Places to hunt diminishing

[Jennifer]

Potter Lumber land: Those of you down in region 9 might know what I'm talking about. Potter Lumber Co. has a lot of land down here and for decades it has been public access as long as you don't use tree stands or damage the timber (understandably). My family has hunted Potter lumber lands for years and years and I have many fond memories of these areas. I mostly small game hunted there.

It seems, from what I understand, that Potter Lumber lost their tax break from the state of NY for allowing public access? Regardless, they have leased out their properties to private hunting clubs. This is well within their right, and I respect that! However, it is frustrating for us as the public access lands of Potter Lumber were some of our last hunting areas, as over the years all of the private land we had permission on has been sold, cut into lots, and so forth. In the past, as gratitude for allowing us access to land, we've helped the landowners, either in doing maintenance on the land, posting, farm help, and so forth. I actually had my first experience with helping live animals birth at a farm where we helped out in return for hunting privileges. I've been doing some polite door-knocking, but haven't had any success. Sadly most folks are either leasing or don't seem to want hunters around these days, even when I offer help. Even land owners that used to say "small game only" are turning us down because so many people bow hunt for deer now, they are afraid we'd mess them up by hunting small game.

I wish I could, but I simply cannot afford a couple hundred dollars per year to get in on a lease (and man, some of them have weird rules!).

Even more frustrating is that I own about 20 acres behind my house, but because of the way houses have been built, nestled right up against the edges of the land, I cannot legally hunt it as not all of the neighbors will grant me permission to discharge a firearm.

I know state land is an option, and trust me I am considering it! However, I regret that I simply can't afford to fill my gas tank for the hour-drive-one-way each time I want to go squirrel hunting on an afternoon. (plus the park entrance fees for some of them) I know I have no room to complain-- some of you guys travel a lot longer than one hour to get to your hunting spot!! The economy is just hitting me hard.

Does anyone have any recommendations for public access land near Portville, or know of any landowners that might be willing to have us? I know it's a shot in the dark. Until then I will save my pennies for gas I suppose!!

Edited October 25, 2011 by Jennifer

[shooter]

Any Luck with finding land to hunt?? I own land in portville and hunt there alot.

[5.9cummins]

Sorry to hear that but i cant say it surprises me. I visited one of Potters tracks last year to have a look around mid week during gun season. Hiked several miles and found a lot of tree damage due to four wheelers and cutting shooting lanes. Also found beer cans and other garbage scattered about which i stuffed in my pack (luckily i didn't run into a ECO while leaving). Also found a couple gut shot deer and a carcase which had the back straps and hind quarters removed and the rest left to rot.

I will PM with a possible location or two.

[BucktheBuck30-06]

I guess im lucking to have a few spots of state land to choose from..but i know theres a lot of other hunters that hunt the same land as me all the time!!

[5.9cummins]

Any Luck with finding land to hunt?? I own land in portville and hunt there alot.

That is a hell of a drive.

[Jennifer]

Any Luck with finding land to hunt?? I own land in portville and hunt there alot.

A small bit of luck! And we have been trying the state land over off of the 9 mile-- 3,000 some acres up there. Some of the woods is beautiful but we've seen no turkey sign, and not a squirrel or a chipmunk (what the heck). My dad and I were actually excited to see a chipmunk up there!

I did see a lot of fresh buck sign, scrapes and rubs, but other than that we've spent three days up there and haven't seen anything else. Kinda spooky!

Edited November 11, 2011 by Jennifer

[BizCT]

how can you not legally hunt on 20 acres? If you own all 20 acres and are 500ft. away from other peoples houses, whats the issue?

I hunt on 8 acres, and have hunted on smaller tracts.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Biz-R-OWorld

[G-Man]

Try hanging bog/cranberry hollow lots of land to roam on good deer / turkey/grouse/ even some snow geese right now.. still open foresty(lumber land) on cooper hill rd in humphery as well. not to metion about 50 other parcels of stateland all over catt/allegegny co. Re try those doors you knocked on after the season now is not the best time to approch most landowners.... they look as a promise to help now as just a promise to get to hunt..show em after everthing is closed how serious you are and you'll get some land opened to you .

[Jennifer]

Sorry to hear that but i cant say it surprises me. I visited one of Potters tracks last year to have a look around mid week during gun season. Hiked several miles and found a lot of tree damage due to four wheelers and cutting shooting lanes. Also found beer cans and other garbage scattered about which i stuffed in my pack (luckily i didn't run into a ECO while leaving). Also found a couple gut shot deer and a carcase which had the back straps and hind quarters removed and the rest left to rot.

I will PM with a possible location or two.

Thanks for the PM man.

How depressing. We sometimes find old garbage when we'd walk the Potter lands but nothing fresh. Finding deer like that is pretty terrible too... gives us all a bad image. I hate that a few guys can ruin it for everyone.

[Jennifer]

Try hanging bog/cranberry hollow lots of land to roam on good deer / turkey/grouse/ even some snow geese right now.. still open foresty(lumber land) on cooper hill rd in humphery as well. not to metion about 50 other parcels of stateland all over catt/allegegny co. Re try those doors you knocked on after the season now is not the best time to approch most landowners.... they look as a promise to help now as just a promise to get to hunt..show em after everthing is closed how serious you are and you'll get some land opened to you .

Thanks, we'll give that a go. We started contacting land owners in the summer but no dice. I'll try again once the season is over. I don't even bother people this close to deer gun season, I know that's when everyone is getting desperate and sometimes making other hunters look bad. I am patient and can wait this season out. We have two places we can go for deer and that is okay by me.

[19d68]

My Father told me leasing, and posting would be the death of hunting if it got out of control back in the early 90`s. Sorry to hear about the situation in Portville. In Chautauqua county there was 1000`s of acres open it was Hammermill Paper. International Paper bought them out, and now Hancock Mgmt., owns, or manages it.

I`ve known a few guys who actually leased property, and gave it up over the years. Bottom line in this area is after a few years of an overpriced lease, and few deer taken the leases sit open for years. I have yet to meet a leaser around here who is happy with the deer hunting. The deer population is low in southern Chautauqua county. Small game is seriously down also. We have a lot of Fisher around here also. A big mink basically. Coyotes have increased also.