doctariAFC

And that is the dilemma. We may or may not have the resources to stop it. I think the Sportsmen's Clubs can do a ton of work in this area (hell, we already do, but we need to do more of the hard work) but the will to do it is another thing entirely (like, the clubs can sure do it from a resource standpoint - educating and reaching out, etc - but finding the volunteers wanting to help..... mingia, its hard enough to get some members to sell a couple raffle tickets...)

It is the way it is, and has been for quite a long time, since hunting seasons began, I would suspect.

But we have the interesting dynamic of hunter satisfaction, or dis-satisfaction acting as a rallying cry for more action. I have a question.... On the whole, not necessarily specifically to your hunting grounds, but as a whole, how do you think most hunters do their hunting?

Maybe a poll?

[ol][*]Ground Blind[*]Treestand[*]Still Hunt[*]Deer Drives with my hunting party[*]I just drive around with an arrow sticking out of the grill of my pick up truck, looking for crossing targets....[/ol]

That last answer was obviously a joke...

bowkill144

Doc
LOL number 5 was great but I would think #2 treestands with some of the others sprinkled in on occasion.

Sylvan

In archery season I think without question it's hands downin treestands. In gun season I'd guess it's probably 1/3 1/3 1/3 between stands (tree or on the ground), still hunting and drives. For me though it's no drives at all so 50 50 tree stand and still hunting when the conditions are right.

doctariAFC

Excellent. Perhaps we should put a poll up on this to get some feedback, but, I will ask the next question... And this is kind of a loaded question, but here goes...

Over the past 20 years, do you think treestand hunting has:
A - Grown in use
B - Remained about the same as the 20 years prior
C - Declined

Bear in mind, over the past 20 years portable treestands have become very safe and very affordable, not to mention very lightweight and featured in every magazine, TV show etc., etc.

The ask yourself how many deer can have you personally pushed from their daytime bedding areas while up 20 feet in a tree?

Sylvan

I'd say tree stand use has grown tremendously over the yeas. Just curious as towhere are you headed with this?How does it relate to Ohio regs in NY?

doctariAFC

Well, one of the big things hunters state, and this is pretty much universal especially over the last decade, perhaps a bit longer, is that they aren't seeing the deer numbers they used to, and the buck quality they are seeing are either immature deer or no bucks!

Where I am going with this is simple. There was a time not too long ago when the majority of deer hunters were ground pounders, and treestands were basically tree forts nailed to a hemlock, which would rot and become a hazard. Lots of work, and not portable too, so many hunters opted for ground work.

Over the years, with the advancement of products and introduction of many new ones, more people are taking to the trees. What does this mean? Well, we have seen a tremendous improvement in our safety record, for certain, but we are also experiencing a lack of pushing deer around too. This includes neighbors who potentially would shag that deer over the property line, or whatnot. I have read many, many posts that tell of similar stories... First week of bow, deer were everywhere, then, I haven't seen a deer since! No kidding. They're beddd down by day, walking around and eating and humping at night, just like they always have done. Without guys moving about, you are less liekly to see deer, as you must rely on those that decide to get up, rather than having deer pushed right out to you.

That's another factor, a big factor dare I say in hunters seeing, or not seeing deer.

Of course, if you hunt near where I hunt, you'll see tons of them. I likethe eyeball to eyeball game, and have pushed many a buck and doe to other hunters. I have also taken my share of good animals, too. I always see a lot of deer, but sometimes it is only a tail.

bowkill144

Doc
You are right but I put alot of trailcamsout ona couple of what should be good propertys and still capture very few 2.5 or older bucks. I start putting out cams in late august and keep them out right till the end of oct. It must just be the areas I am in and the nieghbor factor I guess.
Gene
Doc did you find out if you can fill both tags during the late muzz season? I would not shoot two nice bucks then even if it was possible where I hunt but I am still wondering. The regs seem to read that both buck tags are good during the late season.

NY Bowhunter

Flip flop, alter, or change the seasons all you want. None of it matter unless we get DEC officers putting some fear into poachers. I don't care about coyotes, harsh winters, QDM, etc.... The number one reason an area doesn't have mature bucks and deer numbers around is poaching!

People are going to shoot whatever the heck they want to shoot and when they want to shoot it. Heck I'm not sure why hunters in my area even bother with a license to be honest with ya. I've never seen a DEC officer anywhere around the area I hunt in 20 years. I would love once in my lifetime to be checked by the DEC. It would make me feel a lot better.

I've been HOUNDING the DEC officers in my area for the last 6 years about 2 known poachers in the area I hunt. I know for fact they shoot 5,6,7 bucks a season, EVERY season. I know exactly where they hunt. I know where their stands are. I know where they live. I know what they do. I told the DEC I was willing to do whatever it took to help them. I'd give up a hunting season if I had to in order to nab these dirtbags. The case would be a slam dunk. I havent' seen a single thing done about it yet. They just keep whacking anything with a horn they see and cuttingthem up at homeall season long. How in the name of God can you have a good deer herd with mature bucks around with that going on in your area?

doctariAFC

I believe the only tags you may fill during late/ extended season are your two early archery/ extended season tags and your DMPs in the WMUs they are valid for. The Regular Season tag, or buck tag, is valid for regular season AND late season, antlered deer only.

Personally, I think this particular piece is stupid. The Regular Season Tag, which is what it is called, should be valid only during Regular Season. Perhaps this is something we can push to change. If you filled your early/ late deer of either sex tag during archery season, congratulations. If you wish to hunt that year during the 9 day extended, and did not harvest a buck during regular season, no antlered deer for you as that tag should be valid only for regular season. But that is not how the law currently stands. No argument can intelligently be made for allowing use of this tag for population control, and hunter opportunity already is huge considering you receive two tags for deer with purchase of the ML or Bowhunting license, plus you may use the DMPs you have left over, which are for population control.

I don't like that particular regulation one bit, but, until we get a unified position demanding the Regular Season applies only during regular season, as the name of the tag implies, we must accept and deal with that.

However, as I read further into the regs, the Northern Zone has areas established right now where you may only harvest antlered deer, and I am sure the hunters in that area pushed hard to have the regular season tag, if unfilled, valid during late season because of the antlered only restrictions. But, if you have filled your buck (deer ofeither sex)tag from archery/ late seasons, that really should be it for early and late bucks for any hunter.

doctariAFC

Unreal, and is one of the prime reasons a friend of mine calls that 800-TIPP-DEC hotline 800-DEC-JOKE line.

What region are you in, if you don't mind me asking?