NYS DEC once again threatening the bow season

[Al Dente]

Just when you thought that the DEC did all that it could do to irk bowhunters, they want to place an antlerless harvest stipulation during the first 15 days in certain WMU's.
This is just another step in their plan to implement a muzzleloader into the Archery Seasons.  If you recall, they tried in 2005 and again in 2012 to place an MZ into the Archery Seasons.  NYB led the way to defend the tranquility of the archery seasons.
According to their harvest total, bowhunters account for only about 15% of the total deer killed, where as the Regular Season (Firearms) accounts for a whopping 85%.  They want more does killed.
They tried increasing DMP's in certain WMU's, but that did not give the desired result they were looking for.  
Why, if the Archery Seasons only kill 15% of the deer, would the DEC think that anything would change?  If they are sincere in their efforts to kill more does, then logically, the Regular Season is the place to implement any sound idea.
Everyone knows that once high powered firearms begin being fired in the woods, the deer disappear.  PENN State has the proof.  They conducted a collared deer study.  When firearms began to light up the woods, the deer went away, far, far away.  They tracked deer, both bucks and does to areas that they had never visited in the prior 10 months.  "Amazing" is what the leader of the study said.
The DEC is once again looking to divide and conquer the sportsmen and women, using the bowhunters as the bad guys.
NYB sent out an Alert to all its members, asking to take less than 1 minute to "take action".

[ron w]

I'm surprised that NYB is surprised by this.....DEC is not the sportsman/woman's friend. They want to sell more tags and take in more money to piss away on something non related. I'm surprised the season hasn't been shortened or divided into some goofy segments to allow X-bow or blackpowder have even more chances. Enough of my rant!

[Al Dente]

Not surprised at all by the DEC's actions.  We've been talking about their 3 part plan for years now.  Unfortunately, there are so many who are uninformed, or misinformed as to what is going on within NYS.

[ronp]

Originally posted by Al Dente:
Not surprised at all by the DEC's actions.  We've been talking about their 3 part plan for years now.  Unfortunately, there are so many who are uninformed, or misinformed as to what is going on within NYS.

X2

[Mint]

Al, that's why I've been a member of New York Bowhunters for 25 years and finally pulled the trigger with a life membership last year. I figured supporting bowhunting with my $$$ was more important than another bow. I never thought our own DEC would be as bad for us as the anti hunters.

[Al Dente]

Thanks Jeff.  Your commitment and dedication is not unnoticed.

[Mint]

No thanks needed Al, you guys work tirelessly protecting us bow hunters from anti-hunters and our own DEC.

[Al Dente]

For anyone who doesn't know, certain WMU's within NYS, during the first 15 days of Archery Season will be antlerless only.  The DEC has implemented Phase 2 of their 3 phase plan.  If bowhunters do not comply and kill does, the DEC will then contemplate (read ENACT) a muzzleloader in the Archery Season.
Now, this pertain to bowhunters only within those WMU's, male, female, old, and yes the young too..  Even though the Columbus Day Weekend Youth Firearms Hunt, so precious to the DEC, falls within the first 15 days, those youth hunting with a firearm can kill whatever deer they chose, but the youth bowhunter cannot.  Boy is that unfair or what.  As NYB has said all along, it is not about the kids with the DEC, it's all about abusing the bowhunter.  
Better wake up New York or don't ask why or how.  
The DEC had no public meetings, they lied about the timeline for consideration and implementation (originally they said nothing will change until 2016), and there is no way that the DEC could have compiled and analyzed all of the written opinions that were due by June 29th and gotten the Syllabus to the printers for when licenses go on sale in August.  This was their plan all along.
Again, wake up New York.  Get involved and get heard.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Thanks For the Heads up Al,  even though I do not plan on being a resident all too much longer, I sent my dues in.

[Al Dente]

Thank you very much Charlie.  Your dues mean so much more than you can possibly imagine.  With membership numbers, we can have a stronger and louder voice that will be heard.  It is very frustrating when bowhunters know what it happening to their season, but will just complain amongst themselves and not get involved.
The DEC is using this latest phase to justify their future placement of a muzzleloader into the early archery season.  Mark my words, they want it and will do anything and everything to make it happen...unless there is a major outcry.
Penn State conducted a one year study on radio collared deer.  When firearms were introduced during the hunting season, the deer went away, far, far away.  They went into areas that they never ventured into during the previous 10 months.  Not just bucks, but the does too.
There is no rhyme or reason to their decision, just an outright attack.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Al,  I don't understand when in one breathe NY states they say they want deer numbers reduced then in the next they say they want to open other seasons within seasons. It sounds good in theory but not in action.

I have lived in a state where they have opened up other gun seasons within bow seasons (WI).  Sure, they reduced deer numbers a little early on but the overall deer take for the year remained consistent.

What changed was the amount of hunters who didn't hunt early because it was too warm and out of tradition, and the amount of guys who eventually stopped hunting regular season because they could not see nocturnal, spooked deer.  In fact some of these same people just went out of state to hunt or quit hunting altogether.  Instead of dropping their money at stores for gear and buying gas getting to and from camps, they figured they would spend a  couple thousand and just go somewhere to hunt for a  week.

In the end the state lost money and hunters, their plan to reduce the deer herd was successful only because they allowed as many deer to be shot as you wanted but the plan to introduce hunters failed due to the lack of deer seen.  A large number of kids from that era quit hunting because they wouldn't see deer (adults too).  

I applaud the efforts of the NY Bowunters. Hopefully one ear of a state employee gets caught and can push for better practice. What I cannot figure out is why they are not consulting other state's who have used these tactics in the past.  why not adopt a program that would work instead of grasping at half cocked notions that have short term goals and long term damage?  In this age of information we live, NY Politically seems to be troglodytes.

[Al Dente]

Charlie, you are 100% on the money with your assessment of NYS.  The DEC refuses to acknowledge the past practices of other States failed endeavors, they do not gather enough input through their limited "surveys", and they ignore the sportsmen who have endured years and years of their incompetence.  
Case in point is last years' license restructuring.  Sure, every hunter, fisherman, and trapper saved money, but the State lost about 7 million!!!  They only expected a loss of between 3-4 million.  Absurd!!!  I never had a problem spending $98 for the Super Sportsman and DMP lottery, I figured let the State use the funds for conservation.  This year cost me $57.  How is that for a backwards way of thinking?