ENV-19-16-00001-A Deer and Bear Hunting  

  • 8/3/16 N.Y. St. Reg. ENV-19-16-00001-A
    NEW YORK STATE REGISTER
    VOLUME XXXVIII, ISSUE 31
    August 03, 2016
    RULE MAKING ACTIVITIES
    DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
    NOTICE OF ADOPTION
     
    I.D No. ENV-19-16-00001-A
    Filing No. 705
    Filing Date. Jul. 18, 2016
    Effective Date. Aug. 03, 2016
    Deer and Bear Hunting
    PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following action:
    Action taken:
    Amendment of sections 1.11, 1.18 and 1.31 of Title 6 NYCRR.
    Statutory authority:
    Environmental Conservation Law, sections 11-0303, 11-0903 and 11-0907
    Subject:
    Deer and Bear Hunting.
    Purpose:
    To revise regulations governing deer hunting seasons, issuance and use of deer hunting tags, and hunting black bear.
    Text or summary was published
    in the May 11, 2016 issue of the Register, I.D. No. ENV-19-16-00001-P.
    Final rule as compared with last published rule:
    No changes.
    Text of rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from:
    Jeremy Hurst, Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754, (518) 402-8867, email: jeremy.hurst@dec.ny.gov
    Initial Review of Rule
    As a rule that does not require a RFA, RAFA or JIS, this rule will be initially reviewed in the calendar year 2021, which is no later than the 5th year after the year in which this rule is being adopted.
    Assessment of Public Comment
    The Department received approximately 20 comments relevant to the proposed changes. The discussion below is organized according to the topic of the proposed change.
    1. Adding bear to the youth hunt.
    Comment: Several commenters expressed support for this change.
    Response: The Department appreciates the recognition of the benefits to be gained by this change.
    Comment: One person objected to this change based on an objection to all special hunting opportunities for youth, expressing the opinion that they create an entitlement attitude and an expectation of getting something for nothing.
    Response: The Department and most hunting groups believe that youth hunting programs increase interest in hunting and help build the next generation of hunters.
    2. Rescinding 2015 antlerless-only regulation.
    Comment: Several commenters expressed support for this change, although one of them noted that it might have been preferable to allow a 2-year trial period for the 2015 regulation. A couple of writers noted that some hunters may have refrained from hunting during the antlerless-only period because of the restriction. One person suggested immediately implementing a new antlerless-only muzzleloader season as Phase 3, rather than waiting until next year, due to the severe overpopulation of deer in the affected Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). Another suggested reducing the number of buck tags distributed.
    Response: The Department believes that little would be gained by leaving the Phase 2 restrictions in place for another year. We plan to discuss several possible regulatory approaches with hunters this year in an effort to identify a strategy for 2017 that will increase antlerless harvest as needed.
    Comment: One commenter opposed the change, stating that Phase 2 should remain in place until Phase 3 is ready.
    Response: The Department believes that little would be gained by leaving the Phase 2 restrictions in place for another year. We hope that rescinding them will help stimulate productive conversations with hunters to identify a more effective strategy.
    3. Reducing doe harvest in 6F and 6J.
    Comment: Several commenters expressed support for this change. A couple of them suggested that the antlered-only restriction should apply to bowhunters as well as muzzleloader hunters.
    Response: The bowhunting harvest is a small percentage of the total harvest of does in these units, so limiting it would not have much of an impact on population objectives. The current change matches the restrictions that are in place in neighboring WMUs 6A and 6N.
    Comment: One person objected to this change, stating that deer are plentiful in that area.
    Response: Harvest numbers indicate that populations have been declining for several years in these WMUs.
    4. Clarification of special season tag use.
    Comment: Several commenters expressed support for this change.
    Response: The Department appreciates the support.

Document Information

Effective Date:
8/3/2016
Publish Date:
08/03/2016