Deer Hunting After Christmas Is Now A Thing In WNY

Don't put away those hunting clothes yet! In case you didn't know or read the hunting manual this year in New York State, there is a bonus season for those hunt deer!

It's called the Holiday Deer Hunt and it begins the day after Santa Clause makes his rounds in New York.

The Holiday Deer Hunt is an extension of the late bow and muzzleloader season from December 26 - January 1 in the Southern Zone. Hunters may use the same implements (bow, muzzleloader, crossbow depending on license privileges held) and same tags (DMPs, bow/muzz either-sex, bow/muzz antlerless-only, unfilled regular season tag, and DMAP tags) as during the typical late bow and muzzleloader season.

This is a bitter sweet addition for those of us who also love to snowmobile. Ordinarily, the snowmobile season would get started at the end of the deer season. The bonus, Holiday Hunt, will push that back a week or so. That is a moot point this year because the weather has been so warm and wet that even if we did get a blast of cold weather and snow, it may be awhile before we are able to enjoy a good snowmobile trail. Thank goodness the lakes are still very warm and the threat of a solid lake effect snow is always there.

If you are getting out to the woods for the Holiday Hunt, best of luck! You may be the first hunter to take a deer on New Year's Eve in Western New York!