Sterling, Cranberry Mountain...

[Borngeechee]

So I have my opening day tag for Sterling (I see post like this pop up every season so I apologize for any redundancy) just in case but from everything I've read on here about the place, I'm not sure if it's worth it. I've been looking at aerial images of Sterling, Cranberry, Big Buck Mountain and a few other places before I physically scout. I'm looking mainly in the 3 zone areas that allow rifle hunting. Do you guys have any input on these place or any other decent public areas?

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[diplomat019]

I have taken several deer out of cranberry mtn.  One buck a a bunch of does.  I personally like it but it can get crowded. Im sure you heard it hefore.  Get away from the crowd and you shoukd be good.   Never hunted the other two.  

[ATbuckhunter]

The southern catskills are a great place to hunt. Lots of land that don't see much pressure at all. 

[LJC]

2 hours ago, Borngeechee said:

 

So I have my opening day tag for Sterling (I see post like this pop up every season so I apologize for any redundancy) just in case but from everything I've read on here about the place, I'm not sure if it's worth it. I've been looking at aerial images of Sterling, Cranberry, Big Buck Mountain and a few other places before I physically scout. I'm looking mainly in the 3 zone areas that allow rifle hunting. Do you guys have any input on these place or any other decent public areas?

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Big buck is shotgun only 

I only do small game at cranberry  but have seen deer in there 

Sterling  have not hunted there yet got the permit this year first time going to check it out maybe 

Caskills definitely the best out of those you mentioned  

[Borngeechee]

Big buck is shotgun only 

I only do small game at cranberry  but have seen deer in there 

Sterling  have not hunted there yet got the permit this year first time going to check it out maybe 

Caskills definitely the best out of those you mentioned  

Last time I went squirrel hunting in cranberry, I didn't get any squirrels but I did stumble across an empty bedding area

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[Borngeechee]

I think I'll take out the 20ga and hit cranberry since it's shotgun only. I'll try and do some scouting out there soon

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[shawnhu]

I think I'll take out the 20ga and hit cranberry since it's shotgun only. I'll try and do some scouting out there soon

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Cranberry allows rifles for small game.

[Borngeechee]

Cranberry allows rifles for small game.

I'm talking about for deer

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[LJC]

30 minutes ago, Bill Schmidt said:

If you are talking about Sterling Forest State Park--- I would say go for it!! I know it like the back of my hand . Orange Turnpike gets hit hard--dont go there. I have seen plenty of deer near Sterling Lake on the highline. Park off Rt. 17A at the Sterling Lake hiking parkhead. I don't really hunt deer- so , my words here are the truth. Now LONG SWAMP is very good too. I have seen bucks there in the past.  That area gets hit- but not that hard. About 10 years ago--- I was out on the rifle opener and sitting in front of a conifer. Right around 60 minutes before sunrise- a huge buck walked by me at less then 20 feet. He stopped too for over 1 minute. Too dark to see a rack- but as I strained- I could make  out a huge neck.  He never winded me or sensed me. That was my only opportunity to ever take a buck - but did the right thing in staying with the rules. Wish he had come by around Dawn though. After straining to make out that neck and body-- he would have been the buck of a lifetime!

Don't no I went few weeks ago and with leafs  all on the trees still  it is hard to tell what it's like in there walked  a few trails very thick rough terrain   I will check it out later in the season probably  not the first place I'm going to hunt this year's that's for sure . But you never know . It's a huge !!! place 

[NYRturkeycall]

New to spring turkey hunting and looking to scout cranberry. Anybody have any luck with spring turkeys here?

[hunter]

I haven't been to Sterling in quite some time but when I got my permit I asked about shotgun the ranger told me it was OK to use rifle anywhere in the park. He said they thought it would be too hard to enforce the shotgun rule in the Rockland county area and it was so small they made it all rifle. Just curious when they changed this. Anyway good luck to all.

[NYRturkeycall]

Into cranberry three times so far and all I've heard is other hunters calling. 2 shots around 7:00 a.m. opening morning but that's it. 

These gobblers have to be so pressured that they are quiet as hell coming off the roost. (Or they're just not there anymore)

[Northcountryman]

Sterling is hit pretty hard during deer season , IMHO, but hey- I'd still give it a try.  Listen to Blackbelt cuz I think he knows it better than most on here. 

[NYRturkeycall]

Thanks for my season looks done. I might go back to cranberry for deer in the fall. I'll definitely try sterling a few times next spring. Black belt has been pretty helpful on some other threads I've been on. Thanks for the advice.