Wyoming had one of the worst winters on record this year, resulting in an abnormally high winterkill. Some estimates reported that the states mule-deer population could have been deleted by almost 50% due to a lack of access to food and the deer’s inability to walk in deep snow. The snow was so deep in some areas that muley’s, pronghorn and even elk congregated around highways where they were hit and killed by vehicles. Mule-deer and pronghorn took the brunt of the damage. 

Therefore, the “Let a Deer Walk” program was founded to incentivize hunters to band together and take the 2023 hunting season off in Wyoming in order to give the herd a chance to recover. The principle is simple, hunters who buy or draw a deer tag for the 2023-24 season can mail in their tags by August 1st for a prize drawing to be held on August 15th. This way, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department still receives funding and hunters still receive a chance at a prize for the cost of their tag.

More than $100,000 in prizes has been donated to the program from across the country. A $10,000 truck built from Truck King and even an ATV are among the potential prizes for hunters entering the draw. 

The program coordinators want to make sure it is understood there is no shame in hunting this fall. Anyone who chooses not to partake in “Let a Deer Walk” is in no way harming the herd’s chances. Hunters should make up their own minds on what to do and respect the choices of others. Youths in particular should still get out and hunt. 

To enter “Let a Deer Walk,” hunters can mail tags to the La Barge Activities Committee, Box 147, La Barge, Wyoming 83123. Currently the program only applies to mule-deer tags.

NY DEC Acquires Pheasants for Fall Hunt

DEC recently announced that the 2023 pheasant season will take place as planned. After the loss of the entire pheasants at DEC’s Reynolds Game Farm earlier this year due to an outbreak of the Avian Influenza, DEC is acquiring ring-necked pheasants from a commercial hatchery to supplement this fall’s pheasant hunting opportunities around the state. Every year DEC releases 30,000 pheasants on more than 100 properties that are open to the public for pheasant hunting. 

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “Pheasant hunting serves as an introduction to hunting for many New York hunters. DEC was devastated by the loss of the state’s breeder pheasants this spring and is grateful to be able to offer the pheasant program this fall and beyond.” 

For more information about pheasant hunting in New York, including an interactive map of pheasant stocking locations, visit DEC’s website at:  dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28634.html#Pheasant.