Arnot
Earn-a-Buck Committee Gary
Goff, 607-255-2824, grg3@cornell.edu, Peter Smallidge,
Don Schaufler, Kristi Sullivan,
255-5508, kls20@cornell.edu, Paul
Curtis, 255-2835, pdc1@cornell.edu, and Jody Enck
We
will continue the “Earn-a-Buck” (E-a-B) program, a version of “Quality
Deer Management” (QDM), at the The application is available in a word
document or a pdf, please click on either
to obtain a form. Please complete it neatly and enclose a check for
$17. If you will be hunting in the E-aB program, you must complete
the participation form
also. Once your hunting application has been processed you will receive
the hunter’s permit, parking permit, and E-a-B ID backtag with plastic
holder for first time hunters. If you loose your plastic holder there
is a $1.00 charge for replacement. NY
State is blessed with a healthy and productive deer herd. White-tailed
deer are revered by sportsmen and non-hunters for a variety of reasons.
Through the 1900’s, NY’s deer herd rebounded from perhaps 20,000 to
over 1,000,000. This remarkable recovery is due to wise management
and improved habitat conditions. The total statewide deer harvest
has more than doubled over the past 20 years. Last year's (2004) harvest
of 208,000 was down 18% from 2003. Unfortunately, in some parts of
the state, the deer population has created health and economic concerns.
Visit NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) website for
more information: www.dec.state.ny.us/. DEC
Bureau of Wildlife is responsible for maintaining deer population
levels compatible with the carrying capacity of the habitat and with
human interests. Historically, management has been primarily focused
on optimizing the reproductive capacity of the state’s deer herd through
hunting regulations that restrict the harvest of does, while permitting
more liberal harvest of bucks. Consequently, the sex ratio is skewed
in favor of does and relatively few bucks live past 1.5 years of age.
The number of Deer Management permits (DMP) are significantly lower
(statewide) this year. Hunters can take up to an additional 4 antlerless
deer on properties where Deer Management Assistance Permits (DMAP)
are available. Prime
deer habitat in the Southern Tier, consisting of agriculture and forest/brush
cover, supports population densities greater than 40 deer per square
mile. Sport hunting, as under current regulations, may soon no longer
be adequate to control deer populations as hunter numbers decrease
and more land becomes inaccessible to hunting. In other NE states
with similar histories, the explosive growth of the deer herd has
resulted in unstable and unhealthy deer herds, and significant damage
to habitat and forest health. The
Arnot Forest is owned by Cornell University and managed by Cornell’s
Department of Natural Resources (DNR). As part of NY’s Land Grant
Education Institution, DNR is responsible for fulfilling the mission
of conducting research, teaching, and delivering extension programs
on issues of importance to the citizens of NYS. Forest management
is a significant issue as nearly two-thirds of NY’s land is covered
by forests. The DNR uses the Arnot Forest as a research base and demonstration
forest from which to develop innovative programs for the citizens
of the state. One
of the primary management goals at the Arnot is the production and
harvest of high-quality, high-value sawtimber. Unfortunately, similar
to the situation across much of NY’s Southern Tier, the deer population
at the Arnot has been too high to allow sufficient natural regeneration
despite proper sawtimber management. In an effort to resolve this
problem and gain valuable experience that may be applied elsewhere
in the state, we have recently initiated studies designed to assess
the impact deer are having on tree regeneration at the Forest. A critical
component of this research is implementation of a deer hunting system
that will reduce the overall deer population. As in most areas of
the state, sport hunting is still the most effective manner by which
to control deer populations. Sport hunting has been, and continues
to be, totally compatible with the philosophy of multiple-use management
at the Forest. Earn-a-Buck Program at the Arnot Forest
The
1999 big game season was the first year we implemented new hunting
regulations modeled after a program initiated by the Sand County Foundation
in Wisconsin. Similar to QDM, the goal of E-a-B is to improve the
quality of the deer herd, improve the quality of the
habitat, and improve the quality of the hunting experience.
Through E-a-B we will strive to balance the sex ratio and allow a
higher proportion of bucks to reach maturity ( e.g., >2.5 years
of age). Deer
hunting regulations for the Arnot Forest for
the 2007 season are as follows: 1)
Have a valid 2007-2008 Cornell University permit,
application click here. Applications must
be received by Oct. 15. 2)
Sign and return “Earn-a-Buck”
Participation Form. 3)
Apply for at least one NYS DEC Antlerless Deer
Management Permit for Region 7R and use it BEFORE being eligible to
use DEC DMAP permits (if available from Arnot staff). 4)
Return DMAP permits to check station daily during
firearms season. Bow hunters may be issued a permit for the season,
but MUST return it prior to firearms season. 5)
Sign in and out at the South Gate daily as North
Gate will be closed throughout the archery and firearms deer season.
6)
Stop to have all harvested
deer checked at the South Gate Check Station. When unstaffed, take
photo with camera at the station. 7)
Document the harvest of two female deer
BEFORE gaining the privilege to take one legal, antlered deer. Harvest
records are cumulative from season to season.
8)
Display Arnot Parking Permit (supplied with hunting
permit) on dash of vehicle. 9)
Wear E-a-B ID backtag (supplied with permit) at all times while hunting. 10)
Wear a “hunter’s orange” hat and/or vest at all
times while deer hunting during firearms seasons. 11)
Access to state land across Arnot land is denied. If your goal
is to hunt state land, use state access. 12)
Comply with reasonable requests (e.g. parking,
show license/permits, dispose of trash, etc.) of Arnot Forest staff
while on the forest. Failure to comply with any of the above rules will result
in a warning or immediate termination of hunting privileges, at the
discretion of the E-a-B Committee. Blatant disregard for Arnot Forest
E-a-B policies will result in permanent loss of hunting privileges
at the Arnot Forest. |