DEC Forest Rangers – Week in Review

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other State agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from across New York State.

Town of North Hudson
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 23 between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received two separate and unrelated reports of overdue hikers on Dix Mountain. The hikers were last heard from at the peak at 6 and 7 p.m. respectively. They were both heading back to the Elk Lake trailhead. One hiker was moving slowly due to an injured ankle. At 11:30 p.m., Forest Rangers met the uninjured hiker at the Elk Lake trailhead. Rangers reached the trailhead with the injured hiker at 4:45 am.

Town of North Hudson
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 24 at 3 p.m., three Forest Rangers responded to a report of a hiker experiencing muscle cramps and exhaustion on the Beckhorn trail in the Dix Mountain range. The hiker was with four other individuals who were sheltering in place with emergency blankets. When they started feeling hypothermic, some made their way down the trail. Rangers assisted the rest to the Elk Lake trailhead. Resources were clear at 9:55 p.m.

Town of Newcomb
Essex County
Honor Guard: On May 23, The Division of Forest Protection Honor Guard participated in Newcomb’s annual Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony. Rangers were joined by the Newcomb Supervisor, staff, and volunteers, New York State Police Honor Guard, Essex County Sheriff’s Office Rifle Detail, American Legion Post 982, Newcomb Volunteer Fire Department, Rescue, and EMS, and a volunteer trumpeter from Newcomb Central School.

Wreath laying ceremony

Towns of Guilderland, Moreau, and Southampton
Guilderland, Saratoga, and Suffolk Counties
Prescribed Fires: On May 18, Forest Rangers joined DEC staff from the Divisions of Fish and Wildlife and Lands and Forests, Brookhaven National Lab, and the Central Pine Barrens Commission to conduct a controlled burn of seven acres of the Sarnoff Pine Barrens State Forest in Southampton.

On May 21, Forest Rangers joined DEC staff from the Division of Lands and Forests and staff from the Albany Pine Bush to conduct a controlled burn of 28 acres of the Albany Pine Bush in Guilderland.

Also on May 21, Forest Rangers joined staff from DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests and State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to conduct a controlled burn of 29 acres of Big Bend Preserve in Moreau.

Prescribed fire is an important land management tool used to improve habitat for lands and wildlife.

DEC recently announced the beginning of prescribed fire season. These burns are regulated by law and regulation and require technical expertise to safely conduct. Controlled burns help prevent the spread of invasive species, and in some areas, prescribed fire is used to reduce the buildup of wood, timber litter, and other fuel to reduce the potential for wildfires that threaten public safety and critical infrastructure. DEC carefully and responsibly implements prescribed fires only when conditions are favorable to meet land management goals.

Albany Pine Bush prescribed burn

Albany Pine Bush prescribed burn crew

Prescribed burn in Moreau

Prescribed burn in Moreau

Town of Gardiner
Ulster County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 21 at 3:50 p.m., Ulster County 911 reported a climber fell 30 feet while climbing the Arrow Wall in Mohonk Preserve. Forest Ranger Rusher was on the property with Mohonk Park Rangers at the time. They responded with New Paltz Rescue Squad, Gardiner Fire Department, and New York State Police. The 53-year-old from Massachusetts suffered injuries to the spine and pelvis. Rescuers determined a rope rescue was the safest way to evacuate the subject. It was a 40-degree slope 100 feet above the carriage road and continued down rocky steps for another 150 feet. After the carryout, a Mohonk Park Ranger drove the climber to an ambulance that transported them to MidHudson Regional Hospital. Resources were clear at 5:40 p.m.

Mohonk Preserve rescue

Mohonk Preserve rescue

Town of Bombay
Franklin County
Wildland Fire: On May 22 at 1:30 p.m., Franklin County requested Forest Ranger assistance for a wildland fire on County Route 2. Rangers and the Bombay, Dickenson, Fort Covington, and Hogansburg Fire Departments responded. There were nearly 20 debris piles burning more than 66 acres. With the help of water-filled drainage ditches, by 8:55 p.m. fire crews contained the fire. DEC Operations staff used an excavator, while fire crews used ATVs and portable pumps to continue breaking up and putting out hot spots. The fire was caused by burning a large debris pile of stumps.

Bombay fire

Bombay fire

Town of Caroga
Fulton County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 22 at 2 p.m., Fulton County requested Forest Ranger assistance with a hiker who suffered a lower leg injury at the Kane Mountain fire tower. Rangers Hamm and O’Connell responded with St. Johnsville EMS and the Caroga Lake Fire Department. Rescuers used a wheeled litter to transport the 28-year-old to the trailhead. The subject then drove to the hospital. Resources were clear at 4:44 p.m.

Town of Almond
Allegany County
Law Enforcement: On May 25, Forest Rangers conducted an ATV/UTV detail at Klipnocky State Forest to curtail recent illegal ATV/UTV use. The vehicles are not authorized on State lands in DEC’s Region 9 and UTVs are not authorized on any public highways. Rangers issued nine tickets for illegal UTV use.

ATV/UTV enforcement

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s “Hike Smart NY,” “Adirondack Backcountry,” and “Catskill Backcountry Information” webpages for more information.

If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on State lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.

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MAY 28, 2026 REGULAR MEETING AGENDA

A law designed to protect the environment will be partially rolled back to pave the way for much-needed homes.

Click here for the New York Focus story 

June 6^th – 10:30 am, Town of Clinton Town Hall, 23 Smith Street, Churubusco. Churubusco and the 1837 Rebellion with Town of Clinton Historian Rebecca Le Clair. Join us to discuss the demographics of the Town of Clinton (Churubusco). This presentation will reveal why the Churubusco populus is primarily French Canadian and Irish by delving into the history or settlement in Churubusco and how it ties into the Canadian rebellion of 1837.

June 6^th, 11 am – Flag Ceremony beginning at Point au Fer with American Legion Post 912 and Post 1619’s Revolutionary War Honor Guard to honor Revolutionary War Veterans interred in cemeteries in the Town of Champlain: Point au Fer, Maple Hill, Glenwood, Shutes, Waters and Wiley’s Point.

June 8^th – 6 pm, American Legion, 29 Pratt St., Rouses Point. Struggle in the Snow: The invasion and storming of Quebec with Thaddeus Booth Trudo. New Year’s Eve 2025 was the 250th Anniversary of the attempted storming of Quebec City by American forces under the command of Generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold. Learn more about this event and the brave patriots who participate in this early revolutionary war battle.

June 9^th – 6:45 pm, Lake Forest Retirement Community, 8 Lake Forest Drive, Plattsburgh. Walk Around the Block – a photographic view of the Plattsburgh City Center in the late 19^th and early 20^th Centuries with Pat Loughan. 

June 12^th – 12:30 pm, Plattsburgh Senior Center, 5139 North Catherine Street, Plattsburgh. Walk Around the Block – a photographic view of the Plattsburgh City Center in the late 19^th and early 20^th Centuries with Pat Loughan. 

June 18^th – 6:00 pm, Clinton County Historical Association, 98 Ohio Avenue, Plattsburgh. Churubusco and the 1837 Rebellion with Town of Clinton Historian Rebecca LeClair. Join us to discuss the demographics of the Town of Clinton (Churubusco). This presentation will reveal why the Churubusco populus is primarily French Canadian and Irish by delving into the history or settlement in Churubusco and how it ties into the Canadian rebellion of 1837!

June 24^th, 6 pm – Lecture, Peru Free Library, 3024 N. Main St, Peru. Peru Veterans and the founding of the Town with Military historian Thaddeus Booth-Trudo and Town of Peru historian Helen Nerska 

June 25^th – 6:00 pm, Plattsburgh Memorial Chapel, 100 US Oval, Plattsburgh. History Matters: Revolution, Independence and Valcour Island by John Krueger. History matters because liberty is not self-sustaining; it must first be imagined in the minds and hearts of ordinary people and then defended through sacrifice, leadership, and endurance. Using figures such as John and Abigail Adams, Joseph Warren, and William Emerson, this engaging illustrated presentation will explain how the American Revolution grew from conviction into action, while the Declaration of Independence gave that struggle its clearest moral and political

purpose. Its central regional argument is that Valcour Island deserves lasting

historical importance because Benedict Arnold’s improvised naval stand on Lake

Champlain delayed the British advance long enough to preserve the northern

defenses and help make Saratoga possible. A familiar story will be told in an

unfamiliar manner, something you won’t want to miss.

All events are free and open to the public. 

Budget votes are expected to continue throughout the week. Once all budget votes have concluded, the Governor will sign them into effect. The death gamble protections will go into effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature.

Albany, May 26, 2026 – Assemblyman Cashman News Release – The State Legislature passed the death gamble benefits protections for correction officers within today’s budget vote, a measure carried by Assemblyman Michael S. Cashman (D-Plattsburgh) in the Assembly and State Senator Robert Jackson (D-New York) in the Senate.

This measure would allow the beneficiary of a member of the state retirement system employed by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision as correction officer to receive the benefits the member would have received if they retired at the date of death. This ensures the beneficiaries of line-of-duty correction officer deaths can receive their pension as if they were to retire on the date of their death. 

“Through discussions with NYSCOPBA leadership, correction officers and their families, and my colleagues, it was clear that this legislation could wait no longer,” Assemblyman Cashman said. “Public service and protection is an honorable duty, and our correctional workers shouldn’t have to decide between continuing to serve the State or protecting their families’ hard-earned benefits. Today, I am proud to say that we have delivered real results for the brave men and women who work in correctional facilities across the state after a multi-decade long fight. This change was a priority of mine during this year’s legislative session, and the work does not end here. All state employees deserve to work in a safe environment, and I will not rest until we can see the conditions within these facilities improve.”

“Public service should never become a gamble against a worker’s family. For too long, experienced correction officers and security hospital treatment assistants have faced an impossible choice: continue serving the people of New York or retire simply to protect the benefits their families earned through years of sacrifice,” State Senator Jackson said. “As Chair of the Senate Committee on Civil Service and Pensions and Senate sponsor of this legislation, I am proud to stand alongside our Assembly partner in securing this long-overdue measure in the state budget. This is how government honors experience, strengthens public service, and keeps faith with the families who stand behind every worker who answers the call.” 

“This long-awaited legislation will hopefully provide a major boost to morale for members who wish to continue working beyond 25 years without risking their pension or jeopardizing their families’ long-term financial security,” NYSCOPBA Northern Region Vice President John Roberts said. “More than 20 years in the making, this legislation has passed the legislature several times in recent years only to be vetoed. This year, however, it has finally come together and stands to help retain our experienced staff at a time when staffing remains one of the most significant issues impacting our members today.” 

Budget votes are expected to continue throughout the week. Once all budget votes have concluded, the Governor will sign them into effect. The death gamble protections will go into effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature.

Click here for the NCPR story 

April 8, 2026 Stamped Planning Board Minutes

Eligible SUNY and CUNY Students Whose Families Earn Up to $125,000 Annually Can Attend Tuition-Free College

Albany, May 26, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the application for the Excelsior Scholarship for new applicants for the 2026-27 academic year is now open. The Excelsior Scholarship, administered by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), provides eligible full-time students with tuition-free attendance at SUNY or CUNY two-year or four-year colleges. Students choosing to attend a participating private college in New York State can receive up to $6,000 toward their tuition costs through the Enhanced Tuition Award.

“Higher education should be a pathway to opportunity, not a source of financial strain. Programs like the Excelsior Scholarship and the Enhanced Tuition Award put opportunity within reach for thousands of New Yorkers ready to take the next step toward a college degree,” Governor Hochul said. “This program helps make higher education more accessible by allowing eligible students to attend SUNY and CUNY colleges tuition-free. It’s about keeping students in New York, supporting their goals, and strengthening our workforce and economy.”

In the 2024-25 academic year, $101 million in Excelsior awards was distributed to more than 25,000 students, enabling 72% of CUNY students and 55% of SUNY students to attend college tuition-free through a combination of the Excelsior Scholarship and other awards; additionally, $1.7 million in Enhanced Tuition Awards was provided to more than 1,500 students.

Students from households with federal adjusted gross incomes up to $125,000 are eligible for an Excelsior Scholarship award, and must also:

• Attend a SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year college
• Enroll full-time and complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study (including summer and winter terms); and be on track to graduate with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor’s degree in four years
  

More information and full eligibility criteria for the Excelsior Scholarship can be found here.

Additionally, applications are now being accepted for the Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA). ETA provides eligible New York State students up to $6,000 in tuition assistance at participating private colleges in New York State.

To qualify, students must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Be a New York State resident for at least 12 months before the start of the term
• Be attending a participating private college in New York State
• Have a combined federal household income of $125,000 or less
• Enroll full-time and complete 30 credits per year in their program of study
• Agree to live and work in New York State for the same number of years the award was received

Full eligibility criteria for the Enhanced Tuition Award can be found here.

The deadline for new applicants to apply for the ETA or Excelsior Scholarship for the 2026-27 academic year is August 31, 2026.

Students currently receiving either the Excelsior Scholarship or Enhanced Tuition Award do not need to submit applications annually to receive continued award payments; however, they must continue to meet eligibility criteria and complete the FAFSA and TAP applications, or DREAM Act application each year applying for aid.

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL of May 2026 minutes
5. OPEN FLOOR TO PUBLIC HEARING

6. APPLICATIONS:

7. 1. File # P-2026-007 – Minor 2-Lot Subdivision – Parcel ID# 267.-1-3.23 – 392 John Boswell Rd – Robert Wright – APPLICANT SEEKS TO SPLIT LOT INTO 2 SUBDIVISIONS. LOT #1 = 19.4 ACRES, RETAINED. LOT #2 = 1.5 ACRES AS A GIFT FOR THEIR SON, TANNER WRIGHT.

8. ANY FURTHER BUSINESS

9. CEO REPORT

   1. Findings on the Board’s questions about fencing conditions for WJB Properties LLC’s storage facility on Town Park Rd.

10. ADJOURNMENT

Tom Venne performing on Sunday 11:30 – 2:30 

Mac’n Cheese 

Chicken Nuggets 

Vegetable 

Bread 

Dessert 

Served 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., take-out only, at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru, NY 12972. 

All are invited and welcome!

DEC sets up portable toilets at popular Fish Creek and Rollins Pond campgrounds 

Click here for the Adirondack Explorer story 

Albany, May 21, 2026 – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other State agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from across New York State.

Hamlet of Paul Smiths
Franklin County
Training: On May 1 and 2, Forest Ranger Lieutenant LaPierre and Rangers Adams, Bowler, and Corey taught the basic wildland search course for members of Search and Rescue of the Northern Adirondacks (SARNAK.) Rangers often work together with SARNAK on search and rescue missions, so training together makes things more efficient in the event of an actual emergency.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 9 at 9:30 p.m., two Forest Rangers responded to a dropped 911 call near the Garden parking lot and trailhead. Essex County Dispatch retrieved cell phone coordinates that placed a 22- and 26-year-old several hundred feet off trail between the Brothers and Phelps trails. At 10:45 p.m., Dispatchers made contact with a friend of the hikers who received a text message with updated coordinates that placed the hikers in Cold Brook Pass in Newcomb. At 1:30 a.m., Lake Colden Caretaker Raudonis reached the pair and assisted them to the outpost to get warm and dry. After spending the night, Caretaker Raudonis assisted the hiking party to the Marcy Dam Outpost. Ranger Jeffery met them and assisted them to the South Meadows trailhead. Resources were clear at 1 p.m.

Town of Warrensburg
Warren County
Water Recovery: On May 10 at 8 p.m., Warren County requested Forest Ranger assistance with the search for a missing kayaker in the Schroon River. NYSP, the Warrensburg Fire Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Deputies began searching the area behind Library Avenue. At 9:30 p.m., crews found the kayak, but not the 21-year-old from Yonkers. The Warren County Marine Rescue Team and NYSP Underwater Recovery Team searched into the early morning hours with negative results.

The following day, Forest Rangers, DEC Environmental Conservation Police, NYSP, Warren County Sheriff’s Deputies, and the North Queensbury Fire Department continued searching. At 7:45 p.m., the NYSP Underwater Recovery Team located the subject deceased. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offers its condolences to the family.

Town of Warrensburg
Warren County
Wildland Fire: On May 12 at 4 p.m., Warren County requested Forest Ranger assistance with a brush fire that damaged a structure. Rangers assisted Chester, Horicon, Minerva, Portersville, and Riverside Fire Departments to contain the fire by 8:35 p.m. The cause of the 2-acre fire remains under investigation.

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Search: On May 13 at 1:47 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch contacted Forest Ranger Ezumah about a lost hiker near Street and Nye Mountain trail. Rangers Ezumah and Rooney met at the trailhead and made verbal contact with the subject one mile down the trail. They found the 47-year-old from Amherst next to Indian Pass Brook. Rangers provided warming layers and escorted the subject back to their vehicle. Resources were clear at 4:45 p.m.

Town of Elizabethtown
Essex County
Water Rescue and Recovery:  On May 15 at 9:48 p.m., Essex County 911 called Ray Brook Dispatch about two subjects in distress at Lincoln Pond. Three Forest Rangers arrived on scene and determined it was three subjects who were in the water after their canoe and kayak flipped. Rangers assisted two of the subjects out of the water. Members of Horicon Fire Department and EMS transported them to Elizabethtown Hospital to treat them for hypothermia. At 1:04 a.m., the Horicon Fire Department Dive Team recovered the third subject, a 30-year-old from Syracuse, deceased.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offers its condolences to the family.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s “Hike Smart NY,” “Adirondack Backcountry,” and “Catskill Backcountry Information” webpages for more information.

If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on State lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.

CDC Data indicates Opioid-Related Deaths Down Nearly 52 Percent Since 2022

Albany, May 21, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted new provisional figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Vital Statistics System, which show a substantial reduction in overdose deaths in New York State from 2022 through 2025. The annual number of drug fatalities fell for a third year in a row and decreased by 44.9% in New York. That’s more than 5,000 lives saved. The largest reductions were seen in opioid-related deaths, which are down 51.9% since 2022.

“As Governor, I have been committed to reversing the opioid and overdose epidemic by making historic investments in prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and Recovery services and supports,” Governor Hochul said. “I am very pleased that over the past three years, we have seen a decline in overall overdose deaths. However, the hard work continues. We will continue our focus on removing health disparities and responding to new substances that are emerging in the illicit drug supply. Every overdose that occurs is one too many and addressing these public health challenges requires an ongoing and dynamic response.”

Click here for treatment information 

1. Call Meeting to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION: To Open the Special Meeting.

5. MOTION: Adjourn to Executive Session.

6. MOTION: Return from Executive Session.

7. DISCUSSION/RESOLUTION:  Approve Engagement Letter to Replace Special Counsel.

8. MOTION: To Close the Special Meeting.

May 21^st, 6 pm – Peru Free Library 3024, N. Main Street, Peru. The Battle of Valcour Island – before, during and after. With Reenactor and Historian Craig Russell. Hear the story of the most important naval battle of the Revolutionary War – fought on our lake on October 11, 1776.

Peru Gazette Patent Rd. Photo

Crossbow Expansion Widely Adopted by Archery Hunters

First Time in Modern New York History that Mature Buck Harvest Exceeds Yearling Buck Harvest

Albany, May 20, 2026 – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced that hunters harvested an estimated 227,032 white-tailed deer during the 2025-26 hunting seasons, approximately 2% more than the 2024 season and within 1% of the 5-year average.

“It is clear that deer hunters took advantage of expanded crossbow hunting opportunities this past season,” said Commissioner Lefton. “We are pleased that more hunters can participate in New York’s archery deer seasons and contribute to effective deer management into the future. The results from this past season continue to demonstrate that New York has much to offer for deer hunters.”

Following an amendment to the Environmental Conservation Law in 2025 that allowed deer hunters to use a crossbow in the same seasons, places, and manner as a vertical bow, DEC documented widespread adoption of crossbows. In 2025, crossbows accounted for 55% of the total archery season deer harvest. For comparison, in 2024, crossbows accounted for 33% of the total archery harvest. Crossbows are a more approachable hunting implement for hunters who are new to archery or have difficulty drawing a vertical bow. In 2025, archery hunters who harvested a deer using a crossbow were on average 9 years older and were more than twice as likely to be female than those who harvested a deer with a vertical bow.

The 2025 antlered buck harvest of 120,909 was 1% less than 2024, but finally passed a landmark in buck age structure. For the first time in modern history, New York hunters harvested as many 3.5-year-old or older bucks (28.1%) as yearling bucks (28.0%). For comparison, 25 years ago only 10% of harvested bucks in New York were 3.5 years old or older and 67% were 1.5 years old.

The 2025 antlerless deer harvest of 106,123 was up 5% from 2024. However, antlerless deer harvest throughout much of New York was still below what is necessary to achieve deer population objectives. Sufficient harvest of antlerless deer is necessary to keep deer populations in balance with available habitat and at levels that are acceptable to all members of the public. To encourage hunters to harvest more antlerless deer in future seasons, DEC recently proposed Changes to Hunting Regulations to Increase Harvest of Antlerless Deer.

Notable Numbers from the 2025 Deer Seasons:

• 0: The number of positive results from 3,050 wild deer tested for Chronic Wasting Disease, as efforts continue to “Keep NY’s wild deer CWD-free.”
• 530,808: The number of licensed NY hunters during the 2025 deer hunting seasons, an estimated 85% of whom actively participated in deer hunting.
• 11%: The estimated percentage of hunters who used the newly-offered E-tags for all of their 2025 deer hunting. An additional 19% of hunters used a combination of E-tags and paper tags throughout the hunting seasons.
• 63%: The portion of successful deer hunters reporting their harvest as required by law. This is well above the five-year average of 49%. Harvest reporting was likely increased through hunters adopting E-tagging, which requires immediate reporting as part of the tagging process.
• 2,567: The estimated deer harvest by 12–15-year-old hunters during the Youth Firearms Season.
• 17.1 and 0.7: The estimated number of deer harvested per square mile in the Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) with the highest (WMU 8R) and lowest (WMU 5F) harvest density.
• 12,385: The number of harvested deer checked by DEC field staff to gather data such as deer age, sex, and hunter reporting rates. This check data, along with hunter harvest reports, allows DEC to estimate the total deer harvest and monitor trends in deer populations.

DEC’s 2025 Deer Harvest Summary report provides tables, figures, and maps detailing the deer harvest around the state. Past harvest summaries are also available on DEC’s website. DEC’s White-tailed deer Management Plan provides information on how DEC determines deer population objectives throughout the state.

Click here for the NCPR story