Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - DEC Announces 2024-25 Deer Harvest Results

Hunters Helping the Hungry. Local Columbia County hunters are seen here delivering hundreds of pounds of lean, nutritious protein to food pantries for distribution to area families in need. The meat from harvested deer help to feed those who need a little help, while hunters keep whitetail deer numbers at a manageable level. 

DEC reports hunters in New York harvested an estimated 223,304 deer during the 2024-25 hunting seasons. “The 2024-25 estimated deer harvest included 122,427 antlered bucks (adult males) and 100,877 antlerless deer (adult females and fawns of either sex). Statewide, this represents a 9% increase in antlered buck harvest and a 3% increase in antlerless deer harvest from last season. Despite the increase in both buck and antlerless take in 2025, the deer harvest was below the five-year average.” 

 Deer hunters provide a service to NY residents and the DEC by culling the herd preventing overpopulation. Without hunters annually reducing NY’s deer herd it’s a mathematical certainty deer numbers would exceed the carrying capacity of available habitat in many areas across the state. That would result in drastic over-browsing of natural, agricultural, and ornamental plant species along with other negative impacts including likely increased vehicle-deer collisions and a greater propensity to spread wildlife disease. 

 State wildlife biologists manage the deer population primarily by adjusting the numbers of Deer Management Permits (DMPs) they issue in specific geographic areas known as Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). DMPs target the harvest of antlerless female deer in the respective WMUs. This strategy has proven to be successful in keeping the growth of NY’s whitetail deer herd in check. 

 Hunters donate a good number of deer they harvest each year to local community food banks, and the 2024 season was no exception. Dana, of Berkshire View Farms Custom Butchers, in Alcove, NY saw a significant increase in the number of deer processed from the season prior and noted an even larger increase in the number of deer donated by hunters to area food pantries. She credits this to the generous nature of area sportsmen and women combined with the “Food Security Coalition of Greene County” making a specific effort to get the word out last year about venison donation. That greatly increased the amount of venison distributed to families in need in Greene and Albany Counties. I’m happy to report, “The Mountain Eagle” and “Porcupine Soup News” participated in assisting in that effort. Dana said she tripled the number of pantries Berkshire View Farms serviced with processed venison due to increased advertising of the venison donation option. 

 Over in Schoharie County, Mike Zeh of the Schoharie County Conservation Alliance (SCCA) reports hunters affiliated with his organization donated a total of 1020 pounds of venison to Schoharie County food pantries during the 2024-25 deer season. 

Looking from a broader perspective, according to Feeding New York State, “Each year, hunters help address food insecurity in New York by donating 50,000-70,000 pounds of venison.” Nationally, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation reports during the 2019-2020 hunting season, 1.62 million pounds of legally harvested game meat was donated to similar programs around the country. Their website also states that Quality Deer Management Association (QDM) members donated 1.73 million pounds of venison nationally to the needy during the 2017-2018 hunting season. Hunters in NY and across the nation continue to help those in need by providing lean, nutritious meat for the table.

2024-25 Deer Season Notable Numbers  

• 15.7 and 0.6 — number of deer harvested per square mile in the units with the highest (WMU 8R) and lowest (WMU 5F) harvest density. 

• 66.9 percent — portion of the adult buck harvest that was 2.5 years or older statewide, up from 52 percent a decade ago, and 30 percent in the 1990s. 

• 53.6 percent — portion of successful deer hunters that reported their harvest as required by law. This is greater than the five-year average of 48.2 percent. 

• 13,488 — number of hunter-harvested deer checked by DEC staff in 2024 to determine hunter reporting rate and collect biological data (e.g., age, sex, antler data). This represents 6% of the total 2024-25 deer harvest. 

• 18,372 — number of deer harvested using a crossbow, less than half as many as were taken with a vertical bow. 

 Deer harvest data are gathered from two main sources: harvest reports required within seven days of harvest of all successful deer hunters; and DEC’s examination of harvested deer at meat processors and check stations across the state. Harvest estimates are made by cross-referencing these two data sources and calculating the total harvest from the reporting rate for each zone and tag type.  

DEC’s 2024-25 Deer Harvest Summary report (PDF) provides tables, figures, and maps detailing the deer harvest and CWD surveillance efforts around the state. Past harvest summaries are also available on DEC’s Deer and Bear Hunting webpage. Appendix two of DEC’s Management Plan for White-tailed Deer (PDF) provides information on how DEC sets deer population objectives throughout the state.

Happy hunting, fishing, and trapping until next time!

News and Notes 

Norton Hill Trap Shooting Program is Underway/ 3D Archery Starting Soon

The Norton Hill Wildlife Club’s Sunday Trap Program began on May 18th. Trap begins at 10:00 am. Cost is $5.00 per round. Bring your own ammo and ear and eye protection which is required. Breakfast sandwiches will be available starting at 9:00 am for $5.00. 

Remaining dates are: June 1st, July 20th, August 10th, and September 7th. For further information call Chad at 518-291-3784. 

Their 3D Archery Program begins on June 7th, with subsequent dates on July 12th and 13th, August 23rd and 24th, and September 13th. A chicken BBQ will be available from 7:00 am until Noon. Cost for adults is $15.00, 12-17 at $7.00 and kids under 12 are free. For more information call Eric at 518-646-6338. *The gun range will be closed on the dates listed above.

Ray Brooks Memorial Youth Fishing Derby in Catskill to be held on Saturday, June 21st The Greene County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs is sponsoring the annual Ray Brooks Memorial Youth Fishing Derby which will be held on Saturday, June 21st at Catskill Point. Kids 5-15 years of age are eligible to register and compete. Registration is from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. Fishing starts at 10:00 am and ends promptly at 1:00 pm. Kids must be accompanied by an adult and must bring their own fishing equipment. Bait and refreshments will be provided, and all registrants will get a prize. Bring the kids down for this fun, free, fishing event!