For crow hunting, go up to Lake Ontario, the flyway, and in the spring season you can shoot hundreds of crows. In the fall we used to set up on fields and call them, using previously shot crows as decoys. They respond to ANY type of crow call, and some use owl decoys too. We didnt, as they were already flying through.
Deer is hit and miss, really. I remember hunting the Alabama swamp and hearing the steady splash splash of deer walking through the water and cattails. It was unusual hunting, but theres some big deer there. Sometimes state land is pretty overhunted. Maybe during the offseason you can get permission on some private ground.
Swamp hunting is fun. It's one of my favorites, and one I haven't been able to do as much up here in NY. I was raised in VA, and hunted swamps a good deal. There can be some really big bucks in swamp lands. The key is to find an "island" type habitat with a strong attractant food source (in the south it was persimmon, but up here you should look for hard masts of any kind that'll supply a buck).
Many times these bucks will isolate onto the "island" because it fits their needs during the day. They have food, water, shelter, and most of all, a good vantage point.
The key is to sneak in real early, before the buck returns from night activity (rut, food, etc). You'll want to place yourself in one of three locations.
1. The trail entering the island (or leaving if it is a better set up, but rare they arent the same)
2. The food source. (The buck will often feed during middday there, as it satisfies it's physical demands of feeding at elast once during the day. Be sure to wait out all day if you sit here, and not morning or evening only hunts.)
3. The off-side to the vantage point based on the wind. You'll be able to figure this out easy. Get the wind direction, and walk in that direction to the end of the island. Look for an ideal spot that would offer the deer sight vision of the cross wind directions, and the up wind directionwould be off the island. The wind would push scent on the island to the buck, and it can see all the other areas. This is likely where the buck will be for a part of the day. Set up on a cross-wind lane. It works.
Don't get too down on the sporting chances in NY. It is a very well-kept secret, especially WNY deerhunting. Fishing opportunities abound. Bill is a wise man, so I'd follow his pointers. If you need any help on any outdoor stuff, feel free to PM me.
And, subscribe to NY Outdoor News, I've found it to be the best place to get info on fishing, and hunting in the state.
if you wanted i could show you around carlton hill area. i live a mile or so from there. i know the area verry well. i personally dont hunt deer there. but have done my share of spring turkey hunting and fall pheasant hunting up there. i know of some spots off the beatin path that should hold some deer.
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springs for struttin', falls for ruttin'!!
i just jumped out of my chair and did a hunting dance!
i have been trying to gather as much info as possibe on the areas from the state and counties, fish and gameetc, and have tried to getout andget some scouting time in,which isnt much since i dont have a car.
i am a former Marine and havetrained and deployed only to hunt people, deer and turkeys have so far eluded me.
thanks again for your suggestions and assistance!
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happiness is.... a pocketful of shells
dood its late in the season do some good scouting this summer ull get on um try bow but the ny deer herds are far less than a few years ago dec over estimated but for fishing come up to braddock bay or sodus
okay, another 2 days out and no shots fired. i went to some local swamps for crow, saw alot but didnt get any shots, my calling seems to be lacking, but saw some nice scenery and (bonus) found a pair of binoculars and a doe grunt call!
cant wait untill the weather is better, also am looking forward to trying waterfowl hunting!
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happiness is.... a pocketful of shells
cpltessaz it takes time to get to know a area, you seem to be hunting north and east of buffalo, try south of buffalo tons of state land and some good hunting.This past week i heard of a bunch off guys knocking the heck out of coyotes. If your interested in walleye fishing this summer, there is a club in the south towns that has about 1900 members, has monthly meetings and will share info. PM me for info Rich
NY's worst sportsman
