Anyone else see this??

[Inwellb4light]

I can honestly say I dont have a problem with the inclusion of xbows during archery season because it does happen to strike a soft spot in me. 

I have not been able to hunt with my dad in 3 years due to his inability to draw and hold a bow exceeding 35 lbs (nys law) due to health problems.

If this will allow me to share the woods with my father again i could truly care less how much any of the NY bowhunters hate crossbows and im the biggest bowhunting advocate there is.

What i do have a huge problem with is the fact that the xbow hunters will not be responsible for completing a bowhunter safety course.  Only a certificate they must fill out to hunt with one.  Now, this makes no sense to me.  If NY wants to view xbow hunters as "archers" and allow them to hunt the ARCHERY season shouldnt they be subjected to the same prerequisites and responsibilities that the rest of the real bowhunters of NY had to complete? 

[Inwellb4light]

I really feel that if they were required to complete the archery course it may be enough of a deterrent that the poaching scumbags wouldn't bother. 

[upstatehunter]

I'm sure that was the majority opinion as well from the hunters around the state....Has anyone seen any kind of numbers???
 
I agree with a disabled permit for use in the archery season.....One that has merit, not only if you can discharge a gun with a blow  tube...
 
If they are using an implement that kills the same way a bow does....they need to have the same training....

[upstatehunter]

I really feel that if they were required to complete the archery course it may be enough of a deterrent that the poaching scumbags wouldn't bother.

Poachers could care less about courses....or licenses for that matter....They just use one to side step the laws....

[stka]

I really feel that if they were required to complete the archery course it may be enough of a deterrent that the poaching scumbags wouldn't bother. 

There would be less increase in sales. I used to feel partially safe hunting (posted land) during bow season. That'll be out the window now too.

I used to know an archer who lost an arm at the elbow. They wouldn't let him use a crossbow, so he had to start shooting with a mouth release. He was good with it until he slipped one day and almost ripped all the teeth out of his mouth. Pretty sure he gave up on archery after that.

[Inwellb4light]

Poachers could care less about courses....or licenses for that matter....They just use one to side step the laws....

I agree with that.  I also believe that the ones who would poach with them probably already have them anyway.  But if they had to take a course in order to even justify having one during the archery seasons atleast the ECOs would have a leg to stand on when they catch suspected poachers with one in a vehicle for example and unless they had archery tags with the xbow privilege they better have a damn good excuse why the have one........

[upstatehunter]

Not illegal to own one or drive up and down the road with one in your vehicle...they would have a tough burden of proof of your intentions with it....No laws are perfect...

[lyndaker]

Implement antler restrictions state wide, $125 license fee covers everything turn in unused tags at the end of season or else $100 penalty added to license fee following year for individuals without a valid kill report, two deer bag limit one antlered and one antlerless statewide, and make one solid season state wide. Choose your own weapon (bow,shotgun,rifle,crossbow,muzzleloader) If you prefer to use one of the list weapons all season do so at your pleasure. I understand the challenge of hunting with a bow, but deer turn into totally different animals between the start of early bow and the beginning of muzzloader season. Anyone can shoot a tame goat in a pen. Why should a bowhunter get the woods all to themselves for a few weeks while someone that prefers a firearm doesnt get the same fair shot? I think we should institute a knife season for those really seeking a challenge.

[stka]

Why should a bowhunter get the woods all to themselves for a few weeks while someone that prefers a firearm doesnt get the same fair shot?

Get a bow and hunt, if your into shooting penned goats. It's not a closed club, anyone can get a bow license if they investing the time to practice. Lucky you, soon you won't even need to make the effort, you can hunt archery season with a crossgun and not even need to practice much. Just look through the scope and squeeze the trigger. Unfortunately they don't make a semiauto crossgun yet, so you'll have to deal with the challenge of only having one shot.

[lyndaker]

I actually fully intend on getting a bow this comming year. Really have no interest in crossbow to be honest. Never hunted with a bow in my life but i understand there are alot more variables that add to the challenge hunting with one and i hope to experience them once i get the funds to get into it. Crossing my fingers to purchase one this spring so i have the summer to practice. I just feel a hunter hunts for the thrill of the hunt (you can by meat in the store) it shouldnt matter what weapon you choose. In my opinion deer change there habits immensly after bow season starts (speaking of northern zone) and you dont gotta be sitting in a treestand during bow season to notice it. For several years i have watched deer on my game camera go from day time feaders to completely nocturnal during the course of bow season. Notice their habits change just driving around you dont see them in the fields as much. Granted they need to be closer to hit them with a bow (even though new bows are making a 30-40 yd shot possible now) and you only have one shot placed right in the perfect spot (thanks to your peep and fiberoptic glowing pins. Remember when you couldnt have a scope on a muzzleloader? Indians sighted down the arrow.), but you got alot better odds of shooting a deer with a bow when they are actually traveling during daylight hours. This isnt meant to be disrespectful keep in mind. Is a semi auto muzzloader even legal to hunt with in new york? Primitive is primitive.

[lyndaker]

Actually i will edit my first post. Two seasons. Primitive and non-primitive. If you wanna have a season that respects the skill and practice that goes into the use of a primitive weapon we get to use longbows, smoothbore muskets, medieval crossbows, and spears. No scopes or enhanced sights. Modern season no holds barred crossbows and tactical nukes. Laser targetting and Gps positioning permitted.

[Inwellb4light]

Long story short if NY had a deer herd worth a damn it would command its own attention and the hunters numbers would not decline.  Not only are we losing numbers year after year due to lack of hunters on top of that we are also losing numbers to hunters that live in NY, but choose not to buy a NY license and go out of state to hunt deer herds that are worth their time and money, and i do not blame them one bit.

Wanna improve the herd in NY and therefore regain some of the hunters lost?  Implement a plan to truly make the herd better, not just appease the insurance agencies (who lets face it want all deer dead) and they have the money to make it happen by padding these politicians pockets to express their views where it counts. 

Heres how in just 2-3 years NY could make its deer herd worthy of commanding out of state non resident hunting desire.

1st and foremost take guns out of the rut, Start gun season Dec 1
2nd 1 buck tag any season 3 or even 4 doe tags.
3rd go ahead and allow the xbows in archery as long as a archery certificate is achieved
4th forget the whole antler restriction thing its been made clear by more than one study that antler restrictions do just as much harm as good protecting a genetically inferior age class and killing the superior same age class

management needs to be based on age structure not antler points. 

[stka]

Actually i will edit my first post. Two seasons. Primitive and non-primitive. If you wanna have a season that respects the skill and practice that goes into the use of a primitive weapon we get to use longbows, smoothbore muskets, medieval crossbows, and spears. No scopes or enhanced sights. Modern season no holds barred crossbows and tactical nukes. Laser targetting and Gps positioning permitted.

I would be able to live with that, but of course it would never happen here in NY. I'm still trying to decide where I stand on modern muzzleloaders, I have and use one during shotgun and late ML when the weathers bad.

[lyndaker]

Not arguing with you. Explain the age thing how does that work exactly. I always kinda followed the point thing b/c around my area everyone shoots small spikes and other small racks. no real management at all. It always kinda made sense with the points system to me. Understand the bad genetics thing also but how do you know anything about their genetics if they are 115lbs and shot before they get a chance to grow into their bigboy horns?lol

[stka]

Inwellb4light, the one buck idea would be a huge issue for most every season hunters. An earn a buck program for a second tag could work if done right. I agree completely with your view on antler restrictions, but have no problem with some one shooting a 1.5 year old buck if they want to.