Small Game vs. Early Archery.

[Kot2B]

I've never had problems with other hunters, loggers yes. I usually use small game every year to start trending the deer movement after the leaves fall. It's a vast world and never sweat someone else in the woods unless they are in my stand.

[Meat Manager]

As a dedicated archer/deer hunter I kind of like to be in the woods somewhat by myself and strive to find public land that is very unknown or hard to get to/through.

Here at home in NY I typically only have 4 hours at a time to hunt, so if one morning or evening gets unintentionally blown by a bunch of guys also trying to hunt, I'm not so salty.

On the other hand, I hunt a couple pieces of public property that are fairly unknown, but that also butt-up against a land owner who allegedly guides without a permit. The deer in this area are the largest I have ever seen, and definetly the biggest necks and racks I have seen.

Sometimes when I hunt over there I hear alot of 4 wheeler and chainsaw activity that sounds very will nilly. I have also gotten a mysterious flat in that parking lot and also had a seat stolen from a climber I had locked on just for overnight - needless to stay I have a cheap hang on over there and I never leave the bottom two ladder stick on.

Edited October 8, 2012 by 7J Everyday

[16. ga hunter]

doc he is not adressing you but as an avid grouse hunter i have come across bowhunters in our fine state that are not as understanding as you. most the types that don't seem to put much time in one man had a stand 10 yrds off a public dirt road i was walking not hunting from and totally lost it. and the worst i have dealt with was a guy who decided it was a good idea to draw down on my fathers black lab. honestly i respect them and try to avoid them while in the woods.sometimes you happen upon them. like 2 years ago when i was hunting scrub fields and hedge rows for pheasant with my american cocker. i came to the head of a field and something did not look right i called my dog in to survey the situation. i could not figure out what i was looking at and spent a few min trying to figure it out it was just a bright area in the grass. i decided not to hunt the field when a bow hunter stood up his blaze hat was barley visible through the tall grass that was out of place and told me to go ahead.just then a doe jumped up about half way between us and headed towards me at full tilt she must have scented my cocker becasue she saw me the whole time turned 180 and went back stopping about 50 yrds from me no longer between us but 20 yrds broadside to him. he arrowed a nice large doe that may have remained bedded had we not encoutered each other.we spoke a bit and wished each other luck for the rest of our seasons. all sportsman should be this way with each other not the copetion i often see and or encounter.

[Doc]

I'm sure there are some wacked out bowhunters out there just like there are in the gun-hunting community. I haven't run into them yet, but will not deny that bowhunters are people and like any segment of people there has to be a certain percent that acts badly. But I really don't see the value of starting a thread which paints a whole group of hunters with a broad brush that makes it sound like all or even most bowhunters are a bunch of crazies that hog the woods and rant and rave at every other hunter that comes near their stand. To me it is just more of this anti-bowhunter mania that seems to be so popular these days. In reality, bowhunters share the woods with more different kinds of hunters (and non-hunters) than anyone else. Whatever needs a season, it is thrown into bowseason. So these accusations about bowhunters being selfish are pretty much B.S. and getting just a bit tiresome.

[bubba]

but it was said with much less crap and only a few sentences.

[SteveB]

And small game hunters now have to share 2 more weeks of their season with 200,000 more people in the woods.

And they are not the ones who tried to stop it or the youth hunt with cries of our season will be ruined and be unsafe to participate in. Or put out "red alerts".

The bowhunters who did so where not representative of the majority of bowhunters in this state in the state. Only claim to be.

Edited October 9, 2012 by SteveB

[nyantler]

Personally there is only one thing that has ever ruined a day of hunting for me.. and that is.. not being able to go hunting that day.

Again I'd like to point out the selfishness I see from many hunters... anything that interrupts "their" hunting has suddenly ruined hunting for everyone and that thing should somehow be changed to fit "them" and "their " personal hunting choice... and just from personal observation the most complaints seem to come from bowhunters.. and I would venture to say that they are the single group that lobbies hardest against their fellow hunters... ie.. youth hunt, crossbow, late muzzleloader etc. of which they personally tried to keep from happening. If they had their way bowhunting would be the only hunting from Oct. to Dec.

[Doc]

And small game hunters now have to share 2 more weeks of their season with 200,000 more people in the woods......

And for the most part, those small game hunters don't even know they are there.

[Meat Manager]

... If they had their way bowhunting would be the only hunting from Oct. to Dec.

Statewide? That would be interesting! Actually as long as its deer hunting I'm in.

Seriously I rarely come across any other hunters in the woods, I think if you want to find somewhat remote areas like that you still can.

But if you are hunting public property or on someone else's property, you are going to have to live with occasional overlaps in hunters.

[SteveB]

And for the most part, those small game hunters don't even know they are there.

Anymore then bowhunters knew the youth where out for 3 days.

[mike rossi]

Two saturdays ago while dove hunting in PA - on the opener of archery deer, we encountered two separate bowhunters who didnt appear happy about our presense. Both were walking around trying to arrow a deer BTW...

Same location on opening day of duck (this past saturday); which coincided with the PA Youth Pheasant Hunt - we ran into a vegan type (she asked us if it was hunting season BTW) with her unleased labrador retriever right in the mist of were the PA game commission released birds... There is an express prohibition in PA against training hunting dogs during the youth pheasant season, so if we were out there doing much the same as she we would be in violation.

We have had mountain bikers peddling after turkeys during spring turkey season; airplanes 30 feet off the ground above us during september goose season; pheasant hunters and deer hunters stalk our decoys while waterfowl hunting; somebody shoot at a can 50 feet from us; and 2 guys walk right by us, nail a target on a tree for the purpose of taking 2 shots with an AR-15 while we were bird watching 40 yards away and lift 0ver 100 waterfowl in the spring. We also have had fishermen anchor thier boat 60 yards outside our decoy spread... Had people enter private land , inspect our truck and distrubt us and our dogs while we were dog training...

And more - I got more stories.... So what? Try any of that in a state like South Dakota and see what happens. But this was PA and NY, mostly 6P in NY....

[mike rossi]

Personally there is only one thing that has ever ruined a day of hunting for me.. and that is.. not being able to go hunting that day.

Again I'd like to point out the selfishness I see from many hunters... anything that interrupts "their" hunting has suddenly ruined hunting for everyone and that thing should somehow be changed to fit "them" and "their " personal hunting choice... and just from personal observation the most complaints seem to come from bowhunters.. and I would venture to say that they are the single group that lobbies hardest against their fellow hunters... ie.. youth hunt, crossbow, late muzzleloader etc. of which they personally tried to keep from happening. If they had their way bowhunting would be the only hunting from Oct. to Dec.

Joe;

Your making a broad statement there based on your personal experiences. Look at my post above. Some of this occured on private posted land and some of it occurred way back in secluded areas. I am not defending the position of the archers, but I am saying there is some piss poor ethics, some piss poor law enforcement and some piss poor mentoring.

[Pointer]

I only hunt on public land these days so I'm used to sharing the woods...bird hunters, squirrel hunters...you name it. I don't mind. I am always reluctant though when I go out with the .22 for squirrels when I see a car by the side of hte road that may belong to a bowhunter. I hate ruining someone's day that way.

[mike rossi]

I only hunt on public land these days so I'm used to sharing the woods...bird hunters, squirrel hunters...you name it. I don't mind. I am always reluctant though when I go out with the .22 for squirrels when I see a car by the side of hte road that may belong to a bowhunter. I hate ruining someone's day that way.

I guess if I was going after squirrels, deer, coyotes, or any other habitat generalist I would find a place where there is noboby parked and also off the beaten path enough to minimize someone else coming in behind me. You dont have as many options with other game.

[nyantler]

Joe;

Your making a broad statement there based on your personal experiences. Look at my post above. Some of this occured on private posted land and some of it occurred way back in secluded areas. I am not defending the position of the archers, but I am saying there is some piss poor ethics, some piss poor law enforcement and some piss poor mentoring.

I agree there are "some"... but from my experience that's how I see things in general... hunters should just be glad to be in the woods enjoying something they love... there are far worse things happening in peoples lives than a youngster hunting with a gun on the same day as a bowhunter.

[SteveB]

I agree there are "some"... but from my experience that's how I see things in general... hunters should just be glad to be in the woods enjoying something they love... there are far worse things happening in peoples lives than a youngster hunting with a gun on the same day as a bowhunter.

Yea - the kid could be using a crossbow!

[nyantler]

Yea - the kid could be using a crossbow!

OMG that would cause a meltdown!!

[mike rossi]

I agree there are "some"... but from my experience that's how I see things in general... hunters should just be glad to be in the woods enjoying something they love... there are far worse things happening in peoples lives than a youngster hunting with a gun on the same day as a bowhunter.

Competing public land uses are not anything new... The danger here lays in the tendency of sportsmen to fail to make the distinction between the extreme viewpoint of the bowhunters and similiar, yet legitimate issues. Allthough you have not had any problems, I had more than a few... If you hunt primarily firearm deer season you probably encounter less nonconsumtive users than you would in the early autumn. Additionally anti hunters are more inboldened when only a few hunters are afield and retreat when the more numerous firearm deer hunters hit the woods. Furthermore, if you have a hedonistic mentality, you are not offended by the impact of the overuse of wildlife lands by the public majority during the warm months.

[Doc]

Anymore then bowhunters knew the youth where out for 3 days.

You're right. I didn't have a clue they were there, in fact I don't think they were. Pretty much what I had predicted before. But what has been established is the precedent of deer hunting with guns and bows concurrently.

[Doc]

Personally there is only one thing that has ever ruined a day of hunting for me.. and that is.. not being able to go hunting that day.

Again I'd like to point out the selfishness I see from many hunters... anything that interrupts "their" hunting has suddenly ruined hunting for everyone and that thing should somehow be changed to fit "them" and "their " personal hunting choice... and just from personal observation the most complaints seem to come from bowhunters.. and I would venture to say that they are the single group that lobbies hardest against their fellow hunters... ie.. youth hunt, crossbow, late muzzleloader etc. of which they personally tried to keep from happening. If they had their way bowhunting would be the only hunting from Oct. to Dec.

Actually, just to get off this anti-bowhunter frenzy that has taken over this forum, I would like to point out that the only "changing to fit them and their personal hunting choice" is not being done by bowhunters. It is the bowseason that has become the target of choice for changing to accomodate others and their personal hunting choices. And as far as bowhunters trying to prevent a youth hunt, that is just plain false. The truth is that it was the timing of the hunt that was at issue. I know it has a whole lot more emotional impact to claim that the bowhunters are against a youth hunt, but it also should be understood that that is a flat out anti-bowhunter lie.

[nyantler]

Actually, just to get off this anti-bowhunter frenzy that has taken over this forum, I would like to point out that the only "changing to fit them and their personal hunting choice" is not being done by bowhunters. It is the bowseason that has become the target of choice for changing to accomodate others and their personal hunting choices. And as far as bowhunters trying to prevent a youth hunt, that is just plain false. The truth is that it was the timing of the hunt that was at issue. I know it has a whole lot more emotional impact to claim that the bowhunters are against a youth hunt, but it also should be understood that that is a flat out anti-bowhunter lie.

Okay so then bowhunters are not against the youth hunt as long it isn't during bow season... I guess not all bowhunters are against the youth hunt during the bow season.. I'm a bowhunter and not against it at all... so I stand corrected for my earlier post.

[16. ga hunter]

right bowseason is the target to accomodate others. lets accomodate the bowhunters by starting the season 2 weeks earlier. small game hunters won't mind a bit..... its ok because they can hunt till febuary right? even though more times than not the snow is too deep by early january.there is always two views to every action but more times then not you won't hear the majority of nys sportsman complaining its the small faction that call themselves bow hunters using mechanical advantage to take game but want to bash others for wanting to do the same and need more time in the woods ect. ect. i don't see much anti-bowhunter frenzy going on that is not either deserved or brought on by nybow.... maybe i should become a bowhunter and find others to lobby for long/recurve only season compound/crossbow season ect.. i get sick of all this i'm a bowhunter hear me cry bs

[Doc]

right bowseason is the target to accomodate others. lets accomodate the bowhunters by starting the season 2 weeks earlier. small game hunters won't mind a bit..... its ok because they can hunt till febuary right? even though more times than not the snow is too deep by early january.there is always two views to every action but more times then not you won't hear the majority of nys sportsman complaining its the small faction that call themselves bow hunters using mechanical advantage to take game but want to bash others for wanting to do the same and need more time in the woods ect. ect. i don't see much anti-bowhunter frenzy going on that is not either deserved or brought on by nybow.... maybe i should become a bowhunter and find others to lobby for long/recurve only season compound/crossbow season ect.. i get sick of all this i'm a bowhunter hear me cry bs

There .... finally someone who is clearly anti-bowhunting and puts it out there in an honest fashion. None of this "can't we all just get along" kind of stuff. Just plain old straight up hatred of bowhunters.

[Early]

Nah...I don't think 16 ga. hates bowhunters. He is just sick of their whining...sick of their complaints re: cross bows, youth hunting, etc. He is not alone.

[Doc]

Nah...I don't think 16 ga. hates bowhunters. He is just sick of their whining...sick of their complaints re: cross bows, youth hunting, etc. He is not alone.

Well, I am not going to get back into all those individual debates again, but I will say that characterizing it all as "whining" displays the attitude that I referred to. Whether people want to admit it or not, there really are two sides to all those issues, and that does not make one side or the other whiners. If you must use that term, I would suggest that there is ample whining and complaining coming from both sides.