NEW York has submitted the proposed changes for the deer hunting season and it looks like the one major problem that existed was resolved.

Off all the changes, the one that drew the most attention was breaking up the bow hunting season into two segments to allow for an early muzzle-loader hunt. The Dept. of Environmental Conservation says it is dropping that idea for now.

Among the more prominent proposed changes is moving the opening day of the Southern Zone regular deer season from a Monday to a Saturday. This proposed change offers opportunities for young hunters and others who can’t take time off from work during the week and also creates more income for hotels, motels and restaurants.

A standard Saturday opening day for the early archery season is also proposed to provide similar benefits for bowhunters. DEC is proposing that the late archery and muzzle-loader seasons, which come after the regular season, both be extended to nine days.

A pilot program to expand the age structure of the buck population is proposed for two Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) located primarily in Ulster County. The program will require that bucks taken in WMUs 3C and 3J have at least one antler with at least three points to be legal. Young hunters, under the age of 17, would be exempt.

Since other hunting season dates are aligned with deer seasons, some adjustments to bear, fall turkey and pheasant seasons are also being proposed. The proposals put forth by DEC also include advancement in the regular open season dates for black bear.

Public comment on the proposals ends May 23. To see the proposals in detail go to the DEC web site at http://www.dec.state.ny.us and select Proposed Environmental Regulations from the left column.

The DEC also announced that it created a special web page for waterfowl hunters to submit recommendations for the dates of the fall season. Go to the same web site as above and in the left hand column click on Waterfowl Hunting Seasons.

Input for migratory game birds, including Canada geese, snow geese, brant, woodcock, snipe, rails and crows should be submitted by April 30.

The New York State Conservation Council, representing 1200 hunting clubs wants the state to immediately quarantine all deer farms and hunting preserves to ensure that chronic wasting disease doesn’t spread to New York’s wild deer herd.