After a few farms that have been sold, and a family quarrel over money, i've lost all my hunting spots. This sucks.

That is unfortunate.

I assume you hunt in NY. Are there no public lands worth hunting?

That happened to me a couple of years ago, so I know the feeling. The good news is that public land, if you can avoid the weekends and are willing to walk a bit, can be better than you might think. The downside is that you may have to lower your expectations about the size and numbers of bucks you will see. Now that I'm on public land, any adult legal deer is acceptable for me.

I hope you work something out.

Start burning the shoe leather on the public hunting grounds.

I had that happen a few years ago. I was distraught and angry and thought I wouldn't be able to go. Before the season I found 3 places to hunt which I had never been. Two of them turned out to be gems. Say a prayer or two and keep your ears open. You may find something better than what you had.

Exactly! Plenty of room in the daks...

I would love to be able to burn more shoe leather. But my mail carrying career is coming to an end as i'm being plagued with arthritis and burcitis in the knees and the hip i had replaced. Then to add to the fun, herniated discs and pinched nerves.Sure would of treated my body differentley through the years if I had seen this coming. It sure sucks getting old. Thanks guys. May your season be fulfilling and rewarding....

my buddy sold the property I've Ben hunting on since 1998.
I still have a few other places but I don't have any place with longer than 150 yards.

You are right, MMM.
Getting old does suck, but I am lucky enough to own the small piece of land where I have hunted for the last 22 years. We use stands here in Western Ky. and mine is about 300 yds. from my back door. I intend to keep going for a long time, the Lord willing.......Good luck on finding another place to hunt.

I feel for you, mailmanmark. I bounced around a lot in the past, trying to find hunting lands.

Too bad you aren't closer to my location, I could set you up with a spot on my land.

Thanks guys...

Good Luck finding a few new spots where you can hunt Mark.
I fully understand your circumstances. When I was in NW PA if it wasn't for the Allegheny NF and a few private timberlands it would have been really hard to find a spot, especially with some physical "ailments" as you describe.

Wishing you the best,

Geno

Where are you in upstate?

Yes, where?

Family fights over money are so stupid. My parents' families were both ripped apart that way.

Hey, don't give up. Yesterday, I went squirrel hunting on a public area about 20 minutes from here. The two squirrels I saw " plumb evaded me", as Jimmy Buffet would say, but I also saw 3 small bucks, a piebald doe with a fawn, 2 other deer, and a couple of turkeys, all within a quarter mile of my car, and in less than 2 hours. I had most of the fun and none of the mess.

sorry to hear that. check craigs list for hunting clubs looking for members im also in new york there is plenty of state land you would be surprized to find many areas have no hunting pressure

I live just to the north of Utica.

And a damn good stand it is.

Not getting old yet, but in the last 23 years since I began hunting the woods and open land sure had changed. Big changes this year. I am fortunate to live in an area with a lot of public land and some people who allow us to hunt on their private land.

My advice is to knock on a few doors. The worst they can say is no!

Way toooo bad!!

I wish you GOOD luck to come soon!!

Pretty country. I have a small plot that I had hoped might be close to you but it is a couple of hours away.

rodell...thank you, and thanks to all of you for your concern. I contacted NYS DEC and all they told me was to check their website to find out huntable state lands...their website is a joke... I refuse to give up... there has to be something somewhere....

Don't give up. I had a Mule deer tag in western KS a couple of years ago and had the same thing happen. Ground my family had hunted on for 50 years went away and that was three different property owners and three different situations that went south on me two weeks before the season.

As of opening morning I went ahead and went out to hunt public ground I had never been on. I called a buddy back home who gave me a number for his wife's cousin and at 10.am opening morning I had private land permission and by 11 am I had bagged a nice 5x6 mature buck.

If you are that bad off, maybe you should give up hunting. I really tire of hearing guys throwing out all kinds of excuses to avoid public land. You think you are the only one with health issues? It usually comes down to "I want an easy deer issue". I can name over a dozen guys that quit hunting because they lost their private land spot. The biggest excuse is "There are too many nuts on public land". I would like to know where, I barely see anybody once I step off a trail. We have good years and bad years as far as getting a deer. That is just the way it is. If you were serious about hunting you would actually be looking at some of the public spots you found on the internet.

Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Don't tell everybody.

Hasn't happened to me.
Yet...

All of my best deer hunting, at least close to home, is on my wife's parents ground. And no, that aint' why I married her...

Her dad passed at home 3 years ago, and the arguing of today started off as civil discussion. 6 sisters and 3 brothers can sure do a family feud up right.
And their mom is healthy as an 87 yr old woman can be... Hope she lives forever...

A New York State Gazzeteer is worth it's weight in gold to you right now $20 on Amazon .

This guy to my left was shot on public land, as have the last half a dozen deer I've shot with a bow. I enjoy the challenge! And I take the week off prior to gun season.

efw....much appreciated. Will definately give it a try.
Do we have another Boxer in the making with mr bunplummer?