Just curious if anyone else is excited about our bow season starting 2 weeks early? I normally spend the 1st turkey hunting and seeing a ton of deer but cant do nothing about it. Some hunters around here think its going to hurt deer numbers but we got so many I dont see how it could. I for am excited and looking foreword to getting in the woods early. How bout my TG Brothers?
What did they do with the other issues--youth weekend mid-october and crossbow in archery season? Do you know?
Yeah, I'm pretty excited. I'm a deer hunter first, then everything else second. NYS DEC doesnt give much, but when they do, guys should be thankfull!
That's outa this world awesome! Can't wait.
It looks like no Xbow during the early bow season and bow only areas. I didnt see anything regarding the special youth firearm season
Thanks for the heads up guys, time to make vacation plans !!!!!
We start first Sat in September. Our deer numbers are ok. Congrats enjoy the extra time. Did they leave the gun season the same or move it up as well?
I guess I don't know what all the excitement is about.....it's opened on the 27th of September in the Northern zone in New York since Hector was a pup! And bear opens on the 15th of September. Take a ride and hunt the big woods!! :saywhat:
its ok but I neversee deer that early in the season on the land I hunt. with they added 2 weeks on the other end.
youth season isnt going to happen from what I heard. No firearms during archery season.
The big woods are good for hiking, but I'll stick to the southern zone for my hunting....we like to eat venison ;)
I'm all for an Oct 1st opener, and I guess it'll be ok to have a youth hunt in early Oct. if it means we get out earlier.
I usually like to have the first two weeks of Oct. to only chase turks, but have always been frustrated when deer walk past my blind and I can't shoot them...like the giant 8pt. that walked past at 12yds last fall!
Cade will be with me hunting this fall for the first time. I think we'll approach it like nothing has changed and still target turks for the first week or so...and if a deer walks by, he'll get a chance to shoot it...how cool!
Anyway....I'm sure looking forward to having Cade out with me in the blind and treestand with a bow of his own!!!
If all you have is big woods, then that's where you hunt! I hunt where I have access, and trust me....I like to eat venison as much as anybody!
I hunt Westchester and would much rather have the first two weeks in Jan.
A little to warm and green early October down this way.
I'm happy about the Oct 1 opener but I guess everything else(for bowhunters) was shot down. I'll be planning a trip up to hopefully try and see some bears. Joe
I like it hunting the early season except the ticks are real bad on long island.
I was told this was to reduce deer numbers and apparently wouldnt benefit hunters? Could anybody shed some light on this? Couple of my buddies are very upset and are totally against it, like I told them its a great time to take does!
Is that a definite???If so yahoo..........................
As far as reducing deer numbers, it's not like we're getting extra tags, just more time to fill those tags. It would take a lot more than an extra 14 days to hurt the herd. Not sure why anyone would be upset with extra days unless they are not bow hunters. Years ago when Westchester switched from Nov 1 to coincide with the rest of the state a lot of guys were upset because the deer would become educated before the rut. Nov 1 openers in Westchester used to be awesome, but unlimited anterless tags put a hurting on that not an earlier date. Joe
I agree with Sleepy Hollow. I to hunt Westchester and prefer colder temps and maybe even a little snow to lots of leaves still up and ticks! But hey, 3 months of bow only deer hunting, I'll take it with pleasure.
Wow,,, how anyone could who bow hunts could be against it is beyond my vision. Its like having a wife too pretty, killing a buck too big or what have you.
I live to hunt and more time to hunt is a good thing, especially with longer daylight hours I can get out for longer sits after work.
If your against it, stay home and surf the web, Ill be in the woods with less pressure. To everyone who is appreciative of it , congrats only two and a half months to go.
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Wow,,, how anyone could who bow hunts could be against it is beyond my vision. Its like having a wife too pretty, killing a buck too big or what have you.
I live to hunt and more time to hunt is a good thing, especially with longer daylight hours I can get out for longer sits after work.
If your against it, stay home and surf the web, Ill be in the woods with less pressure. To everyone who is appreciative of it , congrats only two and a half months to go.
My thoughts are the same. Im very excited like I said I see alot of deer while turkey hunting. I eat deer so if I get 2 more weeks to make meat why not? Good luck to you Izzy im sure will be seeing your kill on Oct 1!
Did I miss something....who said they were against the Oct. 1 opener ????? :dunno: :dunno:
A few of my buddies they said it was something on the DEC site about reducing deer numbers. To sum it up they believe by having these 2 weeks early is going to drop the deer population. I was wondering if anyone had read this? I have dial up so im limited to what I can do.
It will probably be warm but the morning will be good long as the weather cooperates. Its getting close guys im gonna do some scouting and check some stands and blinds to see if they need tending too. Im ready!
sounds good to me, I'm in the northern zone so it has always been Oct 1, but I love those first two weeks of the season, y'all will enjoy them a lot as well!
I have a large stand of ancient white oaks that rain acorns the first two weeks of October by mid October there isn't a nut left on the ground. :jumper: Right now bills A10583 and A/S7705-A are sitting on the the govenor's desk waiting for his signature. If he signs them the xgun stays where it is and no firearm deer hunts will take place in archery season.They got overwelming support in the Senate and Assembly but please contact the govenor's office and support them !
Take your time and read all of the posts Ron W, you might catch where Nick said that a couple of his friends were upset by it. :rolleyes:
I thought he was talking about members posting. I didn't know that there was going to be a test! Seems that my opinion and thoughts are subject to a different standard. Not to worry....it won't happen again!
No worries Ron :)
My Deer numbers are way down from a few years ago. Not possitive why but With the number of Coyote around the past few years I'd say that would be my first guess. More and more Black Bears and too many Doe permits and it's any wounder there are any Deer at all. Plenty of Deer around towns and cities or were they can't be hunted but some areas of the State that I hunt or have knowledge of are becoming or are scant of woods goats. The Deer numbers are down in these areas but the D.E.C. just keeps pumping out the permits????
I'm all for an extended Bow season but let us remember to be good stewards of the wildlife and let our State and DEC know we want OUR resources managed resposibly
Not trying to bitch to much, all and all things are managed pretty well but you can't hunt Deer that aren't there. And remember a dead Doe is a bunch of dead Deer.
does this apply to 3c/3j? i heard it was only long island
I for one, can't wait. I'll try not to destroy the herd! :archer2:
Out of all of this legislation the state has also decided to expand antler restrictions into WMU's 3a,4g,4o,4p,4s and 4w. Bucks will have to have at least 3 points on one side to be legal.
I'm very grateful for a longer season, with no x-bows and no youth gun weekend in the middle. My personal preference would be for a longer late season, because it's just nicer in the woods when it's cold and because there's too much to do in October! Turkeys, pheasants........
Knawbone my camp is Bath and I agree our numbers are way down. I limit myself to one a year and don't shoot does.
Thats the way to do it Bob. Sometimes you have to hunt according to what your property can tolerate to have hope for the future.
One property that I hunt had some "if its brown its down" hunters really put a beating on the doe herd. They got the boot and the rest of us left them alone for a couple of seasons and they have rebounded.
Last year I saw groups of 4 to 6 doe which would have been uncommon there a few years ago. They came back pretty fast and with killing a lot of coyotes the last few winters Im anticipating some hunting like we had in the early to mid nineties.
Izzy sounds like your on the right track. The bad part is my cousins across the road are brown and downers. For the last few years they are taking right around 20 mostly does per season, last year they only took ten and they STILL don't get it.
I am grateful for more time to chase deer.
Bob, I feel your pain, our farm in WI is in a deer reduction Zone. You get as many tags as you wish. Needless to say people came in from miles around to kill deer, and as many as they could.
There was a few years with very few sightings but once the deer disappear, so do the hunters. They usually stay in camp an drink or move on. then the deer herd will recover.
Eric, Long Island has had an Oct 1 opener for quite a few years now (10?). You guys are right, WE THE HUNTERS NEED TO BE THE STEWARDS!!! A few year back I attended a DEC meeting about deer and the guy was straight forward and said, "we screwed up we had no idea the herd was down so bad in certain areas." Another meeting a young fella from DEC tried to tell us that they believed our local herd was at a 2-1 ratio does to bucks :eek: probably closer to 6-1. Not bad guys just not getting the right info. My point is we are on the front lines and in the woods and know our deer herds better than most biologists, so care for it accordingly. Joe
I agree with you 100% Joe.
I just wish convincing the masses and the indifferent were easier. I get sick of hearing guys shoot deer and not want them. I understand if a neighbor or someone wanted one, but a lot of guys kill because there are extra tags, not because they or someone they know wants the meat.
OK, Back on topic.
woo hoo Oct 1st, Come On!!!!
I can't wait! I love early season. i killed one of my biggest bucks on Sept 16th in CT. I can't wait to get on them a little earlier in NY
I've got my eyes on a special buck and an ambush spot ready to rock and roll! Not letting my guard down this October 1st!
... mike ...
I'm with Ron on this one, up north we will hit the woods on sept 27th if we have a tag left from last year. In my woods we have way more does than bucks. I have a large pasture in front of my house and a neighbor who feeds the deer. If I see 1 buck for every 10 does I'm doing pretty good. Round here the bucks wear themselves out chasing does and don't pull through the winter. We need to pull the population into better balance around here. The other problem with the early season is too many bucks taken before the rut again leading to the problem of the survivors wearing themselves out and not making it through the winters. I like the early hunts and with the numbers and success rates of archers, I don't think we make too big a difference on the herd. its the early gun seasons that really put a bite into the herd numbers.
Glad you southerners have the early season now, though. Like Izzy said, you can get a longer sit after work.
As Bowhunters, we will ALWAYS be the minority within the hunting brethren. The October 1st opener is final. The Columbus Day Weekend Youth Firearms Hunt and keeping the crossbow in the Regular (Firearms) Season are still up in the air. They are dependant upon the Governor signing the Bills into Law. Once they are signed, the crossbow will remain in the Regular (Firearms) Season and there will be no special hunt within the Archery Season, unless it is an archery hunt. Keeping the archery season for hand held, hand drawn bows. No superior implements. NYB has taken a lot of flack over these issues and for being instrumental in this legislation.
I have to ask will the season continue to open on the 1st from now on or is it just experimental for a few years?
From NYS Bowhunters Org.
The DEC has published that the following are done deals and will be implemented this year:
1. Open the south zone bow season on October 1st.
2. Open the north zone regular season on the 2nd Saturday after Columbus Day, which will expand the early bow season by one week only 30% of the time and remaining the same 7 out of 10 years.
3. Bow hunters can hunt during the late north zone muzzleloading season.
4. Bow and muzzleloader hunters can now use DMP's in the north zone.
5. Antler restrictions will be expanded in regions 3 & 4.
6. DEC will initiate their Deer Mgt. Focus program in the Ithaca area where hunters, using any legal implement (including crossbows), can take 2 antlerless deer per day from the 2nd Saturday in January through January 31st. If successful they will expand this program to other areas of the state.
*** The Columbus Day weekend youth firearms hunt is in the hands of the Governor. If he signs the bill it is dead, if he does not the DEC may very well implement this hunt this season. So get on the stick and let the Governor know that you support bill # A10583-A/S7705-A!!!!
More updates from NYSBowhunter Org.
Senate bill #S7705-A, introduced by Carl Marcellino and Assembly bill #A10583-A, introduced by Robert Sweeney, were passed by both houses and will be sent to Governor Cuomo for his signature in the very near future. Once signed by the Governor this legislation will do the following;
1. "the only junior hunter days for big game hunting that the DEC may authorize during archery seasons are junior archery days", thus no firearms, bows only,
2. continues to allow for the use of crossbows only during the regular firearms seasons and during the late muzzleloader season in the southern zone,
3. continues to allow the physically challenged bow hunter to use adaptive equipment without the need to apply for a cumbersome permit,
4. under current law, crossbow hunters are exempt from prosecution for illegal activities and this bill rectifies this situation with language that places crossbow hunters on the same playing field as other hunters, thus crossbow hunters are now subject to prosecution for their illegal activities.
Please voice your support for bill #S7705-A and #A10583-A by contacting Governor Cuomo at the following;
1. e-mail: Governor.Cuomo@nygovoffice.gov or thru web site at www.governor.ny.us (http://www.governor.ny.us)
2. phone: (518) 474-8390
3. write: The Honorable Governor Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
The DEC has just announced today (July 11th) plans to implement the following big game regulation changes for the 2012 hunting season;
1. The southern zone archery season will open annually on October 1st, which on average will add 13 days and one weekend of hunting opportunity,
2. The northern zone regular season will open on the 2nd Saturday after Columbus Day, which will expand the early archery season by one week in only 3 out of 10 years, while remaining the same 70% of the time,
3. Bowhunters and muzzleloaders can now use their antlerless deer management permits in the northern zone within wildlife management units (WMUs) designated by the DEC,
4. Bowhunters can now hunt during the late northern zone muzzleloading season,
5. The mandatory antler restriction program has been expanded in regions 3 and 4 to now include WMUs 3A,3C,3H, 3J,3K, 4G,4O,4P,4R, 4S and 4W. Hunters less than 17 years of age are exempt and bucks must have at least 3 points on at least one antler.
6. Begin a Deer Management Focus Area program.
This program is designed to allow for intensive management of over abundant deer populations in defined areas of the state. The DEC will initiate this program in a defined area in the Ithaca area of Tompkins County. This area will be open for the taking of antlerless deer only from the 2nd Saturday in January through January 31st by any legal implement, including archery gear. Since many bucks have dropped their antlers by January, hunters will inevitably harvest both female and male deer. A hunter can obtain two free deer management focus permits as well as the use of any tag not filled during the previous hunting seasons, including regular season, archery and muzzleloading tags, deer management permits and deer management assistance tags.
7. Conduct a youth big game firearms hunt over the 3 day Columbus Day weekend in the middle of the archery seasons. This is all the more reason to contact Governor Cuomo and ask him to sign
bill # A10583-A and #S7705-A, which will stop the DEC from placing a firearms hunt in the middle of the archery seasons! The DEC has received a substantial number of comments in opposition to this youth hunt for the following reasons:
(1) a youth hunt is unnecessary,
2) young hunters with firearms present an increased safety risk for bow hunters or small game hunters afield in camouflage,
(3) the youth hunt will affect bow hunting by altering deer behavior patterns,
(4) unscrupulous adults will illegally take deer during the youth season.
Let the Governor know that if the DEC wants to pursue a youth firearms hunt, it should be placed within the Regular firearms seasons, where it belongs, and not in the archery seasons.
LIBowhunter;
Thanks for the great information. Will be sending the gov a message of support for that bill.
veryone, shoot straight and stay safe.
Besides the Oct. 1st opener,we also got AR's in 7 WMU's.Anyone here live in those areas?
took on a walk on the mountain in the Noethern zone and it looks very bad for mast crops this year, i will be out Sept 27 for early season then much to my dismay i believe to have any shot at all i will take advatage of the early southern zone and hunt there.
well i sure cant wait to get out with the bow its hard to not just lose sleep over it already
Jeff, My parents live in Andes in Delaware Co. Been bowhunting there for over 30 years. The AR's should really work well. I've seen the bucks really starting to come back over the last 10 or 15 yrs. The AR's should really magnify it.
WE really need to show support for these Bills to be signed by the Governor. Let his office know, and also Assemblyman Sweeney and Senator Marcellino as well. They're taking a lot of heat over this.
Sean,it might take a couple years but you WILL see a difference.It's made a difference here in the AR pilot area...butchers and taxidermists agree.
Im in the Ithaca Area I wonder if the 2 does a day applies just for city limits? I cant wait im goin nuts!
Jeff,
I have a camp in Delaware County which is now in the AR area. Last year I saw 7 different buck, all spikes or fork-horns. Should be interesting to say the least...
Mike
Mike,it will get better.Just have to give it some time.