Northern Zone Public Land

[AaronBlaine]

Hey guys i would like to get an early start to rifle season this year. I am interested in going up north from long island for the early start and i am looking for some good safe public hunting grounds up north if anyone knows of some good parks let me know! I was thinking tug hill etc. Thanks for your time and have a good one!

[ncountry]

There is a ton of state land up this way. Not sure about the tug hill area. I have never hunted there. Not sure what the exact #s are ,but the land I hunt In the foothills of the adirondacks has 10-15000 acres ..Besides the chance of getting lost, it is very lightly pressured for the most part. Lots of room to roam .

[AaronBlaine]

sweet whats the name of the park ncountry ? PM me if you want !

[tughillhunter]

i live across from 4000 acres of state land, with another 3000 around the corner, and tons more up the road. I dont hunt it because I have family farmland that i hunt. usually fairly quiet too.

[AaronBlaine]

lol can i come hunt there!?

[AaronBlaine]

i am willing to throw in some money labor etc. Lemme know!

[DanielT]

A few years back iwas working on a construction project at copenhagen school...and a janitor told me there is 1000s of acre of land right down the road behind the school.....long story short...I took my only headmount....a 6 1/2 year old ten pointer...after my 2nd hunt back there.....its big woods though....bring gps

[KenAxe-7]

This is 20,000 acres of public land just south of Harrisville, NY about 2 miles from my house.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/46367.html

[AaronBlaine]

anyone wanna go hunting next weekend? I want to come up saturday let me know!

[martin]

Like that idea ken. I will be up in area on monday night and hope to be hunting by tuesday or wednesday. Have to site in gun first on tuesday. More acres the better. I love to hunt hard and don't mind walking a little to find the deer. I may also hit Happy Valley area.

[AaronBlaine]

best of luck martin!

[Carpy744]

Do you guys have success on state lands in the northern zone? State lands have always scared me. In the southern zone they are completely over run with people during the season

[martin]

I changed my plans. I am going to sear's pondstate forest. Will also try other area's. Kinda winging it as well. Taking off now. Later.

[bubba]

I very successfully hunted state land here until I got my own place

[AaronBlaine]

Right on i just have to pick the right park now i got some investigating to do. Anyone know of the names of the places they are talking about so i can try and look them up online. It is a very long drive to the northern zone from long island and i want some beautiful land to hunt more so then one overpopulated with deer! I dont hunt for the chance to kill i will kill for the chance to experience the hunt!

[New York Hillbilly]

Aaron, finding public land in the northern zone is easy enough, but it for sure is big woods. Did you plan to wander about by yourself up there? Also, what about southern tier? Are you keeping closer to home or coming upstate?

[NFA-ADK]

So much land so little time... This is the link on the DEC web site to find public land.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/82098.html

Bring a GPS, map and compass and know how to use them!!! These are some big woods. Good luck!

[covert]

Do you guys have success on state lands in the northern zone? State lands have always scared me. In the southern zone they are completely over run with people during the season

We have six regular members in our group that hunt out of a 12x14 wall tent in 5H in the Adirondack park. We have a couple guys who will come in once a year for a weekend so we normally can get 4-5 guys in every weekend. We have averaged something like 1.6 bucks/year since 1999 and a couple black bear. Last season I ran into two people in the woods; they were the first two people I have encountered up there in 17 years.

We are the only tent on the trail we set up on and we are at the end of it seven miles back in the woods. No motor vehicles allowed which is why we don't see anyone, it's so much work to get in and get a deer back out if you do get one.

Make sure you bring two ways to start a fire and two compasses and leave specific information with someone as to where you plan to be hunting. Two of our guys have tried GPS in our area and couldn't get a good enough signal to get a fix.

Edited October 23, 2012 by covert

[Carpy744]

I hate to ask this, but does anyone have any experience with Stone Hill state forest next to Happy Valley in 6K? I am not asking for spots by any means, just a general idea of the amount of deer in there. Do you see "a lot" or one here and there? It is a 1000 acres, good size woods IMO. I got access to the "backside" through a friend with 6 acres. I have never hunted there.

I hunted there opening dad and did not hear a single shot or see another hunter or see a deer, but I only could sit 4 hours. I was starting to wonder if I weren't in the wrong zone somehow. I'll be heading back tomorrow and the weeken for sure.

[martin]

My hunt went well, even though I didn't see anything. Thank god I hag a garmin with service. I had to use it to get out of the woods. I did have a little panic attack but calmed down very quickly. There are so many ponds up their, its pretty awesome. I like walking and hunting by the ponds because that's were the deer are and partridge as well. Aaron, I hope you do your homework before you go. Take everybody's advice, be prepared. No gps, no way i would walk as much as I did. Your better off sitting not far from the truck.Also their is no phone service as well. Good luck. May want to stay home with the rain and wait another week..Let us know how you did.

[Waajack]

Hello guys im new to site but not hunting. I would personally not rely exclusivly on a GPS to get around the woods. Bring a compass and know how to use it. I constantly loose reception with my GPS in some remote areas. GPSs are nice but not 100% reliable.