HuntingNY

After longer-than-normal consideration of state proposals, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has approved management measures for the 2013 saltwater recreational fishing season. New York's new rules for fluke, porgy and black sea bass are as follows: Fluke: 19-inch minimum size, 4-fish possession limit, open season May 1 through September 29 Porgy: 10-inch minimum size, 30-fish possession limit, open season May 1 through December 31 (Anglers aboard licensed party or charter vessels may possess up to 45 fish during September and October) Black sea bass: 13-inch minimum size, 8-fish possession limit, open season July 10 through December 31 The black sea bass rules represent a required 24% reduction from last year. Please read our press release for more details: http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/90442.html This post has been promoted to an article

2013 HuntingNY.com I Have Cabin Fever Contest - Win a Trail Camera, $50 HNY Store Credit, RealBullet Opener and Pen! 1st place: Bushnell 8 MP Trophy Cam Trail Camera 2nd place: $50 Credit for the HuntingNY.com store for HNY apparel. 3rd place: RealBullet.com 50 Caliber Pen, and 50 Caliber Bottle Opener Geno’s Cabin Fever thread got me checking my tail camera photos and thinking about throwing up a quick contest pretty much anyone can enter. The 2013 Deer season is coming up fast, it will be here sooner than you think. What is better than a brand spanking new Trail Camera to get out in the woods to get you in the mood along with some other great items. Rules: Post a reply on this thread below. ONE post per person. The post must include a picture of a deer you have either shot / harvested with a short blurb of the story behind it AND / OR a trail camera picture of a deer you saw, missed, wanted in the last few years with a short blurb of the story behind it. As far as the short story, it can be a simple two sentence thing, or feel free to go into detail. Can’t get any simpler than that. Entries will be accepted up until Friday May 31st, 2013 at 11:59 ET. The contest list will then be posted with all contestants along with a unique number assigned to each contestant. The winner will be picked LIVE via live stream (and recorded) during the first week in June, the numbers will be picked via a random number generator. (Thanks jessie.james for the idea) Every single member (and new member) is eligible (except me) as long as you follow the rules above and get that post in by the deadline! Recap of prizes 1st Place: Bushnell 8 MP Trophy Cam Trail Camera The Bushnell 8 MP Trophy Cam Trail Camera (Brown Case) is water- and snow-resistant, functions quite well even in extreme temperatures (-5 to 140deg. F) and is ideal for shooting game and wild life. It can be quickly mounted on tree trunks, posts and other supports using the adjustable web belt provided. Recording high-quality still images at 8 MP with 1-second trigger speed, the trail camera also features Field Scan, a time lapse feature that clicks images at pre-set intervals ranging from 1 minute to 60 minutes. Field Scan is not triggered by game and covers a long range (which may be out of the PIR range) and a large area as well. The adjustable PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor is motion-activated by movement of game at a distance of up to 45' (13.7 m). The camera simultaneously captures Field Scan images along with Live Trigger images and in multi-image mode it clicks up to 3 images per trigger. If you are looking for video, the Trophy Cam shoots Widescreen, VGA and QVGA clips, with audio capture making the experience vivid. Night vision ability is up to 45' (13.7 m) and the 32 Black LEDs acting as an invisible flash prove their worth when visible flash is a game deterrent. The trophy cam shoots color videos during the day and B&W during the night. The B&W text LCD is meant for only displaying the menu text to help you with the setting and programming. Connect the trophy cam to an external monitor and you can watch several days of video footage in minutes using the variable speed playback feature. Key Features and Specifications: Black and white text LCD display High-quality, 8-megapixel full-color image resolution Invisible nighttime flash with 32 LEDs Motion activated day/night PIR auto-sensor 45-foot flash and sensor range Adjustable PIR (Low/Medium/High) One second trigger speed Programmable trigger interval: one second to 60 minutes Multi-image mode: one to three images per trigger Widescreen, VGA, QVGA video resolution with audio Video length: programmable from one to 60 seconds Field Scan Time Lapse Mode with Simultaneous Live Trigger: takes images at pre-set intervals of one minute to 60 minutes, within the hours of your choice--at the same time as using the motion activated sensor. Weatherproof construction prevents rain from soaking in Temperature range: -5 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit Mounts with adjustable web belt and 1/4-20 socket SD card slot supports up to 32GB Power: 4 to 8 AA batteries (not included); external power compatible Battery Life: up to one year per batteries set 2nd Place: $50 Credit to http://HuntingNY.com/store/ for use with all HuntingNY apparel - hats, t-shirts, etc. 3rd Place: RealBullet.com 50 Caliber Pen - > http://realbullet.com/pen/bullet-pen Made from a real US Military 50 caliber BMG (Browning Machine Gun) bullet, this pen is just plain awesome. Takes standard BIC STIC disposable pen refill. We are the direct manufacturers, all of our 50 caliber bullets are expertly polished. Please look for the REAL BULLET brand and be aware of low grade unpolished, poorly made imitations on the market. and 50 Caliber Bottle Opener - > http://realbullet.com/bottle-openers/bullet-bottle-opener A decommissioned real 50 caliber machine gun bullet (.50 BMG) with a sleek cut out for opening bottles. Made in USA by Real Bullet. Real Bullet brand ‘dummy’ or ‘decommissioned’ bullets are made from real bullet components but do not contain gun powder or an active primer. Real Bullet items are Safe, they will not explode and cannot be used in a firearm. Real Bullet items resemble live ammunition, so be aware and do not take them where live ammunition would not be permitted (school, airplane, etc.). Make sure you check out Real Bullets website - > http://realbullet.com, they have some pretty neat stuff in addition to the items listed above. Lets see some harvest pics or trail camera pictures along with a short story behind it! Reply to this thread with the attachment. UPDATE: Winners: 1st place: growalot 2nd place: CNY_Archer 3rd place: cufcameron Congratulations - Winners will be PM'd.

New York bear hunters took 1,337 black bears during the 2012 hunting seasons, making last year the third highest bear harvest on record in New York, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. Only the 2003 harvest (1,864) and 2009 harvest (1,487) surpassed last year’s take. “New York has excellent bear habitat and vast, accessible public lands that offer exciting opportunities for bear hunting,” said Commissioner Martens. “Black bears are thriving in New York, and they represent a great resource for all New Yorkers. Through the NY’s Open for Hunting and Fishing Initiative, Governor Cuomo is improving opportunities for hunting in New York State.” Regionally, bear harvest increased in the Adirondacks but decreased in the Southeastern and Central-Western bear hunting areas. Though overall population size plays a large role in harvest totals, annual variations in take are also strongly influenced by environmental factors such as natural food availability and snow fall that affect bear activity and hunting pressure. These environmental influences were very apparent in the harvest totals of the past few years. In the Adirondacks, hunters took 606 bears in 2012, returning to a more normal harvest level after an exceptionally low harvest in 2011. This past season, hunters found greatest success during the early season (386 bears; mid-September until mid-October) compared to the regular season (132 bears; late October to early December). This pattern was expected after a summer of low natural food availability. The early season harvest is always high in such years because bears are moving more in search of food and many are closer to human food sources, which in both cases makes them more vulnerable to harvest. In fact, towns along the western and southern fringe of the Adirondacks saw some of the highest harvests as bears were found feeding in corn fields during the early season. Bears also tend to den early when natural foods are scarce, so fewer bears were available to hunters during the regular season. In the Southeastern bear hunting area, bear take dropped from the record 630 taken in 2011 to 442 taken in 2012. Similarly, take in the Central-Western bear hunting area dropped from the record 353 in 2011 to 289 in 2012. In both areas, take during bow season contributed substantially to the overall take (51 percent Southeastern, 37 percent Central-Western) and increased from 2011, reflecting the longer bow season initiated in 2012 and greater availability of bears during this period. Notably, take during the regular season dropped in both areas. The drop was most pronounced in Southeastern New York where biologists anticipated a potential reduced harvest due to early denning behavior associated with the general lack of soft and hard mast (apples, acorns and beechnuts). Since 2005, DEC has expanded the area open to bear hunting in Southeastern and Central-Western New York and increased season length, aligning bear seasons with deer seasons. These actions were implemented to reduce bear population growth and range expansion. Most recently, in 2011, DEC expanded bear hunting into eastern New York from Rockland and Westchester to Washington counties. Hunters took 22 bears from these newly opened areas, with eight bears coming from each of Washington and Rensselaer counties. Governor Cuomo’s Open for Hunting and Fishing Initiative is an effort to improve recreational activities for in-state and out-of-state sportsmen and sportswomen and to boost tourism opportunities throughout the state. This initiative includes the streamlining of hunting and fishing licensing and reducing license fees, improved access for fishing at various sites across the state, stocking as much as 900,000 pounds of fish, expanding fishing clinics and increasing hunting opportunities in various regions. A complete summary of the 2012 bear harvest with breakdown by county, town, and Wildlife Management Unit is available at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/42232.html on the DEC website. This post has been promoted to an article

Try Shift-F5

That made me laugh a little bit.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/13/us-usa-shooting-newyork-idUSBRE92C0SW20130313

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Hi All, Updating the forums right now to the latest release. Please let us know if there are any problems / bugs. Upgrading tapatalk as well. Thanks!

NY Safe Act Repeal Lobby Day and Rally 11:00AM - 01:00PM on Upstate New York Liberty Watchdog http://www.ustream.tv/channel/upstate-new-york-liberty-watchdog

That was funny.

We have a new sponsor at HuntingNY.com - Real Bullet. They make these nifty bottle openers, key chains and necklaces out of real bullets. I put some images below, along with a blurb from the sponsor. There is a coupon code below as well. (all made in New York!) Real Bullet™ brand ‘dummy’ or ‘decommissioned’ bullets are made from real bullet components but do not contain gun powder or an active primer. Checkout our really cool 50 Cal. and .308 Cal. Bullet Bottle Openers. Size really doesn't matter. Each looks super cool and opens your favorite beverage with ease. Plus they make a great conversation piece at any get together. Special discount available for HuntingNY.com members. Use the coupon code "ny10" at checkout and receive 10% off your order. All orders over $30 ship free! Also checkout our necklace, keychains and the "Own the Second Amendment" t-shirts that feature an AR15 overlying the Constitution. Coming soon, Bullet Bait and a 50 Caliber Pen. Real Bullet™ products are made in Central New York. http://realbullet.com

he 2012 regular deer and bear hunting seasons open at sunrise on Saturday, Nov. 17, in New Yorks Southern Zone, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens today announced. The big game season closes at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 9. "Hunting is the most effective and efficient tool to maintain wildlife populations at levels that are compatible with our communities and natural resources," said Commissioner Martens. "With an exceptionally mild winter and strong deer and bear populations throughout the state, hunters have good prospects for a successful season." The Southern Zone Regular Deer Season is New Yorks most popular hunting season, with participation from approximately 85 percent of New Yorks 550,000 licensed deer hunters. Harvest during this season accounts for nearly 60 percent of the total statewide deer harvest. The remainder occurs in the Northern Zone, on Long Island, and during special seasons when only archery or muzzleloading firearms may be used. With an earlier start to the bow season in the Southern Zone and a special Youth Firearms Deer Hunt over Columbus Day Weekend, some deer hunters have already enjoyed a fruitful season. Likewise, black bear hunters have begun the year with harvests during bow season in the Southern Zone comparable to 2011. However, with scarce apples and little acorn or beech nut production this year, bears may den early, particularly if we get snow in November. Following the regular deer and bear seasons in the Southern Zone, late bowhunting and muzzleloading seasons will open at sunrise on Dec. 10 and close at sunset on Dec. 18. Hunters taking part in these special seasons must possess either bowhunting or muzzleloading privileges. In the Northern Zone, the regular deer and bear hunting season opened Oct. 20 and will close at sunset on Dec. 2. This zone generally includes the Adirondacks, Tug Hill Plateau, Eastern Lake Ontario Plain and the Champlain and St. Lawrence Valleys. A late archery and muzzleloading season for deer will be open in portions of the Northern Zone from Dec. 3 to Dec. 9. Hunters should be aware of several important programs and recent changes as they prepare for the 2012 regular hunting season. New CWD Rules Prohibit Importation of Whole Deer Carcasses from Pennsylvania: With the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a captive white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania, DEC has issued an emergency rule to restrict importation of wild deer carcasses and parts from Pennsylvania. This rule is intended to protect New Yorks deer from newly identified potential sources of CWD. Rifles authorized for Cayuga County: New legislation now allows use of rifles for big game hunting in Cayuga County. Mandatory Antler Restrictions: Mandatory antler restrictions (bucks must have at least 3 points on one side) are now in effect in WMUs 3A, 4G, 4O, 4P, 4R, 4S, and 4W during all seasons for all hunters 17 years and older. Mandatory antler restrictions also remain in effect in WMUs 3C, 3H, 3J, and 3K. For hunters not in the mandatory AR area, consider voluntary protection of young bucks. With such a mild winter this past year, we expect over-winter fawn survival was exceptionally strong and anticipate that hunters may see more yearling (1.5 years old) bucks afield this fall. Through most of New York, hunters can take a buck of any age, but an increasing number of hunters are voluntarily choosing not to take young, small-antlered bucks. We encourage hunters who are interested in seeing and taking older, larger bucks to consider working with local hunting clubs and neighboring landowners to cooperatively and voluntarily reduce their harvest of young bucks. Bear Hunting Areas: Beginning in 2011, bear hunting was expanded to include portions of eastern New York from Westchester to Washington County. Crossbows: Crossbows may be used during the regular deer and bear hunting seasons and during the late muzzleloading seasons. Junior Hunters: Junior Hunters (14 and 15 years old) can hunt deer and bear with a firearm when appropriately accompanied by an experienced adult. Harvest Reporting: Hunters are required to report their harvest of deer and bear within 7 days. Failure to report harvested deer or bear is a violation of NYS Environmental Conservation Law. Black Bear Tooth Collection: Successful bear hunters are asked to submit a tooth of their bear so DEC can age the bear and monitor bear population dynamics. Venison Donation: Hunters are encouraged to participate in the Venison Donation program (http://www.venisondonation.com). By filling your permits and donating your deer, you help accomplish the needed deer management and you can feed less fortunate families. Although safety-conscious hunters have significantly reduced the number of firearms-related injuries, studies show that individuals wearing hunter orange clothing are seven times less likely to be injured than hunters who do not wear the bright fluorescent color. Point your gun in a safe direction. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. Be sure of your target and beyond. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Remember to wear Hunter Orange. This post has been promoted to an article

Remaining Deer Management Permits (DMPs) will be available in several Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) beginning Nov. 1, 2012, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced. DMPs, which allow hunters to harvest antlerless deer, are issued for specific WMUs to help control deer populations. In several units, the target number of DMPs was not issued during the initial application period. In these WMUs, DEC will re-open the DMP application process on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunters may apply for leftover DMPs at any sporting license sales outlet beginning Nov. 1, 2012. Leftover DMPs will not be available by phone, by mail or via the internet. Applicants who previously paid the $10 DMP application fee or are exempt from the application fee will not be charged for this additional application. Applications for remaining DMPs will be accepted for the following WMUs: 1C, 3M, 3R, 3S (bowhunting-only), 7F, 7H, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F. During this extended application period DEC will issue DMPs for an individual WMU all day. The status of issued permits will be reviewed each night, and as the target number of permits are issued for an individual WMU, they will be removed from the list of those available effective the following day, with no further applications accepted for those units. This post has been promoted to an article

Not sure but it sounds delicious.

After carefully considering more than 1,600 public comments and analyzing all information on New York’s current bobcat population, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) adopted a five-year bobcat management plan to maintain and enhance bobcat populations in New York state while providing for sustainable use and public enjoyment of the animal, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The final plan, which is significantly revised from the draft plan, is now available on the DEC website at: http://www.dec.ny.go...imals/9360.html. “The bobcat population has increased over the past several decades throughout upstate New York,” said Commissioner Martens. “DEC’s new bobcat management plan provides for the continued well-being of this unique species as well as opportunities for its use and enjoyment. I would like to thank members of the public and our stakeholder groups for taking the time to submit comments which resulted in DEC issuing a much improved management plan.” Observation reports and analysis of harvest data have made it clear that bobcats have increased in abundance over the past several decades throughout upstate New York, although they are rarely seen in the wild due to their secretive behavior. DEC estimates New York’s bobcat population to be approximately 5,000 animals and growing, even in areas where regulated hunting and trapping seasons have been in place since the 1970s. In accordance with the management plan, DEC will propose in regulations simplifying hunting and trapping season dates by establishing dates that are consistent throughout much of the state. The plan also establishes new hunting and trapping opportunities in several wildlife management units across the Southern Tier. Hunting and trapping season changes in the plan will not take effect prior to fall 2013, as a rulemaking process is necessary to implement such changes. While hunters and trappers are the most common users of the bobcat resource, wildlife enthusiasts, nature photographers and the public also benefit from a healthy bobcat population. Public comments on the draft bobcat management plan were carefully reviewed by DEC, and based on the input received, DEC made extensive revisions to the plan, including: · adding a more clear explanation of how DEC estimates population size, predicted harvest increases and impacts of additional harvest on population growth; · clarifying that there is no intent to reduce bobcat populations anywhere in the state; · reducing the emphasis on negative human-bobcat interactions because they are not a major concern or motivation for actions proposed in the plan; · recognizing the public interest in restoring bobcats to Long Island and willingness to cooperate with feasibility studies. The bobcat management plan and a summary of responses to public comments are available on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.go...imals/9360.html. This post has been promoted to an article

Action Taken to Protect New York’s Deer Population in Response to Pennsylvania Discovery The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued an emergency rulemaking that revises the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) regulations in response to a confirmed case of CWD in Pennsylvania, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. Effective immediately, the revision prohibits importing certain parts of white-tailed deer or American elk taken in the state of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the first case of CWD in Pennsylvania on October 11 at a deer farm in New Oxford (Adams County), PA. CWD is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose. It causes a characteristic spongy degeneration of the brain in infected animals resulting in emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and death. In response, DEC amended its CWD regulations to prohibit importing the following parts of deer or elk taken in Pennsylvania: brain, eyes, spinal cord, tonsils, intestinal tract, spleen or retropharyngeal lymph nodes. “Hunters who take a deer or elk in Pennsylvania must now butcher the animal and remove the prohibited parts before entering New York State,” said DEC Commissioner Martens. “This action is necessary to protect New York’s populations of deer and moose. Most successful hunters already opt to butcher a deer and put the meat in a cooler before traveling back to New York.” DEC’s ongoing extensive surveillance program, initiated in 2002, first confirmed CWD in New York State in 2005 and has not discovered any additional cases of CWD since that time. DEC recently revised its surveillance plan and efforts this year will concentrate on collecting tissues at taxidermists as well as deer processors. It is not known exactly how CWD is transmitted. The infectious agent, a prion, may be passed from animal to animal through feces, urine or saliva. The minimal incubation period between infection and development of clinical disease appears to be about 16 months. The maximum incubation period is unknown, as is the point at which shedding of the CWD agent begins during the prolonged course of infection. The movement of infected material is believed to be one of primary routes of transmission. This amendment to the CWD regulations prohibits importing those parts of a deer where the disease is most likely to be found. DEC advises hunters not to consume the meat of any animal that acts abnormal and to exercise precautions when butchering animals, such as using rubber or latex gloves. Also, DEC urges hunters to dispose of deer parts that will not be consumed in a municipal landfill. Additional information about CWD can be found on DEC’s website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7507.html and http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/33220.html. Information is also available on the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance's website at http://www.cwd-info.org/. This post has been promoted to an article

Columbus Day weekend, October 6-8, marked the state’s first youth firearms deer hunt and reports from the field indicate the youth deer hunt was a success for many junior hunters as they learned about New York’s rich deer hunting tradition under the watchful eyes of experienced mentors, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. “The youth deer hunt is a great opportunity for the next generation of New York hunters and is an important step in preserving our hunting heritage while maintaining our ability to manage deer through hunting in the future,” said Commissioner Martens. “We received enthusiastic feedback from parents and excited young hunters who took part of the Columbus Day weekend. These experiences demonstrate the great value of providing this unique opportunity for junior hunters.” During the youth deer hunt, junior hunters (ages 14-15) with a big game hunting license were eligible to take one deer of either sex with a firearm when properly accompanied by a licensed and experienced adult. The number of Junior Hunting license holders who were eligible to participate at least one day of the youth hunt was 12,753. To date, junior hunters have reported taking 486 deer, though hunters have 7 days to report their kill. DEC anticipates the final harvest estimate for the youth deer hunt will be higher after all reports are in and the harvest is calculated. DEC Environmental Conservation Officers and wildlife staff were afield throughout the weekend, monitoring hunter activity and talking with bowhunters, small game and turkey hunters, and junior hunters about their experience during the youth deer hunt. Reports from the junior hunters were overwhelmingly positive, and other hunters reported their hunting was not affected by the ongoing youth deer hunt. Some hunters indicated that while they did not support the youth hunt when it was first proposed, their actual observations over the weekend and seeing what a positive experience it was for so many kids, has changed their minds. Additionally, New York’s junior hunters demonstrated why mentored youth have the greatest safety record of all hunters across the nation; no hunting related shooting incidents were reported during the youth deer hunt. To showcase the success of junior hunters, DEC encourages parents to submit a picture to DEC’s Big Game Hunting Photo Gallery (www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/54055.html). This post has been promoted to an article