Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best whitetail ranches near in PA/NJ?

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And you still don’t know…..but I understand why!! I was killing bucks and elk long before you were even a gleam in yo pappys eye!!

There’s a good sized ranch in Northern New York that’s fairly close to N.J. and Pennsylvania, managed by the state, it’s called the Adirondacks. 3.2 million acres of stare land and lots of great bucks. Bring a compass.

Yeah, but the OP wouldn't be able to pick one from the pen and then brag about what a badazz hunter he is. While is one of the famous trackers from that region? Jim... last name I think begins with M?

I like the idea of a cow brought up a few posts back. Let it go in some woods. Hunter could listen for the sound of a distant bell getting closer. Maybe use a call to bring it in. Then finally spot peeks of white and black approaching through the brush.

Jim Massett. Met him once and tried to convince him to write a book. Nice guy.

That's him. I encountered his name in the books of the Maine tracker, RG Bernier, who passed this summer.

LOL. OK.

I've actually been to a place like this - just a few acres less than what you experienced.
I coordinated the event for my 42 y/o terminally-ill best friend on what would be his last foray in the outdoors.

When we all got situated in the huge box blind, the truck drove away and on the way out, operated the feed-flinger on the tailgate. Twenty minutes later, out of the heavy cover and through the snow-covered rolling hardwoods, a parade of bucks appeared - first in line was a 220"-ish specimen, followed by a 180" deer and so on. Eventually, 11 in all in the meadow in front of us.

I discussed and confirmed (with the host) the buck that'd meet the 4-5k mark, woke my bud who'd already nodded off and got the rifle into place for him. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally managed to hit the trigger and the 160" "trophy" was his. He died 6 days later.

Surrounded by miles of ground that get heavily hunted that fence had EVERYTHING to do with what happened on that outing.

To this day I'm still terribly conflicted over what transpired that day even though I accompanied my best friend on his final outing and he got his wish of shooting the biggest buck he'd ever killed. But it damned sure wasn't a hunt.

I feed deer out my back door every year. Never took one from my property. Wouldn't seem fair. Family just likes to see them. One bag of corn lasts a week. Neighbors kid takes one every year on their side. I stop feeding after the spring greenup. Helps a few make it through the winter. Never see a buck other than a little fork horn. Too many small properties with guys who hunt to maintain a healthy deer herd. I do my hunting about an hour drive away in the National Forest.

Don't believe shooting deer over a corn feeder or in a high fenced lot is a hunt. Shooting them over corn or in a fenced property is just harvesting a domestic animal. That's fine, enjoy the meat. Don't pay more than the meat is worth and don't take a bunch of photos to post online. Just keep it to yourself.

First of all, I would never "brag" about any buck unless it was some kind of free chase record. Get it through your thick skull that I realize what I'm trying to do. Never once did I say I wanted to do something illegal.

I hunt HARD every year on public and even game lands. I'd bet you'd be crying that your legs hurt by the end of the day if you hunted a normal day with me.

That was a great thing you did for your buddy.

You hunt in Pa. ? I've seen some darn nice bucks come out of Pa. in recent years. Maybe this will be your year. What size buck you looking for anyway ?

Thanks. I still remember arguing with the hospice folks for a couple of days beforehand - "You wanna do WHAT? No way - not happening"...

Scott,

Heck of a hunt.

Not diminishing it at all.

🦫

Absolutely. I see no reason at all to feel conflicted. Time in the woods with a buddy and a rifle for someone with less than a week to live. You take whatever opportunity that you can make happen.

140-150 class typical sure would be nice. I've seen them, but all at the wrong times.

Sounds like a fantastic "hunt".
Every hunt is judged by some metric on the situation.



There were no feeders or feed.
Just tripod blinds to sit in.
Overwatching fields or intersecting roads.
Given one thing to change about that hunt, to make me happy and
to feel better about it?

I'd let the fences. I was never near them.

But ditch the dam stands and let me use my feet to actually hunt.


In your situation?
I'd agree to tying a deer up.
As long as my buddy never knew.

Wonder what this one cost..

Caskey Mountain hunting preserve in Richmondville NY should have what you're looking for. They advertise that they've got 150" - 450" whitetails available on their 450 acre preserve.

Sand Billy, Most of the deer breeders around South Texas, have shut down, they ran out of people to sell deer and semen, bred does to, couldn't make any money trading among them selves, i never could see where they were going with breeding the freak deer, the few i know of lost their ass trying to fool mother nature, some are still trying to sell doe piss, to the people that think doe piss will attract big bucks, Yeh Right Rio7