Explanation of 2008 Archery Season Dates
Some bowhunters have contacted the Department to ask that the timing and length of the 2008 bowhunting season for deer be changed. The 2008 season will be 7 days shorter than it was in 2007.
This is an outcome that was anticipated and openly discussed when the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) restructured deer hunting seasons in 2005. This year's Southern Zone bowhunting season starts on Saturday, October 18th and ends on Saturday, November 14th, the day before the opening of the firearms season. In 2005, we changed the opening days of these deer seasons to a Saturday to make it easier for young people and adults to hunt without missing a day of school or a day of work. The "calendar formula" now in place does mean that the actual number of days for bowhunting varies from 28 to 35 days in a given year.
The annual difference in season length occurs because the formulas established in the Department's regulations used to set season dates were changed so that the bowhunting season and regular deer season open on a Saturday. The current formula starts the Southern Zone bowhunting season on the first Saturday after Columbus Day, the Southern Zone regular deer season on the third Saturday in November. Because November 1, 2008 is a Saturday, the third Saturday in November is the 15th, several days earlier than the past few years. The following table shows the dates and length of early bowhunting seasons for the next six years.
| Year | Start Date | End Date | Total # Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | October 18 | November 14 | 28 |
| 2009 | October 17 | November 20 | 35 |
| 2010 | October 16 | November 19 | 35 |
| 2011 | October 15 | November 18 | 35 |
| 2012 | October 13 | November 16 | 35 |
| 2013 | October 19 | November 15 | 28 |
In all cases, the bowhunting season re-opens following the close of the regular Southern Zone deer hunting season and runs for another nine days. In 2008, bowhunting for deer resumes on December 8th and closes on December 16th.
While the early bowhunting season in 2008 will be 28 days long, over the course of several years, the current season formula actually provides a greater average number of days of bowhunting than the previous season formula. Prior to the season restructuring, the number of days in bowhunting season also fluctuated annually. Below is a short table comparing the previous and current season structure.
| SZ Bow Season Structure Prior to 2005 | SZ Bow Season Structure Since 2005 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ave # days in early bow season | 35 | 33 |
| Max # days in early bow season | 38 | 35 |
| Min # days in early bow season | 32 | 28 |
| # days in late bow season | 5 | 9 |
| Ave # total bowhunting days | 40 | 42 |
The change to open the Southern Zone regular season on a Saturday was intended to give more hunters, especially young hunters, the opportunity to hunt opening day without school or work conflicts. This change was not expected to have dramatic impacts on hunter numbers, but it was expected to increase hunter satisfaction particularly among young hunters. Preliminary survey results from hunters across the state indicate that the change has resulted in more people being able to go afield during the opening weekend of regular deer season. We have received many comments from school-age hunters, workers, and business owners who applaud the change.
In 2005, DEC considered an earlier opening date for the early archery season (i.e., October 1st) but elected not to include that change in the current season structure for several reasons. A number of other sportsmen and women, specifically small game and game bird hunters, noted that there was little time for them to be afield in the autumn and use their sporting dogs without causing conflicts from other hunters. They also noted that early October is a key time for these sporting dog related hunting activities. Providing specific time afield for small game hunters provides them with an exclusive recreational opportunity that would not exist if the bowhunting season were opened earlier.
Public comment received during the regulatory process is captured in the "Rule Making Activities" section of the New York State Register of June 15, 2005. To access this information, use the link listed in the right column of this page under Offsite Links.
Specific comments were received from small game hunters and bird dog hunters who opposed an early opening to the Southern Zone bowhunting season due to potential conflicts between themselves and bowhunters. Additional comments were received from bowhunters suggesting that hunting during early October was unfavorable due to the extensive leaf cover still on trees and shrubs.
When considering potential or proposed changes to the deer program, the Department also takes into account how the change may effect deer population management objectives and the interests of all hunter groups. While it is likely that DEC will consider adjustments to the deer hunting season structure again at some point in the future, there will be no change for the 2008 season.
