Shorten the NY Gun Season?

[nycoyotehounds..BUB]

You guys in sz can fight it out. Glad I dont hunt alot of sz. But if you propose 2 weeks gun, I could hunt 2 or 3 days total. Work 6 days a week. Kids have school,sports. Good way too keep their interest. Let them get two days a year to gun hunt. Perfect.

[ny hunter]

Lets leave the seasons alone and just enjoy being in the woods.

[sampotter]

The length of the season doesn't have much to do woth number of deer killed. Nearly 50% of the gun harvest is on opening weekend. The reason you see less deer as the season progresses is the sheer amount of hunter stank in the woods. In my area of 7h all the locals do deer drives on opening day- pushing some deer out of areas for the rest of the season. The deer that do stay won't move during daylight. Deer numbers are fine in my area, but the reason for not seeing deer is hunting pressure and lazy hunting style.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I don't see a problem with the season the way it is. By switching weapons I we can hunt from October 1st...assuming you don't have last years tag.....until about the week before Christmas

If you think the deer numbers are down on the land you hunt....get out and do a little leg work to get access to new property. The days of deer running over your boot tops every time you went out wasn't the ideal situation. It was a problem...in herd size. A herd managed to controlled and ideal numbers won't have the kind of sighting numbers we have grown accustom to.

My view

[Chevy]

I don't advocate changing any of the seasons. I do have a problem with the over issuance of DMP's and nuisance permits.

[Fantail]

How come when someone has a less than great season we have to reinvent the wheel?  Just leave things the way they are.

What are you talking about? If its broke dont fix it?

What are you talking about? Nobody is convincing me the seasons are broken at all.

Seems to me it boils down to people wanting the best season for their preferred weapon, oh yeah of that particular year. Since moving into a lease in the NZ I've had to deal with some abrupt season changes, so I dealt with it. How about all the noise the waterfoul hunters make hmmm? Shall all the Turkey & deer hunters band together and vote to shorten their season too? This is the same BS I read on almost every hunting forum there is, every year. And it's getting fracking old. One more thing, any of you guys that want to shorten my Bow season can pack sand.

[WNYBuckHunter]

The length of the season doesn't have much to do woth number of deer killed. Nearly 50% of the gun harvest is on opening weekend. The reason you see less deer as the season progresses is the sheer amount of hunter stank in the woods. In my area of 7h all the locals do deer drives on opening day- pushing some deer out of areas for the rest of the season. The deer that do stay won't move during daylight. Deer numbers are fine in my area, but the reason for not seeing deer is hunting pressure and lazy hunting style.

Correct. Shortening the season would drop the pressure by quite a bit and the deer would be out and about more during the daylight hours.

If you can only get out gun hunting 2 or 3 days, then pick up a ML or a bow and up the time you have in the woods. Its a pretty simple concept really. I actually started bow hunting for just that reason, to get more time in the woods. I started ML hunting for the same reason this year too.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

The length of the season doesn't have much to do woth number of deer killed. Nearly 50% of the gun harvest is on opening weekend. The reason you see less deer as the season progresses is the sheer amount of hunter stank in the woods. In my area of 7h all the locals do deer drives on opening day- pushing some deer out of areas for the rest of the season. The deer that do stay won't move during daylight. Deer numbers are fine in my area, but the reason for not seeing deer is hunting pressure and lazy hunting style.

Correct. Shortening the season would drop the pressure by quite a bit and the deer would be out and about more during the daylight hours.

If you can only get out gun hunting 2 or 3 days, then pick up a ML or a bow and up the time you have in the woods. Its a pretty simple concept really. I actually started bow hunting for just that reason, to get more time in the woods. I started ML hunting for the same reason this year too.

great as long as you are physically capable of bowhunting...no so much if you aren't

[First-light]

I would have to say leave it be. Pressure would not be any different from a 3-4 week season. Those of us that have to travel some distance to deer camp need that 4th week.

I enjoy hunting with a muzzleloader but not everyone does. Taking away a week from the majority (gun hunters) doesn't work for me.

[nycoyotehounds..BUB]

Ml or bow is not the answer. Some people dont have luxuries or options. SO YOU WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM ME AND MY KIDS TO ACOMODATE YOU?

[WNYBuckHunter]

The length of the season doesn't have much to do woth number of deer killed. Nearly 50% of the gun harvest is on opening weekend. The reason you see less deer as the season progresses is the sheer amount of hunter stank in the woods. In my area of 7h all the locals do deer drives on opening day- pushing some deer out of areas for the rest of the season. The deer that do stay won't move during daylight. Deer numbers are fine in my area, but the reason for not seeing deer is hunting pressure and lazy hunting style.

Correct. Shortening the season would drop the pressure by quite a bit and the deer would be out and about more during the daylight hours.

If you can only get out gun hunting 2 or 3 days, then pick up a ML or a bow and up the time you have in the woods. Its a pretty simple concept really. I actually started bow hunting for just that reason, to get more time in the woods. I started ML hunting for the same reason this year too.

great as long as you are physically capable of bowhunting...no so much if you aren't

Ahhhhh, and thats where the x-bow comes into play. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

well that was a very soft underhand pitch I threw you...I was hoping you could hit that one out of the park...lol

[steve863]

I vote to keep everything as is.  Why in the world should anyone who doesn't want to have to invest in bows, muzzleloaders, x-bows or any other sort of weapon just to keep a minority of the people who don't seem to like gun hunters happy??  The state wants a certain amount of deer dead each and every year and they know that gun hunters are the one who get the majority of the job done for them.  Just why would they shortchange them to make a minority faction happy??  I don't think it will happen.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I dont think it will happen either.The thing i look at is other states that have shorter seasons with different weapons have a better deer herd and alot of huge bucks.Some states will not have the gun season during the rut,bow only.I think thats a great idea as long there is a doe season involved somewhere also.I am content with the way things are now and i think most are.No matter what happens if anything there is always going to be some against change.If you look at some of the big bucks that were shot this year it shows that ny can make some good deer and that might be that there is more people doing their own qdm and lettin the little guys walk more often.

[steve863]

Ahhhhh, and thats where the x-bow comes into play. 

Jee whiz, it seems like the x-bow is the solution to everything for you?  I could care less if they make the x-bows legal during bow season, gun season or any other season, but to think any gun hunter would be happy giving up a week or two of their gun season for a bloody x-bow is the silliest thing I ever heard!  Plus they would have to spend another $500-$1000 for the darned contraption just to hunt those weeks they lost from their gun season.  Just how would this possibly make any gun hunter happy???  Will NEVER happen in NYS! 

[steve863]

I dont think it will happen either.The thing i look at is other states that have shorter seasons with different weapons have a better deer herd and alot of huge bucks.Some states will not have the gun season during the rut,bow only.I think thats a great idea as long there is a doe season involved somewhere also.I am content with the way things are now and i think most are.No matter what happens if anything there is always going to be some against change.If you look at some of the big bucks that were shot this year it shows that ny can make some good deer and that might be that there is more people doing their own qdm and lettin the little guys walk more often.

Well, I've got some news for you.  NYS could care less how big the antlers on the bucks head are when they are gunned down by hunters.  The state needs deer shot and the age and antler size doesn't make a difference to them.  Game management is deer population control.  This antler stuff is only a concern to hunters who want them.  The state could care less about them.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I agree and thats why ny will never be in the same catagory as some of the great deer states and even some places in canada..But hey it is what it is and for the most part i think people are ok with that!!!

[First-light]

I agree with you Steve, put the x-bow in during bow season and muzzleloader season. It won't hurt my bow hunting experience one bit. Sure you will have some guys switch over and use the x-bow but I think it will be minimal. The guy who shoots a huge buck with the x-bow will get my congratulations and a hand shake. We all know each weapon brings a level of difficulty in trying to harvest a deer. The sooner the x-bow is in bow season the better off we will be as a group. Leave the season

length as is and give the x-bow its due and be done with it.

[letinmfly]

I think that the state should change the calendar year of the license itself.  Make it from Jan.1 -Dec.31 first off.  Secondly make it that only one buck can be harvested during a given calendar year.  For those that hunt with bow, gun and ML.  Allow the taking of one antlerless deer in each of the other two seasons in which the buck is not harvested.  This way a hunter can legally harvest three deer in one year.  If the hunter is fortunate enough to get a DMP than he/she can take 4 deer.

I know that certain parts of the state are not hurting in deer numbers but I think it's a pretty good compromise for everyone across the board.  Four deer in any given year is pretty liberal.

My thoughts are strictly from observations from my hunting areas and do not speak for everyone across the state.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have a great idea. let's issue DMP's in the areas that need them and allow the one doe per implement as described. That would be the means of population control the DEC wants. And since we want to have great big bucks like other states ...let's go to a lottery based system...you draw a tag ...go for it...if not...shoot the does. take any buck you want but enjoy it becasue you might not get a tag next year.....

[bubba]

I doubt a lot of you guys who get a dmp maybe every three of four years  like we do in my area would be so willing to let every small buck walk.  If you had one tag for the season, you would not be so selective.  There have been tons of posts of people complaining they arent seeing deer and havent filled two or three tags.  I pay 98 dollars a year to hunt. Tell me I will have less tags and less time, I just may keep my hundred for me.  I am sure a lot of people will feel the same.  And the bottom line is in this state money makes the world go round.  They are not going to shorten seasons or do anything that will jeopardize selling licenses. They are adding new iplements to entice more to hunt. 

[Santamour123]

My thoughts are to get rid of rifle during the rut #1.  Then place an AR on the state.  But,  for those who are worried about killing deer.  You have the option to use your tag on a doe.  That would make your so called buck tag good for ( a buck that meets the requirments or a doe)

[nyantler]

Now there is an idea!

[nycoyotehounds..BUB]

So get rid of rifle during the rut so you can enjoy hunting that time and not me? HIGHLY DOUBTFUL!!

[bubba]

The funny par tof all this is noone makes these suggestions to make hunting better for everyone.  They armade to make hunting better for the person starting the post.  If it was thought of more as universally making hunting better, they may be more thought out.