Hi Geoff,
Funny, I saw this post and am going through the same thing. I have been hunting MA for 14 season and have taken only one buck (first year!!) and a few antlerless deer. I have also passed on a few does from time to time. I too am frustrated. Deer hunting can be funny like that. During the 2002 season, I hunted Zone 3, and only saw 2 does on a still hunt in 6 days!! I set up my partner on a couple of stands and he saw 11 deer w/3 being bucks!!! He got one doe and a 6 point!! Go figure!! This year I saw 2 and he took one doe i pushed to him and that was it for 6days!! I know it seems strange, but MA is actually at its best right now with the pressure and deer herd spread statewide, and some real nice bucks being taken. I hunted 4S for years since my brother has a camp there. The last year I hunted there, I saw only one doe in a week of hunting, but it was by far the largest doe I had seen anywhere including Sask, Canada, and Montana. 3 days before the 2003 season, my hunting buddy and I was driving towards my brothers camp in 4S after a day of scouting Zone 3. Sure enough, there was a huge trophy 10pt buck right on the side of the road. This buck was larger than any of the 28 bucks I had seen while hunting Montana a week earlier. I guess I am saying that you shouldn't give up on MA.

Now, with that said....I too am looking to hunt NY state next season. The beauty is that you can gun hunt the Northern Tier by late October (low deer density, but alot space), and the Southern Tier (higher densities) one week ahead of the MA gun season (NY gun usually starts Monday before Thanksgiving). So you can do both states. I am spending this winter scouting areas, driving roads, checking maps. Even looking into private leases or getting permission on private land in NY. I too want to see deer more frequently, but am looking to combine the hunting experience of both states.

GOOD LUCK