how would you fix the Dacks for deer hunting...and does it need fixing?

[Robhuntandfish]

I love the big woods of the Adirondack park.  But the deer numbers suck.  It would be great to have the best of both worlds and have such a large and accessable state forest - one of the largest in the country- with some decent deer numbers.  Out west in those vast wilderness areas there seems to be so much more wildlife.  Deer, whitetails and muleys, elk, and even small game.  Remember the days of seeing snowshoe rabbits....... Whats the fix ?  is there a fix, does there need to be a fix?  I know some guys love the big woods and the challenge it brings but some deer to be seen would be great.  Look at the big woods in like Saskatchewan or Alberta and the huge whitetails up there. ......What you think ?  Although the adirondacks are beautiful,  it just seems like the potential for something even better is there.  

The idea i have always had is that a lot of that old growth forest needs to go.  Log it out, controlled burn, then let the regrowth happen and let the wildlife flourish.  The old forest and those worthless govt planted pines from years ago just arent very good for wildlife.  Just some thoughts.  What do you think ?  

[Merlot]

Wouldn't mind logging in state parks...seems like a proper way to go, if done correctly. Will help wildlife. 

[Fletch]

Absolutely need to log/manage the forest. It will improve the feed as well as bring in money for the state on a currently wasted resource.


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[Robhuntandfish]

even the bear take from the adirondacks has now been surpassed by the southern tier. I know guys that just gave up going there although they love the experience its tough to go a week and never see a deer. Or to go partridge hunting and see two in a weekend.  

The dacks could be so much more for hunters.  I would love to see the snowshoe hares come back - what a great trip that would be after deer season.  

[E J]

Having some timber taken out is the fix. It's such a wasted resource the state has it's letting go to waste. Win win, better hunting and lots of income.

[Doewhacker]

Logging would be great for many species, too bad its all Forever Wild and will never happen. I hate forever wild so much I voted against the referendum on the ballot this year.

[G-Man]

Let a few fires burn it.. Clear cut areas.. Habitat Diversity is the key ..

[Five Seasons]

basically live in the adirondacks in the summer for 30 years now.

 

selective logging. 

 

/end of discussion.

[nybuckboy]

Logging would be both a boon for business as well as help the deer make a comeback. Elk should be introduced as well.  The state needs to hire by contract only a logging company by bid. First the DEC should mark the trees to be cut and only those trees cut and logged off and out. The entire tree should be pulled out so that firwood could be cut as well and sold. Did I say Elk should be introduced... like PA has had for nearly 100 years. 

[wolc123]

I like it just like it is now.  If it is "fixed", and more deer are brought in through habitat changes, then more hunters will follow.   There is something special about being able to hunt for multiple days and never running across another hunter.   One thing I like best about the hunting up there right now is that it usually gets better as the season progresses, especially after some snow.   That is a stark contrast to most of the Southern zone, where the deer go mostly nocturnal after the first weekend of gun season.   If you want more deer and more hunters, you already have it in the southern zone.   We have the best of both worlds right now here in NY state.  That is why I, as a pure meat hunter, consider NY to be the best whitetail state in America.   If the trophy hunters don't like it, they have 49 others to pick from.        

[covert]

Get rid of Forever Wild and log it.  You could selectively cut and fly the logs out and 90% of the few people who ever do set foot there would never even know it.  I shot THE deer anyone in our camp saw this year.  One.  That's it.  I think our hiker count this year was up to 12-15 last time I checked.  People working on the fire tower challenge.

[Curmudgeon]

Given the responses so far, I'm glad I voted against the constitutional convention.  

[IRL]

I see no deer so cut the woods down. Sell the timber burn the rest. Then I see deer and maybe be happy.


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[stubborn1VT]

Quote

 

 

8 minutes ago, Yellow Barn said:

I see no deer so cut the woods down. Sell the timber burn the rest. Then I see deer and maybe be happy.


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That may be a bit of an oversimplification.  Mature timber doesn't provide much food or cover for whitetail deer.  Some logging would help provide more food and cover.  That is all.

[Hunter007]

Just wondering we know logging would help deer but what animals like mature Forest? Exactly.  Anyone know? Or would be hurt by little logging . That the state don't want it at all.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Storm914

[GreeneHunter]

My wife and I went to Yellowstone about ten years ago and we asked a park ranger who planted all those little pine trees ? Well if anyone remembers Yellowstone had a major forest fire twenty some odd years ago and mother nature planted all those little pine trees and the wildlife doubled over time because the old dense forest burned down ! I believe in the past in the Daks they used to let fires burn ..... did they have it right back then ?

[Five Seasons]

I like it just like it is now.  If it is "fixed", and more deer are brought in through habitat changes, then more hunters will follow.   There is something special about being able to hunt for multiple days and never running across another hunter.   One thing I like best about the hunting up there right now is that it usually gets better as the season progresses, especially after some snow.   That is a stark contrast to most of the Southern zone, where the deer go mostly nocturnal after the first weekend of gun season.   If you want more deer and more hunters, you already have it in the southern zone.   We have the best of both worlds right now here in NY state.  That is why I, as a pure meat hunter, consider NY to be the best whitetail state in America.   If the trophy hunters don't like it, they have 49 others to pick from.        

 

Wants full inclusion for crossbows, doesn’t want more hunters in the woods though.

 

Lol

 

 

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[airedale]

1 hour ago, Belo said:

Wants full inclusion for crossbows, doesn’t want more hunters in the woods though.

 

Lol

Yes I used to feel the same about seeing no hunters when I first got into archery hunting way back when with my traditional recurve bow.

Al

On 11/21/2017 at 11:27 AM, wolc123 said:

 There is something special about being able to hunt for multiple days and never running across another hunter. 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by airedale

[Buckmaster7600]

I like it the way it is, if you're not seeing deer there is millions of other acres to try. Logging would help however the state would F*CK it up and end up costing us money. The only way the state would allow it to happen would be to fly the logs out, not only is it not cost effective but they also will leave all the tops in the woods instead of cleaning the mess.


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[stubborn1VT]

IMO the tops would do more good than harm.  The state would probably make a mess of it though, and there's no way to make everyone happy.  A little logging goes a long ways. 

We need to do some in the Green Mountain National Forest, but the state won't allow it.  With no logging and fewer farms the deer don't have very much to eat.  I get the concept of leaving land untouched, but with so many acres of state and Federal land it would seem like some of it could be more actively managed for timber and game animals.  

[Five Seasons]

I see no deer so cut the woods down. Sell the timber burn the rest. Then I see deer and maybe be happy.


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You need to google “undergrowth” and “controlled burns” and “wild fires” etc.


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[stubborn1VT]

The Native Americans burned those very same woods.  Maybe they were on to something?

[Five Seasons]

I like it the way it is, if you're not seeing deer there is millions of other acres to try. Logging would help however the state would F*CK it up and end up costing us money. The only way the state would allow it to happen would be to fly the logs out, not only is it not cost effective but they also will leave all the tops in the woods instead of cleaning the mess.


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Disagree here. Land access is the single biggest issue the modern hunter faces. And it’s not just acres, it’s the right acreage.

And that’s not even debatable.


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[Buckmaster7600]

Disagree here. Land access is the single biggest issue the modern hunter faces. And it’s not just acres, it’s the right acreage.

And that’s not even debatable.


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There are 2 MILLION acres of public land in the Adirondacks. As someone who has been hunting in the Adirondacks since I was a little kid I will say that those that hunt the dacks and don't see deer either suck at hunting or aren't willing to find the right areas. Bucks in the dacks don't come easy they must be earned. This year I have only had 6 days to hunt the adk's and saw 7 different bucks. It is common for me to leave my camp at 2am and drive 50-100 miles to find the right conditions, those of us that consistently kill mature bucks in the ADK's do it by being mobile and finding deer not walking up the same hill behind camp and sitting.

In October and November It's common for me to put 8-12 miles a day on the gps and a few hrs in the truck to find the deer I'm going to hunt in late November. This is the first year in the last 5 that I won't kill a mature buck in the dacks.


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[stubborn1VT]

43 minutes ago, Belo said:

 

Disagree here. Land access is the single biggest issue the modern hunter faces. And it’s not just acres, it’s the right acreage.

And that’s not even debatable.


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2 million acres with guaranteed access.  Even if there is low deer density, I don't see how that is even a big issue.  It certainly isn't the biggest issue.  

Everything is debatable.  

I agree that access is a huge issue, but not in the case of the Adirondacks.