Small Game vs. Early Archery.

[squirrel slayer]

Hey guys,

After seeing a post earlier i have to say this, I am an avid small game hunter, I currently dont have my archery tag as i couldnt get into a course this year(my fault i waited too long). But as i was raised and hunted with my father and grandfather growing up i was taught to respect any and all hunters in the woods. that means if im hunting small game in the early season and i see that there may be other hunters in the woods you pay even more attention and respect their hunting area, i personally have never walked up on another hunter in the woods and try to steer clear of them if i do happen to see them. but the woods are fair game for all of us and we should all be respectful of each individuals pursuit of their choice in game to take at any given time assuming it is in a legal manner. Now to what i read, you die hard archery guys that are complaining about the youth hunt and small game hunters ruining your day in the stand, wake up and remember it is those youths and small game guys and gals that help keep hunting a sport we can all enjoy. Now i also understand not all hunters have the same respect when they see blaze orange in a stand 100 yards away, i personally am not going to pull up to pick off a squirrel if i see an archer in stand. thats just not right, there is alot of game in season this time of year and we all need to be able to respect and enjoy the sport we have to spend so much money on to enjoy. sorry for going on and on but it pisses me off when i hear people talkin bad about the youth hunts and small game hunters "ruining" a day in the archery stand.

[Early]

Good post....I feel the same way!

[hunterjohn]

well said slayer

[greybeard]

Good for you...I agree

I have been an archery hunter as well as small game hunter so it's not like I'm taking sides.

For the archers, there is a benefit to having small game guys in the woods during archery season.. They push the deer.. It's like having a drive. Granted it is not a controlled drive, but they sure can get those deer moving from their beds in the day...

There's always a chance that some hunter will unintentionally disrupt another. I've had turkeys answer my calls and were heading my way only to be shot by other hunters before they got to me.. I had it with waterfowl too. Both happened to me more than once..It's just the way it is if you hunt land(or water) with public access. ..

As long as we all respect each other there is no reason for friction..Don't we get enough grief from the antis

[mxsmitz201]

i have to agree with everything you said.

personally at this point id be happy to have a small game hunter push deer to my stand i havent seen crap lol

[Doc]

Generally, I agree, but I will say that I have had stands ruined by small game hunters. I don't think it was done intentionally, but just a coincidental circumstance where a couple of squirrel hunters plopped down within 100 yards of my stand and spent the entire afternoon shooting squirrels. No, they had absolutely no idea that I was there and eventually I decided it was the smart thing to leave. Was I dancing around for joy when that happened? .... no. But understand this, I too have spent a lot of time hunting squirrels, and I appreciate how much fun it is. I also respect their right to be there, and I know that almost all the time, if they knew I was there they would have moved on a bit. But, if I feel like commenting on how my hunt was ruined, I think it should be understandable unless somebody is just looking for something negative to say about bowhunters. Do you think that I should have celebrated the fact that there was constant shooting 100 yards away from my stand? Just because something unfortunate happens during a hunt doesn't mean that I believe that small game hunters don't have a right to be doing their thing as your post seems to imply. Don't be so eager to randomly say something negative about bowhunters and their disappointment when a hunt is accidentally busted by other hunters (bowhunters included). I know it seems to be the popular thing to do these days. I'm sure that when you do finally get your bowhunter certification, you won't exactly be jumping for joy when a hunt is busted by other hunters. And if you happen to mention your disappointment over such an event, I for one won't instantly take that as a sign that you hate small-game hunters or whatever.

[Early]

A hunt can be "ruined" by any number of factors....and, SO WHAT? When is a successful hunt crucial to life?? A "ruined" hunt today, might be a successful hunt tomorrow. So, buck up ;hunters...particularly you whining bowhunters...live with what life throws your way; make the best of each day. Small game hunters...bowhunters...hikers...mountain bikers...are all equals. Treat each other as such.

[jusputtn]

I expect that in some cases small game hunters have "made" an archers hunt, whether the archer knew it or not.

[squirrel slayer]

Generally, I agree, but I will say that I have had stands ruined by small game hunters. I don't think it was done intentionally, but just a coincidental circumstance where a couple of squirrel hunters plopped down within 100 yards of my stand and spent the entire afternoon shooting squirrels. No, they had absolutely no idea that I was there and eventually I decided it was the smart thing to leave. Was I dancing around for joy when that happened? .... no. But understand this, I too have spent a lot of time hunting squirrels, and I appreciate how much fun it is. I also respect their right to be there, and I know that almost all the time, if they knew I was there they would have moved on a bit. But, if I feel like commenting on how my hunt was ruined, I think it should be understandable unless somebody is just looking for something negative to say about bowhunters. Do you think that I should have celebrated the fact that there was constant shooting 100 yards away from my stand? Just because something unfortunate happens during a hunt doesn't mean that I believe that small game hunters don't have a right to be doing their thing as your post seems to imply. Don't be so eager to randomly say something negative about bowhunters and their disappointment when a hunt is accidentally busted by other hunters (bowhunters included). I know it seems to be the popular thing to do these days. I'm sure that when you do finally get your bowhunter certification, you won't exactly be jumping for joy when a hunt is busted by other hunters. And if you happen to mention your disappointment over such an event, I for one won't instantly take that as a sign that you hate small-game hunters or whatever.

[fasteddie]

Early -- I guess you don't consider your numerous negative views on most of your posts as whining . I got news for you . You're whining .

I started bow hunting in 1994 and have only ever encountered 1 ( one ) small game hunter in all the years I have bow hunted . As for the Youth Hunters , I don't care that they are out there . I put on some Blaze Orange and get in my treestand and hope that they will drive the deer to me . Now , quit your whining !

[Early]

Hey Eddie....I started bowhunting a full twenty years before you did, and I never whined about other hunters. You, sir, are a whiner!

[squirrel slayer]

i am not saying it is all bowhunters, i also am not saying it dont happen. i am simply tired of bowhunters thinking they own the woods the first moth of hunting seasons, think of it from the small game guys view. that damn bowhunter is right in the sweetspot for all the squirrels, and yet again i will state i have no problem with sharing the woods with fellow hunters. before you jump the gun and get defensive read what i said and understand this..... i am a hunter of all type, i love this sport and i will continue to enjoy it every chance i get be it by bow, gun, or any other means. you dont see a squirrel hunter go on busting a bowhunter for being in his spot but the bowhunter is always quick to jump down someones throught to make them feel bad for ruining their spot.

id also like to say thank you for being understanding when you were put in that situation, its not the people that would act as you did i would be complaining about,,,,, its the ones who hoot hollar and throw a fit.

[crappyice]

When you hunt public land all bets are off. I have had hunts interrupted by bikers, hikers, other hunters, families, dogs and even mushroom hunters on public land. IT SUCKS but its the price for not having to carry a note and pay taxes on land I do not own. It's a crappy feeling when the prime time arrives in the am after you have been sitting in the dark for an hour and turn to crunchy leaves to see something other than your intended game. Can I be mad? Yea! Can they be there? Yes...unless I'm hunting!

[Hunter1]

I agree 100% Slayer

[adirondackarcher]

generally speaking most small game hunters me included wont venture much farther than i need to in order to get a bag limit on squirrells or rabbits ect. gnereally, that being said and me knowing that that is the case most of the time ill take the extra step in going deeper into the woods on other known points of interest! and with the small gamers hunting shallow woods if im way back chances are the deer wont be high tailing it any more and will be alert but at a walking shootable pace good post slayer

[Guns&ReligionCop]

I'm more than willing to sacrifice a few days for the kids. It was pretty awesome to hear about my bosses kid getting his first deer during the youth hunt today. It didn't ruin his archery fathers day in fact it made his fathers whole season. I love the fact that when I don't have as much time I can run around the woods small game hunting or when I have a few more hours I can sit an archery hunt.

[oneidacountyhunter]

We will be doing that this afternoon. I will have my bow deer hunting and my 12 year old son will carry a shotgun incase a grouse, turkey or squirrel should happen to venture by.

The only time a hunter can complain is if they are on posted land and someone tresspasses onto it. Otherwise its just the nature of the beast.

[Early]

Best check the law on this: I'm quite sure it is illegal for a companion to carry a firearm alongside you while you are bowhunting for deer.

[oneidacountyhunter]

Best check the law on this: I'm quite sure it is illegal for a companion to carry a firearm alongside you while you are bowhunting for deer.

I thought about that also however I saw this

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8310.html

Although after rereading it, it doesn't saw BOW hunting only deer hunting.

Either way it's fine, I will gladly leave my bow at home just to enjoy watching him hunt and getting into the sport!

[Doc]

A hunt can be "ruined" by any number of factors....and, SO WHAT? When is a successful hunt crucial to life?? A "ruined" hunt today, might be a successful hunt tomorrow. So, buck up ;hunters...particularly you whining bowhunters...live with what life throws your way; make the best of each day. Small game hunters...bowhunters...hikers...mountain bikers...are all equals. Treat each other as such.

I believe that is exactly what I said.

[jim335]

It is unlawful to:

• Take big game while the deer or bear is in water.
  
• Possess a firearm of any description when bowhunting or when accompanying a person bowhunting during special archery seasons.
  
• Make, set or use a salt lick on land inhabited by deer or bear.
  

[Doc]

id also like to say thank you for being understanding when you were put in that situation, its not the people that would act as you did i would be complaining about,,,,, its the ones who hoot hollar and throw a fit.

I have never heard any bowhunter throw a fit over disturbances of the hunt. I have heard them express disappointment that it happened, and that should be understandable to any reasonable person. But in terms of hooting and hollering and throwing a fit, I have never heard directly, or indirectly, anywhere, of anyone doing that. There are a whole lot of things being attributed to bowhunters strictly on the basis of having something negative to say about them. These are generally the same people who in their best whiney voice say, "Can't we all just get along". It is getting a bit tiresome. I'm not saying that all bowhunters are perfect people, but I will say that generally all the bowhunters that I have ever come in contact with in 47 years of bowhunting have conducted themselves in a fairly decent fashion. Certainly as good as any other group of hunters and maybe even a bit better than most. Now maybe you have had a run-in with some unique exception and for some reason want to blow that out of proportion, but I think that I have been hearing way to much of this kind of exaggeration of bowhunter bad behavior lately as some kind of anti-bowhunting agenda is being put into place.

[oneidacountyhunter]

It is unlawful to:

• Take big game while the deer or bear is in water.
  
• Possess a firearm of any description when bowhunting or when accompanying a person bowhunting during special archery seasons.
  
• Make, set or use a salt lick on land inhabited by deer or bear.
  

Must have missed that one. Thanks for clearing that up for me. Guess I'll grab a shotgun myself and do some small game hunting too.

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[Doc]

Must have missed that one. Thanks for clearing that up for me. Guess I'll grab a shotgun myself and do some small game hunting too.

That is the real problem with over-lapping seasons ..... you have to make choices, which means that you are going to miss out on something. I am a real fan of squirrel hunting but bowhunting is my real passion. Now with the early start of the bow season, I guess that activity is stopped right from the first of October now. I just have September for squirrels, and most of that month is a bit slow for squirrel activity.

[oneidacountyhunter]

That is the real problem with over-lapping seasons ..... you have to make choices, which means that you are going to miss out on something. I am a real fan of squirrel hunting but bowhunting is my real passion. Now with the early start of the bow season, I guess that activity is stopped right from the first of October now. I just have September for squirrels, and most of that month is a bit slow for squirrel activity.

I agree Doc. While it is worth it to bring my son on a small game hunt I will be giving up a bow hunt. My luck a monster will walk within 5 yards! Lol. Ahhh the things we do for our kids right

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