I think I am going to head to the swamp in the morning after some birds.

I enjoy chasing them way more than deer, it's more rewarding for me.

That said, I often see deer while poking around out there....is it legal to take a rifle along too, I'll have my retriever with me, and he doesn't leave my side. Technically he won't be hunting "with" me, but he will be hunting with me...if that makes sense.

I just carry a non lead slug - AFAIK the prohibition is on having lead ammo with you.

Well you had to go and throw the dog in the mix.  That's the rub.

If you were in a motor boat I was going to say the rifle must remain unloaded and you cannot shoot from the boat as there is no exemption for the rifle, just the shotgun while waterfowl.  After getting in to your post it sounds like your walking to the swamp and wading with the dog obviously as a retriever.

Hunting deer with the dog in tow is a no go.  Having the dog along and saying he ain't hunting isn't going to work. I have never had anyone make the claim as such. If the dog were back in the truck and you went back out then you'd be GTG.   Of course all things could be argued in front of a judge.  

The only dog exemption I can think of for deer are the licensed leashed dog trackers for lost deer.  They're supposed to be for recovery and tracking a lost deer only.  They have to call in and report when where they go on a track too.   It's pretty regulated.

I figured the dog would be the one to screw me over.

I wish we could hunt deer with dogs here, I have a coon dog that would help everyone tag out opening day....that dog loves to circle deer.....not so great on coons.

The only time I have ever seen deer locking horns was duck hunting down in New Paltz. None of us had a slug.

Not suggesting you do this, just say'n

I guy I worked with told me about doing the cut shotshell trick if your small game hunting and want to switch over to deer hunting, but I don't think I'd try that with steel shot.

Steel, do you know if you can deer hunt deer and/or shoot out of an unmotorized boat?

The regs only refer to motor vehicles as being restricted, so I would imagine you are good to go.

The catch being that you can't shoot a deer that is in the water, they have to be on dry land when you pop them.

Yes you can drift or paddle for them with a motorless boat.  (just as long as you're not shooting them on private property that is posted).  I have never done so, closest I've come is paddling a canoe out to hunt deer on an island.  but that is one technique, drift a river quietly just as you might for ducks,   one paddles from the rear and a buddy is in the bow with the gun.   I think it would be harder than it's described.  I used to canoe an awful lot and I don't think too many deer ignored the canoes.   Hell that method didn't even work all that great when I tried it on ducks.  They'd always seem to flush when you were still out of range.   YMMV of course.

When we float the river for ducks I see deer often, once saw a massive mature buck.

They almost always look at us like "What the hell is that thing?"

I would say half of them were easily shootable if season was open and we had a rifle.

You can not hunt migratory game birds with a rifle in your possession.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28175.html

I've seen the same thing, not during the season though.  It seems like forever when you're staring at them and they're staring at you, but I'm sure once you drop the paddle and pick up the rifle they'd be long gone.

(Sigh),  minor discrepancy there;  that synopsis put up by the department has substituted the word hunt for take.  Legally different words.  I suppose it's not a bad thing to phrase it as more restrictive than it really is to keep people out of trouble but when push comes to shove, words mean specific things.   Often those guides are written by people not well versed in legal work and they often enough will miss something along these lines because to them or many laymen it means the same thing in their minds.  I've seen the fishing regs get all convoluted in the guides by simply omitting or inserting a comma to change the meaning of a very long run on sentence.  An easy enough mistake to make with drastically different outcome from what was intended.  Kind of like the "Let's eat Grandma!" thing.

In the actual section they have reworded, 6nycrr 2.30 relating to waterfowl hunting, the wording uses take (which would include attempting to take)  (having an extra gun, a rifle, in a case would not constitute an attempt to take unless some overt action with it was done.)

so in my opinion which isn't the final say,  one could have it along but not loaded and ready while you actually engaged in waterfowling.  A judge would be the final say on matters of interpretation.  They often defer to the department who promulgates the rules but not always in matters of interpretation.  

Disclaimer, this is my personal opinion on the interpretation of the question.  Not official policy or guideline. Sorry I probably have to say that.


For anyone wanting a peek at the codes rules and regulations as they're written;

Sec. 2.30 Migratory game birds.

(Environmental Conservation Law, § 11-0307)

 (a) Migratory game birds defined. Migratory game birds for the purpose of this section include:

 (1) waterfowl (Anatidae), including brant, wild ducks, geese, and swans;

 (2) rails (Rallidae), including coots, gallinules, sora and other rails;

 (3) shorebirds (Scolopacidae), including snipe and woodcock; and

 (4) crows (Corvidae), including American crow and fish crow.

 (b) Hunting methods. Migratory game birds on which open seasons are prescribed in this section may be taken by any method except those prohibited in this subdivision. No person shall take migratory game birds:

 (1) with a trap, snare, net, crossbow, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10-gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fish hook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance, except that crows may be taken with a rifle;

 (2) with a shotgun of any description capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so its total capacity does not exceed three shells, except that this prohibition shall not apply to the taking of crows or to the taking of snow geese or Ross' geese in any area or zone when all other waterfowl hunting seasons are closed;

 (3) from or by means, aid, or use of a sinkbox or any other type of low floating device, having a depression affording the hunter a means of concealment beneath the surface of the water;

 (4) from or by means, aid or use of any motor vehicle, motor-driven land conveyance, or aircraft of any kind, except that paraplegics and persons missing one or both legs may, with a permit issued by the Department


and a lot more that I didn't snip

What choke are you shooting? Just carry/shoot a few slugs out of your duck gun. I've known a few guys to do that.


Here's what Phil Robertson does:

https://youtu.be/r89p2R7UKvs

I knew it...came out with a rifle and no dog.....a flock of mallards about landed on me. All I can do is sit and watch them.

Were it not for undying respect and affinity for Steel, I'd never go this far  

They know!   They so know season dates better than me and they know when you're out of ammo.   They know!

FP is that another gun built by your child labor force from spare parts?

No, but they've each got one.  
They HAVE been known to "assemble" some pretty scary stuff, (son; there's this little issue known as "Head Space") but alas Girls & vehicles have deprived me of a captivated labor force.