Leaderboard

Crappy comment and crappy timing.

I hear the U.S. is lifting the embargo on Cuba...........hopefully they'll be available soon.

Maybe those areas should of been made earn a buck, bet you would see doe shot then or at least the tags reported that they did,let the dec calculate that....

there's a war against the bowhunter. Let's try and control the doe population by impacting the smallest group of hunters. That math works right? Let's just be honest about this. All this does is increase poaching. I'm not afraid to say it and you that disagree are just afraid to admit it. More guys will be cutting up their own deer and not tagging at all. More hunters will put another county on their tag. We hunt in 7J (unaffected) and often bring our deer back home to (8F) less than hours drive to be cut up. Very few hunters have enough restraint to pass a pope and young on october 13th. I'm sorry and you won't change my mind on that.

If we had too many does, the gun season would (or should) have been utilized. This is bad decision making and bad biology.

Finally got them where I want them..... these aren't all of them but it's got the ones from last years trip... First should be the huge blue wildebeest I took... Second one from left to right is Gemsbok (2012), Springbuck (2012), wife's red hartabeest, wife's impala and my black wildebeest Third pic is the Kudu pedestal mount... has the back skin in the base...

I don't ever remember anyone every saying on here that it wouldn't be nice to take a big buck or at least have the opportunity to.

How many does need to be shot in these impacted units then? Can the DEC tell us this? No. Can you? They said to shoot does - did they say to shoot another 500, 5,000, or 50,000? No. This isn't on bowhunters or muzzleloaders shoulders. It's on the DEC with an agenda and they're not concerned with screwing over groups to get there. Yet they say doe population is the problem and they are enacting regs in the seasons of least effective tools to immediately make an impact. That's an agenda. If they really wanted doe levels down, they'd be going to gun hunters because that's where 100k DMPs were filled last year. 12k antlerless were shot across the entire state in bow in 2014. How is it possible to even make a dent in doe numbers using such a tool? Double it...heck triple it. Why don't we even multiply it by 5 (60k). That's still half of what was made available for DMP drawing this year in only three of the WMUs that fall within the antlerless seasons. There is no feasible way bowhunters can meet any unpublished or unspecified goals of the DEC. There is no transparency at all. You better shoot does and meet our goal, but we're not going to tell you what our goal is, so good luck. Sure, sounds like its bowhunters who are the problem. Sheesh.

Maybe we should all buy our MZ tags and head S to the nearest public land that allows buck harvest and do a giant HuntingNY drive through it MZ weekend, lol.

Seems like there was a host of opportunities to increase their doe take without screwing so many hunters. They started the license year on September 1st a couple years ago. They could have popped in a week or two in September for a gun season that was doe only. They could have done over the counter sales for these areas rather than a draw. They could have removed the Doe tag fee for these areas I just don't get why they chose the least productive weapons to put the burden on and why any change has to be more restrictive rather than increasing opportunity.

no real need to own a mz now...

today 8/3/15 I took my grand son snapper fishing for the first time first I had to find a bait shop in Islip not easy went to one on mountauck hwy had a sign out front WE SELL BAIT stopped there closed took a ride to another place yep closed so I finely took a ride it west islip salt water anglers and bought my bait all ways go go there worth the ride back to Islip and fishing he so much enjoyed it. He caught four snappers all of them about 6 inches or shorted he fishing for about 30 maybe 40 minuets then to B K for his lunch [kids meal] best fishing trip I had in a long time cant wait to take him back out again

i do have to admit though, whenever a thread is posted about ARs or trophy hunting so many of you guys are like "cant eat the horns, and i'm a meat hunter" and all that, but look at you now, alot of you want the ability to shoot a buck now that's its been taking away from you. Before you guys could care less if a deer with horns even existed.

At least he can get a rifle or pistol barrel for his...lol

I've seen you state this several times on these threads - there really are not going to be many people wanting to go hunt doe-only during the MZ/late archery season. If you think participation rates are going to be high, I'd like to understand why. The only people who will be out there are the ones who really are light in the freezer themselves after a poor season. Most hunters are going to say screw it, I am not getting up in this weather and snow to only shoot a doe. And, MZ season is as late as it can be this year, there will be xmas parties, etc. that weekend. Plus, if there are that many does really running around as they say, there's not much excuse to be low on the freezer at that point, right? MZ participation is going to be abysmal. If this becomes a permanent thing in my hunting areas, I'll probably offload my MZ gear. It doesn't make sense to hunt 1-2 days with it (weekends only or an afternoon off) for a doe.

Watch how many 1.5's hit the deck this year in these areas. you reduce the time to pursue the bucks and there are many that will take what is available. I bet the 1.5 harvest goes up by 20% in these areas.

if you buy the archery license AND mzzleloader its a combined tag. but you can buy just the archery or muzzleloader license in addition to your regular license.

Do I gotta spell it out for you or what Paps.... I may have killed a fawn or three, but I'll never publicly admit to it.... OK, I just did, but I may have sneezed while filling out my tag. I got people that look up to my hunting prowess so I got a reputation to uphold,lol (not really) I thought for sure you would be the first to jump on my conspiracy theory bandwagon (but I guess not)

Rob doing nothing will get you nothing. This I'm sure is their first of many future phases that will be implemented over time. Maybe we should just continue to sit back and see how bad they can screw up our hunting or take a stand and hit there revenue thru licenses. Wallet share makes more noise than going to a dec open forum meeting where they don't really take any suggestions offered anyways.

Sorry but I'm not willing to pass up my deer season over a doe only season.... many of you either have forgotten or are not old enough to remember what it was like 30-40 years ago... hunters have it pretty good today as far as tags go and the ability to take many deer each season as well as the length of season being longer. Be very careful what you wish for

I pass plenty of doe and also buck for that matter. But every year I still take 2 with one of the 3 weapons I'm allowed to hunt with. So why is the government now telling me when I should take the doe? And in fact asking me to pay extra for the privilege to take a doe? I disagree that bow hunters hunt only for an opportunity for a good buck. I believe bow hunters are just more passionate about hunting. They started with gun and then saw an opportunity to spend more time in the woods and learned how to bow hunt. It's warmer and more of a challenge. It's more peaceful and the deer aren't spooked. Not every gun hunter bow hunts, but 90%+ of us bow hunter do gun hunt. So yes, bow hunters do go after buck, but it's not because we're all trophy hunters, we're just more in to hunting than some average gun hunters. 2.5 months in the woods and if you're lucky to hunt good land you're going to be more selective than the guy who just hunts opening weekend. It's statistically impossible for bowhunters to manage the herds and expecting them to is asinine. Furthermore when and where did it become the bow hunters job? Why can't the orange army manage the herd? That's the whole argument. You have a problem with doe you say, but put ZERO regulations into affect for the gun hunter!

And what are the odds that we will ever know those percentages? They'll be burying those stats as deep as they can.

I would guess the same people who would bend the laws because of these new regulations, have been bending them all along.......not much will change.

I was in agreement with you Phade until you called me a "Whacko" for owning a TC. All bets off now.

unfortunately, I think we greatly overestimate the amount of hunters who really follow these thing closely and really care...............and I'm sure DEC feeds off of this.

Might be true DB, but shame on anyone complaining now that didn't take the time to submit comments.

Go to Idaho and see what the hunters there think of this. Stark contrast. I also have some acquaintances in WI and MN - let me tell you - it crushes hunting when they move in. One of them, in MN, is one of the best hunters I've ever talked with. Hardcore to the Nth degree, talking big north woods hunting. His hunting areas went devoid of deer let alone bucks worth chasing last year. He was forced to travel as a result and hunting only about 20% of the time he normally did. They are very effective killers, but really, they are likely too effective.

Why wait for 10/1? If they are going to break the law, why not shoot one in August or September? Out of season is out of season, whether that is 10/14 now or mid August. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree, doe are not easy to shoot. Hell, I think a mature doe is way harder to shoot than even your most seasoned buck. I have been busted way more times by a nanny doe than by any buck. I also know of people who use as many tags as they can get to shoot deer, but there are still a lot of hunters out there that do not believe in shooting does. And until this mentality changes, no matter how ill advised, the state is going to try and force people to take does if there is a "perceived" population problem.

This in no way is going to encourage hunters to "Do their part"...in fact its going to put less hunters in the field during the early season chasing does and MORE hunters during the antlered period chasing the same bucks.... What they should have done especially on L.I. is that you would have had to kill 2 does before you recieve a buck tag..that would have equaled more hunter participation and more does taken out of the population. Plus on the managed lands we need to be allowed to get into the woods earlier and stay out later during prime times...and of course not allowing crossbows is just rediculous...Its THE most logical deer trimming tool for the Island..

I'm all for shooting does, and I do take my share of them later in the season when the temps drop. For me, the risk outweighs the prize of being in he woods in early Oct to shoot a doe. The first week of the season is a great time to harvest a buck. That is the only reason that I will put up with the heat, ticks, mosquitos, and gnats. I will now start around Halloween for bucks and Dec and Jan to harvest as many does as possible. At least then I won't have to be in a hurry to butcher them, unlike I would with the warm temps that we have in Oct.

This is why this move is strictly for population control. If people would stop gobbling up the DMPs and not filling them, then they would not need to make the first two weeks doe only. I do believe though, that doing this during gun would have a greater affect on the population.

No, it could have easily been avoided if the DEC pulled their heads out of their butt and realized that they will not bring down the population through bowhunters and muzzleloaders alone. Their attack on the bowhunters and muzzleloader hunters will only result in the loss of bowhunters and muzzleloader hunters. Way to go you ignorant jerks!

Actually many wont. End of year, cold weather, after the grind of regular season, and ala carte licenses. Rather than buying the super sportsman up front, im not buying my mz tag unles i feel the need to fill the freezer at that point and time. Chances are ill have shot a doe or four by then, so there isnt much incentive to go buy it. I dont mind saying that shooting a buck is what engages me in this sport. I sure as heck enjoy the camraderie and shooting some does, and enjoy the hunt. But taking away the ability to shoot a buck fully, really reduces my desire to get out of bed when it is a high of 15 degress and ten inches of snow to wade through. Not to mention, im going to have little desire to shoot a doe outside of those three weeks. I want to maximize what time there is now to kill a buck. My group of 3 shot 13 freaking doe last season in these impact units. Im not all that excited we will meet that target again once we compile enough meat for the freezer for us. To be honest, I could easily just get the statewide antlerless and pop a doe early and be done with doe hunting because Im not going to use more than one full deer anyway in my house and a buck will be able to be given out to those I normally donate to. Either way, either doe tags or the mz will not be bought by me this year. We will see how it goes.

Well they just signed the death sentence for a lot of 1.5 year olds in the areas out here where they mandated doe take on early bow and ML season. Watch the 1.5 harvest rate jump here

Antler spread IS the best way to tell a mature buck in the field by his antlers alone... whether or not most hunters are able to do that is another thing entirely... AR's can only protect small bucks if the restriction is adequate to do so... three on a side is not adequate... It would be far more productive to educate hunters on what a big mature buck actually looks like before trying any program to protect young bucks... even more so the DEC needs to accurately, and effectively explain why it is necessary to protect younger bucks... without doing those things AR's are worthless and ineffective as a real conservation tool. I find that the trend of many hunters being selective by choice is working much better than any mandate implemented so far.

Here is my new lever gun, never owned one until now. Mossberg 464 30-30 Marinecote Finish. Cant wait to shoot this gun and especially cant wait to get it into the woods!

The only population being 'managed' by any of this is the human/hunter population.

Yeah, I think it has always been obvious what was meant regarding the difference between appreciation of a good rack vs. using it as the only measure of success and satisfaction. And of course the current uproar is obviously about the point that deer hunting is a 2-gender hunt, and odds of a kill have just been depleted arbitrarily by the DEC in their little campaign against bowhunters. Don't be confusing that with an idea that all bowhunters are suddenly, or ever were, trophy hunters.

Poaching or out of season hunting/shared tag use/no tag use/ or crossbow use during all of bow-season/baiting... already takes place without these new doe changes, i believe the illegal activity will only increase. People already have a hard-on for the government/DEC, you really think they're not gonna shoot that buck or doe on the back forty, drag it up to the barn and cut it up before it even gets cold. you guys who think every hunter or person who hunts is a saint are seriously misguided, go to a local coffee shop this weekend and just listen i'm sure you'll hear what guys future plans are. Go during the actual season, and i'm sure you'll hear some real interesting stories....

so get ready to be in the woods, in full Camo with full foliage, with hunters toting tack driving muzzleloaders.

Just curious, other than those that don't care because it doesn't affect their areas, is anyone in support of this change? If so, why? I know I voiced opposition during the comment period. I seriously question whether there was any meaningful support for this decision by public comment. If not, what is the purpose of asking for comments? So many have articulated why this is not a good strategy for reducing doe population, but I have yet to see any explanation of how it will achieve the goal. Personally, I can see EAB, Sept. doe only season, or designating some portion of the gun season as doe only (among other options) as being much more effective.

Thanks. They are all young deer too. Honestly, I may hunt this farm a couple of times with a bow and a few during late gun/muzz and that's it. I will focus my efforts on the neighboring property about a half mile up the road, there are some really bucks here too and there is a much better change of catching them on their feet during legal shooting hours.

Not for nothing, but as an xbow hunter - you should not have wanted this change. All it is going to do is ignite bowhunters to push back even more on full inclusion - me being one of them. Taking two weeks and MZ and now having to cram in more hunters in the few weeks I shoot a buck with my bow? I was not all that against inclusion before, but this certainly sways me to the "I don't want it" camp.

It is nothing that hasn't been predicted. And, it's not just the management team.

With all the talk about excessive deer on Long Island and sharpshooters and nueturing,etc....The DEC comes up with a way to LESSEN hunter participation.....unbelievable....

And the people in Ohio love the chance we have for 2 bucks at least the few hundred I know through work that live and hunt there

Sorry to have been a part of derailing this thread. Antler spread ARs is just one of the bigger hot-buttons for me. I think that the topic that buckstopshere brought up was a fantastic observation. Whether you believe the stats or the way they are arrived at, the fact is that it is that very same statistical method that the DEC makes policy with and wants to base further hunting restrictions on. And to consider their own stats that show a failure of ARs and then for them to continue implementing them and expanding them, shows a certain kind of arrogant ignorance that proves that they only operate on perceptions rather than fact. I think we burned this topic just a little too quickly. Sorry for my part in that.

Good soil equals good deer. Basically ths video states that if the deer has the best nutrition gained from great soil it can reach its maximum potential. The only way to get that potential in your area is to make the soil great. After a few generations of perfect soil your deer can reach the maximum wieght and antler size. How long can this take? Will you ever get the soil right? The biggest deer I know of are in Western NY farm country with the best soil in the state. Coincidence? Others are in the other farm country in Suffolk. The study is about genetics this is why deer from different regions where picked to show that genetics does not determine deer weight and rack size, food and environment (This includes soil.) is what will dictate how big his body and antlers will grow. Now I just need about 600-700 acres to plant food in and about another 3000 around it to "keep them in my area". And a winning lotto ticket! lol

LOL..No dig taken...I have proven time and time again that genetics are the most important...If you are trying to raise big deer! You can feed a deer with poor genetics the top food available and everything he needs to show his top potential and thats what you will get. For the average hunter nutrition is the most important because they are happy with what most animals will show if givin the right amount and kinds of food. Now an antler nut such as myself the average deer just wont cut it so i need the genetics to make me click. Regardless of either....If the deer that has the greatest nutrition and the best genetics does not have time to show it you will still never see his best! IMHO Of Course!