Parking Wars At Stewart State Forest. Bow vs Pheasant Hunters.

[blackbeltbill]

Just picked up my free copy of the NY  Hunting and Trapping regs at Walmart. Town Clerk never has any this early.    You know, Pheasant Hunting is what, I started with back in 1974 at 14. I guess, I have taken well over 600 Pheasants by now.    Anyway, plenty of those Pheasants were taken at Stewart State Forest.       Every September 30th, I either take a bike ride there or a long Hike. By  around 2pm in years past, there would be a good 30 trucks and cars parked on Weed Road with the 1st one parked where the DEC  building used to be. It was taken down some years back.. Alot of those Pheasant hunters come up from NYC and Long Island,etc to hunt for the Pheasant opener on Oct 1st. Some stay 2 days in a row.  Problem is there are not alot of hunter parking areas. My map shows 78. There used to be 2 areas off of Clark St. But only 1 spot there now as new townhouses were built not too long ago.      Anyway, I have been in that Truck line before in early Oct for Fall Turkey before the new date change. You get there after 4.00am and you are sometimes 40 or more cars and trucks back!                                                                 Now with Bow deer on Oct 1st as well , that line probably will have 50 or more cars and trucks by 5pm on Sept 30th!  My Father told me decades ago that no one is allowed to start to park there before 5pm on the day before a hunt.   And 1 hour before Sunrise -- The NASCAR race begins!! Hunters are allowed to drive on in. I have done this many times myself and sometimes, I would be only 8 or so back from the lead parked truck.     Anyway, now that Bow deer is on Oct 1st-- that line fills up quick on Sept 30th. Plenty of pro.e pheasant areas--- with released pheasants there are also prime Bow areas. I truck to a parking area. This Sept 30th,---Sunday-- I will probably be hiking in there and will upload some pics of that car and truck line.  

[ny hunter]

Have not been up there in a long time... We  used to get a few birds there every year... Shot my first bird there...

[blackbeltbill]

Still a great area NY HUNTER!  The deep potholes are the issue now. I no longer hunt at Stewart until later in the day so, I can see those potholes. I still bottomed out with my Jetta last year.   Wish there were upwards of 100 parking spots as I get there and keep driving around as the spots are taken up.

[ny hunter]

Every year I say I am gonna get up there before you know it season is over.. I also remember some real nice deer in there... Always saw them bird hunting of course.. Lol

[blackbeltbill]

There are Monster Bucks at Stewart!  Biking or hiking, I see them every September often in this one area.  I Don't hunt deer though and keep that to myself.   I still have my Late Father's map of Stewart with his Fav parking areas circled.  That same area has produced for me.    A good time to  hit Stewart after the first few Days for Pheasants is around 12.30 or so. 

[ny hunter]

This has got wheels spinning I am gonna get up there this year... 

[blackbeltbill]

Sounds good NY HUNTER.  If, I had a Ford F150 truck, I would be there also on Sept 30th In the line. Not much sleep though with many of the pheasant dogs barking .  Then hunters are out at 3.30am in the morning with flashlights and walking up and down the truck line.  I believe there is one of those portable -- port- a Pottys there up near where the DEC SHED used to be. Before that,it was common place to see a flashlight stumble around in the cornfield to the left 50 yards or so--LOL!

[ny hunter]

Lol.... The TP is always in my back pocket  small game or big game thats a must ! 

[blackbeltbill]

This is funny (Now). Ok, soI am in the car and Truck line at Stewart State Forest . Maybe 15 or so back when I arrived around 3am.  1 hour before Sunrise, the NASCAR RACE BEGINS! Of course the motors fire up 5 minutes before that.Anyone sleeping will get yelled at by the truck behind him-Lol! So keeping in mind the  DEEP POTHOLES and many close to eachother-- we all drive in with a certain parking spot in mind. Half the vehicles in front of me take the Ridge Road right. I stay straight and  more vehicles take a left at Drake's Lane. Ok, I have a Truck on my bumper as, I weave like a madman to avoid some potholes while hoping that, I do not get rear ended..  Now, I am nearing my parking area and, I slow down as it is EASY to drive past those orange parking signs s at 1 hour before Sunrise.    Luck the drivers in front of me are not going to park at(?*#). However--- the guy behind me, I believe wants this spot. This guy is a Pheasant hunter as well.  He is inches away from my bumper.. I strain to see my pull off on the right. THERE IT IS!! I pull right in and the 2 guys in the Truck are not happy! This is one of the prime Pheasant hunting areas. One of my late Father's Fav spots. Large enough for a pheasant hunter to spend 2 1/2 hours here. I lucked out this morning. Plenty of Deer here  as well. So, I do not want to shout out the #. I believe, I took a few Rooster Pheasants in around just 30 minutes.  Ok, now, I am at my Old truck and another truck with Pheasant hunters is rumbling my way. They slow and nearly stop. I am either just getting there or am leaving. They were happy for the latter and parked right behind me so they could now claim this spot.    

[tommyc50]

im like you I started hunting in the 80's mostly coops like stewart airpot, tenmile river[ my grandmother own a house that bordered it] dutchess cty coop and of course those on long island and even back then it was ciaos on opening day and the weekends [now its even worst we don't have anyplace to hunt  like then you got on line then when they opened you went and got your spot and that was yours well for the most part and yes I did see some fights break out too] ten mile river they would camp out starting on Friday for the Monday morning opener and stewart the line was all the way down 207.I hunted stewart the last time in 2012 it was CRAZY!!! I was bow hunting and all the pheasants were by me like 6 of them mayhem to say the lest. Its gotten so bad we are pidgoned holed in to smaller and smaller areas and a lot that use to be open are now the suburbs and of course they don't like us and complaint. But if you research and plan and scout there is plenty of places to hunt bear spring mountain is good [again bow hunting and all I seen were pheasants] I hunted there last in 2013

[Woodcock]

I used to hunt Stewart several times a season for pheasant and woodcock.  There was no rush getting there and while I had spots I preferred, I always did well wherever I ended up.  The pheasant and woodcock hunting was usually good, always points and flushes.  It was easier before the early bow season but not a great issue.  The woodcock hunting in particular can be quite good. I'd find them from opening day until the last day of the season.  The migration through there seemed to peak a bit later than in Dutchess County.......the last few days of the season we're normally great.

[blackbeltbill]

Woodcock and Tommyc50 might remember a great alternate Pheasant Hunting area off of Tuthill Rd in Bloomingrove which is just a few miles away from Stewart. I have the 2003 Pheasant release paper before me.    I don't know which year  the Orange County Federation Of Sportsman Clubs stopped putting Pheasants out at the land off of Tuthill Rd and Cherry Hill Roads. Easily around 250 acres of more .  I still hunt this area for Woodcock every Oct.   Kind of wish some of the Pheasants slated for Stewart State Forest and Sterling Forest State Park would once again be released off of Tuthill Road to relieve some of the pressure at Stewart.

[blackbeltbill]

[Woodcock]

I used to raise bobwhite quail and release them and would love to see them released on suitable land in Putnam, Dutchess and Orange Counties with a Dutchess season added.  They're released in towns on Long Isand to combat ticks (not sure if it helps much) and they could be released in the late spring or better yet during the summer.  If stocked before the season, they're more challenging and less of a hazard since they'll fly better.  Stewart would be a great place for an early quail release. I've encountered quail and pheasants that have survived winters on lands in this region.  

Edited August 4, 2018 by Woodcock

[tommyc50]

59 minutes ago, Woodcock said:

I used to raise bobwhite quail and release them and would love to see them released on suitable land in Putnam, Dutchess and Orange Counties with a Dutchess season added.  They're released in towns on Long Isand to combat ticks (not sure if it helps much) and they could be released in the late spring or better yet during the summer.  If stocked before the season, they're more challenging and less of a hazard since they'll fly better.  Stewart would be a great place for an early quail release. I've encountered quail and pheasants that have survived winters on lands in this region.  

yeah like you said long island has a population ,about 25 yrs ago I was hunting the navy coop[well it was called that then I don't know what it is now] and I raised 2 of them and I hit one well there wasn't much left though I hit it with high brass 6's. They are fun but scared the hell out of me almost as bad as grouse[ my true love of upland hunting]. I seen on a few places where the dec released pheasants and the hawks  foxes and coyotes had a field day with them it was like a free lunch, like bear spring mt I mentioned above and basherkill on 209[ all I got was some squirrels I make a mean pot pie with them] .Like you said I would love to see quail released too but seriously doubt it would happen 

[blackbeltbill]

I believe Bobwhite Quail are released at Stewart State Forest. Check page 43 of the new hunting and Trapping guide. Orange County and Putnam County are in Yellow-belly Oct 1st--Feb 28th.   Call the DEC Region 3 in New Paltz next week to confirm. I know, I have seen Quail pairs at Stewart during May while Turkey hunting. This was only a few years back. I always hear that 2 note rooster pheasant cackle every May as well. Some pheasants are surviving the Winters at Stewart and 1 other area where I hunt in May. I feel like a unpaid  DEC field worker again! 

[blackbeltbill]

My Brother in Law-- Mark have talked about the following many times over the years. There is easily enough land for 100 hunter parking areas at Stewart State Forest. There are only 77 parking g areas now as #78 off of CLARK ST. has been removed the last time, I was over there in May. New Army townhouses are right on top of the State Land in that area. Now, what is great about STEWART is that you have to hunt on one side of the road where you are parked.However the distance between parking area is often  1/4 mile or more.The distance between # 32 on Ridge Road and #29 is fully over a HALF MILE. #44 and#46 are a full Half Mile. Another parking spot could be put right next to the Restricted area on Ridge Road. That area is an old Apple Grove with plenty of deer there.  You get the idea... I will upload a picture of the Stewart hunting map so people can see how far each parking area is from the other.One more example-- # 32 and #35  on New road.  There is time now before OCTOBER 1st to create more hunter parking areas at Stewart State Forest . If that is done and Pheasants are once again put out off of TUTHILL RD/CHERRY HILL in Bloomingrove---  the parking Wars might be a thing of the past. 

[ny hunter]

I have to get up there this year!!!

[blackbeltbill]

[blackbeltbill]

Ok-- here is the Stewart State Forest Hunting map.  You can see the large areas between the parking areas on the (same side) of all the different roads. I have plenty of posting experience from past years as far as reposting the border lines in a Gun Club , I belonged to. Give me 23 Hunter parking signs and I will get that done in one weekend day !

[blackbeltbill]

I was out Hiking today off of Tuthill Rd for around 90 minutes. This coming October will mark my 45th Hunting Season and this area is where, I started my Pheasant and Woodcock Hunting. I still hunt this area every single year for Woodcock.  All through the 70s,80s,90s and Into the mid 2000s- Pheasants were released here. It is still good. Overgrown, but great Pheasant cover. I will upload some pictures that , I took today.

[blackbeltbill]

[blackbeltbill]

[blackbeltbill]

[blackbeltbill]