NY season proposal published

[Doc]

At the following link, the DEC has posted a new copy of the latest proposal: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/propregs/part1text.html

It is quite confusing, but my initial take is that the early muzzleloader season has been completely dropped. I'll need a lot more time to digest all this info because, to me the format is not the clearest thing I have ever read.

Take a look and let's see what you all think about this.

Doc

[NYBUCK]

Re: NY season proposal published

Good Doc, I am glad I am not the only one confused.

[NYBUCK]

Re: NY season proposal published

Just got this in an email ....... says the same thing but a little more user friendly ...

Hi,

You are getting this email because you attended one of our public meetings on southern zone deer season proposed changes and put down an email address. This is the press release out today announcing what the current proposal is and how to provide comment about it.

Thank you.

Steve Litwhiler

Citizen Participation Specialist

Region 6

For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Maureen Wren

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 (518) 402-8000

DEC ANNOUNCES PROPOSED DEER HUNTING SEASON CHANGES

Public Is Invited to Provide Comments on Proposed Changes for 2005-06 Deer Season

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced a series of proposed changes to the Southern Zone deer hunting season for 2005-06. Public comment on the proposals begins on April 6, 2005 and ends on May 23, 2005.

"DEC's final proposals are the result of an extensive public outreach effort that the Department conducted in February," Commissioner Sheehan said. "A continuing concern for the long-term efficiency and continuation of hunting as the primary management tool for controlling New York's white-tailed deer population prompted DEC to consider an array of options intended to enhance hunter participation and satisfaction. Our final set of proposals specifically addresses several key concerns, such as enhancing youth hunting opportunities, expanding some seasons, and creating an opportunity to learn more about additional deer management tools."

Among the more prominent proposed changes is moving the opening day of the Southern Zone regular deer season from a Monday to a Saturday. This proposed change specifically provides opening day hunting opportunities for young hunters and others who are unable to take time off from work during the week. A standard Saturday opening day for the early archery season is also proposed to provide similar benefits for bowhunters. DEC is proposing that the late archery and muzzleloader seasons occurring after the regular season both be extended to nine days each, for additional consistency.

A pilot program to expand the age structure of the buck population is proposed for two Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) located primarily in Ulster County. The proposed pilot antler restriction program is based on a strong level of local support and will require that bucks taken in WMUs 3C and 3J have at least one antler with at least three points to be legal. This proposal is similar to successful alternative harvest programs implemented in other states. Young hunters, under the age of 17, would be exempt from this requirement.

Since other hunting season dates are aligned with deer hunting seasons, some modifications and adjustments to bear, fall turkey and pheasant seasons are also being proposed. The proposals put forth by DEC also include an advancement in the regular open season dates for black bear hunting. The Catskill Range's regular bear season is proposed for the first Monday after the opening of the Southern Zone regular deer season through the end of the Southern Zone regular deer season. The Allegany Range's regular bear season is proposed for the first Saturday after the opening of the Southern Zone regular deer season through the end of the Southern Zone regular deer season. The fall turkey and pheasant hunting seasons in some areas of western New York are also proposed to be opened on a Saturday and close on the Friday before the regular season opener in order to maintain the same number of days of hunting for these species.

One option considered by the Department, but not being advanced at this time, would have established a new early, special, antlerless-only muzzleloader season. This proposal was not supported by the public input recieved during DEC's outreach meetings and initial comment period. It is not being considered as a proposal for the 2005-06 season.

To see more detailed descriptions of the proposals, access the DEC website home page (www.dec.state.ny.us ) and select "Proposed Environmental Regulations" from the left column.

Among the specific deer season changes proposed for the Southern Zone are:

Early Archery Season - Saturday after the second Monday in October (Columbus Day) to the day before the Regular Season.

* For 2005 : October 15 through November 18.

Regular Season - Third Saturday in November for 23 days.

* For 2005 : November 19 - December 11 (includes four weekends).

Late Archery and Muzzleloader Seasons - First day after the close of the regular season, running for nine days.

* For 2005 : December 12 - December 20 (Any leftover tags are valid).

Antler Restriction Pilot Study - WMUs 3C and 3J (all seasons)

* Limits harvest of antlered deer to those with at least one antler with at least three points;

* Smaller antlered bucks cannot be taken; and

* Hunters under the age of 17 are exempt and may take a buck with an antler or antlers measuring more than three inches in length.

Black Bear Regular Seasons

* Catskill Range: The first Monday after the opening of the Southern Zone regular deer season through the end of the Southern Zone regular deer season;

* Allegany Range: First Saturday after the opening of the Southern Zone regular deer season through the end of the Southern Zone regular deer season;

* For 2005: Catskill Range: November 21 - December 12; and

* For 2005: Allegany Range: November 26 - December 12.

The proposed regulations are published in today's New York State Register and the public may provide comments on these changes during the formal 45-day comment period that begins with publication in the Register and ends on May 23, 2005. To send written comments on the proposals, go to www.dec.state.ny.us and select "Proposed Environmental Regulations" from the left column, or mail to: Big Game Season Changes, NYSDEC, Bureau of Wildlife, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754.

[RangerClay]

Re: NY season proposal published

Thanks NY!

Ranger

[BuckNrut]

Re: NY season proposal published

I SMELL TROUBLE!

Sec 1.22(b) is repealed/replaced, stating a "9-day" Late ML season.

Sec 1.22© is AMMENDED to read "7-days" for the late ML season.

You can see my concern, yes?

[Doc]

Re: NY season proposal published

Nybuck-

Thanks for the translation. For those of us who do not have a current copy of the game laws, or as in my case I have a 15 year old copy, that seems to make a lot more sense when written in plain english.

Adkhunter-

The reason I added the post over here is that it has been primarily a concern of bowhunters. This being the Bowhunting forum, it seemed to make sense to post it here.

Doc

[Doc]

Re: NY season proposal published

I'm not real sure why this season stuff has been made so complicated. I would have thought that they would have made everything key off of the new Saturday opening date for the gun season. The bow season should be "X" number of even weeks prior to the gun season, where "X" is equal to or greater than our current season length. That would make season lengths consistant from one year to the next (something we don't have even now), and all seasons starting on Saturday (just the way they want it). Why should it be any more complicated than that? I'm telling you, everytime you get the legal people involved or the legal wannabes, everything turns into a complete fiasco.

Doc

[NYBUCK]

Re: NY season proposal published

Doc your right, they do make it complicated. One side note, when I spoke to the DEC officials at the meeting they said that the Saturday opener was their big issue, they have been trying to get it passed for years and it had been shot down every time. So now (in my opinion) they burried it with the early ML crap and got it to fly. Now they are still cutting into the bow season because we ticked them off, again jmho. We need to make a stance again and not give up any time or they will think they can defeat us with all of there politcal garbage and hoopla. Now one of the other things is that they wanted parity with the northern seasons, that is what they told us. However, North archery starts on October 1st so why can't the southern teir have a designated date?

[Doc]

Re: NY season proposal published

How many days are we actually going to lose? Well while reading the same subject over on the "deer hunting" forum, there seemed to be all sorts of interpretations and what I think are misconceptions. So, I did a bit of research and came up with the actual number of hunting days according to this latest proposal. You might want to take a look at it and throw a few darts. Actually the results were not what I expected. There still has to be a bit of work done to establish what our current season length is for comparison because I believe that has always been an ever changing length from year to year also. Maybe tomorrow I will have some time to delve into that.

Doc