With COVID-19 impacting what we can and cannot do, the free time has drawn a lot of people to the great outdoors. With the ability to be out in open space, social distanced, and able to stay fit and entertained, lots of outdoor activities have surged in popularity since March.
One activity that has increased in popularity is hunting. For example, New York, a state that didn’t have the highest numbers, is now seeing a rise in hunters and hunting license sales.
So, what are the new proposed plans to help manage hunting in New York?
New York Deer-Hunting Plan
The Department of Environmental Conservation released a 10-year plan to help manage the deer population in New York.
According to New York Upstate, the plan includes lowering the state’s hunting age for big game to 12. It will also allow crossbows during the entire archery season, as well as changing the time hunting starts and ends. There will also be tax incentives for private landowners to allow hunting to happen on their property.
The main animal up for hunting is the large white-deer population.
“We are seeking new ways to address overabundant deer in urban and suburban areas, provide relief to farmers and forest owners experiencing deer damage, protect New York’s deer from the potential devastation of Chronic Wasting Disease and enhance our great deer hunting traditions,” according to DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos.
Other key parts of the plan include monitoring for Chronic Wasting Disease, maintaining a voluntary approach for letting bucks go, voluntary use of lead ammunition, and exploring small grant programs.
To see the full 79-page plan, go here.
Using a Crossbow
There can be a lot of advantages to using a crossbow when hunting. One big advantage is that you don’t need to use any energy to keep a crossbow at full draw.
This means that you can be ready to shoot at full-power at any moment. Those who are young or disabled may gravitate toward the crossbow for these advantages.
The crossbow can lead to better aim because less concentration is going into making sure it is cocked. Crossbows have a heavier draw weight, which will lead to being able to shoot farther, more accurately.
However, crossbows are much louder, heavier, and take longer to reload than the traditional bow.
If you’re in the market for a crossbow places like Cabela’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Scheels all have options. A traditional crossbow could be anywhere from $200-$2,000.
Dick’s Sporting Goods has their Barnett Whitetail Hunter STR Crossbow for only $359.98. It is on sale and is normally $400, but the site is having a flash sale.
