ESPN Hunting

NORWICH, N.Y. — In a game unit blessed with an "abundance" of public hunting land, Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area in Chenango County, N.Y., offers deer and bird hunters a great mix of ground. Its 4,625 acres of rolling hills are covered with a diverse mix of forests and fields.

"The Pharsalia WMA is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg," quips Bob McNitt, a former outdoor editor, as well as resident outdoor expert of Norwich.

"I'd recommend anyone new to the area stop at the NYSDEC Lands and Forest Office at the Rogers Center in Sherburne, on NYS Route 80, just east of the village, to pick up some of their excellent public land maps and brochures."

Lay of the land

The USGS Norwich Quadrangle, Pharsalia is almost boring. There is generally an elevation change of less than 50 feet from border to border, and it's cut with a system of town and maintenance roads.

These roads make it relatively easy hunting — be it for deer, turkey or grouse — and with farms surrounding most of the area, there is easy food for the birds and animals that call this area home.

Beech, maple, aspen, cherry, birch, hemlock and other trees cover the majority of the rolling hills. There is continual forest management as well as mowing to maintain habitats for game and non-game species.

Deer are the most popular game, followed by wild turkey and grouse. In the 1970s, local- and national-level grouse trials were held on the property each fall.

Shotgun or rifle

Chenango County is now open to the use of rifles as an optional firearm for hunting deer.

It was a part of the legislative package signed by Gov. George Pataki, which opened a number of counties along the southern tier and in the Adirondack foothills, in which sportsmen may elect to use a rifle for deer and bear in their respective seasons.

"I don't really see a big difference," said full-time guide Vern Wallace of Chenango Guide Service (607-967-8340).

"Safety is not a big deal. If they are careless hunters, it doesn't matter if it is a rifle or a shotgun."

Rifles may actually help hunters take more coyotes, suggests Wallace, who blames these predators for the drop in deer numbers.

Pharsalia is in the middle of WMU 7M, and this season there are no deer management permits for the area. DEC said that the WMU contains nearly 1,660 square miles and "includes an abundance of public lands."

At a glance

Fishing and Hunting News What: Deer hunting in Chenango County, N.Y. Where: Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area — 4,625 acres of nearly level public land. The WMA is located 9 miles northwest of Norwich in the middle of Chenango County. The area is covered on the Norwich Quadrangle of the USGS topographic maps. Season: Archery deer hunting opens Oct. 15; regular season opens Nov. 19. History: Pharsalia was the first state game refuge, purchased in 1926 with Conservation Fund dollars. Services/info: Chenango County Chamber of Commerce 877-CHENANGO Mayhoods Sporting Goods 607-334-2001 Norwich Guide service: Vern Wallace (607-967-8569).

Buck harvests

Chenango County, like the rest of the state, experienced a decline in overall deer and buck take in the past two seasons, dropping from 3.9 bucks per square mile of deer range in 2003 to 2.5 bucks per square mile in 2004.

The buck numbers were 1,594 and 1,038, respectively. According to DEC, the buck take objective for the county is 3.5 per square mile.

Getting there

Pharsalia is 9 miles northeast of Norwich.

Pidgeon Hill Road cuts the eastern portion, connecting with Mud Lane Road, which runs across the northern part, and then turns south to Johnson Street, which runs east and west across the interior of the area.

NY 23 runs along the southern border and has numerous connecting roads running north into the interior, including Benedict Hill, Elmer Jackson and Leslie Jackson roads.

To get here from the north, take I-81 to Cortland. Pick up Route 41 to Route 26 to Route 23, which enters the game management area from the west and then runs along the southern border.

From the south, Exit I-86 at Binghamton and take Route 12 to Norwich, from Norwich, take Route 23 west to the hunting grounds.

Services, etc.

Hunters can find services in Norwich. Contact the Chenango County Chamber of Commerce (877-CHENANGO).

Guns, ammo and other gear are available at Mayhoods Sporting Goods (607-334-2001), just south of Norwich on Route 12.

Primitive-style camping is by permit only on a first-come, first-served basis.

Permits are distributed by the Region 7 wildlife manager's office in Cortland (607-753-3095, ext. 247).

Material from Fishing & Hunting News
published 24 times a year.
Visit them at www.fishingandhuntingnews.com.