Sterling Forest State Park

[Reader Sackett]

Hi, 

 

My brother and I are first time hunters looking to bow hunt in Sterling. We have maps and know where not to hunt. We were curious about deer and bear, but also rabbit (not using a bow there lol) with a pellet gun.

 

Any advice for first time hunters?

[mowin]

@blackbeltbill. Sterling is his stopping ground. But I doubt he'll show you his best spots. Lol. 

[Reader Sackett]

Just now, mowin said:

@blackbeltbill. Sterling is his stopping ground. But I doubt he'll show you his best spots. Lol. 

Nah that would take the fun out of exploring the place for myself.

[Versatile Hunter]

Sterling is great. I’ll offer 2 FYIs before bill jumps in

1- you can’t early bear hunt in September there

2- careful if you take a dog, it’s teeming with rattlesnakes 

[Reader Sackett]

8 minutes ago, Versatile Hunter said:

Sterling is great. I’ll offer 2 FYIs before bill jumps in

1- you can’t early bear hunt in September there

2- careful if you take a dog, it’s teeming with rattlesnakes 

Oh yeah were going in Oct and no dogs right now. 

[Versatile Hunter]

2 more:

3- they release pheasants there

4- you need a sterling permit to hunt 

[Reader Sackett]

2 hours ago, Versatile Hunter said:

2 more:

3- they release pheasants there

4- you need a sterling permit to hunt 

Yeah i mailed out my form yesterday for the permit. 

 

I'm down for pheasant. 

[2BuckBizCT]

PARKING! In Sterling, you gotta get the parking spot first. Then when you get the parking spot, you get the deer. Then when you get the deer, then you get the women.

[ATbuckhunter]

7 minutes ago, 2BuckBizCT said:

PARKING! In Sterling, you gotta get the parking spot first. Then when you get the parking spot, you get the deer. Then when you get the deer, then you get the women.

Thats stewart. I don't think sterling has those requirements

[2BuckBizCT]

7 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

Thats stewart. I don't think sterling has those requirements

oh lol. whoops

[Phantom]

4 hours ago, 2BuckBizCT said:

oh lol. whoops

Nice place to hike; I've talked to the head guy there a few times. He is a bow hunter, and he told me he doesn't like the gun hunters that go there too many, he said. He shared a few spots where he hunts because he has the keys to the place, so he  can just drive up to it, but he mentioned that walking there would be tough.  Anyway not a place I go to hunt but I have hike there before  I've gotten the permit a few times and then I never got around to hunting that place because I just know other places closer more remote less people to hunt then that .

[ChevyZr297]

Bill is spot on with the areas he mentioned and the game spotted.

 

[grampy]

11 hours ago, Versatile Hunter said:

Sterling is great. I’ll offer 2 FYIs before bill jumps in

1- you can’t early bear hunt in September there

2- careful if you take a dog, it’s teeming with rattlesnakes 

Lot's of rattlesnakes?? Hmmmmm.......

[Joe T]

14 hours ago, ATbuckhunter said:

Very nice! Welcome aboard. You'll like that forum just as much as you like this one. Way bigger fund of knowledge for bird hunting. Quite a few NY guys there as well.

How do you feel about going away for hunts? I feel like you're very willing to put the time into hunting, I would highly suggest going to Maine to hunt. I went to Maine in 2022 and New Hampshire last year. New Hampshire had great options for cabins and the hunting was good, but it gets hit way harder than Maine. You have to know more about what you're doing to have success in NH. Maine is really great for someone who knows less. Only bad part for Maine is the lack of hotels/cabins (still enough of them around though). You'll shoot plenty of grouse and Woodcock up there, and the peak hunting is around Columbus day weekend, so you can be back in NY for peak hunting here. 

 

12 hours ago, Versatile Hunter said:

Sterling is great. I’ll offer 2 FYIs before bill jumps in

1- you can’t early bear hunt in September there

2- careful if you take a dog, it’s teeming with rattlesnakes 

Does anyone know someone in area who does snake aversion training for dogs (and hunters!)?

[ATbuckhunter]

10 hours ago, Joe T said:

 

Does anyone know someone in area who does snake aversion training for dogs (and hunters!)?

I've looked my self for my trip out west this year and couldn't find any classes. Honestly its not a problem by the time pheasant season rolls around. Once you get a few cold nights, they usually start their journey to hibernate. If you're worried, skip the first couple of weeks. Its usually too hot to run the dogs much anyway, so you're not missing much. Stewart also doesnt have as large a snake population as Sterling does