Which sign is more informative?

[Skillet]

Regardless of color, the signs should be changed to read WILDLIFE MISMANAGEMENT AREA, Ever notice that wildlife populations flourish on private lands adjacent to WMA's, while huntable species appear to be extinct on WMA lands? Ever wonder why??

I like that. "Mismanagement Area" LOL.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Regardless of color, the signs should be changed to read WILDLIFE MISMANAGEMENT AREA, Ever notice that wildlife populations flourish on private lands adjacent to WMA's, while huntable species appear to be extinct on WMA lands? Ever wonder why??

No, the only thing I see happen is a bunch of people stomp around right before gun season and all of the deer take refuge on less pressured property. Other than right around that time, I see lots of wildlife on state land.

[Doc]

Regardless of color, the signs should be changed to read WILDLIFE MISMANAGEMENT AREA, Ever notice that wildlife populations flourish on private lands adjacent to WMA's, while huntable species appear to be extinct on WMA lands? Ever wonder why??

In most instances, its not "mis-management". It's simply no management at all. But maybe that's not so much of a bad thing.

Some of the recent attention that I have seen on state land is aimed at turning it from hunting and trapping land to activities that attract constant crowds of hikers, bikers and such with construction of a maze of mountain bike trails that pretty much blanket the entire area. Nothing much for the critters of the land, but simply exploitation for amusement and recreation. Unfortunately this constant assault throughout the spring, summer, and fall months doesn't co-exist well with hunting.

[landtracdeerhunter]

You are entering the States- Wildlife Mismanagement Area; Wildlife Nomanagement Area, both have a certain ring to them. Now you know, the state would never pay for those signs.

Edited February 18, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter

[G-Man]

The biggest problem i've seen on state land was when my snowmobile club was repairing a trail and bridge over a ravine. A group of 4 cycleists showed up and i overheard them say damn snowmobiles why do they let them here anyway all they do is mess up our trails! To which my partner (in no uncertain terms) explaind to them that the club built and maintains the trails from registration fees and do the labor free. he then asked what they did to maintain the trail and park.... this is the problem with a lot of state land, hunters and clubs pay fees to maintain the lands and taxes where the bird watcher/hiker may pay taxes but reaps the benifits of others fees, and then pushes for our exclusion from the land we maintain!

[mike rossi]

The State land is for everyone's use , not just hunting & trapping . Hikers , sight-seeing folks , etc have a right to be there . What do you see as it's "intended use" ?

WMA land is almost always purchased and/or managed with wildlife restoration funds. Each state agrees to abide by a set of conditions in return for recieving these funds. In addition to policy conditions; the state imposes a different set of rules differing from other "state land".

One of the conditions is that wildlife is protected from interference; and that wildlife-related recreation is protected from interference.

Wildlife-related recreation is NOT: biking, hiking, loitering, exercising, nor is it allowing a doggy park or allowing domestic animals to pilage.

What is intended use, you ask. The entity which administers the program, the USFWS clearly defines legitimate uses as wildlife conservation & protection, wildlife study, and wildlife-related recreation.

[mike rossi]

I think the strangest thing I saw on state land was very late in the afternoon, way up on the hill in the middle of nowhere. I was on stand, and all of a sudden this wacky looking dude dressed in flourescent pink tights came bounding through the woods like some kind of gazelle. Needless to say that pretty well screwed up that hunt. That was the beginning of many such encounters during bow season. I guess when gun season opens up they all head for cover because I have never seen a biker, hiker or jogger up there after opening day. It's a new day in the state woods now, and some areas are being taken over by non-hunting uses. It's a bit hard to get used to after all the decades of non-interference from such activities. But I guess if you are going to hunt public land it's something that must be accepted.

Well I hunt waterfowl, not deer, and they too often interfere with my hunting. That they are there during the warm months, outside of firearm deer season, is actually worse, because that is when wildlife rear their young. Hunting & trapping is regulated; these other activities are not seasonal. People & domestic animals in the field 365 days a year is not conservation savvy. Every wildlife biologist knows that wildlife mangement is people management. Whats going on defeats the purpose of a wildlife mangement area. Why even have a WMA?

"Take a Kid Hunting" is the new conservation ethic. Why is it appropriate for a youth to go hunting, on a public hunting area, and see more half dressed people than ducks?

[WNYBuckHunter]

WMA land is almost always purchased and/or managed with wildlife restoration funds. Each state agrees to abide by a set of conditions in return for recieving these funds. In addition to policy conditions; the state imposes a different set of rules differing from other "state land".

One of the conditions is that wildlife is protected from interference; and that wildlife-related recreation is protected from interference.

Wildlife-related recreation is NOT: biking, hiking, loitering, exercising, nor is it allowing a doggy park or allowing domestic animals to pilage.

What is intended use, you ask. The entity which administers the program, the USFWS clearly defines legitimate uses as wildlife conservation & protection, wildlife study, and wildlife-related recreation.

Actually, contrary to your opinion, the DEC defines what each WMA can be used for, and lists it all on the web. If you have people using the WMA you frequent for things other than whats listed, call the DEC and talk to them.

Heres the list for you. http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8297.html

[mike rossi]

Actually, contrary to your opinion, the DEC defines what each WMA can be used for, and lists it all on the web. If you have people using the WMA you frequent for things other than whats listed, call the DEC and talk to them.

Heres the list for you. http://www.dec.ny.go...tdoor/8297.html

The states natural resource agency, ie. the DEC as the titleholder has the first say. But if the state wants to recieve its share of wildlife restoration funds, its regs must not conflict or be more liberal, then the federal guidelines. If they are, that states annual payment will be redistributed to the other states. Thats not opinion. An example of my opinion is that domestic dogs in bird nesting habitat during the warm months impacts wildlife. Even though an opinion; it resonates with common sense AND has scientific consensus behind it.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Its pretty obvious that the USFWS has no qualms with allowing hikers, etc on State WMAs, or they would have pulled their funds long ago. They have never done so based on usage of the WMAs, and that is a fact. Spin it however you like, it is what it is, and if you have an issue with someone using the lands for unintended use, call the DEC, like I said.

[WNYBuckHunter]

BTW, mike rossi, do you know that some WMA lands are leased to farmers by the state so that they can be used for planting and harvesting crops?

[mike rossi]

BTW, mike rossi, do you know that some WMA lands are leased to farmers by the state so that they can be used for planting and harvesting crops?

Share cropping, grazing, and logging are sometimes used as a wildlife mangement tool. I believe the USFWS does consider these appropriate when they aid a management objective. Judicious share cropping, grazing, and logging can be benificial and save money, or even generate money. It is the wildlife manager's responsibility to make sure that these activities are done with a conservation perspective rather than an economic perspective. Since the farmer or logger is in it for money, terms & conditions should be developed. This like the other stuff can be good; but it could also be an abuse.

[mike rossi]

Its pretty obvious that the USFWS has no qualms with allowing hikers, etc on State WMAs, or they would have pulled their funds long ago. They have never done so based on usage of the WMAs, and that is a fact. Spin it however you like, it is what it is, and if you have an issue with someone using the lands for unintended use, call the DEC, like I said.

That might be true, even if it is, stranger things have happened. Its not going to get any less interesting as numbers of hunters continue to decline while the non hunting public increasingly discovers WMAs and views them as parks, dumps, or back-alleys.

I dont know how many total acres of public land exists in NY; but I know it is alot more then the 187,000 acres put aside for wildlife & associated recreation. It seems crazy to me that just that puny amount of land cant be managed according to concepts it was born under. Like I posted earlier, why even have any wildlife management areas?

[Red]

i do a lot of my gun hunting in the river bottoms of letchworth one of the common things i see down there are hikesr with their dogs a couple of years ago on opening day of gun season during one of the big drives there was a lady wearing a brown coat walking her german shepard off the trails in the brush that in a lot of places is taller than me and im 6' tall. she was down there for over an hour just walking around.