In other areas, development takes any significant habitat, but the deer have learned to adapt to semi-urban life. They live on gardens and shrubs in the suburbs in unhuntable and unmanageable areas. Fewer people purchased hunting licenses this past year. Even though there are less hunters, there are more opportunities to hunt in New York. With both early and late special seasons, deer hunters can be afield from late September in the Adirondacks to mid-January on Long Island.
More opportunities are also available for archers and muzzleloader hunters.
This resulted in an increase of nearly 5,000 deer harvested by bowhunters, and about 2,000 more deer were taken with muzzleloaders than last year. You may not always agree with the way the state manages its deer herd. In the spring DEC will host public meetings to discuss the future of deer hunting in the state. These meetings will focus on topics such as the steps that should be taken by DEC and sportsmen to better achieve population objectives and what innovative recreational opportunities sportsmen wish to see offered in New York. The public is invited to attend these meetings and share viewpoints.