Senate Bill S1101A

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1101A

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
limiting the department of environmental conservation's ability to fix
special open seasons for taking wild deer

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of the bill is to limit the department of environmental
conservation's ability to fix special open seasons for taking of wild
deer.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This bill amends subdivision 9 of the environmental conservation law to
limit the department of environmental conservation's ability to fix
special open seasons for taking wild deer, moving a special season's end
from February 10 to the third Sunday of December immediately following.

              

** The A-print of this bill allows for special seasons to be issued in
particular counties or wildlife management units, upon consultation with
local governments and stakeholders. **

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Traditionally, New York's deer hunting season ended in the third week of
December each year. The same is true in most New England states.  This
calendar allowed for balancing the recreational and deer-culling bene-
fits of hunting with other demands for outdoor recreation and activity
that are incompatible with hunting, such as snowmobiling and cross-coun-
try skiing.

In recent years the Department of Environmental Conservation has acted
to extend the deer hunting season to the end of December or even into
January. Unfortunately, a longer deer season hurts other outdoor recre-
ational activities and can be detrimental to local economies that depend
on them. This bill aims to prevent further extension of the hunting
season to protect rural residents, support small businesses, and balance
the needs of multiple outdoor user groups.

One argument for lengthening the season is to reduce deer populations.
However, there is no scientific consensus that suggests additional hunt-
ing days achieve this effect. Indeed, some researchers argue that
extended and sustained hunting seasons may actually make deer popu-
lations more likely to survive culling efforts, and many hunters support
shorter seasons because they promote better animal health.

The other argument for the longer season is recreational, as hunting is
a popular sport. The difficulty is that a calendar that prioritizes
hunting necessarily precludes other outdoor activities, and this can
come at a heavy price. Landowners, small businesses, and outdoor users
rely on recreation such as snowmobiling during the winter months, which
can become unsafe with extended hunting seasons.  Given that New York
already has an extraordinarily long cumulative deer hunting season, this
bill adjusts the Department's authority so that it cannot extend the
season beyond the third Sunday in December.  This preserves the state's
generous hunting season while respecting all New Yorkers' desire to
access outdoor recreation in the winter months.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.