DEC Announces 2026 Deer Management Assistance Program Tags Available for Doodletown Wildlife Management Area in Columbia County
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the Regional Wildlife Office in Schenectady will have Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) tags available for this hunting season on Doodletown Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Columbia County starting October 7. The DMAP tags can be used by hunters to harvest antlerless deer only on Doodletown WMA.
"DEC’s Deer Management Assistance Program within Doodletown WMA aims to create a healthier, more biologically diverse forest ecosystem," said DEC Regional Director Sean Mahar. "Controlling the WMA’s deer population allows regeneration of the young forest habitat required by the New England cottontail. This is a great opportunity for hunters to take an additional deer while helping achieve our forest management goals."
Learn more about the New England cottontail on DEC’s website.
Doodletown WMA is 1,078 acres of primarily forested land located in the towns of Ancram, Taghkanic, and Gallatin. The primary purposes of Doodletown WMA are for wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation. An important species managed at Doodletown WMA is the New England cottontail, a species of special concern in New York State. Planned management actions will protect critical habitat to support populations of New England cottontail. DEC Forestry and Wildlife staff determined that the deer population on Doodletown WMA will inhibit the desired regrowth of forest critical to improving the New England cottontail habitat. For more information about Doodletown WMA, visit DEC's website.
DMAP tags will be available to individuals with a valid New York State hunting license on a first-come, first-served basis at a DEC booth in the Ancram Town Hall parking lot, 1416 County Route 7, Ancram, NY 12502 on October 7 from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. If there are any tags remaining after October 7, they will be available for pick up at the DEC Region Four Headquarters, 1130 North Westcott Road, Schenectady, NY 12306. Please call ahead to inquire about remaining tags and arrange pick-up at (518) 357-2154.
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