VT hunters heard this news?
12-03-2004, 07:37 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Saratoga NY
Posts: 55
VT hunters heard this news?
Well i hunt with some friends who live in VT. and hunt in NY also. They came across news that next year VT. is going to a 1 deer 6 point or bigger buck bag limit. I guess the deer population is in bad shape in VT. NY has so much farmland i think NY pulls alot of deer from nieghborings states into our state which is true to certain extent im sure but who knows. I guess no matter if you hunt bow, muzzleloader or gun its 1 buck 6 points or bigger.. choose your weapon and get your deer cause it will be the only deer you get that year. They said there was a write-up in there newspaper that a hunter published on this proposed plan. Alot of VT. people hunt NY and if this law passes alot of new hunters will hunt NY including the usual's but then no one will hunt VT. If i lived in VT. and this law was passed i would come to NY and hunt. You really cant blame them if they come here to hunt. Probably go to Mass. and hunt to. Any other Vt. folks heard this?
12-03-2004, 09:47 PM
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VT USA
Posts: 15
RE: VT hunters heard this news?
Here's the article that was in my local paper. It doesn't look like all the details have been hammered out yet, but the basics are that only one buck per year can be taken and there will be an experiment with antler restrictions in some WMA's. The legality of baiting may also be challenged.
In my inconsequential opinion, these new laws are fine (one buck a year would be a huge improvement for me) but they won't do any good unless VT starts cracking down on poaching. It's a rampant and largely accepted practice here, especially in the NEK where I currently reside. I read an article last year which quoted our F&W department as estimating that at least as many deer are taken illegally as legally during the course of a year. Between poaching and our winters, the deer herd doesn't stand a chance. Anyway, that's my rant, here's the article:
http://www.caledonianrecord.com/page...tory/e916079ca
Local News Back
May Be Limited to One Buck
Changes Afoot For Deer Hunters
By TAYLOR REED, Staff Writer
Thursday December 2, 2004
Rewriting Hunting Laws
MONTPELIER -- Beginning next year, Vermont deer hunters may be restricted to taking only one buck per year instead of the current three.
Hunters and biologists agree serious changes must be made to hunting regulations for next year because of a depleted deer herd.
"This is the worst deer season that I have ever had in my life," said Susan Winter of Colchester, a lifelong hunter and Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board member.
The Fish and Wildlife board of 14 county representatives voted Wednesday at the Pavilion building in Montpelier on a proposal for new laws that will restrict hunters to one buck per year.
Currently hunters can legally harvest three bucks in the three Vermont deer seasons: bow, rifle and muzzleloader. Representatives from the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife said in the future, the killing of does - not bucks - will be the primary means of managing the deer herd.
The proposed laws may also place an "experimental" ban on the killing of spike-horned, or yearling deer, in three areas. Some board members said the ban should be expanded statewide, but another said he adamantly disagreed with the ban.
Byron Fish, Orleans County representative, said he thinks a legal buck should have at least three points on one horn to avoid killing any 1-1/2-year-olds.
The experimental proposal for zones B, J1 and K2 states a buck must have at least one antler with two discernible points. (These zones encompass areas in the western and central parts of the state; the Northeast Kingdom is not among the affected zones for the proposed experimental ban on spike-horn bucks.)
Walt Driscoll, Essex County representative, argued the term "discernible" is too vague and must be clarified to avoid confusion at report stations.
"I think there needs to be consistency in what they call a Ôpoint' in Vermont," Driscoll said.
Driscoll, who runs the Island Pond report station, said state biologists in the past defined a point as measuring at least 1 inch long.
One board member, who teaches hunter safety classes, said he tells students that a point is a point if a ring will hang from it.
Fish also told the board that baiting has become a problem in Orleans County; Driscoll said in Essex County, bait is "ridiculously overused."
Driscoll said the 14 deer reported during youth season were all shot over apples.
Fish said in Orleans County, apples are big business and hunters pay up to $70 for crate loads to use as bait for deer.
Representatives also expressed concern that too many pregnant deer are killed during muzzleloading season by hunters with doe permits. Board members discussed the possibility of moving the December muzzleloading season to precede rifle season, which starts the second Saturday in November.
Representatives also discussed problems with coyotes and moose, as well as issues related to property owners who post their land to hunters.
"We're dealing with a public resource that lives on private land," said state biologist John Buck, concerning posted land.
More Dialogue To Come
In January a series of four public meetings throughout the state will be held to discuss the proposed laws.
Chairman Rob Borowske said there is no limit to what can be changed.
Representatives will now begin to gather information from biologists and the public, Fish said. After public hearings and alterations the board will vote and the proposal will travel to the rules committee in the Legislature to be checked for errors.
If the committee OKs the proposal, it will travel back to the county representatives for a final vote. The proposal must pass by a majority before going back to the Legislature to be made into law.
This year marks the first time the Department of Fish and Wildlife has had authority to write hunting laws.
"I'm delighted the Legislature has finally released its death grip on deer management," said Wibs McLain of the Agency of Natural Resources.
In my inconsequential opinion, these new laws are fine (one buck a year would be a huge improvement for me) but they won't do any good unless VT starts cracking down on poaching. It's a rampant and largely accepted practice here, especially in the NEK where I currently reside. I read an article last year which quoted our F&W department as estimating that at least as many deer are taken illegally as legally during the course of a year. Between poaching and our winters, the deer herd doesn't stand a chance. Anyway, that's my rant, here's the article:
http://www.caledonianrecord.com/page...tory/e916079ca
Local News Back
May Be Limited to One Buck
Changes Afoot For Deer Hunters
By TAYLOR REED, Staff Writer
Thursday December 2, 2004
Rewriting Hunting Laws
MONTPELIER -- Beginning next year, Vermont deer hunters may be restricted to taking only one buck per year instead of the current three.
Hunters and biologists agree serious changes must be made to hunting regulations for next year because of a depleted deer herd.
"This is the worst deer season that I have ever had in my life," said Susan Winter of Colchester, a lifelong hunter and Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board member.
The Fish and Wildlife board of 14 county representatives voted Wednesday at the Pavilion building in Montpelier on a proposal for new laws that will restrict hunters to one buck per year.
Currently hunters can legally harvest three bucks in the three Vermont deer seasons: bow, rifle and muzzleloader. Representatives from the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife said in the future, the killing of does - not bucks - will be the primary means of managing the deer herd.
The proposed laws may also place an "experimental" ban on the killing of spike-horned, or yearling deer, in three areas. Some board members said the ban should be expanded statewide, but another said he adamantly disagreed with the ban.
Byron Fish, Orleans County representative, said he thinks a legal buck should have at least three points on one horn to avoid killing any 1-1/2-year-olds.
The experimental proposal for zones B, J1 and K2 states a buck must have at least one antler with two discernible points. (These zones encompass areas in the western and central parts of the state; the Northeast Kingdom is not among the affected zones for the proposed experimental ban on spike-horn bucks.)
Walt Driscoll, Essex County representative, argued the term "discernible" is too vague and must be clarified to avoid confusion at report stations.
"I think there needs to be consistency in what they call a Ôpoint' in Vermont," Driscoll said.
Driscoll, who runs the Island Pond report station, said state biologists in the past defined a point as measuring at least 1 inch long.
One board member, who teaches hunter safety classes, said he tells students that a point is a point if a ring will hang from it.
Fish also told the board that baiting has become a problem in Orleans County; Driscoll said in Essex County, bait is "ridiculously overused."
Driscoll said the 14 deer reported during youth season were all shot over apples.
Fish said in Orleans County, apples are big business and hunters pay up to $70 for crate loads to use as bait for deer.
Representatives also expressed concern that too many pregnant deer are killed during muzzleloading season by hunters with doe permits. Board members discussed the possibility of moving the December muzzleloading season to precede rifle season, which starts the second Saturday in November.
Representatives also discussed problems with coyotes and moose, as well as issues related to property owners who post their land to hunters.
"We're dealing with a public resource that lives on private land," said state biologist John Buck, concerning posted land.
More Dialogue To Come
In January a series of four public meetings throughout the state will be held to discuss the proposed laws.
Chairman Rob Borowske said there is no limit to what can be changed.
Representatives will now begin to gather information from biologists and the public, Fish said. After public hearings and alterations the board will vote and the proposal will travel to the rules committee in the Legislature to be checked for errors.
If the committee OKs the proposal, it will travel back to the county representatives for a final vote. The proposal must pass by a majority before going back to the Legislature to be made into law.
This year marks the first time the Department of Fish and Wildlife has had authority to write hunting laws.
"I'm delighted the Legislature has finally released its death grip on deer management," said Wibs McLain of the Agency of Natural Resources.
