Proposed Changes for 2016

[CFHunter]

Here are some proposed changes for 2016. Of most note, getting rid of the anterless only seasons that were put in place last year.

 

Possible Deer and Bear Hunting Regulation Changes for 2016:

Submit your comments by February 5, 2016 to any of the ideas below by sending an email to [email protected] (use subject line: Possible deer and bear hunting changes for 2016).

1. Idea: Modify regulations to allow junior hunters to take black bear as well as deer with a firearm during the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt during Columbus Day Weekend.
   Background Information: Currently 14 and 15 year old junior hunters participating in the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt may only take deer. Expanding the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt to include bear will provide opportunities for junior hunters and their mentors who are fortunate to encounter a bear.
2. Idea: Reduce harvest of antlerless deer in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 6F and 6J in the Western Adirondacks by making the early muzzleloader deer season valid only for antlered deer in 2016.
   Background Information: Recent deer harvests in WMUs 6F and 6J have fallen well below long-term averages, and the harvest in both WMUs in 2014 was the lowest in recent times at 0.5 bucks taken per square mile. Winter weather conditions are a primary driver of deer abundance in these units, and the winters of 2013 and 2014 were especially harsh in this area. Though estimated harvests for 2015 are not yet available, preliminary reports suggest harvest likely declined again in the units. Modifying the season in these units would attempt to prevent further population decline and stimulate population growth.
3. Idea: Rescind the antlerless-only rule implemented in 2015 during portions of the bow and muzzleloader deer seasons in WMUs 1C, 3M, 3S, 4J, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8N, 9A, and 9F. Work with hunters to identify a preferred and more effective process to increase antlerless harvest in these areas, including a possible new antlerless-only muzzleloader season, for implementation in 2017.
   Background Information: The 2015 rule change setting aside a portion of the bow and muzzleloader seasons as antlerless-only was implemented as Phase 2 of a 3-phase process to increase antlerless harvest, as outlined in Strategy 2.2.6 of DEC's Management Plan for White-tailed Deer in New York State, 2012-2016. Though final harvest estimates have not yet been calculated for 2015, review of the deer harvest reports submitted by hunters provides an early indication of harvest trends. Preliminarily, it appears that female take increased in several treatment WMUs (those with antlerless-only portions of the bow and muzzleloader seasons) and decreased in other treatment WMUs. However, considering all treatment units combined, changes in the harvest of female deer from 2014 to 2015 did not substantially differ between the treatment WMUs and nearby control WMUs (either-sex during bow and muzzleloader seasons). During the antlerless-only portion of the early bow season in 2015, reported take of female deer was essentially unchanged from 2014 in both the treatment and control units. Then, during the regular season and late bow/muzzleloader season, reported take of female deer declined from 2014 in both the treatment and control WMUs. Overall reported female take for the year declined from 2014 in both groups. From this preliminary assessment, the antlerless-only rule does not appear to have substantially improved our ability to reduce deer populations in the treatment WMUs as needed.
   Typically we prefer to maintain harvest regulations for a minimum of 2 years prior to assessment. However, because we do not have reason to expect a substantially different outcome in the future from preliminary results, and because the rule was unpopular with most hunters that provided input to DEC, we are considering rescinding the rule for 2016 and again allowing hunters in these areas to take deer of either-sex throughout the bow and muzzleloader seasons.
   Still, an alternative strategy must be implemented to increase antlerless harvest and decrease deer populations in WMUs 1C, 3M, 3S, 4J, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8N, 9A, and 9F. The deer management plan calls for implementation of a special antlerless-only season for muzzleloader hunters as a Phase 3 strategy. Details of this Phase 3 strategy have not been ironed out, and we are considering using the next year to discuss with hunters the best way to implement Phase 3, or an alternative strategy, in 2017 to effectively reduce deer populations as necessary.

[CFHunter]

Looks like you should be ready for an early Anterless only Muzzleloader season in 2017.

[stoneam2006]

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb....why not try xbow all of archery....I would bet good money on it helping

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Maybe this will get some if the Anti xbow guys to think again before early muzzle ruins it all

Edited January 22, 2016 by stoneam2006

[shawnhu]

Phase 3, here we come. (After having to correct iOS autocorrect many times from Phase to Phade, I now find myself correcting it back to Phade to Phase).

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[shawnhu]

If big bore airguns pass this year, we might be able to avoid Phase 3, maybe.

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[stoneam2006]

If they make them legal before xbow during archery I will lose all faith in new York Dec completly it's the dumbest thing I have ever heard...bb guns awsome one more way for them to take your guns...don't need your shot guns or rifles bc you can hunt with a bb gun.....great let's pass that guys

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[grampy]

I'm for crossbow full inclusion too. It will get more hunters out in the field. And more hunters should kill more deer. Much better than having a muzzle loader in bow season. IMO

[phade]

Phase 3, here we come. (After having to correct iOS autocorrect many times from Phase to Phade, I now find myself correcting it back to Phade to Phase).

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

 

Ha...

[Critter4321]

just put the Xbow into the archery season for the old,disabled and yes the lazy I am all for it because most days I fall under two of the three categories 

[Core]

I don't own a crossbow but IF it is between crossbow OR muzzleloader crossing over entirely into bow season yes I absolutely would prefer crossbow.

[CFHunter]

What do you guys think of a one week early anterless muzzleloader season in Sept? 

[stoneam2006]

What do you guys think of a one week early anterless muzzleloader season in Sept?

I hunt all seasons and can say that would suck....best hunting is archery when it's quiet and calm we get enough gun season...just let xbow in and it would help

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[BizCT]

No xbow changes?

[grampy]

No xbow changes?

 

In light of the changes they made last year and the proposed changes for this year.  I'm very surprised they have not made a proposal for full inclusion for crossbows.  It does make sense to do so.  Perhaps that is why it's not being proposed.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

What do you guys think of a one week early anterless muzzleloader season in Sept? 

It increases opportunity and will increase hunter interest. I think it would do more than what they tried this year.

 

I think if the areas are in as much need of reduction  as they touted to in their press releases, they should pull out the stops and drop the guns into a 9 day, antlerless only, season in early September. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I hunt all seasons and can say that would suck....best hunting is archery when it's quiet and calm we get enough gun season...just let xbow in and it would help

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They would be calmed right back down by the time October 1st rolled around and definitely by the rut. That one week after gun season before the weekend of ML makes a huge difference getting them back to some semblance of normal

[stoneam2006]

They would be calmed right back down by the time October 1st rolled around and definitely by the rut. That one week after gun season before the weekend of ML makes a huge difference getting them back to some semblance of normal

Yea I get that but I would rather see xbow before that as I'm sure most would. Not to say I wouldn't be out there with a loader tho....

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[Doc]

And yet these guys refuse to even mention any doe only seasons during the regular gun season where it might have a real impact. Their take on it is that bow season is the place to manage deer populations. If their agenda of cramming muzzleloaders into bow seasons is not clear to everyone by now, then I don't know what to tell you. Now they are so desperate to cover up bow season with muzzleloaders that they are  even foreshortening their antlerless season trial and jumping right into what they really wanted to do for the past 10 years.

[Fredbear2]

Crossbow all of bow season "yes" You have my vote . BB guns no way . whatthehellareyouthinking ......

[tuckersdaddy]

And yet these guys refuse to even mention any doe only seasons during the regular gun season where it might have a real impact. Their take on it is that bow season is the place to manage deer populations. If their agenda of cramming muzzleloaders into bow seasons is not clear to everyone by now, then I don't know what to tell you. Now they are so desperate to cover up bow season with muzzleloaders that they are even foreshortening their antlerless season trial and jumping right into what they really wanted to do for the past 10 years.

well doc... you have posted it and most bow hunters have said it that gun hunters shoot at anything and everything... so would there be an increase in doe take during gun season if they're already being shot at anyway?

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[stoneam2006]

Crossbow all of bow season "yes" You have my vote . BB guns no way . whatthehellareyouthinking ......

Yep

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[DirtTime]

NYS has no clue WTH they are trying to do with hunting. They are eating 'magic mushrooms', and trying to pull rabbits out of their 'pipe'.

I will agree that something is fishy with this air gun BS. I will also admit, I don't really like it and I think an air rifle no matter of it's capabilities would be an insult to hunting big game. Just my opinion.

[Zag]

Anyone else feel that last yrs winter had a large affect on the population? Seems like their hell bent on trying to reduce the numbers and i feel they shouldnt go any lower for 8N. Gun season I saw 3 deer at the land. One buck and two doe. Even during bow I saw less does then last yr.

I have a 45min drive to work thru farm country and I don't see many deer at all in the fields am or pm. 

[Doc]

well doc... you have posted it and most bow hunters have said it that gun hunters shoot at anything and everything... so would there be an increase in doe take during gun season if they're already being shot at anyway?

Well, first of all I have never said anything about what gun hunters shoot or don't shoot, and it is getting difficult for a lot of bowhunters to say anything about gun hunters since so many of them are also gun hunters as well. But I am sure that just like some bowhunters, there are gunhunters who pass on does, convinced that a buck will come trailing along. A doe only situation would coax them into dumping that mentality at least during doe-only days.

 

Of course it is always possible that the doe-only seasons won't work regardless of what season you force it into. Maybe the whole idea of trying to force any hunters into just shooting antlerless deer is simply wrong-headed and doomed to failure.

[Doc]

Anyone else feel that last yrs winter had a large affect on the population? Seems like their hell bent on trying to reduce the numbers and i feel they shouldnt go any lower for 8N. Gun season I saw 3 deer at the land. One buck and two doe. Even during bow I saw less does then last yr.

I have a 45min drive to work thru farm country and I don't see many deer at all in the fields am or pm. 

Yes, I think there are a lot of people that are beginning to get suspicious about this declaration of catastrophic deer population levels. Sure, there may be pockets here and there of population excesses, but I wonder if the motives for crying about the sky falling may be more motivated by the political concerns of the moneyed interests that are constantly butting heads with deer. Perhaps it is not the deer population that is out of control, but rather the new setting of population goals established by the CTFs that makes it all "look" like things are out of control.

 

Also, the DEC has a history of wanting muzzleloaders and other more efficient implements stirred in with bow seasons. And what better way to make that happen than to trump up some emergency condition to convince everyone that "special challenge seasons" like bow are insufficient to handle some declared population disaster. It sounds like they have found a way to cram firearms into bow seasons.