Questions for public land hunting

[Greybeard]

I thought, a very long time ago, there was a reg that said you couldn't leave a stand up unoccupied for longer than 24 hours.  I looked high and low, but couldn't find it again.  If there was, it got thrown out the window.  I hope they crack down on stands, but not going to hold my breath expecting any enforcement.

[mazzgolf]

37 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

a reg that said you couldn't leave a stand up unoccupied for longer than 24 hours.  I looked high and low, but couldn't find it again.

I linked to that reg. in my other thread. It's here and only applies to state parks/forests:

https://www.nj.gov/dep/njstateparkpolice/docs/Park Statutes.pdf
 

Quote

 

7:2-2.18 Restrictions on hunting, fishing, and trapping

(c) The building, erecting, use of or hunting from a permanent type tree stand or hunting blind is prohibited.

(d) Hunting from portable, temporary hunting tree stands or hunting blinds is permitted. However, the hunter using the portable temporary hunting tree stand or hunting blind shall remove it immediately after use.

 

But that's what the policy change in August 2017 was about. They are relaxing that. Read this:

https://njparksandforests.org/stand-blind_policy.htm

[Eyesofthewoods]

@Rusty not much but took what the land could provide for me.  

[TouchofGrey]

I small game and gun hunt Black River. There are a lot of stands left up there all season. Walk in while dark there are so many bright eyes on the trees it looks like the Parkway reflectors.I think it's mostly bow hunters because during gun seasons there are very few hunters there.

[Eyesofthewoods]

@TouchofGrey thanks for the tip.  I plan on doing both so hopefully it’s not too crowded!  Also like your name just saw dead and co 3 times last week was a lot of fun...always is!  Cheers!

[Jim_]

Nice deer, man … congrats!

There's at least a few forum members here that hunt deer in PA. I go south of Altoona. Do some small game there, too … but the land has really matured there over the years … less places for the little critters.

Also go trout fishing in the mountain "cricks." There are also a couple creeks there dead from the old mine's acid drain … ugly stuff. We fish some in Raystown Lake, too.

My Mother-in-law may be from your area … Carbondale? She and her husband just retired to back that way from NJ … built a little house on a lake outside of Waymart.

I bowhunt public land here in NJ. I do OK … have fun anyway. I hunt the Delaware Water Gap … can really get away from people.

Anyway … welcome to NJ, and good luck chasing after all the critters.

[Rusty]

2 hours ago, Eyesofthewoods said:

@Rusty not much but took what the land could provide for me.  

Very nice, public land deer do not come easy.   Congratulations. 

[LPJR]

2 hours ago, Eyesofthewoods said:

@Rusty not much but took what the land could provide for me.  

Very cool! Welcome to the site Eyes! 

[Greybeard]

3 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

I linked to that reg. in my other thread. It's here and only applies to state parks/forests:

https://www.nj.gov/dep/njstateparkpolice/docs/Park Statutes.pdf
 

But that's what the policy change in August 2017 was about. They are relaxing that. Read this:

https://njparksandforests.org/stand-blind_policy.htm

That's what I remember reading a long time ago, but haven't seen it in the digest lately, unless I just didn't look in the right spot for it.

[Greybeard]

3 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

 

But that's what the policy change in August 2017 was about. They are relaxing that. Read this:

https://njparksandforests.org/stand-blind_policy.htm

That's interesting.  They never did enforce the 24 hour law.  Wonder what they will do if stands don't have contact info on them, or they find more than one with the same contact.   Can't see this making much of a difference if they don't get out in the woods to enforce it.  This is the first I saw that change, but I also don't use stands.  Probably a lot of people missed it.

[Eyesofthewoods]

@Jim_ I know where Carbondale is I lived a town over for a bit

fished the Lackawanna as I lived right across street from it.  That’s the coal mining area for sure grew up about 10 miles over the mountain from there though.  Familiar with Waymart too.  High school I went to covered that town and others in that area.  

That mountain that runs from Carbondale down to Scranton is a big one and we’ve pulled quite a few bears off that mountain good amount of Yotes too! 

Thanks for the welcome! Happy huntin!

[mazzgolf]

1 hour ago, Greybeard said:

haven't seen it in the digest lately, unless I just didn't look in the right spot for it.

Digest only has a single paragraph and it only points to the link without any details - so it's easy to miss. But if you look at page 29 of the Digest, the section titled "Stands and Blinds on State Parks, Forests":

https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/2018/dighnt18.pdf

Quote

 

"Stands and Blinds on State Parks, Forests

The State Park Service has modified its policy on the use of hunting treestands and ground blinds on state parks, forests and recreation areas where hunting is allowed. To view the updated policy, visit the State Park Service website at NJParksandForests.org/stand-blind_policy.htm"

 

 

[Live to Hunt]

15 hours ago, Rusty said:

Very nice, public land deer do not come easy.   Congratulations. 

[Hondo]

As far as I know, the only public range to sight in a ML or slug gun would be down at Clinton WMA. I'd be willing to go with you or meet up. I have a scope on a ML that needs to be sighted in. I'm in Morris County.

 

[Eyesofthewoods]

@Hondo thanks for the offer!  I don’t have the muzzle loader right now though.  My old man has it he’s going to South Carolina with it this fall.  So he and I will sight it in at camp in PA soon.  I probably wouldn’t even pull it out to use in NJ until after the PA rifle season(mid December)  but wanted to open my options to spend as much time in the woods as I could!  Good luck!