Turning the corner: It’s hard to believe we’re nearly a month into the Northern Zone rifle season, but that’s the case and for some in the Adirondacks it’s really starting to feel like deer season. Thanks to the much-needed rain/snowstorm ahead of the weekend, a good portion of the region has some snow. Some areas have more than others. Good news for hunters heading into the weekend. To track snow depths, click here: https://www.weather.gov/nerfc/snow_depth_im

Reports and this hunter’s observations indicate the past 7 to 10 days seem to have plenty of doe sightings by hunters, including isolated fawns. Yet trail cams indicate bucks were on the move. It’s a good bet that some serious breeding is going on right now, so hunt the doe groups and you’ll likely find bucks, especially if you know of some doe bedding areas. 

Next week is the famous Thanksgiving hunt. We’ll try to chime in before then. Good luck this weekend!

-Dan’l 

Check out the latest NY Outdoor News Great Northeast Podcast, Ep. 58 with Peter Fiduccia, the Deer Doctor, talking about calling Whitetails. Episode 59 is coming soon with legendary ADK Buck Tracker Jim Massett, stay tuned. 

Dan was a recent guest on the Adirondack Hunt Podcast, presented by Big Woods Bucks. Give it a listen/view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81pFkXTrMHk 

[Show slideshow]

Send photos to: buck@adkhunter.com (please include name, hometown, size of deer and county of kill). 

–Dan’l 

More reports…

(11/14) Southbound: Things have cooled down a bit, but it’s only temporary as a weekend warm-up appears to be looming. The Iron Sight Gang score another good Adirondack buck over the weekend (see photos) and we’re hearing of a few real beauties being taken around the region, which is good. There was also an up-tick in buck sign – both rubs and scrapes – from the previous weekend. Nearly every buck we’re hearing about being taken is with a doe group, but hunters are also reporting seeing lots of does with no bucks around. 

This weekend, the Southern Zone opens, which usually means a some pressure is taken off in the Adirondacks. Being the fourth of seven weekends, it also the peak part of the season. Things will go by fast after we turn the corner this weekend, so get out there if you can. Mid-November comes but once a year. 

(11/7) Still Warm, but…: Greetings Hunters, mid-November and what many consider peak hunting is approaching fast, yet it’s only the third weekend of the season that is coming up, which is simply because that’s the way the calendar falls this year. So, there’s plenty of hunting ahead.

Some photos (below), and reports, are coming in as hunters in the past 7-to-10 days have been seeing quite a few bucks on their feet. Buck sign, like rubs and scrapes, is sporadic: hot in one area, cool in another. Basically, the idea now is to pay attention to doe groups because that’s where the boys will be. Doe feeding and bedding areas should garner your attention and if you haven’t found them, keep looking. Although it’s cooling off, it’s still quite warm for this time of year with slightly above average temps continuing.  Good luck! 

(10/31) A Good (but warm) Start: Sometimes things just go your way, which is what happened to this hunter on opening day of the Northern Zone rifle season, in Warren County. While making a drive, I happened upon a fine 8-point buck. Two uphill shots later, my tag was filled just three hours into the season. The best thing about this buck is that it was taken with my dad’s old Winchester M94 .44-magnum, a gun I’ve been trying to get a good Adirondack buck with for a few years. Mission accomplished.

Opening week was a warm one, but that is about to change, at least briefly. Saturday through Monday all look to be good hunting days with falling temps and a rising barometer. This is always a good time of year to kill a buck. Many hunters are reporting seeing bucks following, and in some cases even chasing, does. Seems a bit early, but if it’s happening the best thing to do is join the party if you can. 

Jeff “Capt. JJ” Johnson arrowed this 8-pointer with his longbow Oct. 17 in Warren County.

(10/25) Northern Zone Opener: Another year, and another warm week of early muzzleloading greeted many of us in the Adirondacks, and man is it dry, and it looks like it’s going to stay that way for a while. Still, cool-down is in the forecast and anytime the temperature changes (or the barometric pressure, especially on the high side), that’s a good time to be in the woods. For buck hunters, those days appear right now to be Sunday and Monday. I didn’t hunt much during this week, and NY Outdoor News kept me busy, but the weekend, albeit warm, did produce a small buck for the Iron Sight Gang. We also found a fair amount of buck sign in the form of  a few rubs and in places, several scrapes. So, bucks are getting antsy. Acorns were plentiful in the area, but not from every tree. Still, that was good news too. Now if we can only get a cool-down. Best of luck to all this weekend,.

(10/17) Early Smokepole: Here comes the Northern Zone muzzleloading season, starting Saturday, Oct. 19 and the weekend and early part of the week ahead are looking quite warm. The mornings, however, have been seasonal as some hunters have been out with their crossbows (the season opened Oct. 16) and experiencing frosts. This hunter has been out each morning, passing on the warm afternoons and did find one good rub, but no scrapes yet. There’s some acorns too, although my findings have been hit-and-miss, but at least there are some. A number of hunters are finding them in bunches. 

So, good luck this weekend and if you don’t have any luck, be ready for the cold front coming later in the week. That should get some deer moving. 

(9/26) It’s Deer Season: Friday’s archery opener found this hunter in a tree stand, but not for long. Once the sun topped over the trees and hit the small clearing I was perched in, I was soon within the company of mosquitos. I’ve never been a warm-weather hunter and that’s the weather pattern we’ll be dealing with at least through the middle of this first week. Tuesday, Oct. 1 marks the Southern Zone opener as well the Northern Zone fall turkey season. It’s also the start of several small game seasons, including pheasant and other small game. Waterfowl seasons are coming soon. You can keep track of the seasons here. 

Meanwhile, we’re curious of any sign your finding, especially food sources like acorns and beechnuts. There area some nuts out there, but it seems like the supply varies by elevation. Good luck in the bow stand!