When hunters harvest antlerless (primarily female) deer they help keep New York’s deer population in balance with available habitat and reduce deer-related conflicts and impacts (ex. deer-vehicle collisions and crop damage). Female deer are the primary component of the deer population that drives population growth, and must be managed to ensure deer populations do not become overabundant. When deer populations exceed habitat carrying capacity each deer is less likely to be able to meet its daily and seasonal nutritional requirements. As a result, deer can become food and nutrient limited and may have smaller body sizes, smaller antlers, and have fewer fawns. To prevent this, DEC adjusts the number of antlerless deer tags that are available to hunters in each Wildlife Management Unit through annual allocations of Deer Management Permits (DMPs). DMPs provide hunters additional opportunities to harvest antlerless deer to meet deer population management objectives.
Between Aug. 5 and Oct. 1, hunters may apply for two DMPs within the same or two different WMUs depending on availability. The probability of being selected to receive a DMP is based on the number of DMPs available, and the number of hunters expected to apply in a particular WMU, but the chances of being selected are the same throughout the entire application period. Hunters may also transfer or receive up to two DMPs from other hunters and any leftover DMPs become available again through license issuing agents beginning Nov. 1.
In WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C hunters can receive an unlimited number of replacement Bonus DMPs after reporting that a DMP was filled. Unfortunately, DEC is not authorized to issue DMPs in several WMUs spanning the Adirondacks and Tug Hill Plateau.
For 2024, DEC has maintained high DMP allocations across the majority of the state, largely in response to growing deer populations that are not in balance with available habitat. Additional antlerless deer need to be harvested in the following Wildlife Management Units: 1C, 3H, 3K, 3M, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4G, 4H, 4P, 4R, 4W, 4Z, 5A, 5C, 5G, 5R, 6A, 6C, 6G, 6K, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7P, 7R, 7S, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8P, 8R, 8S, 8T, 8W, 8X, 9A, 9F, 9G, 9J, 9S, 9T, 9X, and 9Y.
Do your part to help steward New York’s deer herd by applying for DMPs and harvesting at least one antlerless deer this coming hunting season.
