Promising public hunting areas in the region include Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area in WMU 9P, which stretches across the border between Allegany and Livingston counties west of Dansville, the Keaney Swamp WMA in the town of Birdsall, and nearly 29,000 acres of state forests.

Region 8 stretches from Lake Ontario south through the Finger Lakes to the Pennsylvania border. This region holds some of the best hunting in the state. In fact, Yates County had the highest deer kill per square mile in 2004, at 14.6, well above the second-best county (Ontario) at 10.7.

The Region 8 kill added up to 50,650 in 2004, well down from 64,846 deer in 2003 but still the best region in the state. The harvest decreased in all WMUs, yet there is reason to be optimistic about 2005. This region holds three of the top 10 counties in the state in total deer harvest over the last three years, with Steuben the perennial leader.

The best WMUs include 8G, H and N, all of which topped 5,500 deer harvested. WMU 8P, in the northern part of the county, is always a good bet, especially on 998-acre Pigtail Hollow State Forest and 2,690-acre Urbana State Forest, both east of Stickney.

The DEC's Region 7 had mediocre seasons in 2002 and 2003, and every WMU finished slightly worse in 2004, with the exception of 7A and 7F. The region-wide harvest of 27,722 deer was down nearly 20 percent compared to 2003.

TOP NEW YORK COUNTIES BY REGION FOR TOTAL BUCK KILL 2004 SEASON
Central/Western
County	2003	2004
Steuben	6,242	4,499
Cattaraugus	5,283	4,067
Allegany	5,262	3,929
Chautauqua	3,925	2,985
Ontario	2,968	2,488
Southeastern
St. Lawrence	4,516	3,562
Jefferson	3,207	2,890
Washington	1,740	1,610
Oneida	1,980	1,567
Herkimer	1,448	1,348
Northern
Orange	3,152	2,718
Dutchess	2,477	2,333
Delaware	2,617	2,283
Ulster	2,885	2,281
Ostego	2,607	2,241

The disappointing take by hunters over the last three seasons means deer numbers are still higher than DEC managers would prefer in some units. That should translate to ample numbers of antlerless deer permits available in some areas this fall.

Recently, Region 7's hottest deer-hunting areas are Tioga and Tompkins counties. Hunters bagged more than 4,500 deer in each in 2004, and these counties sport some of the better buck densities in the state.

NORTHERN NEW YORK
Northern New York includes regions 6 and 5. According to Stephen Litwhiler, one of the state's Citizen Participation specialists for Region 6, the past winter was what locals refer to as an open winter.

"Light snow and no long periods of cold meant good deer survival all over the area," Litwhiler said. "Last year, many units in Region 6 had deer numbers that were below population objectives, so it can be expected that deer numbers will be slightly higher in 2005."

Overall, the region accounted for 23,968 deer last year, down from 29,104 in 2003 and 34,986 the previous year. That's a 31 percent harvest reduction in just two years. In some parts of northern New York, especially in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, deer herds expanded so rapidly during the 1980s and '90s that deer-car collisions increased and farmers complained about deer-damaged crops.

The DEC gradually reduced these problems by expanding early-season muzzleloading opportunities and making antlerless deer permits available in some areas previously closed to doe hunting.

St. Lawrence County continued its reputation as a solid deer-hunting destination, finishing in the top five counties in the state for total deer harvested three years in a row. In 2004, hunters bagged 7,476 deer, including 3,562 bucks. The overall kill was down from 9,070 deer in 2003 (including 4,516 bucks) and well down from 2002's total of more than 11,000 deer.

Although the majority of deer taken by hunters in Region 6 come from private lands, some good public hunting opportunities exist at the Ashland Flats WMA in Jefferson County, the Upper and Lower Lakes WMA in St. Lawrence County and at the many state forest parcels scattered throughout the region.