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NY DEC States Record Bear Harvest And Steady Deer Take In 2011

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Hunters in New York State harvested more than 228,350 deer and 1,250 bears during the 2011 hunting seasons, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The deer take nearly matched the 2010 deer take while a new record was set for the bear harvest in southern New York.

“Deer and bear hunting are long-standing traditions in New York, providing a valuable source of food and a means of shared recreation for many families,” Commissioner Martens said. “Throughout the state, hunters play a crucial role by helping to maintain healthy and ecologically sound deer and bear populations.”

Deer Harvest

The 2011 deer take varied less than one percent from the 2010 take statewide. In 2011, hunters took slightly more than 118,350 antlerless deer (adult females and fawns) and just over 110,000 adult male deer (bucks). In the northern zone, the buck take (about 15,900) was essentially unchanged from 2010, though the antlerless harvest (about 10,900) was down about 13 percent from last year. In the southern zone, excluding Long Island, the adult buck take (about 93,100) increased nearly four percent over last year while the antlerless harvest (about 105,400) decreased by three percent.

2011 marked the first year that crossbows were allowed as a legal hunting implement for deer. However, legislation limited crossbow use to the regular firearms seasons and subsequent muzzleloader seasons for deer. Relatively few hunters took crossbows afield and the estimated take by crossbows was only 491 deer statewide, less than 0.25 percent of the total deer harvest.

Throughout the state, hunters took a slightly higher proportion of 2.5-year-old and older bucks than in previous years, continuing a trend that has developed over the past two decades. Throughout most of New York, hunters can take a buck of any age, but an increasing number of hunters are voluntarily choosing to take older bucks with larger antlers. In 2011, 46 percent of harvested bucks were 2.5-years-old or older, compared to only 33 percent in 2000 and 28 percent in the early 1990s.

Western New York and the Finger Lakes Region perennially lead the state in total deer-harvest densities, and deer take in 2011 remained true to form. The top five counties for 2011 were Yates (16.4 total deer per square mile), Wyoming 13.8 , Genesee 10.8, Ontario 10.5, and Livingston 10.0.

It’s important to note that the total deer harvest is strongly impacted by the number of Deer Management Permits (DMPs) available in a given area, which govern the harvest of antlerless deer and are used to manage the deer population in a given area.

A more accurate picture of relative deer abundance is revealed by the number of bucks harvested per square mile. The five counties with the most bucks harvested per square mile were: Yates (5.6), Wyoming (5.4), Orange (4.1), Ontario (4.1), and Allegany (4.0). The deer populations in four of the counties listed above (all except Allegany County) are higher than the deer population objectives set for those counties. DEC will continue its efforts to reduce the deer population to achieve the desired density levels wherever necessary.

In 2011, DEC adopted a white-tailed deer management plan (see: www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7211.html#DeerPlan). The plan will guide DEC deer management and deer hunting decisions for the next five years. In the upcoming weeks, DEC will propose several regulation changes that were identified in the deer management plan. Hunters and the public will have the opportunity to comment on these changes when a formal proposal is made. Some of the proposed revisions include:

· change the start date of the southern zone bow season to October 1;

· establish a youth hunt for deer;

· allow DMPs to be used during the northern zone bow and muzzleloader seasons;

· establish mandatory antler restrictions in seven additional Wildlife Management Units in the Catskills;

· establish a late bowhunting season in portions of the northern zone; and

· establish Deer Management Focus Areas to expand the use of traditional hunting in areas with overabundant deer.

Bear Harvest

Outside of the Adirondack region the 2011 bear harvest set new records, substantially exceeding previous record takes in central and western New York. In contrast, bear take in the Adirondack region dropped to a level not seen since 1998.

Hunters in southeastern New York harvested 630 bears in 2011, besting the previous record of 520 set in 2008. This was due in part to a new rule that expanded bear hunting in eastern New York State to include all or portions of seven new counties in eastern New York from Rockland and Westchester north to Washington beginning in 2011. Hunters took 50 bears from this new area, including 18 bears taken in Washington County, 11 in Rensselaer County, 10 in Columbia County, seven in Dutchess County, two in Putnam County and two in Rockland County. Yet even without these additional bears, take in the rest of the southeastern region exceeded previous record levels, reflecting a 25-year trend of generally increasing bear harvests in this region.

In central and western New York, the 2011 bear take of 353 greatly surpassed the previous record of 193 bears set in 2008. This was due in large part to a regulation change that moved the regular bear season opening day up one week to coincide with the start of the regular deer season. This change was implemented to reduce bear population growth and range expansion. Yet, as with bear take in the southeastern region, it is likely that even without these additional seven days of the regular season in the central-western region, bear take during the traditional season would have matched or exceeded the 2008 record, reflecting a 15-year trend of generally increasing bear harvests in this region.

In the Adirondacks, bear take was below the five-year average during each of the bear seasons and the overall bear take was down about 47 percent from 2010.

Bear harvest rates in the Adirondacks typically drop in the early season during years of abundant soft mast (cherries, raspberries and apples), while the take will increase during the regular season in years with abundant beech nuts.

This past season provided abundant soft mast, particularly raspberries and blackberries in September and October, and bear take during the early season was only 70 bears, about 70 percent below the five-year average. Beech nut abundance was mixed throughout the Adirondacks and the regular season bear take was approximately 15 percent below the five-year average. Additionally, much of the muzzleloading and regular season in the Adirondacks had above average temperatures and snow cover was inconsistent and relatively scarce making bear hunting all the more challenging.

Deer and bear harvest data are gathered from two main sources: harvest reports required by all successful hunters and DEC’s examination of harvested deer and bear at check stations and meat processors. Statewide harvest estimates are made by cross-referencing these two data sources. For more information about the 2011 deer and bear harvests, see DEC’s website at: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/42232.html.

See attached PDF for breakdown of the harvests.

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      “DEC crews worked hard the past few months to open roads and other facilities so hunters, trappers and others can access these lands and waters,” said Commissioner Martens. “DEC continues to improve and provide new public access to lands in the Adirondacks, and encourages people to enjoy the unique opportunities available.”
       
      Mountain Pond Road, Kushaqua Tract
      The Kushaqua Tract Conservation Easement Lands are located in the towns of Franklin and Brighton, and are owned by the Lyme Timber Company of Hanover, New Hampshire. The entire property, with the exception of 32 private lease camp lots, is open to the public for recreation.
      Mountain Pond Road is located off the North Branch Road – the main entrance to the southern portion of the Kushaqua Tract near the hamlet of Onchiota. DEC staff, with the cooperation and assistance of the landowner, used Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) money to upgrade Mountain Pond Road to allow seasonal motor vehicle access.
      The road extends northeast, passing through several areas where timber was harvested during the past five years. These recently harvested areas are rich with a variety of non-game species, as well as popular game species including whitetail deer, black bear, ruffed grouse and woodcock. The road also features scenic views of the Loon Lake Mountain range to the north and the High Peaks region to the south. In the future, DEC will develop facilities to provide access to Mountain Pond. 
      A designated parking area is located on the North Branch Road where it enters the Kushaqua Tract. An information kiosk featuring a map and guidelines for use of the road and lands is located in the parking area. Several old log landings and road shoulders along Mountain Pond Road have been mowed to provide off-road parking. Food, supplies and gas for those using the Kushaqua Tract Conservation Easement Lands can be found in the nearby communities of Bloomingdale and Gabriels. Amenities and lodging are available in Saranac Lake.
       
      O’Neill Flow & Barker Pond Roads, Township 19 Tract
      The Township 19 Tract Conservation Easement Lands Public Use Area is located south of O’Neill Flow Road and north of the Blue Mountain Wild Forest in the Town of Indian Lake. The Township 19 Tract is part of the 92,000-acre Upper Hudson Woodlands ATP Conservation Easement Lands owned by ATP Timberland Invest of Hillerod, Denmark.
      O’Neill Flow Road is located off State Route 30/28 between the communities of Blue Mountain Lake and Indian Lake. The road not only provides access to the 1,600-acre public use area, but also to thousands of acres of adjacent Forest Preserve lands in the Blue Mountain Lake Wild Forest.
      The road is currently open to public motor vehicles for approximately two miles, ending at a gate just beyond the intersection with the Barker Pond Road. The Barker Pond Road extends another 0.6 mile to a new parking area a short distance from Barker Pond.
      DEC developed and designated a primitive tent site near the parking area. Another primitive tent site has been designated on the west shore of Barker Pond.
      The first mile of the O’Neill Flow Road passes through Forest Preserve lands. The remaining length of the road serves as the boundary between private lands to the north and the public use area to the south. The O’Neill Flow Road is currently gated just beyond the intersection with Barker Pond Road. Beyond the gate the road extends for another five miles, but can only be used for foot travel at this time. The road is a designated snowmobile trail for its entire length.
      DEC plans future improvements to these lands, including extending public motor vehicle usage on the O’Neill Flow Road another five miles to access fishing opportunities on Dun Brook, constructing a waterway access site on Barker Pond, and designating and developing additional primitive tent sites.
      The Township 19 CEL project is being funded by Governor Cuomo’s NY Works program and is part of the NY Open for Fishing and Hunting Initiative. In support of this initiative, this year’s budget included $6 million in NY Works funding to support creating 50 new land and water access projects to connect hunters, anglers, bird watchers and others who enjoy the outdoors to more than 380,000 acres of existing state and easement lands that have not reached their full potential. These 50 new access projects include building new boat launches, installing new hunting blinds and building new trails and parking areas. In addition, the 2014-15 budgets includes $4 million to repair the state’s fish hatcheries; and renews and allows expanded use of crossbows for hunting in New York State.
      Both roads are on privately owned conservation easement lands that may be actively logged. People can expect to see and hear logging trucks, skidders and other logging equipment. Visitors must respect the right of landowners and follow these guidelines:
      Do not trespass on private lands and, on the Kushaqua Tract, private leased camps; Use motorized vehicles only on designated roads; Park vehicles in designated parking areas; and Do not obstruct gates, barriers or the safe passage of vehicular traffic on property roads. Both seasonal access roads will be closed to motor vehicle traffic during the winter and spring mud season. Food, supplies, gas and lodging for those using the Township 19 Tract Conservation Easement Lands can be found in the nearby communities of Blue Mountain Lake and Indian Lake.
       
      Essex Chain Lakes Complex
      The Camp Six Road can be accessed off the Chain Lakes North Road. It is the second yellow gate on the right, which will be locked open for the regular big game hunting season. The road is open for a mile, ending at a parking area. The parking area provides access to thousands of acres of lands in the recently classified Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area and the Hudson Gorge Wilderness.
      The gate at the Outer Gooley parking area on the Chain Lakes Road South is also open for the hunting season, allowing for motor vehicles to travel for approximately 1.5 miles to a designated 4-vehicle parking area. There are 3 primitive tent sites along this section of road. Two additional tent sites are located past the seasonal parking area (and gate) – one further north on the Chain Lakes Road South and one at Pine Lake.
      Food, supplies, gas and lodging for those using the Essex Chain Lakes Complex can be found in the nearby communities of Newcomb and Indian Lake.
       
       
      Directions, maps and other information may be found on the DEC website for both the Kushaqua Tract (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/95009.html), the Township 19 Tract (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/71954.html) and the Essex Chain Lakes complex (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/91888.html ).
       
       

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