Education Event- Deer Management in NYS

[Culvercreek hunt club]

The Branch is very excited to announce the upcoming education event. The topic will be "Deer Management in New York". It will be presented by Jeremy Hurst - Biologist at DEC's Central Office in Albany and Art Kirsch - Senior Biologist at DEC's Region 8 Office.

There has been a lot of interest in understanding NY's approach to deer management,  what the future holds and we believe this lecture will provide some insight. It will be on March 23rd at the Rush Henrietta, Burger Middle School at 639 Erie Station Rd, West Henrietta, New York 14586.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm. The lecture will start promptly at 7:pm and after a question and answer period, will conclude at 9:00 pm. This event is open to the public and is free. Seating will be limited to the capacity of the Auditorium so don't get there late.
 

Hope to see you there. 

Edited March 2, 2016 by Culvercreek hunt club

[b3h]

Can't make it. Would be very interested in any follow up data

Ol dog on a stray

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Wanted to give this a bump since it is less than two weeks away. I encourage you to attend. hear it from the horse's mouth and get a better understanding of the process. It's free. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Thought I would give this a bump since we are less than a week away. I hope to see many there. rare opportunity to hear it from the horses mouth. 

[shawnhu]

Would love to attend one of these, but the 6hr drive would make it tough. I've attended a few DEC biologist events held within a 2 he drive, but 6 might be too much for me at this point.

Those that live closer should definitely take advantage of this opportunity. Nothing but good stuff to say about the guys at DEC.

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Edited March 17, 2016 by shawnhu

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Keep your eyes open. There may be duplicates of this happening in other branches around the state. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Only two days out. Should be a very good presentation and then an open question and answer period. 

[RoadKill44]

It's on my Calendar and only a half hour away. I'm going to try to make it.

[dbHunterNY]

Keep your eyes open. There may be duplicates of this happening in other branches around the state. 

 

hope so.  can't make the drive.  when my group met with the region 4 biologist I thought it was informative on management from the DEC eye's.  we also got to talk privately outside not in front of the public which helps get more usefully truthful unrehearsed answers.  when DEC has public interaction like this I fully believe it's a great benefit to go hear what they have to say and speak your mind in a respective manner.  telling them what to do will go in one ear and out the other.  telling them what's worked or hasn't in your area and expressing any concerns is what they will pay attention too.

[NFA-ADK]

DEC does not manage deer they just keep the population down, big difference. 

 

Management would imply that they actually do something to improve the deer population.  Antler restrictions, restricting doe and telling us to pray for mild winters is the extent of their help.

 

No need for me to go to a meeting about how they do nothing to improve deer.  Snipers, baiting, spotlighting at night, food stations with chemicals pored into deer that make no hunter want the chemical stained meat.  Farms with excessive permits?  Keep up the good work, arg.  I do not blame the Biologist or even the DEC but to say they manage deer is just wrong they do not manage deer they are just in it for population control.

 

[phade]

Would love to be there, but not going to get a pass from the wife on our anniversary. Bah.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

DEC does not manage deer they just keep the population down, big difference. 

 

Management would imply that they actually do something to improve the deer population.  Antler restrictions, restricting doe and telling us to pray for mild winters is the extent of their help.

 

No need for me to go to a meeting about how they do nothing to improve deer.  Snipers, baiting, spotlighting at night, food stations with chemicals pored into deer that make no hunter want the chemical stained meat.  Farms with excessive permits?  Keep up the good work, arg.  I do not blame the Biologist or even the DEC but to say they manage deer is just wrong they do not manage deer they are just in it for population control.

Glad you won't be there with that attitude. So much easier to sit on your hands and do nothing yet bitch about the lack of results. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Would love to be there, but not going to get a pass from the wife on our anniversary. Bah.

Tell her you have a very special night planned and bring her...lol

[NFA-ADK]

Yes going and complaining about them doing nothing would be a great waste of my time but you have fun!  Tell me what they have done to improve deer and the deer herds?  Besides telling us to pray for mild winters, lol great management.

Glad you won't be there with that attitude. So much easier to sit on your hands and do nothing yet bitch about the lack of results. 

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Yes going and complaining about them doing nothing would be a great waste of my time but you have fun!  Tell me what they have done to improve deer and the deer herds?  Besides telling us to pray for mild winters, lol great management.

Let me ask you this. What is the DEC allowed to do based on the system that is set up in NY?

[NFA-ADK]

Asking a question to my question is not an answer.  The DEC is controlled by the politicians and have no real control over the deer except to keep the numbers in check.  If you really want to learn about deer join a QDM program they have much more information than any seminar from the DEC about their management plans that cover the entire state. 

 

But sure go learn about the 5 year and 7 year or 10 year programs that do nothing but keep the deer numbers in check, great info to help you in your quest to learn about how the DEC controls deer numbers ONLY. 

 

Answer me this question:  What did you learn at this seminar that was the most valuable?  I found out the last one that the DEC does not manage deer just the number that is allowed!  So why would I go to another DEC seminar about how they do nothing but population control?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Asking a question to my question is not an answer.  The DEC is controlled by the politicians and have no real control over the deer except to keep the numbers in check.  If you really want to learn about deer join a QDM program they have much more information than any seminar from the DEC about their management plans that cover the entire state. 

 

Did you notice who is putting this on? 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2016 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Asking a question to my question is not an answer.

What question?

[WNYBuckHunter]

 

Answer me this question:  What did you learn at this seminar that was the most valuable?  I found out the last one that the DEC does not manage deer just the number that is allowed!  So why would I go to another DEC seminar about how they do nothing but population control?

 

 

Kinda hard to answer that question seeing as the seminar hasn't happened yet.

[dbHunterNY]

Asking a question to my question is not an answer.  The DEC is controlled by the politicians and have no real control over the deer except to keep the numbers in check.  If you really want to learn about deer join a QDM program they have much more information than any seminar from the DEC about their management plans that cover the entire state......

 

 

QDM programs and DEC can both do things the other can't when it comes to managing deer in NYS.  in DEC's defense, QDM programs couldn't do as much as they are without resources from DEC, such as additional tags and ECO support among other things.  DEC isn't perfect, but they do help some with QDM efforts.

[DirtTime]

I will have to keep my eyes open for an event like this in my area. Would be interesting to see what they say and what they plan.

[BellR]

But sure go learn about the 5 year and 7 year or 10 year programs that do nothing but keep the deer numbers in check, great info to help you in your quest to learn about how the DEC controls deer numbers ONLY. 

 

You do realize that DEC is tasked with managing deer and not antlers right?  If you are focused on managing the deer themselves, the numbers should be the only thing you consider.  If you want to manage antlers on your property that's up to you.

[phade]

How was it? I heard turnout was 50-60 people?

 

Wish I could have went, but no go.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

It went well. They discussed the logic and math behind the model, major changes to their CTF program to better incorporate environment and biological indicators, very good info on what DEC can actually do vs what is tied to legislative actions. They discussed the buck zones and the math and responses behind the surveys and how the data was used.  They fielded questions and answered as many as we could fit in. They explained how the education initiative was decided on for buck management  and how the data from the regions across the state was used to do that. They did and will be asking for input on ideas about promoting that education. I think they took the questions seriously and never got the feeling that they were answering off scripted talking points. 

 

They discussed the doe permitting and some of the hurdles they face becasue of our current computer software and system.

 

I have to be honest though. I was disappointed in the turn out. It was fairly typical in size for one of our education events but I expected it to be higher with all the comments I have heard about hunter displeasure with previous programs and the DEC. I guess hunters just like to bitch  behind a keyboard or over a beer but when it come time to expend a little effort to make a change we fall short. 

Edited March 24, 2016 by Culvercreek hunt club

[beachpeaz]

Did you seriously write "it went well?"

 

The room was almost empty. For 150,000 registered hunters in those 3 deer zones, that was pitiful.  Jeremy and Arts presentation was dripping in hypocrisy and unfounded "facts."

 

The 2 "biologists" who are suppose to run our management programs are asking a room with 30 people in it for "suggestions and tools" for the new 5 year plan that was undoubtedly already given to the state months ago.

 

They had the nerve to anchor their entire presentation in a survey that had 2,800 results for ALL 7 deer management zones.  That is asking 400 people out of an average of 150,000 what their opinion is.  Then backing their argument up with the comment that "400 people is an acceptable sample size, and that the results would not vary with a larger group."  Really?  1/4th of 1% sample size is acceptable?  If I ran my business with the opinion of 1 customer out of every 5,000 I do business with, I would have been out of business years ago. Further to that point, to also make comment that "they don't have the resources to fund a larger study" when they have access to 550,000 registered hunters is appalling.  Where does that $47,000,000 in license sales go if not towards better funded studies and education programs.

 

Lastly, the entire second half of that presentation given by Art about deer devastation in urban areas where we can't hunt was a total waste of time.  Run your bait and shoot programs (or as he mentioned, trap and kill......whatever the hell that means), and lets move on to discussions where hunters CAN make a difference.  Not a single person in that room could care one iota about the unhuntable deer population (especially when the DEC has no solution to it that involves hunters).

 

Totally disappointing, but completed what I expected out of an incompetent DEC group.

 

The last audience member who spoke hit the nail on the head.  If you want to see real change, do it yourself!  Do NOT expect the DEC's incompetence to change or for them to actually have a rational though in their heads.

 

If you doubt anything that is written or said, the following conversation should sum this meeting up:
 

One audience member made reference to the decline in deer population in his area contrary to what the DEC has laid claim.  He specifically mentioned the harsh couple winters and the negative effect it had.  The DEC's "claim" of overabundant deer population and a failed plan to harvest more deer was in direct conflict of actual observation by the hunters.  Art (the region Biologist for the DEC) answered by saying that they realize the amount of devastation the consecutive bad winters had, but enacted their "doe harvest" plan anyway because, and I quote "the deer population would regenerate eventually."  So, you have an environmental factor that flies directly in the face of a plan you enacted, and you went through with the plan anyways, because, hey, whatever.....the deer will figure out a way to have sex.

 

I could go on, and on, and on with the "facts" given at this meeting.......