Syracuse.com - Guest column: Bowhunter says DEC's special youth firearms weekend "makes me sick"

[HuntingNY-News]

<p>

The DEC has announced a special youth firearms weekend during Columbus Day weekend (Oct. 6-.

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<p><strong>Editor's note: The following is a reaction to last week's announcement by the state Department of Environmental Conservation noting that the special Youth Firearms Hunt (ages 14-15 with an adult mentor) for deer during Columbus Day weekend (Oct. 6- is a go this fall:</strong></p>

<p><strong>By John Marino</strong></p>

<p>Wow, every time I think I've seen it all, another program gets implemented. I wonder if the person who actually came up with this idea took into consideration that some of us law abiding hunters who pay an exuberant amount of money for our licenses every year, have been waiting patiently to get into the woods early season and bow hunt.</p>

<div id="asset-11583848" class="entry_widget_small entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-small"><img height="232" width="155" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11583848-small.png" class="adv-photo" alt="IMG953980.png" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">John Marino</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div>

<p><br />I'm all for taking a kid hunting, as I did it with my own kids. They followed all the rules and hunted along with the other gun hunters during the regular season.</p>

<p>This is a huge safety issue and after the fact is not going to do anyone any good.</p>

<p>The DEC has the strictest regulations that I've ever seen, yet they open the books at the drop of a hat and basically show these young hunters safety is not an issue, because you will have the woods full of bow hunters, early season, lots of foliage, and at the same time they are gun hunting, we will be wearing camo, and actually putting our lives in jeopardy.</p>

<p>This is stupid, dangerous and sickening.</p>

<p>These young hunters need to learn the correct way to hunt, not be given cart blanche access to the woods with a rifle during bow season.</p>

<p>I have been bow hunting with my boys for 10 years now, and we look forward to the quiet time in the woods, to bond, reflect on past seasons and enjoy the woods, without worry of a stray bullet coming our way from an inexperienced hunter trying to fill a 3 day tag..............is this where all our money is going too?</p>

<p>You people better take a long hard look at the laws your enforcing and the laws your implementing, this time the blood is going to be on YOUR hands, not ours. </p>

<p>I only hope your officers don't have to make out that report, as they stand over a fallen bow hunter, who was enjoying his time in the woods, until he was mistaken for a deer of either sex.</p>

<p>How about the youth that pulled the trigger? think he's ever going to be normal again if such a tragedy were to happen?</p>

<p>Bow hunters, leaves on the trees, camo clothing, entering the woods at dawn and dusk, oh and inexperienced hunters with high powered rifles........with a deadline of 3 days to score that first deer, what a bad combination.</p>

<p>Stop and think about it. If the parents are hunters, then the youth will follow in their footsteps and follow all the regulations as they were taught.</p>

<p>You people dangle this carrot out there, that gun hunters will be allowed in the woods early season, and watch the storm come........</p>

<p>I pray that I don't pick up the paper on October 9th, only to read that a bow hunter was shot to death as he walked through the woods to his tree stand, in his brown camo, possibly with his son or daughter, who starting at an early age, spent endless hours teaching them to be safe and ethical hunters.</p>

<p>The DEC may want to revise the Hunting Regulations, as I'm positive that your not allowed in the woods with a center fire rifle during bow season. New rules, new regulations.....</p>

<p>In my profession, safety comes before anything else, as it should. I cant understand why or how this could be allowed. I know, just take the weekend off from bow hunting, or better yet, go find a young relative or friend who doesn't hunt, get them a big game license, slap a high powered rifle in their hand and go join the fun!!.</p>

<p>Don't forget to explain to them, that this year, you can invade the woods early, even before gun season opens, and shoot whatever you want...........and it's all legal.</p>

<p>This is not the way to teach our youth how to hunt....leave that to the parents..........makes me sick!! </p>

<p><strong>Marino lives in Fulton.</strong><br /> </p>

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

[NFA-ADK]

While I am all for getting the youth into hunting, he does have some valid points... He might want to look at the early bear season too because they will be in the woods at the same time with us bow hunters... Why you would have a BO army in the woods the same time as full camo bow hunters is, well baffeling to me... And yes I agree it is not safe by any means... Seems common sense to separate them so you do not have a guy in BO and another in full camo.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Please. Its a bunch of malarkey. IF you are really worried about it, either stay out of the woods or wear Blaze that weekend. Ive always worn blaze during gun season, sometimes I even bow hunt during gun season, and I have had deer walk right under my stand while I was wearing it. Not just once or twice, but regularly. They dont see it.

There are youth gun seasons that run in line with bow seasons in other states. I dont hear about bow hunters getting shot during those seasons.

Also, Marino is making it out like kids are just going to be out there on their own, irresponsibly shooting at everything that moves. He couldnt be further from the truth.

Ill be glad after the weekend is over and most of the controversy can be put to rest. I do suspect that Marino and others like him will still piss and moan, no matter how successfully the youth hunt goes.

[burmjohn]

You see the comments on that blog post?

[mike103]

^{So that blaze orange vest while walking to and from his stand would be that inconvenient?}

[BizCT]

Whether there is a gun season or not, people are allowed to walk around with shotguns for small game. As kid when I could only hunt small game, I would walk around in blaze orange hunting squirrels. Many times I came across bowhunters in trees in full camo.

[WNYBuckHunter]

You see the comments on that blog post?

Not yet. Gonna go read them now

[WNYBuckHunter]

read them. I suspect they were posted by the same people that posted the same nonsense here lol

[Culvercreek hunt club]

While I am all for getting the youth into hunting, he does have some valid points... He might want to look at the early bear season too because they will be in the woods at the same time with us bow hunters... Why you would have a BO army in the woods the same time as full camo bow hunters is, well baffeling to me... And yes I agree it is not safe by any means... Seems common sense to separate them so you do not have a guy in BO and another in full camo.

Oh my God...give it a break. You are the biggest "chicke little' guy here. I have no horse in this race but to make it sound unsafe is pure BS

[GaryMik]

My 14 YO is stoked for this.

[growalot]

CHC...I'd respond to that ..but I'm afraid the next time I see Steve he'll hand me a bill for your time

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Never an issue since I put in over 50 hours a week every week..lol

[growalot]

Well then ...hahaha...I can't resist.....

Mine go to the processor whole. He prefers it that way, there is no extra charge to me for it, and I don't have to deal with it myself. My processor is 15 miles from my hunting spot, so it takes me less than an hour from shot to drop off at his place. He cleans and skins it as soon as I get it there, and then it hangs in the cooler for 7-10 days before being sliced, ground, and wrapped.

[bkln]

Damn, Drama Queen, get a life you doueshbag....stay at home for 3 days BFD....

[steve863]

I am not a fan of the youth hunt, because I don't think it will do much if anything to recruit new hunters and then keep them hunting that couldn't be done during the regular seasons. With that said, I see absolutely NO reason why bowhunters should think they will be hearing gun shots all day long during that weekend. Didn't someone state that the DEC is expecting 8000 youngsters to participate? Think about it, what is 8000 youngsters scattered throughout the state?? And I highly doubt it will be anywhere close to 8000 and you can throw in some of the bad apple adults who will be doing the shooting for the kids here too. Sure as hell isn't a BO army by any stretch.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

Pretty sure some of our members are on there breaking it down. Tughill dropped some knowledge for sure.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

As for safety concerns, there'll be 2 people behind each trigger to determine the target. that is safer. Is the guy complaining about age discrimination really an adult and serious? I thought I'd seen it all. Maybe he's on here too?

Edited September 20, 2012 by ELMER J. FUDD

[apoallo]

This debate was in a earlier thread and was a hot topic for some time and turned into people crying because they have to wear Blaze while bow hunting. HOWEVER, I am on the fence for youth hunt. I see the SAFETY issues that can be of some concern and I am all for new hunters learning.... also I agree with other posts At some point in our lives everyone on this website learned to hunt in either bow, MZ or regular season. and from there became addicted to hunting. Why cant it continue that way.....

[WNYBuckHunter]

Because the old ways are not working any more. Havent been for far too long.

[SteveB]

Won't call Marino an idiot, but his letter sure is idiotic.

[erussell]

Because the old ways are not working any more. Havent been for far too long.

I wouldnt say that. The Deer numbers around where I hunt have been way down for yrs after the slaughter of doe from previous yrs. So the old ways work fine if the hunters are in the woods. I will reserve my judgement though for youth season till after the numbers come back. I suspect it will not raise any significant number of new hunters as the youth who are participating in this were more than likely going to be deer hunters anyhow. The gamers and tv watchers will still be in their house. The only outcome will be more dead deer which is what the DEC wants.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I wouldnt say that. The Deer numbers around where I hunt have been way down for yrs after the slaughter of doe from previous yrs. So the old ways work fine if the hunters are in the woods. I will reserve my judgement though for youth season till after the numbers come back. I suspect it will not raise any significant number of new hunters as the youth who are participating in this were more than likely going to be deer hunters anyhow. The gamers and tv watchers will still be in their house. The only outcome will be more dead deer which is what the DEC wants.

I was referring to the old ways of recruiting new hunters.

I have said many many times that this will not be the fix all, its a step in the right direction though.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Won't call Marino an idiot, but his letter sure is idiotic.

Its funny, he called me an idiot right before he berated me for supposedly insulting him, which I didnt do lol.

[Early]

By and large, when compared to many other recreational activities, hunting is a safe sport. The Youth Deer Hunt will not make it any less so!

[landtracdeerhunter]

This youth hunt isn't a fool proof plan. It has some things built into it that could go terribly wrong. And I know, save me the answer, if your that worried, stay home.

Edited September 20, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter