Hunting Adventure at Stewart Forest NY (Why not to hunt public land)

[Firemandivi]

I have been scouting and doing some hunting at Stewart Forest NY this year.  No luck yet but still really enjoying being in the woods where I spend so much time mountain biking.  Went out there this morning to a spot I've previously scouted and saw some nice rubs.  I was in parking spot 8 to give you an idea here is the map
  http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/50745.html    

One of the bad very bad things about bow season in NY is its also bird season and people are out hunting pheasant and other birds in the same fields that us bow hunters are in , why that is such a bad idea well...keep reading please.

While walking in I spooked two deer not 40 yards from my car, thought it was a good sign.  Kept walking and came to a field, followed some very well worn deer trails through the weeds.  Got to the northern edge of the field and the trail got quite thin and the weeds where about eye level.  

Suddenly I heard a gun shot, a loud gun shot from way to close, I hear the pellets wiz past me and hit the leaves not 10ft behind me.  I could literally smell the gun powder.  I freeze and slowly turning my head to see what the heck happened and where this guy was.  A few minutes later I see him not 50 yards from me.  I don't move I just watch him.  He fires again but not in my direction and I don't see anything fly off, don't hear anything running away.  The guy is looking around like he lost something but can't find it.  I figure he is just shooting at any movement he sees.  He starts walking my way, I hold up my bow to show I'm there and he waves and walks away in the opposite direction of me.  

I high tale it out of there and go over a stone wall and down a hill figuring if he shoots my way again at least he won't hit me.  I wait a few minutes because well its my first and hopefully my last time being shot at.  My blood is pumping a mile a minute and I just stand there to calm down.  A few minutes go by and I figure its the last day of the season for me and I want to keep hunting so I turn and start up hill mind you this is still leading me away from where I last saw this guy.  Guess what, there he is again in front of my about 100 yards away.  I'm not going to push my luck anymore and walk as fast as possible to my car.  

I drove around Stewart trying to find the park ranger but couldn't find him/her.  I thought about where this idiot must be parked as there is no way a hunter should have been near me and I figure the guy must be parked at the Lorraine Road parking lot which while it is a parking lot its not one of the spots you can hunt from.  I drive past there and sure enough there is one van there.  I go in and take a photo of his license plate and the vin number.  I'm going to call NYSDEC tomorrow and tell them what happened and ask for a chain to be put across that parking lot during hunting season.  As for me I'm never going hunting there again.

Any advice on what I should do, what would you have done differently?  I figure I can report him but its my word against his and nothing will happen.  This all happened less than 2 hours ago.  Stewart has a lot of rules about where you can park, where you can hunt from and with what type of firearm etc.  The rules make sense but only if people follow them.  

Not the way I wanted to end my season but I'm beyond thankful that I wasn't shot and I got to go home to my family.  Have a safe season everyone.

[Sean B]

I know what your talking about!!   I used hunt birds there and one time I ran into a "Citiot" who was "pheasant" hunting. For one, he shouldn't have been in my area, for seconds he stopped to ask my what they looked like!!!  You're going to run into that stuff everywhere. All you can do is give his info to the DEC. Unfortunately all of our public land in NYS has to be shared with all. Hunters and non hunters alike.

If you only have public land available, look into hunting NYCs watershed property. PM me if you have any questions.

[reddogge]

If he was bird hunting he was probably shooting at flushing birds and if he hit one you wouldn't have seen anything flying. He was probably looking for a hit bird on the ground. If he busted a covey of quail they scatter but don't fly too far and he may have been hunting down the singles. Also bird hunters are swinging the gun at the flying bird and don't pay any attention to what's in their background and you were walking around in the field where they hunt.

Most bird and rabbit hunters wear blaze orange hats and vests to keep everyone aware of where they are. Most likely he didn't see you skulking through the field.

He may not be an idiot, just a bird hunter doing what bird hunters do and enjoying his day in the field.

[wingnut]

If you're out in the field and know that bird hunters are there you should be wearing hunter orange when moving around.  How did you expect him to see you in camo?

Sounds like he was hunting legally at the same time you were.  Nothing wrong with that.

Mike

[Firemandivi]

I get the whole bird thing.  I figure he was dong that just I didn't hear anything move or see anything fly, again I was 50yards away or so.  

As for being in the same field.  Stewart had some rules for hunting.  One is you park one car per spot through out the forest and a few on the roads.  The spots are numbered and labeled.  You hunt the same side of the road or trail that your car is on.  This keeps people from running into each other.  He was not parked in a hunting parking spot.  The field he was shooting from is the field associated with where I had parked my car.  There shouldn't have been any hunters in the area your hunting unless they came with you in your car.  These are rules for hunting at Stewart and its the only place that I know of that has these rules.  That's why I wasn't wearing any orange and why I was quite peeved to be shot at as he wasn't even suppose to be in that field.

one other thing, if he was swinging his gun at a bird I get that he is focused on the bird, thing is there was nothing flying anywhere near us.

[Thumper Dunker]

You are not 100% sure it was his car! Why would any one go out and hide when there's a chance of a another hunter walking up on you not knowing your there. He's saying some deer hunter messed up my bird hunting. You should of had orange all over you.

[J. Holden]

I can understand your frustration for sure.  You had an experience that would leave any of us shaken up.

I do think the incident needs to be reported.  However I would caution you from accusing the individual who was driving the vehicle you photographed.  You mentioned you're not 100% sure it was his.  I would maybe mention that you found a vehicle not parked in a designated spot and share your assumptions.  But accusing without knowing is just as bad as what he did in my opinion.

I would also suggest, as others have, that if you're walking into a hunting spot and there are other hunters potentially in your area, especially gun hunters, that an orange vest and/or hat is not a bad idea.  You can always take it off when you get settled.  This is a practice I have used in the past and there weren't even firearm hunters, just other bowhunters.

I'm glad to hear you're okay, kept your cool and I hope that there is some resolution from this.  One other thing, in my hunter safety class we were taught if another hunter is closing in on your position to call out, in a loud audible voice, to announce your position.  No animal is worth your life.

-Jeremy  

[Firemandivi]

I am going to buy some of the orange camo gear this winter and while I will report the incident to DEC I don't know if the car belonged to the hunter or not.  I just wish I could have found a ranger and have him find out if the car belonged to said hunter who shouldn't have been there in the first place.

I did think I was safe because according to the law in place for hunting at Stewart there shouldn't have been another hunter there.  But I will ask that they chain off that parking lot during hunting season as they do block off others.  I figure it can't hurt to make a recommendation.  Either way I'm going to stick to mountain biking only at Stewart.

Just two things to add, I didn't call out because it appeared he was shooting with little provocation and I didn't want another shot coming my way. Also when he did see me and walked away only to have him head in my direction not a few minutes later, still makes little sense to me.

[Pointer]

I know some guys who do well there with the bow but that's early season. Once the bird gunners are out you need blaze orange. Same deal where I've hunted for the past decade in Sterling Forest. It's much larger but I've had guys with bird dogs and shotguns move past me at 30 yards and not know I was there. Got tired of praying a pheasant wouldn't get up between us...wear orange after 11/1

[RedShaft]

The guy did what wrong?
He is hunting a game field. You was in it during bird season. Was you wearing orange? Is it required?

We are taught to never ever wave or make a motion when another hunter is close. Your asking to be shot. Your should yell hunter, hunter.

Sounds like your not used to hunting public lands?
This happends allot around here. I got bb"s rained on me this season myself. Happends kinda often.
You have to stay away from the game fields. ESP on weekends.
I see no reason to report it.. You was walking in high grass n obviously he didn't see you. He wasnt trying to shoot you I'm sure. I have had that stuff happen almost every year. This state is full of hunters n idiots on state land. Have to learn to avoid them.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I used to hunt birds there as well.  

Last year we bow hunted there and were covered up in people when there was no legal entry in the area we selected.

I do know however, there are some really good places in there if you put in the time where you are unlikely to see bird hunters.

My friend who is a member here was accidentally shot at there as well.  Wearing some orange there could save your life.

[Sam McMichael]

This sounds like a DNR failure. There is no reason these seasons need to overlap. That just increases the possibility of tragedy.

[Mint]

Wearing hunter orange might not have helped. I got shot at once wearing an orange vest and orange hat. I would have talked to the guy, not yell, but talked and found out where he was parked and explain the rules to him. He might not have known how you are suppose to hunt there.