WNY hunting ???

[slonstdy]

Hey guys I could use your help.

I've grown tired of grinding out seasons year after year hunting in southeast NY counties with poor deer densities. This year I will be spending my time in western NY, specifically targeting Steuben county because it's always number one in the state for buck and overall deer take.

A few places I am thinking to hunt are Stonybrook State Park, Pinnacle State Park, Erwin WMA, Meads Creek State Forest and South Bradford State forest. I only bowhunt and will be there on weekdays only, to avoid any weekend warriors.

I would appreciate any info you could share pertaining to places to try out or avoid, what to key in on, hunting pressure during bow season, etc. Do you recommend a location other than what I posted here? I'm willing to hump hills and crawl thru thick stuff if need be. I'm open to all suggestions. If you need more details from me that would help you decide where and what I should do, just let me know. I'm not a trophy hunter looking for a record book buck (but I'd be more than happy to take one). I'd like the opportunity to hunt an area where I will find good sign and have a chance at a decent public land buck or doe.

So, what do you say, can you help a brother out?

P.S. I don't hunt in timber pimp camo, off a bucket , or wear crocs...

 

[woodsdog2]

I’ve not hunted that far east but plan to at some point.

 

[Bowmanmike]

I am in Otsego county.and if Steuben is anything like here the pressure during bow season will be super light.

 

[bowhunthard88]

Steuben county has some good opportunities! I have permission on 300+ acres of prime private out there, but I've only ever turkey hunted and fished it. I know it holds good deer because of the quality that is consistently harvested. I don't really know much about the specific public land parcels, but I do know that the terrain is much more mountainous in general around that private piece, than where I am now.

 

[slonstdy]

Steuben county has some good opportunities! I have permission on 300+ acres of prime private out there, but I've only ever turkey hunted and fished it. I know it holds good deer because of the quality that is consistently harvested. I don't really know much about the specific public land parcels, but I do know that the terrain is much more mountainous in general around that private piece, than where I am now.

300 acres of private, that's sweet!

I'm trying to locate parcels adjacent to farm lands and agriculture. I would think that the fields would be the primary food source and the surrounding forest would provide cover for bedding. Plan is to put some miles on the boots checking for trails and fresh sign. Probably take me a few days to narrow down an area to hunt. I'll hang with the intention of moving to a better location once I observe how deer are moving and using the area.

Do you hunt in Dingmans Ferry? A buddy at work has a cousin who bow hunts a private 32 acre piece there and tags a nice buck each year.

 

[woodsdog2]

300 acres of private, that's sweet!

I'm trying to locate parcels adjacent to farm lands and agriculture. I would think that the fields would be the primary food source and the surrounding forest would provide cover for bedding. Plan is to put some miles on the boots checking for trails and fresh sign. Probably take me a few days to narrow down an area to hunt. I'll hang with the intention of moving to a better location once I observe how deer are moving and using the area.

I think that’s a solid approach. My only caution is I suspect, like many of the state land parcels around here, that those private parcels adjacent to them provide a solid amount of pressure. There is supposed to be no atv’s etc on the state lands but whenever I’m hunting them I always hear them anyway as enforcement is almost nil.

 

[slonstdy]

I think that’s a solid approach. My only caution is I suspect, like many of the state land parcels around here, that those private parcels adjacent to them provide a solid amount of pressure. There is supposed to be no atv’s etc on the state lands but whenever I’m hunting them I always hear them anyway as enforcement is almost nil.

You're probably right about pressure but I've never really seen pressure during bow season in places I hunt. Some are relatively small state parks and parcels that are in easy reach of the big city hunters too. Maybe I've been lucky, I don't know. At least with bow hunting season, there are no cannons going off to alert deer that there are humans roaming the woods. Steuban is huge and I'm prepared to find an out of the way area to call my own.

 

[bowhunthard88]

300 acres of private, that's sweet!

I'm trying to locate parcels adjacent to farm lands and agriculture. I would think that the fields would be the primary food source and the surrounding forest would provide cover for bedding. Plan is to put some miles on the boots checking for trails and fresh sign. Probably take me a few days to narrow down an area to hunt. I'll hang with the intention of moving to a better location once I observe how deer are moving and using the area.

Do you hunt in Dingmans Ferry? A buddy at work has a cousin who bow hunts a private 32 acre piece there and tags a nice buck each year.

Yeah, that piece is surrounded by ag and dairy in hills that look like WV.

I primarily hunt Dingmans Ferry, but not exclusively... All public currently. What area of DF does your buddy hunt? I'm in western DF, almost at the border lol.