Dan,

NY has kind of turned 180 degrees on Doe harvest now, with alot of public input, and more sound managment in the last few years. 15 years ago, we used to have to apply for a chance at a doe permit, usually with a partner, and we would share one tag for the season. Starting this year, if you take advantage of the bow and blackpowder season, one person can take 4 or 5 deer, depending on if you were selected for a second doe permit or not, and there is no more "party permits" Of the 4 tags I got this year, 2 must be does, one is an either sex tag, and one is buck only. Were I selected for the second doe permit, 3 of my deer would have had to be does. Some of these tags must be used in either bow or BP season, but that is fine with me. Probably the next biggest change in the system allows a hunter to have up to 2 additional "doe permits" signed over to him by hunting partners. It used to be there was no sharing of permits, but we all did it anyway, so the law was changed.

The 6 hunters that we hunt with regularly have between us, have 26 tags this year to be used in the seasons ranging from Oct 15 - Dec 22. That is more than twice the tags we've had, even in recent years. Plus, we can have up to 12 additional doe tags signed over to us from freinds that do not fill their tags. There should be no reason for us not to harvest as many does as we feel we need to from now on.

Hats off to the DEC for the changes - As NYhick has pointed out - there are still alot of "oldworld" hunters out there that do not understand the need for Doe harvest, - The DEC has been making a real effort this year to try to change some of these longheld beliefs, and regulations.