I read on the DEC website that you are not suppose to feed the deer in New York I'm not sure exactly what it said, but something about the food containing some sort of animal protein that could carry CWD. Do any of you feed the deer corn in NY? Is it legal, I own the property.
I emailed the DEC but I have not got a response yet.
Eddie
P.S. I am talking about after the hunting season is over.

Edited by - eddiee on 12/15/2002 08:43:50

eddie it is what it said, "Baiting—It is illegal to hunt with the aid of bait, or over any baited area when hunting big game, upland game birds, turkey or waterfowl". Besides ,baiting takes the fun out hunting. It would be like turkey hunting in the frozen food section of the store.

Yes, itinerant, that is true about what the game law says. However, eddiee is right, that it is illegal to feed deer at any time, not just in the season. That was done to prevent the spread of CWD, both into the state, and if it (God forbid!) ever gets here. I've heard that a bunch of people in the Westchester County area are really upset at this (anti-hunter types).

I had heard rumors in the past, about some game wardens and state troopers having a camp in the Adirondacks, that had carrot piles all over it. At the time, scuttlebutt was that they weren't going to go after bait piles too hard.

But, that was a couple of years ago, and I know that game wardens in the Northeast Adirondacks busted 23 guys on opening day of the Northern Zone,for hunting over bait piles near their tree stands. One of the wardens told us that they were in the stands at 3:30 that morning, waiting for the guys to show up. They apparently had been onto them since August, when these guys were taking pickup trucks full of carrots back across the border from Canada. Two of the guys nailed were NYS prison guards, at the nearby maximum security prison in Dannemora.

To my knowledge it has never been illegal to feed deer in NY. But putting out some sort of food to hunt over or baiting is illegal. I, and many others I know often feed the deer once hunting season has closed. I will only offer a food source I know the deer have alreadly been utilizing in the area, example being corn or apples. So the deer can actually benefit from it. I"ve read it does little good for deer to feed upon something their bodies are not used too. Being rumanants, having more then one stomach it takes several months for a deer to adjust to a different source of food. But however this is now all for not anyways, because to my knowledge DEC has but a bann on feeding deer to help prevent any possibility of CWD in NY.

It is illegal to bait deer I didn't know that you couldn't feed them after the season. I know alot of people that like to through out bales of hay for them in the winter. What if someone has apple trees is it legal for the deer to eat there? Feeding the deer doesn't cause cwd Its when the deer get over crowded, and pass the disease. I feed the deer especialy when we are having a tough winter. I'm not baiting them I'm trying to help the herd through the winter.

Muddyemms is correct, it is now illegal to feed deer at any time in NY. The only acceptable way of feeding deer now is to plant crops for them, such as in food plots. This was enacted primarily to prevent the spread of diseases effecting deer including CWD.

Thanks hidin I didn't know it was illegal. Learn something new every day.

I believe when the law was passed,Some were feeding hay during bad winters and the deer were not getting enough ruffage.Led to problems.In fact i think the state did it.

Here is a link to the regulation that went into affect 10/11 as a 90 day emergency action:

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/regs/part189.htm

Food plots are still ok, as is things like cutting down trees and leaving tops and normal agricultural practices

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