New York public land oaks

[Ognennyy]

Has anyone ever seen any? To my knowledge they're like unicorns. All the state forests I've hunted here were logged at some point in the last 20 years. Apparently NY doesn't require loggers to manage reforesting areas they logged, and does not handle it themselves. There's a disproportionately high quantity of beeches on all public land here. I hear they're aggressive growers and if not managed, will choke out any oaks and basically take over.

I'm not asking anyone to disclose locations, since obviously such locations would be gems. But just curious if there are oaks anywhere on public land here.

What have you guys observed?

[Mathewshooter]

The public land I hunt has a ton of them. So many that its actually impossible to hunt the oaks because they're everywhere. I have also found some in Bear Swamp State Forest. Theres not as many there, so it might be possible to actually hunt them as a destination food source there.

[Mschmeiske]

I've got public 20 minutes from me with an area of oaks that produce.

[Fresh Track]

They are hard to find, usually when I do find them their in areas that were difficult to get logging equipment in, either steep hill sides or wet areas. Theres quite a few in southern Onondaga and Northern Cortland county public areas, but all the ones I have seen are Red Oaks, I never can find the Whites.

[Grasshopper]

I mainly hunt stueben county when I hunt ny some areas do have a lot of beech and quaking aspen. I have been able to find red, black, chestnut and white oaks at every public spot I've hunted, but it's not as thick with them as pa public is. Honestly I am happy to see some variation. When there are less of them it's more

[tbunao]

Several of the pieces I hunt are loaded. I find a lot of them post season, seems a few clusters of leaves like to hang on along with the tree it's self is exposed. Also looking at the leaves on the ground let you know.

[Ognennyy]

I mainly hunt stueben county when I hunt ny some areas do have a lot of beech and quaking aspen. I have been able to find red, black, chestnut and white oaks at every public spot I've hunted, but it's not as thick with them as pa public is. Honestly I am happy to see some variation. When there are less of them it's more

Don't get me wrong I like to see variety too. Afterall, a forest full of nothing but oaks is not only bad for deer hunting, it's bad for the deer population in general. I'd just like to see one or two in the areas I hunt. Apparently I need to head East some, but man some of the areas you guys mentioned are a bit of a hike to find oaks. I'll take a look around here in the more wet areas, and on the steep ridges, as suggested above.

Thanks guys.