NYS DEC Proposes New Rules To Manage Deer Populations

March 18, 2026, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced a proposal of regulation changes designed to increase the harvest of antlerless deer by New York State hunters.

This proposal would improve the NYS DEC’s ability to manage deer populations, which in turn ensures a healthy herd, preventing a potential increase in deer/vehicle collisions, and reducing forest regeneration, among other negative impacts of deer overabundance.

According to the NYS DEC, less than than 15% of New York State licensed hunters harvested one antlerless deer. Around 3% of hunters harvested two or more antlerless deer. The proposed regulations would encourage hunters to harvest more antlerless deer while helping to manage deer populations better.

Deer populations are growing throughout much of New York State. 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. - NYS DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton

According to the announcement, during the past few years, the NYS DEC has evaluated several options to increase the harvest of antlerless deer through a series of focus groups, a survey of NYS deer hunters, and input from professional deer biologists and managers across the Northeast, leading to these proposals.

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Some Wildlife Management Units throughout New York State have no deer management permit quotas.  The NYS DEC notes that the proposed regulations would create a second pathway for deer management permit issuance in units without a quota.

This regulation would allow NYS hunters to simultaneously apply for two deer management permits in wildlife management units without a quota and two in units with a quota through the typical lottery process.

That would allow hunters to potentially obtain up to four deer management permits when buying a license. In addition, all hunters who apply for deer management permits in units without a quota would receive them.

Hunters who harvest and report antlerless deer using deer management permits in any of the WMUs without a quota would automatically receive bonus deer management permits, allowing them to continue harvesting antlerless deer.

New York State hunters are currently only allowed to have two deer management permits transferred to them from other hunters. One of the proposed regulations would allow hunters to receive an unlimited number of transfers from other hunters.

For a more detailed look at these proposals, visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website.