Antler Restrictions - What are your thoughts?

[Doc]

Obviously you got out of the locker, so there is no issue to talk about. I'm not imposing anything on you and your hunting area you ignorant fool.  If you paid attention to 1/2 of what was posted I was speaking for my area and area's where AR / Management would benefit.  That's is great that you no longer shoot 1.5's, its a shame you did not shoot them from the beginning and give them a chance to grow, but I do not fault you for that choice. I'm speaking for my area, where a majority agree with AR, where the majority would like to have the opportunity to harvest an older buck, where those do not exist because of hunting pressure or unfavorable conditions.  Where do you hunt? Oh..thats right not in my area where I am speaking of.  Save your BS for those who want to eat it, which is not in Sullivan County thats for sure.

Whoa there buddy ..... calm down. There's only one thing you are convincing others of, and it doesn't have anything to do with AR.....lol.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

You really are a tool, thehunter. I have never questioned one of your observations or any one elses there. I have questioned you use of the term majority....majority of who you know...k...majority of who your hunting buddies know....k...but I still don't the majority of all hunters. And the title of the thread does not say AR in sullivan county. What are your thoughts, so my resistance to their imposition isn't too big a stretch on here. But I am sure that is way above you very empty and emotional head

[First-light]

What a hot topic. As this season comes to an end it seems that the weather and lack of hunters played a big role in deer take. If you read the posts on this forum lack of hunters (nobody pushing the deer around) was a problem. Now this may be specific to where I hunt but my neighbor has a 350 acre chunk of property that is hunted by relatives. 11 of them come up from down south. I wonder what and how they would react to AR's. Would it keep them from coming up meaning we

(I) have less guys in the woods pushing deer. They don't practice AR, they want their venison to take home. Again this may be a small problem ( I don't even know how many OOS hunters come to N.Y.) but it's a thought. I like the right to choose what I want to shoot but I am always open to debate and change.

      You know, WNYBUCKHUNTER said it the other day, when hunters were complaining about lack of deer, "get out of your stands and start moving around and you'll see them." I guess NYS hunters may have to change it up a bit in the future to increase their positive experiences in the woods.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Burt, I agree. When the huntong gets tough you have to change it up. I think the popularity of stand hunting hs reduced hunter movement and the effects deer movement. Now imagine a statewide AR and see how much hunter movement happens then. Hunters will really be holding tight. The odds of accurately identifying points on a fleeing deer is a bigger chance than I would take.

[nyantler]

I'm not sure exactly where you fellas hunt but I haven't seen any decline in hunters in Central NY.... at least the places where I hunt.. and for the first time in 30 years I actually saw hunters in the adirondack woods that I hunt... I think the lack of seeing deer has a lot to do with guys sitting all day in treestands... especially in the bad weather conditions we've had this year.. until bowhunting became big... treestands were seldom used.. I grew up going after whitetails not sitting around waiting for them.. I know treestands have a place in hunting .. I feel that too many hunter use them like they use their couch at home. A good friend of mine and a very well known hunter once said that hunting out of a treestand is not hunting.. its waiting. I tend to agree!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I'm not sure exactly where you fellas hunt but I haven't seen any decline in hunters in Central NY.... at least the places where I hunt.. and for the first time in 30 years I actually saw hunters in the adirondack woods that I hunt... I think the lack of seeing deer has a lot to do with guys sitting all day in treestands... especially in the bad weather conditions we've had this year.. until bowhunting became big... treestands were seldom used.. I grew up going after whitetails not sitting around waiting for them.. I know treestands have a place in hunting .. I feel that too many hunter use them like they use their couch at home. A good friend of mine and a very well known hunter once said that hunting out of a treestand is not hunting.. its waiting. I tend to agree!

I think that sales are down but I have been wondering how many of the ones we lost we the folks that usually only went out on opening day or weerkend. I have two very good friends that I wouldn't call hunters but they did go out on opening day and the first weekend. when the license price went up they didn't go out any more. I don't think the increase in cost has keep many that have a passion for the sport out of it. But like my two buddies who didn't know their butt from their elbow in the deer woods....they did move the deer around...lol.

Some of the woods I hunt a large parcels. It is uncommon to see other hunters in some of these areas. a couple guages I use for participation is frequency of shots and hunter traffic o the roads. I can remember lines of taillights heading out of town on opening morning. I don't see that any more.

[Doewhacker]

From the AR areas... Thehunters majority he loves to boast, 77% represents 158 guys and 60%=169

From a state wide survey last year....

"Having the greatest freedom to choose which antlered buck I take=58%"

"Set mandatory AR to reduce harvest of yearling bucks during all deer seasons 48%"

I must say guys like thehunter certainly have a negative affect on AR veiws, I like him, he helps the non-AR side by posting and being himself here. Good Job.

[steve863]

What I'm waiting for is some of the AR proponents here to post photos of the trophy bucks they shot in their AR units this season.  They keep telling us about the many big bucks that are now roaming these units, don't they??  Lets see some of them.  Maybe THAT will turn some of us into believers.  Their other BS sure hasn't, that's for darned sure!  LOL

[Fairgame]

I have shot them and have posted pictures.  Trophies?  All I can say is that they were older and bigger than any other buck I had taken before ARs.  Where are your pictures of ANY deer Steve863?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Here are my two largest. one ADK buck and the 8 is a WNY. I have more 8's in the 100-125 range but I can't spend any more marriage brownine points until I get one bigger than is already mounted...lol. I hate to say it but have missed several larger than these two

[steve863]

I posted a picture of the one deer I took this year back in early November as a postscript to a thread I had started.  It is up to you to find it.  ANY deer is a good deer to me, so it surely isn't up to me to back up any claims about how great AR's are and why everyone else should be behind them.  You guys keep claiming that big bucks are now roaming your units.  Some of us others would like to see some proof behind your claims.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

They are out there in other units too...without the assistance of AR's. WNY has been producing slobs for years. ADK bucks from teh big woods...while not always frequent....are massive and real trophies

[Fairgame]

Never douted any of that, there is lots of proof of the big bucks in central, western and northern NY. How many times have we heard of all the big bucks shot in the AR zones before AR.  Almost never.  The big bucks I'm talking about are just 100 inch bucks, big for these zones.  We are starting to see them though after ARs were in place.  So in my eyes its working.  There are alot more small and rack size bucks around when before spikes and four pointers were the only racks you would see and they were shot cause thats all you could expect to see.

[Doc]

I'm not sure exactly where you fellas hunt but I haven't seen any decline in hunters in Central NY.... at least the places where I hunt.. and for the first time in 30 years I actually saw hunters in the adirondack woods that I hunt... I think the lack of seeing deer has a lot to do with guys sitting all day in treestands... especially in the bad weather conditions we've had this year.. until bowhunting became big... treestands were seldom used.. I grew up going after whitetails not sitting around waiting for them.. I know treestands have a place in hunting .. I feel that too many hunter use them like they use their couch at home. A good friend of mine and a very well known hunter once said that hunting out of a treestand is not hunting.. its waiting. I tend to agree!

I think a lot has changed over the years in terms of warm clothing that allows people to sit like a lump for hours in the cold. They have also been conditioned by TV and magazines to believe that it takes a treestand to consistantly kill a deer. To me that isn't a great formula to having a lot of deer movement. Even when I'm stillhunting, I like to see deer on their feet. And sitting hunters will not make that happen.

However, I am not one to downplay the sitting style of hunting. I firmly believe it is the wise hunter that knows how and when to use all the tactics. You want to walk.....walk. You want to sit ..... sit. Whatever works for you, that's what you should do. And I don't consider either technique to be the only real true hunting. They are both valid deer hunting techniques. One stresses patience and will-power, the other stresses stealth. Given the right circumstances either one will produce deer.

And to stray even farther off topic ..... lol, I will say that back in the late 50's when I first started, it didn't take guys very long in the morning before they started walking (they had to ... lol), and we all made a much smaller herd seem like there were deer everywhere by keeping them moving all day long. That's why a lot of us can remember the very active and exciting deer hunting of years ago. We didn't have more deer, we just saw more deer.  

Doc

[nyantler]

Definitely the better clothing and hunting gear has made it easier to sit.. and sitting for a spell is never bad.. I guess I'm talking about the guy who plunks his ass all day, everyday, in the same stand and then complains he isn't seeing much. Which I believe is a good portion of the hunters I have encountered over the years. I'm ok with guys who like the treestand thing if thats what they like... I just personally feel its the least productive way to hunt unless you have a physical disability.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Definitely the better clothing and hunting gear has made it easier to sit.. and sitting for a spell is never bad.. I guess I'm talking about the guy who plunks his ass all day, everyday, in the same stand and then complains he isn't seeing much. Which I believe is a good portion of the hunters I have encountered over the years. I'm ok with guys who like the treestand thing if thats what they like... I just personally feel its the least productive way to hunt unless you have a physical disability.

I think i has alot to do with the area you hunt as well. Up North you can really have a go get them approach. If your honeyhole is a 25 acre brush lot next to an apple orchard surrounded by AG fields or you are in a rural residential area.....that same approach will be limited.

[Doc]

Definitely the better clothing and hunting gear has made it easier to sit.. and sitting for a spell is never bad.. I guess I'm talking about the guy who plunks his ass all day, everyday, in the same stand and then complains he isn't seeing much. Which I believe is a good portion of the hunters I have encountered over the years. I'm ok with guys who like the treestand thing if thats what they like... I just personally feel its the least productive way to hunt unless you have a physical disability.

What's that saying? ..... the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting different results (or something like that). I agree. anyone who thinks there is only one way to hunt, doesn't really understand hunting. After the initial shock to the deer herd when they have gone into the invisible mode, I get this cartoonish type thought of a hunter dozing in his tree stand and 100 yards over in the bushes just out of sight is a deer dozing also throughout the entire day. Neither one of them knowing the other is there. Not really too productive for the hunter.

Doc

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Definitely the better clothing and hunting gear has made it easier to sit.. and sitting for a spell is never bad.. I guess I'm talking about the guy who plunks his ass all day, everyday, in the same stand and then complains he isn't seeing much. Which I believe is a good portion of the hunters I have encountered over the years. I'm ok with guys who like the treestand thing if thats what they like... I just personally feel its the least productive way to hunt unless you have a physical disability.

What's that saying? ..... the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting different results (or something like that). I agree. anyone who thinks there is only one way to hunt, doesn't really understand hunting. After the initial shock to the deer herd when they have gone into the invisible mode, I get this cartoonish type thought of a hunter dozing in his tree stand and 100 yards over in the bushes just out of sight is a deer dozing also throughout the entire day. Neither one of them knowing the other is there. Not really too productive for the hunter.

Doc

Come on Doc...you are sooooo wrong. Naps are ALWAYS productive

[Doc]

Come on Doc...you are sooooo wrong. Naps are ALWAYS productive

;D  That's hard to argue with.

[nyantler]

definitely have a point there Culver..who doesn't like a good nap in the woods? And true about smaller parcels... it wouldn't take long to walk 25 acres... probably better off sitting there.

[Pat Rockets]

I am for restrictions but if i need to eye up and judge my deer i would love to see a feeder allowance. It could promote deer health and antler growth...better judgement on deer size even on does..also we all know the guy down the road who shoots everything that moves..if there was restrictions would he obey or keep shootin ..i say throw that guy a bone to keep him honest and give him a week or 2 durring an anything goes week..as far as the feeders go however.. whats the diff from these attractants i see for sale everywhere..even if i had to buy a special nys regulated feed with nutrients and tick repellents..haha..just sayin it would change things for sure

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I am for restrictions but if i need to eye up and judge my deer i would love to see a feeder allowance. It could promote deer health and antler growth...better judgement on deer size even on does..also we all know the guy down the road who shoots everything that moves..if there was restrictions would he obey or keep shootin ..i say throw that guy a bone to keep him honest and give him a week or 2 durring an anything goes week..as far as the feeders go however.. whats the diff from these attractants i see for sale everywhere..even if i had to buy a special nys regulated feed with nutrients and tick repellents..haha..just sayin it would change things for sure

I don't think you will ever see that here with the scare on CWD and such.

[Pat Rockets]

Thats exactly what im talkin about cchc..theres gotta be suplimental feeds that can help keep crones wasting  disease in check..along with other deer illnesses...i got caught shootin a yr and half 8 this yr cause he was on a b line and partial excitement of videoing..gueess ive been watchin too much hunting tv but wish i could get a little more time at aging the deer b4 i get tunnel vision..hes tasty tho

[nyantler]

What? Feeders?  Now I've heard everything... maybe we could just change the name from hunting to shooting...Sitting around a feeder has absolutely nothing to do with hunting! If you want to feed the deer then feed the deer..if you want to hunt get you butt out and hunt.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Thats exactly what im talkin about cchc..theres gotta be suplimental feeds that can help keep crones wasting  disease in check..along with other deer illnesses...i got caught shootin a yr and half 8 this yr cause he was on a b line and partial excitement of videoing..gueess ive been watchin too much hunting tv but wish i could get a little more time at aging the deer b4 i get tunnel vision..hes tasty tho

I don'[t think you will be seeing it.

On the deer...congrats. One thing you are gonna have to come to grips with if you want to hunt and take larger racks.....gonna have to pass on the ones that you are unsure about. It kind comes with the territory if that is how you prefer to hunt. Good luck