The Places in New York State With the Highest Deer Populations

The start of the archery season for deer in Western New York is a week away (10/1) and there are some changes that hunters should be aware of.

Where would be your best opportunity to harvest a deer? According to The NYS DEC, portions of Western New York are typically the areas that are most productive. Granted, there may be more hunters in this area than other parts of the state. However, the amount of deer taken and amount of DMU permits given indicate a decline in hunters over the last few years and a rise in deer population in the Western New York area.

Regionally, hunters in the Northern Zone took 29,075 deer, including 16,727 adult bucks. In the Southern Zone, hunters took 206,106 deer (down from  208,325 ) , including about 90,702 adult bucks. The estimated harvest on Long Island (Suffolk County) was 3,491 deer, including 1,175 adult bucks.

 

For hunters seeking to maximize their success, the highest harvest densities routinely occur through the western Finger Lakes Region, and great opportunities also exist in suburban areas throughout the state. For hunters seeking the greatest prospects for large antlered bucks, the Lake Ontario Plains of western New York is a good option.