NY DEER HUNTER SURVEY
 

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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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

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I would like to see minimum antler size for all seasons.I don't like the idea of muzzle in between bow season.I would like to see a longer(a month or more) exclusive late season for muzzleloaders.Hunt early with the bow and then leave the late season for blackpowder hunters.I like the idea of shotgun opening on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.I hunted with my muzzleloader only this season but it doesn't matter what gun you have in your hand if you don't even see a deer.

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like your train of though mdr

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If I was the dictator and I what I said was it, I would mandate the following changes, in order of preference:

1.) Lower the legal deer hunting age for shotgun in Southern Zone from 16 to 14.
2.) Eliminate signing deer management permits over to others
3.) Go back to system where it is difficult to get 1 deer permit instead of 2.
4.) Absolutely do not implement AR... it doesn't work. There were the occasional big buck before AR in PA and now there still is the occasional big buck. In PA, too many are going home empty handed for a few trophy hunters. AR equates to GREED.
5.) Enforce stricter penalties for people who feed deer. Even those who only put out a 200 lb bag on their feeder.
6.) Mandatory jail time for poachers.
7.) More perks for landowners who do not post their lands
8.) Don't give extra doe permits to landowners for tree damage or crop depradation if that landowner has his land posted.
9.) Change the damn reporting system to postage free mail in. That stinkin' hotline is a pain in the azz.
10.) Outlaw tree stands.

If I thought some more, I could think of a few more.

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biggest problem in my area south of albany is the COMPLETE LACK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. deer jacking starts as soon as the deer have antlers, and continues till they drop. i can't tell you how many rifle shots i hear in albany county(shotgun only) shotgun and rifle shots in 4j(bow only) and how many semi auto "muzzleloaders " ripping off 5 shot barrages during the late muzzleloader season.

phone calls fall on deaf ears.

i know 4 jerkoff kids who killed 32 bucks in less than 40 days, got caught, and not one even lost a license!! 2 of the 4 were right back doing it again this year, showing the deer off in july, august and september, and NO ONE FOLLOWED UP ANYTHING. i dont need to tell you guys what this does to a deer herd. all thier jacking is done within 10 square miles or so, no wonder we don't see squat. If i catch them, theyre getting thrown a beating like they wont forget.

and unfortunately, some of the worst culprits are the cops themselves. i have friends in LE that tell me how many deer are shot by fellow officers outta the patrol car windows, at night. just for the horns. its disgusting.

so, i dont think we need to change much, except to put some ENCON presence around a lot thicker.

my.02
-moose

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Catt,I agree with most of your proposals except the last one.I like to hunt from a tree stand and I feel safer in one.I am less likely to get shot in my treestand than on the ground.

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All but #10
I have used tree stands for over 20 years and there are still years I go deer less some by choice some cause I don't see em.

I really like # 8 this should be done 1st.

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definatly do not agree with #10 also why punish people that feed deer ? are you gonna go after the farmers that leave some of their crops out too ?

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I agree maybe they shouldn't give out so many doe permits, but they should still be able to be signed over to some one. The problem is not signing over the permits it is the number of permits issued. It doesn't matter who kills the deer its the number of deer that get killed that is the issue as I see it. As for feeding deer that is already illegal in NY state and it should remain that way. There is a form of "mad cow" disease that effects deer that is present out west and NYS is trying to make sure that this doesn't happen here. I like tree stands and agree with several others in that I feel safer in my tree stand then I would on the ground. I don't think antler restriction would work.

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I like alot of your answers. I like ar's & they do work the bucks get to live past 1 1/2 . Your right in saying some of them will still get shot at that age but it's a start & maybe people will start passing up all the younger deer. If you shoot a mature doe u will know your not shooting a bb you don't have to see the buttons to tell the difference.

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Also how about using a plug in shot guns to limit them to 3 shots? Different regs. for public land. I used my muzzle;oader all gun season.

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because it is illegal to feed deer, now more than ever with the CWD scare - feeding deer any comercial feed was strictly outlawed a year or 2 ago

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If their really afraid of cwd get rid of the pet deer farms! Wouldn't a deer that was heather like 1 being fed at the hardest time of year be less likely to get a decease? Yes I know about yarding up but they do that in corn fields , apple orchards & so on.

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I do not care for feeders on their use as hunting tool. However, I have yet to understand how hunters plant clover, brassica, alfalfa, oats, etc specifically to draw deer in (which yes I know all about the management aspect, but plots are often used to kill deer, either in route or on the field itself).

Targeting the deer, we plant those items they like, which will congregate them similar to a feeder, possibly harboring the same health problems.

I do not agree with feeder use as a hunting tool, but just have not been able to justify outlawing a feeder for purposes that a food plot does. A feeder spreads a wide pattern, and you cannot tell me a 1/4 acre clover plot is less dangerous disease wise, the deer will still be in contact with each other.

That is just personal rambling though.

However, I cannot disagree more with the initial post.
AR? ARe you kidding? lol. Yeah I want all of PA's problems right now. I would rather take a 1.5 year old buck than a 2.5 compared to suffering the way PA is now with all their issues.

If you know QDM, AR has its place, but not at the state regulation level. It should be up to the land owners. Remember, a healthy herd is the goal of the DEC, not a prime hunting herd....a healthy one. There have been no studies that I know of which correlate AR with better health. Go ahead an put AR on at the state level. Then watch your son grow tired of hunting, especially after two or three forced passes at a 4 point buck. That is a sure fire way to get the young uns involved...tell them they can only shoot big bucks. How about your dad? Tell him he can't take that 4 point buck. It just might be the last chance at a deer he has, you never know.

DMP's should still be used in their current manner, except a little more strict this year to get the herd at or around a million. We are low to that right now.

Button bucks.....use a DMP or doe tag. Forcing the use of a buck tag is a poor idea, and of all the suggestions that is the most way out there.

It is almost universal in agreement across the land that a button buck should be used under a doe tag. I cannot think of a single hunting advocate that preaches the use of a buck tag for a BB. Now, identifying a BB, that is a different story. However, you cannot always 100% identify a buck or doe.

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Everyone, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS!

This is the single most important thing discussed in the whole thread. NY is very conservative on the age for gun deer hunting. The majority of states offer at 14, and some at 12! Studies prove that this is safe, and it should be implemented for many reasons.

I have done a bit of research on the subject, and it is the single most important thing we as hunters should push for in the state after the proposed season changes(either for or against).

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Congregating the deer is part of the problem, but the main thing they are trying to stop is the potential transfer of a disease through the feed. Many/most manufactured feed has animal byproducts. Those byproducts can be the source of the disease (ie - infected animal is killed and its parts put into the feed, deer eats feed, .......). That is the main reason for the feeding ban. Now corn grain and other natural feed, obviously doesn't have animal byproduct, but it is banned nontheless.

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I agree with no feeders but I don't see anything wrong with planting some food for deer also I CAN'T AGREE MORE WITH DROPPING THE AGE DOWN TO 14 I 've got a 10 year old that loves to go hunting with me I am looking forward to the day he gets his first

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I don't agree with implementing an antler restriction. That is your own personal preference to shoot a buck with nice head gear. There are many people that hunt primarily for the venison. I know many people who rely on that meat to feed their families. Why penalize them? If you are concerned about shooting quality bucks, I would suggest joining or forming a club with like minded hunters and managing the land for quality bucks. The other option would be to travel to other hunting areas within the state that are known to produce quality bucks, but that would require more work and dedication on your end.

The one thing I would like to see get changed is the season in the Northern Zone. I would like to see Archery season start around the middle of October followed by a week of Black Powder and then start the regular rifle season the first weekend in November and run it through the middle of December. Basically, pushing all the seasons back a couple of weeks. Most of the time it is just to warm the first part of October and the deer hunting just plain sucks.

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This post reminds us how difficult it is for a state to set hunting regulations and keep us all happy (we are one big happy family...........right?)

I'll stick with the 4 original listings as posted - and not inject my veiws:

1- I would like to see antler restrictions.................................. - No - not mandated ones though I applaud grass roots, voluntary efforts.

2- If u shoot a button buck it goes on your buck tag............................... - Definitely not - when you consider mortality of fawns - and buck dispersal later on - the BB take is small potatoes. A law like this would only punish those trying to help keep the population in check by legally taking a doe.

3- Get rid of signing your doe take over.................... - No - If the state decides the 2679 does must go in Unit 7F - why should it matter who fills the tags?

4-No season just for muzzleloaders ......................- No - Blackpowder hunters basically don't have a season now. I know My wife loves it when I go hunting the week before Christmas - after I've hunted the last 10 weeks!!!!!!!!

A doe season for blackpowder is a great idea - though I do not think it should be in the MIDDLE of bow season.

5. - OK _ I LIED - I'll inject one other veiw. TOO MANY hunters break the laws regarding doe tags (using another unit tag), Tagging a buck with "the wife's tag", etc. Its common knowledge in many areas that this stuff goes on. I wish the state would take some of the extra monies brought in - and invest it in law enforcement - and educational programs - with the youth - try to change the ignorant, lawlessness attitudes in soooo many rural places in this state!

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right on board with you

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#10 ?? WHY OUTLAW TREESTANDS?

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FH, Doughboy, and myself all have similar viewpoints.

At least we are a happy family unit....:D

The paper here in Rochester had a huge article on the season today.

And the best part is that the region 8 director (Hanna) still has no date for the meetings on the season changes, other than february...lol.