> For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Michael Fraser
> Monday, March 1, 2004 (518) 402-8000
>
> DEC RELEASES STATISTICS FROM 2003 DEER HARVEST
> Hunters Enjoy Productive Season, Management Efforts Successful
>
> New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
> Commissioner Erin M. Crotty today announced harvest results of the 2003
deer
> hunting seasons. The total deer take in the 2003 season was slightly more
> than 253,000, and includes more than 107,000 bucks and nearly 146,000
> antlerless deer. As anticipated, modest declines in total deer take were
> recorded in all of the major hunting zones, except for Long Island where a
> slight increase was noted.
>
> "New York's deer hunters took more than 94,000 adult females in 2003,
> about 90 percent of the female take objective," Commissioner Crotty said.
> "Achieving this objective is an important component of DEC's management
> program to maintain deer populations at desired levels in New York. The
> role deer hunters play is crucial to our management program's success and
we
> sincerely appreciate their participation."
>
> The 2003 total deer take of 253,000 deer is well above the previous
> 10-year average total take of 239,000. The 2003 buck take reflects a
> reduction over the 2002 total of 128,000 and was anticipated after several
> years of increased harvests. The winter of 2002-2003 saw a return to some
> of the harsh winter conditions that can occur in New York, especially in
the
> Northern Zone and in portions of the Catskill Region and the Lake Plains.
> Winter mortality was documented in many areas and the reductions in deer
> takes in some areas were expected. DEC estimates the total deer population
> in New York State to be more than 1 million, prior to big game season.
>
> DEC-initiated law changes enacted in 2002 were intended to increase
> hunter participation and antlerless harvest, and the resulting record deer
> take of 2002 has also served to lower deer numbers and bring populations
> closer to desired levels in many areas, especially portions of western New
> York.
>
> As a result of winter mortality in 2002-03 and lower deer numbers in
> many Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), DEC issued fewer deer management
> permits (DMPs) during the 2003 season. The final total of 684,000 DMPs
was
> about 90,000 less than were issued for the 2002 season. DMPs are valid
only
> for the taking of antlerless deer and serve as the cornerstone for
statewide
> deer management efforts.
>
> (MORE)
>
>
>
> -2-
>
> In New York State, Steuben County had the highest deer take in 2003,
> with 17,768 deer, including 6,242 bucks, harvested. Cattaraugus County
was
> second, with 15,606 deer, including 5,283 bucks, followed by Allegany
> County, 14,680 deer, including 5,262 bucks. Chautauqua County (10,628
> total, 3,925 bucks) and St. Lawrence County (9,070 total, 4,516 bucks)
> rounded out the top five counties in the State.
>
> A key part of the overall deer program is the Deer Management
Assistance
> Program (DMAP) which offers site-specific relief for farmers and others
> suffering from deer damage. The DMAP program has been in existence since
> 1999 and after five years of growth, the program has begun to stabilize
with
> more than 12,000 deer taken again by hunters from approximately 2,200
> problem areas during the past season.
>
> Deer populations vary considerably throughout New York, and
> approximately one-quarter of the current WMUs have deer populations that
are
> within 10 percent of desired levels. About one-third of the units have
> populations above desired levels, and the remainder of the areas, about 40
> percent, have lower than desired populations. The goal of DEC's deer
> management program is to maintain deer numbers at levels that meet local
> interests and habitat conditions, while also providing quality hunting
> opportunities for New York's 650,000 deer hunters who go afield each fall
in
> New York in pursuit of the white-tailed deer. Opportunities to participate
> in deer hunting activities are many and include a multiple seasons,
spanning
> several months duration. Complete information about New York's deer
> management program and hunting opportunities is available on DEC's website
> at: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/deer/
>
> For more than a decade, DEC has utilized local citizen task forces to
> establish deer population objectives for most WMUs. The task forces
> represent a broad range of public interests and consider concerns of
> farmers, foresters, conservationists, landowners and hunters. Each WMU's
> desired deer population level is expressed as a Buck Take Objective (BTO)
> and reflects the approximate buck take per square mile that would be
taken
> when the deer population is close to the desired level.
>
> Weather conditions this winter will be carefully assessed by DEC
because
> consecutive years of winter kill can have longer reaching effects on deer
> numbers, especially in some of the more critical areas in the Adirondacks
> and the Catskills. Deer populations have been more closely aligned with
> desired levels in other areas, and the reduced deer take in the 2003
season
> reflects well on the continued success of New York's deer hunters as the
> most effective tool for managing deer numbers on a landscape scale.
Opening
> day in the Southern Zone will be Monday, November 22, 2004.
>
> The accompanying charts and tables provide details on New York's
2003
> deer harvest.
>
> ###
>
> 04-18
>
>
> NEW YORK STATE
> DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
>
> Proposed Buck Take Objectives and Actual Buck Take
> for the NYS 2003 Deer Season
> (FIGURES IN BUCKS PER SQUARE MILE)
>
> Wildlife Management Unit Proposed Buck Take Objective Actual
> Buck Take Wildlife Management Unit Proposed Buck Take Objective
> Actual
> Buck Take
> 1C not set 0.8 6H not set 1.0
> 3A ÿ
> 3.0 1.1 6J not set 0.5
> 3C ÿ
> 2.7 3.1 6K ÿ 1.8 2.0
> 3F ÿ
> 2.4 3.2 6N not set 1.0
> 3G ÿ
> 4.1 3.0 6P ÿ 1.3 1.4
> 3H ÿ
> 4.2 2.7 6R ÿ
> 0.7 1.1
> 3J ÿ 3.4 3.7 6S ÿ
> 2.5 1.6
> 3K ÿ
> 3.5 3.0 7A ÿ
> 1.8 1.4
> 3M ÿ
> 3.3 3.9 7F ÿ
> 1.5 1.9
> 3N ÿ
> 2.7 3.4 7H ÿ
> 2.8 3.3
> 3P ÿ 2.5 2.7 7J ÿ
> 2.2 2.7
> 3R not set 0.8 7M ÿ
> 3.5 2.3
> 3S not set 1.3 7R ÿ
> 3.6 4.2
> 4A ÿ
> 1.9 1.4 7S ÿ
> 3.0 3.5
> 4B ÿ
> 1.2 1.5 8A ÿ
> 1.5 2.4
> 4C ÿ
> 4.5 3.0 8C ÿ
> 0.5 0.9
> 4F ÿ
> 3.4 2.6 8F ÿ
> 1.9 2.4
> 4G ÿ 2.3 2.5 8G ÿ
> 2.3 3.3
> 4H ÿ
> 3.4 2.7 8H ÿ
> 2.8 4.2
> 4J not set 0.9 8J ÿ
> 2.1 2.5
> 4K ÿ
> 3.0 2.3 8K not set 5.0
> 4L ÿ
> 2.0 1.4 8M ÿ 3.9 4.1
> 4M ÿ 1.9 1.8 8N not set 7.0
> 4N ÿ
> 3.5 2.8 8P ÿ
> 4.2 4.8
> 4O ÿ
> 3.3 1.9 8R ÿ
> 4.2 5.0
> 4P ÿ
> 2.2 1.9 8S ÿ
> 4.2 3.4
> 4R ÿ
> 5.1 1.9 8T ÿ
> 4.8 4.2
> 4S ÿ
> 3.3 2.3 8W ÿ 3.8 3.5
> Wildlife Management Unit Proposed Buck Take Objective Actual
> Buck Take Wildlife Management Unit Proposed Buck Take Objective
> Actual
> Buck Take
> 4T ÿ
> 2.9 3.4 8X not set 4.8
> 4U ÿ
> 4.1 3.1 8Y ÿ
> 4.5 3.8
> 4W ÿ
> 4.0 1.6 9A ÿ
> 1.1 1.7
> 4X not set 0.6 9F ÿ
> 2.5 3.7
> 4Y ÿ 3.9 3.8 9G ÿ
> 2.0 2.8
> 4Z ÿ
> 4.7 3.3 9H ÿ 4.0 3.7
> 5A not set 0.9 9J ÿ 3.5 3.7
> 5C not set 0.4 9K ÿ 3.7 3.9
> 5F not set 0.4 9M ÿ 5.1 5.2
> 5G not set 1.1 9N ÿ 3.5 3.9
> 5H not set 0.6 9P ÿ
> 6.0 5.0
> 5J not set 1.3 9R ÿ
> 4.1 3.1
> 5K not set 1.5 9S ÿ 3.1 3.3
> 5N ÿ
> 3.2 2.4 9T ÿ
> 4.4 3.7
> 5P ÿ
> 3.9 3.2 9W ÿ
> 4.4 4.9
> 5R ÿ 1.2 1.3 9X ÿ
> 5.8 4.4
> 6A ÿ 1.7 1.9 9Y ÿ 5.0 5.4
> 6C ÿ 2.0 1.9 93 WMU's Statewide
> 6F not set 1.0 74 WMU's with a Buck Take Objective
> 6G ÿ
> 1.7 2.7 19 WMU's without a Buck Take Objective
>
>
> ÿ 2003 buck take is 10% or more above the objective..........25 WMUs
> (34%)
>
> ÿ 2003 buck take is within 10%. of the objective..................19
> WMUs (26%)
>
> ÿ 2003 buck take is 10% or more below the objective..........30 WMUs
> (40%)
>
> No mark Buck take objective is not established or unit
> not open...19 WMUs
>
>
> The Buck Take Objective for a Wildlife Management Unit represents the
> desired number of antlered bucks harvested annually per square mile. Buck
> take objectives are based upon recommendations made by Citizen Task Forces
> in each WMU. On average, hunters take a consistent percentage of the
adult
> bucks available each year. DEC biologists use buck takes as an index of
the
> success in reaching and maintaining deer populations at the recommended
> levels within each WMU.
>
>
>
>
> 2002 - 2003 PAGE 1
> CALCULATED DEER TAKE BY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT UNIT (WMU)
>
> N U M B E R O F D E E R BUCKS PER
> 2002 2003 SQUARE MILE
> WMU BUCKS TOTAL BUCKS TOTAL 2002 2003
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> 1C 691 2,148 759 2,456 0.8 0.8
> 3A 1,042 1,345 694 940 1.7 1.1
> 3C 866 1,790 986 1,984 2.7 3.1
> 3F 1,113 2,522 1,061 2,302 3.4 3.2
> 3G 1,540 3,672 1,359 3,013 3.4 3.0
> 3H 1,954 3,676 1,483 3,057 3.5 2.7
> 3J 1,268 2,544 1,316 2,505 3.6 3.7
> 3K 1,332 2,465 1,150 2,049 3.5 3.0
> 3M 3,062 7,639 2,899 7,347 4.1 3.9
> 3N 696 1,390 747 1,639 3.1 3.4
> 3P 401 878 336 637 3.2 2.7
> 3R 172 272 158 273 0.8 0.8
> 3S 559 1,658 557 1,633 1.3 1.3
> 4A 800 1,174 615 1,061 1.9 1.4
> 4B 325 785 244 642 2.0 1.5
> 4C 648 1,489 495 974 3.9 3.0
> 4F 3,227 6,951 2,499 5,464 3.4 2.6
> 4G 1,107 2,100 931 1,958 3.0 2.5
> 4H 944 2,043 789 1,635 3.3 2.7
> 4J 133 542 141 537 0.9 0.9
> 4K 390 785 354 646 2.5 2.3
> 4L 315 432 256 383 1.8 1.4
> 4M 357 991 249 564 2.5 1.8
> 4N 803 1,869 570 1,369 3.9 2.8
> 4O 2,075 4,107 1,429 2,990 2.8 1.9
> 4P 1,089 2,156 679 1,473 3.0 1.9
> 4R 740 1,334 559 1,124 2.5 1.9
> 4S 555 902 506 846 2.5 2.3
> 4T 467 1,124 445 1,069 3.5 3.4
> 4U 477 1,033 392 888 3.8 3.1
> 4W 1,514 3,060 721 1,663 3.4 1.6
> 4X 74 80 50 61 0.9 0.6
> 4Y 848 2,284 669 1,811 4.8 3.8
> 4Z 957 2,338 832 1,823 3.8 3.3
> 5A 630 951 700 943 0.8 0.9
> 5C 350 446 409 526 0.4 0.4
> 5F 585 705 537 619 0.4 0.4
> 5G 1,249 1,698 1,184 1,292 1.1 1.1
> 5H 2,055 2,470 1,801 1,897 0.7 0.6
> 5J 1,356 1,969 1,006 1,115 1.7 1.3
> 5K 332 1,026 251 404 2.0 1.5
> 5N 1,576 3,944 1,077 1,965 3.5 2.4
> 5P 104 385 104 224 3.2 3.2
> 5R 705 1,634 482 1,251 1.9 1.3
> 6A 3,401 7,651 2,857 6,131 2.3 1.9
> 6C 1,975 4,624 1,649 3,615 2.2 1.9
> 6F 1,516 1,969 1,190 1,609 1.2 1.0
>
> 2002 - 2003 PAGE 2
> CALCULATED DEER TAKE BY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT UNIT (WMU)
>
> N U M B E R O F D E E R BUCKS PER
> 2002 2003 SQUARE MILE
> WMU BUCKS TOTAL BUCKS TOTAL 2002 2003
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> 6G 2,857 6,901 2,777 6,828 2.8 2.7
> 6H 441 533 167 404 2.6 1.0
> 6J 1,171 1,745 879 1,437 0.7 0.5
> 6K 2,665 6,147 2,155 4,824 2.5 2.0
> 6N 716 862 479 638 1.5 1.0
> 6P 274 596 275 540 1.3 1.4
> 6R 752 1,615 611 1,347 1.4 1.1
> 6S 1,261 2,343 950 1,731 2.1 1.6
> 7A 1,086 2,050 754 1,501 2.0 1.4
> 7F 1,365 3,402 1,277 3,058 2.0 1.9
> 7H 1,152 2,606 1,189 2,597 3.2 3.3
> 7J 2,282 5,070 2,238 4,894 2.7 2.7
> 7M 4,494 7,950 3,851 6,794 2.7 2.3
> 7R 3,372 9,304 3,111 8,542 4.6 4.2
> 7S 3,021 8,127 2,609 7,359 4.1 3.5
> 8A 1,140 3,029 1,001 2,816 2.7 2.4
> 8C 93 370 123 447 0.7 0.9
> 8F 1,956 5,263 1,739 4,441 2.7 2.4
> 8G 2,409 6,989 2,297 6,358 3.5 3.3
> 8H 2,656 7,692 2,438 6,590 4.6 4.2
> 8J 2,012 5,498 1,762 4,483 2.9 2.5
> 8K 4 75 76 229 0.3 5.0
> 8M 1,494 4,306 1,265 3,920 4.9 4.1
> 8N 2,502 7,755 2,215 6,907 8.0 7.0
> 8P 2,160 5,559 1,707 4,533 6.1 4.8
> 8R 1,658 4,946 1,507 4,543 6.1 5.6
> 8S 1,105 3,355 882 1,749 4.3 3.4
> 8T 2,172 6,221 1,628 4,793 5.6 4.2
> 8W 1,850 4,454 1,551 3,535 4.2 3.5
> 8X 2,703 8,336 1,934 6,320 6.7 4.8
> 8Y 1,701 4,046 1,357 3,182 4.8 3.8
> 9A 802 1,940 807 1,842 1.7 1.7
> 9F 898 2,420 1,022 2,248 3.2 3.7
> 9G 617 1,619 641 1,550 2.7 2.8
> 9H 4,013 11,624 3,582 8,557 4.1 3.7
> 9J 3,149 9,083 2,599 7,486 4.5 3.7
> 9K 1,985 5,770 1,748 4,362 4.4 3.9
> 9M 2,251 6,382 1,725 5,305 6.8 5.2
> 9N 1,034 2,906 804 2,272 5.0 3.9
> 9P 4,070 11,438 2,883 8,062 7.0 5.0
> 9R 1,020 2,868 671 2,126 4.7 3.1
> 9S 429 1,246 299 839 4.7 3.3
> 9T 1,299 3,315 916 2,731 5.2 3.7
> 9W 1,588 4,293 1,221 3,633 6.3 4.9
> 9X 1,316 4,107 958 2,302 6.0 4.4
> 9Y 922 3,010 676 2,026 7.4 5.4
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> TOT 128,292 308,216 107,533 253,088
>
> CALCULATED DEER TAKE BY COUNTY 2002 - 2003 PAGE 1
>
> N U M B E R O F D E E R BUCKS PER
> 2002 2003 SQUARE MILE
> COUNTY BUCKS TOTAL BUCKS TOTAL 2002 2003
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ALBANY 1,181 2,826 955 2,341 2.2 1.8
> ALLEGANY 7,292 20,873 5,262 14,680 7.0 5.0
> BROOME 2,220 5,614 1,827 4,877 3.1 2.5
> CATTARAUGUS 7,001 19,788 5,283 15,606 5.5 4.1
> CAYUGA 1,954 4,639 1,951 4,381 2.8 2.8
> CHAUTAUQUA 4,546 13,034 3,925 10,628 4.3 3.7
> CHEMUNG 1,874 4,394 1,594 3,726 4.6 3.9
> CHENANGO 2,660 4,753 2,302 4,012 2.9 2.5
> CLINTON 528 763 675 870 0.5 0.6
> COLUMBIA 2,665 6,518 2,247 5,385 4.1 3.5
> CORTLAND 1,234 3,023 1,090 2,640 2.5 2.2
> DELAWARE 4,518 8,933 2,617 5,700 3.1 1.8
> DUTCHESS 2,700 6,346 2,477 5,514 3.3 3.0
> ERIE 2,962 7,985 2,963 6,662 3.5 3.5
> ESSEX 1,094 1,365 1,102 1,150 0.6 0.6
> FRANKLIN 1,572 2,627 1,390 2,278 0.9 0.8
> FULTON 690 1,170 540 730 1.3 1.0
> GENESEE 1,685 4,971 1,619 4,490 3.5 3.3
> GREENE 1,466 2,575 1,341 2,416 2.2 2.0
> HAMILTON 955 1,081 745 798 0.5 0.4
> HERKIMER 1,679 2,840 1,448 2,318 1.2 1.0
> JEFFERSON 3,508 7,726 3,207 7,548 2.7 2.5
> LEWIS 1,777 3,299 1,337 2,575 1.4 1.0
> LIVINGSTON 3,125 9,180 2,586 7,664 4.8 4.0
> MADISON 1,555 3,120 1,405 2,840 2.3 2.1
> MONROE 1,974 5,397 1,907 5,090 3.0 2.9
> MONTGOMERY 629 1,011 494 849 1.5 1.2
> NIAGARA 932 2,242 920 2,113 1.8 1.8
> ONEIDA 2,342 5,016 1,980 4,200 1.9 1.6
> ONONDAGA 1,790 4,055 1,706 3,706 2.2 2.1
> ONTARIO 3,365 9,704 2,968 8,322 5.2 4.6
> ORANGE 3,370 8,073 3,152 7,417 4.0 3.7
> ORLEANS 1,104 3,111 946 2,754 2.8 2.4
> OSWEGO 2,206 4,522 1,575 3,331 2.3 1.6
> OTSEGO 3,367 7,411 2,607 5,821 3.3 2.6
> PUTNAM 695 1,365 715 1,507 3.0 3.1
> RENSSELAER 1,800 3,968 1,429 2,753 2.7 2.1
> ROCKLAND 167 259 152 268 1.0 0.9
> SARATOGA 1,572 2,779 1,175 1,968 1.9 1.4
> SCHENECTADY 264 497 201 397 1.3 1.0
> SCHOHARIE 1,918 3,667 1,440 3,091 3.0 2.3
> SCHUYLER 1,547 4,202 1,282 3,218 4.7 3.9
> SENECA 980 2,703 841 2,124 2.9 2.5
> ST LAWRENCE 5,664 11,623 4,516 9,070 2.0 1.6
> STEUBEN 8,176 23,002 6,242 17,768 5.7 4.4
> SUFFOLK 691 2,148 759 2,456 0.8 0.8
>
> CALCULATED DEER TAKE BY COUNTY 2002 - 2003 PAGE 2
>
> N U M B E R O F D E E R BUCKS PER
> 2002 2003 SQUARE MILE
> COUNTY BUCKS TOTAL BUCKS TOTAL 2002 2003
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> SULLIVAN 3,545 6,750 2,696 5,546 3.5 2.7
> TIOGA 2,680 6,992 2,415 6,408 5.1 4.6
> TOMPKINS 2,197 5,804 2,196 5,402 4.5 4.5
> ULSTER 2,960 5,587 2,885 5,452 2.6 2.5
> WARREN 740 938 586 627 0.8 0.7
> WASHINGTON 2,333 5,772 1,740 2,925 2.8 2.1
> WAYNE 1,689 4,682 1,499 3,924 2.8 2.5
> WESTCHESTER 559 1,658 557 1,633 1.3 1.3
> WYOMING 2,554 7,627 2,192 5,791 4.3 3.7
> YATES 2,041 6,208 1,872 5,328 6.0 5.5
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> TOTALS 128,292 308,216 107,533 253,088
>
>
> Mary Young
> Media Relations
> NYS DEC
> 625 Broadway
> Albany, NY 12233-1016
> 518-402-8000