I have emailed Paul Tarlowe at Fish/Game several times and even heard that my letter was read to the Council last year. YES, NJ is on the path to ruining deer hunting in this state for a long time. The reason is obvious and it is that there are so many complaints from the Insurance Industry/ Farmers/ Private landowners that the state caved in and did not ask for much input from hunters. The result is that there are far fewer deer in the huntable areas of the state and just as many on the private preserves/parks/etc. In addition, the quality for most hunters has deteriorated.

Look at successful states for both quality of deer and numbers and the bottom line is a short doe season coupled with a limited buck take. Illinois is the perfect example.

I'm really down on the future of deer hunting in NJ but this is where I live so I have no choice but to try and make it better. It pains me to see such a decline in the quality but we all need to write emails and join hunting groups. I belong to the United Bowhunters of NJ.

Let's all vow to write an email tomorrow and get a chanin reaction going. I dont think that a boycott would work in 2003 b/c we all live here so are forced to hunt in NJ but we need to be heard.

Bob

Looking at the world from 15 feet up.

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I hunt the southern co's of NJ and I have seen a drop off in deer seen in the field the past couple of seasons. But, my father and I still see plenty around. All of this is public land.

I believe QDM regs need to be maintained to let the bucks mature, but I also agree that after the last 2 years of unlimited doe harvest must be stopped.

I will write NJ F & G and basically support BHCop's season recommedntaion with the addition of a 3 pt a side restriction on antlered deer. Back to the 'good old days' with a twist of the present would be best for NJ's deer. Just my opinion.



Any day spent huntin, is better than any day spent workin,,

Duckmastor2

I do a lot of my hunting in Burlington county in Lebanon state forest. I was pretty much pushed that way do to losing my private land rights from the owner who wants no hunters do to liability reasons. So now I am on public land so expected it to be poor. But then I went out one evening and did a late evening hunt and was very happy. I saw more deer that day then any day on private land anywhere. Granted they were all flat tops but they were everywhere. I must of saw 12-15 deer in about 1 1/2 hours of hunting. I will be taking a doe or two this year and hopefully a nice buck if he shows up. BUt I have not seen any decline in the deer in my area. Lots of deer around me.

I too feel that we need some regs before it gets way out of hand here. Limit bucks to two a year and does and put in a 3 or 4 point per side restriction and we should be in better shape but who listens to us we are only the hunters who are out there and care more than anyone out there about our herd.


Brian

445 Supermag, Lebanon State forest is not in an earn-a-buck zone. It is in a zone with pretty stringent regs and as a result will not be impacted to the same degree as most of Hunterdon/Warren/Morris/Somerset/Mercer/Middlesex and Monmouth counties. These are the counties that are simply having their deer herds relentlessly devastated and it really need to stop before it's too late.

NJ Bowman, I want to email you, but your email addy isn't specified.

GUYS JUST CURIOUS FOR YOUR INPUT TO THIS MOCK SEASON I MADE UP, LET ME KNOW IF YOU LIKE IT, DISLIKE IT, OR MAKE SOME CHANGES.

FALL BOW:1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE
2nd TAG FOR 1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE WHEN FIRST DEER IS
CHECKED IN..1 DEER PER DAY TILL 2 DEER LIMIT IS TAKEN
DATES: LAST SATURDAY IN SEPTEMBER TILL LAST FRIDAY IN OCTOBER

PERMIT BOW:1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE
2nd TAG FOR 1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE WHEN FIRST DEER IS
CHECKED IN..1 DEER PER DAY TILL 2 DEER LIMIT IS TAKEN
1 PERMIT PER HUNTER, NO MULTIPLE PERMITS
DATES: LAST SATURDAY IN OCTOBER, TILL 3rd OR 4th SATURDAY
IN NOVEMBER

MUZZLELOADER:1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE
2nd TAG FOR 1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE WHEN FIRST DEER
IS CHECKED IN..1 DEER PER DAY TILL 2 DEER LIMIT IS TAKEN
1 PERMIT PER HUNTER, NO MULTIPLE PERMITS
DATES: LAST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER TILL 1st OR 2nd SATURDAY
IN DECEMBER, DEPENDING ON ZONES HUNT SHOULD BE FROM 7 TO
10 DAYS

6 DAY SHOTGUN:2 BUCKS WITH 1 ANTLER AT LEAST 3 INCHES LONG
2nd TAG ISSUED WHEN FIRST DEER CHECKED IN
2nd BUCK MUST HAVE AT LEAST 3 POINTS ON 1 SIDE
1 DEER PER DAY, TILL 2 DEER LIMIT IS TAKEN
DATES: SAME AS PRESENT

PERMIT SHOTGUN:ANTLERLESS DEER ONLY, NO MORE THEN 2 ANTLERLESS DEER
HARVESTED DEPENDING ON ZONES
1 PERMIT PER HUNTER, NO MULTIPLE PERMITS
1 DEER PER DAY TILL 2 ANTLERLESS DEER ARE TAKEN
DATES:VARIOUS FROM 1 DAY TO 7 DAYS DEPENDING ON ZONES
ANYTIME FROM 1st MONDAY AFTER 6 DAY SHOTGUN TILL DEC.24

WINTER BOW:1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE
2nd TAG FOR 1 DEER EITHER SEX, ANY AGE WHEN FIRST DEER
CHECKED IN
DATES: JANUARY 1st TILL JANUARY 31st

I WOULD ALSO CANCEL THE YOUTH DEER HUNTS, NO MORE DEER HUNTING AFTER JANUARY 31st. 1 PERMIT PER HUNTER, PER SEASON, NO MORE MULTIPLE PERMITS, BACK TO MAIL LOTTERY PERMITS, NO OVER THE COUNTER PERMITS, UNLESS THERE ARE LEFT OVER SOLD AT DIVISION HEADQUARTERS, 1 DEER PER DAY HARVEST TILL LIMIT IS TAKEN FOR THAT SEASON. CANCEL ALL SHARPSHOOTERS (so called professionals)FROM HUNTING IN URBAN AREAS ALLOW BOWHUNTERS IN THESE AREAS BY SOME TYPE OF PERMIT/LOTTERY

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How about looking at a quality state such as Illinois but with a little looser rules? IL hunters can ONLY shoot 2 bucks during all seasons (bow/shotgun/muzzle). Does are shot on the bow tag or an antlerless tag during gun season. Shotgun is split into a 3 day and a 4 days season that is seperated by a week. Bow goes from Oct 1st to Jan 15th. THis does seem a little tough but look at the bucks coming from that state! Guys routinely are passing on bucks that would score around 120 b/c they can only shoot 2 bucks.

NJ does have a problem with overdevelopment and lack of hunting on all of the private preserves/estates/parks so we need more of a doe season.

I suggest the following.

Bow:

1 buck
2 does

Permit:

1 buck
2 does

Shotgun:

1 buck

Muzzle:

1 buck
2 does

Permit Shotgun:

2 does

Winter bow:

1 buck
1 doe

NO HUNTING PAST JAN 2nd with firearms! This is one of the main things that is hurting the deer herd as deer are stressed after all the hunting and the weather. Bucks w/o racks are shot.

Compare this to other states and people will think that we are still nuts but how many deer can someone really use? My buddy in Zone 22 jsut brings all his "earn-a-buck" does to a hunters helping the hungry station so it's not a waste but still seems a little strange.

Looking at the world from 15 feet up.

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