What about a 5 yr plan to improve Small game Hunting

[Dave]

Seem the DEC is most interested in improving our Deer population what about our small game. If we had better small game hunting maybe more kids will get interested in hunting period. Then they would progress to deer hunting. But the small game in many areas is lacking, no squirrels, rabbits, birds etc.

What should be done to improve small game hunting?  Should the DEC come up with a plan?

Your thoughts.

Dave

[GrouseHunter]

They should but I dont think they care. They get a lot of money from hunting license sales and I dont see them doing much for hunting. Small game hunting is about gone on Long Island and if you talk to the DEC they will tell you LI is full of game and has lots of quail. I have not seen a wild quail on long island in a long long time. Other states like ND, SD and MT really take care of game and manage it properly and they make a ton of cash from out of state hunters and they are super helpful to out of state guys. This is just another example of NY goverment , useless.

[Elmo]

I agree that something needs to be done but I don't know what they can do and I don't think they really care.

I go camping, hiking, and the few times I've gone hunting.  Outside of squirrels, I have not seen any small game.  Not even rabbits.  That's just not right.

[nyantler]

Rabbits are not a good judge of small game population because they tend to cycle up and down anyway... might not see any rabbits for a few years... then all of a sudden they're everywhere for a few years.

[Dave]

Rabbits are not a good judge of small game population because they tend to cycle up and down anyway... might not see any rabbits for a few years... then all of a sudden they're everywhere for a few years.

Joe, in my area there isn't a lot of small game I didn't even see a grey squirrel last hunting season. Did see a few rabbits in the summer but that was it. Maybe I have to do some habitat improvments on my property.

Dave

[Pygmy]

The three most important elements of small game management, are habitat, habitat, and habitat, in that order.

Given suffcient escape and nesting cover , small game will be there.

Granted, natural population cycles, disease and predators are  factors, but proper habitat is the key.

[Elmo]

Allow supervised sewer rat/pigeon airgun hunts in the slums of New York City.  That's a win-win situation if you ask me.

[First-light]

What would you consider small game, that you actually hunt? When I did hunt small game rabbits and grouse were my target. Could care less about squirrels and you have to stock pheasant. Rabbits are so plentiful right now and I have seen many grouse. I'm in 8P and things are pretty good.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

probably not going to make me very popular but oI believe one of the biggest causes of the small game downfall is the predetors......and I am not talking about Yotes or Fox. I am talking birds of prey. Drive down the thruway by Montezuma and see a hawk on every other right-of-way fence post. how much small game do you think a line up like that could take out of an area?

[Doc]

I have to say that deer management is a whole lot easier than small game management. if we think the DEC has a credibility problem when it comes to deer population estimates and targeting, just imagine if they were to try to come up with a number of squirrels per acre ..... lol.

About the only management scheme for small game that I think might have some impact would be predator control, and that doesn't seem to be very popular at the DEC right now. They seem to be more interested in protecting every predatory species in some cases, total protection.

[Doc]

probably not going to make me very popular but oI believe one of the biggest causes of the small game downfall is the predetors......and I am not talking about Yotes or Fox. I am talking birds of prey. Drive down the thruway by Montezuma and see a hawk on every other right-of-way fence post. how much small game do you think a line up like that could take out of an area?

You are absolutely right. I have watched a red-tailed hawk working my lower field. He is absolutely flawless. He never misses. The rabbits are lured out in the field at dusk to eat the grass and Mr. Hawk sits in the top of a big old cherry tree where he can see the whole field. When the rabbit is far enough out into the field, he comes down and like I said, he just never misses. I've watched hawks and owls in the woods looking for squirrels, but they aren't quite as good at that. Those squirrels are quick and tricky. They also have their audible warnings that put the whole bunch of them on alert.

Over the decades, I have watched the hawk and owl population explode everywhere. Quite possibly they are simply out-of-control and having the predictable effect on prey species.

However, don't be expecting any 5-year plans that will promote hunting these species......   That ain't going to happen.

[ny hunter]

Culver I agree with you 100%.You hit right on the head.Hawks Falcons and even Eagles are doing a number on the small game.I took the bird feeder down in my yard because the Red Tails were having a field day.

[erussell]

I wish the hawks would do a number on those flea bag gray squirrels that keep doing a number on my bird feeders.    There like rats around here in 7s. I have never seen more rabbits than I have seen in the last 5 yrs. I hit atleast one of the stupid sh--s a week with my car. To bad I don't rabbit hunt anymore. Grouse pops have exploded over the last few yrs also. As far as the birds of prey go, I see redtails and coopers all over the place so I don't think they are to blame. More than likely your habitat is not what they want. You need nut bearing trees for the squirrel, brush lots for the rabbits, and thick woods for the grouse. If you only have one habitat say old growth forest then you might have some squirrels but won't support much else. And if your in the Adirondacks forget it, Forever wild killed anychance of a wild life bonanza for you, Pray for a forest fire to burn all the trees.

[First-light]

One other predator is the common house cat. On LI its a big problem. These things kill just for killing.

[13BVET]

In this area, it's the development that has hurt the small game populations-especially rabbit and grouse. Just to put it into perspective, I haven't seen a grouse in about 11-12 years. They were very abundant before development got out of control-now they're gone. Squirrels, on the other hand, are all over the place.

[Doc]

I think that small game management is all about habitat. Unfortunately given the resources available in this state, and the fact that almost all land is under private ownership and control, habitat is the one thing that the DEC can't touch.

[16. ga hunter]

the dec does do things for small game hunting maybe not always evident but they do. if you do your homework and keep track of where the state does logging on various state lands you can do quite well. had my young cocker on game every time i went out last year. could it be better yes could they do more yes.. but many don't seem to realize  what they do.. the other thing you run into are that when covers are found the tend to be kept under wraps