? On what tag to use in southern zone

[luberhill]

Ok I printed the form for crossbow hunting and I understand it’s the last two weeks of regular bow..

and I need a muzzleloader tag..

but ... can I kill a buck or doe ? And what tag or tags do I use ?

Then I can still gun hunt ?

seems confusing 

 

[wolc123]

You can kill a buck (one 3 in, or larger antler), or a doe with that tag.    If you take the archery course, then you can get a second tag that is antlerless only.   You get a another buck tag to use during gun season (or late ML) when you purchase your big game license.   For an additional $ 10, you may also apply for DMP tags (2 in some DMU's), which are good for antlerless deer and may be used in Archery, Gun, and ML seasons.   After November 1, a second draw occurs for "leftover" DMP tags, and you can get (2) more then for free (assuming you paid the $ 10 fee for the first application(s).  You can also recieve up to (2) DMP tags signed over to you by another hunter.

It is relatively easy to get up to (9) tags in some DMU's but only (2) of them can be "legal antlered (3" or more) bucks, and you can kill all (9) with your crossbow if you wish, starting 2 weeks before the gun opener.  Bucks with antlers less than 3" long may be tagged with DMP tag, and you can kill up to (9) of those in a year if you wait until late ML season (the gun buck tag reverts to an either/or at that time).  All that venison comes in handy in these days of limited meat supply in stores.  NY state is a meat hunters paradise.    

Most of the confusion results from NY state being forced to consider a crossbow a muzzleloader because the hard lobbing effort of the anti-crossbow group New York Bowhunters.   This nonsense has resulted in a glitch whereby one can hunt deer with a crossbow without taking the archery course (but you must remember to carry that little signed form when you are hunting).     

Edited June 15, 2020 by wolc123