Ready to go !!!

[noob52]

I was hoping that you guys and gals can give me some advice and direction regarding the upcoming season.

This will be my first deer season, and I want to be certain that i do it right, not only for myself, but for all of you as well.  I took the hunter ed course, got my sportsman's license, and dmp's for 3p and 3m.  Now I really need some advice on the things that were not covered in the hunter ed course.

While safety was stressed in the class, it was not something that I really needed, being a Marine and competitive shooter.  What I really need more info on, is the actual etiquette of hunting on public land.  How and when to enter the woods.  What to look for, so that I don't stumble upon someone's spot, and spook the deer. 

Basically, I don't want to do anything stupid and ruin someone's day.  Unfortunately, I don't come from a hunting family, and none of my friends hunt, so I'm going to be doing this on my own.

Any help that you guys can give would really be helpful.

Thanks,

noob52

[bubba]

well lets see.  I am an instructor so I will chime in.  It is nearly impossible when hunting heavily hunted public land not to mess with someno, or have someone mess with you.  I like to say in my classes if you pull up to a public place and there are  a few vehicles there, find another place.  Get there early and beat the crowd.  Also, I would suggest that you do some preseason scouting and find the places that are less likely to be used. That will familiarize you with the area and make it easier to find your way in early before daylight, and see where the deer generally move.  In general most public land is hunted in the easy to get to areas.  When we  used to hunt state land, we were out in the swamp waiting for the hunters who hunted the high ground to move the deer into the swamp. This meant sometimes water halfway to the knees to get in and to stand in.  But, you rarely if ever saw anyone else.  You own the public land same as eveyone else, so you have just as much right to hunt it.  If you stumble upon someone, it is a risk of public land use.  Apologize and move on. 

[5.9cummins]

Thanks for your service.

Get in over a half mile or up a steep grade or across water and you will not see as many guys. Your going to run into someone regardless but get there early.

If i am not mistaken west point allows some form of hunting for service members.

Here is DECs mapping program which you can turn on the WMU borders and it shows state land as well as a topo and areial image.

www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45415.html

[Elmo]

I recommend West Point.  During deer season they open up hunting there but it is only availae to service men and their guest.  They also have a system there where they divide the area into section and you have to check in to an area so it reduces the crowd and chances of you stumbling on someone.  Just the fact that it is restricted to service men and their guest only eliminates a good chunk of the crowd.

Stewart State Forest runs a similar system.  You arrive early and talk to a park ranger.  He assigns you a small plot of land and that's where you hunt.  When I say small piece of land, I mean a really small piece of land.  And you little piece is surrounded by other pieces of land that the deer has to cross a bunch of hunter before he even gets to you.  Needless to say, your odds of getting a deer in Stewart is a lot less than West Point.

[noob52]

Thanks for the replies.  West point would be cool, but I'm no longer on active duty.  Still not comfortable with calling myself "former" Marine (once, always).

Public land seems to be my best option.  I figure that if I stay within 3p or 3m I have a better shot because I can take a doe or buck.

[Elmo]

Yeah, last year was my first year hunting so I stumbled on other hunters grounds on more than one occasion.  I just give them an apologetic nod or wave then as quietly as possible, tip toe myself out of his area.  If I come across a lot with a bunch of cars, I find another location.

I'm a city slicker (grew up and still live in the Bronx) so no one else I know hunts.  When my brother finished his 8 years of duty last year I was able to convince him to jump into hunting with me.  Fortunately, he's still active as a reserve so we spent the deer season in West Point but we didn't actually go for deer; we went for small game.  I don't have enough experience to tell you what it's like out in other public lands during deer season.

Funny story.  While in West Point...during deer season...but hunting small game instead, I was walking around looking up in the trees instead of where I was going and when I looked down, there was a nice buck (maybe 6 pointer) hunched over drinking out of a watering hole maybe 15 to 20 yards away.  Of course my shotgun is loaded with nothing but birdshot.  A couple of seconds later, the deer picked his head up, looked back and saw.  He then took off like a missle.  I'm standing there like "huh, isn't that something".  When it was time to check out, we went to the station and everyone was talking how they didn't see any signs all day.

[Fantail]

Get yourself a good led flashlight. Once you do find a spot and if you see someone headed yourway I found using that to alert them to your presence works well. Keep your feet & head warm & dry Good luck.