Last year, two hunters died in falls from tree stands, and dozens of others suffered serious injuries. Hunting from trees is popular with bowhunters, and is becoming more popular with firearms deer hunters. Five of last deer season's 30 shooting injuries were tree-stand related, occurring when loaded guns were brought up trees. Hunters who climb trees to hunt should always obey the following rules. A short line to prevent falls is best.
Permanent stands rot use portable tree stands.
Nailing boards to trees is dangerous and often illegal, and needlessly damages trees. Nailing trees and cutting limbs is illegal on State lands, and on private property without the permission of the landowner. The 1998 regular deer and bear season runs from October 24 to December 6 in the Northern Zone, which generally includes the Adirondacks, Tug Hill Plateau, Eastern Ontario Plain, St. Lawrence and Champlain valleys and some adjacent areas. The Southern Zone is the rest of the state except New York City, Long Island and Westchester County, and the regular big game season there runs from Monday, Nov. 16 to Dec. 8.