I am new to the forum here. I've started bow hunting 2 years ago, and I've put in a lot of hours in the woods, but have yet to take a deer. l'm trying to find some new areas to hunt that are closer to home, so hopefully I will be able to get into the woods more often. I live in New York City, and the area I've been hunting most, out in Long Island, has a very restricted parking policy for hunters. There are only 5 parking spots for hunters, and to hunt the park you must get there early enough for a spot. Trouble is that it's almost a 2 hour drive, and often the locals drive into the park earlier than you're supposed to and steal the spots.
I'm thinking there must be better opportunities West of the Hudson River, so I'm wondering if you guys could give me some very broad recommendations for where to start scouting for next year. I'm much more interested in obtaining meat for the freezer than shooting a nice buck, so I'd be particularly interested in areas with high numbers of doe.
Also - a question about game cameras - are they legal on public land in NJ? I've been checking the NJ Fish and Game website but cannot find a clear answer. Beyond that - would you guys recommend using one if it is legal? On Long Island, literally anything and everything left in the woods gets stolen. It's very frustrating. Is the same true for NJ? Or are folks a bit more decent in the Garden State Woods?
Thank you all for your help and advice. Happy holidays, and happy hunting!
Ryan
Bowman's Link