Deer hunting on State Lands

[drwost]

put your time in and before you know it you'll get good at it. I too am far from good!

[Warren]

Drwort - your mine kind of deer hunter, I like your attitude.

Dstone101 - I assume your are talking about firearm season. On state land you should let the other hunters work for you. If your opening day location is in an area where other hunters might pass by or sit near you, then you are too close to your car. I suggest you scout the area and become comfortable out to one mile and look for escape travel lanes and thick cover. Look for sign like rubs and scrapes to let you know there is a buck in the area but I bet the deer will be on full aleart and heading for cover on opening day.

Once you find a good area, use bright eyes (thumb tacks with reflective tape) to allow you to find your way back there in the morning. But the tacks on both sides of the trees and it will guide you back out in the evening.

[wztirem]

Each of the last three years, I have shot a deer on the opening day of gun season on State Land; which was crawling with hunters. To say that you have to deep into the woods to find the deer is not always true;for each of the deer I shot were killed within 500 yards of where I parked my truck. The area which I hunt, I know very well having hunted it regularly for the past five years. Rarely, if ever does a hunter pass by; close to my set-up.

[Dstone001]

How dangerous is it to wander around state land during turkey season?  (wearing orange)

[wztirem]

Its a lot safer than wandering around in full camo!

I hunt turkey a lot on State Land and take the normal precautions, wear B/O prior to entering and leaving the woods, set up with my back against a large diameter tree and place B/O tape around the tree and several  B/O napkins several yards away. Any hunter with half a brain would realize that someone was hunting nearby. I also bring a whistle with me.

As far as scouting goes, I always wear plenty of B/O.

[Bleitten04]

Anybody know some decent state land around Central NY Ive been to alot of them I think but Once you get past all the hunters and start getting deeper into the woods you just run into swamp.  I have had different luck turkey hunting on state land.  Called the same group of toms in on two separate hunts in the same place.  All to have them run away when I pointed to my dad to say there right there LOL... I was pretty young though and very stupid.  Ive done that a few other times to LOL...

[Warren]

Wztirem:

When you hunt state land do you need to park in a designated parking area with everyone else?

The spot that you have taken a deer 3 years in a row, what is it that makes it so good? is it a travel lane, food area, cover, bedding area?

I'm jealous.

[JW QLTY]

I have hunted the Catskill park in the frost valley area and taken deer. Only one road goes through it, one side is a small river the other side is steep mountain terrain.The YMCA there has lodging and a hunting club,there are trail head parking areas.Its a wild forever area .See map link below.

http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4HPNN_enUS310US248&q=Frost+valley+new+york&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

[Bleitten04]

I'm  sorry fellows i didin't realize that this was region 3.  I asked if anyone knew anything about CNY LOL

[wztirem]

Wztirem:

When you hunt state land do you need to park in a designated parking area with everyone else?

The spot that you have taken a deer 3 years in a row, what is it that makes it so good? is it a travel lane, food area, cover, bedding area?

I'm jealous.

California Hill, Putnam County

[blackradio]

Any recommendations on state land to hunt in Dutchess County?

[drwost]

Any recommendations on state land to hunt in Dutchess County?

there are 2 areas that I know of, both are off the Taconic...one is at the Taconic/Tyrell rd junction. nice big area have seen few deer there.

there is another further up right off the taconic forget the name, open fields with thick dense brush. check the DEC maps for more detail

[Warren]

Any recommendations on state land to hunt in Dutchess County?

Over the years I have tried hunting during shotgun season in the Taconic Hereford multiple use area (M.U.A.), the Lafayetteville M.U.A. and the Stissing Mountain M.U.A..

All of them were heavily hunted and very few deer sightings.

I never went there on opening day, so maybe it's good then with all the hunters pushing deer. You will get to see lots of other hunters.

A few years ago we had a nice 2" to 3" snow fall a week after the season so I went to Lafayetteville and walked the entire area and never crossed a deer track.

At the Stissing Mtn area you could see the deer standing on the posted property across the street from the hunting area.

I was not impressed with these areas for deer hunting success.

[raymerlo]

If you are looking for places to hunt,don't over look the NYCDEP lands

you can register on line for an access permit17,000 acres in Putnam and south eastern dutchess,use it or lose it,and thats on the east of hudson,there is plenty more west of the hudson,go on line and put in

NYCDEP?access permit

[drwost]

If you are looking for places to hunt,don't over look the NYCDEP lands

you can register on line for an access permit17,000 acres in Putnam and south eastern dutchess,use it or lose it,and thats on the east of hudson,there is plenty more west of the hudson,go on line and put in

NYCDEP?access permit

Good idea! the permit is free or a very small fee can't remember at most 5 bucks. But there are antler restrictions at a lot of the Putnam areas

[raymerlo]

drwost,I think that you are thinking about Sterling Forest a real big peice of land of rte 17 in orange county,I think in the town of Tuxedo,they have a $5:00 registration fee,as far as AR's in Putnam only one section

in the NYCDEP lands has antler restrictions and it is posted so that you

can't miss it,the rest of the county is open.

I am pretty sure that you can get access permits for Sterling Forest and the NYCDEP on line

[Chef]

warren i hunt sterling to... what part of the park do you hunt and have you had any success this year. i have been hunting behind the housing develpoement off 17a i think its longmeadow drive or something. i have seen nothing but have been hearing alot of shots

[Warren]

Chefhunter86

I have been hunting the southeastern section near the golf course.

Opening day I took a doe and mid-day I got busted by a buck - I was putting on a warmer shirt and I looked around and he was looking right at me. Saw a total of 7 does and that buck and my other buddies saw one doe and a bear. The day before Thanksgiving I saw 2 does in the morning,1 at mid-day and 1 in the evening (total of 4).

I will be back out this weekend.

On opening day one guy was dragging out an 8 pointer (really a very nice 4 with 4 additional smaller points).

At the check station on opening day evening my deer was #46 and a guy has checking in a small bear - the third bear for the day.

[Chef]

wow it sounds like there are alot more deer down there then where im at i havent seen anything all season

[Warren]

Chefhunter86

All the deer I have seen this year (except for the buck that spotted me) have been while I was still hunting the higher ground. I use to sit and freeze near the low lying swamps and see one deer a season. Now I slowly walk and sit a short while at the highest points that have the most cover and I have been seeing deer (mostly doe).

I have had similar results off of Ironwood road. About 1/2 way down the road there is a small parking area on the northside. I took a doe at the top of that hill and my brother-in-law shot at a bear but we never recovered it. Both were about 7:30 on a saturday morning mid-season.

I wish you good luck.

[Chef]

thanks warren

[raymerlo]

FYI,The NYC DEP has purchased another 4100 acres in the catskill region,check their site for info and location

[cynthiafu]

well i have been hunting stewart state park for 25 years and this year was the worst . i am sorry to say but sinces the state took it over it has gone down hill and it is only a matter of time till someone gets hurt . today was the worst i saw 25 hunters and no deer . saw a guy driving into side roads and fields ( hunting from truck ) . people parked where ever they want and shots rang out at 6:10 (cant see at 6:10) but they shot at something . then heard 4 shots for the whole day . saw two guys cross the road from where they were ( against the rules ) . i remember when there was always someone at the station and they patroled the grounds . they weighed the deer and  checked the age . 3 people per car ( now its is as many as fits in car) getting really scarey there saw a car with eight people in it . place needs to be closed up for 3 years then reopened .  today was such a yucky day that i made today my last day of hunting for this year . didnt get any thing but oh well better luck next year .

[RPIBuckHunter]

I was hunting a section of Catskill Park near East Jewett in 3A today, near the Colgate Lake.  Sat in the trees on the edge of field, no deer but signs were everywhere, droppings, scrapes, etc.

No people except for one guy driving slowly along the road in his pickup...I think he was trying to deer jack but I was too far away to see anything...

[NYDeer]

On state land you should let the other hunters work for you.

I know of one mountain that a group sets up tent camp Friday morning, off on a side peak, and hunts the top opening day morning. The 'Orange' wave sends deer right to them..