Doc Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed Every year, I have to go ream out some hunter that shoots at deer within the legally prescribed 500' distance of my house. In my opinion, 500' is not far enough away even with a shotgun. About every other year I read about slugs ripping through someone's house wall. Last year our local newspaper featured a huge picture focused in on a slug hole about head high in some family's livingroom wall. That really does wonders for hunting's PR. I'm thinking that since they are talking about allowing high powered rifles in more densely populated areas now, this might be the proper time to address this bogus, insufficient, 500' limit and increase it accordingly. We've worked pretty hard to take the hunting accident rate down to something that a lot of states envy (Do you all remember some of the ugly statistics that used to be posted after each season?). It sure would be a shame to do something stupid that would reverse that great trend. Fortunately, our area is not one of those chosen for this rifle change but who's to say this isn't some pilot that the DEC is planning to roll out across the state in a few years? Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted August 7, 2005 Report Share Posted August 7, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed Doc, I can understand where your comming from, but the biggest problem I feel is that many hunters still don't wear any Blaze orange what so ever during the gun seasons. Talk about an accident waiting to happen!!! Your always going to have someone who doesn't follow the law, and it's that particular person who shouldn't be in the woods. Most hunters are responsible, so it wouldn't matter if they would be carrying a rifle VS a shotgun, In-line muzzle-loader, or a high powered pistol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted August 7, 2005 Report Share Posted August 7, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed I know what you mean about camoflaged gunhunters. That's about the most irresponsible thing a hunter could do. I have actually seen a couple of these idiots. However, I have also encountered a few well-hidden people in blaze orange that were so well-hunkered down behind huge trees that I haven't seen them until I was actually quite close to them. I have also been in some pretty hilly and bumpy country where hunters have just popped up into view just a few dozen yards from me. So, we can't always rely on blaze orange to alert us to other hunters potentially in the line of fire or just over that little bluff that's right behind the deer that we are shooting at. Next time you are settling those sights on a deer, take a long hard look at what is directly behind him. You probably won't see a nice high dirt bank backstop like you see at the typical rifle range. Instead, you will see humps and bumps and brush and huge diameter trees all of which could conceal another hunter. The farther behind your deer you look, the more you realize that you can't determine who's back there. The farther back your bullet is able to go, the more of this unknown territory it covers. Choices of weapons to make legal really has to be based on population density, whether that population is hunters or just plain residences. And so far, I believe the DEC is taking that into consideration. Even the few areas in the southern zone where rifles are being allowed, human density has been the main consideration in their selection. This doesn't guarantee that there won't be any more shooting mishaps any more than a blaze orange law, or a shotgun only law would, but each one of these safeguards help. There will always be a certain amount of hunters who will throw caution to the winds whenever they see a deer and that is why NY has not reduced these incidents to zero. It's those few that I worry about, and I just hope we don't make it easier for them to be stupid by putting a weapon in their hands that is capable of extending the impacts of their stupidity. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted August 7, 2005 Report Share Posted August 7, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed Well stated, I concur 100%!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNY_Whitetailer Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed According to the SCOPE NY Website, this bill was delivered to the Governor's Desk on 8/18/05. Hopefully he sees fit to sign it right away as the hunting season is approaching rapidly. Keep your fingers crossed if you are in an area that will be effected. Please send an e-mail or letter to Governor Pataki's office...The pertinent info can be found here: http://www.state.ny.us/governor/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted August 20, 2005 Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed I just sent him an e-mail from me in favor of the New Bill!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckshot Posted August 20, 2005 Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed [ QUOTE ] I just sent him an e-mail from me in favor of the New Bill!! [/ QUOTE ] Me too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNY_Whitetailer Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCOPEny/ SCOPE NY is reporting that this bill passes because the Governor did not sign it. Supposedly there will be an announcement by the DEC later on today. I guess we will see what happens... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckshot Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Re: NY and rifles allowed I read that also in another forum, hope it's true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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