The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement enforces the 71 chapters of New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors proudly began serving to protect the natural resources and people of New York State.

In 2025, DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement fielded an estimated 101,169 calls, resulting in Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responding to more than 35,575 complaints and working on cases that resulted in 15,673 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the illegal pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.

“DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators enforce New York’s Environmental Conservation Law to ensure the protection of public safety and our vast natural resources, including air, water, wildlife, and New York’s one-of-a-kind outdoor spaces,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “This highly specialized and rewarding work is instrumental to upholding our stringent laws and making the great outdoors safe and enjoyable for everyone.”

Illegal Deer Take – Greene County

A hunter recently paid a penalty in Greenville Town Court for illegally harvesting a deer. 

On November 30, 2025, ECOs Milliron and Palmateer were at a butcher shop in Greene County to drop off a confiscated deer for donation to a local venison donation program when they observed another deer being worked on by butcher shop employees. The deer appeared to be recently harvested. The tag attached to it was from the 3M Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) in the Hudson Valley region and contained information indicating it was taken in the Town of Goshen, Orange County, approximately 100 miles south of the butcher shop location.

The Officers grew suspicious that a deer shot, tracked, gutted, dragged out, and transported 100 miles north was still warm enough to be releasing steam during the skinning process. They interviewed the hunter who harvested the deer, and the individual ultimately confessed to shooting the deer in the Town of Greenville (WMU 4H) where he did not possess a valid Deer Management Permit, which would have been required to lawfully tag the deer. He used a tag he had for another area instead.

The subject received tickets returnable to Greenville Town Court and paid a $500 fine. ECOs confiscated the animal and donated it to a local venison donation program to help feed food insecure New Yorkers.

Over the Limit – Dutchess County

On December 4, 2025, ECO Zullo responded to a call from a concerned citizen reporting two hunters had just harvested a large eight-point buck in the Town of Red Hook, exceeding their legal limit of one antlered deer per season. The caller believed both hunters already harvested antlered deer during the regular season.

Officer Zullo arrived at the property, located the hunters’ vehicle, and waited for the pair to exit the woods with the eight-point buck.

The ECOs interviewed the subjects when they emerged from the woods, confirmed both hunters had already harvested antlered deer during the regular season, and discovered the hunter who shot the eight-point buck illegally used someone else’s regular season tag for this latest harvest.

The shooter received tickets for taking antlered deer over the limit, failing to report a harvest, and several tagging violations. The other hunter received a ticket for failing to report the harvest of a deer he took on the same property earlier in the season, returnable to Red Hook Town Justice Court.

The confiscated eight-point buck was donated to the Federation of Dutchess County Fish and Game Clubs’ venison donation program, Hunters Helping the Hungry. The program distributes venison to food banks, soup kitchens, and food insecure New Yorkers in Dutchess County.

Visit DEC’s website for more information on New York State’s deer and bear hunting regulations.

Illegal Take and Firearm Discharge – Greene County

On December 7, 2025, ECOs Hameline and Milliron received information from Greene County Sheriff’s Deputies about a deer shot close to occupied homes in the Town of Jewett.

ECOs arrived at the location and observed blood and drag marks extending from a yard between two homes to the roadway. The complainant, who witnessed the incident and was familiar with the shooter, passed the information along to the Officers.

ECOs visited the reported shooter’s residence and observed a pickup truck that matched the witness’s description and fresh blood in the back of the truck. The subject eventually admitted to stepping off the roadway and shooting a firearm just 150 feet from the nearest home. It is illegal in New York State to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling or occupied structure.

The subject received tickets for the misdemeanor illegal take of big game and for discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, returnable to Jewett Town Court. The defendant was issued a fine of $500, and the Officers confiscated the six-point buck and donated it to a local venison donation program.

Baiting on Restricted Land – Suffolk County

On December 31, 2025, ECOs Cacciola and DeRose checked a tree stand previously observed within Sunken Meadow State Park, which is closed to deer hunting. The Officers approached the stand from different directions, saw it was occupied, and ordered the hunter from the tree. The ECOs interviewed the subject, who stated he had permission to hunt on the property adjacent to the State park but confessed to crossing a fence in pursuit of a deer he spotted in the park. Additionally, the subject spread bait in the area to entice the deer. He received several tickets for charges including unlawful hunting over bait, trespassing, failure to carry a hunting license, failure to carry carcass tags, and carrying a compound bow within a State park. Officers also confiscated the bow as evidence. All tickets are returnable to Suffolk County First District Court.

Illegal bait pile discovered in Suffolk County (photo attached)

Deer Poaching Investigation Leads to Arrest – Franklin County

On January 8, ECOs arrested a subject in the Town of Malone following a deer poaching investigation in Franklin County.

The subject, who had a suspended hunting license, was found in possession of seven illegal deer.

ECOs charged the individual with one count of grand larceny in the third degree (felony), one count of criminal mischief in the second degree (felony), seven counts of hunting with a revoked or suspended hunting license(violation), seven counts of illegally taking wildlife (misdemeanor), seven counts of taking wild game in excess of the bag limit (misdemeanor), two counts of taking an antlered deer without a Deer Management Permit (misdemeanor), and seven counts of failure to tag deer(violation).

The defendant is scheduled for arraignment in the Town of Malone Court.

Illegal Bait – Suffolk County

On January 11, ECOs Layton and Vandenbos checked a previously discovered baited tree stand in the Hamlet of East Quogue and observed a hunter with a crossbow in the stand. While interviewing the hunter about the bait pile, the subject disclosed a failure to report a deer he harvested during opening weekend of rifle season in the southern zone. The subject also stated that he was dropped off by a friend hunting nearby. ECO Vandenbos requested assistance from ECO DeVito and Forest Ranger Gagne to locate the second hunter. Officers located the second hunter, who was also hunting with the aid of a pre-established bait pile without a hunting license or tags. ECOs issued multiple tickets to both hunters, returnable to Southampton Town Justice Court.

Crossbow confiscated during illegal hunting investigation in Suffolk County (photo attached)

Vehicle Inspection Checkpoint – Saratoga and Washington Counties

On January 13, 14, and 16, ECOs in Saratoga and Washington counties participated in a commercial vehicle inspection checkpoint alongside New York State Police, New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) Motor Carrier Investigations, and United States DOT Inspectors on Interstate 87 in the Town of Clifton Park. ECOs assisted with the inspection of commercial trucks and permitted oversize/overweight tractor-trailers with mandated escort vehicles, enforcing multiple ECL and Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. Violations ranged from safety issues, such as broken windshields and underinflated tires, to imminent dangers, including failing brakes, structural damage to vehicle frames and suspension parts, and leaking fuel tanks. One vehicle had 28 individual DOT violations for broken or failing equipment and other violations specific to the driver’s required logbook, which showed the vehicle operator exceeded the maximum legal driving hours allowed by law. Those offenses, along with additional ECL violations, resulted in the truck, trailer, and driver being placed out of service in the interest of public safety. 

Illegal Hunting – Nassau County

On January 17, ECO Giarratana checked waterfowl hunters returning to a boat launch at Wantagh Park shortly after sunset. One hunter provided an expired hunting license, prompting further investigation. A more thorough inspection revealed that the subject failed to possess a valid hunting license for the 2025–2026 season and did not have an active registration with a Harvest Information Program number or a valid Federal Duck Stamp. All three of these are required by law for hunters pursuing waterfowl. Tickets are returnable to Nassau First District Court.