Which would you prefer??

[Grizz1219]

Would you rather see the state go to AR's across the state or go to a 1 buck per year no matter what rule????

[Grizz1219]

Personally... I am in favor of a 1 buck per year rule... You want to shoot a spike.. have at it... Want to wait for a bigger/older buck... wait...

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Would like to see the one buck rule. AR's state wide...never going to see it in NY at least in my life time.

Then the license numbers will increas again becasue all the non-hunting spouses, children and relatives will be getting their tags to "hand over" to the hunters in the families. I still think that is a factor in hunter number drops since doe tags are so liberal now. (coupled with license fee increases)

Edited December 14, 2011 by Culvercreek hunt club

[tughillhunter]

I would like to see the one buck rule myself. I think ar's are rediculous, unless you do your own on your own property.

[eagle rider]

AR provided that Doe Permits are more realistic.

[arrow nocker]

if they went to ar's then they would hand out twice the amount of doe permits.

If i had to choose i would chose the one buck.But then i wouldn't ever even gun hunt cause I would most likely get my buck during bow.

[steve863]

if they went to ar's then they would hand out twice the amount of doe permits.

Not true. A number of regions where AR's are already in effect where doe permits are next to impossible to get. Why even hunt there where next to nothing is legal to shoot??

AR's are a charade. I would have no problem with a one buck rule. In fact, I would have no problem with a 2 deer rule either. Fill a buck tag and doe tag and your done for the season, NO matter what weapon you get them with. You want more bucks around? Wouldn't be a bad idea to leave some more does around to produce them.

[ncountry]

I would prefer the AR option.

[KEVA]

AR, though I don't know if I would want AR statewide. I feel like the one buck rule would have a limited affect, most people in my area are only rifle hunting anyways. One buck may result in more people not filling their tags out also. I will have to look more into the one buck a year idea.

[Doewhacker]

How about instead of doe permits we start a buck permit system. That way DEC can set how many Bucks it wants taken per wmu and all of the AR guys can stop bitching about all of the bucks being killed.

Reportedly only 5% of hunters take two bucks a year, do you think it will make an impact if we limit it to one per year? Personaly I don't care, one buck or no buck, does not matter to me.

[BizCT]

All of PA has AR, I was to forced to pass on at least 10 smaller bucks because of it.

[mbucks27]

One buck per year rule. This would work even for people who dont support AR's. And for the guys that hunt alot during both gun and bow it would make them think twice about shooting a spike or small buck b/c it would end thier season.

John

[Fantail]

Oh Look - it's another AR topic. Hot Frackin Damn! Occupiers Woo Hoo

Edited December 14, 2011 by Fantail

[JFB]

If I could only have one change (and I interpret this as changes that I felt would improve the age of the bucks in our state), I would say a one buck rule if I could only have one.

But in my opinion there are several things that I'd want changed and it would be in this order: 1) A shorter gun season 2) A one buck rule 3) AR 4) Getting the DEC to view our deer as a resource instead of only a nuisance that needs to be minimized.

[ncountry]

How about 2 buck rule. 1st one, anything goes. 2nd one use AR? A compromise .

[steve863]

How about instead of doe permits we start a buck permit system. That way DEC can set how many Bucks it wants taken per wmu and all of the AR guys can stop bitching about all of the bucks being killed.

To get them to stop bitching, I would surely go along with that. I have NO doubt most of them would not like it, though. For it's a hell of lot easier and more fun bitching and blaming someone else for their lack of hunting ability and greed for big antlers. I always get a kick of those trophy hunters who say that they are just fine with not killing a buck for 15 years if it doesn't measure up to what they want and then proceed to bitch for the next two hours on how it's so easy or not manly to kill those dumb 1.5 year olds. Yeah, they are just fine with not shooting anything! LOL

[Deerthug]

I agree. I think 1 buck rule will allow the surviving smaller 4's and 6's to become 8's and 10's.

[ncountry]

Have any of you AR haters hunted in an established AR zone ? I have only hunted one AR area and the sighting of 2 1/2 years old bucks is up. It would seem to me, except for the 1st year ,maybe 2 where everyone will have to pass up some small bucks that the odds of shooting a buck are just as good. It is just more likely to be a nicer buck. This year alone I passed on 4 smaller bucks,spotted 3 other larger bucks (out of range of coarse), and shot a nice 10 point. Maybe other AR areas are not this good?

[Grizz1219]

^{OK... lots of things here.. LOL... First... more does does not mean more fawns 100%... 1 buck can only breed about 5-6 does a year... so any buck doe ratio higher than that, does are going unbred or having fawns to late in the spring to survive the following year... Second, yes this is another AR post in a way but it is trying to see if people are just jum,ping on AR to try and improve the age of bucks in this state or if there was another more amicaple option would be better... Third... Yes, only 5% of hunters kill more than 1 buck, but how many shoot that first small buck thinking they will now wait for a big buck... The thinking is, if you want to use your 1 tag on a spike, go ahead, but now you have to pass up all other bucks that go by you... (legally)}

[growalot]

Never thought I'd say this but AR...The one buck rule won't work....remember I said when I took my hunting course 35 or so years ago ...it was ALL woman ...when the instructor asked if they were there to hunt or get and extra tag for the hubby....something like 3 out of 20 or so ppl raised there hands to hunting...he made us go out to handle a shot gun on trap...I was the only one to hit and most others refused to even shoot....yet all were certified

ppl around here routinely send spouses out to get certified ...especially in bow now...that way they can ..."Settle " their nerves on a lesser buck with wifes..daughters... sons tag and then hunt for the "big boys"...Just this year a Sheriff said to me ..."Ya a lot of guys are hunting on their wives tags...DEC doesn't think about it ...it's income to them and deer down"

You know you guys can hash and re-hash this subject to death...ooppps apparently not ...but the facts are no matter what they come up with ....ppl in general set their own little rules and circumvent policies either legally or illegally

The DEC will always pick and choose what offenders or types of offenses they will go after based on man power...and regional familiarity ...When they can't up hold their end of the bargain..... you'll never find the whole hunting population up holding theirs....The best we can do is teach our future hunters that ...being able to have real pride in our hunting pursuits starts with doing it be the rules at hand and with as much acquired skill as possible

[Doewhacker]

^{... Third... Yes, only 5% of hunters kill more than 1 buck, but how many shoot that first small buck thinking they will now wait for a big buck... The thinking is, if you want to use your 1 tag on a spike, go ahead, but now you have to pass up all other bucks that go by you... (legally)}

. Mathematicaly speaking, one buck a year is chump change when spread acrossed the whole state, imo.

As far as guys using others tags, thats illegal, imposible to track and also does not matter in this choose a or b thread. Im sure it is an important issue to some but as long as it is tagged and reported the DEC cannot do much about it unless the accused are turned in or caught red handed. Actually there is a guy on here that admitted to this illegal activity, and he supports state wide AR's..hmmm I guess we can't count his vote.

[steve863]

^{OK... lots of things here.. LOL... First... more does does not mean more fawns 100%... 1 buck can only breed about 5-6 does a year... so any buck doe ratio higher than that, does are going unbred or having fawns to late in the spring to survive the following year...}

Why are you so sure about that? I surely have nothing against shooting does, but I don't think limiting the doe take per hunter as well as buck take would hurt. I know you mentioned numerous times here about all the DMAP you've filled and such, so I guess you have to come up with some sort of justification for each hunter killing more does than he really needs.

[dave6x6]

I personally am not for either statewide but do think both options can work in different WMU's.. For that reason, i think it should be done piece by piece, which is sort of what the DEC has started to impliment in the past few yrs. And to try to make a solid conclussion to whether it's working or not is pre-mature. This stuff takes a few yrs to start to work. Although not an expert on this issue statewide, i do feel that neither of these are needed or would improve hunting in my unit. 8h had plenty of bucks (big , small and spike) and plenty of does and tags. Most hunters i know have their own personal standards that they hunt by. Any restrictions put on hunters in this region will only mean that the state will have to control the numbers here some other way. So i guess the farmers and landowners will get 20 N.permits and DMAP's instead of 10.

[Grizz1219]

Why are you so sure about that? I surely have nothing against shooting does, but I don't think limiting the doe take per hunter as well as buck take would hurt. I know you mentioned numerous times here about all the DMAP you've filled and such, so I guess you have to come up with some sort of justification for each hunter killing more does than he really needs.

I filled 1 crop damage permit, my son another and I filled 1 DMAP tag so far this year... Shot a doe with my bow and a 5 pt with my gun. EVERY deer I shoot is processed and eaten weither by my family or a family in need. The farm I hunt has a lot of crop damage on it so the farmers lively hood is helped dramatically by our killing of does. If you need further validation of my shooting let me know..

If you ask any deer biologist they will tell you a buck stays with a doe in estrous for 2-3 days, unlike a turkey with hens, it will not try to breed/chase another doe. While he is with her, other does are coming into estrous as well.. When he finally leaves that first doe, he "may" get to breed one more doe before most or all the other does are out of estrous.. now wait 28 days for them to come back in and repeat the above scenario... After the second estrous any doe bred runs the risk of having her fawns to late in the spring making them to small to survive the following winter...

[cnymuzguy]

one buck.