buckchaser

Hello all. I've been coming down from Ontario, Canada to hunt deer in the Adirondacks for the past three years. Each year I get the required permit to enter the U.S. with my rifle(s) and store them as I do here in Canada (unloaded, trigger locked, encased). I've recently been told that the rifle must be locked inside a hard case for transport? If anyone could direct me to the official NY regulations I would appreciate it. The official resources I have found so far have been quite confusing.

Wanted to tap into the collective knowledge here about hunting pressure in the Adirondack wilderness. Which of the Adirondack wilderness areas receive the highest and lowest pressure from your experience? I've hunted the western fringe of the High Peaks and Jay Mountain Wilderness in the past two seasons. In the western High Peaks I saw a few hunters in the parking lot access point and in the first kilometer or two of the trail - no one after that, although I did see some old boot tracks in the snow well off the trail. I didn't see anyone hunting Jay Mountain, although it is a much smaller land area.

It really depends on the amount of snow that falls. On the lower end it could be 10 - 20 cm which is totally "doable" for what I have planned. If they get 50 cm plus, not so much.

I've been planning a backcountry rifle hunt into the northern Adirondacks to take place late November/early December this year. With my work schedule I usually cannot take large chunks of time to hunt. This year I took an unpaid leavel to make it happen - but the weather forecast for the regions shows massive winter storms arriving next week. Between the affect this would have on deer behaviour and (more importantly) my ability to camp out for the duration of the hunt, I am considering some possible "Plan B" options. I also bowhunt and would definitely consider a late season (mid December bowhunt) in another area of New York that isn't going to be hammered by winter just yet. Any pointers on regions with extensive public land and reasonable deer populations would be appreciated. I'm coming from Canada (Ottawa, Ontario), but willing to drive into central/western New York. Thanks for any assistance.

Planning to hunt most of the final two weeks of the season in the Northern Zone in the northern Adirondacks. Some weather forecasts are calling for 18 plus inches of snow next week. While some snow obviously helps decipher deer movement and track animals, how much snow is too much in terms of simply not being able to effectively hunt and/or have the deer switch in full winter movement patterns?

Wondering what is considered to be a "big buck" (field dressed weight) in northern New York (in particular the Adirondacks)? NY biologists tell me the deer on the eastern side of the Adirondacks tend to be larger in body size because of the easier winters vs the western part of the Adirondacks. Here in Eastern Ontario anything between 200 and 250 lbs field dressed is a big buck.

I have not been able to find any information related to the dates of the NY deer season this fall. Specifically, I am interested in the Northern rifle hunt. A bit of calendar work suggests it will end on Sunday December 4th (based on previous years), but I can't find any confirmation of that. Also, as a non-resident I buy my deer license online. When I logged into the DEC site the option to purchase a hunting license was not open. Does anyone know when this option becomes available? Last year (first year hunting in NY) I purchased my tag in August with no issues once I had my DEC ID number. Thanks for any info you can provide.

An addition to the threat - my wife and I frequently end up in the High Peaks for climbing, hiking, and skiing. I haven't seen many wild turkeys during my time in the region,but there is certainly a tonne of available public land to hunt. Anyone have any experience hunting wild turkeys in the area? I could combine a morning of turkey hunting with an afternoon of climbing with my wife.

I haven't honed in on exact public land areas yet, but certainly will be investing more time into research based on the feedback here. I would be accompanied by a friend who would be fly fishing while I wild turkey hunt so an area that has both within reasonable distance (thinking St Regis area) is preferred. The public land areas that initially caught my eye were: Upper and Lower Lakes (half wetland I understand) Taylor Creek State Forest Glenmeal State Forest Catherinesville State Forest St Regis River State Forest Deer River State Forest

I'm considering a wild turkey hunt in northern NY state this spring. I would be looking to hunt public land in the Gouverneur/Canton/Potsdam area. Will public land in this area be overrun with hunters or is a quality experience possible? Early or late season make a significant difference in hunter numbers? Alternatively, what would my odds be of scoring private land? Are farmers receptive to the idea or would I get the "cold shoulder" from landowners?

You must have customized those T3s in terms of barrel length and caliber - takes a bit of weight out of the rifle too. How is the muzzle blast with the short barrels in powerful calibers?

Curious to see what folks are taking into the Adirondack woods. This season I used a Tikka T3 synthetic stock/Cerakote finish in 7mm-08 topped with an Aimpoint Micro H1. I really like this setup as the T3 is a light rifle, the 7mm-08 is a powerful cartridge, and the Aimpoint is lightning fast on target - nothing is close. I have used a Browning BLR as well and it does have faster second shot capability - but to be honest I have found I am probably faster on target for the first shot with the Tikka T3.

I'll be heading into the High Peaks Wilderness Area off Corey's Road next weekend. Wondering if anyone had been hunting that area thus far this season and what the hunting pressure/rut activity, etc. has been like thus far?

I'll be coming down from Ontario for a non-resident deer hunt in the Adirondacks, staying/hunting in the Tupper Lake/Saranac Lake area. I've looked online for butchers/processors - but no luck thus far. Any suggestions/recommendations as I would look to have my deer processed in New York and would likely donate a significant percentage of the meat to the local Food Bank (if such a program exists there).

I'd like to expand my wild turkey hunting opportunities and try a "south of the border" wild turkey hunt in upstate NY. I've researched how to bring a firearm across the border, but have no idea about: 1) available public land with wild turkey near the Canadian - US border (most familiar with the Adirondacks - not many turkeys there from what I've seen) 2) hunting pressure on said public land. If the public land gets hammered with hunting pressure, it may not be worthwhile and I wouldn't want to be adding to pressure on already over-pressured areas. Any feedback welcome.

Hi all. A Canadian hunter here who is planning my first Adirondack deer hunt for next season. I have spent extensive time in the Adirondacks hiking, climbing, and skiing - but never hunting. I'm keen to experience a classic Adirondack backcountry deer hunt. I'm used to being in remote areas and comfortable in such situations. Here in Ontario I hunt big woods areas with low deer populations so I am quite used to hunting long days with little reward. I do have questions that I hope forum members here can shed light on. 1) Should I plan to hit the peak of the rut or wait until late November/early December when snow will make deciphering deer movement much easier? 2) How much hunting pressure should I expect to see in the various wilderness areas around Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Keene Valley, etc.? I'm happy to hike long distances through tough terrain if it means not seeing many hunters and hunting unpressured deer. Can I escape pressure by hiking in from a trailhead daily or will I need to backpack into the backcountry to do so? Either option is fine for me, even in late season - I have good gear. 3) Do you focus on the lower elevations (river valleys, wetlands)? I have also heard that deer (especially the larger bucks) stay at surprisingly high elevations (from DEC biologist) until snows force them down. A lot of the terrain I have hiked in the Adirondacks seems far too steep for deer to choose to stay in, but perhaps they do? Anything else I should be aware of? Any and all feedback appreciated.