2 days ago
More than 4,000 deer harvested in Niagara County this past hunting season
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reports that hunters in New York harvested an estimated 223,304 deer during the 2024-25 hunting seasons. In addition, DEC announced the release of a report noting agency actions in response to the Herkimer County chronic wasting disease (CWD) incident and the state's plans for continued, intensified disease surveillance.
The 2024-25 estimated deer harvest included 122,427 antlered bucks (i.e., adult males) and 100,877 antlerless deer (i.e., 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. However, the total deer harvest was slightly below the five-year average.
In Niagara County, 4,027 deer were harvested during the season. Orleans County saw 4,416 deer harvested.
Notable numbers
• 15.7 and 0.6 — number of deer harvested per square mile in the units with the highest and lowest harvest density.
• 66.9% — portion of the adult buck harvest that was 2.5 years or older statewide, up from 52% a decade ago, and 30% in the 1990s.
• 53.6% — portion of successful deer hunters that reported their harvest as required by law. This is greater than the five-year average of 48.2%.
• 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.
Chronic Wasting Disease
Last fall, a case of Chronic Wasting Disease was confirmed in a captive red deer herd in the town of Columbia, Herkimer County. In coordination with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), all captive red deer at the facility were tested. DEC also increased its sampling efforts for wild white-tailed deer.
With the assistance of local hunters, landowners, and USDA Wildlife Services, DEC collected samples from more than 200 wild deer within the six towns surrounding the captive deer facility where CWD was confirmed in 2024; none tested positive, providing hope that CWD may not have spread into the wild deer herd.
Contact the nearest DEC regional wildlife office or Environmental Conservation Police Officer to report a deer that appears sick, unusually thin, or behaves abnormally.
