Return to the "POINTER VIEW"August 31, 2001
Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
August 31, 2001
With autumn right around the corner, hunters know that both big- and small-game hunting seasons await them with its onset. Gray squirrel and Canada geese season starts Sept. 1 with several others following mid-month and Oct. 1. (See chart)
Small-game species include gray squirrels, cottontail rabbits, ruffed grouse, American woodcock, wild turkeys, ring-necked pheasants, ducks and Canada geese.Both gray squirrels and wild turkeys are abundant throughout the reservation despite heavy hunting pressure during the year.
The ruffed grouse, or partridge, is the most popular game bird found here. Its camouflage plumage, erratic flight and explosive flushes make this bird a true challenge to hunt. Ruffed grouse populations are starting to increase again and fluctuate over a ten-year cycle, with or without hunting pressure.
Woodcock are scattered and tough to find. There are two different populations of woodcock that provide the hunting action. The resident population, which nests on the reservation and then flies south each winter before returning in April, is dependent on availability of earthworms, their main food source. The migratory woodcock population here -- stopping in during their flight south for the winter -- pass through during the last week of October and the first week of November.
Cottontail rabbits need large open-field habitat mixed with brush lots, a scarce commodity here. However, they continue to thrive in the face of many predators, bad weather, hunting and changing habitats due to their legendary reproductive ability. Two hunting areas produce appreciable numbers of rabbits -- Areas R and L, although the Z areas and Area T2 also have rabbits.
Waterfowl opportunities are limited but can be exciting. Wood ducks, mallards and black ducks can often be found on Stilwell Lake, Cranberry Pond, Owl Swamp, Weyants Pond and Brooks Hollow. You can occasionally surprise a few birds on some of the other West Point waters as well.
Canada geese are abundant. Some Canada goose season dates have not yet been finalized by N.Y. and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The only confirmed dates are Sept. 1-25. Once other dates have been finalized, the USMA wildlife biologist will send out notices. West Point hunters are encouraged to take advantage of the additional hunting dates to help reduce Canada goose numbers here
The Natural Resources Branch of DHPW plans to stock 200 ring-neck pheasant this fall -- 100 around the season opener -- Oct. 1 and another 100 around Nov. 1. There are some holdovers from past stockings. If any USMA hunter thinks he/she may have taken a holdover bird, please contact the USMA Wildlife Biologist at x3857.
All hunters that wish to hunt a migratory bird species (woodcock, ducks geese, coots, rails) must register with the Harvest Information Program before going hunting for the first time. To find out more about this program, call the New York State Department of Conservation’s toll-free number at 1-888-4-ASK-HIP (1-888-427-5447) or go to the link given on the DCFA Web site at
www.usma.edu/dcfa/activity/Outdoor/hunting.When hunting at West Point, remember several key points:
n You must have a N.Y. hunting license; for turkey
you need a N.Y. turkey permit as well
n You must have a West Point hunting or combo
permit
n For waterfowl, you must also have a federal duck
stamp
Hunting licenses for this state can be purchased at the community recreation division’s administrative office in bldg. 695 or at Round Pond, at any town clerk’s office and at most sporting goods stores. West Point hunting and combo permits are available at bldg. 695 and Round Pond. Federal duck stamps can be purchased at any post office.
You must sign out and back in at the hunter’s shed at Range Control, located on Route 293 and you must select a hunting area not already filled or closed for training. When signing back in, any game taken must be reported. Each hunting area has a quota of hunters permitted at one time, which is indicated on the sign out sheet. It is the hunter’s responsibility to see that this procedure is adhered to.
The hunting areas east of Route 9W are only open during deer season. Areas A3, G2, J1, J2/J3, J4, J5 and RP are for hunting with bow and arrow only. Area K is a shotgun or bow only area. During regular firearms deer season, area J3 is shotgun or muzzleloader only. In all other areas, you can use any legal hunting implement for the quarry that you are pursuing.
The hunting area quotas are designed so that there is roughly 50 acres for each hunter afield. For bow-only areas, the spacing is one hunter for every 15 acres.
Information on animal populations and field conditions is available at the Natural Resources Branch, bldg. 733. There is also a brochure, "USMA Hunting Policies and Procedures," available there, at CRD Admin. and Round Pond and on the DCFA Web site given earlier. USMA hunters with access to the Internet are encouraged to visit the DCFA Web site to familiarize themselves with the USMA hunting regulations and all other changes that may have occurred since they hunted at West Point last.
SPECIES/DATES/DAILY BAG LIMIT
Gray Squirrel Sept. 1-Feb. 28* 6
Cottontail Rabbit Oct. 1-Feb. 28 6
Ruffed Grouse Oct. 1-Feb. 28 4
Wild Turkey (fall) Oct. 1-Nov. 18 2/season (may take both in same day)
Wild Turkey (spring 2002) May 1-31 2 bearded birds/season (only 1 bird/day)
Woodcock Oct. 6-Nov. 4 3
Ring-Necked Pheasant Oct. 1-Dec. 31 2
Canada Goose Sept. 1-25* 5 (Additional dates pending)
Ducks & Mergansers Oct. 13-21 6*** (ducks)
Nov. 2-Dec. 23 5# (mergansers)
Crow Sept. 15-Feb. 28** No limit
Raccoon, Red & Gray Fox Oct. 25-Feb. 15 No limit
Coyote Oct. 1-Feb. 28 No limit
Bobcat Oct. 25-Feb. 15 1 per season
Deer (archery) Oct. 15-Nov. 18, Dec. 12-16 N/A
Deer (muzzleloader) Dec. 12-18 N/A
Deer (regular firearms) Nov. 19-Dec. 11 N/A
Black Bear (archery) Oct. 15-Nov. 18, Dec. 12-17 N/A
Black Bear (regular firearms) Nov. 24-Dec. 11 N/A
Black Bear (muzzleloader) Decl 12-18 N/A
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NOTE: There are special youth duck hunting days Sept. 29-30 for junior hunters ages 12-15. Only junior hunter may carry a firearm and hunt ducks on that date. Accompanying adults must be unarmed.
* Season Dates in September require a 2000-2001 N.Y. hunting license
** Crow hunting is on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays only
*** Duck bag limit can have no more than two wood ducks, four mallards (two hen mallards), one black duck (in season), two redheads, one canvasback, three scaup or one pintail
# Merganser bag limit can have no more than one hooded merganser
All hunters that want to hunt any migratory bird species except crows (woodcock, ducks, geese, coots, rails, snip, gallinutes) must register annually with the Harvest Information Program before hunting for the first time. Call 1-888-427-5447.
The 2001-2002 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) is required to hunt duck, mergansers, coots, brant and geese (hunters 16 and older).
LEGAL SHOOTING HOURS:
All species except as noted below: Sunrise to Sunset (check daily for exact times)
Waterfowl (ducks, geese, brant, coot): 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset
Spring turkey: 1/2 hour before sunrise to noon
Night hunting of coyotes, racoons and fox: Check with Range Control for access, x3930
Questions should be directed to USMA Fish & Wildlife Biologist at 938-3857 or e-mailed to yj6936@exmail.usma.army.mil.