Author Name: John Burmeister
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that the recreational scup fishery, originally scheduled to close on September 27 (October 12 for Party/Charter vessels) has been extended for 90 days by emergency regulation.
For anglers fishing from shore or on private vessels, the minimum size (10 ½") and bag limit (10 fish) remain unchanged during the extended season.
For paying passengers fishing from a party or charter vessel (P/C), the current 40-fish bag limit remains in place only through October 11. Thereafter, the bag limit returns to 10 fish. The 11-inch minimum size for P/C fishermen remains unchanged through the rest of the year.
All anglers are reminded that recreational scup fishing in federal waters closed on September 27. Federal waters occupy portions of Block Island Sound, all of the Atlantic Ocean beyond three miles from shore, but not Long Island Sound. Anglers are also reminded to check regulations in neighboring states before fishing there. Both Connecticut and Rhode Island, with whom New York shares the local scup population, have extended their seasons as well.
DEC is extending the season based on data that show that the scup stock is rebuilt to very high abundance, and that commercial and recreational harvest on the coast is projected to fall nearly 10 million pounds short of this year’s allowable harvest of these popular food and sport fish. Also, increased access to the robust stocks of scup could redirect fishing effort and reduce the ecological risks faced by the local tautog population which has been declared overfished.
DEC filed the emergency regulations with the Secretary of State’s Office on Tuesday, September 27. It will take effective immediately, thus allowing for an uninterrupted continuation of the 2011 New York recreational scup fishery.
Marine fishing regulations can be viewed on the DEC website at: http://www.dec.ny.go...tdoor/7894.html.
For additional information about the regulations, contact DEC Marine Resources Division at 631-444-0435.
Author Name: John Burmeister
The 2011 deer hunting season is upon us, and wow are we excited! in the Are you ready?
Check out the amazing trail camera pictures, there are some real monsters in New York: http://huntingny.com...amera-pictures/
Are you all set for the Bow Season? Chime in on a few of the posts in the Bow Hunting section here: http://huntingny.com...16-bow-hunting/
Check out the latest posts on the forums via this link: http://huntingny.com...arch_app=forums
If you have a smart phone (iphone, android, blackberry, etc) send us updates of your hunting from the hunt! http://huntingny.com...the-stand-2011/
The site has grown leaps and bounds since started, there are over 73,400 posts as of today! Please remember to tell friends and family about the site and contest, you can even forward them this email. Please let us know if you have any suggestions, comments or are interested in sponsoring the site either post a topic on the site, or using the contact form located here: http://huntingny.com...p?app=contactus
We have decided to have our second contest, The Hunting NY 2011 Best Buck and Story Contest!
To read the full contest post and to comment on the contest click here: http://huntingny.com...y-contest-info/
First Place (Grand Prize):
- A beautiful professional deer head mount by award winning Fins to Feathers Taxidermy. (see below for details)
- A HuntingNY.com embroidered lighted 3 LED mossy oak hunting hat (trying to get a few of these again, if not it will be a embroidered hat)
- A one year subscription to one of the following magazines: Field & Stream, Petersons Bowhunting Magazine, or North American Whitetail
- Proving Ground DVD - Donated by our partners over at Venatic Outdoors (the DVD is amazing, great job guys!)
- Two Free Rounds at Thrill Of The Hunt Indoor 3D Archery Range - Donated by our sponsors Thrill Of The Hunt
- One Thrill Of The Hunt embroidered hat - Donated by our sponsors Thrill Of The Hunt
To see the info, rules and rest of the prizes click here
And again, not to repeat myself, but I will. Please spread the word about HuntingNY.com to friends, family and hunting buddies. The more people we have the more interaction, fun, and knowledge we can all share about hunting in the state of New York. With that said, spread the word, get others involved in the sport, and have a safe and fun 2011 hunting season!
Author Name: John Burmeister
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that approximately 30,000 adult pheasants will be released on lands open to public hunting for the upcoming Fall pheasant hunting season. The pheasant hunting season begins on October 1 in northern and eastern portions of New York, October 15 in central and western portions of New York, and November 1 on Long Island.
For the fifth consecutive year, junior hunters (12-15 years old) have the opportunity to hunt pheasants the weekend prior to the opening of regular pheasant hunting season. In northern and eastern New York, the youth pheasant hunt weekend is September 24-25. In western New York, the youth pheasant hunt weekend is October 8-9. Pheasants will be released on a number of select sites across the state to provide ample youth hunting opportunities (see table below). All current pheasant hunting rules and regulations remain in effect during the youth hunt.
In addition to the upstate youth hunts, DEC is working to establish a youth pheasant hunt on Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties) this Fall. Legislation authorizing a youth hunt on Long Island was signed by Governor Cuomo in August, and DEC initiated a regulatory proposal that, if adopted, would have the youth hunt held on the last full weekend in October (October 29-30, 2011). Pheasants would be released prior to that weekend at the sites listed below. To review the proposal and submit comments visit the "Proposed Regulations" page on the DEC website. The public comment period on this proposal is open and comments will be accepted through October 3, 2011. See: http://www.dec.ny.go...egulations.html .
The pheasants will be released on state-owned wildlife management areas and cooperative hunting areas prior to and during the Fall hunting season. All release sites for pheasants raised via state-funded programs are open to public hunting. A list of statewide adult pheasant release sites and sites receiving birds for the youth pheasant hunt weekends can be found on DEC's website: http://www.dec.ny.go...tdoor/9349.html .
The Day-old Pheasant Chick Program provides additional opportunities for pheasant hunters. This program was developed in the early 1900s to provide day-old pheasant chicks to cooperating 4-H groups and sportsmen and sportswomen. The chicks are distributed to program participants in May and June, and cooperators incur all costs associated with rearing the birds, including feed, water, utilities and facility construction. The birds are raised to adulthood and released on lands open to public hunting before the season opens. This year, nearly 46,000 pheasant chicks were distributed statewide as part of this program. Anyone interested in raising and releasing pheasants to expand next year's hunting opportunities should contact DEC's Reynolds Game Farm at (607) 273-2768.
Boundaries for pheasant hunting zones conform to Wildlife Management Units used for management of other wildlife. Wildlife Management Unit boundary descriptions can be found on the DEC website. In addition to knowing these unit boundary descriptions, hunters should review the 2011-2012 New York Hunting & Trapping guide for complete regulations and other important information before going afield. Hunters who plan to use private lands should ask permission from the landowner prior to accessing those lands.
Youth Pheasant Hunt Sites 2011:
County - Town - Youth Hunt Site - Special Rules & Notes
Albany - Berne - Partridge Run WMA - See maps at all informational kiosks
Albany - Knox - Margaret Burke WMA - West side of County Route 254
Allegany - Birdsall - Keaney Swamp Wildlife Management Area -
Allegany - New Hudson - Hanging Bog WMA along New Hudson Rd. -
Broome - Triangle - Whitney Point Multiple Use Area -
Cattaraugus - Conewango, Randolph - Conewango Swamp Wildlife Management Area - between Rte. 241 and Conewango Creek -
Cattaraugus - Farmersville - Harwood Lake Multiple Use Area -
Cattaraugus - Red House - Allegany State Park, Wolf Run Rd. & Upper Bay State Rd. - Free permit necessary from Administration Building
Cattaraugus - South Valley - Allegheny Reservoir Wildlife Management Area - Vicinity of Bone Run off Onoville Rd.
Cayuga / Tompkins - Ledyard, Genoa, Lansing - Cayuga Tompkins Co-op Hunting Area -
Chautauqua - Sherman - Alder Bottom Wildlife Management Area - off Idora Rd. and Rte 76. -
Chenango - Smithville - Long Pond State Forest -
Clinton - Chazy - Lake Alice Wildlife Management Area -
Delaware - Colchester - Bear Spring Mtn. WMA - Trout Brook Rd.
Dutchess - Milan - Lafayetteville Multiple Use Area -
Dutchess - Red Hook - Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area -
Erie - Collins - Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area - South of Vail and Unger Rd. and Button Rd. -
Essex - Westport - Near the junction of Lake Shore Rd & Clark Rd on state land -
Genesee - Darien - Darien Lake State Park -
Genesee / Niagara - Alabama, Royalton - Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area -
Jefferson - Brownville - Perch River Wildlife Management Area -
Livingston - Livonia - Hemlock-Canadice State Forest - North end of Hemlock Lake
Monroe - Greece - Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area -
Niagara - Lewiston - Joseph Davis State Park - Special permit required for hunting pheasants on Oct. 8-9; Contact J. Davis State Park, 716-754-7766
Niagara - Wilson - Wilson-Tuscarora State Park - Special permit required for hunting pheasants on Oct. 8-9; Contact Wils.-Tusc. State Park, 716-751-6361
Oneida - Whitestown - Oriskany Flats Wildlife Management Area -
Onondaga - Lysander - Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area -
Ontario / Yates - Naples, Italy - High Tor Wildlife Management Area -
Orange - New Windsor - Stewart State Forest -
Oswego - Richland - Deer Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area -
Oswego - West Monroe - Three-Mile Bay Wildlife Management Area -
Putnam - Patterson - Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area -
Putnam - Patterson - Great Swamp Wildlife Management Area - Access off Cornwall Hill Rd., park in designated areas only (6 car capacity)
Rensselaer - Nassau - North and south of Jefferson Hill Rd. at the intersection with Middle Rd. - Must ask permission by calling 518-766-4346 after 5 PM
Saratoga - Greenfield - Daketown State Forest -
St. Lawrence - Canton - Upper & Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area -
Steuben - Tuscarora - Nichols Farm on Thompson Road -
Suffolk** - Brookhaven - Rocky Point State Natural Resources Management Area - A daily permit must be obtained from the Ridge Hunter Check Station.
Suffolk** - Brookhaven - Eastport State Lands - A daily permit must be obtained from the Ridge Hunter Check Station.
Suffolk** - Riverhead / Brookhaven - Otis Pike Preserve - A daily permit must be obtained from the Ridge Hunter Check Station.
Tioga - Richford - Michigan Hill State Forest -
Washington - Greenwich - Carter's Pond Wildlife Management Area -
Washington - Jackson - Eldridge Swamp State Forest -
Wayne - Savannah - N. Montezuma Wildlife Management Area along Savannah-Spring Lake Rd. -
Wayne - Wolcott/Huron - Lake Shore Marshes Wildlife Management Area -
Wyoming - Middlebury - Carlton Hill Multiple Use Area & Sulphur Springs FWMA Co-op. - Five miles north of Warsaw
**TENTATIVE. There is a regulatory proposal to establish a youth pheasant hunt on Long Island that is currently open for public comment. Comments on the proposal will be accepted through Oct. 3, 2011. If the proposal is adopted, birds would be released at the sites listed above for Oct. 29-30, 2011.
Additional information provided on the DEC website includes:
Pheasant Hunting Information: http://www.dec.ny.go...tdoor/8363.html
Pheasant Hunting Seasons: http://www.dec.ny.go...door/29453.html
Pheasant Release Sites: http://www.dec.ny.go...tdoor/9349.html
Long Island Youth Pheasant Hunt Regulatory Proposal: http://www.dec.ny.go...egulations.html
Author Name: John Burmeister
My brother and I wanted to get some more pre-season practice in shooting our bows and we had planned on going to a new 3D archery range we herd about on the forums, Thrill Of The Hunt. Someone had mentioned it on a thread a few times, but after visiting their website I was sold. Finally, last Saturday we got together drove out to Calverton, on Long Island where it was located. My first impression was WOW, this is the coolest thing since sliced bread. They had every single 3D target you can think of to shoot at, along with obstacles such as tree’s and bushes that you had to shoot around. I kicked myself for not bringing my good digital camera, so the photo’s and video’s below are from the cell phone and do not do this place justice.
When we arrived we were greeted by Art Binder, Art owns and runs the facility. I was confused on how everything worked (I’ve never shot 3D either), I figured it was just a few shooting lanes and you shot at a select few targets and that's it. I was totally wrong, what Art did here is setup a complete game. There are 5 main ground stations and two alternative stations, the alternative stations are shooting off a “tree stand” which is an elevated platform and also shooting out of a ground blind. The other five main stations are color coded, each station has 6 3D targets places all over the facility (color coded and numbered). You have one shot per each number/colored coded target you shoot at. The 3D target placement was great, some targets require you to shoot through an opening in a tree limb and some required you to get down on your knees to get a clear shot. You were given a clipboard and score card, every 3D target has a number of different area’s where you get points. They use the ASA scoring as following:
“The ASA uses a scoring system of 14, 12, 10, 8, 5 or 0 points per arrow. Scoring is based on zero points for a miss, 5 points earned for a hit anywhere in the body, 8 points for the largest scoring ring in the center of the animal, 10 points for the 4 to 5 inch center circle inside the 8-ring, and 12 points for the smaller ring offset to the bottom or top of the 10-ring. Another circle housed in the upper rear of the 8-ring is a 14-point ring. “
The only rule you had to follow is that some part of your body be it a knee, foot, whatever has to be touching the station pole (also where you keep your arrows) before you take your shot.
Don’t get me wrong, I love target shooting, but this took it to the next level. I’m addicted now, we ended up staying a bit longer and did two full rounds. The best part about it, for those that hunt, it really made you think about your shot and you only get one shot on that target. It really helped me judge distances and become a better shooter in the short time I was there. I can’t wait to go back, I can totally see having some frequent visits to this place will make me a better bow hunter all around.
Back to the 3D targets, as you can see (again sorry for the bad pictures) some of the targets are broadside, some are slightly turned, some are bed down, there are also slight elevation changes throughout the facility. You can also opt to shoot out of one of the alternative stations, for example we chose to shoot out of the tower stand both times. When shooting from the tower stand you shoot 6 specific targets marked for that station, similar to the way the other targets are marked for the stations.
I believe the range distance from the shooting line to the back wall is roughly 35 yards, however the farthest target may be as far as 37 or 38 yards as some shots are diagonally (rarely is a target setup to be directly in front of you).
As you can tell we had a blast out there, and I highly recommend you go and check it out! Over the winter I’m thinking of having a HuntingNY.com meet-up out there, it would be a lot of fun to have a friendly competition with some members. They also have a few 3D leagues, the summer league running now shoots every Friday. I’m sure they will have some more info on their site soon about the winter league. Also make sure you bring at least 6 arrows, I recommend more in case you break one or two!
Sorry for the crappy quick video, again, only had my cell phone...
Check them out at the web address below.
http://www.indoor3d.com/
Thrill Of The Hunt
291 Deep Hole Road
Calverton, NY 11933
631. 566.5261
HOURS:
TU - FRI: 6 pm to 10 pm
SAT - SUN: 10 am to 5 pm
