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After carefully considering more than 1,600 public comments and analyzing all information on New York’s current bobcat population, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) adopted a five-year bobcat management plan to maintain and enhance bobcat populations in New York state while providing for sustainable use and public enjoyment of the animal, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The final plan, which is significantly revised from the draft plan, is now available on the DEC website at: http://www.dec.ny.go...imals/9360.html.
“The bobcat population has increased over the past several decades throughout upstate New York,” said Commissioner Martens. “DEC’s new bobcat management plan provides for the continued well-being of this unique species as well as opportunities for its use and enjoyment. I would like to thank members of the public and our stakeholder groups for taking the time to submit comments which resulted in DEC issuing a much improved management plan.”
Observation reports and analysis of harvest data have made it clear that bobcats have increased in abundance over the past several decades throughout upstate New York, although they are rarely seen in the wild due to their secretive behavior. DEC estimates New York’s bobcat population to be approximately 5,000 animals and growing, even in areas where regulated hunting and trapping seasons have been in place since the 1970s.
In accordance with the management plan, DEC will propose in regulations simplifying hunting and trapping season dates by establishing dates that are consistent throughout much of the state. The plan also establishes new hunting and trapping opportunities in several wildlife management units across the Southern Tier. Hunting and trapping season changes in the plan will not take effect prior to fall 2013, as a rulemaking process is necessary to implement such changes.
While hunters and trappers are the most common users of the bobcat resource, wildlife enthusiasts, nature photographers and the public also benefit from a healthy bobcat population.
Public comments on the draft bobcat management plan were carefully reviewed by DEC, and based on the input received, DEC made extensive revisions to the plan, including:
· adding a more clear explanation of how DEC estimates population size, predicted harvest increases and impacts of additional harvest on population growth;
· clarifying that there is no intent to reduce bobcat populations anywhere in the state;
· reducing the emphasis on negative human-bobcat interactions because they are not a major concern or motivation for actions proposed in the plan;
· recognizing the public interest in restoring bobcats to Long Island and willingness to cooperate with feasibility studies.
The bobcat management plan and a summary of responses to public comments are available on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.go...imals/9360.html.
HuntingNY
Action Taken to Protect New York’s Deer Population in



Response to Pennsylvania Discovery


The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued an emergency rulemaking that revises the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) regulations in response to a confirmed case of CWD in Pennsylvania, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. Effective immediately, the revision prohibits importing certain parts of white-tailed deer or American elk taken in the state of Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the first case of CWD in Pennsylvania on October 11 at a deer farm in New Oxford (Adams County), PA. CWD is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose. It causes a characteristic spongy degeneration of the brain in infected animals resulting in emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and death. In response, DEC amended its CWD regulations to prohibit importing the following parts of deer or elk taken in Pennsylvania: brain, eyes, spinal cord, tonsils, intestinal tract, spleen or retropharyngeal lymph nodes.
“Hunters who take a deer or elk in Pennsylvania must now butcher the animal and remove the prohibited parts before entering New York State,” said DEC Commissioner Martens. “This action is necessary to protect New York’s populations of deer and moose. Most successful hunters already opt to butcher a deer and put the meat in a cooler before traveling back to New York.”
DEC’s ongoing extensive surveillance program, initiated in 2002, first confirmed CWD in New York State in 2005 and has not discovered any additional cases of CWD since that time. DEC recently revised its surveillance plan and efforts this year will concentrate on collecting tissues at taxidermists as well as deer processors.
It is not known exactly how CWD is transmitted. The infectious agent, a prion, may be passed from animal to animal through feces, urine or saliva. The minimal incubation period between infection and development of clinical disease appears to be about 16 months. The maximum incubation period is unknown, as is the point at which shedding of the CWD agent begins during the prolonged course of infection.
The movement of infected material is believed to be one of primary routes of transmission. This amendment to the CWD regulations prohibits importing those parts of a deer where the disease is most likely to be found. DEC advises hunters not to consume the meat of any animal that acts abnormal and to exercise precautions when butchering animals, such as using rubber or latex gloves. Also, DEC urges hunters to dispose of deer parts that will not be consumed in a municipal landfill.
Additional information about CWD can be found on DEC’s website at: http://www.dec.ny.go...imals/7507.html and http://www.dec.ny.go...mals/33220.html. Information is also available on the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance's website at http://www.cwd-info.org/.
HuntingNY
Columbus Day weekend, October 6-8, marked the state’s first youth firearms deer hunt and reports from the field indicate the youth deer hunt was a success for many junior hunters as they learned about New York’s rich deer hunting tradition under the watchful eyes of experienced mentors, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today.
“The youth deer hunt is a great opportunity for the next generation of New York hunters and is an important step in preserving our hunting heritage while maintaining our ability to manage deer through hunting in the future,” said Commissioner Martens. “We received enthusiastic feedback from parents and excited young hunters who took part of the Columbus Day weekend. These experiences demonstrate the great value of providing this unique opportunity for junior hunters.”
During the youth deer hunt, junior hunters (ages 14-15) with a big game hunting license were eligible to take one deer of either sex with a firearm when properly accompanied by a licensed and experienced adult.
The number of Junior Hunting license holders who were eligible to participate at least one day of the youth hunt was 12,753. To date, junior hunters have reported taking 486 deer, though hunters have 7 days to report their kill. DEC anticipates the final harvest estimate for the youth deer hunt will be higher after all reports are in and the harvest is calculated.
DEC Environmental Conservation Officers and wildlife staff were afield throughout the weekend, monitoring hunter activity and talking with bowhunters, small game and turkey hunters, and junior hunters about their experience during the youth deer hunt. Reports from the junior hunters were overwhelmingly positive, and other hunters reported their hunting was not affected by the ongoing youth deer hunt. Some hunters indicated that while they did not support the youth hunt when it was first proposed, their actual observations over the weekend and seeing what a positive experience it was for so many kids, has changed their minds.
Additionally, New York’s junior hunters demonstrated why mentored youth have the greatest safety record of all hunters across the nation; no hunting related shooting incidents were reported during the youth deer hunt.
To showcase the success of junior hunters, DEC encourages parents to submit a picture to DEC’s Big Game Hunting Photo Gallery (www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/54055.html).
HuntingNY
As most of you when we first saw pictures of this buck we were pretty amazed. It was a huge non-typical with approximately 22 points with a score of around 220. There were stories and posts popping up all over about the deer on ArcheryTalk and other hunting websites including our forums. The story eventually made it into a few newspapers and hunting magazine websites.
Original stories / posts:
http://www.watertown...RTS01/710029803
http://www.archeryta...d.php?t=1860103
http://www.deerandde...cord-nontypical
http://www.nybowhunt...on-typical.html
Photos of the buck:
http://huntingny.com..._20#entry149787
The Real story:
Unfortunately this deer was taken off a high-fence farm, tagged (illegally) with a NYS tag, and pushed off as a deer that was taken in the wild.
It's a real shame that people would go through these lengths for their 15 minutes of fame. Hopefully the publicity that this story is getting serves as a reminder to those that were thinking of doing the same thing.
http://www.watertown...EWS03/710039822
Below quotes are from the Watertown Daily Times, article linked above.
Matthew J. Cooper, a local scorer for Boone and Crockett and vice president of the New York State Big Buck Club, said he realized something was amiss when he was called by Mr. Long to measure the deer at Wilderness Walt’s Taxidermy, 10641 Station Road, Lowville.
Mr. Cooper said hunters will “periodically” enter an ineligible deer for record attempts.
“I give hunters the benefit of the doubt every time. ... it’s a very happy moment for them,” Mr. Cooper said. “I want to share and contribute to their special moment. It’s very disappointing to see someone make an attempt to defraud the record book.”
Measuring the buck Friday afternoon, Mr. Cooper asked to take the deer’s lower jaw, which can be used to estimate its age. He said he determined the deer was about 2 years old, which he felt was not old enough to have naturally developed that size of antlers.
Suspicious, Mr. Cooper then had Mr. Long take him to the reported kill site, off Jacobs Road. Mr. Cooper was surprised when Mr. Long told him the deer fell about 30 feet after being hit. Mr. Cooper said most deer hit by an arrow travel 50 to 100 yards before falling.
“They have to bleed to death,” Mr. Cooper said.
He said there was no blood near the area of the deer’s reported death.
“The kill site was unrealistic,” Mr. Cooper said.
He said he was able to learn enough by Friday evening that he could tell Mr. Long that his deer was farm-raised, and as a result would not be eligible. Mr. Cooper said he gave Mr. Long two options: Either remove the record attempt request or he would be forced to prove publicly that the deer is ineligible.
Mr. Cooper said Mr. Long told him he would withdraw his request.
Mr. Long met with a Times reporter to talk about the deer late Friday afternoon, after the Times was contacted earlier in the day by his girlfriend, Mandy Petrie. Mr. Long also did not mention the questions about the deer’s eligibility when called by the Times on Saturday and Monday about submitting a photo.
After a story about Mr. Long and his hunt was printed in the Times on Tuesday, Mr. Cooper said, he left a phone message for Mr. Long. Mr. Cooper received a phone message later from Mr. Long, telling him again he would not attempt to set a record with the deer.
“He’s put himself in an awkward position,” Mr. Cooper said.
A message left with the taxidermy shop’s owner, Walter A. Graf, was not returned Tuesday afternoon. An email message to Ms. Petrie on Tuesday afternoon requesting comment did not receive a response.
Stephen W. Litwhiler, a DEC spokesman, said Mr. Long, 39, of North Pleasant Lane, was given the filing a false report charge instead of one for possession or transport of an improperly tagged deer, which are done mainly for hunters who make an error when filling out their tag.
HuntingNY
The 2012 Bow Season has begun and members are already posting up some of their success stories.
Some important links for this hunting season:
Live From The Stand 2012 - http://huntingny.com...the-stand-2012/
2012 Bow Harvest / Success Thread - http://huntingny.com...harvest-thread/
There are a few really nice does and bucks taken so far. Check out this 200+ pounder here: http://huntingny.com..._60#entry150961 and this 10 pointer here: http://huntingny.com...st/#entry150400
As always be safe out there and let us know how your season is going!
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