The other post got me thinking as my son and brother are planning to do the canoe bow hunt in the Adirondaks, could use some advise about best put ins and areas to hunt from any of the woodsmen there. We want to set up a primitive camp and hunt from that base for at least four days, not necessarily hunt from the canoe only.
i'll send you a pm later tonight. many great places to float back in to.
That would be great ADK, want to take my son on one of those special hunts before he is out of the house too. Thought about doing the muzzle loader to but the bow would be better I think.
I have back packed Mt. Marcy twice years ago and camped in state campgrounds with the family but looks like a canoe back country trip would be something great there.
Wow, no one else floating the high country, hopefully others will happen by
William,Bog river flow to Lows lake makes for a great trip.A little easier trip would be Little Tupper lake the far side.(Stay away from the camp bliss area) the 50 to70 mile an hour wind at night is not pleasant.For a quick trip and good hunting area consider Cedar river flow. Frank
Thank Defiant, going to look them up, where in Jersey are you?
Are you bowhunting when you have been there?
I've always liked putting the canoe on my shoulders and hiking back into Rock Lake (~.5 miles). The bass fishing is great on the lake. Paddle up the little feeder stream as far as you can and make camp. Last time I was up there I saw deer, bear sign, river otters and beaver.
There's another trip I made years ago, but can't remember where exactly. It was 10-12 mile canoe trip up river to get to a lake where we camped for a few days before heading back out. We were the only people back that far and there was game sign everywhere.
I haven't done this in 20yrs. or so but back then, myself and three friends used to canoe across the stillwater resivior and set up base camp to hunt black bears.
Jeremy,
back during the "gun" days i killed a SLAMMER on Rock Lake, 10 point, 189 pounds. i hunted there often. you must have paddled back in on Teeter Creek? i also missed a SLAMMER waaaay back in there. i still have the topo maps from hunting there.
Ren Man, i will pm you tonight, sorry for the delay, working hard and pretty sick right now.
There are many, many excellent canoe areas to choose from, however, hunting in the wilderness areas of the Adirondacks is challenging even with a rifle. If you see a deer on your trip you should consider it an enormous success. If you are primarily interested in a great canoe trip with the opportunity to wander around with your bow there are many places that fit the bill. If you are primarily interested in an opportunity to see deer, that's a different story.
If it were me, I would look toward the southern region in the park, maybe around speculator, maybe siamese ponds wilderness area. I have seen 10x the number of deer in that region than I have seen in the high peaks, or even some of the more remote areas surrounding the high peaks. Given the type of winter we're having, the deer population will likely have taken a big hit on the tug hill plateau. You might want to avoid that area.
If you are willing to carry a canoe in on your back to some very nice pond/lakes, I have a couple of places that would be very nice to camp, canoe, hunt and fish.
It really just depends on your priorities.
Thanks 46r, with my neck carrying a canoe more than a short portage would be a problem, I was hoping for something more in the southern half of the park and something we can canoe downstream to a lake area or series of ponds, set up there hopefully with good hunting grounds and canoe downstream to a take out.
At least that would be the ideal set up but I am not afraid of some work, I have thought of doing it with my longbow and coming back later with one of my flintlocks.
And ADK take your time, hope you feel better soon
Bill
Bill,
route 10 offers some great areas easily accessable to put a canoe in right from the road. as has been stated it will be HARD hunting with bow but thats whgat its all about. just recently a man named Dan Ladd wrote a book called "Deer Hunting In The Adirondacks. it is BY FAR the most usefull book i have read dealing with the Adirondack park it available hunting areas. he lists about every camp, shealter and trail you have ever heard about. i just mailed it to a friend of mine but i will have him mail it to you when he is done if you like. ya might want to buy a copy, it is that usefull! also i am more then willing to do any leg work/scouting you might need when you figure out where you want to go. if its with in a 150 miles of my house i'll do the scouting, take video/pic's and send ya gps locations. i could set stands or bild blinds if need be. i could also set you up with a very light weight canoe and a couple kayaks if you want to use them. maybe you will have time before fall to come up and do some scouting, fishing and hiking? i could provide a place to stay for the weekend for you and family.
Take a compass and topo map unless you know the area. The Adirondacks are a great place to get away but a great place to get turned around if you've never hunted or fished them.
Round Lake might be worth exploring -- Little Tupper flows into it. Dave Cilley of St. Regis Canoe Outfitters [located in Saranac Lake] is an outfitter who has written a book on canoeing the Adirondacks and also has map of canoe camp sites that might provide some handy information. He could probably give you an idea of the better areas to canoe hunt.
Wow ADK what an offer, you remind me of, well, me.
How bout we meet and take a stump shooting hike together and check it out. Just let me know when the black flies are done and I will be there.
I second the route 10 area. Good Luck Lake is one of many lakes accessible from route 10.
The dog here is in a canoe on that particular stretch. From Good Luck you can make your way back into Spectacle Lake. A little further north, the Cedar River flow and the Moose River Plains are a perfect place to get away for a few days..... the whole Indian Lake area is great. Of course you're much more likely to see bear. Unfortunately, the only place I see trophy whitetail is on the golf course in Old Forge.
Think they would mind if I set my blind on the 18th green? :D This sounds like a great trip for me and my boys! What about up near Fish Creek pond? My grandfather hunted up there so much he built a house on Saranac. The pictures of the deer and fish he had were amazing. Great canoeing too. That was before the Northway was built!!!
Brian
Horatio, that is what I am planning to do, take my son, my brother, maybe his son and two of my long time hunting compadre's.
Maybe we could join you.
got the makins for rendezvous in the park, we get ADK to meet us there and whoever else has an itch to scratch, would be nice would'nt it
So the consensus from you guys who have been is to stay in the southern end of the park for best opportunity with deer and not in the Tug Hill region in the west due to winter kill right?
Also can you take a bear up there in the archery season?
its not just winter kill, the deer in theses areas move out every winter and back in when it brakes in the spring, there just is not a BIG numbers to begin with and the NIG woods makes it extra tuff, this however, to me, is what it is all about!
How about you, myself and Brian set a date to do a little stup shooting and fishing this early spring? i can show ya the land i know and see what ya think.
Lets do it, when is the black fly season there in the spring, I have been thru that a couple of times. Makes it tough to do anything.
Tug Hill is a different story too. They get alot of snow, and the topography is different. No where I know inside the blue line is there deer hunting like you see on the horn porn channels. this is big wild country that affords you the chance to have a true wilderness hunting experience in the north east. Deer have a tough life here, and there aren't the numbers their are elsewhere. But being able to set up camp and having 6 million acres to roam, in areas that you feel barely ever see another human is a great experience..... the further north you go, say above blue mountain, the even colder it gets. The area between Caroga Lake and Blue Mountain (Speculator, Piseco, Indian Lake, route 10,8, and 30,) are less traveled, beautiful country. And when your there, stop in the Bear Trap in Indian Lake for a cold one and a view of the real local color.
the black fly season really kicks in about the thrid week of May however that far up like route 10 and Speculator it would be latter then that. 2 years ago i killed a nice jake with muzzleloader May 1 during snow flurries!
I am liking a stump shooting fly rod packing scouting trip idea very much, bring the canoe up early June.
I have to keep an eye on this thread. :thumbsup:
Not the Dacks but a lake in the Catskills at about the same time of year, early mid October. The picture doesn't do it justice, the real colors are just breathtaking.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d60/Oarceas/bows/xAlderlake.jpg)
That looks really good Aram! Where is that?
Brian
Someone told me Stillwater area is good. anyone hunt there?
Stillwater is by Mechanicville, so you're a ways outside the blue line. So your outside the mountains, you're more suburban Albany, which means better fed deer, and more of 'em :-)
Stillwater resevoir may be what he is referring to. It is inside the blue line in the western Adirondacks not too far from Big Moose and it IS spectacular. Great canoeing.
Brian, that's just up the mountain from Margaretville, NY. Lots of great places to get away in that area. Wanna go? ;)
Stillwater is suburban with lots of farmland still. Lots more deer but not a place to "get away". Unless you want to canoe down Hudson and camp on islands... hmmm!!!
Ooops, I thought it was the town also. I'll look up the reservoir too.
Man, you guys should see where I work...perfect place for a November bowhunt in the Catskills...
I will have to hunt the 'dacks soon...for sure.
I've done quite a bit of canoeing in the St Regis canoe area and always see a few deer while I'm there. Not sure how it would rank on the solitude scale, but during hunting season, I imagine the doofus crowd is gone.
Y'all need to stop talking about the Catskills... you're making me homesick! I grew up in Downsville, looking right at the Pepacton Reservoir dam.
ok ok now who is going to step up and orginaize a Adirondak TG weekend??????????
The best hunt organizer I know lives in the Great Adirondacks!!! Between my Cub Scout Pack, my Little League team and the Coxsackie Police Athletic League my organiztion time is pretty full. I would definitely be willing to help. That goes for the Adk Attack too. Sounds like a great idea! Let's do it!
Jeremy, I lived in Walton for ten years. Small world. If you ever want to hunt the Catskills, give me a yell. I work in Haines Falls, my sister lives in Delhi...etc etc.
Guys, think you are all on to something...anything I can do, shoot me a PM.
Jamie, Do you know the Endress brothers?????
(Daniel,Ryan,Cody)
Not that I know of Chuck....Im more of a face guy, then names...lol.
Looks like I started something good here, I will definetly help organize something.
First we have to settle on where.
Where that gives us a good chance at seeing game, an opportunity to get back away from the motor vehicle bound guys via canoe or boat.
Second is when, that is where research into the deer and/or bear seasons in the park is.
Also when as maybe a get together for some canoe based scouting on the area we decide.
Also is there a permit situation for camping down thees waterways in the park?
Camping permits are need on any state land for stays over 3 days.
Archery deer season opens 9/27 every year and bear opens 9/15, any weapon. After the first weekend of archery, Mz season starts for deer for 1 week.
Jamie, They're my nephews,the oldest Daniel is about your age. They live on the corner by the Beerston B.W.S. police station. (where Rt.10,South River Rd,and Beers Brook Rd. come together.) I killed my 1st buck on South Mountain in 1978.
Awesome Chuck...South Mountain is rather nice, isnt it?
Im up for a get together as long as I can work, literally, around it.
Thanks No-sage. Cool think about the Adirondacks is that the opener gives you three extra days to hunt on those tags I didn't manage to fill all past season. :)
The catskills are in the southern zone so the season opens later in October.
do any of you fellows have a compendium that shows the archery dates for the Adirondaks?
And up there is there a concurrent period for bear too?
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/hunting.html
Northern Zone
Bowhunting Season:
Deer and Bear - September 27 through the Friday immediately preceding the next to the last Saturday in October. Only unfilled prior year big game tags can be used before October 1. (September 27 - October 23, 2009)
Regular Season:
Deer and Bear - The next to the last Saturday in October through the first Sunday in December. (October 24 - December 6, 2009)
Muzzleloading Season:
Deer and Bear - The seven day period ending on the day before the regular season begins. (October 17 - October 23, 2009)
(NOTE: For deer there may be additional muzzleloading hunting opportunity at other times, but the timing and other factors may vary. Additional information will be available when licenses go on sale in August)
Early Bear Season:
Bear - The first Saturday after the second Monday in September through the day immediately preceding opening of the muzzleloading season. Only unfilled prior year big game tags can be used before October 1. (September 19 - October 16, 2009)
You can also bowhunt during Early Bear Season.
During bowhunting season, there may be bear hunters in the woods with rifles. Just something to remember when you're moving about.
So for me to hunt bear early during bow I would have to have a tag from 2008? WTH
For a float/canoe hunt check out Cedar River Flow.
hey Ron ya back????
No, Only if you hunt BEFORE October 1st.
Great to see other people with similar adventures planed. I want to spend a week in the spwa on my own adk "safari" starting 10/1. bear, deer, turkey and brookies. The trout is the only sure thing.
Uncas,
the turkey population in the Adirondacks is in my opnion at an all time high. there are good pockets of turkeys waaaaaay back in the ridges and VERY, VERY FEW hunters after them. if you don't mind hiking back in off the road and doing A LOT of scouting you will be suprised at the numbers.
mountainman,
thats good to hear! every summer i always see some. but always on the same road and same opening. I saw alot of sign on a backpacking trip as well.
South Mtn! :) I played cat and mouse with a group of 6 does and a bear one day there. We all just kept circling each other as the wind shifted.
I spent most of my time on Bear Spring Mtn; too many hunters and most of the deer just dropped over the ridge to the soy bean and corn fields on the old ranch property. A lot of good memories on that hill though.
I spent a lot of time on Bear Spring as a kid...actually hunted the farm directly below it A LOT.
Starting to sound like old home week!
Ken, sure hope I can make the AA if you have it this year...
Is it possible we are all talking about different South Mountains? :D
Jamie, I doubt it LOL!!!!! The farm below along the river belonged to my Brother In-laws family. If you guys want to get together,my Brother In-law and his brothers still own a big chunk of that mountain. They own from where they "Hang-Glide" on top down to South River Road,and from the top down to Beers Brook Road,across from Houck Mountain.
Tell us more Woodchucker, sounds promising
Chuck,
sounds like just the excuse we need to wet the fly line bro!!!!!! should be some fun scouting.
Just thinking about will let me sleep easier tonight
Small world indeed. Sounds like we all need to get together and hunt our old stomping grounds!
chuck,
If i'm not mistaken thats in the walton area???
That's the place!!!!! About a mile outside of town.
See, Im talking about the one in Haines Falls...
Although thinking back to when I tagged along with dad, I have been on that one too.
Cool stuff.
Oh yeah....the state parks close around the second week of bow season(the dates vary by park)...might be worth talking to the facility supervisor to find out about after season camping and use of the state areas. I believe Bear Spring is hunter friendly...but ya didnt hear it from me.
woodchuck,
Thought that was the place, my fathers family is from unadilla so it sounded familiar. I love that part of the state.