Ok you east coast SOB's give up them honey holes

[tomengineer]

@wllm1313...I’ve read through this entire thread and I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed the reverse perspective from an east coast resident. If someone from Boston asked the hunt talk deer forum for honey holes out west even jokingly there would be three responses. All of them would say “Welcome to HT....F* off”. ”Or Massachusetts’s fish and game publishes lots of information about opportunity and harvest rate...”. At least a NY state non resident license and deer tag is $100

I’m kidding I couldn’t help myself of course I’ve seen you post a lot on the forum with helpful information for we flatlanders so I appreciate that.

Ok so I can’t claim to be a prolific hunter but I’ll tell you everything I know. And that will be via PM...

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

@wllm1313...I’ve read through this entire thread and I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed the reverse perspective from an east coast resident. If someone from Boston asked the hunt talk deer forum for honey holes out west even jokingly there would be three responses. All of them would say “Welcome to HT....F* off”. ”Or Massachusetts’s fish and game publishes lots of information about opportunity and harvest rate...”. At least a NY state non resident license and deer tag is $100

I’m kidding I couldn’t help myself of course I’ve seen you post a lot on the forum with helpful information for we flatlanders so I appreciate that.

Ok so I can’t claim to be a prolific hunter but I’ll tell you everything I know. And that will be via PM...

I was definitely thinking the same thing... “man when the tables are turned though east coast folks are damn generous”.

If I’m being completely honestly even if nothing come from the offers of spots or tips just the kind words has help reduced some anxiety about the move.

Big thanks to all who have contributed.

 

[Irrelevant]

I was definitely thinking the same thing... “man when the tables are turned though east coast folks are damn generous”.

If I’m being completely honestly even if nothing come from the offers of spots or tips just the kind words has help reduced some anxiety about the move.

Big thanks to all who have contributed.

Of course they're damned generous, they ain't got nothing to give, I'll give that....ALL..... DAY.... LONG!

Might as well ask me about my WA honey holes!

LOL

 

[tomengineer]

Of course they're damned generous, they ain't got nothing to give, I'll give that....ALL..... DAY.... LONG!

Might as well ask me about my WA honey holes!

LOL

Lol yes this is very fair sadly. I’ll tell you all I know and it ain’t much. Why do you think I go west every fall? Turn on the New York Public Lands layer in onX and get ready to laugh.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

It's the fact that some of us know what it's like to feel frantic trying to figure something out with limited time and a limited budget. Throw in limited good will from you spouse, family and business partners and your damn happy for any kind words someone will take pity and help you with.

 

[tomengineer]

It's the fact that some of us know what it's like to feel frantic trying to figure something out with limited time and a limited budget. Throw in limited good will from you spouse, family and business partners and your damn happy for any kind words someone will take pity and help you with.

Yep well said. I think most of Hunt talk assumes you’re going to be driving 5 hours and are just too lazy to scout when you ask for advice on a unit. I’ve met some real quality folks on here and I don’t advocate for public posting of knowledge but dang I plan my whole year around 7 days in October throw me a bone privately. If I could hunt high country mule deer in NY I wouldn’t bother y’all but I can’t.

 

[tomengineer]

Wife and I are blowing this popsicle stand and moving to Boston in June.

Where should I be tossing apps, I've been applying for moose in NH for the last couple years... obviously that's a pipe dream.

Honestly excited to try out some new hunting/fishing styles. Would love to try out some tree stand whitetail hunting.

I don't have any private land connections back east, therefore I'm assuming NH is the best close option followed by PA, NY, and WV?

I know that some states are kinda problematic when it comes to "western style hunting" i.e. quartering a deer in the field and packing it out. I know for instance that NH doesn't have rules that address that on the books. Are there states that have more "western" style rules, or do I just need to embrace the the change and get prepared for long drags and check stations?

Gus is pretty excited for some squirrel hunting... anything else I should be thinking about, sea ducks?

Also just reread your original post about quartering etc. and have a funny story. I went on my first western hunt last year for antelope in Wyoming. I was fortunate and shot a buck opening morning about 1.5 miles from the truck. I field dressed it and proceeded to start dragging it back in the direction of the truck like I would here. That included the initial 300’ up a hill to gain the ridge. I’ll never forget sitting on that ridge completely exhausted and having an older local gentleman who was hunting mule deer come up to me. “Son you know you can cut that up and pack it out right? I saw you dragging that up the hill and thought damn this boy wants to work”. He was great but looked at me like I showed up on the short bus. Helped me drag it for half a mile down the hill and then told me again to bone it out lol. Won’t make that mistake again.

 

[BJV3]

Made a deal with my wife when we were 17 that if we stayed together we would always support each other’s dreams and never hold the other person back.

Also, my salary ain’t buying sheep hunts.

Be careful what you promise. I made the same commitment to my wife and We moved for the same reasons. The last 30 years I have lived in Nebraska, Utah, Ontario Canada, Bangkok Thailand, Shanghai China, Stockholm Sweden and just moved back to the US the first of March just in time to be quarantined. I will never regret it either. It’s been a great adventure but I sure missed the US all those years. You've chosen the right attitude for change good luck. Don’t forget to check out the Maryland Sika deer hunting.

 

[tomengineer]

@wllm1313 I’m so confused. Once you get there why don’t you just post up about how you don’t have any time to scout cause it’s such a long drive to CO, WY, etc., mention all your e-scouting, then ask for spots (but not honey holes), suffer the mandatory ribbing for such a request, pick some unit based on your research and a Go Hunt cross reference, fill that Corolla to the top, and finally, point it west once or twice a year like me and half of the other guys on HT do every year?

Good luck out there.

I cannot describe how accurate this is.

 

[teej89]

Get some of that brick and mortar camo and set right against that wall and boom! Maybe bring a friend and double up.

There's a pool to the left, some snorkel gear and you're set!

 

[teej89]

Of course they're damned generous, they ain't got nothing to give, I'll give that....ALL..... DAY.... LONG!

Might as well ask me about my WA honey holes!

LOL

Hahahaha!!! Whoa now! You've showed me some fine chukar action. Just no one else is dumb enough to wanna hike 1000' to kill a bird.

 

[Slm864]

Of course they're damned generous, they ain't got nothing to give, I'll give that....ALL..... DAY.... LONG!

Might as well ask me about my WA honey holes!

LOL

Haha. You remember that when you finallyyyy draw that Pennsylvania elk tag. Then again you probably wouldn’t need helping filling that tag since they issue so few and some of the elk zones are like a petting zoo.
In all seriousness though, i think guys are willing to help out a bit because most things to hunt on the east aren’t a “destination” each year. I am much more willing and eager to offer help to Someone who is coming from across the country to hunt than I am the guy from down the road whom I deal with year round.

 

[dgc1963]

I think its a bit different coming east than heading west and looking for advice, One thing IMO many folks used to eastern hunting dont go far from their truck or a road due to you dont have to, I have great places in Pa with 150 ,160 class whitetails running around on farms where im in stand 10 min from my truck and lots of bear every year I have places where I see bear almost every time I go out but I scout all summer for them
then us flatlanders watch a few videos look at areas on the web go out west walk 30 min away from the truck and wonder where all the elk are lol, the fish and game office in Idaho told me they get lots of NR stopping in every year trying to find elk that just dont go far from the roads I think the mtns can intinidate a bit
And slm864 is right another local can try to get on a property if you take them their without you

 

[Slm864]

I think its a bit different coming east than heading west and looking for advice, One thing IMO many folks used to eastern hunting dont go far from their truck or a road due to you dont have to

You hit the nail on the head. One of the best spots I ever had was only 100 yards off the road. It was overlooked by everyone but it was one of the only areas the deer used to cross from one side to the other. The hunting was great until it was timbered and that altered the deer patterns. I’ve never been asked for help on hunting spots around home, but I have given advice to places I was successful in National Forest in Ohio to help guys out.

I also think it is different in the fact that in some areas deer are running everywhere. I could put you in a stand I have hung and take a climber 300 yards from you and see different deer all day. It doesn’t quite work like that for elk on public land IMO.

 

[Mainer207]

Mountains will seem small to you, but I live and hunt in the Catskills of NY and it’s some beautiful country.

I also hunt Maine, as that’s where I’m from, and we have a camp there. I’d say it’s much tougher hunting up there, but you can find some big woods and big bucks. I hunt a lot of the central Maine swampy areas, but there’s a ton of land up north that the paper companies allow people to hunt on. I’m hoping to get up there to hunt grouse and catch some brookies this fall!

 

[Dougfirtree]

I'm not very tight with my deer spots here. Why would I be? There aren't many hunters, there's tons of public land and most people just don't have the persistence and stubbornness to stick with it. Come on up, WLLM!

 

[RaiderRich]

Living in Upstate NY most my life I did little deer hunting on public land but would chase turkeys on it. A nice place in NY is Connecticut Hill http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9331.html This is not far far the private land I used to hunt. Deer season (gun) can see a bit of hunter traffic but that does keep the deer moving. Nice thing about non-resident is a big game license which includes an antlered tag and a black bear tag will only run you like $100.00. Of course that was 2 years ago, so might be more now.

 

[Howie]

The Adirondacks and northern Maine have challenging Big woods, Big buck hunting

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

The Adirondacks and northern Maine have challenging Big woods, Big buck hunting

 

[Dougfirtree]

View attachment 138529

It's not impossible, but you can't gain anywhere near as much info as you can in a place like Colorado. What you can look for are certain topographical and terrain features that may attract, or concentrate the travel of deer. You can still learn a lot if there' logging, or ag land in your area as well. But, really what you're doing is recognizing some promising places to check out. Then you go check them out in person and you read the sign and you begin to put together a picture. It's a different game for sure. Sometime, check out Brad Herndon's book, "Mapping Trophy Bucks." It doesn't completely translate to the big woods, but much of it does and it gives you a sense for how to start using maps to break down this kind of environment. One other thing: Say good bye to being able to predict what the wind will do...