Looks like the Columbus Day Youth season is on!

[Buckstopshere]

www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/46245.html.

Check out this link....looks like the DEC is ramping up for the Youth Season...finally, and...as predicted.

[Doc]

This was found in the Q&A section below:

Q: Is there a special "Youth Hunt" season for deer or bear?

A: No. Junior Hunters and their mentors must hunt during the normal deer and bear seasons.

[fasteddie]

This is what I found

DEC Announces Details for Columbus Day Weekend Youth Deer Hunt

By WBNG News

September 14, 2012 Updated Sep 14, 2012 at 5:51 PM EDT

(WBNG Binghamton) The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has confirmed that junior hunters ages 14-15 will be able to hunt deer during a special youth firearms deer season over Columbus Day Weekend this year, October 6 through October 8, 2012.

According to a news release:

• 
  WBNG E-News - Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
  

"Implementation of this youth deer hunt is a hallmark moment for New York hunters and represents continued efforts of DEC to engage more young people in nature and outdoor recreation," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens.

The youth deer hunt will take place Columbus Day weekend in both the Northern Zone and Southern Zone; a youth hunt was not established on Long Island due to restrictions in the Environmental Conservation Law.

Junior hunters (ages 14-15) with a big game hunting license will be eligible to take one deer of either sex with a firearm when properly accompanied by a licensed and experienced adult. Junior hunters may use a Deer Management Permit or Deer Management Assistance Program tag for an antlerless deer or, during the youth firearms season only, they may use their regular season tag to take a deer of either sex.

In areas restricted to bowhunting only (Westchester County and parts of Albany and Monroe counties), junior hunters may only use bowhunting equipment to take deer during the youth hunt weekend.

"Bowhunting seasons remain open during the youth hunt, but I encourage bowhunters to set your bow aside for the weekend and be a mentor for a youth's first firearms deer hunt," Commissioner Martens stated.

While there is pending legislation that may impact future youth hunts, until it has been acted on, DEC's regulations remain in effect. More details of the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt and rules for junior hunters and their mentors are available at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/46245.html.

DEC also offers special opportunities for junior hunters (ages 12-15) for waterfowl, wild turkey, and pheasants. See www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/52495.html for information about these other programs.

[Buckstopshere]

Doc: Sure enough...more mixed signals from the DEC on this. I called them about it and am waiting response. My guess is, the mentoring page with the Q. and A. was created before the most recent Commissioner's policy statement.

[growalot]

So if I'm reading right the commissioner has trumped the legislative bill still on Governors desk??....

[ELMER J. FUDD]

This constant dissection, hurry up and wait nonsense is probably the biggest deterrent to a new hunter. I'd be sick of hunting by the time I read and understood the rules booklet if I was a new hunter.

[G-Man]

the bill hasn't been signed so its not law the hunt will go on as planned

[Buckstopshere]

Grow: The way I read it is that the Gov. and the Commish are on the same page...remember, if he signs the crossbow bill, the last sentence on it kills the Youth Hunt. That rider was attached by Sen. Sweeney, who has evidently backed off the push to kill the Youth Hunt.

The Gov. and he Commish are both in the Executive Branch and pulling in the same direction...it is the legislature that was influenced by the special interests (i.e. certain bow hunting groups and individuals that do not want youths "ruining" their deer hunting seasons. ) My guess is that for the DEC to correctly administrate the Youth Hunt...the waiting BS is over. It now is a done deal. Can't wait until the last minute or it would be a total cluster...some would say this is "last minute" as it is. (For not only the hunters to make plans, but for the regulators in the DEC to get geared up for it, many facets they have to deal with.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Have we gone by the deadline when the bill dies, unsigned?

[Buckstopshere]

The world of crafting laws and legislation is not like deadlines in the real world that we live in. Don't forget, our system has been created by over 200 years of lawyers tweaking the system...there is always wiggle room. And in my opinion, in some ways that is not a bad thing. Say what you want, but I think the majority of hunters won on this one, not the special interests...and that's a good thing! So as crazy as it may sound...the "system" as flawed and confusing as it may seem...worked.

[Larry]

I WOULD LIKE to see it on the DEC WEB SITE

[WNY Bowhunter]

Where is the cold, hard evidence that it has passed?

Edited September 16, 2012 by WNY Bowhunter

[G-Man]

The hunt had passed, its the new legislation that remains unsigned that would of cancelled it, look under news releases on dec site. The only thing last minute is the fact that is wasn't canceled

[Doc]

Well, here is the problem .... Nobody of any authority (DEC or otherwise) has come out with an official press release that flat out says that the hunt is on. I mean are they establishing seasons with rumors? What a wacked out lack of administrative responsibility. I can see the date arriving and everyone still wondering if they should be hunting or not. I put the blame squarely on the backs of the DEC. If they have made a determination that the hunt goes forward, there should have already been some kind of official press release so that everyone is not screwed up with these rumors and conflicting media reports. That is no way to run a season. We're only 2 weeks away, and still dealing in rumors without a peep from the DEC (the supposed administers of the season).

[nyslowhand]

Doc, you either are missing parts of this puzzle or don't have your facts correct.

The DEC wrote, put out for review, modified, public comments again and finally signed and put into effect - White-tail Mgmt Plan.

The plan included the early opening for bow season in the SZ and amoung other things the Oct Youth gun hunt.

All official, signed & enacted!

The special interest groups lobbied for a Xbow law including not allowing any gun hunting during early bow season.

Now that is what made the Oct Youth Hunt be in jeopardy, not the DEC.

That's the bill the governor wants compromises made to before being signed.

As much as I like to criticize the DEC, they actually didn't create this situation.

The Youth season is scheduled as planned by the DEC, unless those special interest groups have their way.

Not 100% sure, but I believe there is an Oct 5th deadline for this Xbow bill to be signed & over-ride the Youth hunt.

[d-bone20917]

I'm all for a youth season, but it should be during the regular firearm season. As a northern zone bowhunter, we now have no weekends to bow hunt without gun hunters in the woods at the same time.

[WNY Bowhunter]

I believe that it should be muzzleloader/shotgun only (like this weekend youth season in Iowa). Being able to legally parade around with a buck with a ceneterfire rifle hole in it during archery season invites alot of shady activity, especially as understaffed as ENCON is already...

[Doc]

Doc, you either are missing parts of this puzzle or don't have your facts correct.

The DEC wrote, put out for review, modified, public comments again and finally signed and put into effect - White-tail Mgmt Plan.

The plan included the early opening for bow season in the SZ and amoung other things the Oct Youth gun hunt.

All official, signed & enacted!

The special interest groups lobbied for a Xbow law including not allowing any gun hunting during early bow season.

Now that is what made the Oct Youth Hunt be in jeopardy, not the DEC.

That's the bill the governor wants compromises made to before being signed.

As much as I like to criticize the DEC, they actually didn't create this situation.

The Youth season is scheduled as planned by the DEC, unless those special interest groups have their way.

Not 100% sure, but I believe there is an Oct 5th deadline for this Xbow bill to be signed & over-ride the Youth hunt.

That's all very nice history and nothing new and of course I already know all that and my complaint about the DEC has absolutely nothing to do with who is or who isn't to blame for the status of the season. Re-read my message and you will understand that the complaint is clearly about communication (or more specificly the lack of communication) to the public as to what the status of the season is. If indeed the youth season is definitely on and the DEC intends to administer it, I have to wonder why the responsibility for informing the public seems to lie with various obscure newpapers. I am wondering why there simply isn't a very clear press release (included on their web-site) that clearly says that the hunt is cleared and ok, so that the public can participate without confusion. This announcement by rumor is not the right way to do it. If it is not on, they should also make that clear. Hell, even if there still is a question about it they should say something about that. You do realize that we are only a couple weeks away? Anyone trying to make arrangements for a mentor is quickly running out of time. I have extreme doubts about the effectiveness of this hunt, but the way they are screwing up informing the public, they certainly aren't making it any more effective.

[Skillet]

I am all for new hunter recruitment, but I think there will be a couple problems.

1: The shooting will send the deer into the parallel dimension that they vanish into during regular season. I think you'll see an overall reduction in harvest during the rest of archery season, and end up with a lot of frustrated bow hunters.

2: You've got novice gun hunters in the woods, mixed in with bow guys in full camo. Granted, they are supposed to be mentored, but I don't think it's a good combo.

Why not do the youth season the weekend before regular opens? That way the kids get their chance, and the bow guys get their season without having a bunch of scared deer and interruption from gun hunters. I know I'm going to end up kicking at least a couple guys off my land during the youth hunt. It doesn't take much to mess up a bowhunt, and the deer take a while to settle down after all the shooting and sudden presence of people in the woods. Again, I'm all for the youth hunt, but I think the timing is really stupid.

How many guys are going to take junior out in the woods, and shoot the deer themselves? I know most of us are honest, but I wonder how many abuse the youth hunts?

Edited September 16, 2012 by Skillet

[Skillet]

The DEC says it urges bowhunters to set their bows aside and mentor a youth. I don't have anyone old enough to mentor, and there's no way in hell I'm staying home that weekend.

[jjb4900]

The youth hunt will have little to no impact on the deer movement / activity. What would you rather, I spend the day small game hunting over acres of hunting ground firing multiple shots or sitting in one spot and maybe firing one shot at a deer?

[ELMER J. FUDD]

I don't think it will spook the deer any more than the squirrel, turkey, and waterfowl hunting that has already been happening for years.

[Skillet]

I thought about the small game hunters. I think there will be a lot more deer hunters in the woods on that one weekend, than small game hunters all season.

[New York Hillbilly]

At the risk of whizzing off those who like this idea, I hope I can express my view as well without coming under attack. I think this youth special youth stuff is BS. Having grown up without a father in the home, it was my uncles who introduced me to hunting and fishing. The time we sent together was some of the most meaningful of my life and I looked forward to each opening day "trout season", "pike season", "bass season", wood chuck hunting, "squirrel season", "bow season for deer", "gun season for deer" and then beagles for "rabbit season".

It was not only the "hunting" aspect but also the time with caring adults, their support and encouragement, the stories and laughing, the entire experience that came with the preparation for and buildup to the experience of the coming "season". Fishing since about seven years old and hunting since about age 13, I am as active and excited each year at 53 for the coming of each "season". With my own kids grown and gone, now days I have nephews to keep pumped up, and we hunt on the land I now own. I have come a long way from the little kid growing up in the middle of the city, who likely without the influence of my grandfather and uncles, would have had an entirely different life than I do. I have been an active game club member over the years, a county level sportsmen representative and introduced both kids and adults to the joy of hunting.

After all this chatter, I guess I don't understand the need to carve out a few days to put young kids along with their adult "companion" in the woods for additional opportunity to take deer or turkeys. I guess I'm a bit jaded in my older years, because I see this driven as much by adults wanting to get an upper hand to take game early under the guise of doing something for "kids" than actually doing anything for young hunters.

I just don't see the need for special seasons, when for me every season has always been "special", and with almost three month long deer season's in New York, there seems plenty of time and opportunity to help shape and mentor new hunters both young and old to experience hunting season as something "special" and not just a chance to shoot an animal.

Peace,

NYH

[G-Man]

As for the gunshots scaring deer into hiding, i live in the country,that has a lot less effect than every " weekend warrior" coming out 1 to 2 weekends before season shooting their guns/ hammering treestands/ driving atv's around " scouting". The youth hunt is still a go without the crossbowbill being signed. The fault lies with several outdoor news papers saying it was cancelled because of xbow bill, that bill is not law yet. The dec expects 8000 participants in the youth hunt.. thats 8000 across the entire state. Not a lot to worry about in my opinion.