March 18, 2026
By Rich Davenport
On March 18, 2026, NYSDEC announced several proposed changes to NYS Big Game Hunting regulations, with an eye on strengthening antlerless deer management, in response to the ever-growing population of whitetail deer across NYS.
“Deer populations are growing throughout much of New York State,” DEC Commissioner Lefton said. “Increased harvest of antlerless deer by hunters is necessary to keep deer populations healthy, in balance with available habitat, and at levels that are acceptable to all members of the public,” according to the DEC announcement.
Based on recent analysis of the DMP program harvest data and preliminary 2025 season harvest estimates, less than 15% of licensed hunters in NYS harvested one antlerless deer, with less than 3% of hunters filling two antlerless tags. Despite the very liberal harvest rules for antlerless deer, higher DMP issuance, and the ability to consign DMP from one hunter to another, hunters remain reluctant to help address this challenge in reducing the breeding potential across the landscape.
Several years ago, as part of the 10-year deer management plan, DEC implemented an early antlerless only season in mid-September in specific WMUs showing chronic overpopulation problems. Success of this management season in limited WMUs remains to be seen, as factors such as warm temperatures and the lack of commercial deer processors willing to start offering processing services during the peak butchering of other livestock, may be in big part to blame for the hunters’ lukewarm embrace of this opportunity. Hunters must use a DMP to legally harvest and possess antlerless deer during this season, with many hunters now conditioned to wait later before purchasing a hunting license and applying for DMP. Application deadline for DMP is October 1.
In response, DEC has evaluated regulatory and non-regulatory actions to strengthen and improve this important part of deer management, in consultation with other wildlife biologists in neighboring states, results of focus group efforts and statewide surveys of deer hunters. From these efforts, the following proposals have been put forth:
Modifying the DMP Process to increase permit availability. Some WMUs have no DMP quota, resulting in unlimited tags available. To address this, DEC is proposing to allow hunters to apply for two DMP in unlimited WMUs, and two DMP in WMUs with quotas. This increases the application to potentially four DMP a hunter can apply for. All hunters applying for DMP in no quota areas would receive both permits. Additionally hunters reporting a successful harvest on DMP in the no quota areas would automatically receive additional DMPs for that WMU to continue to help management efforts in these problem areas, a reward for showing the willingness to help better manage the herd.
This proposal would also expand the no quota WMUs, which currently applies to four (4) WMUs across the state, to add 19 WMUs to this list, as management needs have changed. The new “no quota” WMUs would be 3M, 3P, 3R, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F, and 9G, in addition to the existing no quota WMUs of 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C.
Allow unlimited transfer of DMP between hunters. Under current rules, a hunter may receive only two DMPs from other hunters. This proposed change would allow hunters to receive unlimited consignment of DMP from other hunters.
Expand the 9-day September antlerless only firearms season into more WMUs. Currently, WMUs 1C, 3S, 3M, 3R, 4J, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F have a nine-day season for antlerless deer in mid-September. The proposed regulations would add 10 WMUs (3P, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8H, 8R, 8S, and 9G) to the list of those enrolled in this September season.
Establish an “Earn a 2nd-Buck” System. Under current tag issuance structure, hunters receive one antlered deer tag valid statewide, unless they also secure an archery or muzzleloader license, in which case the hunter also receives a deer of either sex tag, valid during early archery and extended seasons. Hunters who secure both the archery and muzzleloader licenses receive an additional antlerless only tag valid during early archery and extended seasons. The proposed regulation change would require a hunter to successfully harvest and report an antlerless deer before receiving a 2nd antlered deer tag. To facilitate this, the Regular Season antlered deer tag would be converted to simply an Antlered Deer tag, valid throughout all seasons, with proper additional privileges. This statewide “buck tag” is already issued to all hunters purchasing a NYS hunting license, but would no longer carry the restriction of Regular season only.
In addition, the DEC would reclassify the deer of either sex tag that accompanies an archery or muzzleloader license to Bow/ML antlerless deer tag. Those who secure both additional licenses will receive another Bow/ML antlerless only tag.
Hunters who harvest and report an antlerless deer on any eligible antlerless deer tag (i.e., Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag, DMP, or Deer Management Assistance Program Tag) will receive a second Antlered Deer Tag, which would be valid during all deer seasons with appropriate license privileges.
One additional proposal in this package would be to clarify mechanical broadheads that appear to be “barbed” when deployed, and therefore illegal to use in NYS, to consider the blades that freely swing to a non-barbed position upon withdrawal of the arrow. These would be considered non-barbed, despite their appearance, and would clarify that “freely swings” infers no external force beyond gravity. The goal is to implement these changes starting with the upcoming 2026 deer seasons. Comment period is now open, and will conclude on May 17, 2026. Comments can be to wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov (subject: “Antlerless Deer Hunting”) or to: NYSDEC, Attn: Jeremy Hurst, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754.
Tell us what you think?
Good evening, I also strongly feel that it should be earn BOTH archery and regular season buck permits. Especially in the wmu’s that are extremely overpopulated. Such as 8A, 8G, 9F for example. I live in 8A and we own a crop farm, our profit margin on our crops is severely affected every year due to deer damage. Along with every other farm in our area and beyond. My husband and I participate in your nuisance permit program for deer to try to help, but its a losing battle.
I also own a busy taxidermy business and I can confidently say, that most of my customers that bring me their buck for a mount, do not fill their doe permits. No matter how much I stress how important it is to help manage the doe population. The buck to doe ratio is so off balance, due to the popularity of troohy hunting, its most definitely causing the rut to linger into late winter and also young does to coming into heat later into the season. The amount of tiny fawns I see during regular season is headscratching. And it’s just a vicious cycle that will repeat over and over..
I’ve also thought of this, I would be happy to participate at my shop, as a doe check in station, if thats how you would be managing the earn a buck program. I have a good relationship with our local DEC officers and would be happy to host them if needed.
I hope that your management program is successful in trying these new avenues that you’ve presented. Stay strong through all the backlash, us farmers have your back! 👍🏻
Sincerely, Ashley Hess
Owner: Wandering Trails Taxidermy
HESS FARMS
Why not make the regs. easier instead of more cofusing.Drop the fees on antlerless deer and allow a buck and a doe per license. Obviously your idea of “deer management” over the last 50 years I have been hunting are not working.
The biggest problem I could think of, is that a hunter who will absolutely not shoot an antlerless deer, will report they did anyway. This would allow that anti antlerless hunter, to then recieve the 2nd antlered tag. This kind of action would contradict what DEC is trying to do.
I honestly think we all should go back to the old ways. Like back in 1995 era. Just my opinion.
i agree. and change opening day for southern zone back to monday. many people work saturdays and cannot always get it off. hopefully that cab increase hunter participation!
I support the DEC with accomplishing their primary goal of managing our wildlife. Whatever the reason, hunters don’t harvest antlerless deer. We as hunters, being the primary tool for the DEC, need to do our part or regulations are going to be implemented that we individually may not like. I do not have heart ache over the proposals but question the implementation. I am not sure if I like the idea of taking an earned second buck during the same season or at least without a 24 hr time period between the harvest of a doe and the second earned buck. Hunters need to help the DEC fulfill their mission.
This would maybe work in the early doe season wmu.
But for much of the state where you get a doe tag once every two or 3 years it is disastrous.
Heck give additional buck tags in those doe early season wmu 1 for every extra two.. unlimited buck for doe killed there. Leave the rest of the state alone.
The only way this works is if the state issues 2nd or multiple buck tags at a check station. Otherwise people will be shooting paper doe for another tag.
I believe a better solution would be to change NYS to a one buck state (similar to Ohio). This would allow more bucks to have a better chance to make it through the season, hopefully boosting the number of mature bucks in the state. NYS has the untapped potential to grow larger bucks. Allowing only one buck to be harvested per season would also give people more of a reason to harvest antler less deer if they wanted more venison.
I also believe seasons should be adjusted, to shorten the gun season and have it start after the peak of the rut. Have it start the first Saturday after Thanksgiving and go for one week. Bow season has become more inclusive with crossbows, the need for a long gun season in the southern zone isn’t needed as much.
Longer seasons, use of crossbows, rifle implementation, the holiday hunt, as well as technology in general has swayed the advantage even more to hunters. And in many places I hunt deer numbers are down from what they used to be. I fear that deer numbers will continue to drop, and the quality of bucks isn’t going to increase as time goes on. It appears NYS sides with farmers, insurance agencies, and those the profit from timber over those that enjoy seeing deer numbers (specifically quality bucks).
A lot of the problem is hunting access . There is no land to hunt anymore. People lease all the land up and hunt the BIG one and do not shoot any does . Maybe a tax break for the land owners that open their land up for hunting . Another choice would be to go to an 8 point or better rule , that way all the meat hunters would be shooting more does , and not just the small bucks , my thoughts.
I think everyone needs to realize that hunters in general are aging out. As we get older, we use less deer meat, we need help loading and unloading deer, we have lost the ability to hunt on our own, we have lost the strength to hunt as much as we used too!
I myself used to take as many deer as I was legally allowed to, but I just don’t have the need for the meat any longer and I really can’t afford to have more than a couple deer processed each season.
It amazes me how many of these comments are completely missing the point of the regulation change proposal. This is not a proposal to grow bigger bucks. It’s a proposal to kill more deer, so stop with the “one buck state” suggestions. DEC couldn’t care less about managing for trophy bucks. The problem is that there aren’t enough hunters to fulfill their intended goals and DEC refuses to lobby state and local government to make the necessary changes. On the state level, they should immediately lower the age for gun hunting to 12 yrs old. Having a youth weekend is not sufficient time afield to have young hunters begin to put a dent in the overpopulation problem. Give 12 yr olds a full gun and late muzzleloader season to help with the goal. The Holiday Hunt has proven to be a bust. The scheduling of it does not give the time for the deer herd to begin to return to a more normal pattern. They should immediately enact a later bow/muzzleloader season in mid to late January. Before the snowmobile crowd starts complaining about that, there are plenty of areas to hunt where snowmobiling would not interfere. Let the landowner decide. It is not a safety issue. What hunter would want to sit in an area and have to listen to snowmobiles all day while they are trying to enjoy a day in the woods? On a local level, they should immediately force municipalities that don’t allow hunting, to open their zones to at least bow hunting from mid September to mid January. Deer are escaping into these areas from neighboring huntable areas as soon as they feel pressure when the season begins. One final proposal would be to force the NY State Prison System to take in de-boned venison donations for use in the prison meal systems. It can be ground and used to supplement ground beef purchases, helping to reduce prisoner food costs system wide. As for the proposal itself, how does DEC propose that hunters using the paper tag system due to cell reception issues receive an email and print a 2nd buck tag while afield? Please tell me that they are not expecting you to leave deer camp and get to a place to receive an email and print a tag! Those of us that have invested in the Lifetime License System have all of these documents prepared in August and ready to go for the season. It is ridiculous to now put a burdensome hurdle in place in order to get a second buck tag.