The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has just announced some last-minute changes to the regulations for the upcoming season. Electronic tags (e-tags) can now be used; hunters must report their harvest within 24 hours; young hunters (12-15) can get an extra tag in some instances if they are successful in the upcoming Youth Hunt; and, there is no longer a limit on the number of DMAP tags that a hunter can possess.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the changes, so that everyone understands them. First, e-tags can now be used on a smart phone with the HuntFishNY app in lieu of paper tags. Paper tags can still be used the same as last year, by hunters that don’t want to use e-tags.

If a hunter intends to use e-tags, the app must be downloaded onto the phone before going afield. Forgetting to do so would be an issue if no service is available to download the app at the location of the hunt. A successful hunter would then be unable to e-tag the deer and would be in violation.

All hunters are now required to report their harvest within 24 hours, regardless of what tags they use. The previous time limit was seven days. I can see potential problems for hunters camping in remote areas for long periods without cell service or internet access, so please make sure that you have a plan.

Young folks that are successful in taking the one deer that they are allowed during the special Youth Big Game Hunt weekend will be able in some circumstances to get an additional tag. A junior hunter that gets a deer but does not possess a Deer Management Permit (DMP) is eligible to receive an additional regular season tag, to continue hunting after the Youth Hunt is over. The tag will be issued to take a deer of the opposite sex of the one from the special hunt. DEC will mail the tag to the junior hunter after the harvest is reported, according to the DEC website.

The final change to the deer hunting regulations for this year removes the limit on the number of Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) tags that a hunter can possess. It also changes the length of the DMAP permit cycle from 3 years to 5 years. The extension should help landowners to better manage their deer population to meet long-term goals.

Even though these late updates are not in the Regulations Guide (which is always printed far in advance of the season), hunters still need to comply with them. The full text of these changes is available on the DEC website.

Good luck to all of our young deer hunters this weekend during the special Youth Big Game Hunt! Don’t forget to wear your hunter safety orange or pink and don’t forget to fill out your tag right away if you are successful and to then report it within 24 hours. Above all, remember what you learned in your Hunter Safety Courses. Together we can make this the safest season ever.

Let’s all enjoy the outdoors!

John S. Van etten is the current president of the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County, Inc.