thesource

I agree .... interesting. It will be very interesting to see the Town and County statistics.

It would appear that even with the DMP cutbacks the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I think the bottom of the buck harvest was most likely this last season, however. (assuming they keep DMP down for another year or two)

Bill Yox

For what its worth, the report I saw from DEC stated the buck take was up this year.

Now understand, I only posted MY opinions, not what the DEC tells us, about the winters, etc, and the post Phade started. Im not always the popular opinion, mind you, but its how I see things.

Thesource, you wouldnt believe how many deer we still have running around these parts.

thesource

Bill -

I'm happy for you if you still have good numbers of deer to hunt. That is clearly not the case statewide, and many guys have seen the quality of their hunting decline for 3 consecutive seasons.

If the buck take was up, it is in the noise. Here's the quote from the DEC press release: "New York's deer hunters took about 89,000 bucks in 2005, roughly the same as in 2004 and an indication that the overall deer population is stabilizing."

The fact that the Buck Take Objective is below target in 2/3 of the state means that the deer population are not in line with where they should be, and that the buck harvest is supposed to be quite a bit higher. Another severe winter could have beenvery bad indeed for these areas, don't you think?

Bill Yox

Thesource, I think you might be misinterpreting my comments. Or I might be of yours. Im not arguing your facts or opinion. I dont live where guys overharvested, nor do I live where a winterkill was likely...proposed, but I say otherwise. Im in an area, much like so many others in this state, where development has created such good yet inaccessable ground to support deer and coyotes. They can be quite visible in one area yet very scarce to the eye in another adjacent area. Also, Im very opinionated! But, being so, I also respect others opinions, including yours. The point Im making is that theres a difference between saying theres a lot less deer here then there used to be, and that amount being too few. I feel there were too MANY for so long, less looks bad, but I think IN MANY AREAS, still too many for the overall health of the herd and the carrying capacity of the ground theyre on. But again, I dont know where you are, and I likely dont know it as well as you would. Just bouncing stuff around in general here, if thats not the direction of this post, Ill understand. No hard feelings! I hope your area rebounds for you, itll be interesting to learn from this.

thesource

No worries -

If I'm coming across as argumentative, I don't mean to be....

I'm just dropping the DEC facts out there. I think it is very important for people to realize that 2/3 of the state is below targeted herd levels....and that the hunters from these areas aren't just making it up.

There have been repercussions in my area - people are sayingthe hunting isnot worth buying a license for and quitting, or hunting in other states.

Bill Yox

Where in the state are you? I live justnorth of Phade, in Monroe county, west of Rochester.

thesource

I live in Corning, in Steuben County. It's just west of Elmira.

Phade

I've got enough deer to share up here. Steuben still led in harvest take this past year correct?

Bill Yox

Yep, I know Corning. I have heard the numbers there have been declining for about ten years now. Farms are going belly up, and some of the "hunting camp" properties have been being sold due to higher than reasonable tax rates, theft and less deer. Thats what Ive heard anyway.

Phade

Isn't the leasing of land down there an increasing problem? I remember seeing quite a few ads for leases catered to huntes from out of the area.