Hunting on our Preserves
Deer management is part of conservation.
Everwild Land Trust is committed to protecting our lands and natural resources for generations to come. Responsible deer management is as much a part of that work as is forest management. On some of our nature preserves, this includes permit-based hunting for white-tailed deer.
Everwild’s Hunting Program is continually being improved and is guided by a formal committee made up of staff, board members, and community members. At this time, we offer deer hunting during archery season and are considering additional opportunities in the future.
A valid New York State hunting license and an Everwild Hunting Permit are required to hunt on our nature preserves. Hunters must carry both permits while hunting and display an Everwild hunting parking pass on the dashboard of their vehicle while parked at or near an Everwild preserve.
Why manage deer?
White-tailed deer are native to New York and play an important role in our ecosystems. By feeding on plants, deer naturally shape the forests and other habitats around them.
However, where natural predators are absent, deer populations can grow beyond what the landscape can support. When too many deer are present, they can eat vegetation faster than forests can replace it. This is known as overbrowsing.
Overbrowsing can reduce plant diversity, prevent young trees from growing, and change the structure of a forest. When deer numbers are kept at appropriate levels, native wildflowers, shrubs, and tree seedlings have a better chance to grow. A healthier and more diverse understory provides food and shelter for insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Managing deer also benefits people. High deer populations can contribute to more vehicle collisions and may increase the risk of encounters with ticks that can carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Responsible hunting is therefore more than recreation. When carefully regulated, it can be an important conservation tool that helps maintain healthy forests and wildlife habitat.
Deer Hunting and Forest Regrowth
Deer depend on plants for food, including leaves, fruits, and young trees. When deer populations are too high, native plants and young trees are often particularly affected. This can significantly change the forest understory and in extreme cases of deer overbrowsing, all that may be left is a few unpalatable invasive species, such as garlic mustard or Japanese barberry. Deer are opportunistic feeders and, believe it or not, even eat eggs and young of ground-nesting birds when they encounter them!
For all these reasons, overpopulation of white-tailed deer is not good for our forests and permit-based hunting on Everwild preserves is our primary tool for managing deer populations. In areas where natural predators are no longer present, regulated hunting can help fill an important ecological role by keeping deer numbers at levels the landscape can support.
Reducing deer density can relieve pressure on forests and give tree seedlings, shrubs, wildflowers, and other understory plants the opportunity to survive and mature. Over time, this helps forests regenerate and maintain the diversity of habitats that native wildlife depend on.
The thorny and invasive Japanese Barberry spreads through this over browsed forest.
An Opportunity for Conservation
Permit-based hunting also provides an opportunity for members of our region’s hunting community to play an active role in conservation. By following Everwild’s rules and practicing responsible hunting, hunters can help protect the health and diversity of the forests and wildlife habitats we work to preserve.
Deer management is one aspect of Everwild Land Trust’s larger commitment to protecting healthy, resilient natural systems for generations to come.
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The bitter and invasive Garlic Mustard dominates this over browsed understory.
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Only some Everwild preserves are open for hunting
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Everwild only permits deer hunting
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Safety is a priority – Everwild's hunting program is designed and implemented to ensure the safety of the public, neighbors to our preserves, and hunting program participants.