Lower the legal shooting distance for bow????

[ELMER J. FUDD]

500 feet = 166.66 yards. I believe that most people don't realize that the regs are the same for bow as does for gun. Thus less complaints. I see lots of bow targets that are in neighborhoods with less than 1 acre lots??? ???  I also think that it could increase the "hunting opportunity" in many areas.

  How does everyone feel about this? Pros/cons? Please share...

[Doewhacker]

Yes that is a bit silly for bows eh? I assume you mean distance from a house or dwelling, alot of guys wrongfully think you have to be 500' from a road too.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

Yes, from a house, home, dwelling , or occupied schoolfarm church, it's silly. You just can't shoot across the road.

[steve863]

I don't know.  I have seen treestands way closer than that many times.  I don't see this law being enforced much.  With people hunting smaller and smaller properties, this law surely isn't being followed.  In suburban areas people are hunting in peoples backyards, so they surely are within 500 feet of a dwelling in many cases.  I know one stand up the road where I hunt.  It's probably 30 yards from a town road and within 500 feet from two different dwellings.  Once the leaves are down during the gun season the hunter can be seen in his blaze orange up in the tree from a considerable distance.  Don't think he has gotten any fines yet since he is up there every year.

[Doewhacker]

It deffinetly isn't my cup of tea but I can see where the people that hunt down by the city areas are hurt by it. A 100 yard difference may just help get rid of a few more deer down there. I personally am more from the school of thought that it is better not to be seen or heard while hunting.

[steve863]

Definitely agree with you there.  I know lots of guys love to hunt Long Island and Westchester because there are many deer and some big bucks, but I don't care how good the hunting can be.  I don't want to be knocking on anyone's door asking permission to retrieve the deer I just shot at and somehow happened to keel over between their shiny Weber BBQ and their swimming pool! 

[muckland]

  It is illegal to discharge a firearm or bow:

• 
   
• so that the load or arrow passes over any part of a public highway, 
  
• within 500 feet of any school, playground, or an occupied factory or church, 
  
• within 500 feet of a dwelling, farm building or structure in occupation or use unless you own it, lease it, are an immediate member of the family, an employee, or have the owner's consent.  
  
• You may hunt waterfowl, over water, within 500 feet of a dwelling or public structure as long as neither are within 500 feet in the direction you are shooting.
  

  thought this would help????

[ELMER J. FUDD]

  It is illegal to discharge a firearm or bow:

 

• 
   
• so that the load or arrow passes over any part of a public highway, 
   
• within 500 feet of any school, playground, or an occupied factory or church, 
   
• within 500 feet of a dwelling, farm building or structure in occupation or use unless you own it, lease it, are an immediate member of the family, an employee, or have the owner's consent.
   
• You may hunt waterfowl, over water, within 500 feet of a dwelling or public structure as long as neither are within 500 feet in the direction you are shooting.
  

  thought this would help? ???

Thanks Muckland. I guess people have "consent" of their neighbors. (the ones within 500 ft)

[ELMER J. FUDD]

Definitely agree with you there.  I know lots of guys love to hunt Long Island and Westchester because there are many deer and some big bucks, but I don't care how good the hunting can be.  I don't want to be knocking on anyone's door asking permission to retrieve the deer I just shot at and somehow happened to keel over between their shiny Weber BBQ and their swimming pool!

This is another issue I see. if the property is so small, chances are, you will have to go on another property to retrieve it. maybe that's why it's set at 500ft?

[sits in trees]

yea the 500 feet thing for bows is plain silly, now crossbows are a differant story, i hear them thar things shoot and are deadly to over a thousand yards!!! ;D

[fasteddie]

If the guys at Bowtech can shoot softball size groups at 100 yards , then the extra 66 2/3 yard would be a safety buffer ......')'>http://www.downsouthhuntingforums.com/images/smiles/picker.gif[/img]

[Campwildwood]

yea the 500 feet thing for bows is plain silly, now crossbows are a differant story, i hear them thar things shoot and are deadly to over a thousand yards!!! ;D

Too funny, just had to stir the pot, but then again I'm sure someone would had brought it up as an ligitimate concern....lol 

[sweet old bill]

better safe than sorry.

I had a safety alert from my bow shop insurance comp a few years ago about a accident in PA, a guy purchased and had installed a nock loop on his compound bow.

he took the bow home and was shooting in his back yard that had a 4 ft fence around the yard.  3 kids were playing in a sand box about 3 houses down from him, he drew on his target, but he was over bowed so he would drraw from the sky and come down onto the target, well he was about 1/3 down on the target and the loop gave way, the arrow went off and he went to find his arrow.

He found it inside a sand box with the 4 year girl that he had done major head damage to.

He was facing police , court, and possible major cost to him. the girls parents also sued him in court, the shop owner, the loop mfg and the bow mfg...the parents were going for whoever had deep pockets.

[Doc]

I don't pretend to understand the distance difficulties for urban hunters. I have never even thought about hunting within 500' of somebody's house, and never will. Urban hunting is outside my idea of a quality hunt, so I guess I probably never will be concerned with whatever difficulties that are involved in such a thing.

So, I guess I don't have a proper perspective on requests to cut that distance down. I do think I understand how it might be a problem controlling urban and even suburban populations without the ability to hunker down uncomfortably close to a residence. But I also understand landowner concerns. The idea of looking over in my hedgerow and seeing some goof sitting there staking out my yard is not very appealing ..... lol. That might not be the best thing for hunter/resident relations. From purely a safety standpoint, I can't see that being much of a real issue, but again there might be a perception issue even on that point that wouldn't exactly help out hunter/landowner relations.

So what do you do with problem herds in tight urban areas. I would leave it up to local municipal control. If an urban area had a problem that was sufficient to warrant some cozy hunting situations, then perhaps they should be permitted in special cases, which would include written permission from the residents affected. If you truly have a problem herd, getting permision from residents that have experienced property damage should be no particular problem.

Even with those safeguards, I would hate to be the hunter tracking my shot deer and soming upon a group of crying hysterical children watching Bambi in the final bloody death-throes.....lol. That would be just one possible scenario of many uncomfortable situations that could arise when you are hunting on the doorstep of so many potential anti-hunters.

Doc

[steve863]

Even with those safeguards, I would hate to be the hunter tracking my shot deer and soming upon a group of crying hysterical children watching Bambi in the final bloody death-throes.....lol. That would be just one possible scenario of many uncomfortable situations that could arise when you are hunting on the doorstep of so many potential anti-hunters.

Doc

I hear you there!  Absolutely NO way would I want to be that hunter.  Lots of areas like that in Westchester and Long Island.  Many hunters just love to hunt these areas, but they can KEEP the big bucks that can roam around these areas.  Absolutely NO way do I want to be in such a scenario!!

[papabear]

if they lower it it will be just a another rule to get more people confused on the rules I think it is working so we should just let it be

[WNY_Whitetailer]

if they lower it it will be just a another rule to get more people confused on the rules I think it is working so we should just let it be

I agree...

[bpb]

Yes it should be reduced to at least 250 feet. That is what the NYS Muzzleloaders association proposed to the NYSCC & the legislature this year.

 

[Doc]

Yes it should be reduced to at least 250 feet. That is what the NYS Muzzleloaders association proposed to the NYSCC & the legislature this year.

I don't understand. Are you saying that the Muzzleloaders Association wanted a distance rule shortened for bow hunters, or they wanted it shortened to 250 feet for all weapons, or for muzzleloaders, or what?

[fasteddie]

Yes it should be reduced to at least 250 feet. That is what the NYS Muzzleloaders association proposed to the NYSCC & the legislature this year.

That doesn't sound right . 82 yards ? That less than 1 1/2 times the depth of our lot ..........

[biggamefish]

  I think the DEC has already made it possible for you to hunt close to house just need writen consent.  I think that is the way it should stay,that way if you get that deer and it dies in between the pool and the patio the land owner already knows you are there and can't be overly suprised. 

[bpb]

Yes it should be reduced to at least 250 feet. That is what the NYS Muzzleloaders association proposed to the NYSCC & the legislature this year.

That doesn't sound right . 82 yards ? That less than 1 1/2 times the depth of our lot ..........

I wrote it so the 250 ft suggested distance is correct.

[bpb]

  I think the DEC has already made it possible for you to hunt close to house just need writen consent.  I think that is the way it should stay,that way if you get that deer and it dies in between the pool and the patio the land owner already knows you are there and can't be overly suprised.

No matter what the DEC has in its regulations one neighbor or a township will challenge the 500ft rule as being the minumn safety limit. That is one reason why its being reduced to 250 feet. If had been up to me alone it would have been 100 feet.

You have to remember what happens in "your" backyard is not what is happening on the other side of the state.

Also why would anyone what to leave a regulation "as is" when you have the opportunity to mak it better? Ya know the antis and some of NY's legiscritters want it to be 1,000 ft which is equal to 18 acre parcel.

[biggamefish]

All I was stating is that you can hung close as close as you want now.  Why change the law when it can protect SOME land owners from people being to close. 

[Larry]

in pa. it's 50yds thats 150 feet