Allegany State Park

[Buck_shooter]

I would like to make a thread dedicated to hunting in allegany state park. I found a whole thread dedicated to Letchworth state park but can't seem to find much info at all about allegany state park on here. I'd like to see pictures and hear stories about anyone's hunting experience there, no matter how old or new. 

My fascination with ASP is fairly new. I've always wanted to try some big woods hunting and happened upon an article about ASP being the Adirondacks of Western NY. This past season I decided to hunt there for the first time and saw only a handful of deer but even fewer hunters. It was the largest, most vast piece of land I've ever hunted and I instantly fell in love with the place. Hopefully in the future I can add some stories and pictures from hunts there but for now I want to hear some of your experiences. And they don't have to be just deer hunting stories. Turkey and small game are just as welcome. 

[Jeremy K]

Same here ,my father in law has a couple wall hangers he took from there ,from the same spot a couple years apart . I just remember him saying it was a far walk in and an even farther drag out.

[BigVal]

We saw a giant when we were camping there this fall. It was early October, main frame ten with stickers that I would conservatively estimate at 155 160 and up a true beast. 

Edited January 9, 2017 by BigVal

[Lunarday358]

I used to hunt there a few years ago. Maybe more than a few now that I think about it. There's no doubt that some big bucks have been taken there over the years but they aren't easy. It's sort of a best of times, worst of times kind of place. Deer are few and far between from what I hear now but amongst the few are some real wall hangers. I would love to get back there sometime.

[Jmp209]

I've done more camping, scouting and spotlighting there than hunting but during my time there I've seen some awesome bucks. I live nearby the park so trail cam pictures and pictures of bucks taken there float my way every year. Along with the pictures have come some pretty great stories. I have talked to a couple guys on here that either have or still do get there every season so hopefully they will chime in. I'll see if I can dig up some pictures I've had sent to me from there.

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[wolc123]

My extended family has been hunted there on opening day for the last 60 or so years.  I only made the trip twice, my first two years hunting, 34 and 35 years ago.   I remember the first year, hunting with my dad, when I was 16.  He said a bear walked between he and I while we were sitting against trees, about 75 yards apart.  I never saw or heard it and we were not allowed to shoot them then anyhow.   On my second year, I killed my first deer (a button buck) in the park while hunting with my uncle.  He, my dad and myself were on a "party permit", which allowed one of three or four hunters to take one antlerless deer.   Someone must have shot the mother of a set of twins up on a hill top and the two twins came running down the hill past us.  I lined my shotgun up with an opening in the woods and pulled the trigger as they reached it.   One of them folded up just like a pheasant hit with a full pattern, at the shot, struck perfectly thru the front shoulders.   The family still talks about that shot to this day, but looking back, I was probably aiming for the lead deer and caught the follower.

One year my uncle killed a pair of nearly identical 6-pointers with two shots that were running together.  Back then you could put bucks on party permits.   I don't remember stories of many real big deer down there in Allegheny state park.  Several smaller 8 pointers, but mostly spikes, 3 and 4 pointers.   Almost all were 1-1/2 year olds.   This past fall, one of my nephews took a 7-point and that was it for about 8 guys over opening weekend.   I have spent the last 33 openers on our family farm in NW NY, where the deer are a lot bigger and more numerous.  Best of all, they taste better on a corn diet than they do on bark.  

I did miss the big woods though.  Fortunately, I have got a taste of it again over the last few years.  My in-laws built their retirement home on the NW edge of the 6.5 million acre Adirondack park.  There is even some corn grown nearby.   You talk about the best of both worlds, that is about it.  I killed my largest-bodied ever buck up there 3 years ago.   The one I took this past season was smaller, but the breath-taking scenery up there make it worth about double what a flat-land buck at home is worth to me.  The only glitch last season was that the buck was loaded with tics.  I have never seen one on a deer from around home.   A couple Allegheny county bucks, that I butchered two seasons ago, also had a few tics on them.          

Edited January 9, 2017 by wolc123

[stoneam2006]

Opening day 2012. I've seen deer almost every time I've been there live about 20 min down road had to get doe tag for there

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[Jmp209]

Here are a few bucks that I've been able to confirm did come out of state park. None of these deer are mine.

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[Lunarday358]

Dang that's a goofy looking buck in the group of 3. I've seen crab claws before but usually it's an extra point on that side, not a tine that matches up on the opposite. And that little sticker point off the left side g3 is pretty cool too. That bucks got some character

[Arcade Hunter]

I hunted the park with a small group of guys back in the later 1980's.  We never stayed in the cabins there but we did stay at Highbanks Campgrounds in the rez.  A lot of good memories there at the park and we normally each got a deer out of there.  For some reason we always hunted out of Bee Hive cabin area... the powerlines.  I remember a lot of guys hunted there and if you didnt go in a few miles you would hear slugs whizzing by your head.  Ill hunt the park again one day but no where near a cabin area due to the volume of hunters.  Always saw saw a lot of deer in the park, once in a while a nice buck too.

[DIYhunter]

I want to reserve a cabin for a week during archery this year (early November). However, I'm not sure of the exact dates because of my work schedule. How long can I wait before booking a cabin? Are they hard to come by if I wait too long? I'm only looking for one of the cheap ones (no electric, wood stove, etc). Does anyone have experience renting the cabins during hunting season?

[Jmp209]

I want to reserve a cabin for a week during archery this year (early November). However, I'm not sure of the exact dates because of my work schedule. How long can I wait before booking a cabin? Are they hard to come by if I wait too long? I'm only looking for one of the cheap ones (no electric, wood stove, etc). Does anyone have experience renting the cabins during hunting season?

We've been renting one during gun season for the last couple years and it always seems like there are plenty available. I can't remember when exactly we booked the cabin but I don't think it was until sometime in September. I'd imagine archery season is even less busy so you should have plenty of time to decide.

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[DaleP]

Unless something has changed, there is no Sunday hunting in Allegheny State Park..

[Jmp209]

Unless something has changed, there is no Sunday hunting in Allegheny State Park..

They just allowed sunday hunting for the first time this past season. Only in portions of the park though. Also opened up rifle and handguns in some parts of the park.

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[David VB]

I have hunted in Allegany State Park since 1975. The ability to wander and hunt over most of it with it's big woods feel and mountainous terrain are why I have kept coming back. Cabins to stay in are also a plus as they make affordable hunting camps. I have seen the deer hunting change dramatically, from seeing 40 or more deer on opening day to hardly hearing a shot like last year. The changes to allow Sunday hunting, and the use of rifles and pistols have brought the park up to par with the rest of NYS. If this thread is active I will post more. Any interest?

[mlammerhirt]

Keep going....deff think there are a few guys on here who have the itch to wander around down there....but just don't because of lack of Park knowledge.

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[David VB]

Here is the forecast for DMU 9s. Pretty dismal outlook. in 1978 or so we were told that they were taking about 7 bucks per sqmi.

 

 

[David VB]

From this source: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/deerforecastr9.pdf

Recreational hunting is a primary use for Allegany State Park, which comprises most of WMU 9S. This unit has the most public land available in western New York, being almost entirely forested with a good combination of hardwood and mixed forest. A few larger water bodies exist within this unit, including the Allegany Reservoir. Ample opportunities for hunting exist, but separate hunting permits must be secured from New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for hunting within the Park. Though a separate permit is required, the process is relatively fast and easy, so do not be discouraged. The large wooded tracts and limited road access within WMU 9S are unique in western New York and attract hunters attempting to take a deer in a more wilderness-like environment. With adequate scouting, hunters can locate travel corridors through this heavily forested, mountainous terrain. Hunting near beaver flows or near an abandoned apple orchard (a hidden treasure) can be quite productive. Locating hard mast crops can also be very useful later into the season. The population of deer in this unit remains well below the objective level, and harvests may be as affected by hunter effort within the Park as by overall population levels.

That about sums up hunting in the park. Use the maps, find the beaver meadows, hike to the top and find the hard mast ( White Oak, Red Oak, Hickoyr Nuts, Beech Nuts,...) or find the abandoned apple orchards. The entire place was logged off, so there are many old RR grades left over to follow.

The permit is no big deal, it is on line, fill it out and carry with you. https://parks.ny.gov/parks/attachments/AlleganyRedHouseArea2017-18HuntingGuidelinesPermitApplication.pdf

[David VB]

I wonder how far back I have these for? Here is 2009:

 

[David VB]

[David VB]

[IRL]

First hunted ASP in the 80s. Duck plug in shotgun, invasion of the orange army, trucks lined up on the shoulders, hunting clubs with headsets, banging pots n pans on deer drives, City hunters stealing deer from cabins (some folks chained and locked their deer) and buying bucks on the rez on way home.

 

 

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[Arcade Hunter]

32 minutes ago, Yellow Barn said:

First hunted ASP in the 80s. Duck plug in shotgun, invasion of the orange army, trucks lined up on the shoulders, hunting clubs with headsets, banging pots n pans on deer drives, City hunters stealing deer from cabins (some folks chained and locked their deer) and buying bucks on the rez on way home.

 

 

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Seen it all!  We hunted Beehunter... I'll tell you, if I could do it over I would.  Orange army for sure.  I learned to get at least 1 to 2 miles back in there.  If you didn't. you would be tripping over everybody!  Shot a few big doe back in there!

[IRL]

After opening day you could cut many blood trails and see 1 drag mark. The talk back at the trucks was like “Yea I got 10 shots”


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[David VB]

In 1980 there were 3500 to 4000 hunters registered. Armies of Orange and walking in 1.5 miles was required. Now there are only about 1600 registered, and it is very quiet. Still they don't walk in very far. High density at the roads and easy access points.