Have relatives in Essex County, E town, Willsboro,Lewis et al and spent most of my youth there.
Not a lot of deer in area you are talking about , but when you get one it's big. Great bear country and excellent grouse and fishing.

God vacations everywhere but He has an open-ended reservation in the Dacks.

Naaa.It just popped into my head.
I hunt deer from Ray Brook to Malone.Got a spike in Lake Clear area muzzying and a six point in Ray Brook the 8th day that I was there rifle hunting.A couple things that I learn`t hunting here is that you have to scout pre-season,look at new areas every trip that I take up there.Deer per square mile.might be 1, if your lucky.The key,like anywhere else is to find the does.Another thing is patience,this is a true test.You have to change your hunting patterns,and cover ground to make something happen.A GPS is an essential tool when scouting,you can very easily get turned around.Also,dont be shy,ask all kinds of questions to the locals,they live there,so they have a better idea of the good areas.I have alot of close friends now from just asking questions.Its funny,when you have a successful hunt,I think the locals are more excited than you.The neat part is that I get great info from the gals too,you cannot overlook them.
The bear population has seemed to explode around there,I seen 6 different bear in one night,in town,spotlighting!!!The biggest we all estimated had to be 550 to 625lbs.The turkey numbers also exploded,I counted over 60 turkey in one flock,in my November hunt.I would not reccomend useing a guide in this wilderness,just pick up a map and go.The land is vast.The streams,lakes and ponds are too many to name.There are plenty of hotels and motels to stay.My buddy charges me $20 a night,for a room with the essentials and a fireplace.[So get in good with the owner of a hotel].Before I make my reservation,I ask him what he needs,from bullets to Jersey tomatoes,I never go empty handed.
Im friends with a few resterant and bar owners also.So, a portion of the pike,bass and trout that I catch,I give to them,for their personal eats.That is another way of saving $,if you catch my drift. This place is definatley the Northeast best kept secret!!

SHHHH!!!

Beaglefreak, I grew up in Tupper Lake which is about 22 miles from Saranac Lake. Don't expect to get a trophy buck. The winters are harsh. If you want to see some deer, go to Long Lake and take the road to Buttermilk Falls which is on the south side of town (can't miss the signs), the DEP feeds them in the winter to help them through. You almost always see a deer on the side of the highway's at night feeding. I miss hunting up there. If you do decide to hunt there, try the stretch between the Tupper Lake and what they call the "Y" which is where the highway splits either going to Saranac Lake, Lake Placid or Lake Clear, Malone. The deer have food, water, and shelter all right there. There is also Old Wabeek Road which has quite a few deer in that section of the woods. You also might want to try Sevee's Corner going to Potsdam.

If I remember the local sports shop in Saranac Lake is the Blue Line Sports Shop. It should be located on the left side past the Saranac Hotel going towards Paul Smiths.

Good Luck.

Hey SMartin,
I know what stretch you are talking about.I like to muzzyload around Lake Clear,there is alot of food every year,except the crop of beechnuts were plentyful, but when you cracked them open,they were rotted.I seen alot of turkey around there in Oct. and Nov.,so I`ll be there in May.Great pike fishing in Tupper,Raquette and Lake Simon.I plan on hitting Horseshoe for Muskies in the spring.That stretch on Rt.3 from Saranac Lake to the "Y" that you said,does harbor some nice heads.I`m friends with 2 taxidermists from Saranac,they had a couple killed from that area that they are working on,one by a car.Rockefeller,if I`m not mistaken,had owned thousands of acres on that stretch.I drove through it last year,Its absolutley beautiful.There is a bit of hunting pressure around [Rt3],so I just stay away and find my little private spots.
It`s a shame about the economy in Tupper,that place is really hurtin.Especially when they closed the supermarket that was there for over 30 yrs.
And yes,the Blueline Sports Shop is still in business.They are pretty expensive,but convienant.I buy them out of the flutter spoons every time I go there,they only make them in Naples.I use them down here for flounder fishing.
I know where Long Lake is,but it would be too much of a hike from where I am staying.I`m finally getting really familiar with the number of areas that I hunt now,And that took long enough!!
Any information you have that I could use,you can just throw it right here.
Thanks
Craig

Hate to be the one to burst bubbles, but;

1) Adak probably has fewer deer per sq. mile than anywhere in the northeast.
2) Winter starts in mid-November and ends in April.
3) The only wildlife which is plentiful is coyotes and black bear.
4) If you come to stay bring your own job cause they are few and far between.
5) If you come to stay, bring a thick wallet. Taxes are HIGH.
6) The tigers were fished out of Horseshoe by the locals.
7) New York has banned the feeding of deer so you won't see many, or any, around Tupper Lake, Long Lake, Forked Lake, Saranac Lake, Lake Luzurne, Lake George, Lake Pleaseant, Lake Placid or any other damned Lake.

With the above said I would'nt live anywhere else.

A new big box store (I forget the name) just announced the opening of a new store in Tupper Lake. Big Tupper has been purchased by some developers that are going to build a year round resort with homes, condos etc. centered around the ski area.

Hey emlaur...Ever hunt northern Maine?Your lucky to see a bird up there in the woods.
No more Muskies in Horseshoe,first I heard of that,thanks for the info.I was looking forward to fishing that.
Ready for tourist season in George?You must love that.I went through there twice looking at rustic furniature and hit some outlet stores.I noticed most everything is overpriced for the tourists,it is a nice area though.


Hey Sag...Thats great for the local economy,now the residents dont have to drive all the way to Plattsburgh to get what they need at the local Walmart.They closed the local Ames store in Saranac and also turned down a store like Walmart,saying that It would take business away from the local merchants.I think all that B.S. hurt them more than helped them.Last time I was there,rumer had it that they were going to put a dollar store there[the town council was trying to keep it hush..hush],that will fold in a year or so.Are they going to re-open the ski resort in Tupper?I know its been closed down for a while.

Beaglefreak, I was fishing Horseshoe back in the 60's when it was still a speckle pond. ENCON poisoned it around 1973 or 74. They stocked tiger frye and it took several years for them to reach legal size. When Horseshoe was a trout pond it was illegal to icefish it. When everyone realized that it was no longer a trout pond and that the tigers were huge they started fishing the hell out of it. By the late 1980's it was all but fished out (Tigers don't reproduce). Now don't get me wrong, there are probably still a few Tigers left, but not like 10 or 15 years ago. I personally saw fish in excess of 20 pounds taken thru the ice on Horseshoe. If you were planning to give it a try don't let me discourage you. Good luck and let me know how you do.