“There are gunshots in those 30 minutes at the beginning of the day and 30 minutes at the end of the day, literally every day of deer season,” Ross says. “And I`m sure they don`t poach deer. These are people sitting there patiently waiting for a deer to show up [who are also legal hunters]. In addition to the fact that hunters in all other states legally and safely kill deer before sunrise, New York currently allows hunters to catch many other species such as turkey and migratory birds within 30 minutes of the sun. Fur-bearing animals such as coyotes can be slaughtered at any time, day or night, as can non-wild species. These reasonable shooting times further weaken arguments that twilight hunting is obviously dangerous. The plan also extends hunting seasons for deer and bears to the total duration of ambient light from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The agency said all other states allow deer hunting, which begins 30 minutes before sunrise or earlier, or indicate daylight hours, while 46 out of 50 states allow deer hunting after sunset, typically 30 minutes and some critics have also argued that extending daily shooting hours would interfere with other outdoor recreational activities. But smart big game hunters are already in the forest during those hours anyway. Ross always enters his trees long before dayfall in the morning, and he stays in place after dark. Arriving or departing during these twilight hours would not only eject the deer, but also make it an exploratory opportunity.
“Most hunting incidents in New York City involve a hunting victim who was not wearing fluorescent orange or pink clothing,” officials said. Similar fluorescent orange requirements exist in most states. According to critics, the current regulation does just that: it turns otherwise legal and law-abiding hunters into game offenders. The law is also unnecessarily restrictive for hunters who have little time to hunt, such as people cramming into a seat before work or children rushing to their stalls after school. Obstructing hunters during the two most productive periods of summer game activity can delay the season for those who are already late, which could prevent casual deer hunters – those who only hunt a few days a year – from having legal harvesting opportunities. This is how I think of New York`s current regulations on deer and bear hunting, which limit filming times from sunrise to sunset. I lived and hunted in New York for six years, and not once did I meet another hunter who could explain why this Reg was in the books. Many deer hunters in New York don`t follow this rule because it just doesn`t make sense. The regulation deprives law-abiding hunters of legal and ethical shooting during periods when deer – crepuscular animals – are most active. Perhaps that`s why the New York Department of Environmental Conservation has proposed a change in regulations to extend big game hunting hours. New York has the most restrictive deer hunting seasons in the United States, according to the state`s 2021 whitetail management plan. All other states allow hunters to catch deer that start 30 minutes before sunrise or earlier, or their rules simply indicate daylight hours.
And 46 out of 50 states allow deer hunting up to one time after sunset, which is usually 30 minutes. Ross sets a timer on his watch to set legal shooting times, and has therefore surpassed many deer over the years. Last season, when a handsome 3.5-year-old male entered a well-lit bow distance outside of shooting hours, it was particularly painful to shoot an otherwise ethical shot. Although Ross is a proponent of the rule, he knows that many New York hunters are not. Deer and bears are only legally in possession if they bear the appropriate carcass tag valid for the season, equipment and sex of the animal. Check the deer hunting season dates for clear descriptions of labels. “I watch those 30 minutes go by,” Ross says. “I don`t usually get out of the stands, even though the shooting time ends legally because I want to see if the deer move. This will give me the opportunity to reposition myself.
I`m going to take my arrow out of my bow or take my bullet out of the gun so I don`t hunt legally, but I`m sitting there because when I see deer, I can say, “You`re from over there, I`ll line up there next time.” But it would be nice if I could sit there and shoot the deer [that night]. “New York has a long and proud tradition of deer and bear hunting, and with these new rules, CED is building on that tradition by expanding opportunities for hunters, increasing antler-free harvesting where needed, and improving hunter safety,” CED Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement prepared Wednesday.