From what I have heard, this may change in the Southern Zone next season, depending on support from hunters.A couple concerns are actually on the table rightnow. The use of DMPs in seasons other than regular season (you can take two antlerless animals already with your two early/ late season tags) to be removed. Can use DMPs onlyduring regular season. The next is the legality to consign/ transfer your DMP to another hunter legally (although how does one enforce this?) With sentiments as they are amongst hunters and the DEC, hunters believing the DEC was trying to wipe out the deer during the early part of this decade through very liberalDMP issuances, is this somethingthat you and others would support?
As a general principle I would welcome changes that give hunters more options and oppose those that would restrict them.
I like the idea of allowingDMP's to be used in any of the seasons. I can't see where restricting their use to the regular season would add to any hunters enjoyment of the sport but it certainly could damage it for some if not many. What's the problem if a hunter would rather use his/her DMP in the archery season for example and not the regular firearms season? If the management goal is to remove some number of doe from the herd then it seems to me the weapons or seasons they are taken in is irrelevant.
I also like the option of transferring DMP's to another hunter. It gives a hunter that want's to take an extra couple of deer the chance to do it. Again, the goal is to trim the doe population. Removing the transfer option does nothing to help in that regard.
Check stations? I absolutely hate the idea! How many hunters drag their deer from the woods into the back yard or to the barn or whatever. Now we would require them to load up their deer and travel to some location and possibly wait in line for somebody to check it out? There may be better ways to irritate hunters across this state but I can't think of one. Not only that, but how many state employees would we need to hire to manthese stations? I'll say it again, I absolutely hate the idea!