Scouting stateland.

[Swamp_bucks]

So ive been hunting this chunk of stateland on and off for 15yrs with my buddy.   He has 4 members of his family that hunt now so ive kinda stayed out so his kids could have that section i hunted.  So last year i went searching around in a section i never really went into but to do drives.  And found a bunch of tracks and jumped 15-20 deer.  So i believe atleast they hang there late gun since its a mile out from main parking lot and only 3 private border it and they are all 100+ acre each. Checked my hunting app and ends up being around 60acres in that back corner.  So i finally got out and scouted a little today.  Only covered half but heres a screen shot of some of my notes and possible stand spots.  Ill keep updates on scouting it and when i hunt it.  Couple pictures of hike.  Massive dog track.

[Swamp_bucks]

2nd picture is when i was standing by  yellow arrow looking back up the valley.  4 ridges drop down into this spot and all kind of end up at the upper streestand simple where i also found 10 oaks packed full of acorns. Purple lines with water symbol are streams.

[Swamp_bucks]

Found another spot scouting on huntstand.  I no theres good bucks in that area.  Also alot more aggiculture.  Going to knock on doors to see if i can get in from private. 2 spots looking at would be less then 100yrd walk on private. If not ide be looking at a 2 mile hike to get into that spot.   Find out this weekend.

Edited August 12, 2019 by Swamp_bucks

[Swamp_bucks]

Just now, Swamp_bucks said:

Found another spot scouting on huntstand.  I no theres good bucks in that area.  Also alot more aggiculture.  Going to knock on doors to see if i can get in from private. 2 spots looking that would be less then 100yrd walk on private. If not ide be looking at a 2 mile hike to get into that spot.   Find out this weekend.

 

[Iluvracks1359]

Do u put cameras in state land? Also what kind of stands? I would fear getting my property stolen

[chrisw]

I only hunt state land and I run 5-7 cameras every year. I've had 2 or 3 stolen. I usually buy cheaper cameras knowing I may never see them again. Not putting them in obvious spots and making sure they blend in well is important. I've even put them 8ft off the ground with a climbing stick. I have a few hangons out there too, then I'll carry my climbing sticks to access them. Mostly though I just use my climber. I don't hunt just any stateland either though, I only hunt the lighter pressured ones for the most part. You can do everything on stateland you can do on private ground, you just have to be cognizant you might lose some stuff.

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[The_Real_TCIII]

On 8/12/2019 at 5:06 AM, Swamp_bucks said:

Found another spot scouting on huntstand.  I no theres good bucks in that area.  Also alot more aggiculture.  Going to knock on doors to see if i can get in from private. 2 spots looking at would be less then 100yrd walk on private. If not ide be looking at a 2 mile hike to get into that spot.   Find out this weekend.

How did you make out?

[Core]

Looks like nice stuff.

I'm always surprised how lazy people are on state land. Most people don't seem to bother going more than a couple hundred yards in.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I used to hunt this ridge and it was a pretty solid walk to get there, especially from the parking lot which is way to the east. I have permission to come in from Kevin Smith and it was still a poke. Had a lot of success until the Cockaigne property got leased and now its a flying circus of quads and ladder stands. What a shame. The last buck I killed there ended up in the bottom of that ravine to the west, I spent an hour trying to haul him up and finally drove around the other side and asked a guy if I could come in with a quad from his field lol

 

 

[Swamp_bucks]

4 hours ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

How did you make out?

Got a no go for the access, but going to another spot thats about 50-60 acres.  Its just a chunk i feel no one knows about because its .62 miles to the closet road with private all around.  Huntstand shows it only having maybe a 30yrd wide path from the main piece to it. Everything inside purple is stateland.  Theres alot of decent bucks in that area along with hay fields. All the points are just me guessing based on the topo maps.  Ill take pictures of it while im out there saturday.

[Swamp_bucks]

17 hours ago, Iluvracks1359 said:

Do u put cameras in state land? Also what kind of stands? I would fear getting my property stolen

I will put cameras out until opener of bow and the  stand i used to use was climber or on the ground.  But going with a hang on so if i do see some good sign i can hang stand and take out bottom to sections and it will be safe and always on the ground.  Ive had a climber stolen before. Just a crappy part about public land.  But ive heard guys on private have stuff taken also

[Steuben Jerry]

3 hours ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

I used to hunt this ridge and it was a pretty solid walk to get there, especially from the parking lot which is way to the east. I have permission to come in from Kevin Smith and it was still a poke. Had a lot of success until the Cockaigne property got leased and now its a flying circus of quads and ladder stands. What a shame. The last buck I killed there ended up in the bottom of that ravine to the west, I spent an hour trying to haul him up and finally drove around the other side and asked a guy if I could come in with a quad from his field lol

 

 

Tacks, what software is that?

[The_Real_TCIII]

Tacks, what software is that?

Onx, highly recommend


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[The_Real_TCIII]

I will put cameras out until opener of bow and the  stand i used to use was climber or on the ground.  But going with a hang on so if i do see some good sign i can hang stand and take out bottom to sections and it will be safe and always on the ground.  Ive had a climber stolen before. Just a crappy part about public land.  But ive heard guys on private have stuff taken also

I’d of teen leave my climber I. After an evening hunt if I liked the sit, come back the next morning. I’ve left them mid day between hunts as well. Stupid/lucky but never had an issue


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[Swamp_bucks]

Long day of scouting today lunch id packed stateland is going to a mile plus in where i want to scout. It will most likley be it leading into season.  Heading to lease at 615ish this morning with my brother to finish a couple stands and check cameras.  Then driving all the way back home to check out a chunk of stateland thats appears to be a pretty hidden piece.  Ill try to remember and take some pictures.

[ncountry]

On 8/28/2019 at 10:54 AM, Core said:

Looks like nice stuff.

I'm always surprised how lazy people are on state land. Most people don't seem to bother going more than a couple hundred yards in.

This is what I hear a lot..  I cannot tell you how many times I have poured over topo and imagery and picked out the "best" spots, usually way in. Made the trek in to find someone already  using the spot. Seems people are more comfortable leaving stands deep into the woods. We all read the same books and articles.;)

As of late I've concentrated more on the brush " holes" etc... that everybody walks past on the way in..

[Swamp_bucks]

Stopped at home real quick after lease no good bucks just one actually on camera but alot of does.  Stands set there.  But we did stumble across a fresh fawn kill. Forgot to take a picture it was still steaming when we found it so thinking we jumped the coyote off it.  But now onto the stateland for the day.  

[wolc123]

2 hours ago, ncountry said:

This is what I hear a lot..  I cannot tell you how many times I have poured over topo and imagery and picked out the "best" spots, usually way in. Made the trek in to find someone already  using the spot. Seems people are more comfortable leaving stands deep into the woods. We all read the same books and articles.;)

As of late I've concentrated more on the brush " holes" etc... that everybody walks past on the way in..

Spot on there for sure.   I remember making trips, up the the Indian Lake area in the Adirondacks on two consecutive years, about 20 years ago.  The first year I studied the maps and trecked deep into the 7 million acre Adirondack park, finding no sign of deer anywhere.  The next year, I said "screw that" and concentrated on the thick brushy cover areas, just a stones throw from the main highway.    That is where they were, and I finally got my first look at some Adirondack deer when I had a gun in my hand.  Unfortunately, the three that I got my crosshairs on when they busted out of the cover were all antlerless, but a much bigger set of tracks went off in the other direction, and I am fairly certain they belonged to a mature buck.   Some may have success trecking deep into the woods, but I fear that most of them are quite clueless and believe too much of what is printed in magazine articles.  That is the best thing about these internet forums - the truth can get out.     

It took me another 10 years, before I finally broke the ice and killed my first Adirondack deer (initial shot fired with my ML about 50 yards from the lane to our rented cabin and the old "boss" doe actually expired right on the lane).   Two of the three that I have killed up there since then were also within a mile of a main highway (another ML doe, and a 1-1/2 year old 6-point).   My only mature buck up there was taken just a little bit further in (maybe 1-1/4 mile off the main highway).   Sometimes, I think your odds of killing a mature deer would be improved if you do just the opposite of what is printed in the magazines.   Those deer did not reach maturity by accident or by being predictable.      

[steve863]

44 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Spot on there for sure.   I remember making trips, up the the Indian Lake area in the Adirondacks on two consecutive years, about 20 years ago.  The first year I studied the maps and trecked deep into the 7 million acre Adirondack park, finding no sign of deer anywhere.  The next year, I said "screw that" and concentrated on the thick brushy cover areas, just a stones throw from the main highway.    That is where they were, and I finally got my first look at some Adirondack deer when I had a gun in my hand.  Unfortunately, the three that I got my crosshairs on when they busted out of the cover were all antlerless, but a much bigger set of tracks went off in the other direction, and I am fairly certain they belonged to a mature buck.   Some may have success trecking deep into the woods, but I fear that most of them are quite clueless and believe too much of what is printed in magazine articles.  That is the best thing about these internet forums - the truth can get out.     

It took me another 10 years, before I finally broke the ice and killed my first Adirondack deer (initial shot fired with my ML about 50 yards from the lane to our rented cabin and the old "boss" doe actually expired right on the lane).   Two of the three that I have killed up there since then were also within a mile of a main highway (another ML doe, and a 1-1/2 year old 6-point).   My only mature buck up there was taken just a little bit further in (maybe 1-1/4 mile off the main highway).   Sometimes, I think your odds of killing a mature deer would be improved if you do just the opposite of what is printed in the magazines.   Those deer did not reach maturity by accident or by being predictable.      

Reminds me of the time I passed a public land parking spot during gun season and several deer were sniffing the bumpers of the cars parked there while the hunters were probably seeing nothing in the woods.  LOL

I've always been wary of those stories telling you to go deep on public land.  Most places don't get that much pressure anymore to send to deer heading for the hills.  They will stay closer to food sources which in most cases will be closer to roads.

[Swamp_bucks]

Well scouting went great found alot of sign.  Total walking was 4 miles.  It will be about 1.2 miles into farthest stand.   I did find a spot 300-400 yards in that looks good as well.  But the far spot wont be easy to get to. However the trails through the open harwoods looked like cow paths, bunch of old rubs to scrapes that look to be active already they had no leaves in it and stunk also found what i believe to be 2 mature buck bedding spots.  Alot of huge oaks full of acorns and massive beech trees with fresh scat and older looking like last fall.  Did find some very good tracks as well.

[Swamp_bucks]

Didnt get to the entire piece save that for gun season for a walk.  Very excited about it though theres sign all over the place

[Jeremy K]

4 hours ago, steve863 said:

Reminds me of the time I passed a public land parking spot during gun season and several deer were sniffing the bumpers of the cars parked there while the hunters were probably seeing nothing in the woods.  LOL

I've always been wary of those stories telling you to go deep on public land.  Most places don't get that much pressure anymore to send to deer heading for the hills.  They will stay closer to food sources which in most cases will be closer to roads.

It's BS , if everyone goes deep ,take a wild guess where the deer will be. 

[Swamp_bucks]

I have both types of spots for that reason.  The 3 pieces i go deep on get pushed hard most of gun season so i like to be in behind the drivers on hidden chunks or hard to drive sections.   Those spots are mainly my gun spots.  My bow spots tend to be within 75yrds-400 from the road.  Do to the lack of pressure from other hunters.  I like to be able to move and have as many options as possible.

[Core]

8 hours ago, ncountry said:

This is what I hear a lot..  I cannot tell you how many times I have poured over topo and imagery and picked out the "best" spots, usually way in. Made the trek in to find someone already  using the spot. Seems people are more comfortable leaving stands deep into the woods. We all read the same books and articles.;)

As of late I've concentrated more on the brush " holes" etc... that everybody walks past on the way in..

Oh, I've seen tree stands deep into state land in spots even I would not want to bother with--but I'll put it this way. I hunted all 2015 and 2016 around 20 times each season in bow and I only ran into a person--once--during 2015 and he was in a lazy spot (I was basically on the way in). Whenever I still go to state land, which last two years has only been lazily during gun season (my private spot I'm only using for bow), the only cars I ever see parked are in the easy-to-access areas. Stuff that the DEC has kept mowed basically, so they don't have to do a tough walk in. Multiple cars. 

[Core]

5 hours ago, steve863 said:

Reminds me of the time I passed a public land parking spot during gun season and several deer were sniffing the bumpers of the cars parked there while the hunters were probably seeing nothing in the woods.  LOL

I've always been wary of those stories telling you to go deep on public land.  Most places don't get that much pressure anymore to send to deer heading for the hills.  They will stay closer to food sources which in most cases will be closer to roads.

Trust me, the land I go to is pressured. It's the closest state land east of Rochester, not very large (western part of lakeshore marshes). There are cars for sure. I get the best impression of this place when I've walked it a few days after a snow fall because that's when you can really see where the deer are or are not, and the area everyone parks when I walked it two 2-3 years back was completely devoid of any tracks at all. Then I found where the deer had all gone (where nobody was), based on gobs of tracks. Problem is that land is almost impossible to get to without trespassing.