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DEC: preliminary reports indicate deer harvest in New York state up about 5 percent

Posted 4/5/17

Preliminary harvest estimates indicate that New York state hunters took approximately 214,000 deer in 2016, up about 5 percent from 2015, according to the Department of Environmental Concern (DEC). …

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DEC: preliminary reports indicate deer harvest in New York state up about 5 percent

Posted

Preliminary harvest estimates indicate that New York state hunters took approximately 214,000 deer in 2016, up about 5 percent from 2015, according to the Department of Environmental Concern (DEC).

Hunters took an estimated 109,000 adult bucks, a 10 percent increase from 2015, and 105,000 antlerless deer, a 1.5 percent increase from 2015, said Benning DeLaMater, DEC Public Information Officer.

“These preliminary numbers are consistent with patterns of hunter reports during the seasons and biologists’ expectations for the harvest,” he said. “We are diligently working to generate final harvest estimates, with associated summaries by season and Wildlife Management Unit,” DEC said in a press release.

However, progress has been slowed as DEC is upgrading their harvest calculation system.

“We anticipate that this transition will speed our analysis in future years, but we are investing substantial time now to ensure that the harvest reports submitted by hunters and biological check data collected by DEC staff are being recorded properly, and that the calculation programs are performing correctly.”

DeLaMater says DEC is optimistic that final harvest numbers will be available later this month. In the meantime, reports of deer and bear harvests from prior years are available at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/42232.html.