mdrbowler99

Why do the bowhunters feel the need to have more season and have the muzzleloaders and gun hunters have such a short season?1 month is more than gun hunters get.I do both and feel that I would love to have a longer muzzleloader season.The whole month of October would be plenty of time for bowhunters.Then a couple of weeks for muzzleloader,and not just doe only.Then open gun the Saturday before Thanksgiving.They could keep the late muzzleloader and bow season.Bowhunters already have the longest season of all and want more.Muzzleloaders get the least time and after regular season and have to pay $16 for less than a week.As a hunter for both,I feel this would be the best solution for all .

SteveBNy

mdr - do you hunt with primitive mz? If not, why do yo need a seperate season for a scoped single shot rifle - that is what I see my Omega as being. Other than being single shot, it is a far more effective weapon than most shotguns with slugs. It cannot be argued that is is less effective than a shotgun - as least if someone is capable of waiting for a deer to stop running before shooting.

Reports for the last 2 years from most( not all) of NY indicate the herd to be way down. Why are longer seasons for more effective weapons needed to further reduce the herd.

Steve

SteveBNy

Maybe because for bow the average shot nationally is about 17 yds - 30 being about max except for the exceptional archers especially when in the woods with full foliage.

Slugs and mz can whackem at 100yds plus by even an average shot (me)

Ny also has one of the longer gun seasons - with many staes that produce exceptional deer having season of 2 weeks and less.

Steve

mdrbowler99

For most who don't know it,you may hunt with a bow all during the regular season too.So right now,you may bowhunt from Oct.15-Dec.19.That seems like quite a bit of time if that is your way of thinking about muzzleloader hunting.I have got a modern inline.I use it during regular season because I feel it is the best weapon available to hunt with.Bowhunters shouldn't complain about the season.I hunt both archery and muzzleloader.I would much rather have a longer season with the better weapon to get a deer with.Even modern inlines have alot of factors that could cause a shot to go wrong.With a muzzleloader you have 1 shot.If any little thing goes wrong,that is your chance.Let's let somebody else have some time in the woods too.Bowhunting license costs $16 and you get over a month to hunt with no other deer hunters in the woods.A muzzleloader license costs$16,only get 1 week in the woods,and you have other deer hunters out in the woods.Doesn't seem fair to me.

J-bow

mdrbowler99,
You can hunt ALL of gun season with your muzzleloader, plus the late season. That's more than four weeks, with a weapon that is lightyears ahead of , (in regards to accuracy and effective range), a bow. Obviously, you need to get a lot closer with a bow. It's not like every Bowhunter goes out and stalks around in the woods and gets a 17 yard shot at a nice Buck, or doe for that matter. Treestands are still the norm for Bowhunting. Proper treestand placement means an opportune shot with a bow. This all takes time, sometimes a lot of time. Your 200 yard Thompson Omega(Or whatever you shoot) is a much easier weapon to level on game and shoot at much greater distances. I have allways purchased a Sportsman,with Bow and Muzzleloader, or now the Supersportsman in NY. I've owned a Thompson .50 cal White Mountain Carbine side lock now for over 10 years. I've never killed a Deer with it. I rarely take it out because of time constaints. I feel that they(DEC) could totally eliminate the late Bow season and it wouldn't bother me. Extend the late muzzleloader season by a week or two, then I myself, would definitely take advantage of it. I like things the way they are now. Eliminate late bow, open gun on a Saturday, stretch the late muzzleloader to 3 or 4 weeks, but don't throw a major disruption in the middle of a season that takes me all year to plan for!
That's just the way I feel. It sems to me that there are quite a few others out there with similar views. If you feel strongly about our Bowhunting season, contact New York Bowhunters and join the organization. They will fight relentlessly for what we've got.

http://www.newyorkbowhunters.com/

I don't mean to piss-off all the die-hard Muzzleloaders, but the DEC's proposals ARE NOT the way to go!

Thanks,
J-Bow

mdrbowler99

I like the idea of a longer muzzle season after regular.I probably wouldn't use the early muzzle season because if a trophy came by,the temptation would be too great.I hunt bow also and wouldn't mind a longer early season.Start gun on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and then give me a month for muzzleloader after it.That would be the best solution to the problem.Unless you have a rest for your muzzleloader,it is awfully tough to hold for a 200 yard shot.I have an Omega with the laminated stock so it won't be so front heavy and that gun is not light at all.Add wind and it is a bit to try to keep steady.My point is that I love to hunt and be in the woods,but I want as much of an advantage as I can get.I have been out several times this regular season and have yet to even see a deer.Last year I saw more deer than I ever did hunting.Something don't seem right this year.

boozer

Here in Pa we they did the same thing, the first year you could still hunt with a bow during the earlie ML season. but you couldn't shoot a buck that week. They changed that, and now you can shoot a buck with a bow, Kids, and seniors can use rifles and everyone else can use inlines with a scope. It makes it tough on the bow hunter because Orange is required while moving. What really bites is once the Rut comes in, which is only a week later, Now you have to hunt deer that are really spooky from being pressured, along with turkey, and small game being in. It doesn't have the quietness of the woods as it used to.
also watch you herd DECLINE!!!! the purpose of the earlie season is to illimate the does before they have a chance to breed, weve had the seasons like this for the past 4years or so. and this year i saw a total of 17deer. and only missed 4 days of hunting out of 6weeks of archery, and 2weeks of rifle. its not too good of odds.
I was actually going to start hunting in NY more next year, but if they are going to that ill probabbly save my $280.00
Good luck guys your gonna need it.

J-bow

mdrbowler99---What boozer says it true about the whole idea being to eliminate the does before they breed. And you think it sucked this year? If this goes through, you better get used to things being WORSE than this year, on a permanent basis. Last year in this forum everyone, gun and Bowhunters alike, were bitching about DMAP and excessive numbers of DMU permits. I can't believe that anyone who loves to hunt whitetails would think these proposals were for the good of the sport. Somewhere down the road, everyone who calls him/herself a Whitetail hunter, will eventually be affected by this crap! Stop and think about it and do something before it's to late. Drop the DEC an e-mail, or better yet, a letter to:
> NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
> Commissioner Erin Crotty
> 625 Broadway - 14th Floor
> Albany, New York 12233-1011
>
> [email protected]

I didn't have as good a year as last either. Something IS wrong here. Let's try to get it fixed.

jpm8920

I am a bowhunter, but as much as I don't like the DEC's new plan, I sure as hell like it better than yours. Why should rifle hunters get the shaft? You make it sound like bowhunters deserve more than ewverybody else. In case you forgot rifle hunters buy most of the licenses. Also, I love bowhunting, but it is real nice to finally be able to have that gun in my hand. And that would be ruined if muzzleloading had all the deer spooked before the gunhunters ever enter the woods.

SteveBNy

jpm - do bowhunters deserve to have their season cut from 5 weeks of undisturbed hunting to 2? If so, why? Everyone's needs can be met without giving anyone a beating - other than the herd which will only be further reduced with an early single shot rifle (modern MZ) season.

Steve