What advice do you have for hunting public land in upstate New York?

By Grant Woods,

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Question
I live in up state new York an I hunt public land but the deer are very presured his can I do to be successful come October 1 thanks

Salvatore,

I’ve worked a lot near Potsdam and other areas in upstate New York.  That’s some very beautiful country!  I agree that there can be a lot of deer hunters and hunting pressure in that area.  

Deer behave the same throughout their range. They need food, cover, and water. Thier largest motivation seems to be fear. So they will avoid the best food in their home range if they associate that area with danger.  They often avoid areas during daylight as they associate areas with danger during daylight hours.  

I use this knowledge to determine where and how I will hunt any area. I look for the best sources of food, cover, and water that deer don’t associate with danger during daylight hours.  On public land this often means getting a bit further off the road or finding smaller parcels of public land that’s overlooked by other hunters.  

I hope these considerations help you this fall!

Enjoy creation,

grant