BUFFALO, N.Y. — The regular firearms season for deer and bear hunting began at sunrise on Saturday across Western New York.
Both seasons continue in the Southern Zone through Sunday, December 8.
“The regular firearms season for deer in the Southern Zone draws hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers afield each year to hunt big game. It’s a cherished annual tradition in New York State,” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement.
“New York's deer and bear populations are tremendous resources that provide more than 11 million pounds of quality, locally grown, organic meat to families across the state. I wish all hunters a safe and successful season.”
The DEC encourages hunters to pass on shooting young bucks and instead focus on older, larger bucks.
The regular firearms season for deer and bear had already begun in the Northern Zone on October 26.
The DEC says the regular firearms season in the Southern Zone is also the most popular, attracting 85 percent of New York's 550,000 licensed hunters.
