I'm sure New York State Conservation Department has a website that you can check this out. When it comes to legal issues you need to check the regulations and not take a forum members spoken word.

I use standard steel fence posts to some degree of success. Get the cheapest flimsiest chinese made posts that you can buy. Simply pound them into the ground in a small circular shape about 2-3 feet in diameter. Place your bait in the center of the posts. Try to space the posts far enough apart that the deer can still get their heads in, but the bucks will have to work their rack around and push against the posts to get in or out. The posts have some "spring" to them which allows the deer to push them with their antlers while posing no risk of catching or snaring an animal. Probably the safest and most effective method I know of.