Chevy

For some reason archery season is under full out assault. When the DEC took away the last weekend of archery season so gun season could start on saturday, the door was cracked open. Give an inch they want to take a mile. Now the gunners want xbows in archery season, muzzleloaders want their piece, and yes we even need a special rifle season during archery season because the flood gates are open. I think all these gimmicks hurt recruitmant and retention. The folks that want then are simply trying to take advantage. Sorry if I'm not "PC" enough for ya all.

How about the guy that has to bowhunt on State land or only has 25 acres. They will have to endure xbows, muzzleloaders, and kiddy gun season during the regular archery season plus small game. It's getting ridiculous.

I agree Steve. You want a special gun season, then put it in the existing gun season time. The weather is not a factor the weekend before thanksgiving. Two days is plenty of time but I don't think a gimmick season will have an effect. Lower the hunting age and don't be lazy and take a kid hunting.

Since when are deer so spooked on opening day? That's why the success rate is so high, they are not pressured yet. So why the need for a "special season" during archery season? Sacrafice your time on opening day and take a kid hunting.

We are not pushing xbows out of archery season. You are trying to push them in. So before you spew about what is good for hunting, look in the mirror.

Legit concerns Max. I'm mostly concerned with the large influx of gun hunters into archery season. Not because I'm afraid they will shoot my deer but because of the circus like atmosphere they will bring. I can wait till the regular season to deal with those knuckleheads and don't relish the idea of deer drives and trespassers during archery season. You want stats. Look at Ohio. During archery season more deer are taken with xbow which means since xbow became legal in ohio 50% more gun hunters transitioned into archery season.

I want a special season for my handgun. My .44 mag is not a rifle, shotgun, or xbow so i think I need a special season for it. Let's slip it in the week before regular gun season. When is enough enough.

I've been a gun hunter for 28yrs. I think they should give the first week of the regular gun season to crossbows and make it a special xbow season. Now who's panties are in a bunch? Many many people liked the monday opener better but I don't want to go on about that because that is not what this thread is about.

Yes. ONE good change is better than three others that we are not sure if they will work. Moving opening day to saturday probably actually hurt hunter numbers because so many disapproved of it and it added no significant influx of new hunters which they hoped for. All these gadget seasons and weapons may lower hunter numbers as people drop out because of being fed up. Lowering the age limit is gauranteed to work without changing seasons or adding gun like weapons into archery season. Let's be smart about this people.

How many new hunters did we get by switching opening day to a saturday which was opposed by many? I'll answer that for ya. Zilch! Wake up. The age limit was only just reduced. Give it a chance and the numbers will grow. We don't need all these other special seasons.

Yes the DEC want as many deer killed as possible. Not because of the habitat, but because of pressure from other interests. So they hand out tons of DMP and nuisance tags and all of a sudden people complain there are no deer and start posting their land hoping the one deer that is left will stay. Then more and more people start posting their land because the DEC keeps trying to change the seasons. i.e. muzzleloaders can have scopes, xbows are coming, rifles in the souther tier, special gun seasons during archery, monday opener is gone ect ect. Now hunters and non-hunters alike all have their land posted and DEC can't manage the herd like they want so they keep coming up with special seasons. I don't believe specials seasons recruit more hunters because those people would participate in the regular seasons anyways. Lowering the age to start hunting adds recruitment. xbows also don't add anything. it justs shifts gun hunters into archery season.

Xcal, You're luck to have enjoyed 40yrs of hunting archery season in the southern tier without xbow hunters doing deer drives "to move the deer around". I advocate that we leave things as is so our youth can enjoy the same.

I had to respond. Chevy silverado all the way. S-10 good but just to small for my liking. New or used, it will serve you well.

Some day I'll be hunting during archery season in head to toe orange, with a cross bow, looking for buck of 3 pts or better on one side......lol

I've been bowhunting for 27 years. When I took my safety class the instructor handed me a compound bow to practice with. Then I bought my own. I've never known a recurve. Why are you suggesting that compound bow should be illegal or something? The issue is whether a gun like weapon should be legal during archery season.

I have hunted there a few times for deer during gun season. I have a camp nearby. Never tried during archery season. I always hunted the section between Wixon and Rt.26. I would park up top on Wixon and then walk way down to beat the crowds which tend to stay up higher. Good hunting by state land standards. Good luck pulling a buck back up. You need a hunting partner to pick up up and drag out to Rt 26 downhill. It has been logged so there are alot of deadfalls and tree tops, good undergrowth for deer.

What's wrong with the straps that come with the stand? What do you use for replacement straps and where do you get them?

How many of you remove your tree stands each year after the season? I'm talking lock on portable metal stands. I used too but it became too much work so now I leave them up all year. I was worried about safety but I have not had one rust out or break yet due to the weather. What do you do?

Not much difference between a slug gun and ML these days. Actually, the ML is better and most guys use their ML during the regular so so I don't see the need for more time. I do feel the regular season is too long.

308 is the kind of guy who will steal your game camera or tree stand because he is jealous of bow hunters and feels they are shooting his deer. A real low life.

Drilling into a tree does not kill it. The holes heal up or the tree "swallows" the tree steps. I believe the state is worried about lumber value and having metal in the trees when they try to log the woods. I don't see the harm in trimming a few branches but some see the need to clear fire lanes so the no trimming rule is needed.

Because they give DMP's out like candy in my unit, I can make my first choice a tough unit to get permits in and then just sell it on craigs list? That's messed up.

I made contact with a farmer who is willing to lease but he wants me to have liability insurance. Has anyone does research on where to go for this? just a regular insurance agent?

It seems to me that lately we are all competing for the same season dates. Everyone wants to take archery season. Kids and teachers and the like needed a saturday opener so they took the last weekend of archery season away in 2005, gun hunters want to legalize cross bows so they can infultrate archery season time, muzzleloader hunters are pushing for a special season during archery time, kids need a special gun season during archery time...ect....ect... So yes it is a competition. We who enjoy archery season are just playing defense.

I'll stick to my compound. xbow defeats the challenge of bow hunting.