Hunting and Trapping Newsletter

Preventing the Spread of CWD When Hunting

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is an always fatal disease of deer species that is spreading across North America and threatens New York’s deer and moose populations and hunting opportunities. Hunters could unintentionally introduce or spread CWD through their hunting activities or harvested deer. By taking some simple precautions hunters can help keep CWD out of New York. 

If you deer hunt outside of the state, debone your venison before bringing it back into New York. DEC recently created the educational video “How to Debone Venison in the Field” to demonstrate how to quickly debone venison from a harvested deer. It is illegal to bring whole deer carcasses or high-risk carcass parts into New York from other states. Allowed parts include deboned venison, the cleaned skull cap, antlers with no flesh, the raw or processed cape or hide, cleaned teeth or lower jaw, and finished taxidermy products. All parts and/or packages containing parts must be labeled with the species of animal, where the animal was taken, and the hunter’s name and address before bringing them into New York.

If you harvest a deer from an area known to have CWD you should submit samples to that state’s Department of Natural Resources for CWD testing before eating the venison. If the deer comes back positive for CWD after bringing the venison into New York, call DEC to have the venison destroyed. Do not dispose of CWD positive venison on the landscape as this could infect deer in your area.

If you deer hunt in New York avoid using natural deer urine-based scent or lure products as they could contain CWD. Use synthetic alternatives instead. Don’t feed wild deer or moose which can concentrate animals and facilitate the spread of disease. Dispose of deer carcass parts where the deer was harvested or in a landfill to avoid spreading diseases. Lastly, report any deer or moose that appears sick or is acting abnormally to DEC.  

Do your part to protect New York’s deer and deer hunting heritage by helping keep New York CWD-free. For more information about how you can help keep New York CWD-free visit DEC’s website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel.

Non-Lead Ammunition Rebate 

Do you deer hunt WMUs 3H, 4F, 4G, 4H, 4O, 4P, 4R, 4W, or 6G?

Hunters for Eagle Conservation and Conservation Science Global are providing rebates of up to $60 to eligible hunters in these WMUs for non-lead ammunition for deer hunting.

Visit Hunters for Eagle Conservation to learn more about the multi-year project to understand how the use of  non-lead ammunition can assist with eagle conservation.

Have you considered applying for a rebate but can’t find non-lead ammunition? Or have you not been awarded a DMP in the project area? If so, we would like to hear from you as our project partners can help with finding non-lead ammunition and project eligibility. Please email:  NewYork@HuntersForEagleConservation.org

Drones Not Allowed For Deer Recovery in New York

Recently, DEC has received inquiries about the potential use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) to assist with the recovery of hunter-harvested deer or bear. However, tracking and recovery of a deer or bear are part of the hunt, and New York laws do not allow drones to be used in this way.

Drones are defined and regulated as aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and aircraft may not be used to aid deer or bear hunters. This applies to both hobby/recreational drone pilots and drone pilots flying under FAA commercial regulations.

Confusion comes because the same section of law that prohibits use of aircraft also prohibits use of dogs to aid in hunting deer or bear.  However, a separate section of law authorizes DEC to regulate and license the use of leashed tracking dogs specifically to aid in the recovery of deer and bear.  The law does not make a similar provision for aircraft, including drones, and DEC cannot regulate or license the use of drones without authorizing statute.

Hunters seeking assistance to locate dead or wounded deer or bear may contact volunteer, licensed, leashed-tracking dog handlers at:

• Deer Search, Inc. serving hunters in central and eastern New York
• Deer Search FLC, Inc. serving hunters in the Finger Lakes Region
• Deer Search of WNY, Inc. serving hunters in Western New York