Outdoor News… Deer, Record Largemouth, NJ Towns Leasing Open Space for Hunting…
Here are some items of note from the latest issue of New York Outdoor News, January 22, 2010. NY Outdoor News is 32-pages published every two weeks… an excellent newspaper. For more info, visit http://www.nyoutdoornews.com.
2009 Deer Harvest –Although the final counts are not available, the harvest figures will be on par with last year, perhaps slightly below. The Northern Zone however will most likely see a decline of 15-20%. There seems to be plenty of hunters that feel the Apocalypse is upon us, no more deer. Anecdotally, I’ve read stories of hunters not seeing any deer for two years. Others feel deer are being exterminated, going the way of the buffalo! I realize my world is not THE world, but I don’t have any problems seeing deer just about anywhere I go. They literally walk by me on the street in my suburban NJ town; see them while driving just about anywhere; and here in Fall Clove, I easily see 15 or so deer every day. The overpopulation of deer is altering the ecology of the Eastern Forest, with deer killing off the next generation of trees, eating the understory and precipitating a decline in dozens of species of Neotropical songbirds. I could only hope for an across the board decline of white-tailed deer to ecologically sustainable populations.
Meanwhile on Michigan’s St Martin Island, hunter’s seem to be doing well… the photo above.
Largemouth Bass Record Tied – I grew up reading stories of the 22 lb 4 ounce largemouth taken by George Perry 77 years ago. Many articles speculated on the whereabouts of the record breaker: Texas, Mexico, Central America, Brazil… but Japan!? Yep. The International Game Fish Association has officially certified Manabu Kurita’s catch, dual record holder of the world’s largest largemouth. I guess a lot of BASS folks will be learning Japanese.
No Dove Hunting in NY – 64% of hunters surveyed by DEC don’t care or failed to answer regarding establishing a season for mourning doves in the state. Apparently one million dove hunters take 20 million doves annually in the 39 of the lower 48 where such hunting is allowed. I’m glad we’re not having a dove season. It seems one step away from the days of the winter “Great Hunt” where anything that moved or flew was gunned down. Stick to hunting turkey.
New Jersey Community to Lease Parkland for Hunting – Washington Township in Morris County is considering leasing parcels of open space to hunters as a way of generating revenue for the town. Readington Township in Hunterdon County has been leasing township owned open space to hunt clubs for eight years. In 2009 the township received $32,000 from the leases.