are they needed?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

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.

So you think bow hunters can pick up that slack in the numbers above?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

The harvest numbers sure prove that.

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

The issue I see with running a late season, especially in the context of an AR thread is the very real possibility of shooting a doe and having it be a buck that has already shed. I know we all get pics much later than that with horns still on but why protect them with AR's only to shoot them after they drop their horns?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

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.

Ohio's total take is quite a bit under what NY does if I remember. I wonder how their hunter numbers compare to ours? None of these DEC / DNR's seem to really give the break downs so you can really take a stab at an accurate evaluation.

[Buckmaster7600]

How many of the NY gun kills are in the first week that would be the biggest question .I know both in northern zone and southern zone I hear more shots on the first 2 days than I hear the rest of the year combined and I am in the woods everyday.

[Lawdwaz]

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

 

I'd be looking for a good divorce lawyer if they did THAT. 

[Lawdwaz]

The issue I see with running a late season, especially in the context of an AR thread is the very real possibility of shooting a doe and having it be a buck that has already shed. I know we all get pics much later than that with horns still on but why protect them with AR's only to shoot them after they drop their horns?

 

Wooly can add to this discussion!!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

How many of the NY gun kills are in the first week that would be the biggest question .I know both in northern zone and southern zone I hear more shots on the first 2 days than I hear the rest of the year combined and I am in the woods everyday.

I agree with the lack of shots in the later part of the season. So if the hunters aren't out and then the pressure is reduced? Right? So why the need for a shortened season if the bucks are taken in the first week or so?

[Curmudgeon]

How many of the NY gun kills are in the first week that would be the biggest question .I know both in northern zone and southern zone I hear more shots on the first 2 days than I hear the rest of the year combined and I am in the woods everyday.

 

This article in the NYS Conservationist tells you how many:

 

http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/98897.html

 

• 37.2%-more than a third-of the reported buck take during regular season occurred on opening day (Saturday)
• 48.4%-almost half-of the buck take occurred on the first two days (Saturday and Sunday)
• 20.5%-one-fifth-of the does and fawns reported taken during the regular season were taken on opening day (Saturday)

Edited December 10, 2014 by Curmudgeon

[thphm]

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.

 

Have not seen any 4 point bucks but saw a nice 6 point and an 8 point in 4P last 2 weeks.

[nyantler]

The real truth is that AR's are an "all in" proposition to be the most effective... a half hearted, some in - some out, approach defeats the purpose, which is really to stretch out age structure... do they work for that purpose?.. of course... but it is not the end all be all for the hunting experience... in fact it can have just the opposite effect if everyone is not on board... at this point it makes little sense in NY statewide based on how many hunters would be on board with it... the fact is that those that want to kill big bucks seem to be able to do what it takes to find one... others get lucky and stumble on one... others can only kill small bucks... and some simply can't seem to kill a buck at all... and yet most, or maybe even all, of us still can't wait for each new deer season to begin...

 

As someone that is all about good whitetail management for the sake of the deer and would love to see a better buck age structure... I do enjoy that killing a big buck is still a huge challenge because of their relative rarity... it makes the experience that much more rewarding... not sure it would be as much fun if finding one was easier...how's that for being tugged in both directions??

[G-Man]

Ohio archery season (including crossbow) takes close to the same numbers as gun an almost 50-50 split of total take.. but have 1/2 the total numbers of deer hunter as nys.

It just seems that some quality bucks are coming out of non AR areas...so is a state wide mandate nessary? Check out posts from different sites. And I agree with Joe some hunters will never take a big buck.and others will consistiantly get one.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Ohio archery season (including crossbow) takes close to the same numbers as gun an almost 50-50 split of total take.. but have 1/2 the total numbers of deer hunter as nys.

It just seems that some quality bucks are coming out of non AR areas...so is a state wide mandate nessary? Check out posts from different sites. And I agree with Joe some hunters will never take a big buck.and others will consistiantly get one.

But wouldn't you agree the more large bucks are coming out of non ar areas mor frequently?

[mike103]

What a surprise another bowhunter that wants more time for him and less for others!

Bow hunters were against the Columbus weekend youth hunt.

Bow hunters were against crossbows.

Bow hunters want to go back to the Monday opener, three weekends of gun not the present four.

Bowhunters want the gun season to open the week before thanksgiving so that gun hunters miss the rut.

I am, and most other NY hunters are sick and tired of what bow hunters want.

You know you can hunt with a bow during any season. In the southern zone that gives you all of October, November, and half of December.

On Long Island you can hunt thru January. Up north you can start in September.

And you want more time with the bow!!!!!!

[Taylormike]

Mike,

 

Yep

Yep

Yep

and.........

Yep.

 

I am bow hunter and would love that!

[mike103]

I know you would.

1 million deer all for the bowhunters.