The funny thing about this is you would never know about the bill if we did not have good media or sites like this. It sure as heck is not posted on the DEC site offering comment meetings. I am sure they took the appropriate measures, but they definately did not want too many people knowing about it.
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You Miss 100% of the Opportunities when you do not take the Chances!
I had one of my reporters talk to Pataki Wednesdayat the Angelica (Allegany County) Fair, and of course, ask about the status of the rifle bill. He said, "I don't think it has been sent down yet. The principal makes very good sense but I don't commit until I actualloy see the bill because sometimes there is a difference in what people say a bill says and what it really says. When it comes down, I'll look at it and make a decision." His secretary said last week that it would probably still be a couple of weeks before it "gets on his desk." Will let you know as soon as I know.
I heard Chatauqua is not included in this. I saw one article that listed it and another that didn't, but a freind who hunts in Chatauqua says it isn't part of the bill. Probably because of all the uptights at the Institute.
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Hoyt Carbon Element RKT Blackout
Axcel Armourtech HD Sights
Easton Arrows
United Bowhunters of Pa. Member
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Although the Wellsboro Gazette is a Pennsylvania newspaper, the location of Tioga County puts us in close proximity with our northern neighbors in New York.
A number of Tioga County residents hunt in New York, and the hunters have a ripple effect on our local economy.
There are others who work in hunting related or hunting affected jobs, such as Ackley's Sporting goods in Westfield, Dave Wilson's "The Taxidermist" in Harrison Valley, or Painter's Meat Processing in Elkland.
There are more local sporting goods stores, taxidermists, and deer processors that serve New York hunters than those I mentioned, but I listed a few because I wanted readers to be able to attach a few names or faces to the column this week. One big change that may have an economic impact is the change from a Monday to a Saturday for the opening day of New York deer season.
Out of area hunters will likely arrive Friday rather than over the weekend, meaning more meals, groceries, and lodging if they are using motels or hotel rooms. A slight increase in hunters is expected, due to more hunter friendly work schedules. New York estimates about 2% more hunters for the opening day, statewide.
The bigger change is a proposal that has been approved by New York's state assembly and state senate and that is for the use of rifles to hunt deer and bear in portions of the southern tier.
As of the writing of this column, the bill only needed Governor Pataki's signature to become law, and will be put in place for the 2005 fall season. Ten full counties and rural areas of an eleventh county are involved.
The New York counties include Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chenango, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Oswego, Otsego, Schoharie, Tioga, and rural areas in Broome County.
Of local significance is that Allegany County which is northwest of Pennsylvania's Tioga County, and that Steuben County is not on the list.
Local sporting good stores should see an increase in rifle and ammunition sales in calibers suitable for deer and bear. I suspect some hunters will sell their shotguns to finance the new rifles, but many will not.
This may lead to lower prices for slug slinging shotguns as they become more readily available, but locally higher prices for rifles as they become harder to find, at least in the first year or two.
If you are planning on buying a shotgun for deer hunting, wait! Prices may drop slightly. If you plan to buy a big game caliber rifle this year, I suggest you buy it soon.
New rifles will mean new scopes for many, especially if the hunters decide to hold on to the old shotgun, which they may still need in some of their choice hunting areas in counties not affected by the change. Add the ammunition, a sling or carrying strap, case for the rifle, targets for sighing in, and the economic boost may be significant. Only time will tell.
Some of the reasons given for the change include a decrease in hunter numbers as the population ages and recruitment of new hunters is not keeping pace with those men and women lost to hunting.
The decrease in hunters come at a time when most areas have been facing an increase in deer populations and New York has, in recent years, followed a similar pattern of increased deer management permits (commonly called doe tags) that Pennsylvania has used. However, it should be noted that the number of tags available in many units this year are scheduled to go down, not up, responding to higher harvest and lower number of sightings.
The theory is that rifles with a longer effective range will be able to take some deer that were out of range for shotguns. There is also some speculation among hunters that new the regulations are another piece in the attempt to reduce deer to assist in the control of Chromic Wasting Disease (CWD) recently discovered in New York.
Regardless, some larger, more elusive bucks may now be in range and fall to a rifle, which could mean a slight increase in taxidermy work as well, again, especially in the first year or two of the changes.
Meat processors will likely see less change in total numbers. My guess is that there will be a larger percentage of bucks in this years harvest, and overall kill may be crunched more into the first few days, especially with a weekend opening day.
Granted, my suspicions are largely conjecture and speculation. Time will tell. The non-hunting public often does not see the ripple impact that hunting has upon local economies, unless that part of the public happens to be a person in a business or service that is affected by such changes.
This is a rural area. We hunt! Hunters spend money! That money ripples through our local economy. That is almost a simple as A, B, C, & D!
Author's Note: Eleven New York counties will be affected by the proposed changes in regulations. That does not mean all or even parts of all those counties have an open bear season. Check all applicable regulations before hunting for bear.
Guess my .243 will see some action in Oswego county.....I hope!!!
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Trykon XL 60 lbs. 27 draw
Qad Ultra Rest Pro Series
Extreme Sight
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27 in. XX75 Camo Hunters 2215
Rage 2 Blade 100 Gr.
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