Hunting in St. Lawrence County
As the number of dairy farms continue to decline, marginal agricultural land is reverting back to nature, creating excellent habitat for wildlife. Today St. Lawrence County provides better conditions for some wildlife than at any other time. The combination of existing farmland adjacent to wild areas has produced a population explosion of deer and turkey. Partridge, rabbit, and other small game are also plentiful.
Turkeys were introduced to the area about 20 years ago and have thrived near the remaining farms. The northern half of the county where farming still dominates the landscape provides the best turkey areas. It is not unusual to see flocks numbering over 40 birds foraging in the fields where manure is spread.
The same conditions that favored the turkeys has also proven beneficial to deer. In fact deer and turkey are often seen foraging in the same fields together. Eight point bucks are commonly taken today.
There is plenty of public land to hunt but the best areas are private. Farmland that is adjacent to cedar woods is some of the most productive deer habitat. Competition for permission to hunt these areas is increasing. Area residents have the advantage obtaining hunting access but visitors to the area should have no problem.
The deer population is estimated at nearly one million in New York State.
Hunting licenses can be obtained from town clerks, or on the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/license/decalsproc.html)
