I doubt the ticks are much better in Westchester. Finding a place to hunt up there will not be easy. There is very little public land and most of the private land is in small parcels so even if you are lucky enough to find a landowner that will let you hunt, there will hardly be enough room for both you and your son to hunt on together. Yes, there are some big bucks there, but hunting there is definitely not a wilderness experience. It is hunting in suburbia like it is on Long Island. I would definitely recommend going further north in NYS for a better overall hunting experience for you and your son.