doctariAFC

Gene,

I am curious, do you belong to a conservation club or Rod & Gun that is a County Federation member? You're wondering how many hunters are looking for a "major" change in NY. You seem to show some interest and have tangible concerns, but are you a part of the process or have a desire to get involved in the process?

bowkill144

Doc
I travel a great deal for work so my time is limited I am fortunate to get more than 40 days of a year off from work so I can enjoy this sport andI have a family to spend time with as well. I get Ny outdoor news I belong to the NRA I vote every november and I do go to DEC meetings when they are in my area and I am in town. I have written letters and sent emails to officals when I thought my opinion needs heard. I do not however have time to belong to a club, my problem is when I join something I get very invovled and my life just will not allow that right now. How ever if the majority is being represented which it sounds like it is then the system is working and I will keep faith in the system. I do believethat from research and reading thatI have done and just plan old talking to everybody I can, I am the minority in this state and it may change some day but I do not think I can wait for that. Iapplaud you for your effort andinvolvement in this sport and I hope you are succesful at acheving your goals but I think my energy will have to be put in other areas.
Good Luck
Gene

doctariAFC

I certainly understand that, Gene. If possible, I would recommend that sportsmen and women in NYS, if they do not belong to a Federated R&G or conservation club, that they at least consider a Guardian membership with the New York State Conservation Council. Gets you their newsletter (Grass Roots) which is published monthly and email legislative alerts when needed. Meaning, any time a billis proposed that can affect hunting, fishing, trapping, 2nd Amendment rights, shooting sports, etc, etc (even environmental access, wildlife management plans, the whole enchillada) you get an alert from their legislative VP Wally John. That level membership costs $25.00/ yr. and believe me we can use all the help we can, especially with Spitzer and Cuomo coming to Albany in their new offices come January.

Thanks for receiving NY Outdoor News! Great to hear... I write for them.

NY Bowhunter

Am I the only one that found this statement a bit odd?

What benefit would allowing crossbows in NY have?

MJR10

One buck a year would be fine with me. And antler restictions are fine too. I know too many people that shoot 4 points and 6 points just to get "their buck" and then throw the horns out a month later. Shoot a doe if you want meat is my theory. Let'em go and let'em grow if they are a yearling buck...which in my opinion is the easiest dear to kill.

A mature doe is one of the hardest to kill....

cnyguy

MJR10, I agree, one buck. Your comment about big does......you bet. You know you've got a good setup when you can get a big old doe w/fawn past your stand.

Bowkill144,I disagree with the crossbow comment. I've hunted with crossbows in Ohio. You have a major advantage with a crossbow, most of which has to do with movement. Whether it's a longbow or compound, you have to draw, its a critical moment in the hunt. With a crossbow you can tuck yourself against the tree, shoot sitting down (without moving away from your stand or tree),do less trimming around you (thereby exposing yourself less), and raise the weapon slowly. I'm not totally against crossbows, but from experience, they havean advantage.

bowkill144

Well guys I did not say they were not an advantage I just dont think they are any more accurate then a compound. And I know all you ny bowman guys would rather shoot your mother than let crossbows in the woods during the archery season. But I think if we could shorten up our gun season and make it later in the year after the rut there would be more 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks making it to the next year. But I think the major bow clubs in this state do not realize you can not take away from the Gun crowd without offering them a chance to join us during the archery season and lettin them use a crossbow would be a good compromise in my book. Also if the age restrictions were dropped you could get some young people out hunting with them too I also believe it would help our senior archers as well. I have worked with some older people with draw locks and other gadgets on the range they work ok but in the field they are very frustrating to them so they quit. I think the attitude of most bowhunters I have talkedwith do not want anymore hunters in the woods during the archery season, which willend up hurting us in the long run because our numbers will shrink and without numbers we will just fade away. Votes are power you need people in your sport to vote to maintain your rights.
Of course as I have said which probably will make many of you happy I am pretty much done with hunting in NY because I do not belive there will be any major changes in this state due to both hunter attitude and state politics. Again this is just my opinion and as the saying goes opinions are like @#$ holes everybody has one!!
Gene

cnyguy

bowkill144- Sorry I wasn't trying to criticize you, just give a perspective from an experienced point of view. If they legalize crossbows in NY, I will be one of the first to own one. I have a bad right shoulder, and it doesn't stand up to shooting a regular bow very well. But, I continue to bow hunt for the challenge. I hate...hate...hate...hate...hate...the gun season. Yes, I hunt the gun season, and kill a deer every year, but I don't enjoy it like bow or muzzleloader. NY could modify its seasons some, but it still boils down to hunters letting some deer walk. Lets be honest, probably 1/3(maybe more)of the people who hunt the gun season are only in the woods for that season. Its the only time they see a deer in the woods, so their not going to let the opportunity pass. I work with 2 people who only hunt during the gun season, no grouse, no squirrel, nothing. They don't hunt together. Their goal is to kill a deer, any deer. This year they killed a 5 point and a spike. A couple of years ago one guy shot 2 button bucks. The guy that shot the spike didn't realize it was a spike until he walked up to it. Yes, these people buy tags and contibute to the general good of the sport. Some will become more educated, but many won't. They have a right to kill what they want, and seem to obey the law. I'm just saying if the goal is to have more "trophy" bucks, this type of hunter is a big obstical. If the goal is to manage the herd, they are doing a great service. It is a tough choice for the DEC to make.

bowkill144

CNYGUY
I was not offended I just like to rant it makes me feel better. I do think 1 buck, a shorter gun season later in the year would go along way towards more young bucks making itto next year. But to get something like that done I think we would have to allow crossbows, that would be the compromise. Also for people like your self the crossbow would be a benifit, injures are hard to over come with a bow. But if you go out and get hit by a car, end up a quadrapalegicand you can still blow through a straw I think they might then let you use oneLOL. These changes might push poor hunters into learning to become better hunters. I would hope this would happen due to the fact that hunting with a crossbow would be much harder than a Shotgun so there success would depend on them being better hunters.
Gene

Sylvan

Well it would certainly give those who would like to use them for hunting the opportunity to do so. That's a benefit. Maybe you aren't interested,I'm not either,but certainly many are right now and who knows how much it would catch on.Maybe the opportunity to try something different might up the enthusiasm for some where hunting has become a bit stale. Factor in new license sales, tax revenue from sales of x-bows, sure there would be some benefit.