Opinion on Southern Zone Rifle

[DeerHunterTommer]

what is everyones opinion on being able to use rifles this year in certain parts of the southern zone that were shotgun/handgun only before.

[Robb]

In certain locations I think it's completely appropriate and will be an excellent opportunity to hunt with. In other areas I can see that it may become dangerous with in-experienced hunters who take bad shots. I guess we will see this opening weekend, I'll deifinately be wearing orange!

Robb

[adkRoy]

This will be the first season that I will be using a flashlight to get to my stand. I am very worried about:
1.) Road hunters- this was a bad problem on our farm while it was shotgun only.
2.) There is not as much tree cover as adirondacks/catskills to stop a stray bullet. its mostly open field.
3.) People tresspassing more onto our land as our land is just inside the rifle county and next to us is shotgun only.

On the plus side I am going to take full advantage of now being in a rifle zone.

[DeerHunterTommer]

I agree with both oppinios so far. a friend of mine made a good point when he said "most rifles today shoot far better than 99% of the people using them" i would hope that the statistics are better than that but the point he is trying to make is definately there. i was thinking that they should have made it that you have to be a certain age to use rifles but i dont think that would help much as many older people can be just as bad as an inexperienced kid. i'll definately be wearing some orange as well.

[Dr. IceGeek]

In the areas I hunt it is shotgun only still since I'm not in the new area where rifles are allowed.  To be honest with you, in the areas I hunt, a rifle wouldn't even be an advantage because it's so think with brush and overgrowth. I think many people in the southern tier will see that even their shotguns aren't the limiting factor in the shots they are taking but the terrain in which they hunt.  Nevertheless, I think it's OK.  I  think you'll still see alot of guys using shotguns.  Especially guys who are shooting fully rifled barrels and sabots already......

[Bobman]

I don't really think it is going to be much different.  Like Dr. IceGeek said the areas I hunt really don't offer you long distance shots anyway.  Most of the deer I see are at about 60 yards or closer.  As for stray rounds, I've had several close calls with stray slugs over the years so I don't think things will change.  I'll probably still hunt with a shotgun anyway and I always wear orange during firearms season.

[Dr. IceGeek]

I agree Bobman...after the first day you would be hard pressed to see deer out in the open fileds during legal shooting hours anyways.....

[archbishop]

come on icegeek, your 30 mins from the rifle zone i find it odd that they made this part of NY rifle, there arent alot of fields, its mostly hardwoods and a shot over 100 yards is more rare than a piebald buck. i think we are gonna have a bunch of inexpierenced rifle hunters pulling up on deer at 50 yards with there scopes cranked to 9 and seeing a big blurr but shooting anyway but like robb said we will find out come opening day. all i can say is come on sat. the 15th my bow wants to kill something

[Dr. IceGeek]

Arch,
  I hunt in region 8 back in the fingerlakes region even though I live in Buffalo.  I've got a couple of places I bowhunt here in region 9, but I gun hunt the property back home.  I think the rifle issue is interesting to say the least.  I think the fartherst I've ever taken a deer with my shotgun was 75 yards.  I feel like being a bowhunter makes you a better gun hunter all around, and after shooting deer at 15 yards with my bow I just don't get all that excited to see deer 200 yards away.  This year I REALLY want to take a deer with my handgun.  In any event, good luck next saturday...I'll be out either saturday evening or sunday morning.  Let me know how you make out! 

[archbishop]

good luck to you as well, well all compare stories on monday, hopefully all good.

i dont think rifle is gonna have a big impact with the people that live here most people i talked to are stucking with there shotguns as brushbusters or strictly hunt with muzzle loader anyway? but itll all pan out by the end of the year.

[spiker2]

im waiting for my floresent orange cavalar to come in from cabelas i guess it will be a wait and see
thing. as arch stated. the area we hunt is dense with woods and most shots are 100yrds or less. it will be interesting to see how this new rule goes and affects the area.

[d_balm24]

Got my .270 yesterday.I don't think there will be many problems with the rifle law but I don't hunt statelands during gun season.I hunt private land that only about 5-8 guys hunt.We always know where each other are gonna be and if there is any change of plans we let eveyone know via radio.There is about 400 acres and we all where hunter orange.As far as shots with rifles I got plenty of shots that I couldn't take with my shotgun because they were to far away.I hunt what used to be a old cow pastre 20 years ago but now it is starting to grow in.It is the tallest point of the land so I can see for ever.Good luck to everyone.

[archbishop]

as arch stated. the area we hunt is dense with woods and most shots are 100yrds or less.

im parking in your driveway and hunting in your backyard

[spiker2]

have at it. you can tangle with all the city folk that have cabins on my road. looks like walking pumpkins in the woods.

[AD]

Not exactly sure why it got changed over to rifle, there are other things that I I thought should have been changed around first.     
    But really todays shotguns, if sighted in and with the right slugs are capable of going 100 yards or better, really that is about the same distance for accuracy as some rifles, there isnt much difference anymore.     I hunt lands in the Central New York region where it is still shotgun, and it doesnt bother me, any shot Id have is going to be under 50 yards so I dont need a rifle.     
    A lot of the problems that may arise arnt from it being changed over to rifle but the people firing the rifles, most of us are responsable with where and how and when we shoot but you are always going to have a few people out there tossing shots at deer that they shouldnt be and just not being ethical hunters.   
     Good luck all with hunting this year, Ill be out hunting the week after it opens as much as I can, just not the opening saturday or sunday this year, Im working saturday and driving back home on sunday.    Hope you all get some venison for the freezers.