Hey I'm new to this end of the board but as a life long western NY resident i have to voice my opinion..

First of all its all politics... elected officials appointing cronies to further personal agendas and fattening there own wallets. NY in the last 40 years hasn't done a damn thing to make the deer herds healthier or more stable. Doe permits are issued without practical data to support the numbers in a given dmu. Our buck to doe ratios are so out of whack the heard could never be truly healthy.The proof is in the pudding just look at the mid western states and the success of their programs.
I have hunted the AD,Catts ,Subs of Buffalo and Rochester.Last year I hunted N.tonawanda for the first time with my son ... I was amazed at the huge crop fields and the small blocks of woods .. During the shotgun season ,after harvest I worked the woodlots and the first thing you notice is that there is very little under brush .Almost as if a grounds keeper has gone in and mowed every thing down to the ground...I can say perfect example of over browsing.. While crops can support Large deer herds .. after harvest there's little browse to support the deer herds, forcing deer onto urban housing and roads creating the nuisance the insurance company lobby against . Changes in hedgerow to hedge row farming of corporate farms would help a lot .All the insurance company wants is less deer and all the politicians want is the money . Until the state develops a better way to track deer populations on a smaller bases ,they will use a one size fits all approach to deer management , to line there pockets.
As sportsman we have to support our own agenda of quality deer management.. The only way we can do that is get with our own like minded groups and press our agenda by supporting the people sympathetic to our cause.