IRL

I encourage everyone who hunts in Tompkins County to email your Legislator to support this bill. It must be approved by the County before moving on to Albany. http://www.tompkins-co.org/legislature/Committeeindex2_files/Committeeindex2.html

Good news. It would be good if Dave Henderson was supportive as he appeared not to be a few years ago. I will keep an eye on this and provide written support. Easy on the hippies. Nothing like deep dish at the Nines after a long day in the woods.

State land is shared land and that includes slob and disrespectful hunters.

Cotton-Hanlon has a lease program but I believe most of it is locked up. Save your lease money and buy land. There is 22,000 acres of state owned reforestation land in the tri-county uplands. There are definately less hunters and different types of hunters on state land than in the past. The orange army of out of towners pushing every inch of woods is gone. Most state land hunters are locals that sit in treestands.

Below normal deer activity has been experienced throughout the northeast. Warm weather certainly had an impact and the herd is down in some areas that had a rough winter (but I doubt 9A). In 7R our sightings of fawns and yearlings was way below average. Sometimes there are seasons when deer and other game activity are low; or at least lower than we expect based on past seasons. There will be many theories and explanations, and many will look to fault predators or the DEC. As is usually the case, deer numbers and activity will bounce back and next season could be a banner year. Enjoy the hunt.

Great deer, good story and even better attitude.

Potato Hill State Forest in Caroline. Access is from Blackman Hill Road and Level Green Road. The DEC clearcut the red pine plantations about 10 years ago and it is thick with beech brush, briars and rose bushes. Great small game habitat and lots of grouse.

Deer sightings are down for us in 7R. 1 buck hanging from opening weekend. Late season should pick up assuming the weather changes.

Common story this year. The doe are just not moving much during daylight. Lots of thick cover this year (from all the rain), heavy apple crop, full moon in early November and mostly warm temps. In a couple of weeks with cold temps and snow the doe herds will be all over the woods.

Slow start in 7R. No hard mast but apples are loaded. Understory and fallow fields very thick this year. Activity will pick up with the change in weather.

Allegany State Park in Cattaraugus County. They have many cabins for rent and few hunters.

I grew up fishing the Raquette River from Sevey's Corners to South Colton. Good memories.

Looks like Cattaraugus Creek. My old stomping grounds.

Good hunt. Late season success is very sweet. It will keep the fire burning all winter.

ASP is managed independently from other state lands (thus the separate hunting regs) and there is not much info on the web. I suggest calling the number on this site and speaking to a ranger about the hunting regs. They are very pro hunting. http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/55695.html All other state lands in Catt County are open to rilfle and Sunday hunting. There is a Holiday Inn Express in Salamanca that is only a couple exits from Red House and Quaker Run. There will be other hunters staying there. One other tip: PA has had antler restrictions for a number of years and rifle season does not open until after Thanksgiving. Archery has already closed so the PA side is in a hunting lull. When NY gun opens, the PA border is a safe zone.

You need to register at the park office in Red House. No sunday hunting, no rifles and shotguns must be plugged (3 shots). We hunt with muzzleloaders in the park. Also do not wander over the Rez line. You can hunt nearby state land at Chipmunk (near Limestone) or McCarthy Hill (near Ellicottville) on Sunday. Check out the Southwest corner of the park.

When hunting Allegany State Park, go deep and stay late. Most hunters within 1/2-mile of access and out early. If you like to read sign and cover alot of ground, it is a great place to hunt. If you are concerned about getting lost, dragging a deer for hours or not being in good condition to climb mountains, then join the orange army near the roads. Much of the ASP borders the Seneca Allegany Territory. Much of the Rez along the ASP boundary has been heavily logged. The ASP is never loggged. The boundary is a great place to still hunt. I hunt the ASP in late MZ and shoot deer every year. Good luck and enjoy one of the places in WNY where you can actually walk for more than 20 minutes without walking into posted signs and A#$HO#$ hunters patrolling their land.

That is probably the golf course buck. Also 17 points and I hear often photographed.

East Hill Ithaca. That is my old hood. We see bucks running the big field on Ellis Hollow Road behind the shopping plaza every year. We do our hunting in the nearby hills but it is always fun to watch the town deer when the rut is on. There is a huge buck hanging out on the Cornell golf course. I think he is well known by the locals.

What part of Texas are you located?

You are only required to wear back tags in the NY southern zone. It is an outdated law. We wear them on state land but not on private.

Halloween weekend was good in Southern Tompkins. Out of 4 hunters we shot 2 8-pointers. Apples were hot and oaks were not. Scraping and chasing increased as the week progressed. We moved around and some areas were dead with no activity. We were fortunate to find a hot area and connect. Good luck to all.