are they needed?

[G-Man]

As I peruse joe's nyantlersoutdoors page ,I see a lot of nice bucks killed in counties without antler restrictions. Granted they may not be "book" bucks but it seems that most or all of us would be happy with them,as the hunters smiles show they are. I don't see a reason to expand ar's as it zseems there are good bucks out there without them.

[growalot]

agree

[First-light]

I don't need AR either.

[Mr VJP]

I've hunted in the AR zone 4P for three years now and have seen nothing while hunting larger than a 4pt buck.  It's not working for me.

 

I fail to see how it can work when they still allow young hunters to shoot any buck they see.  I think a lot of groups that have a youth hunting with them will have any hunter shoot the small bucks and have the kid tag it.

 

All I can say is after 3 years, I should be seeing some nice bucks.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2014 by Mr VJP

[Steuben Shooter]

Im up for it in 8P 8R, sick of the "if its brown, its down" attitude around here.

[Jeremy K]

I would not be surprised if the state started selling diffrent levels of hunting license and depending on what level you bought the bigger the antlers could be, of course the larger antlered deer would cost more.

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

I personally would welcome a season more like Illonois longer bow shorter gun ...

[landtracdeerhunter]

Total Agreement.

[moog5050]

Nope - I want a mature buck as much as anyone, but think the hunter should make that call.  It would not have been nearly as fun my first season hunting if I had to wait for the right buck.  I do now, but that's by my choice.  I do believe ARs MAY result in more mature bucks in an area (statistics in some southern states I read seem to confirm that), but don't think that should be decided by the DEC or legislature.

[HOUNDS77]

Nope. To each his own. Not TV super star trophy hunter.

[BKhunter]

I self restrict to 6 or bigger. Might be interesting to see it tried for a couple of seasons tho to see the effects, if any.

I would not want to see it on a permanent basis however.

 

Currently I do the same. When I first started I took mostly anything. Now that I know more and put more time in the woods before the season and during the season I look for more mature deer. I will only take a 6 if the six points are on the main beams. I had a nice big wide four this year with no tines. Even if he had the tines counting him as a six I still would have passed. Saw him 3-4 times this year. If he made it through this season he will be a real nice deer next year.

[First-light]

Im up for it in 8P 8R, sick of the "if its brown, its down" attitude around here.

 

My place is in 8P and there are plenty of bucks around. Each year I get a shot at a real mature deer. (I don't connect all the time though)

I have a camp right next to me where most of the 11 hunters come from out of state. They will shoot any buck out there. I don't have a problem with that and they enjoy the meat!

[greensider]

in 35 years of hunting dutchess county i have seen 50 bucks that most would love to have on there wall some being over 160 with no ar here

[Fletch]

Not in my opinion. It should be the hunters choice. What do I care if the guy/gal down the road shoots a spike and is tickled pink!! Good for her/him!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I personally would welcome a season more like Illonois longer bow shorter gun ...

Won't work. bowhunters can get the take numbers required for population control. Also look at license sales in NY. There are far more gun only hunters that bow hunters or combination.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Won't work. bowhunters can get the take numbers required for population control. Also look at license sales in NY. There are far more gun only hunters that bow hunters or combination.

can't get the required numbers?

[sits in trees]

AR has been in effect for several years here in 3j and has made a huge difference, before AR you'd be lucky to bag a 4 pointer.

[Curmudgeon]

If you don't like ARs, you should write DEC. Talking among ourselves doesn't change much.

[Renegade Hunter]

I don't think they are necessarily needed. If you desire to manage bucks then go for it. My uncle has managed his land for the past seven years or so. Killing nothing but mature deer. The rule used to be nothing smaller than a six. Now the rule is nothing smaller than a wall hanger. And there are plenty of them to be had. We don't go on the land unless it is scout/hunting season and we don't kill small deer on the property. We have been consistently taking good bucks off it for a few years now. Below are a couple from this year. The tall tined buck, I shot high through the shoulders during gun and he made it 250 yards to where my buddy was sitting and he put him down. Bummer but I did end up getting my buck of the year a week later on some other property.

 

18 1/2" wide 8 point taken this year

 

 

Nice 9 Point. 9" G2's taken this year (the one I shot first)

 

My uncles buck taken Last year.

 

And there are others that I don't have pictures of on the computer. Nice 10 and 8 points. All wall hangers. We see big bucks consistently. Great genetics. IMO the proof is in the pudding. If you can manage your land then do it.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Renegade Hunter

[HOUNDS77]

Maybe in some of the smaller woods in the south. Big woods in the NZ seeing a buck is great..no matter the size.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

can't get the required numbers?

Yeah. NY bowhunters can't get the harvest numbers that we annually need.

[Buckmaster7600]

Won't work. bowhunters can get the take numbers required for population control. Also look at license sales in NY. There are far more gun only hunters that bow hunters or combination.

I completely disagree let's use Ohio as an example there is a total of 11 days of gun season including late muzzeloader "excluding 2 day doe only muzzeloader" they are of the best managed states not only for quality but also for herd size.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Yeah. NY bowhunters can't get the harvest numbers that we annually need.

The harvest numbers sure prove that.

It would be nice if New York would extend the bow season into January.

[nybuckboy]

I make no bones about it when talking about deer hunting. I am a trophy hunter first and a meat hunter second. My 20 yo son feels the same about. I have taken some very nice bucks both here in NY state and on paid hunts to IL.

 

Even before I bought the new home on 95 acres I have practiced this on the property I hunted for the past 15 years. I would not be against an AR like PA has at least 3 on one side I believe but I do think it should be up to the hunter themselves. They bought the license and the right to kill what they want.

 

I am a believer in the saying - "let the little ones go and them grow". We are practicing this now on the new property and we will have to wait and see how over the next 2 years this develops. I have a neighboring property that 85 acres and practices the same thing. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Look at 2013 numbers.

 

Not taking Doe permits into it.

Regular season (gun) took 80,691

Bow took  36,676

 

Now they don't break the doe permits out by weapon so lets be generous and apply the same percentages above to the doe permit numbers and total

Regular season (gun) took 147,973

Bow took  68,339

 

I can't seem to find the bowhunting license sales numbers for 2013 right now.