I live in Albany, NY and am considering getting a Vermont small game license. Any thoughts on the best areas to hunt (public land) within a few hours drive of Albany?

I am mainly interested in grouse and rabbits. If I run into the odd woodcock or squirrel all the better.

I do some grouse hunting in the southern and central Adirondacks now and have heard I would be better off driving to Vermont.

Grouse are hit or miss in Southern Vermont, although I have been seeing more in the woods in recent years. As for rabbits, there is pretty good cottontail hunting anywhere from Woodford to Searsburg on Rt9, only about a 1 hour drive for you. If you want to go after snowshoes, you'll need to go a little farther north, to the Danby, Mt Tabor area. Thats about 2 hours for you. Should have a lot of the woods to yourself, not many guys run them anymore. I would try earlier in the season, Woodford and Searsburg can see a lot of snow in the winter, and they get a lot of snowmobile traffic.

I would recommend going North of Bennngton - follow Rt 7 and Rt 7a - lots of farms and woods mix with some good bird population. If you come up to North Hoosick and take Rt 67 into VT - there are a couple of smallroads that head up north before or jsut as you hit N. Bennington. Folks are friendly and the road go on for quite a stretch into some good hunting areas.