ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has proposed several changes to deer hunting regulations, according to an announcement on Friday. The proposals seek to modernize reporting and increase youth hunting opportunities.

There are three primary changes that DEC is proposing: using electronic hunting tags and changing the harvest reporting time period, providing replacement regular season deer tags to youth hunters and improving the Deer Management Assistance Program. If approved, the changes would go into effect for the 2026-2027 trapping seasons.

Public comment is open for each of the proposals until August 17. You can view the proposed changes on the DEC website. Public comments can be emailed to wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov (subject: “e-tags and DMAP”) or by sending a letter to NYSDEC, Attn: Deer Hunting Regs, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754.

Electronic carcass tags

DEC first proposes to begin using electronic carcass tags for deer, bears and turkeys. The hunter would submit an electronic harvest report through the HuntFishNY mobile app immediately after taking a deer, bear or bear. The process would serve as a form of “e-tagging” the carcass.

The HuntFishNY app would work even without immediate cell service, storing the harvest report and transmitting it to DEC upon reconnection. Hunters using the e-tagging service would not need to attach a physical tag to their harvested deer, bear or turkey while it is in their possession, including in their vehicle and at home.

Once the carcass is left unattended or is delivered to a taxidermist or processor, the hunter would need to attach a physical tag that includes their name and reporting confirmation number — provided by the HuntFishNY app — to the carcass.

Hunters will still have the option to use paper tags if they wish, but the proposal would reduce the timeframe required to report a harvested deer, bear or turkey from seven days to 48 hours. Hunters can also report their harvest by phone.

Replacement regular season deer tags for youth hunters

DEC proposes providing replacement regular season deer tags to select youth hunters. The change will allow youth hunters who successfully fill their regular season tag during the Youth Deer Hunt and do not have a Deer Management Permit to get a replacement tag for the regular firearms season.

The replacement tag would be designated for the opposite sex deer from the one that was harvested during the youth hunt. For example, a youth hunter that harvested an antlered deer during the Youth Deer Hunt would receive an antler-less replacement tag for the regular season.

Improve Deer Management Assistance Program

DEC proposes to extend the permit renewal cycle from three years to five years in an effort to improve the Deer Management Assistance Program. The extension would enable enrollees to implement consistent deer management on private properties while also reducing paperwork for permittees.

The proposal would also get rid of the quantity limit on DMAP tags that may be used per hunter, which is currently no more than four. Instead, hunters would be able to maximize their use of the tags, with the total number issued set by DEC staff based on property size and management need.

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