NY DEC: 2013 Deer Harvest Results are In

[Five Seasons]

I know. And that's why I shot a big fat doe last year... that and I needed the meat just going on an early morning rant on how we can be hypocritical about letting a hunter hunt how he wants sometimes.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Speaking of meat, I really need to get my ass in gear with my sausage making this year lol

[Meat Manager]

Possibly, but that type of an EAB program would do more harm than good IMO. They should get rid of the either sex tag and go to a one buck per season rule. They also need to get rid of that either sex tag because the doe can be taken anywhere in the state. Hand out DMPs only based on the need to take antlerless in each WMU. Between that and the new crossbow inclusion and setback changes, I bet we would see the numbers trend toward where they want them to be. Well, maybe not everywhere, but in some places.

I agree with dmps and dmaps only for antler-less harvest no either sex or antler-less tags.

I totally disagree about EAB...it's working in Central/Southern NJ first 2 weeks of archery.

Encourages bow hunters to harvest breeders early prior to all kinds of pressure.

Does not require check station so it's basically voluntary in the enforcement sense.

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Edited April 25, 2014 by Meat Manager

[Meat Manager]

ehh. Sans downstate that's not going to happen. I support your stance on a hunters responsibility, but disagree with it. I hunt how I hunt because I want to hunt that way. The same argument you all make for crossbows and against ARs. I'll shoot what I want as well. Put down and alienate the horn hunters and you'll find the industry that falls off the cliff.

I'm not necessarily against mandatory AR (prefer voluntary), and I'm not talking about manner of taking (nice attempted thread jack on page 2).

The topic is the DECs deer take press release and numbers and THEIR emphasis on a hunters responsibility of population management (as well as the implication of state intervention in this respect).

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Edited April 25, 2014 by Meat Manager

[WNYBuckHunter]

I agree with dmps and dmaps only for antler-less harvest no either sex or antler-less tags. I totally disagree about EAB...it's working in Central/Southern NJ first 2 weeks of archery. Encourages bow hunters to harvest breeders early prior to all kinds of pressure. Does not require check station so it's basically voluntary in the enforcement sense. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Im not saying an EAB program where you have to shoot a doe before you can take your buck wouldnt be a good idea, but I think that a program where you would earn multiple buck tags each season would be a horrible idea. Like I said, Id like to see NY go to a one buck per season system. I really think it would make alot of hunters become more choosy about what they shoot.

[Meat Manager]

Im not saying an EAB program where you have to shoot a doe before you can take your buck wouldnt be a good idea, but I think that a program where you would earn multiple buck tags each season would be a horrible idea. Like I said, Id like to see NY go to a one buck per season system. I really think it would make alot of hunters become more choosy about what they shoot.

I agree 100% with that.

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Edited April 25, 2014 by Meat Manager

[G-Man]

DEC numbers must be way off.. my town take was 199 deer. We took 18 deer just off my property..or 10% of town take?? buck take for my town was 100. we had 8 off just my property.... the managenment area had a take of 3.1 bucks per square mile. on a 1/4 square we took 8... if i include the neighbors north and south of me the take would be 13 buck per square mile (640 acres) Obiously their numbers are lacking ..tough to manage something if you dont have actual munbers to deal with... Perhaps mandatory checkin stations ??

[WNYBuckHunter]

Perhaps mandatory checkin stations ??

 

Or mandatory tag reporting (successful or unsuccessful) by the end of the season. No report, no tags next year....

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I know. And that's why I shot a big fat doe last year... that and I needed the meat just going on an early morning rant on how we can be hypocritical about letting a hunter hunt how he wants sometimes.

For population control you are probably better off shooting two average does than one big one.

[Larry]

Why would you want to go to a 1 buck per-season rule its counter productive and with only 5% of hunters killing 2 bucks in a season it doesn’t have any effect on deer populations. I have not killed 2 bucks in a season since 2004.
Here’s what would of happen if I didn’t have a 2nd buck tag the camp I hunt out of is in 9p I didn’t get a dmp I killed a buck during bow a nice 8pt. Without the 2nd buck tag I would not go to camp and if I don’t my 2 sons don’t go. I’m not going to go there and not hunt. I did not fill the tag even though I could of I would of if the deer was bigger than the 1 I shot during bow

[Meat Manager]

Why would you want to go to a 1 buck per-season rule its counter productive and with only 5% of hunters killing 2 bucks in a season it doesn’t have any effect on deer populations. I have not killed 2 bucks in a season since 2004.

Here’s what would of happen if I didn’t have a 2nd buck tag the camp I hunt out of is in 9p I didn’t get a dmp I killed a buck during bow a nice 8pt. Without the 2nd buck tag I would not go to camp and if I don’t my 2 sons don’t go. I’m not going to go there and not hunt. I did not fill the tag even though I could of I would of if the deer was bigger than the 1 I shot during bow

That's a good point I had not thought of before.

My main concern is emphasizing the importance of filling the doe tags you have.

I do feel like 2 bucks per season promotes a culture of buck only hunting...I would agree that it is a separate issue from population management.

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Edited April 25, 2014 by Meat Manager

[WNYBuckHunter]

Why would you want to go to a 1 buck per-season rule its counter productive and with only 5% of hunters killing 2 bucks in a season it doesn’t have any effect on deer populations. I have not killed 2 bucks in a season since 2004.

Here’s what would of happen if I didn’t have a 2nd buck tag the camp I hunt out of is in 9p I didn’t get a dmp I killed a buck during bow a nice 8pt. Without the 2nd buck tag I would not go to camp and if I don’t my 2 sons don’t go. I’m not going to go there and not hunt. I did not fill the tag even though I could of I would of if the deer was bigger than the 1 I shot during bow

 

I believe it would make people more choosy with the bucks they shoot. I personally know guys that knock down the first buck they see, doesnt matter what age, so that they have something in the freezer, then they trophy hunt with the second tag. If they know they only have one buck tag, many of them would choose to wait for a more mature deer. I also think it would be supported by more hunters than mandatory statewide ARs would. Has nothing to do with population control, you are ONLY going to control that through the antlerless take anyway. Actually, it has a little to do with population control, because it may entice more guys to fill a doe tag because they havent had a chance at a mature buck.

 

Now, by getting rid of the statewide either sex tag, you would open up allocation of DMPs in areas that currently dont have any, or currently have very few. Remember, when they figure out how many doe tags to hand out for each WMU, they have to take that either sex tag into consideration. It makes the tough job of managing the herd on very large tracts of land, even more difficult. So in your case, you may have a better chance at getting a DMP for your camp than you do now, so you wouldnt have to go there and not hunt.

 

Honestly, dont ask me what I think of your statement that you wouldnt take your sons to camp unless you have a tag to use yourself, thats a whole other topic.

[phade]

I agree with dmps and dmaps only for antler-less harvest no either sex or antler-less tags. I totally disagree about EAB...it's working in Central/Southern NJ first 2 weeks of archery. Encourages bow hunters to harvest breeders early prior to all kinds of pressure. Does not require check station so it's basically voluntary in the enforcement sense. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

EAB is the worst idea ever.

 

Wisconsin went to it with CWD...talk about a crapstorm.

 

Button buck take typically goes up in EAB. That first non-antlered deer gets whacked, regardless. And, I don't blame hunters for doing so with such a stupid rule.

 

Also, people report false harvests in big numbers to get the buck tag.

[phade]

You drop them , I will take them. Never too much sausage.

 

 

I've donated in the past and provided for a couple elderly people who are on the "no red meat" order from docs. They've all went up to greener pastures since and donating has become a pain now. By the time I add my gas to and from the nearest donation place, the cost of an arrow/BH, and my time - I've slanted toward it not being worth it. It's a $50-60 proposition for me to just shoot the doe and drop it off now - not including any tax-write off charges. I'm sure I could move on to Montecs and cheaper arrows, but I've just not had the desire to go on a doe-fest.

 

I took two does this year. I believe I did my part as compared to the grand scheme of things. No need for me to take 7 (DMP, Bonus DMP, consignment, and the statewide) like I used to each bow season.

 

I actually believe me and a buddy had an impact on a micro scale on his property. It was plentiful in does and good bucks. This year had the worst hunting ever - and coincedentally, the fewest and smartest does on that parcel. The doe numbers were much lower and the ones alive were looking up much more often - something that they had not done in the past. I slammed does there. Between my and my buddy, we took out around 25 does in 4 seasons on that 25 acre parcel. Rut hunting there was horrible when in years past it was solid because of the location between two doe bedding areas. Won't be shooting any does there this year unless it looks much better.

 

The only does I seem to target now are the ones that tick me off and teach the others in their group.

[phade]

OBR is the way to go in my mind.

 

The 5% rule about two buck tags being filled has little to do with the overall #s, but as noted, the ability to be less picky when taking buck 1 slants harvest age down.

 

There's no science on it, obviously since it is a what if, but I feel comfortable saying I believe hunters would have passed on a large % of the bucks they took if they had one buck tag to burn.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Phade, you dont reuse your arrows? I have one thats been through 4 or 5 deer so far and its still my go to arrow. I put a dot on the fletching with a sharpie for each deer it gets.

[phade]

I believe it would make people more choosy with the bucks they shoot. I personally know guys that knock down the first buck they see, doesnt matter what age, so that they have something in the freezer, then they trophy hunt with the second tag. If they know they only have one buck tag, many of them would choose to wait for a more mature deer. I also think it would be supported by more hunters than mandatory statewide ARs would. Has nothing to do with population control, you are ONLY going to control that through the antlerless take anyway. Actually, it has a little to do with population control, because it may entice more guys to fill a doe tag because they havent had a chance at a mature buck.

 

Now, by getting rid of the statewide either sex tag, you would open up allocation of DMPs in areas that currently dont have any, or currently have very few. Remember, when they figure out how many doe tags to hand out for each WMU, they have to take that either sex tag into consideration. It makes the tough job of managing the herd on very large tracts of land, even more difficult. So in your case, you may have a better chance at getting a DMP for your camp than you do now, so you wouldnt have to go there and not hunt.

 

Honestly, dont ask me what I think of your statement that you wouldnt take your sons to camp unless you have a tag to use yourself, thats a whole other topic.

This addresses perhaps the worst statement in this entire thread. What a crock.

[phade]

Phade, you dont reuse your arrows? I have one thats been through 4 or 5 deer so far and its still my go to arrow. I put a dot on the fletching with a sharpie for each deer it gets.

I do - but I have about a "high to me" break rate. I went 3 seasons without a break, but then broke every arrow  (either breaks or stress fractures) 2 seasons in a row. I went through several hundred dollars in arrow/bhs to kill does I donated. At that point it became fiscally irresponsible for me to do that.

 

I don't like to change arrows often - it's actually why I buy several dozen of one I like so I can have them to use for years to come since manufacturers now seem to switch models every other year on the regular. I don't shoot ultra premium arrows, but I'm usually shooting some form of mid/high-end Easton or Beman.

[Meat Manager]

EAB is the worst idea ever.

I imagine you saying that in valley girl style..."worst idea ever, gag me with a spoon."

The button aspect is a legit concern with EAB in terms of buck age management, but what is "up," and what were the results in pop reduction?

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Edited April 25, 2014 by Meat Manager

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I do - but I have about a "high to me" break rate. I went 3 seasons without a break, but then broke every arrow (either breaks or stress fractures) 2 seasons in a row. I went through several hundred dollars in arrow/bhs to kill does I donated. At that point it became fiscally irresponsible for me to do that.

I don't like to change arrows often - it's actually why I buy several dozen of one I like so I can have them to use for years to come since manufacturers now seem to switch models every other year on the regular. I don't shoot ultra premium arrows, but I'm usually shooting some form of mid/high-end Easton or Beman.

Have you shot full metal jackets?

[WNYBuckHunter]

Those are what Im going to once all of my Harvest Times are gone. Have to retune for them, as they will be a bit heavier than what I shoot now.

[Larry]

If you did EAB you would have to scrape the dmp system. You could end up killing to many does where you shouldn’t and not an enough where you need to

[Five Seasons]

For population control you are probably better off shooting two average does than one big one.

 

understand. but when you don't butcher your own deer it can get expensive. In 7J we do butcher our own, but in 8F we're not setup for it.

[Five Seasons]

That's a good point I had not thought of before. My main concern is emphasizing the importance of filling the doe tags you have. I do feel like 2 bucks per season promotes a culture of buck only hunting...I would agree that it is a separate issue from population management. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I still want to know why I can't kill 2 bucks in a season or only hunt bucks. It's legal so let me do it right?

[G-Man]

Earn a buck would only work in suburban areas under special regulation. nys has 650,000 hunters... if people couldnt shoot a buck the loss of income would be to great. a loot of people just wont shoot a doe..period. dont compare nys to iowa,kansas,missouri,or ohio, whe have 4 or 5x the numbers of hunters they do. and hunter satisfaction is taken into account. manage your own property for what you want. i know i need to take 10 doe a year off my place to keep population level. if my neighbors take more i would take less... i know my resident bucks and try to take bucks in the top 1-5 of them. wanderers are fair game. the guys know the rules and we consistantly average 18-20 deer a year from just under 300 acres. the dec trys to manage large areas and it cannot be effectivly done unless its all state land.