I recently received the Bow Camera Mount from Insane Archery to review. If you have ever wanted to film your own hunts, but don't want to spend thousands on professional equipment then the Bow Camera Mount by Insane Archery is your ticket.

This lightweight (2.8 ounces), durable camera mount is perfect for your handheld camcorder or other small video camera. At a glance this product looks fairly simple and it is! Simply attach to the riser of your bow with your stabilizer and you're ready to film. There are no loose pieces so you never have to worry about dropping any small pieces from your treestand and ruining your hunt. In addition, the black Derlin mount stays hidden from a game animal's sharp eyes.

What I also liked about this product is that you get 180 degrees of movement with the mount. This allows you to get creative and mount the camera on your bow sight or other areas of the bow as well (see video below for more mounting ideas).

So if you're think it might be nice to get that kill on film and you want an affordable way to do it the Bow Camera Mount by Insane Archery is the way to go. For more information on the Bow Camera Mount by Insane Archery visit them on the web at http://www.insanearchery.com/.

The NYC DEP allows deer, bear, turkey and small game hunting on designated City Water Supply lands and as provided by New York State regulations. DEP is no longer issuing Hunting Tags for hunting on City Water Supply Lands. Hunters must possess the appropriate, valid New York State hunting license and a valid Access Permit to hunt on designated hunting areas on City Water Supply Lands. DEP Access Permits are not required on Public Access Areas.

I have hunted some of the DEP lands and they really are worth a look. Not having to have a second hunting tag specifically for DEP lands is great news because it means less hassle for hunters wishing to hunt these lands.

"Hunting on Water Supply lands begins each fall on September 1, the first day of squirrel hunting season, and ends at the close of spring turkey season on May
31."

All applicable New York State hunting regulations and laws are in effect on Water Supply hunting areas, including weapons restrictions, species restrictions and hunting seasons for the allowed game. Designated hunting areas are available for bow, shotgun, rifle, and handgun and muzzleloader hunting where permitted by New York State regulations. Other restrictions may exist on Water Supply hunting areas. Hunters are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the List of Recreation Areas and Use Designations which may include special hunting conditions, recreation area maps, and call the local DEP office for the area of interest to obtain more information.

In Putnam County the DEP has worked together with the QDMA to put into effect some quality deer management rules. These rules help protect younger bucks and encourage the harvest of does. The program was put in place after a careful analysis of the deer herd by DEP biologists and local QDMA members. If you're looking for a mature buck and you're willing to hike off the beaten path, you might just find that big buck you're looking for.

Antler restrictions have been a big talk in New York this year and certain lands open to hunting are considering whether or not to implement antler restrictions on their lands. One such place is Sterling Forest State Park. Sterling Forest State Park comprises nearly 18,000 acres and lies along the New Jersey border in Orange County. Hunting is one of the primary attractions at the park.

PROS: light weight, easy to adjust, easy to hang, easy to attach, build in bubble level

Sections of Muscoot Farm and Lasdon Park and Arboretum, both in Somers will open for bow hunting deer this autumn. Participants will be selected by lottery.

Selected participants must prove county residency and pass a proficiency test by hitting a 9-inch target at 25 yards, three out of three tries, using field tips only, at Blue Mountain Sportsman Center in Peekskill on September 4, 5, 6, 12 or 13. Of the 65 qualifying, 50 will be selected by lottery to hunt. The remaining 15 will be alternates on a wait list. There is no fee for applying; however, those chosen will pay an administrative fee of $25.

Signs posted in both parks will alert visitors when they are about to enter a section that is being hunted; signs will be posted for hunters advising them not to cross into non-hunting safety zones. A detailed safety plan will be in effect. Parks Department staff will manage the program.

Applications are available at Muscoot Farm and Lasdon Park and online at www.westchestergov.com/parks. Deadline for application is August 27, 2009. Potential hunters should read and thoroughly understand all requirements because there will be a zero-tolerance policy for non-compliance.

A study released earlier this year by the Westchester County Citizen’s Task Force on White-Tail Deer and Forest Regeneration indicated that Westchester’s forests, especially in northern areas have diminished greatly, due in large part to the overpopulation of deer.

Information and the report of the Westchester County Citizen’s Task Force on White-tailed Deer and Forest Regeneration are available at www.westchestergov.com/parks or by calling (914) 864-7327.

In efforts to control the growing deer population, Westchester County is seeking bowhunters to work 850 acres of county parkland in the fall.

Selected participants, who must live in the county and pass a proficiency test, will be allowed to hunt deer in sections of Muscoot Farm Park and Lasdon Park in Somers beginning Nov 7.

The hunting program was one recommendation from a county study to control the deer population released in November.

"It's great that they acted upon some of the things we recommended," task force member Doug Erickson said. "It's a better approach on running the parks."

Erickson, president of the Westchester Bowhunters Association, said he would like to see expansion of the program to other parks.

"It's an effective approach because the other options we looked at on the task force were cost-prohibitive and have proven to not be effective, in a study arena," he said. "There are programs like this throughout the country that have proven successful, so this is a good step."

The study, which took nearly three years, indicated that deer have damaged forests and reduced plant diversity, destroyed habitats for themselves and other animals, and harmed human health.

In addition to hunting, the task force recommended deer monitoring for more accurate population counts, public education about illegally feeding deer in the state, legislation to adapt more controls, and public-private partnerships for deer management programs.

Areas in the two parks were selected as the launch sites for the bowhunting program since they are not well-traveled by the general public during the fall, county parks spokesman Peter Tartaglia said.

Anti-bowhunting advocate Mel Lederman of New Rochelle, who said he has attended music concerts at Ladson Park, objected to the program because of animal cruelty.

"I feel it is an inhumane way to kill a creature," he said. "When you put (an arrow) in the side of an animal, it really suffers, and I feel that suffering.

"I feel most people aren't equipped to use a bow and arrow," he added.

Smaller municipalities are also taking steps to manage their deer herds. A study by the Greenburgh Deer Committee, released last month, recommended the town's six villages consider professional sharpshooters to cull herds. The town study focused on health concerns linked to diseases spread by deer ticks such as Lyme disease, environmental effects and road hazards. The committee considered fencing and hormone-laden darts, a form of contraception for does.

Pound Ridge became one of the first towns in Westchester County to allow licensed hunters to bowhunt on three town-owned parcels in 2006.

The application deadline for the county hunting program has been extended to Aug. 27. Approximately 50 hunters will be selected through a lottery. An additional 15 will be alternates on a wait list.

The regular bowhunting season in Westchester lasts from October to the end of the year.

As many of you know by now the new license fees went into effect on August 17th and there aren't many hunters happy about it. I for one wish that the deer herd was managed differently and the costs didn't spike so rapidly all at once.

The DEC is "giving back" to some sportsmen by not charging them for the $10 DMP fee. This includes Nonresident License holders, Junior Hunters, Bowhunters and Lifetime Sportsman License Holders (only before October 1st for Lifetime Sportsman Holders though).

The season is getting closer by the day and of course my trail camera stopped working! The good news is the sign doesn't lie so I know where the deer are and have high hopes of finding a big one come opening day.

Check out these pics of a nice looking 9 pointer from Wyoming County. While there were several bucks out in the field at the same time there's no question as to who the big guy is. Just goes to show you that if you put the time in it is possible to find P&Y bucks in New York.

This buck has great width and excellent tine length. While the brow tines are lacking a bit, it's not something that would make any New York bowhunter pass him up.

The one think I'm not sure with this buck is how old he is. The buck looks young and I'd guess he's 4 1/2 years old based on his body characteristics. It would be nice to see how this guy looks once his neck is swollen up during the rut, he's going to be a monster!

This year the Westchester/Putnam Branch of the QDMA was back again at the Putnam County 4H fair. President John Corrao, Recording Secretary Mike Grandetti and Board member Roger (Strider) Coco attend and display educational material to the local community.