There’s a January Deer Season Coming to Central New York

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is asking hunters to help control the overabundance of deer. Your help comes with a January deer season coming in the new year.

The Deer Management Focus Area Program will have a hunting session from January 11 to 31 in portions of Tompkins County. During the season hunters will be allowed to take two antlerless deer per day in the Ithaca area.

There are some rules to follow. You have to register with the DMFA Program and download a permit, carcass tags and a hunting activity log. Once completed. hunters may take up to two antlerless deer per day using any hunting implement that is legal during any other deer season at the site where they are hunting.  The permit and tags must be with you while hunting and the activity log must be completed by February 7.

Two state parks are included in the legal hunting areas and you will need to obtain a permit from the park to hunt in those areas:
Buttermilk Falls State Park
Robert H. Treman State Par

Unless your already have a permit from Cornell, no hunting will be allowed on their lands. Get more info and download needed materials at the DEC's website.

If you have more venison than you can eat, the DEC encourages you to share the meat with family or friends or they have a donation site that gives the meat to the needy and food pantries.