New York Hunters Question

[njdevilsb]

Is it just my general area, or is the deer hunting getting pretty sad around here?  This year I let 2 small bucks pass, a spike and a 3 point, and those were the only horns I saw all year.  My dad and I hunt just about everyday we are available.  Even doe and fawn sightings is going way down.  If I saw 12 different deer this year, that was a lot.  We hunted 3 different private pieces of land, and 1 where there used to be tracks all over only had 2 or 3 sets this year.  There has been 2 articles in the local newspaper in the last 2 weeks with hunters saying the same thing with suggestions on how to help it.  There was a farm bordering one piece that we hunt that was loaded with deer the last 2 years, this year we didn't see one single deer out there at all.   

I was just wondering if others are seeing the same up here and what if any suggestions you have that the DEC could change.  A lot of the write ins said the same stuff. Cut back the number of doe permits given out, put a size restriction on the bucks, and shorten the season up, specifically the rifle, which runs from mid October through early December.  I'm not saying they are right or worng, I was just curious to hear from some more people from around the state.

[gjs4]

And now there is crossbow to make it worse. 8g/9f/9h here and it is ridiculous. The dec is a total failure from a game management standpoint but then again I think license sales is their sole agenda

[alloutdoors]

Cut the southern zone gun season to a week or maybe 9 days and let it span two weekends, northern zone should be a bit longer, but the 6 week season now is excessive. Go to a one buck per year system. Ban inlines from muzzleloader season, it's basically like 9 extra days with a single shot rifle right now.

Do all that and you won't even need antler restrictions.

[2much2loud]

Cut the southern zone gun season to a week or maybe 9 days and let it span two weekends, northern zone should be a bit longer, but the 6 week season now is excessive. Go to a one buck per year system. Ban inlines from muzzleloader season, it's basically like 9 extra days with a single shot rifle right now.

Do all that and you won't even need antler restrictions.

My thoughts exactly ... Look at Ohio or Iowa short gun seasons and no rifles.... By the looks of shows, articles, and record books I think it works

[tomstopper]

Still see plenty of deer here in Steuben county, but not as many quality deer as in the past years.....

[Ctburdchasr]

I don't think it's just New York, in Connecticut ever since they went to online tagging, late season archery and opened crossbow as general archery equipment every dope that can put on camouflage thinks they are super hunter or something. In the southern  part of our state deer are consider a "menace" hence that stupid discovery channel show chasing tail. Where some jokers from Vermont thought it was cool to act like fools in front of a camera. Not to mention our environmental police transplanted a group of mountain lions!!!   When I asked my buddy who is on the environmental commission for the state he told me they are crediting up to 70% fawns killed last year by the rising black bear population.   Basically all that it adds up to is the wonderful white tail is staring at a crooked dealer with a stacked deck. I love the hunt and a successful hunt is the most pure form of joy I can feel. However diminishing lands and populations make me feel as though my children and my grandchildren will never know it. I really hope it changes so people can enjoy it without paying for a ranch in Texas somewhere.

[mspaci]

I saw a ton hee in Dutchess, its the turkeys I am not seeing.  Mike

[MikeStaten]

Deer count seems down in Greene county for a couple of years now.  Turkey are now non-existant on the land I hunt.  I used to see them every time I went hunting. 

[njdevilsb]

This thread was bumped from over 2 years ago. 

Last season we actually saw a lot of deer, specifically once the cold hit.  They were killing the cut corn and we were seeing 10+ just about every evening.  We actually took a trip down last night to drop some logs off that we cut from the ice storm and there were over 30 deer alone on the farm we hunt and about 15 turkey.

[TauntoHawk]

Deer count seems down in Greene county for a couple of years now.  Turkey are now non-existant on the land I hunt.  I used to see them every time I went hunting.

.

Where you at in Greene?

I hunt a bunch all over Greene. We've had great success seeing good deer numbers all over and turkey hunting is pretty close to phenomenal. We've had some good hatches and some not so good ones but there's alway more than enough to kill.

[troutfisher13111]

I definitely see a drop in numbers, but not to the point where I am not killing deer. I just need to work harder now. I am hunting mainly in 8F and 7A.

[WNY Bowhunter]

Last week was awesome for me here in Steuben County...

Found this 170 2/8" 17-pt bruiser while shed hunting on monday 4/21:











On saturday the first bird of the season hit the ground at 6:00 AM.  Can't wait til tomorrow!!!

[mikejd]

That buck is incredible.
Good tomorrow. Probably be a wet one.

[WNY Bowhunter]

Cut the southern zone gun season to a week or maybe 9 days and let it span two weekends, northern zone should be a bit longer, but the 6 week season now is excessive. Go to a one buck per year system. Ban inlines from muzzleloader season, it's basically like 9 extra days with a single shot rifle right now.

Do all that and you won't even need antler restrictions.

Sounds good.  I wish they would go back to shotgun only in the SZ too.

Both deer and turkey numbers are down in my area.  I attribute the drop in deer numbers to the number of DMPs issued in my area (8R) for the past several years. As for the turkey population being down, I believe that it has to do to poor nesting conditions for the past few years and lots of nest predation.