Regular deer hunting season ends Sunday for CNY, opportunities still available in Tompkins County

(WSYR-TV) — The regular deer hunting season ends Sunday for New York’s Southern Zone, which includes all of Central New York.

Last week, the regular deer hunting season ended for New York’s Northern Zone, and on Sunday the hunting season will also come to an end for the state’s Southern Zone. However, some opportunities to hunt deer are still available in New York.

The Southern Zone’s late bowhunting season gets underway Monday, December 14 and runs until Tuesday, December 22. 

Also, beginning Saturday, January 9, a special antlerless deer season kicks off in the Deer Management Focus Area in Tompkins County. The special antlerless deer season runs until January 31. To participate, hunters must download a permit, carcass tags and a hunting activity log, by clicking here. 

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) also recently announced there will not be a holiday hunt this year. However, the DEC says they are still reviewing a proposal that would extend the late bow and muzzleloader seasons in the Southern Zone. If approved, The extension would occur from December 26 until January 1. 

The DEC also wants to remind hunters to follow the safety guidelines in place.

• Point your gun in a safe direction
• Treat every gun as if it were loaded
• Be sure of your target and beyond
• Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot
• Wear blaze orange or pink to make yourself more visible to other hunters

For more information, click here.

---