New Hunting Regs
October 16th, 2005 by Administrator
Hunters Upset With New Hunting Regs - Many archery hunters are leaving the Vermont woods empty-handed this year.
The hunters and Vermont officials are seeing a 70 percent decrease in the number of deer reported killed during bow season this year, which began on Oct. 1.
“It’s way, way, way down. Rock bottom down,” said Terri Williams, owner of Barnie’s Market in Concord, which maintains a deer check station.
As of Wednesday, only 217 deer had been reported to state officials, which is 499 less than the three-year average at the same point in the season, said John Hall, spokesman for the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. However, he cautioned more deer have likely been killed, though not yet reported.
Vermont’s split bow seasons run from Oct. 1 to 23 and from Dec. 3 to 11
Hall admitted new state hunting regulations designed to revitalize the deer herd are having an impact.
“We knew it wouldn’t be comparable to other years,” Hall said. “These are huge regulation changes. It’s got to affect how many deer are taken.”
A ban on baiting and feeding deer is probably having the biggest impact on a low kill tally, he said, adding that baiting had become a serious problem in Vermont.
Secondly, the number of deer allowed to each hunter has been changed from three to two, and Hall speculates archery hunters, after killing one deer, sit out the season to wait for rifle hunting in November to fill their remaining tag.
Hunters in northeastern Vermont, which includes Wildlife Management Zones D1, D2, E and H2, are also forbidden to kill does, which has traditionally been permitted during bow season, Hall said. In the central and southern part of the state, there are five more management units closed to antlerless hunting, according to the new regulations.
Spike horn deer are also off limits, as regulations stipulate a legal buck must have at least one antler with two or more points. A point must be at least 1 inch long and the antler beam counts as a point, no matter how long it is, according to regulations.
“The state screwed up royally,” said Rick Gorham, owner of Rick’s Gun Shop in East Burke and an avid hunter. “There’s nothing you can shoot anymore.”
A total of one deer has been reported at Gorham’s check station so far this year, which is far below average, he said. New regulations, such as the bait ban, are having a terrible effect on hunter success rates, he said.
“There’s no reason for anybody to hunt the state of Vermont now,” Gorham said. “Once these guys hunt the other states they’re not going to come back here.”
Laws to revitalize the herd will certainly work if nobody hunts anymore, Gorham said.
Losing hunters, also means losing revenue generated from hunting licenses, Gorham said. He expects to sell one fourth of the licenses he sold last year.
“A lot of them are doing it in protest,” said Gorham, of hunters unhappy with the regulations.
The changes will undoubtedly have an impact on license sales, Hall said. Last year, the state pulled in $23,396 from the sales of archery hunting licenses, he said. Of the total, $20,780 came from residents and $2,616 from non-residents.
Vermont collected $73,558 from the sales of rifle permits last year, he said.
“It was over $100,000 a few years ago,” Hall said.
Though the state plans to sell fewer licenses this year, the numbers have been steadily declining for years, which is a trend in both the United States and Canada, Hall said. License sales for turkey season is the only category not in decline, he said.
With more entertainment options today, such as the Internet, fewer youths are taking up the sport, he said.
“People are just not hunting as much and not fishing as much,” Hall said.
With the absence of once healthier license sales, Department of Fish and Wildlife has relied on the Legislature for funds.
“We just don’t have the money to cover the work we’re doing,” Hall said.
Vermont’s rifle season for deer runs from Nov. 12 to 27 and the muzzle loader season is from Dec. 3 to 11, which coincides with the second archery season. Youth deer weekend is Nov. 5-6, and there are no antlerless restrictions for hunters under 16 years old during the weekend
By TAYLOR REED, Staff Writer