dbHunterNY

we have a mixture here. most have shed. lot of factors come into play on when a buck sheds and how quickly he grows soft antler sooner. shouldn't effect antler growth potential much either way just yet. in general growth is very slow right now and starts to naturally ramp up later into green up when survival with respect to body condition isn't a factor and more food sources higher in energy are available. nature never fails.

DEC Announces 2015 Bear Harvest Results Second Largest Bear Harvest on Record for 2015 New York bear hunters took 1,715 black bears during the 2015 hunting seasons, the second largest bear harvest on record in New York, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today. Only the 2003 harvest (1,863) surpassed the 2015 year's take. "Our bear population is flourishing in New York State, providing increased opportunities for hunters and wildlife watchers alike to enjoy these important species" DEC Acting Commissioner Seggos said. "DEC's science based management strategies are working to increase the bear population and allow for expanded hunting opportunities." Hunters took a total of 1,132 black bears in the Southern Zone, approximately the same as in 2014, but about 30 percent greater than the recent five-year average take. Most bears (596) were taken during the regular season, followed by the bow season (327 bears). Hunters took 192 bears during the early season, a decrease from 2014 but a significant portion of the total bear harvest. In those WMUs that have an early bear season, 36 percent of the total number of bears taken in those WMUs occurred during the early season. In the Northern Zone, a total of 583 bears were harvested, 27 percent above the recent five-year average. Based primarily on cyclers of food availability, bear harvest in the Northern Zone tends to alternate between strong harvests during the early season one year followed by strong harvests during the regular season the next. This year, hunters were more successful during the regular season, taking 253 bears, whereas 183 bears were taken during the early season. 2015 Black Bear Harvest & Recent Trend Comparison 2015 Total 2014 Total Recent 5-year Average (2010-2014) Historical Average (1991-2000) Northern Zone 583 518 460 515 Southern Zone 1,132 1,110 869 207 Statewide 1,715 1,628 1,329 722 Notable Numbers One bear per 3.0 square miles --- the bear harvest density in Wildlife Management Unit 3K which includes portions of Sullivan and Orange counties. Within WMU 3K, the town of Tusten in Sullivan County produced one bear for every 2.2 square miles. 179 -- the number of bears reported taken on the opening day of the regular firearms season in the Southern Zone, representing 19 percent of the total Southern Zone bear harvest. 520 pounds --- the heaviest dressed weight bear reported to DEC in 2015, taken in the Town of Forestburg, Sullivan County. A 450-pound dressed weight bear was reported taken in the Town of Woodstock in Ulster County and three bears from Genesee, Orange, and St. Lawrence Counties dressed between 420-445 pounds. Scaled weights of dressed bears were submitted for 25 percent of the bears taken in 2015. 17 -- The number of tagged bears reported in the 2015 harvest. These included five bears that were originally tagged in Pennsylvania and two from New Jersey. The remainder were tagged in New York for a variety of reasons including research, nuisance response, relocated urban bears, or released rehabilitated bears. 2015 Bear Take Summary Report A complete summary of the 2015 bear harvest (PDF) (2.1 MB) with results and maps by county, town, and WMU is available at DEC's website. NYS Black Bear Cooperator Patch Program Hunters play a pivotal role in bear management through reporting their bear harvests, and many hunters also submit a tooth sample from their bear for DEC to determine the age of harvested bears (see the Black Bear Tooth Collection webpage). For all hunters who report their harvest and submit a tooth, 752 hunters in 2015, DEC provides a NYS Black Bear Cooperator Patch and a letter informing them of their bear's age. DEC is still processing tooth submissions from 2015. We anticipate mailing cooperator patches and age letters to eligible hunters in September 2016.

faults on me for shotgun comments. didn't pick up is was about just rifles. in that case it'd definitely be sporting what you said, replacing the 12ga with a 223. lots of ammo out there and there's a lot of smaller game out there. just look at all the crazy critters jim shockey and others hunt in 3rd world countries. can't imagine shooting something less than 50lbs like a steenbok, oribi, klipspringer, duikers, any grysboks, any pygmy antelopes, capybara, or nutria with a 30-06. I'm sure there's lots of others the same size out there too. wouldn't want to limit myself.

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22LR, 12ga, 30-06.... crazy boring answer right? lol

well dispatching livestock or say unwanted critters in the barns at close range was done with a 22LR or 357mag pistol usually. dad and brother each had a 22LR rifle around to use. anything like a coyotes during calving months or woodchucks in hay fields got special treatment..... meaning whatever was available with no limits, including a Winchester Model 70 in 300 Win Mag on a handful of occasions. there was more than enough weaponry at my disposal while I lived on my parent's farm. one day fishing with my brother, I lost another lure in the tree cover converging from the edges of one of the bass ponds. dad's old 22LR semi-auto rifle and a brick of ammo dropped half a dozen tree limbs with nice lures into the pond. hauled in each one with a treble hook as they fell. growing up I got a 20ga shotgun and my brother got a 22LR as our first real guns.

.22LR I probably shoot the most out of any caliber. I don't even own any rim fire rifle. all pistol. always thought about getting one but haven't yet. probably will when my daughter gets old enough to shoot.

a new barrel or choke I pattern with a cheaper lighter general purpose bird shot load at about 15 yards, 1" low. assumed the drop and cast of the stock is already fitted if the gun comes with shims. start at 35 or 40 yards with a 36" sheet of art or construction blue print drawing paper with a turkey head target in the middle. 10" diameter sharpie marker circle around the bullseye using a piece of string with a loop, if the turkey target isn't close to 10x10. I finely sight in so pattern is center with where I'm aiming. some sight in a little low, aim for head, and hit in the neck. I don't like to do that. count pellets in head and neck. then count the rest on the right and rest on the left. if it's not even enough pattern by eye then I change something. otherwise I go with it and don't count quadrants. I move out in 10 or 5 yard increments until I drop down to 45-50 pellets in the head and neck. that's max range I figure as if the bird moves its head and you get a 1/4 of those in there it's still a stone dead bird. as I move out I watch to make sure my pattern isn't still climbing and moving off target. ...that's what I do. sometimes not all in one outing especially if you get into heavier 3.5" loads. your noggin will be rattled a little.

nice pictures. had some in full strut behind the house. haven't really heard much gobbling yet though.

i haven't ever gotten a buck with 10 or more scoreable points. a hunter is always hoping to get one with that many. great buck!

one thing i learned from Tom Miranda that's helped a lot is practicing drawing on game even though you don't intend to shoot. I keep my finger well off or behind the trigger. i've got a tag for the buck or doe but am holding out for something better lets say. drawing on a live deer is the best practice.

any mags that are NY compliant to 10 rounds are expensive. my Sig mags were just as much and the ones for my Mark III.

taking woodchucks out of a hay field on my parent's farm one summer. had a guy just move into house bordering the one corner of the field. he and his buddy heard the shot. they walked up over 200 yards into our field. his buddy who is a hunter referenced the set back laws and tore into me enough to make a sailor blush. also treated and referenced me to being a kid (I'm 32). no part of me, my bullet path, or its impact was within 500ft of any structure of his property let alone his house. I stayed very reserved and quiet during the grill session. I had my rangefinder and everything was in order. wouldn't have made any difference though I tried to show them. had an ECO or cop shown up, I wouldn't have hesitated to state my case. it's always with me and I've even printed a google aerial map before when near developed areas. heck we've written off the field to be a chuck hole laden mess and due to that only cut the hay there once now just to avoid some hassle.

I did this year from someone else's treestand. lol 104 yards. might have been coincidence but once it was discovered it disappeared quick. we still don't know who it belonged to.

I've shot rifles all my life. I can and have confidently take grazing deer at out to 320 yards while sitting with a unattached bipod to rest nothing bigger than a 30-06. I have lost deer but not in a long time and both were within 100 yards. took two coyote pups with 1 shot each at a paced off 250ish yards. 2nd was on the run right after the first was shot and was rested on a treestand rail. I hunt woodchucks during the spring and summer. taken well over a hundred out past 250 yards with almost all my shots sitting with an attached bipod. rarely ever do I miss chucks. they do give you a lot more time, I'm setup well, and shooting the most accurate and stable rifle I've got though. archery I shoot a lot. shoot a lot more outdoor 3D's. during competition over the summer and leading up to fall i'll shoot 8's (vitals) at times, but a vast majority are 10 or 11s (heart or dead center). within IBO ranges 35 yards max my average is over 300 out of 330 (30 targets). I don't shoot open so it's basically a hunting bow setup. haven't lost a deer yet with a bow. missed once from a branch deflection when I started bowhunting. haven't since. average yardage I shoot deer with a bow is about 25 yards. ...is that proficient? compared to what? you tell me.

I don't mix in anything with the venison it's just ground venison with almost all the fat silver skin, etc trimmed off that's possible. I beat 1 egg and then add bread crumbs to make a runny paste. mix in the ground. i have my known recipes that use things like mustard seed, red cooking wine, garlic salt, lemon pepper and some other things. what I've found is the quickest and easiest is instead using McCormick dry burger seasoning to mix in. goes with 1lb of meat. they've got classic or apple wood smoked that are both good. the other way i always end up being out of something part way in. burgers usually means quick with no time for something else.

I have a Nikon Riflehunter1000 and use it throughout the year. Practice for archery competition with it. Use it while hunting with bow or rifle. Especially comes in useful for rifle hunting woodchucks.

admittedly no idea who the kid is. based off reports and charge. if the intent is there I think it bumps it up again to 1st degree assault with a deadly instrument (his truck). I'm not a lawyer. just making educated guesses versus assumptions the best I can. there's no arguing what he did was wrong and blows my mind. I've gotten my point across I think though. it seemed to be lost for some, because I'm not holding a torch, pitch fork, and a rope noose.

I want him to be treated differently from SOME other felons? Damn straight. Not all felonies are the same even with the class D felony for 2nd degree assault. This kid prevented an ECO from doing his duty AND the officer unintentionally got an injury. Both happened so it's bumped into this category from a misdemeanor. Second scenario, also a class D felony/2nd degree assault... a kid the same age gets annoyed with a lady senior citizen, maybe your mom. He intentionally throws her to the ground and stomps her for a while, breaking multiple bones but luckily nothing life threatening. Both earned the charge. I agree the law is the law. That doesn't mean both deserve the same sentencing and time. That's why there's a range of sentencing allowed for a given charge and each case is just as it is, a its own case. My original point is saying (*&^%) him and locking him up for a long time in prison most likely won't do anything to make him change his ways. if anything it'll give him the mentality of (*&^%) everyone. the whole idea of the system isn't just to serve punishment but to make people change for the better. Right? Nevermind.... (*&^%) it.

he would've completed what's required for Trump college in one night and got a certificate.

[bump] ....maybe a mod can pin this thread to the top. I feel like it's legitimately important.

I honestly think you'd have minimal buck kills that were mistaken for a doe in January. especially with mild winters like we've had this year where deer are less stressed much of buck population will still be holding head gear. I truly think there is really no way to fix access. only way to account for it is expanding on opportunity and more importantly getting more involved. if someone wants to shoot a doe in a problem area and they can't get a tag or it or have to pay $10 I think that's a problem. if you're going back for more then sure pay for an over the counter tag. if you're willing and want them you shouldn't be turned away. I also think many stop shooting doe when the opportunity is perfect because the structure in when we can use our tags is limiting. "i don't want to fill my either sex bow/ml tag with a doe, because then I can't shoot a buck 'til regular season." is a statement that's a problem. you should be able to fill any of them during any season you have paid the privilege to hunt in.

I don't mean to question your literacy when I say this, but not sure where I ever said it was ok. you seem to interpret it that way though, and that was not my intent. Fleeing laws aren't what could put him in prison for 10+ years, which I think would do more harm than good in this case. he's still earned him a stay and lots of punishment which I agree with.

I'd hope he lost the truck. I don't just mean in impound, I mean forever to be sold with the money going back to DEC or the ECO to pay for a portion of med bills at least. don't know enough about this stuff to have an idea if that might have been the case. maybe that housing arrangement would be good. I'd agree. I just think writing the kid off and a decade or so stay in big boy prison will only turn him into a criminal for life and cost us more money. I'd be entirely different if he squared the ECO up with the bumper and trying to kill him. i do think he should get a hard road ahead and be paying for it in some way every time that ECO gets up in the morning with a leg that aches.

I feel like I'm going to screw up around the eyes and tear ducts but staying close to the skull as you can seems to work. caping makes me nervous. maybe that sounds dumb but it does.