Antler Restrictions - What are your thoughts?

[SteveB]

"Most would agree it's not natural to eliminate 70 percent of yearling  bucks from the herd every year," Fiscella said. "You are wiping out  future age classes of the balanced buck age structure."

So true...

Who is wiping them out?

Could most of them be killed by the alleged 65% of hunters that supposedly support AR's?????

Or are the other 35% just that good??

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Lol..Steve...I guess. The majority that support their choice to pick the buck they want......and support a voluntary AR system......only make it through a few hours of opening weekend and then CHOOSE to slap a 1.5 onto their tag

[bubba]

"Most would agree it's not natural to eliminate 70 percent of yearling  bucks from the herd every year," Fiscella said. "You are wiping out  future age classes of the balanced buck age structure."

So true...

Who is wiping them out?

I think the rest are that good because we shoot more often wiping out the population. Practice does make perfect.

Could most of them be killed by the alleged 65% of hunters that supposedly support AR's? ??? ?

Or are the other 35% just that good??

[nyantler]

I'm sure there are guys on this forum that shoot smaller bucks that would still be in favor of AR. The fact is that around 65% of all the bucks taken each year are 1.5 years old... doesn't matter who's killing them. It still isn't good for the age structure of the buck population. But I'm sure its great for the ego's of the guys that would cut off their tongue rather than say to their buddy that they didn't get a buck this year.

[SteveB]

I'm sure there are guys on this forum that shoot smaller bucks that would still be in favor of AR.

That's what I can't understand -  if they think AR is a good thing, why are they waiting to practise it?????????

[nyantler]

I think its for the reason I said.. god forbid they have to say "I didnt' get a buck this year"..

[bubba]

statistically only one in three deer hunters harvest a deer in a year in NY.  So I am guessing quite few say they did not get a buck this year. 

[nyantler]

well i guess about 30% of the hunters do take the 65% that are 1.5

[bubba]

damn we are so good.  Like I said practice makes perfect.

[the blur]

I saw 4 very small doe this morning.  area 3.  NY needs height and weight restriction on DOE !!!    And that AR needs to be more wide spread.

[Doc]

I suspect there are quite a few hunters that say they are for AR simply because it is the politic thing to say. It always makes you sound a bit like a more proficient a hunter when you stress just how selective you can be. Of course many of those simply do not live up to the talk when they actually get out in the field. That is the problem with polls and surveys and such. Not only do you have to worry about conducting your polls in an accurate fashion, but you also have to worry about who is really telling you the truth vs. just telling you what sounds good.

Doc

[bubba]

I saw 4 very small doe this morning.  area 3.  NY needs height and weight restriction on DOE !!!    And that AR needs to be more wide spread.

and how does one pull off height and weight restrictions on a doe? I doubt the deer will get on a scale ar wait to be measured.

Doc you are right, pus there is the whole hunting show mind set where they shoot 180 class bucks all the time.  People want that here so they can say they are jus tlike Michael Waddell. The bad part it it can not happen.  Way too many factors.  Like I have said pen up deer feed them just what you want them to eat, it will happen. In nature once in a while. It just a ploy to get guys who see few deer in a season, such as myself to stop hunting.  I might  get a dmp every 4 years due to the low numbers.  So far this season, I have seen three deer, two of which are in my feeezer.  an 8 point and a doe.  I will not get a dmp again for three to four years. If I have to pass on the buck or two I may see  becuase they arent trophy racks, I will not spend 100 bucks to have little to no chance of getting a deer. I am sure lots of others will do the same. 

[biggamefish]

Well said bubba I think they will a few hunters if they start restricting us

[nyantler]

I remember a time when I hunted the same as you guys.. shot the first deer that came by me... sat in a stand all day not seeing anything. Then when I decided to pass on smaller deer and get off my ass and go after bigger bucks.. I started seeing a ton of deer... started passing on multiple small bucks and saw at least 1 big buck every year. My hunting experiences now is far better than in the past... not only is it more fun.. but I see far more deer being patient about what and when I take a deer. Most of my hunting buddies did the same and have had the same experience. I'm not saying you guys should hunt like i do.. but keeping an open mind wouldn't hurt. Remember, I've tried your method. But you haven't tried mine.

[bubba]

I never said I shoot every deer I see. In fact this evening while sitting, I saw a decent 6 and passed on him. Partly because I did not have a tag for him and partly because if I had a tag I would have passed.  I still wait for a response about button horn bucks that get shot every year.  I think we should eliminate dmp's so they can grow too.  It is much easier to hold out with one or two dmp in your pocket. I get a dmp every three or 4 years.  If you only had one tag for the entire regular season, I doubt you would pass on so many deer.

[nyantler]

Guess I wasn't necessarily refering to you Bubba...

[Doc]

Guess I wasn't necessarily refering to you Bubba...

Actually, you don't know who you were referring to since you don't have a clue who on here passes up what, do you? I guess when you were talking about "the same as you guys.. shot the first deer that came by me", you were imagining something about somebody ..... eh?

[nyantler]

haha.. you're still killin' me here Doc. You just can't help it can you?

[Doc]

haha.. you're still killin' me here Doc. You just can't help it can you?

Geez .... I hope you're alright. I don't really want to be killing anybody.....   But I do understand how a guy could get hurt scrambling away from his own quote like you just did. ;D

[nyantler]

I stand by the quote... interpret it anyway you like. Sometimes you have trouble following along anyway.

[Doc]

I stand by the quote... interpret it anyway you like. Sometimes you have trouble following along anyway.

I'm just saying  that you made a stupid assumption that those that you were referring to when you said "you guys", shoot the first deer that comes along. That comment was based on absolutely nothing. I haven't got a clue where you got that from and clearly you don't either. I don't understand why you think you have to make stuff up like that just to make your point and I figured it was time somebody called you on it. Such baseless assumptions or purposeful mis-statements simply reflect on your credibility.

[nyantler]

When I say "you guys" I mean you guys that shoot the first buck that walks by... if that is you then I'm talking about you if not then I'm not talking about you... maybe its your guilty conscience that makes you think that any of what I have said concerns you.

[16. ga hunter]

what about the guy that passes on a young buck but ultimately shoots one late in gun or muzzle loader because it cuts his meat bill in half for the year? i personally think that hunters need to worry less about what others do and more about themselves if age structe is such an issue what f the state said no bucks for a year or 2? what ould the ar guys say then?

[Larry]

Maybe instead of worrying about AR’s we may want to think about what the new governor has in mind for the DEC. Remember he will most likely replace the heads of all regional offices and he will pick the new head of the DEC. chances are they are not going to be outdoors people

[Doc]

Maybe instead of worrying about AR’s we may want to think about what the new governor has in mind for the DEC. Remember he will most likely replace the heads of all regional offices and he will pick the new head of the DEC. chances are they are not going to be outdoors people

That has been my position on AR right along. In the greater scheme of things, I believe that AR sits real low on my wish-list of priorities for the DEC. I think we need to be a bit more concerned about getting basic wildlife management correct before we ask the DEC to go charging off chasing every new fad management scheme. And now as you just pointed out, our priorities should include a new threat which impacts the very existance and function of the DEC. And we're sitting here worrying about AR. I believe that as long as we are sidelined with trivial issues like AR, we are not organized for the real issues of game management. I'm not too sure just where we expect the resources to come from for research and implementation of new management methods, but if they ever do come up with some scraps of resources, AR is probably not the thing I would like to see them squander it on.