question for all you bowhunters
 

Here's a question that I have not gotten much response on the NE board. Backgraound: NY is proposing a 1 week ML doe only season in the middle of bow season. As you can probably guess, vehmently opposed by bowhunters. I and others have suggested a compromise of having the week ML at the beginning of October with bow following (Bow opens the 15th now).

My question: Do you think that an early 1 week ML seaon starting Oct 1st would have a signifigant effect on the bow season?? Our rut starts up in early November and runs thru mid-late Nov.

Way I see it, that gives the deer a month to resume normal patterns and a god 2-3 weeks before the pre-rut. So my opinion is that it would have little effect.

What do you think?

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

NO! If they want a early ML put it at the end of bow season before shotgun season. I do not want a bunch of idiots tramping through the woods spooking the deer out of normal patterns in prime time bow hunting. I spend too much time patterning the deer during winter and spring to have them spooked from those patterns. Why do gun hunters feel they have to ruin bow season????????? If it is at the end of bow season you can still shoot 150yrds so why make it difficult for those of us that shoot at the outside 40-45yrds(my self imposed limit is 40). A big[:@] from me!

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

I agree wait with the ML Doe Only season. In North Dakota, my home state, the idiots that be started a "youth" deer gun season in the middle of bow season late September. It ends up being a Slob Hunter, My kid got this great tag so i'm going to get a trophy, deer tag. I can't figure out why the first season interupted is always the bow season.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Thanks for the input, but the question was do you think it will REALLY effect the deer patterns (and I guess why you feel the way you do). Remember that there will be nearly a month before primetime bowhunting. Is it better early than in the middle of the season (yes?). Hopefully there will be a late ML also (or at least).

Medic,

just so you know the week before shotgun, here, IS the prime rut. Don't think we (bowhunters) want it there.

There is also the general feeling that there will not be a huge influx of "new" hunters just because of a 1 week doe season. With anything you will have "slob" hunters no matter what season.

Thnaks again and I hope to get more input on this topic.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Standingpipe,

I am from ND. You are dead on when you say that. It sucks. Last year I was out bowhunting and my decoy almost got shot. I was in a ground blind in a bean field. And if that isn't bad enough it was from the road, just hopped out of the truck and blasted. I was so busy taking cover, praying not to get shot I didnt even get a license plate # or anything. I was very mad. It just sucks that they have to have the "youth" season right in the middle of bow season.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

WHat about the guys that are out there with rifles and shotguns small game hunting??? That season is during bow season, and i dont hear any complaining about them just ML. WHY??? I dont see how ML would effect bow season if it is at the begining or the middle. SO you might have to work a little harder to get your deer....it will just make you a better hunter.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

I think it depends where you hunt. If you've got some private land and it dosn't get pounded by people driving deer and leaving scent every where it shouldn't hurt and may actually help those on private land. If you hunt public land and it gets a good amount of pressure with people walking all through it, leaving scent and pushing deer around it will cause the deer to change patterns and become nocturnal if the pressure is heavy enough.

I think the same is the case with all hunting in general. If you use techniques that limit pressure on the deer you will have better more natural movement then if the deer are being pushed around and shot at a lot. I believe that the advantages of hunting from a tree stand go beyond the initial benefits of being up high with a better view point and and having you scent blowing above the deer (or better yet, downwind). The amount on impact you have on the land is minimal and the deer are less likely to sence you presence wether you're hunting with a bow, smoke pole or rifle.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Well your two options are lose/lose as you have stated them. Given the two choices, and only those two I would opt for the Oct 1 option. It will break up their summer feeding pattern, but that usually changes around here after the first week or two of bow anyways. It would be better if it was a week of ML a week off and then bow. In VA it's bow season from the first weekend in Oct and then ML for one to two weeks before rifle season (depending on your location) That's the best way to do it. You can bow hunt during that period or ML.

As for complaining about small game hunters: Here there are not a tenth as many small game hunters as there are deer hunters. I very rarely see any small game hunters, although I did have one blasting squirrels on MY property during bow season once. He had wandered (ie trespassed) from a neighbors property where he had permission to hunt. So small game hunters won't have the impact that deer hunters do.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Wow, So everyone that hunts with a mz is an idiot????

Careful you might wake the sleeping giant (gunhunters) they might start lobbying against bowhunters getting the first crack at all the mature bucks. They might decide we shouldn't get a chance at bucks in the rut before they do, and spend millions of dollars against us. Figure it out there are something like 90% more gun hunters then bow hunters. If your hunting priviate land you don't have to worry. If your hunting public land you already have many people in the woods during "your " bow season.

During the rut you can throw all your patterns away, any way hunt the does.

I don't think there would be a large impact to deer patterns at first, that is until alot more people buy the mz's to take advantage of the extra time.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

I think we need to look at other states with succesful programs.

Many states start Oct 1 or earlier and it doesn't change the deer summer feeding patterns. Other states like NJ hunt until Jan. 31.

Most of the hunting stratagies you read can't be used in NYS because our season is short compared to other states.

The only thing I see that might change is deer going nocturnal, which I don't think will happen.

Explain to me how having a mz on the next property or in a tree stand 300 yards from you will stop a deer from walking with in 40 yards of you.

My son shot a doe this year second week of the season(gun) in a heavily hunted area. It gets alot of pressure this deer still walked with 20 yards of us,right before dark right where we have a bow stand.

Deer don't have the option of staying at the Hilton and getting room service because there are a few people in the woods.

I like the idea of an Oct 1 opener because I can't hunt white oaks when their falling,the season isn't open yet. I see piles of sign under these trees and know it's not worth hanging a stand near by,because all of them well be gone by the 15th. I'd love to be able to find these hot spots and hunt it that day,instead of walking away saying "I wish"?

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Yes, if you have hordes of end stuffers hitting the woods it will have a tremendous impact and will put the majority of mature bucks on a strict nocturnal pattern.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

We have an early muzzleloader season smack dab in our archery season and I despise it.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Ry, What have you seen that make you depise it?

Your's is a limited one, not everyone can take advantage of it right?

Do you hunt public land or priviate?

How many extra people (per 250) acres do you think are on the land?

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

The last two seasons I have hunted quite a few times with my bow during gun season, I have had no trouble seeing deer and getting them within my bow range of 30 yards.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Iowa has an early muzzle loader season and a youth season right before bow season starts. It has little or no effect on deer patterns in my area. I have scouted many deer over the past few years and have never had a muzzle loader season change the pattern.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

It's not that I've seen anything, its the premise itself. There are a lot of leaves still on the trees at that time. Archery was always a nice peaceful, didn't have to worry about getting shot time of year. Now your hearing gun shots and having to wear flo orange. Yea I know all the stuff about still being able to kill deer and stuff, but for me dealing with all the extra hassle takes away from my overall enjoyment. I'll get my deer thru the season, what pressure it puts on the deer I'm able to adapt to, I just don't enjoy it

Its not that limited, anyone with a ML tag can hunt it. And in SRA areas which I hunt some, Xbows can be used which in my one spot I had an influx of 3 other guys into a few acre area that week. I hunt all private land and 250 acres is a lot of land where I hunt. Depending which spot I could have 1-5 extra people per 100 acres.

I too can get in bow range of deer in gun season, but I enjoy hunting so much more when the deer are moving naturally rather than being pushed.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Thanks for the honest answer.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

You know what made me laugh is when they changed the proposal to keep bowhunting open during that week for antlerless only. Saying safety won't be a concern??ML's will have to first identify their target to make sure it's a doe before taking a shot so it shouldn't be a problem. LMAO ok Einstein. My arse isnt' going to roaming through the woods in full camo during that week. I'm sitting in a ground blind 200 yards from a MLer and he's supposed to be able to pick me out that easily where they think there is NO reason to worry about safety?Sorry.
Not to mention the poaching potential. I know myself and most everyone here would abide by the rules of the game. But you mean to tell me that if a 170" buck is standing 15 yards away broadside on the last day of early ML/bow season (antlerless only) that someone won't be letting an arrow fly?

I hate the whole concept of everything about the proposal and I'm still trying to figure out what the actual purpose of it is. MLers can use their weapon of choice during shotgun and late ML season. That's about 5 weeks which is currently more than bowseason (i think). What's the purpose of the early ML other than to whack a bunch of does before the rut and pressure all the mature bucks and drive them nocturnal?

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

That was my biggest concern when the proposal first came out. Read it and got that look I my face when I think something is stupid. 170 buck? How about a 110 that many people have never shot before.Think you would see more then a few people drop their buck during this season. Let's face it , if your hunting privite property and you don't have to drag the deer to the road chances of getting caught are slim to none. I couldn't put a deer on my wall that I poached, but many would.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

What's the purpose, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Where I hunt there is surrounding state land which is hunted heavy by phesant hunters.The deer run to other parts of state land and hopefully hunter will push them off that and onto my land(which is posted). I think that the season should open on oct. 1 for ML but I heard the complaint was leaves on the tree's cause they wanna shoot up to 200 yards with modern ML.I got news for them on oct. 15 it is just about the same.I never miss a bow opener and everytime i get in the stand and all i see is leaves(and deer or course:D).I don't think they will ever put the season right before shotgun cause too many people will complain about not filling shotgun tags cause deer were spooked out.I hope it doesn't affect the bow season too much but time will tell.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

oops sorry bud I was talking about my land ;);)

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

So you guys that bow hunt, bucks go out for that week? THat does bite, it was like that here for the first year, maybe the 2nd. It was either not hunt that week or be prepared to make a bad decision if a nice buck came by. Thankfully they've done away with that. I'm all for following the rules, but an arbitrary law excluding bucks for a week of hunting is a tough one to swallow.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

Now I know why you didn't want me to come up and put a drive on this year.;)

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

I'm just glad I'm not in your shoes. Hear in Michigan the doe season is at the end of late bow and ml. Thats fine with me but not much fun gutting a doe with a fawn in her. Also ml season is Dec.13,bow Oct.1 , gun Nov.15.Hard to hunt deer that are spooked no matter what it's with.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

yes we can, but I pay for a regular season tag to use my shotgun (or rifle) - not my ML. I pay for a bow license to use my bow (42 days). And I buy a ML license to use my ML (7 days). regardless of where ML might be, there needs to be more equity in the seasons

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

I'd love it if they'd let me fill my muzzleloader tag with my bow. NY is still one of the few states that doesn't allow you to fill your muzzleloader tag with a bow. If they'd change it I'd have no problem with the muzzleloader season. They let you hunt during the regular season with a bow and let you use your bow to fill your firearms tag, but not your muzzleloader tag. I ask you, "How stupid is that"?

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

david,

we can fill our ML/Bow tags with either weapon. If I have a bow tag I can get a buck or doe. If I have a ML tag I can getI can get a doe or a buck if I filled the bow tags with a doe. The tags are interchangeable - I can use both in bowseason or both in ML if I choose. What would be nice, is to be able to use our ML and bow tags in the regular season. Now, if we take a deer with a ML or bow in regular season, we have to tag it with our regular tags.

RE: question for all you bowhunters
 

I am sorry for you!!! My state of MO did exactly what NY is proposing this year for the first time and I didn't care for it. However, it can work in your favor also. I think ours was in like the 2nd week of October this year right before the pre-rut. Now if you are hunting a big buck in your area there is not enough time in my opinon for them to settle down. It takes very little pressure of any kind and they know their being hunted and they are never to be seen again.(not always but most of the time) If you hunt land like I do sometimes where there are other that also hunt and will be gun hunting that season it will affect that area some. The good side of that is this. I am blessed to still have a family farm to go and hunt on. It has no hunting pressure other than me and my younger brother and is 475 acres. During that time I bowhunted our farm while others around us were chasing does around with their thunderstick and running those deer onto us. I took advantage of this and set up on a well used trail on our place leading into a cedar thicket and connected on a nice 10pt the first morning of that season. Make the most of it and hunt escape routes the deer might be using and thickets.GOOD LUCK