The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is implementing a series of changes to deer hunting regulations aimed at increasing the harvest of antlerless deer and improving management of growing deer populations across the state.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the changes on Wednesday, saying many areas of New York are experiencing deer populations that have grown beyond levels that can be sustainably supported by available habitat.
“Deer populations are growing across much of New York and, in many areas, are increasing to levels that are detrimental to deer, their habitat, and the public,” Lefton said. “These regulatory changes are a result of robust public engagement and reflect DEC’s continued commitment to conservation.”
Among the most significant changes is the expansion of the state’s nine-day September antlerless deer season. Ten additional Wildlife Management Units will now be included in the special season, including units 3P, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8H, 8R, 8S, and 9G.
DEC is also eliminating Deer Management Permit quotas in 23 Wildlife Management Units. Hunters who successfully harvest and report an antlerless deer in one of those units will automatically be eligible for a replacement permit, allowing them to continue harvesting antlerless deer where populations remain high.
For the 2026 season, the no-quota units will include 1C, 3M, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4J, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F, and 9G.
The agency is also revising the Deer Management Permit application process. Hunters will now be able to apply for up to four permits, including two permits in units with quotas and two permits in units without quotas. In addition, hunters will be allowed to transfer Deer Management Permits to other hunters without restriction.
Another major change is the creation of a statewide “Earn-a-2nd-Buck” system designed to encourage the harvest of antlerless deer.
Under the new program, hunters will receive one Antlered Deer Tag that can be used during any authorized deer season, except the September antlerless season. Hunters who harvest and report an antlerless deer using a Deer Management Permit, Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag, or Deer Management Assistance Program tag will become eligible for a second antlered deer tag.
To support the new system, DEC is reclassifying several existing tags. The former Regular Season Deer Tag will become an Antlered Deer Tag, while the former Bow/Muzzleloader Either-Sex Deer Tag will become a Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag. Hunters purchasing bowhunting or muzzleloading privileges will receive an antlerless tag for each privilege purchased.
The changes follow extensive outreach conducted by DEC, including surveys and focus groups involving hunters and deer management professionals from across the Northeast. The agency also reviewed more than 1,000 public comments submitted after the proposal was released in March.
According to DEC, many commenters supported efforts to increase antlerless deer harvests to reduce damage to ecosystems and address other impacts associated with high deer populations. Others expressed concerns about potential overharvest in some areas and encouraged the agency to develop methods to verify antlerless deer harvests under the new Earn-a-2nd-Buck program.
DEC officials said the regulatory changes are intended to provide hunters with additional opportunities while helping the state maintain healthier deer populations and better-balanced ecosystems.
