HuntingNY

One of the strategies in our draft deer management plan calls for promoting landowner awareness and participation in state and federal land conservation programs that benefit deer and deer habitat. Here is an immediate opportunity. The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced special funding through the America's Great Outdoors initiative for the Lake Champlain Basin. Eligible landowners within the basin will be able to enroll in the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) to manage grassland and shrubland habitat. While targeted for grassland and shrubland birds, the program will also benefit other wildlife such as woodcock, deer, turkeys, and cottontails. NRCS has reduced the minimum land required for this initiative to five acres, allowing smaller landowners to participate. To apply or find out more about the program, please call or visit the Plattsburgh, Malone, or Greenwich NRCS Service Centers at the locations listed below. You can also read more about WHIP at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip. The deadline for enrollment for this initiative is August 10, 2011. Additional funding may be available after this initial program offering. Plattsburgh: 6064 State Route 22 Plattsburgh, NY 12901-9601 (518) 561-4616 Malone: 151 Finney Blvd Malone, NY 12953-1067 (518) 483-2850 Greenwich: 2530 State Route 40 Greenwich, NY 12834-9627 (518) 692-9940 For information about other programs and opportunities for habitat work on private lands throughout the state, contact DEC at (518) 402-8907 or e-mail f&[email protected] Jeremy Hurst Big Game Biologist

Hello everyone, The 2011 deer season is coming up FAST! We are only a few months away from the start of the bow season. What is everyone doing to prepare? There are been quite a few posts on tree stand preparation, food plots, and bow setups and tuning. Check out the latest trail camera pictures posts, there are quite a few nice bucks and bears to drool over: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,15.0.html Have a nice tree stand you built? Share it with everyone on this post: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,5115.0.html Have you read the proposed DEC deer management plan? If you have not, you really should check out the PDF attached to this post. http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,4930.0.html In short the plan covers the following: [*]Manage deer populations at levels that are appropriate for human and ecological concerns; [*]Promote and enhance deer hunting as an important recreational activity, tradition, and population management tool in New York; [*]Reduce negative impacts caused by deer; [*]Foster public understanding and communication about deer ecology, deer management, economic aspects and recreational opportunities; [*]Manage deer to promote healthy and sustainable forests and enhance habitat conservation efforts to benefit deer and other species; and [*]Ensure that the necessary resources are available to support sound management of white-tailed deer in New York. As always, the hot topic this month is Antler restrictions as well as the proposed expansion of the AR's in additional WMU's from the deer management plan. Be sure to voice your concerns and opinion, there are quite a few threads surrounding these topics on the deer forum here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,3.0.html Other notable mentions: The Governor signs the bill allowing 12 year olds to hunt - http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,4739.0.html Survey by DEC & Cornell University to solicit the public's input on deer management priorities - http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,4973.0.html How did your 2010 deer season go? Have you posted your picture and story yet? If not head over to the forums http://huntingny.com/forums/ and let everyone know what you got (or didn't get) this year. I'm still working on getting some HuntingNY decals and possibly some shirts / hats made up, if anyone has interest please let us know by replying to this email or topic on the forums. heck out the hot topics on the side of the forum. The site has grown leaps and bounds since started, there are over 61,000 posts as of today! Please remember to tell friends and family about the site, you can even forward them this email. Please let us know if you have any suggestions, comments or are interested in sponsoring the site, you can post them publicly on the forum under the suggestions thread here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,254.0.html or you can use the contact form to email us directly here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php?action=contact Thank you, http://HuntingNY.com/forums/

Nice! Any pics?!

Hey Frank, fired off an email with the tracking number 2 seconds ago, shipped 2-day FedEx. Sorry for the delay, my day job has been crazy the last 2 months, traveling and working crazy hours. Thank you - John

Bear Harvest numbers were strong again this year in New York State, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. In 2010, bear hunters took more than 1,060 bears in the state. “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.” Statewide, hunters took 1,064 black bears this past fall, similar to harvest levels of 2005-2007. While overall population size plays a large role in harvest totals, annual variations in take are also strongly influenced by environmental factors that affect bear activity and hunting pressure such as natural food availability and snow fall. In the Southeastern bear hunting area, hunters took 401 bears, with roughly half of the harvest occurring during the bowhunting season and half during the regular firearms hunting season. In the Central-Western bear hunting area, hunters took 142 bears, with bowhunters responsible for about 65% of the harvest. Harvest in both areas was down approximately 20% from 2009. In the Adirondack bear hunting area, the take of 521 bears was down approximately 35% from 2009, but is consistent with the long-term average for that area. Bear harvest in the Adirondacks seems heavily influenced by variations in key food resources, and this year’s harvest follows those trends. In years when soft mast (apple, cherry, raspberry) is abundant, bear harvest during the early season tends to decrease. Cherry and raspberry were widely available in September and October, and bear take during the 2010 early season dropped approximately 40% from 2009, which was a year with a poor soft mast crop and high early season bear harvest. Conversely, in years when beech nuts are abundant, bear take tends to increase during the regular season. This past fall was lacking for beechnut production, and bear take during the regular season dropped about 25% from 2009. Hunters play a pivotal role in bear management through reporting their bear harvests. Hunters also are asked to submit a tooth sample from their bear for DEC to determine the age of harvested bears. To encourage participation, DEC issues a New York State Black Bear Cooperator Patch to all hunters who reported their harvest and submitted a tooth. More than 550 patches will be distributed for the 2010 hunting season. Eligible hunters will receive their patch in late summer 2011 when all the age data has been processed. The average age of bears harvested is typically 3-4 years old in the Southeastern and Central-Western areas, while bears harvested in the Adirondacks average about 5 years old. In addition to harvest totals, DEC uses a variety of indices to measure bear populations. Taxidermists and DEC wildlife personnel collect age and sex information from harvested bears, as well as movement data from tagged bears. This information is used to help DEC biologists manage bear populations and establish future hunting regulations to assure the management of black bears in New York State is at a level that is compatible with human interests. A complete summary of the 2010 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.

Hunters harvested just over 230,000 deer in the 2010 hunting season, up about 3% from 2009, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The Junior Big-Game License was popular once again, with over 16,000 junior hunters taking advantage of the opportunity to hunt big game, harvesting approximately 4,900 deer. “Deer hunters play a crucial role, benefitting all New Yorkers, by helping to maintain deer numbers at levels that are ecologically and socially appropriate, and we appreciate their participation,” Commissioner Martens said. The 2010 deer take included approximately 123,100 antlerless deer (adult females and fawns) and just under 107,000 adult bucks. Deer harvests in the Northern Zone were very comparable to 2009, with adult buck take (approx. 16,100) essentially unchanged and antlerless take (approx. 12,500) only increasing about 3%. In the Southern Zone, excluding Long Island, adult buck take (approx. 89,900) increased nearly 6% while antlerless take (approx. 108,600) increased only about 2%. Western New York continues to lead the state in total deer-harvest densities, but Orange County in southeastern New York remains a strong contender. The top five counties for 2010 were Yates (14.3 total deer per square mile), Wyoming (12.2), Genesee (11.0), Cayuga (10.0), and Orange County (10.0). Importantly, total harvest is strongly impacted by the number of Deer Management Permits (DMPs) available in an area, which directly affects the harvest of antlerless deer. A more accurate picture of relative deer population densities is revealed by the density of buck harvest. By this figure, the top counties for buck harvest density were: Wyoming (4.9 bucks per square mile), Yates (4.9 bucks per square mile), Allegany (4.0), Schuyler (3., and Cayuga County (3.. Across the state, hunters took a slightly higher proportion of 2.5 year old and older bucks than in previous years, continuing a trend that has developed over the past decade. This past year, about 45% of harvested bucks were 2.5 years or older, compared to only 33% in 2000. Deer harvest data are gathered from two main sources: harvest reports required by all successful hunters, and DEC staff’s examination of harvested deer at check stations and meat processors. Statewide harvest estimates are made by cross-referencing these two data sources. Though an average of only 45% of successful hunters have reported their harvest each year since 2005, statewide harvest estimates remain statistically accurate to within ±2%. During the 2010 deer season, DEC tested 1,780 hunter-harvested deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and found no CWD infected deer. With no CWD detections since 2005, last summer, DEC decommissioned the CWD containment area and no longer required mandatory checking of harvested deer in that area. Additionally, DEC continues to develop a deer management plan based on input collected during a series of public meetings held in 2009; information from a recent statewide survey of deer hunters; and assessments from a deer biologists and regional wildlife managers. This plan will provide a blueprint for deer management for the next five years, including a number of reforms to strengthen the program. DEC anticipates that the plan will be available for public review and comment later this spring. Deer populations and harvest vary widely across the state. The 2010 and previous year’s deer harvest by county, town, and Wildlife Management Unit are available at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/42232.html on the DEC website

Hey all! We will notify and make an announcement shortly. I received a few emails, and will respond to all of them. Thanks guys and congrats.

A reminder that the contest voting ends tomorrow, February 3rd, at roughly 11pm EST. Please if you have not done so already log your vote. Here is the info for the voting: We have started the contest voting for the 2010 Best Deer Success Story Contest. Please check out the post here : http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,3133.0.html There are over 30 amazing entries to check out. Please take your time and vote for the the story you feel is the best, we have the voting open for 30 days and the results for the first and second place will be announced then. There is one vote per registered user allowed. When you click the link above, please scroll down and you will see all of the links to story entries. ------------------------ Be sure to check out the latest posts on the site, there have been quite a few hot topics over the past few weeks. Some important dates : 255 days left until SZ Bow Season (Oct 15)! 236 days left until NZ Bow Season (Sep 26)! 290 days left until SZ Regular Season (Nov 19)! 262 days left until NZ Regular Season (Oct 22)! Check out some of the recent trail camera pictures, there have been quite a few posted recently:http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,15.0.html There also has been quite a few posts of some successful (and unsuccessful) coyote hunts in the small game forum: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,11.0.html And don't forget to check out the "Game Recipe" section for some great recipes for all the venison you have sitting in your freezer here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,45.0.html Please take some time to visit the sites sponsors: KME Outfitters - http://kmeoutfitters.com/ Fins to Feathers Taxidermy - http://www.alllongislandtaxidermy.com/ South Shore Sportsman - http://sportsmanli.com/ Innovative Tip-Down - http://tipdown.com/ Thank you, http://HuntingNY.com

The DEC has adopted a rule prohibiting the feeding of black bears. Previously, DEC prohibited the intentional feeding of bears in proximity to certain locations. In an effort to reduce bear habituation to human-supplied foods and future human-bear conflicts, DEC’s new regulation prohibits both intentional and incidental feeding of bears statewide. Specifically, the regulation bans intentional feeding of black bears, and, after previous written notice from DEC, also prohibits incidental or indirect feeding of black bears through food attractants such as garbage, refuse or bird seed. The regulation grants DEC the authority to require removal of these and other food attractants when bears become problematic. DEC generally encourages discontinuing bird feeding activity in the Spring when bears emerge from their dens and natural foods for bears are not abundant and natural food for birds are becoming more available. The regulation also updates the conditions under which hounds can be trained and used to help manage bear problems. The use of bear hounds is one of the most effective tools for reducing bear damage to farm crops, especially corn. A description of the regulation and a summary of public comment is available at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6960.html.

Topics here will not be removed because its a heated debate, however I expect people to be mature. Some people have been asked privately to settle down. Other then that, for the most part, the users have been amazing. There is always going to be some arguments that go somewhat personal because people take some of these arguments to heart. Repeated personal attacks / foul language / etc will not be tolerated here. I prefer to not touch posts, but we will edit them if need be. There were only a handful that I have edited to remove a curse or two. We have yet to remove a topic other then a few that were posted by a spam bot, nor have we banned a person from posting.

I hope everyone had a great Holiday and New Years! We have started the contest voting for the 2010 Best Deer Success Story Contest. Please check out the post here : http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,3133.0.html There are over 30 amazing entries to check out. Please take your time and vote for the the story you feel is the best, we have the voting open for 30 days and the results for the first and second place will be announced then. There is one vote per registered user allowed. When you click the link above, please scroll down and you will see all of the links to story entries. Venatic Outdoors http://venaticoutdoors.com/home.html has notified us they are donating their soon to be released ALL New York Hunting DVD to the first place winner in addition to the prizes we have already lined up. Please be sure to check out their website. I believe their DVD will sell for $10.00 and go on sale shortly on their site, we'll keep you updated on when they launch the DVD. Thanks Venatic and good luck with the DVD! P.S. in the mean time you can check out the DVD Trailer here: Proving Ground DVD Trailer Check out some of the recent trail camera pictures, there have been quite a few posted recently: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,15.0.html There also has been quite a few posts of some successful (and unsuccessful) coyote hunts in the small game forum: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,11.0.html And don't forget to check out the "Game Recipe" section for some great recipes for all the venison you have sitting in your freezer here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,45.0.html Anyways, now that 2010 is behind us, HuntingNY.com has grown tremendously, and I thank each and every member for creating the best and largest Hunting forum available for New York State. It has really turned out to be an amazing resource for all NY Hunters and Fishers. There are over 36,600 posts on the site now! Please forward the site on to your friends and family, we appreciate it. We are always open to any and all suggestions for the site. For example, is there a new forum topic / area you would like to see on the site? If you wish to contact us, please use the following form : http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php?action=contact Hunting NY http://HuntingNY.com Please take some time to visit the sites sponsors: KME Outfitters - http://kmeoutfitters.com/ Fins to Feathers Taxidermy - http://www.alllongislandtaxidermy.com/ South Shore Sportsman - http://sportsmanli.com/ Innovative Tip-Down - http://tipdown.com/

Results will be revealed upon completion of the voting, which will run for 30 days. This should give enough time for members who wish to vote a chance to read through the great stories and cast their vote. One vote per member, you can vote for yourself. Registration of fraudulent accounts will be checked for. Original thread with information on the contest and prizes here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,1967.0.html Please be sure to read all of the entries below and vote. All of the hunting success stories were amazing, over 30 great stories, and congratulations for a successful year! Entries: Election Day Buck! by outdoorstom First one for two by jimbo91 The drought ends! by gundeck My Slammer by skyzmine My little girl and I got our first deer together! by Frank Hunter In Training by builtright716 finally success by SweetMike Man vs Moose by 33Canuck Dandy Down by Fletch my first deer ever. by lostkause Opening weekend! by Burt 2010 Opening day by aaronsink12306 goodnough56 2010 Best Deer Entry by goodnough56 Had Lovin' On His Mind!!! by Cabin Fever Another success story... by jimbo91 First Buck with a bow, non-typical by bowman54 Not your typical Non Typical by Bleitten04 My 10 Point Buck success story by goodnough56 sons first deer by woodsdweller 11/27 11pt. by wooly Perfect 10? by Lawdwaz growalot's 2010 Best Deer success story contest entry by growalot A few seconds can turn a season around by Culvercreek hunt club An AWESOME weekend! by MellyMcSmelly My first game by Toruk-Makto a 2 year chess match by reeltime 15 year olds first buck Contest Stories! by Robinson446 big doe down by TOMMYTOOSONS My first ML success! by WNYBuckHunter Dropper 10 hits the Snow! by 33Canuck Wheelchair Hunting success by lac415 Not a Creature was Stirring, Except for this Buck! by downwindoutdoors 2010 Best deer contest. MY STORY by Robinson446

Hello Everyone, I hope everyone is having / had a great Holiday and we would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Please keep in mind entries for the contest are due in at the end of this month! Contest info can be found here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,1967.msg22174.html#msg22174 There are already a lot of great stories posted up, take a few min to check them out here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,48.0.html Please let us know if there is anything you would like to see added to the site or if you have any suggestions. Keep in mind we have a fishing section as well as small game sections on the site. I know a lot of you guys already started your predator hunting for the year as well as some ice fishing and we would love to hear from you. Fishing Section: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,29.0.html Small Game Section: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,11.0.html As always, please help spread the word about the site by passing on this email to friends and family that love the outdoors as much as we all do. Hunting NY is also on Facebook, if you use Facebook please "like us" http://www.facebook.com/HuntingNY Hunting NY http://HuntingNY.com Be sure to check out our sponsors KME Outfitters - http://kmeoutfitters.com/ Fins to Feathers Taxidermy - http://www.alllongislandtaxidermy.com/ South Shore Sportsman - http://sportsmanli.com/ Innovative Tip-Down - http://tipdown.com/

ANTI-POACHING INITIATIVE SHINES LIGHT ON 137 VIOLATORS “Operation Dark Night” Targets “Deer Jacking” Statewide; More than 250 Charges Filed A major operation to crack down on illegal deer poaching from Montauk to Buffalo has led to charges against 137 individuals for more than 250 offenses, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. The initiative, dubbed, “Operation Dark Night,” focused on the illegal taking of deer by use of artificial light – a practice commonly known as “deer jacking.” This involves nighttime wildlife crimes where poachers shine a spotlight on a deer feeding in fields to “freeze” the animal long enough to shoot it – killing deer when they are most vulnerable. Typically, deer jacking occurs in remote rural areas, late at night. Due to these late hours and secluded areas, there are few, if any, witnesses to this crime. This fall, DEC undertook the largest coordinated anti-deer jacking initiative in the state’s history. During a seven-week period, ECOs were assigned to saturation patrols in targeted rural locations in every part of the state except New York City, with stakeouts taking place at all hours of the night. While ECOs are vigilant for wildlife poaching crimes throughout the year, these targeted patrols largely covered the weeks before the start of the southern zone deer season, when, historically, DEC fields numerous complaints about deer jacking. “Our officers’ work sends a strong message that such illegal practices will not be tolerated,” said Peter Fanelli, DEC’s Director of Law Enforcement. “During this operation, they put in long hours at night, often dealing with armed individuals. Their effort speaks of their dedication to the job and to protecting New York’s natural resources.” “Most hunters play by the rules – but deer jackers don’t,” Acting Commissioner Peter Iwanowicz said. “This illegal practice not only gives them an unfair advantage but also puts many unsuspecting people who may be nearby at risk. DEC takes this crime seriously for many reasons – safety, foremost.” During the seven-week operation, DEC officers charged 137 individuals with more than 250 misdemeanors and violations. This included 10 instances of killing a deer at night with the use of a spotlight or other artificial light and 79 instances where a hunter was caught using a light but had not yet killed a deer. Typically, other related charges were filed in these instances, such as carrying a loaded gun in a vehicle, discharging a firearm over a public highway or within 500 feet of a dwelling and using a spotlight within 500 feet of a dwelling. By region, 124 misdemeanors and violations were filed in the Adirondack Park and surrounding North Country, 48 were filed in the Capital Region and Catskills, 47 in Central New York, 24 in Western New York and 9 on Long Island. Fifteen guns were confiscated, along with seven spotlights and eight illegally-taken deer. Many Environmental Conservation Law offenses relating to deer jacking are misdemeanors which may result in significant fines and/or jail time. Additionally, hunting license privileges of convicted deer poachers may be revoked in New York State as well as simultaneously in other states that are members of the Wildlife Violator Compact and honor reciprocal revocations. Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) Hotline DEC encourages anyone with information on environmental crimes and violations are urged to call its 24-hour hotline, 1-800-TIPP-DEC or 1-800-847-7332. Callers may request to file complaints anonymously. An online form also is available at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/67751.html Penalties “Taking of deer with the aid of an artificial light” is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $250 to $2,000 and/or incarceration for up to one year, as well as possible revocation of hunting privileges for up to five years. “Operating an artificial light on lands inhabited by deer while possessing a firearm” is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $200 to $1,000 and/or incarceration for up to 90 days. Violations are punishable by a fine of up to $250 and/or incarceration of up to 15 days. Additionally, hunting privileges may be revoked in New York State as well as simultaneously in many other states who are members of the Wildlife Violator Compact.

Hello All, The Southern zone rifle season just came to an end, and the Northern zone season is over. Southern zone folks have from today till the 21st for muzzleloading season. I hope everyone has had a safe, fun and successful season! There are quite a few great deer posted in the success stories forum, if you have not checked them out already. http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/board,48.0.html Don't forget to post your hunting success story and enter the contest we are having... You can read more about it here : http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,1967.msg22174.html#msg22174 Right now the prizes are as follows... First Place: - KMEOutfitters.com is donating a Ka-Bar stainless steel skinning knife to the winner - A HuntingNY.com embroidered lighted 3 LED mossy oak hunting hat (its awesome!) - A one year subscription to one of the following magazines: Field & Stream, Petersons Bowhunting Magazine, or North American Whitetail - Hunters Specialties Butt Out Big Game Dressing Tool - The Can Call by Primos (Estrus Bleat) Second Place: - HuntingNY.com embroidered hunting camo hat - A one year subscription to one of the following magazines: Field & Stream, Peterson's Bowhunting Magazine, or North American Whitetail - Hunters Specialties Butt Out Big Game Dressing Tool Over the past few months HuntingNY.com has grown leaps and bounds and has become an awesome place to talk about hunting and fishing. Please remember to tell friends and family about the site, you can even forward them this email. Please let us know if you have any suggestions, comments or are interested in sponsoring the site, you can post them publicly on the forum under the suggestions thread here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,254.0.html or you can use the contact form to email us directly here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php?action=contact Be sure to check out our sponsors KME Outfitters - http://kmeoutfitters.com/ Fins to Feathers Taxidermy - http://www.alllongislandtaxidermy.com/ South Shore Sportsman - http://sportsmanli.com/ Innovative Tip-Down - http://tipdown.com/ Thanks, http://HuntingNY.com/forums/

DEC “TIPP” PROGRAM GOES ONLINE Once Telephone Only, “Turn in Poachers and Polluters” Now Available via Web The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the launch of an online form for citizens to report environmental violations. Located at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/67751.html, the new web page assists those who can provide thorough and relevant information about an alleged violation. The form prompts the complainant to describe what occurred, when it happened and where the violation was witnessed. Complainants may remain anonymous or confidential. Detailed initial complaints assist DEC Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) in a timely and complete investigation of complaints and potential arrests against those who are violating environmental laws. “This is an expansion of DEC’s successful ‘Turn in Poachers and Polluters’ (TIPP) Hotline,” said Peter Fanelli, DEC Director of Law Enforcement, referring to the long-established telephone tip system. “Citizens have always played a vital role in helping DEC enforce state environmental laws and regulations. This new web tool gives them one more option for alerting us to potential problems.” Persons can still make a complaint by phone using the DEC hotline at 1-800-TIPP-DEC (1-800-847-7332). In fact, if an emergency situation exists and or an immediate response is needed, calling the hotline is the best option. Director Fanelli emphasized that a person should never put himself or herself at risk to obtain information. Instead, one should gather whatever details possible without trespassing or exposing themselves to harmful materials or situations. To find the new web form without typing in the URL, log into the DEC website main page at www.dec.ny.gov and type “TIPP” in the search box at the top right hand side of the page, then click on the first document, “Report an Environmental Violation Online”.

Attention all HuntingNY Ice Fisherman! The ice fisherman’s Complete Ice Fishing Rod & Support Tower/Storage System now known as the TIP-DOWN® has made many advancements since its original concept debuted in the fall of 2000. From a crude prototype; the TIP-DOWN® has gone through two make-overs to arrive at its present form. With input from local fisherman and product changes mandated by manufacturing processes the TIP-DOWN® was transformed into what you see here today. Early signs of the product’s potential paved the way for the formation of Innovative Manufacturing LLC to produce the units for the retail market. When product protection and rights became an issue Innovative Manufacturing LLC took the appropriate steps and filed for Patent and Trademark protection with The United States Patent and Trademark Office. With early years of prototyping being completed by Modern Machine Inc. in Wausau WI, the task of going into full production advanced quickly due to the skills and years of knowledge provided by Accu-Tech Tool & Design, Inc. of Hudson WI, and iMark Molding LLC of Woodville WI. Accu-Tech’s mold design team took all the original prototype components and transformed them into the mass production molds used today. With iMark Molding’s established state-of-the-art plastics molding facility in Hudson WI, Innovative Manufacturing LLC could now focus on establishing a presence in the retail market place. Innovative Manufacturing LLC believes the TIP-DOWN ice fishing system will give you years of enjoyable ice fishing while improving your ability to catch more fish more often.

It was a windy start to the regular firearms deer season in much of the Southern Zone, but hunters appear to have managed well. Harvest reports from the opening weekend are up about 5% compared to opening weekend in 2009. This first Saturday and Sunday of the Southern Zone regular deer season is an important time for deer hunters and deer harvest. In a 2007 survey (www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/hdrudeer07.pdf), roughly 85% of New York deer hunters indicated that they participated in the Southern Zone regular season. Of these hunters, about 93% hunted on opening day, including 5% who only hunted on opening day. Hunters averaged just under 7 hours afield on opening day but dropped back to an average of less than 6 hours per day during the rest of the regular season. In 2009, deer harvest during the opening weekend accounted for: nearly 50% of the Southern Zone regular season buck take; almost 40% of the Southern Zone regular season total deer take; slightly more than 25% of the Southern Zone deer take during all seasons; and more than 20% of the statewide deer take during all seasons. Hunters should remember that reporting their harvest is required. We recently expanded the time frame for reporting from 48 hours to 7 days to make reporting easier for hunter who hunt in remote areas, but successful hunters are still required to report through the DEC’s online reporting system (www.dec.ny.gov) or by calling 1-866-GAME-RPT (1-866-426-3778). Good hunting!

Hello All, The southern zone rifle season is about to kick off, only 5 days left! A lot of you guys are going to be heading out to camp soon, so be safe and have fun! (Make sure you take a camera) Are you ready for the opener? And what are you plans? Let us know here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,2295.0.html There is a thread up for those that have "smart phones" in the woods and wish to post live from their stand when they are bored or back at camp. Check out the post here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,1811.0.html Don't forget to post your hunting success story and enter the contest we are having... You can read more about it here : http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,1967.msg22174.html#msg22174 Right now the prizes are as follows... First Place: - KMEOutfitters.com is donating a Ka-Bar stainless steel skinning knife to the winner - A HuntingNY.com embroidered lighted 3 LED mossy oak hunting hat (its awesome!) - A one year subscription to one of the following magazines: Field & Stream, Petersons Bowhunting Magazine, or North American Whitetail - Hunters Specialties Butt Out Big Game Dressing Tool - The Can Call by Primos (Estrus Bleat) Second Place: - HuntingNY.com embroidered hunting camo hat - A one year subscription to one of the following magazines: Field & Stream, Peterson's Bowhunting Magazine, or North American Whitetail - Hunters Specialties Butt Out Big Game Dressing Tool Please remember to tell friends and family about the site, you can even forward them this email. Please let us know if you have any suggestions, comments or are interested in sponsoring the site, you can post them publicly on the forum under the suggestions thread here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,254.0.html or you can use the contact form to email us directly here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php?action=contact Be sure to check out our sponsors KME Outfitters - http://kmeoutfitters.com/ Fins to Feathers Taxidermy - http://www.alllongislandtaxidermy.com/ South Shore Sportsman - http://sportsmanli.com/ Thanks, http://HuntingNY.com/forums/

DEC just issued the following press release. DEC ANNOUNCES NOV. 20 OPENING OF SOUTHERN ZONE DEER SEASON AND SOUTHEASTERN ZONE BEAR SEASON Bear Hunting in Central-Western New York Begins Nov. 27 The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today reminded hunters that the 2010 regular deer season opens at sunrise on Saturday, Nov. 20, in New York’s Southern Zone. Regular bear hunting season in the southeastern portion of the southern bear range also begins on Nov. 20, while regular bear season in the central-western portion of the southern bear range begins Nov. 27. These big game hunting seasons close at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 12. See the 2010-11 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/37136.html) for a map illustrating the specific boundaries and season dates for the bear ranges. “New York’s deer and bear populations are great resources for the state, and hunting is an important part of New York’s outdoor heritage,” said DEC Acting Commissioner Peter Iwanowicz. “Hunters provide a valuable public service by maintaining wildlife populations at levels that are compatible with public interests and natural resources. I wish all hunters a safe season and encourage them to embrace their role in responsible game management.” The Southern Zone regular deer season is New York’s most popular hunting season, with participation from more than 70 percent of New York deer hunters. Harvest during this season accounts for nearly 60 percent of the total statewide deer harvest. Following the regular deer and bear seasons in the Southern Zone, late bowhunting and muzzleloading seasons will open at sunrise on Dec. 13 and close at sunset on Dec. 21. 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 have already opened (Oct. 23) and will close Dec. 5. This zone generally includes the Adirondack Mountains, Tug Hill Plateau, Eastern Lake Ontario Plain and the Champlain and St. Lawrence Valleys. A late muzzleloading season for deer will open in parts of the Northern Zone from Dec. 6-12. Hunters should be aware of several important programs and recent changes as they prepare for the 2010 regular hunting season. · Harvest Reporting: Beginning this regular season, hunters will now have up to 7 days to report their harvested deer or bear. Reporting harvested deer or bear is mandatory, and successful hunters may report via DEC’s online reporting system or call the toll-free automated reporting system at 1-866-GAME-RPT (1-866-426-3778). · Crossbows: Although a new law was passed this year to allow use of crossbows for big game hunting in the regular season, the changes do not go into effect until Feb. 1, 2011. This means that hunters cannot use a crossbow until the 2011-2012 hunting seasons. · Chronic Wasting Disease: With no detections of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) since 2005, DEC has decommissioned the CWD containment area and no longer requires mandatory checking of harvested deer in that area. DEC will continue routine CWD surveillance throughout the state. See CWD Regulations for Hunters at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8325.html for more information. · Junior Hunters: Junior Hunters (14 and 15 years old) can hunt deer and bear with a firearm when appropriately accompanied by an adult. See the DEC website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/46245.html for program requirements and to download the Mentored Youth Hunter and Trapper Permission Form. · Bear Hunters: Successful bear hunters are asked to submit a tooth of their bear to assist DEC with monitoring the bear population. Please visit the DEC website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45598.html for instructions. · Venison Donation: Hunters are encouraged to participate in the Venison Donation program. By filling your permits and donating your deer, you help accomplish the needed deer management and you can feed less fortunate families. More information can be found at http://www.venisondonation.com . 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. Hunters are encouraged to review these and other hunting safety tips (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9186.html) and pay careful attention to basic firearm safety rules that can prevent hunting related shooting incidents: · 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. For specific descriptions of regulations and open areas, hunters should refer to the 2010-11 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. The guide is published annually and is available free of charge from all DEC regional wildlife offices, all license issuing agents and on the DEC website. Hunters are urged to review all regulations and safety tips contained in the guide. Good luck hunting this fall.

NY Big Game, Next Wednesday, November 17, a new regulation will be in effect that extends the game harvest reporting deadline from 48 hours to 7 days. Successful hunters of deer, bear, and turkey are required to report their harvest through the DEC’s online reporting system (www.dec.ny.gov) or by calling 1-866-GAME-RPT (1-866-426-3778). In the past, hunters were required to report within 48 hours of their harvest. As a measure to increase flexibility for hunters to comply with the reporting requirement, particularly for hunters who hunt in remote areas that lack cell phone coverage or internet access or both, DEC has extended the reporting deadline to within 7 days of taking the animal. This regulation amendment also removes the reporting requirement for beaver, since DEC will be using surveys of trappers to estimate beaver harvest. Game harvest reporting is essential for proper management of deer, bear and turkeys. When hunters report their harvest, they perform a crucial step in the management process by providing data on when and where an animal was taken. These data are used, together with reporting rates, to estimate the number of animals harvested each year throughout the State. Jeremy Hurst Big Game Biologist

We have some idea's in the works for a few databases, once I figure some things out, I'll make sure to share.

It's a good idea... Perhaps a public land section would be best, and give the most exposure.

We could order a few more if there was any interest...

Amazing deers guys!!!! Do not forget to put your Story and Picture in the Hunting Success Stories area, read more about the contest we are having here at HuntingNY.com here -- > http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,1967.msg22174.html#msg22174