New York Bowhunter

One Hunt, Two Deer

NYBowhunter — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:34:00 +0000

On December 9th, my cousin Ken had a pretty awesome morning in the woods. Ken had planned to take the day off from work knowing a drop in temperatures was just what was needed to get the deer moving.

By 6:00 am Ken was in the cold dark woods and just getting settled in the stand. As day began to break, Ken waited in anticipation for the deer to begin moving. As the first hour passed Ken was beginning to wonder if he picked the right spot to hunt that morning.

With nothing happening, Ken decided to try calling and sounded off a few soft grunts. Then at 8:15 am Ken finally caught movement as two does began working their way in from behind. As the lead doe stepped into a clearing at 20 yards Ken sent the arrow on its way and watched as it blew through the deer and stuck in the ground. The doe took off on a quick 40 yard dash before collapsing.

Ken was pretty pumped up (probably did a fist pump in the stand) and then caught movement not more than 20 minutes later as a buck worked his way down the mountain towards Ken’s stand. As the deer got closer Ken had to reposition himself in the stand. Now at just 15 yards and closing Ken would have only a few seconds to draw back and shoot the buck. At 9 yards Ken came to full draw and grunted to stop the deer. Caught in the moment, Ken had pulled the shot and the hit was far back.

Ken watched as the deer bedded down 65 yards away. Over the next half hour the deer got up and bedded down twice, ending up at 90 yards. Once Ken could no longer see the buck, he climbed down and began to stalk the wounded buck.

Crawling on hands and knees through dirt, mud and rocks Ken slowly made his way closer to where he had last seen the buck. When he got to a point where he thought the buck would be below him, Ken started heading back downhill and spotted the buck 55 yards away bedded against a stone wall.

It took another 25 minutes for Ken to close the distance to 20 yards. Ken’s heart was pounding as he made his way to a large boulder to hide behind for the shot. Taking a moment to calm down and relax, Ken took a deep breath and then drew back on the wounded buck. Picking a spot and settling the pin, Ken made sure the shot would count and sent the arrow into the boiler room putting the buck down fast.

Congrats to Ken on two awesome deer and sticking it out through the ups and downs. Ken did what all hunters should do when they mortally wound an animal – he did everything in his power to make sure he put that deer down as fast as possible, even if it meant crawling through mud to get there.

Coming January 2012 – Bloodsport

NYBowhunter — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

The Gillespie Buck

NYBowhunter — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:06:00 +0000

For the past few years Sean Gillespie found the sheds from an impressive buck roaming through a maze of suburban woods in Westchester County. Finding the buck’s sheds year after year in the same vicinity could only mean one thing – this was the buck’s core area.

Although Sean had seen the buck while hunting in past seasons he opted to pass on the buck on three separate occasions, hoping the buck would continue to add inches and mass to his already impressive rack.

It was Sunday, November 27th when the southeast winds began to blow and Sean was finally able to sneak in and hunt a stand that led to a bedding area. Sean knew this buck was in there with an even bigger one and had high hopes on this day.

Settled in his stand almost an hour before first light, Sean patiently waited for the woods to come alive and shadows of deer to begin moving in the early morning light. As day began to break, Sean had a small buck and some does move through the area. While the morning started off with deer movement, things quickly got quiet.

Around 8:30am things started to change and three does came in to Sean’s set up. As he watched the does work their way closer he began to get nervous – another ten yards and they would pick up his scent.

That’s when the big buck came charging through the woods right at the does. At the 30 yard mark, the buck began scent checking the does – it was now or never.

Sean ranged the buck at 32 yards, moved his HHA slider sight to the 32 yards mark and drew back. A quick grunt from Sean stopped the buck in it’s tracks and Sean sent the lighted nock on its way watching it bust through the buck’s vitals.

Forty yards later the buck stopped and looked around wondering what had just happened, but it was all over. The majestic whitetail tipped over and Sean had his whitetail on the ground.

The buck was aged at 5 1/2 years old, weighed 225 pounds and grossed 142 3/8″ P&Y. This buck is Sean’s 12th Pope and Young buck from Westchester. Congrats to Sean on another great buck!

2011 Deer and Bear Harvest Update

NYBowhunter — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:35:00 +0000

This weekend brings the final days of deer hunting in the Northern Zone and the final days of the Southern Zone regular seasons. Muzzleloader and late bow seasons for deer and bear in the Southern Zone will begin Monday, Dec. 12 and continue through Tuesday, Dec. 20.

It has been an interesting season with generally mild conditions all around, but now with a little snow finally on the ground in many upstate areas, this weekend could be productive for a lot of hunters. Of course, you can’t fill your tags if you’re not in the woods.

As it stands now, deer harvest reports seem to be on par with last year at this time. We started out with reported deer take through mid-November running about 5% less than last year. Then reports during the first week of the Southern Zone regular season were slow, near 20% less than the opening week in 2010. But hunters did well Thanksgiving week, and currently reports are tracking very close to reported take in 2010. At this point, we are just tracking harvest reports and aren’t yet calculating the total harvest. That will come after the January deer season closes on Long Island and after we review all the data from our field checks of harvested deer.

For bears, this season has shaped up to be quite different from last year, with preliminary harvests down in the Northern Zone but at record levels in the Southern Zone. Bear hunting was expanded into eastern New York this year, with the newly opened area spanning from Westchester County to Washington County. Hunters in the new areas have taken over 40 bears so far. Even without these additional bears, the preliminary take in southeastern New York (DEC Regions 3 and 4) looks like it could be one of the top harvests. In central and western New York (DEC Regions 7, 8, and 9), we’re on track to top 300 bears, which will shatter the previous record of 189 bears taken in 2008.

If you get out this weekend, enjoy and hunt safely. Otherwise, the Southern Zone muzzleloader season runs through December 20, and bowhunting continues in Westchester and Suffolk counties till December 31. Finally, the special firearms deer season in Suffolk County runs weekdays, January 9-31 (see www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/40409.html for details).

Jeremy Hurst
Big Game Biologist

Where did all the deer go?

NYBowhunter — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +0000

A few days ago I was going back and for via email with Dan Aitchison, the Curator of Wildlife for Westchester County and the manager of our hunting program and forest research. We were talking about the deer season and the lack of deer sightings and Dan had some great points:

The “lack of deer” has become a state wide phenomenon this year. I believe it is due to 1) lack of acorns 2) abnormally hot weather 3) extremely bright evenings (has it seemed to you that the full moon never ended?) 4) already diminished food resources 5) a later rut than we’ve had over the last several years.

The deer this year seemed to be in lowland swamps eating low preference foods such as barberry, ferns, mile a minute weed, bittersweet, and any leaves (even those that had turned color) that fell in storms. Once the barberry turned the deer moved out of the swamps and folks are seeing bucks – does seem to have disappeared from the landscape. Fawns have poor fat stores this year. The deer have been seen eating evergreens already, even though we don’t have snow. If we end up having a bad winter I feel we will have a terrible winter kill.

I’ve been seeing extremely low deer numbers this year and have noticed that the does and bucks 3.5 and older have completely disappeared from some of my hunting areas. It’s been a very strange year and I’m not sure that it will get any better before the season comes to an end at the end of December. It will be interesting to see what happens where I hunt in Connecticut during January once there’s snow on the ground. With no acorns for the deer to dig through the snow to find, where will they be eating?

On a side note, for those of you that aren’t aware, the 2012 proposed budget for Westchester County calls for the entire Conservation division to be terminated as of December 31. This includes all County owned nature centers as well as Dan Aitchison’s position, the Adaptive Deer Management Program and research to protect and monitor the forests. Tonight at 7:00pm is the final chance to keep the Conservation division alive at the BOL Budget Hearings at the BOL Chambers, 8th Floor, MOB1.

State Land Acquisition Expands Cranberry Mountain WMA

NYBowhunter — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:40:00 +0000

ALBANY, NY (12/06/2011)(readMedia)– The Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area has expanded by a third with New York state’s acquisition of a 261-acre property in Putnam County that is prized for wildlife habitat and water quality protection, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The property, known as North Hollow, is located within the Great Swamp watershed and was acquired by the state with federal grant money and a private donation.

“Adding North Hollow to the Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area will preserve forested and watershed land for use by the public for expanded recreational and sportsmen activities,” Commissioner Martens said. “This acquisition is an example of how New Yorkers can benefit when state, federal, non-for-profit and private entities all work together to achieve a common goal. The preservation of North Hollow will be a valuable addition to a network of protected lands within the Highlands and Great Swamp areas, further protecting one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the state that is home to many plant and animal species.”

DEC sought to add the North Hollow property to its 467-acre Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area to further protect the Highlands region for its abundant natural and cultural resources. The Cranberry Mountain WMA now totals 728 acres. Since 2006, DEC and the Trust for Public Land, a national conservation organization, have worked with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the family of the late Gerald Blumberg, a long-time resident of the Hudson River Valley, to conserve the property.

North Hollow features steep upland forests protecting the nearby Haviland Hollow Brook, a pristine trout stream. The brook watershed connects with the Great Swamp, Croton River and reservoirs in the New York Highlands that provide drinking water to New York City. The area is used for such recreational activities as hiking, cross-country skiing, hunting, fishing and trapping.

A federal Highlands Conservation Act grant for $653,500 was used toward the purchase of the property. The federal program is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is designed to assist Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania with conserving land and natural resources in the Highlands region.

The Highlands Conservation Act grant required a non-federal match on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The Blumberg family generously donated half the value of the property to meet the federal match requirement.
Marc Matsil, the Trust for Public Land’s New York State Director said: “Completing the conservation of the North Hollow property is a vital addition to the Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area. The Trust for Public Land is grateful to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for its dedication to protecting land in the Highlands and to the New York congressional delegation for their commitment to the Highlands Conservation Act, which made this project possible. This diverse cover type provides superb recreation opportunities and great economic value by enhancing regional ecotourism and builds on the vital work of the State and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to safeguard drinking water for millions of New Yorkers.”

Senator Greg Ball said: “As Chairman of the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and an avid sportsman myself, the expansion of the Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management area couldn’t make me happier. I believe it is vital to protect our watershed, promote strict clean air initiatives, and preserve natural wildlife areas and I look forward to working together to continue to keep Putnam County, and the Hudson Valley as a whole, beautiful by preserving our environment.”

Ron Essig, Acting Chief of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration in the Northeast Region said: “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been pleased to have the opportunity to assist the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation in protecting the North Hollow Property by awarding a Highlands Conservation Act grant to the Agency. This project is a great example of the important conservation results that can be achieved with Highlands Conservation Act funding, and illustrates what a difference the Act can make in assisting states with protecting the natural resources of the Highlands Region.”

New York City Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland said: “Land acquisition is an important tool for the protection of water quality. The purchase of this 261-acre parcel that sits within the Croton watershed will keep this land unspoiled. Having the Trust for Public Land and the State of New York take steps that are in concert with our own, means a great deal to the nine million New Yorkers who rely on this water source for their daily drinking water needs.”

Lawrence S. Blumberg, a New York City attorney and seller of the land said: “My father acquired this land over 50 years ago. During this time, he turned down many offers to develop or sell the property because he was waiting for something special. Several years ago, before his death in 2009 at age 97, he was so happy and gratified to know that we were working with The Trust for Public Land. I know that he would be very proud that his land has been preserved forever.”

Jim Utter, Chairman, Friends of the Great Swamp (FrOGS) said: “FrOGS is thrilled this area is protected and thanks Larry and Robyn Blumberg, DEC, TPL, and the Highlands Coalition for making it happen. This parcel is critical in maintaining the exceptional water quality and ecology of Haviland Hollow Brook, a major tributary of the Great Swamp, and the acquisition by DEC ensures it remains pristine. We hope the matching parcel on the south side of the Hollow will also be protected soon.”

Raymond Merlotto, Putnam County sportsman and DEC Region 3 representative to the Fish & Wildlife Management Board: “The Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area is an important destination for sportsmen and women from throughout the Lower Hudson. The addition of the North Hollow property to Cranberry Mountain will provide not just expanded opportunities for the region’s hunters and anglers, but the acquisition will also provide further protection for the Croton Watershed, the Great Swamp and other important resources in the area that provide habitat vital to the fish and wildlife that thrive there.”

Ontairo County Droptine Buck

NYBowhunter — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

After I pick my jaw up off the floor I’ll say WOW! This buck is incredible for New York. In the southeast part of New York it’s been slow this year, but looks like the guys in western New York are doing quite well this year.

According to Joe over at New York Antler Outdoors, this huge 16-point was taken in Ontario County and has an impressive 22″ spread.

Giant New York 22 Point Non-Typical Scores Over 200"

NYBowhunter — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:52:00 +0000

Check out this MONSTER buck that Ray Mortimer took in Westfield, New York. According to New York Antler Outdoors, this brute has 22 points and green scores an incredible 201-2/8″.

New York State Black Bear Ties State Record

NYBowhunter — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:18:00 +0000

Thanksgiving day is a favorite day of hunters across New York State. The rut is usually in full swing and the woods are alive with deer moving – and bears too!

Dieter Herbert headed to his family’s Thanksgiving destination in Elka Park, New York where Dieter and his dad, uncle and two cousins hit the woods around 4:00 pm.

Knowing there wasn’t much daylight left, Dieter split off from the group and headed to a river crossing where there was always good deer and bear tracks. As Dieter walked down the river bank he spotted an enormous black bear shoulder deep in the water and headed towards the opposite bank.

Quickly, Dieter picked up his pace and closed in on the bear that was 200 yards away. He knew he would only have about thirty seconds once the bear got out of the river to make the shot before the bear disappeared into the thick brush.

Dieter lost sight of the bear as he closed in and decided to cross the river where the bear had crossed. Now on the opposite bank of the river Dieter scanned the brush looking for the bear when he spotted the bruin behind a spruce tree a mere 30 yards away.

Dieter shouldered his .308 and dropped the bear in its tracks as adrenaline flowed through his veins. The massive bruin weighed 600 pounds and has a 22″ skull unofficially tying Dieter’s bear with the New York State Record Black Bear.

Congrats to Dieter on an awesome black bear, definitely worth the six hour drag out of the woods!

Deer Hunting Season Continues in New York

NYBowhunter — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:55:00 +0000

Chris took this beautiful 10 pointer in Long Island on election day, looks like this buck got Chris’ vote!

Ian Bruckner from Holland Patent, NY took this doe after getting pounded with 11″ of lake effect snow. Ian was on stand for the evening when this doe passed by at a mere 10 yards. Ian let the PSE rip and watched the doe go down just 40 yards away.

Arthur took this big Saratoga County 10 pointer on November 12th, what a brute!

Congrats to all the hunters on their awesome New York trophies. If you have a success story and photo you’d like to share with us email them to info@nybowhunter.com.