What would yearling buck protection accomplish?
• Larger bucks – This is the most straight forward and obvious result of yearling buck protection with antler restrictions. Yearling bucks have very good prospects of surviving to the following fall. Research including recent work in PA show that over 75% of bucks that survive a hunting season will survive to the following fall. NY’s deer belong to the subspecies, O.v. borealius, which occurs over much of the northeastern portions of the deer’s range – east of the Mississippi from Illinois to New Jersey northward into Canada and given an opportunity to live a few years could produce deer to rival those found most anywhere. • More Bucks – Protecting all or portions of one or more year classes results in adding most of these bucks to the buck population the following fall. Nearly a doubling of preseason buck numbers is possible. • Balancing Adult Sex Ratios – Yearling buck protection would tend to bring the buck to doe ration more in balance. • Harvest Rates – Protecting yearling bucks w
