First season in NY

Jimmy82

New member
I'm up in the Watertown/Ft. Drum area. I already know that pheas don't survive well up here and that the state releases pen raised birds in the northern WMU's, but anybody out there know how things progress into late season? Is it worth it to try once the snow's start or just move on into the woods for the grouse?
 
Howdy fellow NY hunter, I also hunt in the Henderson Harbor area... The state released birds are pretty hard to come by towards the late season. Although we are blessed with some great grouse cover in the area. Snow Fun is also a pretty good preserve if you are looking to get after a few late season roosters.
 
I have tried calling them several times, and left a few messages but they never pick up and have not returned any calls. Dunno if I'm just getting unlucky or if they're on vacation. I have done some walks with my dog on the Fort Drum reservation and found some grouse, haven't hit any of the WMA's yet. Are the WMA's pretty crowded then?
 
We used to do pretty good on wild birds in the Finger Lakes Region. Haven't hunted it lately, but we may take another look at it.
 
Well hopefully Snow Fun is still around. I have hunted a lot at North Harbour Outfitters but they are pulling way back in the terms of availability this year. As for the Finger Lakes Region and the area South West of Lake Ontario there is some better cover, when you start heading closer to Fort Drum the cover seems to thin out a bit, and forest birds are a better bet.

I am a member of Central New York Pheasants Forever, if you would like to attend one of our meetings let me know. it is a good place to chat with like minded hunters and it also opens up some opportunities in the area.
 
Sent you a pm about the PF Meetings. I'll have to poke around down South on a long weekend and see what I can scare up.
 
As for the Finger Lakes Region and the area South West of Lake Ontario there is some better cover, when you start heading closer to Fort Drum the cover seems to thin out a bit, and forest birds are a better bet.

When I was in seminary in Boston one of my fellow seminarians told me he was heading to NY to hunt a friends farm for pheasants. At the time it through me for a loop:confused:. I was under the impression NY was wooded. I didn't realize there was an ag industry there.

On the way home I drove I-90 back to IL. I have to say was impressed with the rolling hills w/crops, hedge rows, and very nice looking pheasant habitat/fields in NY. Stuff that most definitely looked as if it could hold birds. By the sounds of it, it does:cheers:
 
When I was in seminary in Boston one of my fellow seminarians told me he was heading to NY to hunt a friends farm for pheasants. At the time it through me for a loop:confused:. I was under the impression NY was wooded. I didn't realize there was an ag industry there.

On the way home I drove I-90 back to IL. I have to say was impressed with the rolling hills w/crops, hedge rows, and very nice looking pheasant habitat/fields in NY. Stuff that most definitely looked as if it could hold birds. By the sounds of it, it does:cheers:
I live in the finger lakes region (south of Rochester)

Habitat is seems OK, predators seem to be a big issue (possum and raccoon get the eggs, while fox, coyote, hawks, and eagles grab most of the pheasant population.

20 - 25 years ago there was an OK bird population and has been on the decline for about 30 years
 
NY has a huge agriculture economy, including row crops like corn. We are almost as cold as South Dakota, but get more snow. There is a warmer, dryer micro-climate in NY around the Finger Lakes which also has a lot of agriculture. That region holds the most of NY's wild pheasant but there are some elsewhere in the state as well. However, the state does have 105 public pheasant release sites across the state and at the time of this writing, the state releases around 25,000 adult pheasant just prior to and during the first 3 weeks or so of the season. After the final stocking the birds are harder to come by for a suite of reasons. They get much smarter, they get harvested, they disperse, and others otherwise die. The plant management done for pheasant release sites attracts woodcock and ruffed grouse. Be sure you are registered in HIP if you hunt woodcock to be legal. Pheasant release sites are also a good place to hunt rabbits. It sounds like you are not from here and stationed at Fort Drum. This is how I do it: September is for Canada geese; October is for pheasant, grouse, and woodcock; November (prior to deer season south zone) is for ducks. I rest during the entire firearm deer season. After deer season in December it is back to ducks. after duck season rabbits and snow geese.... To each his own, but that is my way... Good Luck!
 
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