Deer Season Begins Today – Ag Matters

It's definitely fall, pumpkin flavors are in the air, hockey pre-season is here and bow hunting deer season opens today.  The Department of Environmental Conservation announce early bow season opens today in the Northern Region.

In the Southern region, bow season for deer and bear begins this Saturday, October 1 and continues through November 18.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos thinks there will be more deer this year.  "With many hunters interested in seeing more older bucks in the field, bowhunters might want to consider passing up shots on young bucks, and in areas where deer populations are larger than desired, to focus their hunting on antlerless deer."

Hunters will be allowed to use a crossbow late in the season.  The last 10 days of the Northern Zone bow season (October 12-21) and the last 14 days of the Southern Zone bow season (November 5-18). There are some stipulations that must be met to use a crossbow, here's those regulations.

The DEC also asks for your help in monitoring herds around the state, by participating in the Bowhunter Sighting Log.  You record the number and type of deer you have seen, whether or not you took a shot.  If you are interested in assisting, e-mail: wildlife@dec.ny.gov.  Specify Bowhunter Sighting Log in the subject line and provide your name, address, hunter ID, the counties where you typically hunt, and whether or not you have participated in New York's bowhunter log in any previous year.

SOURCE: Department of Environmental Conservation