May 18, 2005

Contact: Ian Michaels (718) 595-6600

DEP Rewards Lottery Winners For Doe Harvest

Nearly 10,000 hunters eligible with DEP Hunting Tags on over 32,000 acres of City land

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Emily Lloyd announced today that six hunters were selected as random winners in the DEP’s 2004 doe harvest program. Hunters who took doe on DEP lands and reported it to the DEP were eligible, and the selected hunters will each receive a Petzl headlamp and a copy of the book Amazing Venison Recipes, signed by author Jim Zumbo.

“This past season the DEP had over 32,000 acres open for hunting in seven counties. Doe harvest helps control overbrowsing of young trees and other plants in the watershed,” said Commissioner Lloyd. “Hunters contribute to water supply protection by limiting the number of does, and for that we wanted to provide an incentive. Thanks to everyone who participated.”

DEP issued 9,767 hunting tags this past season, with most of the recipients indicating that they live outside of the watershed. Only 6,377 tags were issued for the 2003 hunting season, representing an over 50 percent increase for 2004.

The top areas for DEP hunting tags were Mid-Hudson with 2,985; Westchester 2,068; New York City 1,276; Long Island 1,175; Syracuse 1,027; Albany 520; and New Jersey 321. Over 200 tags were issued to hunters in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Other hunters received DEP tags as far away as Massachusetts, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

“While there is a trend of more private lands being closed to hunters, the City continues to increase the amount of land available and helps make the area more attractive to outsiders,” said Lloyd. “In all, the DEP has around 72,000 acres open for public recreation. Much of that land used to be private and closed to the public.”

One hunter was chosen from each county where DEP hosts hunting (no entries were received from Greene County). The six randomly chosen winners, their hometowns and the counties where they took doe are:

More information is available at nyc.gov/watershed.