“Harvest Numbers Increase”  

By Gary Ramsey, Published in the Adirondack Express on March 18, 2008

 

Recently the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released information on the result of the 2007 hunting season for deer and bear (big game). Sportsman in NYS harvested approximately 220,000 deer in 2007. Pete Grannis, DEC Commissioner, said “this is a 16 percent increase over the previous season.” Whether using gun, bow or muzzleloader, harvest numbers increased for both bucks and anterless deer. According to Grannis, “results were right about where we projected, with continued growth in many southern zone units.”

The buck take was up by about 8% while the anterless take was up almost 24%. Of course, the anterless harvest is directly dependant on the number of Deer Management Permits issued by the DEC. Since the DEC believes that the deer populations in some of the 92 wildlife management units across the state are growing, they increased the number of permits to harvest anterless deer. The number of permits issued are based on the estimated deer population in each unit. DEC is quick to point out that looking at just the statewide numbers can be misleading. Looking further at the 2007 season, 48% of the wildlife management units actually had population numbers below the objective levels set by the department and 29% had numbers above desired levels.

Hunting with a muzzleloader continues to grow in New York. Well over 200,000 hunters took of over 17,000 deer with a “front loader,” which is the highest muzzleloader deer take on record! This success, in part, can be attributed to the advancement in muzzleloader technology. Thirty years ago when I began shooting a muzzleloader, it was a firearm akin to what the mountain men of the 1830’s carried. Today I carry a scope sighted modern “in-line” muzzleloader that is easier to use and much more accurate. Many states, like Pennsylvania and Colorado, offer a “primitive only” season where you must use a more traditional muzzleloader. All though I truly enjoy muzzle loading the “modern way,” I would jump at the chance to extend the season by heading a field as the mountain men did 175 years ago.

Bow hunting is also a growing sport in the state. Bow hunters harvested just over 31,000 deer compared to 29,400 the prior year. The establishment of “bow only” wildlife management units on Long Island and in Westchester county continues to be a contributing factor.

Western New York continues to lead in total buck harvest with numbers as follows: Allegany County (4.5 bucks per square mile), Yates (4.3), Wyoming (4.0), Steuben (4.0), and Tompkins (3.8).

DEC also announced that hunters took 1,117 black bears, a significant increase over the 796 bears taken in 2006. For the Adirondacks, harvest numbers returned to normal after two consecutive down years. In 2007, 544 bears were taken in the Adirondacks versus 318 in 2006. In the Allegany range, hunters set a new record of 120 bears, reflecting a slight increase over the 113 bears taken in 2006. In the Catskills, hunters significantly increased the harvest with 453 bears compared to 365 the prior year. Overall, the bear harvest in NYS has steadily increased over the last two decades, which is an indication of the continuous rise in the bear population. “New York has excellent bear habitat and vast, accessible public lands that offer opportunities for hunting,” said Commissioner Grannis. “Populations in the Southern Zone have been increasing in number and expanding in distribution over the past decade, a fact once again evidenced by this year’s bear take.”

According to DEC surveys, about 20 percent of New York’s 550,000 big-game hunters consider themselves bear hunters. However, most hunters who take a bear report that they were hunting deer at the time. Annual bear harvests are influenced by environmental factors such as food availability and snow fall. As many Adirondack communities well know, last year’s very dry spring drove the bears into the villages to forage for food. Many varieties of the their natural food source simply dried up. Black bears are an extremely adaptable animal when it comes to diet. Although they are an omnivore, their primary diet is vegetation, nuts and berries. When these foods are not available, they are just as content to scavenge last night’s pizza or that box of sale donuts in the dumpsters and garbage cans around town. Wildlife biologists use information from a variety of sources to determine if bear populations are increasing and if bears are expanding their range. Their goal is to manage black bear populations to a level that is compatible with human interest. While we all like to see the bears, don’t be confused by their “teddy bear” look and seemingly gentle disposition. A black bear is a wild animal that is very timid yet very fast and strong. If they feel cornered or threatened in any way, they will do what ever it takes to escape. If you happen to be in the way you could get seriously injured. The most prudent action you can take is to view the bears from a distance, give them lots of space and don’t ever approach or attempt to feed a wild black bear.

All in all, 2007 was an up beat year for New York’s hunters. Deer populations are rebounding in many areas and bear numbers are steadily increasing. Considering the constraints from the political diversity in NYS and its many special interests, I believe our wildlife biologists are doing fine job of managing one of our most precious assets -- our wildlife and its habitat.