Syracuse.com - DEC: Preliminary report reflects success of first-ever, Columbus Day weekend youth hunt

[HuntingNY-News]

Reports from around the state also indicated an increase in the opening week deer harvest compared to last year.

Steve Joule, wildlife manager for the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 7, recently gave a preliminary report to the Region 7 Conservation League concerning this fall’s deer hunting.

The Region 7 Conservation League consists of representatives from eight of the nine Region 7 county federations of sportsmen’s associations (Tioga is defunct). The league meets every other month at DEC headquarters in Cortland to discuss issues of concern, especially in Region 7, according to Fred Neff, who chairs the board.

Joule’s report noted:

“The state’s first Youth Deer Hunt proved successful as 692 deer were harvested statewide (414 males and 278 females) during the three-day Columbus Day weekend.

Through this special opportunity, junior hunters (ages 14 and 15) with a big-game hunting license were allowed to take one deer of either sex with a firearm when properly accompanied by a licensed and experienced adult.

The highest reported take (35) was in Wildlife Management Unit 7M, which includes parts of Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga and Otsego counties.

No safety violations or injuries were reported, he added.

As for the first week of the Southern Zone regular firearms season, Joule told the board he didn’t have the raw data used to calculate the harvest, only the percentages.

“Reports from around the state indicated an increase in the opening week deer harvest compared to last year. Reported deer take during the Southern Zone opening weekend was 9 percent higher than in 2011 and through the first four days of the season (Saturday through Tuesday).

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog