WINTER KILL ...

[NY Bearhunter]

COMING OFF OF LAST YEARS HUGE WINTER KILL AND EXTREMELY WET AND COLD SPRING THE TURKEYS TOOK A REAL HARD HIT ALONG WITH THE WHITETAILS. TURKEY HARVEST NUMBERS WERE DOWN 35% FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THE WHITETAIL HARVEST DOWN ALMOST 25%,THIS YEARS RECORD LATE SNOW FALL WILL CRIPPLE WHATS LEFT FOR SURE.

WITH ALMOST FIVE FEET OF SNOW ON THE GROUND THIS LATE IN THE SEASON AND STILL A MONTH OF WINTER YET TO COME IT REALLY LOOKS BAD FOR THESE SELECT GROUP OF GAME.

EVEN THE COYOTES ARE HAVING A HARD GO AT IT, THE YOTES ARE HITTING HOMES REALLY HARD KILLING AND EATING PEOPLES HOUSE PETS AND EVEN EATING THE BIRD SEED FROM FEEDERS AND GETTING INTO THE TRASH. PEOPLE COMPLAIN JUST HOW BRAZEN THE YOTES ARE BY COMING SO CLOSE TO HOMES AND PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY.



THESE DEER ARE WINTERED UP AND LOOKING FOR FOOD THATS NOT THERE, HERE IN NEW YORK IT IS A CRIME TO FEED THE DEER IN ANY MANNER.






TURKEYS CANT GET AROUND IN THE DEEP SNOW AND ARE EASY PICKINS' FOR THE HAWKS AND YOTES.









THIS ISN'T A GOOD PHOTO BUT THOSE ARE YOTES IN A FIELD JUST PLOTTING WHATS NEXT.

[seapower]

I believe I would have to break the law and feed. We had a bad run of "blue tongue" here a few years back. I lost track of the corn and sweet feed I carried to the deer, just tried to help those that made it. What difference is it to them if you feed them when they are snow bound? If that's their logic (let Mother Nature have her way) why have bag limits? Why save them and just let em' die a slow death due to starvation? Frank

[Buckeye]

I am wondering what will happen here.
We have gotten 44 inches of snow in Feb. Then freeze thaw freeze thaw cycles make layers of ice. How tough are they? I know mother nature has made them suvivers and natural selection says only the strong survive, but with $$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (in corn) I hope a few more make and the strong are even stronger. Is it the right thing to do? I'm not sure but when was the last time I did the right thing anyway?

[NY Bearhunter]

THE FEEDING LAWS HERE DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE WHATSOEVER, THE DEC WON'T ADMIT IT BUT DO TO LACK OF HUNTERS, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO CULL THE HERD AND MAKE SOME FINE DOLLARS ALONG THE WAY, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT GET TICKETS FOR FEEDING IS UNREAL, THEY ALWAYS POST THE PEOPLE NAMES IN THE PAPER AND THE FINE AMOUNT. I FOR ONE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A FEW TICKETS ALONG THE WAY.

[Buckeye]

It's legal here but not cheep. I feed about 400 pounds a week and wish I could aford to feed a 1000 when it's this bad. I think the big problem is people don't know the difference between supplemental feeding and baiting.