What to know as hunting season begins in Mohawk Valley and much of NY

Mohawk Valley hunters will hit the woods starting Nov. 15 with the start of the regular hunting season, and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office encourages hunters to hunt safely.

“Hunting season is a tradition enjoyed by many residents and visitors to our area.” Oneida County Sheriff’s Office officials said in a statement:. “Please remember to comply with all laws and best practices to ensure a safe and successful season for everyone.”

The regular hunting season for elk and bear in the Southern Zone, which includes Utica and much of the Mohawk Valley, runs through Dec. 7. The season started on 25 October in the Northern Territory. The city of Rome and Rt. 49 west and Rt. 365 eastbound.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in a press release that this is the state’s most popular big game hunting season.

“This November, hundreds of thousands of big game hunters will travel far to enjoy the great outdoors and get a chance to harvest a deer or bear in the Southern District of New York,” Lefton said. “As guardians of hunting traditions and New York’s elk population, all hunters must maintain their conservation responsibilities as a top priority when spending time away.

“These responsibilities include following safe hunting practices and maintaining the health of the New York State deer population by harvesting antlerless deer and preventing the spread of deer diseases such as (chronic wasting disease).”

Safety tips for NY hunters

Oneida County Sheriff’s Office released The following list of safety tips for hunters heading into the field.

• Tell someone where you will be hunting and put hunting plans in writing, including dates, times, location and expected return time.

• Become familiar with the area you want to hunt.

• Always treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

• Dress appropriately and be prepared for the worst possible conditions and check weather reports before heading out.

• Always wear hunter orange to be easily seen by other hunters.

• Inspect hunting equipment before and after each trip and maintain it properly. Familiarize yourself with its operation before using it in the field.

• Before you shoot, clearly define your target and what lies beyond it. Never shoot at movement, sound, or a patch of color. Determine your goal precisely.

• Be careful while hunting; There may be other revelers in the area.

• Respect private property and obtain the landowner’s permission before entering.

Chronic Wasting Disease in NY

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal disease found in deer, elk, and moose that is spread through the body fluids, saliva, urine, and feces of infected animals. A healthy deer, moose, or moose can become infected with CWD through direct contact with an infected animal or contaminated environments.

New York State DEC takes CWD very seriously because it is a prion disease that attaches to soil particles and can remain infectious in the environment for years, capable of infecting the next generation of deer, elk or moose. Prions can also be introduced into plant tissues and remain infectious.

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In addition to just being safe, NYDEC encourages hunters to help prevent CWD from entering New York’s wild deer populations by taking the following precautions:

If you harvest any type of deer, elk, elk or caribou while hunting outside of New York, deboning venison Before bringing it back to New York. DEC will seize and destroy illegally imported deer carcasses and parts.

• If you harvest a deer from an area known to have CWD outside of New York, submit samples to that state’s Department of Natural Resources for CWD testing before consuming venison. If testing positive for CWD, contact DEC for proper disposal of venison.

• Avoid using deer urine-based baits or attractive scents as these may contain CWD. Use synthetic products instead.

• Dispose of deer carcass waste in a landfill, not on land.

• Hunt only wild deer and support the principles of fair game hunting.

• Do not consume venison from deer that are sick or appear diseased.

DEC also requests successful deer hunters in the towns of Columbia, German Flatts, Litchfield, Warren or Winfield in Herkimer County to submit the deer head for CWD testing at one of eight drop-off locations. visit DEC’s website for drop-off instructions and locations. Taxidermists can take samples of the deer you intend to mount.

This article was first published in Observer-Dispatch: Regular hunting season in New York begins in December, officials urge safety