC encourages outdoor enthusiasts to
consider purchasing a Habitat
& Access Stamp each year. Funds from the $5 Habitat
& Access Stamp support projects to conserve habitat and improve
public access for fish- and wildlife-related activities. This year's
Habitat & Access Stamp features a bobcat.
Expanded
Call Center Hours
Beginning this week, the DEC
Call Center's hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday
through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays through Nov. 30.
Regular call center weekday hours will resume on Dec. 1.
Individuals should have the
following items ready when buying a license:
1. Complete
contact information (e.g. name, address, email
address, telephone number);
2. DEC
customer ID number (if applicable);
3. Proof
of residency (e.g., driver's license or non-driver's ID with a valid New
York State address); and
4. If
purchasing by phone or internet, a valid credit card.
If not already entered in
DEC's automated licensing system, individuals are required to provide
proof of hunter or trapper education certification or a copy of a
previous license for all hunting and trapping license purchases. For
additional information, visit the General
Sporting License Information webpage on DEC's website.
Deer
Management Permits (DMPs)
DMPs are available at all
license-issuing outlets, by phone, or online through Oct. 1. DMPs are
used to manage the deer herd and are issued through an instant random
selection process at the point of sale. The chances of obtaining a DMP
remain the same throughout the application period; hunters need not rush
to apply. The 2021 chances of selection for a DMP in
each Wildlife Management Unit are available online, through
license-issuing agents, or by calling the DMP Hotline at 1-866-472-4332.
Detailed information on Deer
Management Permits and this fall's Deer
Season Forecast is available on DEC's website.
The 2021-22 Hunting and
Trapping Regulations Guide, which provides an easy-to-read collection of
pertinent rules and regulations, is available
on the DEC Hunting webpage. Copies will be available soon at
license-issuing agents.
Online
and In-Person Hunter Education Training Courses
All first-time hunters,
bowhunters, and trappers must pass one or more courses before purchasing
a license. Online and in-person courses are available. In-person courses
have a field day where new hunters can get hands-on experience. All
in-person courses are free of charge, but space may be limited. Courses
fill quickly, so early sign-ups are encouraged. Visit DEC's
website for more information on materials, including a list of
courses and course registration.
The requirements to earn a
New York State hunter education certificate can be met by completing
DEC's online hunter education course and passing the exam. Upon passing,
participants will receive a hunter education certificate, enabling the
purchase of a hunting license. Participants must be New York State
residents and the cost of the course is $19.95. The online
course can be accessed at DEC's website.
New York State also
offers an online bowhunter education certification course.
Upon passing, hunters receive their bowhunter education certificate so
they can purchase a bowhunting privilege. Participants must be New York
State residents and the cost of the course is $30. The online
course can be accessed at DEC's website.
New
Hunting Opportunities
Deer hunters will have
several new opportunities this year, with a law change that allows 12-
and 13-year-old hunters to pursue deer with a firearm or crossbow under
the supervision of an experienced adult hunter in upstate counties that
opt-in to participate (see the Junior
Big Game Hunting map). In addition, DEC created a new
holiday deer hunt, an extended
portion of the late bow and muzzleloader season from Dec.
26 to Jan. 1, in the Southern Zone. These are new opportunities for young
hunters to be mentored by experienced adults and for families to hunt
together during the holiday season.
DEC is also proposing additional hunting-related changes,
which are currently out for public review and comment. If these proposals
are adopted, DEC will notify the public by means of a press release and
email newsletters.
Opportunities
for Junior Hunters and Trappers
To foster the next generation
of hunters in New York, DEC has expanded opportunities for junior hunters
(licensees aged 12-15) and trappers (under 12 years old) by designating
special youth hunts for deer, wild turkey, pheasants, and waterfowl.
These opportunities allow youth hunters and trappers to spend time in the
field with experienced adults and gain the necessary knowledge and skills
to become safe and responsible members of the hunting and trapping
community. More information about these programs and other opportunities
for junior hunters and trappers is available on DEC's website.
Remember:
Hunt Safe, Hunt Smart!
The number of
hunting-relating shooting incidents is declining, but even one incident
is too many. Hunters can prevent injuries and fatalities by following the
cardinal rules of hunting safety:
1. Assume
every gun to be loaded;
2. Control
the muzzle in a safe direction;
3. Keep
your finger off the trigger until firing;
4. Be
sure of your target and beyond; and
5. Wear
hunter orange or pink.
Tree stand falls are a major
cause of hunting injuries. These hunting-related injuries are easily preventable.
Hunters are advised to use a full-body harness and fall-arrest system and
stay connected from the time they leave the ground until the time they
return. Hunters are advised to check their stands (including straps and
chains) every season and replace worn or missing parts. The proper use of
tree stands and full-body harnesses helps
prevent injuries and fatalities.
Keep
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Out of New York
Hunters should take the
threat of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) seriously.
CWD is always fatal to deer, elk, moose, and caribou. If introduced, CWD
could spread rapidly and be practically impossible to eliminate once
established, threatening the future of New York's deer population,
hunting tradition, and many of the other benefits associated with deer.
The most effective disease management strategy is to prevent CWD from
entering New York. A recent detection of CWD in a captive deer herd in
Pennsylvania near the New York State border is a reminder that the
disease can be unintentionally moved to new locations. Hunters can help
protect New York's deer herd from CWD by following these tips:
1. If
hunting any type of deer, elk, moose, or caribou outside of New York,
debone the animal before bringing it back, and follow the law about
importing carcass parts from outside of New York. See CWD
Regulations for Hunters. DEC will confiscate and destroy
illegally imported carcasses and parts;
2. Avoid
products containing real deer urine, like scent lures. Prions are shed in
the bodily fluids (saliva, feces, urine) of infected deer before they
appear sick. Prions bind to soil and plants where they remain infectious
for years. There is no way to ensure that products containing deer urine
are free of prions. Choose synthetic alternatives;
3. Dispose
of carcass waste in a landfill, not on the landscape;
4. Hunt
only wild deer and support fair chase hunting principles; and
5. Report
any deer that appears sick or is acting abnormally.
Hunters,
Want Older Bucks in New York? It's Your Choice
Many deer hunters dream of
seeing and shooting a large buck but there is great temptation for a
hunter to take the first buck they see, often a young buck, when the
opportunity presents itself. New York hunters can increase the likelihood
of harvesting an older, larger buck, by choosing to pass up shots at
young, small-antlered bucks. Older bucks create more rubs and scrapes,
are more challenging to hunt, and yield more meat.
Many New York hunters are
already voluntarily choosing to pass on young bucks. As a result, the
availability and harvest of older, larger antlered bucks is increasing.
To see and take more older bucks, DEC encourages hunters to work with
neighbors and hunting partners to cooperatively reduce harvest of young
bucks, improve habitat conditions, and ensure adequate harvest of
antlerless deer.
|
