The recent bills submitted for 2008 legislation address some
of the issues that New Yorkers
would like changed. While they do not feature anything drastic such as Statewide antler restrictions,
they do feature one bill that many have wanted for a long time - lowering the hunting age. This bill
makes a lot of sense compared to bills in recent years.
I think most of us have come to realize how different our hunting laws are,
especially deer hunting laws, than other States. We certainly have one of the highest age requirements for hunters.
Again, it is probably not the most important change on everyone's list but it is a start. I also think that allowing
seniors and disabled people to use crossbows is a "make sense" idea as well as long as it is not abused. What
if I get old one day? :)
Looking at the last few years in hindsight, the DEC has shown consistency in making changes to New York
hunting laws. Many of us, including me, have felt that these changes really did not make a lot of sense. But
you can't say that they have been dormant. At least the aspect of looking at change and implementing change
is a spring board for more change and a chance for the State to really get in tune with those who will keep
hunting alive in New York - the die hard hunter. Slowly, we are starting to see some of the things we desire
come our way.
Antler restrictions are in place in several areas of New York - not just in the
designated WMUs.
Letchworth had AR last year and so did a handful of other places. It is a start. It also goes
against the grain of the majority. If you read the results of the
Empire Deer Hunting Survey you will see that the majority of people
have a "kill everything" mentality. Yet, AR goes against that train of thought.
As a software developer, I can tell you that drastically making changes to a program is never a good
idea. They must be implemented with time, thought, and caring. You can't just up and make
drastic changes without proper planning. Thus, AR should not be done overnight. It should probably
be done in the manner in which it is being done now. Try it in a few places and see how it goes.
If it seems to be working well then expand the idea.
I am not going to say that lowering the hunting is necessarily a HUGE change to New York hunting
nor does it mean bigger bucks. But it is one change that most of us agree on. In fact, I don't recall a
change in recent years that so many do agree on. Does it mean that new laws catering to the die hard
are coming? Hard to say but it is the first legislation I have seen in a while that makes sense.
And that is good news.
|
| |
|
Rob Taylor, Founder, EmpireHunting.com
|
Contributions to the Outdoor World
• Hunting BLOG
• EmpireHunting.com
• IceSkimmer.com
• Ice Fishing BLOG
My Business Links
• Consulting Business
• OutsideTheCode.com
• Business BLOG
• Contact Me
|
