BuckAlley

Personally I don't buy the DEC's claim they want a 7 day ML season to help control the deer population better. Not when they reduced DMP's in most of the state in 2004, and I just read in todays Syracuse paper DMP's will be reduced again for 2005, after another low deer harvest for 2004. The exact numbers have not been made avail yet. But they are saying the harvest was lower then 2003. If the DMP's are lowered, I don't foresee many areas even being opened to this doe only 7 day ML. Probably mostly western NY. I think its more of a push from the ML organizations to extend ML opportunities seeing hunters pay the same fee's for archery as do ML, and get less time. I also feel the ML season will increase in time, and most likely become a either sex season in several DMU's. As it is in the Northern Zone.
Back to the early season bowhunting. I enjoy it alot. Its great to start archery, setting up on food sources, then changing setups to the patterns of deer. You get to hunt it all from early fall feeding to pre-rut to full rut. Some yrs I start 9/27, I can never get enough bow time in.
On the Oct 1st ML idea. I don't know there. It'd obviously have less effect on the population towards rut. But it may drive some Big Bucks into Noctornal life earlier then normal. I could live with a early ML season then archery. But I'd prefer it before the regular season or late season like many suggest.
I don't foresee the DEC changing it all for 2005 anyways. Not with meetings Sch. all this Feb yet. But who knows. I just hope it works out for the best for everyone.