NY Northern zone hunting thread

[crotch horn]

Somebody up there has got to whack one soon!!  Waiting & hoping for you guys.

[ronp]

Hey Phil,
When I was in Happy Valley last week-end I saw one other vehicle parked, and another on the road driving out.  No pressure at all.  I was hunting west of Whitney Pond.
Ron

[No-sage]

This is from the DEC regulations under manner of taking:

Manner of Taking

It is unlawful to:

Take big game while the deer or bear is in water.

Possess a firearm of any description when bowhunting or when accompanying a person bowhunting during special archery seasons.


  Link to DEC Website  

These's no need to guess at the regs, they're all in the books you get with your license and posted online.

[No-sage]

Good luck up there....  

My Lyme disease has flared up again something awful so shooting a bow isn't looking good for me right now  

[kat]

No-sage, sorry to hear about the flare up.  Rotten timing.  Hope you feel up to shooting soon.

[ron w]

No-sage....thank you for the info and the link.

[crotch horn]

My ECO told me that is where the glitch is Ron & to anyone else interested. It is a Regular archery season not a "special" archery season as stated in the regs. Ron, I actually always believed what you stated to be the truth. At best, it depends on which officer you talk to. The best thing to do is talk to whoever patrols your area & see what their take on it is. The ECO where I hunt says I AM legal so during the overlap of early bear I will be packing. I am sorry if caused any confusion but like everything in good ole NY..... You just can't get a straight answer even if asking those who are suposed to know.

[woodchucker]

I've stayed out of this for some time but.....

The bottom line is, You are either BOW HUNTING or you are BEAR HUNTING!!!!! Simple as that.

There is a "early" Bear Season with which you can use firearms. It DOES overlap the Archery Season by a few days,HOWEVER... The Archery Season is for Deer AND Bear!!! If You want to hunt Bear with a firearm,that's fine... HOWEVER, If you are BOWHUNTING with a firearm in your possesion,you are in direct violation of the law!!!

There is no "glitch" Your ECO is wrong!!! Also, IMHO he wouldn't be the first "dumb" Conservation Officer that I have come acrossed. More than a few of them don't know the laws they are supposed to enforce. You could take his line of thinking in other directions too... Squirrel Season is also open,but you can't carry a .22 then again,Turkey Season is also open... But,you can't carry a shotgun...

Plain said and done... Once the Archery Season starts,you better not have a firearm in your possesion if you are BOWHUNTING!!!

It doesn't get any simpler than that.....

(Thank You for listening, I'll get off my soap box now)

[ron w]

OK then...........Is anyone going up to hunt on Sunday. I can't make it Saturday but plan at least half a day on Sunday.May spend some time up near the camp looking around,sneak and peek if you know what I mean.........

[adkmountainken]

i can not hunt Satreday morning either but will be hunting all saterday afternoon and evening. will hunt all Sunday morning in to afternoon.

[3Feathers]

I will be hunting sat. morning.Will not be able
to make it Sunday got to get ready for south......

[crotch horn]

This will be my last post on this subject. The thread is about hunting not regs. I contacted a friend of mine who is a Ranger in a different area of NY and asked him. He recieved the same question from 2 other people the same day. Basically he said what has been stated before. If you are bowhunting leave the guns home. He said when it does come up it is up to the officer to decide if a violation has occured. He said the law is very unclear the way it is written and they take that into account when coming upon someone. He said it is usually obvious if someone is carrying a pistol for backup or trying to get away with something. He said it is one of the issues they are trying to change so there is no question. Until then he said it depends on who you run into & how they interpret the law.

Now let's stop all of this and talk more about hunting!! Good luck to all and I am sorry to anyone I may have upset or offended. I always try to obay the law and if the ECO had not told me different I would not question what you guys are saying. It was how I believed the law to read. Enough said I hope.

[adkmountainken]

Dan,
   this groups skin is thicker then leather bro no worries here! ya better make it up here this year to hunt though!
 I will be hunting tommorow afternoon untill dark and Sunday all morning untill 1 if anyone wants to join. looks like a few will be hunting tommoorw morning as well. as allways everyone that can make it is welcome.

[woodchucker]

crotch horn... PM sent my friend!!!

[crotch horn]

OK, this really is the last post on this from me. First to those who have apologised.... Accepted. Takes a man to do that. I have killed two bears in my life. The first was in 07 and was my first trad kill. First animal I ever shot at with a recurve. I took up trad shooting in Jan of 07 and was blessed to make a clean kill so early. My second bear was just a couple weeks ago during early bear. This was with my Lost Creek longbow. I hunt early bear with a bow because it is a love of mine. Why all the fuss? Well, back in 07 while standing on my logging road after dark waiting for my brother I was charged by a 515lb angry black bear. It was not pleasant to say the least and the bear stopped the charge litterally two feet from me. We stood face to face for a few seconds then he turned and ran off. How do I know what he weighed? One of the guys I know shot him with a rifle a month later. He was leaning against a tree and turned around to see the bear coming towards him only 8 yards away. Luckily he dropped him on the spot. Last year on public land in the same area I was walking out after dark holding my recurve and moving towards the road when I heard something running towards me. At about 15 yards I could make out what it was. Two cubs with mom in tow were right there. Once again they ran the other way. I don't need a gun because I have any doubt about my ability with a bow ( although some of my buddies may differ on that.   Lol), the gun is for self defense and only if I were actually being attacked. I did not fire a shot at the 500# bear running at me in the dark because I did not have to. On the other hand had it gone badly I would have had a chance at least. I must admit since that charge I am not as confident walking in & out in the dark but I do. Sometimes if I am up there alone I carry the pistol. If hunting with others it stays in the truck. Am I breaking the law? Many may say YES! I say I proved myself to those that be when they issued me my pistol permit. I am trying to keep myself safe and return home in one piece to my wife. I am not out to shoot an animal illegally or any such nonsense. Let's just all enjoy eachothers company and the thrill of being out there. There is to much good out there to always worry about the bad. If anyone looks poorly on me for my choice so be it. I can accept that. I look in the mirror and know I hunt ethically at the end of the day.
Now, Ken and all of my fellow hunters up there on the moutain. Good luck and fill the meat pole!!!!

[woodchucker]

Well said Dan!!!!! Thank You!!!!!

(Some say... "Better to be tried by 12,than carried by 6")  

[bowbender145]

Hey, just wondering if you guys could let me know where you're hunting? I'd love to hook up with some other trad hunters. You could e-mail me or just post it here, PLEEZE. thanks, Chuck

[ron w]

Chuck, we are hunting near Rockwood N.Y. on RT. 10 just north of RT. 29. It's a short hike up the mountain to mostly state land. Hard wood ridges, broke up by spruce and hemlock. Lots of acorns and some beech nuts. And a fair amount of deer and Bear sign. Adkmountainken can give you a better lay of the land.

[3Feathers]

Anybody hunting sat morning???

[ron w]

Can't make it Sat. Going on Sunday AM.