Changes for 2013 season

[noluck]

I have heard some rumors and read a few things about the huge changes coming this year. Anything stick out at anyone as being a good move or a bad move? For me starting the bow season 2 weeks early seems like a bad idea due to the heat. I don't mind the inclusion of the crossbows and muzzle loaders after the first 2 weeks are up. And the realignment of the season for the wildlife stamp seems like a nonissue as long as it is properly communicated to the community. Anything else?

[bobleblanc]

I'm extremely disappointed in the changes around the deer hunt, noluck...at least from what I have heard through unofficial channels.
For the past couple of years, I have voiced my concern around the combining of the archery and crossbow season, and the buggers threw the muzzleloaders into it to boot!
Now, we are faced with a potential loss of our early season, altohether, if the harvest #'s get out of hand. If they had maintained the distinction between weapons, our minimal impact would have given us a (somewhat) protection.
Two deer limit scares the bejeepers out of me.
A lot of hunters didn't take part in the early season because they preferred hunting in Novemeber rut...and those that did hunt would pass on deer so they could hunt the rut.
With the 2 tags, there's no need for those self-imposed restrictions. They can take an early deer, and still go whole-hog in the later hunt.
As for the muzzleloaders...Weeelllll, buddy...That's just bonehead, IMHO. They'll bring a whole group of less restricted hunters into the fray...and a tag for them, to boot.
This whole situation could blow up on us...and the bowhunters are the ones who'll lose the most.
Not to even get into the 80% increase in our license fees we just got saddled...although it does include an extra deer.

Sad to say...I'm pretty skeptical, at the moment, on the future of our deer herd.

[noluck]

I was under the impression that while you pay for the extra tags you could still only take 1 deer. As for the muzzleloaders, do you think there'd be a lot of them?

[bobleblanc]

Nope...It's one tag per license.
As for the muzzleloaders...I don't think this year is going to see a great influx of new M/L hunters...Some but not a lot.
Next year, though, once they learn what they can and can't get away with could be disastrous.
One of the considerations of the early hunt was to encourage participation...Now?...Why bother?...No added training...1/2 the cost of a good bow set up...6 or7 times the range.

Yup...disappointed.

[noluck]

So I buy my general tag and can get a deer and buy my bow tag and get another deer? In one sense it is something dnr should have introduced anywhere that they have given the 2 tags the last few years. More money for them, still deer population control but still I suspect would have kept some control over the all out destruction that the last few years have brought. Feels like kind of a rip off after the last couple of years. I have given thoughts to getting a muzzleloader for a while now, but for playing at the rifle range more then trying to hunt with.

[acadianarcher]

dome of those muzzleloaders are good to 200 yards (according to some) ,,,,,,,that's primitive ?

[noluck]

I m not trying to be argumentative, but neither are the crossbows or our compounds. That being said, I have decided that I don't like the though of the muzzleloaders in before the gun season because any gunshot could be called a 'muzzleloader' if pressed and who will check to see if that person owns or borrowed someone's muzzleloader. Too many ways to get away with this. It will be the same as always, the law abiding people to follow the rules and the crinimals wont.

[noluck]

So there is only a couple weeks to go until the bow season starts, is anyone getting ready?