Onondaga County WMA's

[nadunbar]

Hey Guys New here,

 

I typically hunt Washington County on approximately 150 acres of land with my father and brother, The last couple of years the landowner has been allowing more and more people to hunt this parcel which has lead to less and less deer sightings. This year we have seen 0 deer for 50 man hours in these woods. Also these guys are starting to do drives every day through this patch of woods. Also they will shoot anything they see as someone in there party usually has a doe tag which leads to buttons spikes and young bucks being taken.

 

So to the subject line we are looking to travel this weekend or next to an area that has a decent deer population and a chance at a decent buck. Onondaga county is about 2 hrs from my home in Queensbury NY and I know there are typically some bigger bucks taken out of the western New York State.

 

The three WMA's I know of are

 

Hamlin Marsh

 

Three Rivers

 

Cicero Swamp

 

Judging by Lay of the land and surrounding terrain which one of these wma would you focus your one day hunt on?

 

Im not asking for specific locations just recommendations on which WMA to go to.

 

Any help would be appreciated guys PM me if you must

 

Thank You

[upstate]

If you go to Cicero swamp I suggest that you use a GPS, that place can be miserable and dangerous. 

 

 

Same would be said for Three Rivers, it's a duck hunting area more than deer. 

 

I am not familiar with Hamlin 

 

You seem to like the wet areas.... bring boots 

[nadunbar]

Yes in my experience the biggest deer I have killed I have walked up on while bedded in swamps.  

 

I am not against going farther west if you have any suggestions.

 

Thanks

[upstate]

There are some great spots in 7M... you need to go deep, very deep. Pressure is not significant, after opener and its the only areas I've ever gotten a deer on state land. 

 

Use the DEC's interactive maps. 

 

Cicero swamp does have some nice deer. I've hunted near Toad Harbor on the north end of the lake and gotten some sweet bucks. But once it's cold, unlikely this year, and frozen, they're gone... deer do not like ice

[chrisw]

I live within 20 minutes of all of the areas you listed and I do not hunt any of them, I have in the past but they are very wet and unless you are willing to use chest waders to get way back in the swamps you will be hard pressed to see any deer. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of deer in all of these areas including toad harbor but after gun opener its difficult. I wouldn't drive 2 hours to hunt any of these areas, especially having never been there before. Just my .02...

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[Fletch]

I live right near all these and if I was driving 2 hours they wouldn't be in my choices! I drive down to 7m.

Lots of state under finger lakes and east that have to be better I would think.

[nadunbar]

Thank You that is the kind of information I was looking for

 

Any recommendations as to any WMA's I might see some movement in?

 

[Fletch]

I wish I could I have just started to search more since I lost some local spots. If you go on DEC mapper all the state lands in green from there it's boots on the ground, maybe some other guys have some more real in the woods knowledge.