hunter60

What would you like changed about the deer season?


1- I would like to see antler restrictions.

2- If u shoot a button buck it goes on your buck tag.

3- Get rid of signing your doe take over.

4-No season just for muzzleloaders.

I would like to see the younger deer get to live longer. Signing takes over makes it easy for some to be deer hogs. U can use your muzzleloader during gun season. No different then useing a 20 gauge over a 12 gauge or useing a semi over a pump.

Rwalter63

I disagree I am all for a muzzleloading season. You could say the same thing about bow season too if you want to get rid of the muzzy season. I personally think muzzleloading season should be expanded. Heck why not just stop issuing so many doe permits!!!

Finally there is a big difference between muzzleloaders and shotguns. Every try shooting 5 shots at the same deer with a muzzleloader? Just joking there but seriously there is quite a bit of difference.

SteveBNy

Why would you ever need to shoot 5 times at one deer? You are right - there is a lot of difference between a slugger and a modern inline - the inline is a far more effective and longer range gun! I know of several deer taken over 150 yds with an inline this year - one shot. I can reload my Omega in less than 30 seconds if a finishing shot is need.

Keep guns with the gun season - no rifle(modern inline) in the middle of bow.

No antler restrictions unless you find a way to identify and shoot only mature bucks - 4 1/2 or older. A 2 1/2 year old 10 point is still an immature deer. Saw a bunch of 6 to 8 pt 1 1/2 old baskets this year - legal under most AR programs, but not much different than a BB - certainley not a "trophy" - whatever that is.

I would like another week of mz at the end - would give me a total of 5 weeks to hunt with a GUN. After 4 to 5 weeks of bow - sounds equal to me.

Other than that, I don't think much needs changing

Steve

davidmor

I disagree with all of your suggestions with the exception of antler restrictions. The places I hunt we voluntarily put an 8 point restriction on all of us so that wouldn't be any different for me. However if I were going to make it a regulation, I would limit it to 6 points or above. I passed on a very big 6 pointer this year that was a very mature buck. They are out there.

I don't think you should be penalized for shooting a button by losing your buck tag. That is an unfair punishment IMO for making an honest mistake. Most if not all hunters I know and hunt with don't go out looking to shoot buttons. The accidentaly shoot them thinking they are does. Besides, what do you do to the guy who shoots a button after he has used his buck tag. Fine him and take away his license for a year? I don't think so. I have shot 2 buttons since I started hunting and I felt terrible about shooting both of them. That made me do some more learnin' about how to identify them at longer distances. I think a lot of hunters are like me, they don't want to shoot them and will seek out the knowledge necessary to minimize making the mistake in the future.

I think signing over your DMP tag (notice they don't say "doe tag" on them anywhere) is fine, but I do think they need to tighten up the amount of DMP tags given out. You can still share them, you just won't have as many to share.

Your muzzleloader idea really irritates me. My guess is that you are a bow hunter that doesn't like the proposed muzzleloader season extension. I am a muzzleloader hunter and I don't like their proposal either but it is terribly unfair that bow hunters get over 5 weeks before gun season and muzzleloaders get one lousy week at the end of gun season. And we get to pay and extra $16 for that lousy week. My opinion is that there should be a muzzleloader only week, the week before shotgun season starts in addition the the week at the end. I know, the bow hunters will loose a week but they would still have twice the amount of time that muzzleloaders get and their season isn't split up. If I had my way I would take the two weeks before shotgun season for muzzleloader only and push shotgun season back a week. Of course, I would probably be about as popular as Alt was in PA, but at least we would get an un-interrupted two weeks to muzzleload hunt!

Charlie P

1.Antler restrictions don't = QDM

2.Don't agree.

3.Don't agree. I think they need rethink how many they give out. It's too bad they can't find a way to micro manage the herd more.

4.Sorry once again I don't agree. I feel that there should be a season for truely primative ML.

Here's my Idea. Let's go by difficulty. Start date Oct. 2 Weeks of Traditional Bow only. Then our normal bow season. Gunseason starting on the Saturday before Thaknksgiving running for three weeks. Then a 3 week late season consisting of flintlock,trad. bow and compound bow.

Did I forget about modern inlines use them during regular gun season.

hunter Leo

I agree with others about having a muzzleloader season its usually 1 shot and for those people who have muzzleloaders really benefit where i hunt cause there aren't many who muzzleload hunt. As for the upcoming middle of bow season muzzleloader week, all i can say is bow hunters should be doing there job and harvesting deer. I been telling all my bow hunting "buck only" friends for a couple years now if you dont start taking doe then something will happen and here is the states "supposedly" solution with this early muzzleloader season. I turkey hunting during october and that never effected my bow hunting and the week of muzzleloader wont be like opening week of gun. Where i live there are alot of deer and to many doe and bow hunters arent doing there job in the woods by harvesting doe therefore a week of doe muzzleloader season. As for signing over doe permits I see nothing wrong with it at all. If I get tags from others i give them half the meat if I fill it. If they want to restrict doe permits then stop giving them to people like some of my friends who NEVER FILL THEM and only get them cause its one less doe permit going to someone like me who will fill them. If i wanted even more tags we have over 200 acres of land joined together.... I could have my father file for land owner permits and get atleast 4 extra tags that way and still be legal but you have to draw the line somewhere. My biggest complaints are opening day of gun is now on a Saturday and this state is to lienient on tresspassing hunters.

WNY Bowhunter

Good post hunter60....

1.) I would definately like too see antler restrictions put into effect. However, I don't think that its gonna be a cure-all and all of a sudden it will look like Iowa or Illinois with monster bucks running all over the place. Where I live in Steuben County, we hardly ever see spikes...honestly I probably only saw 2 or 3 in the entire area this year and I cover alot of ground looking / videoing deer in the summer and fall. Most of our yearling bucks in this area are usually somewhere between 4 and 8-pts. Under most AR management plans these top-end yearlings will still be legal game, but just saving some of these young bucks would still be better than it is now. At least more of these yearling bucks would be able to make to the next year age class (hey...its a start). I'd hate to guess what % of the bucks taken here in 8P / 8R are yearlings.

2.) Yeah...I wouldn't mind seeing buttonbucks being counted as "bucks." Too many of 'em get whacked around here. Why not take the extra second or so that it takes to check for those nubs on the forehead before you pull the trigger.

3.) I don't think that the signing over of tags is a big deal. But...if you want doe tags, why not apply for them yourself in the first place?

4.) As far as the early muzzleloader goes, my only real concern is that too many people would get an itchy trigger finger if a nice buck walks out. If you are gonna shoot does it doesn't matter to me if its done with an early muzzleloader season or regular season. If you fill your does tags with a muzzleloader early, then you just won't have them for the regular season. I just purchased a new muzzleloader and I'll definately take it out if this early season actually is put into effect. I also plan on taking it out in place of my shotgun during regular firearm season too. I also believe that the notion that "its gonna totally mess the deer up for the rest of bow season"...has been blown way out of proportion. Sure, they might be really skiddish for a week or so afterwards...but this is the "lull" portion of the season anyways and with the rut fast approaching the bucks will be cruising come November regardless.

Wild Work

It's called a button buck, not button doe it should count as a buck. If you can,t ID it don't shoot. Remember, the make sure of your target and beyond part of hunter safety. Learn deer ID join QDMA. Also, spend some time outside and learn to ID things.

doughboysigep

1) guess i wouldn't mind AR, but not goona lose any sleep if there aren't any
2) no way - why "punish" someone if they shoot a BB thinking it is a doe - i've never been able tell them apart
3) no - doe tags are there for a reason - if people can use them, let them - that helps reduce the effects of those who get doe tags, knowing they won't use it
4)um, NO - i pay for a special license for that implement and should have a season to use it (and it should be longer than 1 week - more like 1 month)

doughboysigep

are u kidding me - i've been next to a dead bb and couldn't see the buttons until looking close
it's hard to see the hangly dangly downs when they are in the woods, too

i'm not saying I would shoot one on purpose, but can't say you need to have a positive ID in order to shoot - if you have a doe tag, it is legal