This Is The Best Day To Hunt Deer in New York State

We are just a few weeks away from the start of archery season for whitetail deer hunters here in New York State. It is one of my favorite times of the year, and you can already feel fall setting in across many parts of the state.

Are you getting ready for deer season yet?

New York Deer Hunting Licenses Are Now Available

Hunting licenses are now available across New York State, and there will be some changes to this year’s deer hunting season, including the availability of more Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) permits for hunters in certain areas.

There is also a way for some hunters to earn a second buck tag here in New York State. There are plenty of deer around, and it appears there are plenty of bucks in the woods as well.

Read more: The $5 Hunting License is a Steal in New York State

As I drive around Western New York, I am seeing plenty of deer in the fields during the evening. While they are still in velvet, some of the bucks look pretty impressive!

It is shaping up to be an incredible deer season, and I can’t wait for the official start.

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What Is the Best Time to Hunt Deer in New York?

But when is the best time to be in the woods this fall?

One of the biggest problems many of us hunters have is finding the time.

I love being in the woods, and I especially enjoy exposing my kids to hunting and the outdoors. The problem is that the rest of our lives are incredibly busy. Between work, family, school and everything else, finding an entire day to sit in a deer stand or blind isn’t always easy.

So, if you could pick one day to spend in a deer stand or blind this fall, which day would you choose?

I asked ChatGPT what it thought, and the answer wasn’t all that surprising.

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November 2 Could Be the Day to Be in the Woods

According to the answer I received, the best stretch of time to hunt whitetail deer in New York State could be November 1 through November 14, with the first part of November being particularly interesting for hunters.

Specifically here in Western New York, November is when things can really start to feel like magic in the deer woods.

Most of the big deer I have ever taken, or seen chasing does, have been around November 2.

Many hunters also say that Veterans Day, November 11, is a day you want to be in the woods. There is just something different about sitting in a tree stand during the rut. You can spend the entire day in the woods, and at any moment, a big buck can walk right past you.

If I had to pick just one day to sit in a tree stand this fall, November 2 would be my choice.

Of course, deer movement can vary from year to year depending on weather, temperatures, hunting pressure, food sources and the timing of the rut. But if you have limited time and want to pick one day to spend in the woods, early November is certainly worth considering.

Western New York Deer Hunting Could Be Interesting This Fall

Good luck this fall, and make sure you are prepared before heading into the woods.

There has already been plenty of discussion about deer and deer hunting here in Western New York. At least one town and village are discussing a bait-and-shoot program because of the number of deer in the area and concerns surrounding ticks and tick-borne diseases.

It will be interesting to see how those discussions develop over the next few weeks.

For now, make sure you have all of your proper hunting licenses and gear ready to go. Get those bows, crossbows, rifles and shotguns sighted in, check your equipment and start getting ready for another New York State deer season.

Fall will be here before we know it and for many of us, that means it is almost time to get back in the deer woods.