eastern zone 3 or 4 ( Dutchess I think)

[b79holmes]

Drove down Route 22 from 90 to MIllbrook and back on Saturday and must of seen 100 turkeys in the fields of all those dairy farms.  Geese too as it is manure spreading season.

 

Funny that my wife is from Albany and never saw them as a kid but I know the turkeys in MA were introduced as birds trappped in NY.

 

Anyone have much luck knocking on a strangers door and asking for permission to hunt?

 

Bill

 

Edited February 25, 2014 by b79holmes

[alloutdoors]

Anyone have much luck knocking on a strangers door and asking for permission to hunt?

 

I've got about 1200 acres across 5 properties to turkey hunt on where I did just that. A couple of those properties get hit hard by other guys, others I've almost never seen anyone else on. I try to add one or two properties in the general area each year. If you are only looking for turkey hunting access (or really anything other than deer), and you make that clear, I've generally had pretty good luck. I spend a lot of time looking at tax maps and scouting from the road before I knock on any doors also. I like to focus on active farms that are a couple hundred acres or more in size. Farmers are generally pretty willing to let turkey hunters on their land, at least in the area I hunt.

 

Anyway, you won't know until you ask. The worst that can happen is they say no.

[mmkay]

much easier getting permission to hunt small game in Putnam / Dutchess than getting permission to hunt deer. knock a few doors and you'll get a place to hunt.  But i would look for working (real) farms.  I would avoid gentleman farmers / weekend farms (horse farms) of NYC folks. They won't be inclined to give you permission

[mmkay]

Also there is state land off of rt22.  above Dover Plains.  you should be able to get a turkey there