New to Hunting looking for some new hunting buddies!

[AaronBlaine]

Hey guys my names Aaron Blaine i am new to hunting and i am eager to learn more about this wonderful sport. I have a military back round in the USMC and i am an excellent shot with a rifle! I went on my first hunting trip last year with a cross bow late in rifle season to stuart state forest and although i never came across any deer i enjoyed the hell out of being in such beautiful country and i stumbled across a bunch of old abandoned cars which was pretty cool. I wound up finding a huge old tree that i could climb up into and it made a perfect tree stand for the newbie hunter lol. I applied for my permit to hunt sterling state forest and i cannot wait to get up opening day for rifle! I recently purchased a weatherby vanguard series 2 rifle in a 30.06 with a leapold vx2 3x9x40 scope. Took it to the range and i am in love! Amazing rifle and i am eager to get back in the woods with my new rifle! Anyone interested in carpooling upstate on a hunt or simply spreading some knowledge of this wonderful sport my way please feel free!

[Big Indian]

Welcome to the site ! Thank you for your service to our country, What county is stuart state forest?

[tughillhunter]

if you are new to hunting, you obviously have alot to learn. You cant just go thru an abandoned junkyard and find a random tree to hang a stand in. Take some time time, learn the ropes, and go from there. Did you take a hunter safety course? Dont sound like it.

[AaronBlaine]

Well i wound up in a weird spot at SSF its in orange county and thanks Big Indian! I headed in the woods and ran face first with a marsh i could not cross. So i could only go left or right. Granted the marsh was about 50 yards from the car i picked the wrong place! So with countless rounds going off all around my i chose left and after a couple hundred yards i came across a bunch of old 1930 and 1940's abandoned cars. In the middle of these relics was this enormous oak tree that had broke in two leaving the perfect seat about 30 feet up in the air. There were some deer trails nearby leading to the marsh so i posted up and enjoyed the day. After a few hours i decided to investigate some noise i heard in a nearby brush field however there were no sign of deer. Like i said i enjoyed the hell out of the experience but this year i want to bring in a little more competition to the forest and see if i cant bring in a deer. Knowledge is power and thats why i joined this site. So lets hear it guys any tips or pointers for a new hunter in new york!?

[Guns&ReligionCop]

Welcome and good luck. That big 30-06 has a little umfphh that lets you know you after a few huh? ;-)

[AaronBlaine]

Hahaa yea guns&religioncop i took it to the range after i finally got the scope in and put 50 rounds at 180 grain and whoooweee! My shoulder hurt for about three days after however i met some really cool fellow vets and i have to say the experience was outstanding! A lot of really nice guys who were all willing to help me out. The rifle was extremely accurate after sighting it in. Anyone ever wanna go shooting let me know!

[Guns&ReligionCop]

If you make your way to Putnam I'll take you out small game hunting and point something things to help get you started.

1.)I recommend buying a drop point knife with about a 3.5 inch blade for when you get your deer (No Rambo knife needed).

2.)Throw some zipstrips or safety pins in your back tag for the ear tags. Always bring a flash light.

3.)Throw some pine needles and dirt in a rubbermade tote and a piece of peg board over and throw your cloths on top of it(scent matters)

4.)After the first day the deer that are smart are hiding in the thick stuff

5.)Utilize small game season to get scouting in and to get familiar with the woods

6.)Ignore the (facts) on tv hunting shows they are fake and meeant to sell products!!!

7.)Any more tips from me you better be serving cold ones!!!

[nybuckboy]

Welcome Aaron

First off welcome and thanks for serving in the USMC. I have a son-in-law in Pendleton. Second, you can get lucky and walk in to woods and shoot a real nice deer w/o any real knowledge of hunting but that's pure 100% luck.

It sounds to me like you won't have a problem with the shot providing you get by buck fever that so many of us have had over the years.

Now if I were new, I'd read as much about deer hunting as you can. Consume yourself with reading about it. Spend a lot of time looking over Google Earth and the area you plan to be hunting. Look at Topo maps and understand how they work. See if you can get the Topo inlaid over the land so you can see the funnels and pinch points. When you have long drives to where you are going to hunt and only have access now and then it will pay to know the lay of the land.

I would try and spend as much time as you can in the area you plan to hunt in early Spring when the snow is all but gone. You will more about the way deer travel the land than any other way. Learn the prevailing winds and set up your stand site on the downwind side on higher ground of where trails cross. Always know the wind. Always wear orange.

Hope this helps.

[AaronBlaine]

lolololol RIGHT ON! Thanks man 1 So my kabar d2 is a little overkill for gutting a deer lol NOTED

2 great idea never even thought of that. Flashlight i have packed.

3 GREAT IDEA!!!! Thats some smart thinking why not marinate my hunting clothes in a sealed bin with natural scents locked in!!! BRILLIANT! So many products you can buy i don't really believe in anyhow

4 Should have bit the bullet and waded through the marsh

5 Very interesting and i would def be interested in getting a hunt in. Putnam county is where my grandfather lives so i got a place to crash!!

6 I only watch the tv shows to get me exited for work in the morning! Hunting ambitions always make a hard day of work easier!

7 My best friend owns Rocky Shore Brewing and his surplus is in the hundreds of fresh custom cold beers! Let me know!

[Guns&ReligionCop]

lolololol RIGHT ON! Thanks man 1 So my kabar d2 is a little overkill for gutting a deer lol NOTED

2 great idea never even thought of that. Flashlight i have packed.

3 GREAT IDEA!!!! Thats some smart thinking why not marinate my hunting clothes in a sealed bin with natural scents locked in!!! BRILLIANT! So many products you can buy i don't really believe in anyhow

4 Should have bit the bullet and waded through the marsh

5 Very interesting and i would def be interested in getting a hunt in. Putnam county is where my grandfather lives so i got a place to crash!!

6 I only watch the tv shows to get me exited for work in the morning! Hunting ambitions always make a hard day of work easier!

7 My best friend owns Rocky Shore Brewing and his surplus is in the hundreds of fresh custom cold beers! Let me know!

Sounds good, two of my favorite things hunting and beer. Do have a shotgun or 22 rifle?

[AaronBlaine]

to nybuckboy Thanks a lot man i didnt think about the google earth move! Very good idea! I ordered a topi map from the forest and i will try and post it in the future if i can that way you can make some pointers as to where i can venture. Might have to take a few trips up there to scout before hand. I will say a prayer for your son in law and let em know there's an 0311 grunt out there that thanks him for protecting his family.

Here is a question for everyone about opening day! Last year i was not able to get up till late in rife season. If i am planing to hunt sterling state forest early sat morning and i live on long island just how crowded should i expect it to be!? I am wondering if i should just drive up friday night and sleep in my car so i am guaranteed my spot. I dont want to scout a spot and then loose it on hunting day! Is opening day like the lines i see outside apple stores when a new iphone comes out with hundreds of people waiting in a line to get in? Thanks for your time guys! Go GET SOME!!!

[AaronBlaine]

to guns&religioncop i have a mossber 500 with a bird and slug barrel. I also just purchased a weatherby vanguard series 2 30.06 rifle with a leapold vx2 at 3x9x40 scope i was looking at a 22 rifle that resembles the m-4 by s&w cool little rifle def gonna grab it when i got the money.

[New York Hillbilly]

Welcome to the site! I had to chuckle about your choice of stands. It sounded (sadly) similar to a bear stand a so called outfitter put me in once in Quebec. The clown took me to a dump, had me climb up onto a broken shopping cart and then leap/pull myself up into a big old tree where I proceeded to sit for hours on a branch in the down pour rain watching over a five gallon pail filled with some old goop with maggots crawling on it. And for the record I am definitely not built for shopping cart-tree jumping activity! I finally climbed down and walked back to the leaking camp (not the one on the brochure)....lol....boy was I pi$$ed. I can laugh now but it was a nightmare then. There's a lot more to this story but that's for another time. Give yourself time to learn enjoy your time in the field, stay safe and good luck. Anyway.......again.....welcome. And, thank you for your service!

NYH

[Elmo]

Welcome to the site Aaron and thank you for your service. If you're talking about Stewart State Forest in Orange County, be careful. That place is a shotgun only forest. During any other season you park in the main parking lot and hike in. During deer season, you have to drive in and park in the designated parking spots. Then you can only hunt in the lot you parked in. You can not wander into another lot. Lot boundaries aren't always clear but it's usually a road or a stone wall. These rules are specific to Stewart.

[Elmo]

Also, if you're still an active military personel then you get exclusive rights to West Point. They allow hunting during deer season to active military personel and their family. They have their own set of rules as well and you have to sign in at a check station.

[AaronBlaine]

wow i didnt even know that sterling was a shotgun only site. I am so glad i signed on to this chat forum bc that would have ruined my trip! I thought about west point that is def an option. However where else would you recommend for opening day? I would prefer to hunt with my 30/06 if possible. Thanks again guys and to newyorkhillbilly that sounds like a steelhead guided float trip i once took with the craziest guide i have ever met. He started drinking and my dad wound up socking him in the mouth and we had to walk for a few miles until we could call a cab lolol and Elmo was that picture taken at the brookhaven range!? strict place but the nicest officers and shooters i have ever met!

[Elmo]

Stewart is shotgun only. Sterling Forest is a different park. Also a nice place. Rule in Sterling Forest is that no firearms before November 1st and you need a park pass. They cost $5 for the year. You buy them at the rangers station/visitors center. You can also fill out the application and send in your $5 through the mail.

Picture was taken at Blue Mountain Sportsman Center in Westchester.

West Point is pretty good. I've gone there a several times because my brother is still an active military personal and he signs me in as a guest. Unfortunately he's so busy now that he doesn't have much time to hunt. Due to the fact it is restricted to active military members, it doesn't get as crowded as other parks. They also run a zone system. You check in and pick an open zone to hunt in.

You can use your 30/06 in West Point and Sterling. Just not Stewart or anywhere in Putnam County. Putnam County is also shotgun only during big game season. I know, so many rules, it's a pain in the butt. Some county has their own rules and some parks have their own rules.

[mac]

Both Sterling and Stewart get very busy since they are closer to those hunters from the boroughs and long island. A liitle too busy for some and most dont seem to follow rules of safety especially during rifle season. The DEC website is helpful for finding other public WMU'S, parks, forests upstate. West Point may be a nice option.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Welcome to the site and to hunting. I wish you al the best and good luck. Thanks for your service and my advice tid bit for in your pack is----compass, just like Americna Express, never leave home without it.

[AaronBlaine]

Thanks a lot guys i think im gonna go for sterling state forest for opening day. Unless someone has some private land they can rent me for the weekend! lol theres gotta be some former marines out there looking to spread the love lol jkjk Seriously thank you all so much for the comments and advice i really truly appreciate it. And i am proud to have served my country as for my fellow country men are damn worth the effort! Good luck out there guys the clock is ticking!!

[sg0331]

Semper Fi brother. I have been back in NY for a few year hunting around Rochester. If you ever come up this way give me a shout. I have some good spots I would be happy to share with a fellow Devil Dog. My tips are read about hunting deer, educate yourself, and use your infantry skills. They will carry you along way. Sitting in a tree stand is similar to an ambush. Still hunting are stalking are similar to movement to contact.The predictable thing about deer is that they are unpredictable. I wish you the best of luck, share your stories!!

[AaronBlaine]

hahaaa thats f ing great! Semper Fi devil dog Thank you for helping to protect my family as well as this wonderful country we call home! Welcome home and good luck this season brother. I will def take you up on a hunt this season!

[AaronBlaine]

Hey guys if anyone wants to hunt sterling state forest together opening day to help show me the ropes let me know! Willing to learn all different types of hunting. Got a ton of waterfowl on long island i wouldnt mind going after!