Hello from the Catskills

[HounderEmily]

I hunt with hounds. I have two redbone coonhounds, and hunt coon, bear and the occasional bobcat with them.  I am the zone 4 rep for the NY Houndsmen Conservation Assoc. and the NY Conservation Council rep for the Greene County Federation of Sportsmen.  

[Karpteach]

Welcome to a good site.

[Mr VJP]

Welcome to the forum fellow Catskill Mountain hunter!

What town do you hail from?

[HounderEmily]

I live in West Kill, in far western Greene County--what used to be zone 4X

[Mr VJP]

I'm in 4P.  What is 4X now?

[HounderEmily]

My part is now 4R, part of 4x ended up in 3A.

[Mr VJP]

You're next door to me.  I didn't know you could hunt bear with hounds.

[HounderEmily]

For a long time, you couldn't.  The NY Houndsmen worked hard to get a season back.  Right now, we have a "training season" which requires a special license and you aren't allowed to carry firearms, which makes it pretty exciting sometimes.  This is "catch and release."  The hounds run the bear up a tree.  Then the hounds are tied back and the bear takes off. 

DEC does issue kill permits occasionally for repeat nuisance bears.  Usually, you have to report that the bear has been run with hounds 3X before they will even consider it.