RE: NY Bowhunters proposal
Ok, I'm back. Sorry I've been busy catching up on my Taxidermy work. Yox I'm with you in opinion. I too have spoke to other taxidermists, and a couple butchers. The intake #'s are down. I can also agree with Yox's on taxidermists not usually giving out personal info. Reason being taxidermy is a Art. Customers like to take work to ones who get in alot of work, thinking those Taxidermist must be good. Anyways those numbers are down from what I've heard.
Phade you keep telling us of numbers, and facts based on your findings, and talks with DEC personnel. Ok so the survey you showed us was a USA National survey, but I wonder where those numbers came from being DEC based licenses in NY. Use your head there guy! The old paper license system was out of date, and the automated system had alot of flaws starting out. I personally don't believe everything I'm told by government based information. I work in a County position, and I can tell you alot of red tape bull comes out of top heads. Were not suppose to know the TRUE BIG picture, thats government, its crooked all around us.
Also Phade don't know you personally or your experiences. But I can also say I recall when in college, and hunting opening days shotgun in the southern tier. I visited public land hunting spots, and you were lucky you find a darn place just to park. I also recall walking alot farther in than expected just to get by all the hunters, and in a little safer spot. Its not like that these days at all. My present land in Southern tier is bordered by state land. It doesn't see the pressure of old. Hunters numbers are down.
The deer population is also down, and no place will you find a EXACT number on the states deer pop. Yes of course dmp numbers were reduced in 2004, and certainly in 2005. Thats becasue the take was down, becasue the numbers are down. The DEC went too many yrs worrying about over population of deer, and issued double permits in alot of Dmu's for too many yrs. Especially 7M. I've been there. I can also recall hunting around Madison county before doe permits were issued in that area. You'd see 20-30 doe, before you even caught a glimpse of a buck. Then even after permits were issued, and numbers reduced. It was still nothing to see 20-25 deer any opening day. Its most definitly not like that now. My father in law still hunts those same woods. He's told me how few deer he see's there now, and the farm area hasn't changed any.
The hunters are down, the deer are down, and I don't think the DEC has a clue!!!!!!!!