New wildlife management area rules coming Jan. 1

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will soon have new regulations in place concerning the public use of Wildlife Management Areas (WMA).

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos says these rules will become effective on Jan. 1, 2022. New restrictions include the use of motorized vehicles and boats in WMAs and that dogs must be kept on a leash. Current regulations can be found by clicking here.

"To protect these special places for future generations and sustainably welcome visitors, DEC is updating our rules to ensure the WMA system continues to meet the primary goals of conserving wildlife and providing opportunities to safely hunt, trap and appreciate wildlife," Seggos said.