BuckAlley

I' ve heard its currently being considered to move the present traditional Novemeber Monday opener to a Saturday. The DEC is presently looking into changing the opening day. I was curious how you NY' er' s felt about this? Its not certain as to which Saturday would be used, or if done the same as the current system, but just on the Sat. before. I don' t like the idea if its going to take away days of the Southern Archery season. Especially if they use the 2nd Saturday of the season. That could be up to 9 days lost of archery, and during the prime of the rut to boot! If the Saturday was the one before Thanksgiving day, that would be ok. I just hate to see anymore days lost during archery season, it seems approx 1 month of bow is short now!

fasstfletch

I agree with you on this one. I think that the end result will be what ever the conservation dept. wants to do to satisfy the insurance companies.[:@]

Mantis Mayer

It is true they are looking into changing it to a saturday opener. I to have the fear that it will dip into the archery season.[:' (] They are also trying to get the age limit down. NY has the highest age limit in the country.

Jay Hunter

Mantis Mayer, you say they are considering lowering the age limit? I have to disagree. The woods are crammed enough as it is opening day, who needs a couple thousand more 14 yr olds running around the woods lookin to pull the trigger on the first thing they see. I highly support getting kids involved in hunting, but I know many kids who I wouldn' t want to give a slug gun to. I myself harvested two deer with my bow before i turned legal gun age, which was exactly the experience i needed to prepare for the gun seasons. Get kids into the woods, ofcourse! but lets hold off on handing a gun to them.

BuckAlley

Jay, I' m not positive but I believe Mantis may have been referring to a current Bill that was recently introduced to lower the junior archery age from 14 to 12yrs. old. Also I' d like to add at 12yrs old a person can alreadly carry a weapon in the woods small game hunting w/adult supervision.

huntforlife

I don' t like the idea either first of all like you said it would shorten archery season and second opening day is crowded already it would be like a free for all on a saturday we might all have to go out and purchase flak jackets it is bad enough it sounds like the fourth of July

nyorange

Did you guys really find the woods as crowded as ever this year? I thought this year was one of the least crowded seasons ever. Opening day was the only day I saw high numbers of people. The rest of the season seemed to have pretty low numbers. Normally I see alot of does moving throughout the season but this year opening day saw about 23 does and thereafter almost nothing but a few individual deer that seemed to be moving naturally and not as the result of crowds scaring them out. Maybe just my neck of the woods.

BuckAlley

I hunt in Cortland Co. I couldn' t tell you for sure how many hunters were out opening day last yr, becasue the weather was so nasty. High winds, freezing rain, it wasn' t safe to be out, and most didn' t very long. The first wknd was however was unreal, hunters, and shots all over. It was a mad house.

huntal

I ALSO WOULD NOT LIKE A SAT. OPENER. I THINK IT WOULD RUIN A LOT OF CAMPS WERE WE LIKE TO GET TOGETHER A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE THE OPENER, LAST MINUTE SCOUTING. AND JAY AS FAR AS THE AGE LIMIT I HAVE A 14 YR OLD WHO HAS BEEN HUNTING WITH ME SINCE HE WAS 10 AND HE IS PRETTY GOOD. IN PA THEY HUNT WITH RIFLES AT 12. WE NEED SOME NEW YOUNG HUNTERS, ARE # ARE DROPPING EVERY YEAR.
HAPPY HUNTING

Charlie P

That' s a pretty ignorant statement. My kid is 12 and I' ll guarentee you he knows how to handle a gun and a bow. I' d be more then happy to share my woods with some kids that want to learn our life style. That' s why I' ve written so many letters to my reps concerning the two bills.