Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - DEC Announces 2024-25 Deer Harvest Results

Hunters Helping the Hungry. Local Columbia County hunters are seen here delivering hundreds of pounds of lean, nutritious protein to food pantries for distribution to area families in need. The meat from harvested deer help to feed those who need a little help, while hunters keep whitetail deer numbers at a manageable level. 

 

DEC reports hunters in New York harvested an estimated 223,304 deer during the 2024-25 hunting seasons. “The 2024-25 estimated deer harvest included 122,427 antlered bucks (adult males) and 100,877 antlerless deer (adult females and fawns of either sex). Statewide, this represents a 9% increase in antlered buck harvest and a 3% increase in antlerless deer harvest from last season. Despite the increase in both buck and antlerless take in 2025, the deer harvest was below the five-year average.” 

 Deer hunters provide a service to NY residents and the DEC by culling the herd preventing overpopulation. Without hunters annually reducing NY’s deer herd it’s a mathematical certainty deer numbers would exceed the carrying capacity of available habitat in many areas across the state. That would result in drastic over-browsing of natural, agricultural, and ornamental plant species along with other negative impacts including likely increased vehicle-deer collisions and a greater propensity to spread wildlife disease. 

 State wildlife biologists manage the deer population primarily by adjusting the numbers of Deer Management Permits (DMPs) they issue in specific geographic areas known as Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). DMPs target the harvest of antlerless female deer in the respective WMUs. This strategy has proven to be successful in keeping the growth of NY’s whitetail deer herd in check. 

 Hunters donate a good number of deer they harvest each year to local community food banks, and the 2024 season was no exception. Dana, of Berkshire View Farms Custom Butchers, in Alcove, NY saw a significant increase in the number of deer processed from the season prior and noted an even larger increase in the number of deer donated by hunters to area food pantries. She credits this to the generous nature of area sportsmen and women combined with the “Food Security Coalition of Greene County” making a specific effort to get the word out last year about venison donation. That greatly increased the amount of venison distributed to families in need in Greene and Albany Counties. I’m happy to report, “The Mountain Eagle” and “Porcupine Soup News” participated in assisting in that effort. Dana said she tripled the number of pantries Berkshire View Farms serviced with processed venison due to increased advertising of the venison donation option. 

 Over in Schoharie County, Mike Zeh of the Schoharie County Conservation Alliance (SCCA) reports hunters affiliated with his organization donated a total of 1020 pounds of venison to Schoharie County food pantries during the 2024-25 deer season. 

Looking from a broader perspective, according to Feeding New York State, “Each year, hunters help address food insecurity in New York by donating 50,000-70,000 pounds of venison.” Nationally, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation reports during the 2019-2020 hunting season, 1.62 million pounds of legally harvested game meat was donated to similar programs around the country. Their website also states that Quality Deer Management Association (QDM) members donated 1.73 million pounds of venison nationally to the needy during the 2017-2018 hunting season. Hunters in NY and across the nation continue to help those in need by providing lean, nutritious meat for the table.

2024-25 Deer Season Notable Numbers  

• 15.7 and 0.6 — number of deer harvested per square mile in the units with the highest (WMU 8R) and lowest (WMU 5F) harvest density. 

• 66.9 percent — portion of the adult buck harvest that was 2.5 years or older statewide, up from 52 percent a decade ago, and 30 percent in the 1990s. 

• 53.6 percent — portion of successful deer hunters that reported their harvest as required by law. This is greater than the five-year average of 48.2 percent. 

• 13,488 — number of hunter-harvested deer checked by DEC staff in 2024 to determine hunter reporting rate and collect biological data (e.g., age, sex, antler data). This represents 6% of the total 2024-25 deer harvest. 

• 18,372 — number of deer harvested using a crossbow, less than half as many as were taken with a vertical bow. 

 Deer harvest data are gathered from two main sources: harvest reports required within seven days of harvest of all successful deer hunters; and DEC’s examination of harvested deer at meat processors and check stations across the state. Harvest estimates are made by cross-referencing these two data sources and calculating the total harvest from the reporting rate for each zone and tag type.  

DEC’s 2024-25 Deer Harvest Summary report (PDF) provides tables, figures, and maps detailing the deer harvest and CWD surveillance efforts around the state. Past harvest summaries are also available on DEC’s Deer and Bear Hunting webpage. Appendix two of DEC’s Management Plan for White-tailed Deer (PDF) provides information on how DEC sets deer population objectives throughout the state.

Happy hunting, fishing, and trapping until next time!

News and Notes 

Norton Hill Trap Shooting Program is Underway/ 3D Archery Starting Soon

The Norton Hill Wildlife Club’s Sunday Trap Program began on May 18th. Trap begins at 10:00 am. Cost is $5.00 per round. Bring your own ammo and ear and eye protection which is required. Breakfast sandwiches will be available starting at 9:00 am for $5.00. 

Remaining dates are: June 1st, July 20th, August 10th, and September 7th. For further information call Chad at 518-291-3784. 

Their 3D Archery Program begins on June 7th, with subsequent dates on July 12th and 13th, August 23rd and 24th, and September 13th. A chicken BBQ will be available from 7:00 am until Noon. Cost for adults is $15.00, 12-17 at $7.00 and kids under 12 are free. For more information call Eric at 518-646-6338. *The gun range will be closed on the dates listed above.

Ray Brooks Memorial Youth Fishing Derby in Catskill to be held on Saturday, June 21st The Greene County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs is sponsoring the annual Ray Brooks Memorial Youth Fishing Derby which will be held on Saturday, June 21st at Catskill Point. Kids 5-15 years of age are eligible to register and compete. Registration is from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. Fishing starts at 10:00 am and ends promptly at 1:00 pm. Kids must be accompanied by an adult and must bring their own fishing equipment. Bait and refreshments will be provided, and all registrants will get a prize. Bring the kids down for this fun, free, fishing event!   

 

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Hike Catskill Mountain House to North Mountain June 7

PALENVILLE — This hike is based on a photo album discovered on-line by Scott Koster of college-aged people living, working, and discovering the Catskill Mountains! We will follow some of the places visited by these adventuresome young people.

We will break this hike into a morning and an afternoon section. Bring a lunch. We will stop at the Catskill Mountain House site for lunch before we continue with the afternoon portion.

Morning portion - South Mountain Trails: We will go from the Mountain House site to Boulder Rock by way of the abandoned trail called the “Circuit of South Mountain.” These young people from communities in New York and beyond were summer workers at the Catskill Mountain House in 1925, the year after the Kaaterskill Hotel burned. They visited the site and stood by a well pump in what had been a courtyard which we visited on our hike to Kaaterskill Hotel in May. They also made friends (based on photos with the boys carrying instrument cases) with boys from the band that performed at South Lake pavilion dances.

Afternoon portion - North Mountain Trails: We will walk from the Mountain House site along the blue trail to Jacob’s Ladder and Bear’s Den. We’ll be able to find the site of the ladder based on other photos and one of the girls climbing it. Along the way we will pass the original Artist’s Rock (based on 1860's stereographs) and on to Prospect Rock, Lake View Pinnacle, (the original Sunset Rock) and enjoy the iconic view from the top of Bear’s Den.

Hike Leader: Bob Gildersleeve co-lead with George Hewitt

Difficulty: Moderate

Limited to 20 participants. Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

 

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Flag Day in Greene County

GREENE COUNTY - In recognition of Flag Day, Greene County has installed six new American flag repositories throughout the County, providing residents with additional convenient and respectful options for the retirement of worn or damaged flags.

As a revered symbol of the United States, the American flag should always

be shown proper respect, including when it becomes unserviceable and is

ready to be retired.

According to the U.S. Flag Code, the preferred and most dignified way to retire unserviceable flags is by burning them in a respectful ceremony. 

Flags collected at these repository sites will be handled in accordance with these standards and retired through formal ceremonies conducted by local veterans organizations.

Residents are encouraged to bring any old, frayed, faded and otherwise

unserviceable flags to a designated repository. The newest drop-off locations include:

— Greene County Building: 411 Main St. Catskill, NY 12414

—Greene County Vet2Vet: 905 Greene County Office Bldg., Cairo,

NY 12413

—New Baltimore Town Hall: 3809 CR 51 Hannacroix, NY 12087

—Prattsville Town Hall: 14517 Main St. Prattsville, NY 12468

—Jewett Town Hall: 3547 CR 23C Jewett, NY 12444

—Coxsackie Senior Center: 127 Mansion St. Coxsackie, NY 12051

All collected flags will be retired with the care they deserve during scheduled ceremonies, typically held around Flag Day.

To learn more about proper flag etiquette or to view all current flag repository locations in Greene County, please CLICK HERE.

Or you may contact the Greene County Veterans Service Agency at 518-943-3703.

 

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BETTER THAN HEARSAY - Giving a Hoot

By Michael Ryan

CORNWALLVILLE - When I was a kid, I never gave much thought to what I wanted to be when I grew up. It’s getting kind of late to do it now.

If I had to pick one thing that draws my interest, it is the so-called mysteries of life, the whole “what the heck’s going on here” puzzlement.

Many of us drove our parents nuts in childhood, asking “why” about every  infinitesimal nuance not even waiting for one answer to settle in before asking “why” again.

Like for instance, “why is the sky blue?” and maybe our parents would say “because God made it that way,” which is fine but then we’d find out there isn’t really a sky, not the same as a ceiling in our bedroom anyway.

So that set another whole series of questions in motion and it has never stopped for me, the delving, reminding me of a scene from the Paul Newman movie “Cool Hand Luke.”

At the end of the flik, Luke has escaped from prison again and is holed up in an old church, looking skyward as the guards close in on him.

He is smiling, seeking heavenly help, saying, “you made me this way,” and a gunshot rings out, turning Luke stone cold.

When I was a kid, I didn’t think much about the color of the sky. I thought about the human condition without knowing why.  

I just did and I was often told I couldn’t know the answers to stuff and people still tell me that but I’m not buying it.

For instance, I wonder what living is like for the insects I see flying around or floating on the surface of the lakes where I swim.

The poor things have fishes gobbling them from below and birds grabbing them from above. I wonder if the swimmers and flyers every collide, granting the bug a reprieve, at least for a few moments?

Maybe I won’t get that answer but I have no such merciful thoughts for ticks who, this year, are like a pandemic with their nasty little legs and blood-sucking mouths.

It wouldn’t bother me if they just vampired us and then went on their merry way but they have to mess people up so we have to get all defensive and, well, you know the rest of that sad story for them.

Here’s the problem. I did a little research on the creatures and, according to TICKsafety.com, “the female hard ticks swell immensely as they store the blood they need to lay their eggs.”

In other words, if I pluck one of the engorged lady varmints off me, I break a mother’s heart. What kind of a monster does that make me?

But there’s more. “Some ticks secrete a cement-like substance with their saliva, which dissolves when the tick is ready to drop off of its host,” TICKsafety.com reports.

“This substance can make it even harder to remove the feeding tick. The saliva also keeps the host’s blood from clotting while the tick eats.”

How convenient. So, it’s a tough world for everybody, I guess, which makes a tale I heard about a baby owl all the pleasanter.

It comes from Greene County Legislature chairman Patrick Linger who I talk to on a regular basis, needing information on what lawmakers are doing and why they are doing it.

I never knew lawmakers had hearts, bleeding we mules of taxation the way they do (not unlike the aforementioned dermacentor variabilis)!

They do, of course, and Linger, in between talking about this and that resolution, shared a yarn about a baby Great Horned Owl.

Linger works at the Corporate Woods Office Park in Albany, just off I-90, learning the owl had fallen out of its nest, leaving it stranded.

“We saw crows dive-bombing it,” Linger said. “The mother was in the tree. I was afraid of her coming after me if we tried to help, seeing the talons on the baby that were already and inch-and-a-half long.”

Crows and owls don’t particularly care for each other. Crows will carry out a mobbing if their territory is threatened, a coordinated effort where multiple crows converge on a single owl, squawking.  

There is a reason. Owls eat crow eggs and babies. The baby owl Linger saw never hurt a fly (or a tick) so a call was put into North County Wild Care, a rescue organization.

“The crows were rallying the troops from a mile away, getting louder. That baby owl was in trouble for sure,” Linger said.

Instead of innocent death, North Country came in, got the baby and took it to a vet , fed it, and brought it back at dusk.

A tree-climber placed it in the nest. “I haven’t seen it on the ground again,” Linger said, and it’s nice seeing humans give a hoot.

 

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LEGISLATURE STUFF - Keeping Track of STR’s

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - Bellying up to the fiscal bar, the Greene County Legislature is looking to establish the county’s own registry for short-term rentals.

Lawmakers, at a recent meeting, approved a resolution seeking Requests for Proposals for professional services to perform the task.

County administrator Shaun Groden, in a subsequent phone interview, said paperwork has been prepared and sent to the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

NYSAC will disseminate the RFP’s throughout the industry, with the county hoping to receive offers later this month, expected to lead to the hiring of a Short-Term Rental Compliance Services firm.

That firm will, “provide guidance and solutions to our short-term rental and home sharing rental challenges,” the local resolution states.

Their work, the local resolution states, will include, but not be limited to, “address identification, registration service, compliance monitoring, education and outreach.”

The action is being taken in response to a short-term rental registry law passed by New York State, last year, following great controversy in the hotel/motel industry related to the proliferation of STR’s.

Senator Michelle Hinchey and then-Assembly member Patricia Fahy led a coalition effort to, “address New York’s housing crisis” and simultaneously “boost local revenue,” according to a Hinchey press release.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed the legislation, in December, 2024, with the Hinchey press release stating, “New York has taken a historic step in addressing housing challenges and short-term rental transparency with the signing of its first statewide Short-Term Rental Registry into law.

“The legislation is the first-of-its-kind nationwide and a turning point in holding billion-dollar booking platforms, like Airbnb and Vrbo, accountable to the communities where they conduct business,” the release states.

“The law offers a new county-by-county look into the explosive growth of the short-term rental industry and is aimed at helping communities across the state manage housing availability and affordability while bringing in owed revenue from sales taxes and hotel and motel occupancy taxes,” the press release states. 
“Short-term rentals (STRs) are essential to New York’s tourism economy but have also intensified housing challenges by increasing rents, inflating home prices and depleting available housing stock,” the release states.

“Under the new law, booking platforms will report quarterly to the New York State Department of State (DOS) on the number of bookings it facilitates in each county,” the release states

Explaining why local lawmakers are toasting the rules, the Hinchey release states, “counties that choose to create local registries will receive detailed quarterly reports from booking platforms including rental locations, occupancy nights, guest counts and taxes collected.

“This will help ensure local governments have the information they need to effectively balance the needs of the housing market and the tourism economy,” the Hinchey release states.

“It will also give local leaders more resources to address their community’s most pressing needs: over the last five years, NY communities have lost up to $550 million in uncollected sales and occupancy tax revenue, according to All The Rooms,” the Hinchey release states.
NYSAC, in a press release, states, “this registry would also enable counties to receive hotel/motel occupancy taxes from the short-term rental industry.

“Counties will be required to amend their local laws to allow for the collection of these occupancy tax revenues from STRs,” NYSAC states.

“If a county opts out of the registry, they could still enter into voluntary collection agreements or other local mechanisms to collect occupancy taxes from STR vendors,” NYSAC states.

“This may be helpful in understanding the existing housing landscape and how your economic development and planning office can assist local municipalities in land use activity,” NYSAC states.

NYSAC president Benjamin Boylin II stated, “this legislation will finally place short-term rentals on a level playing field alongside hotels and motels.”

Airbnb’s, since becoming a major player in the sleepover industry, have not been subject to the same regulations as hotels and motels, creating loud backlash about enjoying an unfair advantage in the room-pricing game.

They were also blamed for driving up the expense of family-level housing as available properties were being purchased primarily for STR use, removing them from the everyday marketplace.

STR groups called that claim inaccurate and railed against the imposition of added fees and registrations, saying they would hurt State tourism.

The State will not maintain its own STR registry, raising questions about compliance, apparently relying on booking services to provide comprehensive data on rentals for each county.

 

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Out Lexington Way

Town of Lexington Fire/Rescue Company led the Memorial Day Parade in West Kill on May 26. Photo contributed.

By Christine Dwon

Congratulations to Summer Young from HTC School District on winning the Greene County American Legion Essay Contest, “What Memorial Day Means to Me.”  Thanks to all the students who participated.

Lexington Farmers Market will be held under the pavilion at the Lexington Municipal Building, 3542 Route 42. Lexington, Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

Spring Rummage Sale at the East Jewett UMC, 2252 Route 23C on Friday, June 6 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, June 7 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Something for everyone including housewares, clothing, books, toys, sheets, comforters, pillows.  There will be soup, hot dogs, salads and pies available.

There will be a combined Mountain Top Parish Churches worship service on Sunday, June 8 at 10 a.m. at the Lexington Municipal Building pavilion, 3542 Route 42, Lexington.  A covered dish lunch will follow the service.  All are welcomed.

Fellowship Lunch (the second and fourth Tuesdays each month) at the Kaaterskill UMC, is Tuesday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Blue Room.  Come and enjoy the fellowship and a delicious free meal.  Open to all.

Tuesday, June 10 at 7 p.m., the Town of Lexington Fire/Rescue Company Ladies Auxiliary will meet for their monthly meeting in the Firemen’s Room.

You are invited to a Bible Study at the Lexington-West Kill UMC. 54 County Route 13A, Lexington, on Wednesdays 11 a.m. starting June 11 for a three week study: Introduction to Galatians.   Books will be provided.  

Chicken BBQ time!  Come over to the West Kill/Lexington Community Hall, 141 Spruceton Road, West Kill on Saturday, June 14, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the annual barbecue.  A dinner includes half a chicken, pasta salad, coleslaw, baked beans, brownie for $18.  A chicken half only is $12.  Orders will be packed for takeout, but you are welcomed to use the dining hall to sit and eat with friends.  Proceeds benefit the West Kill/Lexington Community Improvement Association.

The Kaaterskill UMC is holding a church supper – Roast Beef and Strawberry Shortcake – on Tuesday, June 17 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Tannersville Rescue Squad Building.  Free will offering and takeouts only.

Happy birthday to Cathy Decker on Thursday, June 5.

Friday, June 6 is Jessica Franz’s birthday.

RoseAnn Cross celebrates her birthday on Saturday, June 7.

Tuesday, June 10 is Emily Valerio’s birthday.

Best wishes to all.

The Kaaterskill UMC Thrift Shop, 7889 Main Street, Hunter is open on Tuesdays, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays, noon to 3 p.m.  Donations are welcome when the shop is open.

The following is from Regina Johnson, Director, Hunter Public Library:

Hunter Public Library has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in round three of Libraries Transforming Communities:  Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities.  The competitive award comes with a ($10,000) grant that will help the library replace the old front doors with doors that will make the library more accessible.

“This is a very exciting opportunity,” said Library Director, Regina Johnson.  “This grant will allow our library to get to know our residents with disabilities better.  It will help us improve our services to ensure this population feels welcome and comfortable in our space.”

As part of the grant, the Hunter Public Library Director will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today.  We will then host a conversation with residents about library accessibility and use the grant funds to replace the old front doors.  These conversations will insure that all community members have easy access to the library.  

If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Regina Johnson at 518-263-4655 or visit hunterlib.org for more information.

Since 2014, ALA’s libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities.  Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.

“Libraries Transforming Communities:  Accessible Small and Rural Communities is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).”

The Hunter Public Library provides free access to materials and services that promote independent learning, literacy and the cultural enrichment of each and every member of the Mountaintop Community.

The Greene County Senior Nutrition Program menu for the week of June 9 – June 13 is as follows:  Monday—Chicken Divan, Sonoma vegetables, white rice, cookies: Tuesday—Baked salmon with dill sauce, broccoli, scalloped potatoes, mandarin oranges with pineapple; Wednesday—Lasagna with meat sauce, Italian mixed vegetables, lemon pudding; Thursday—Meatloaf with gravy, baked potato, Monaco vegetable mix, strawberry shortcake; Friday—Chef salad with ham and Swiss, marinated carrots, potato salad, yogurt parfait with fresh berries.  All persons 60 and older and spouses are invited to attend.  Congregate reservations are required by noon at least a day in advance.  If you reserve a meal and are unable to attend, please call as soon as you can to cancel.  Allergen information is available for prepared food items.  The number to call for the Senior Service Center at the Jewett Municipal Building, Route 23C, Jewett is 518-263-4392.

Thank you to all law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, dispatchers, volunteers, healthcare providers, veterans, actively serving military, farmers, truck drivers and so many more.

Prayers for all who are dealing with loss, illnesses, healing, difficulties, our country, our military and their families, the world.

Until next week take care, be thankful, be respectful, be safe and please be kind to one another.  Your act of kindness may change someone’s life.

 

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