Columbus Day Weekend also marked the New York State Youth Big Game Firearm Season (for deer only) and the kids – hunting with certified adult mentors – did very well. Reports from Erie County, Chautauqua County and Wyoming County youth have been impressive. In nearby Wyoming County, 15-year-old Wyatt Brauen used a 300 win-mag rifle to hunt with his experienced hunter dad, Jake Brauen. Just before sunset last week Monday, Wyatt downed his first buck, a massive 12-pointer that green scored 159. The youngster attends school in Attica.
Using a 300 win-mag rifle to hunt with his experienced hunter dad, Jake Brauen, 15-year-old Wyatt Brauen took home a massive 12-point buck in nearby Wyoming County.
For hunters across Southwest New York, knowing where you stand – and where you can legally hunt – is every bit as important as knowing when the deer are moving. A smartphone app called onX Hunt offers a useful way to put that information right in your pocket. I met Jack Flatley this week at the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Conference, a young outdoorsman who helped to explain a new software program application for a cellphone or laptop that we hunters can use wherever we hunt. I found his help and this program to be priceless.
Available for both Apple and Android phones, onX Hunt combines detailed mapping with property boundaries, land ownership information, public-land access, trails and a variety of tools designed with hunters in mind. I like that you don’t have to ask, “I wonder who owns that land right next to the state forest?”
One of its biggest advantages is the ability to identify public lands, including state forests and other public properties, while viewing private parcel boundaries and providing public domain ownership information. For local hunters exploring unfamiliar ground, this can help identify potential hunting locations, understand property lines and determine where permission may be needed. Maps also display Wildlife Management Units, making it easier to identify the unit you’re hunting in and review relevant regulations, including who to ask for landowner permission.
The app offers several map views, including topographic and 3D maps, so hunters can better understand hills, valleys, terrain and access routes. You can mark promising locations with custom waypoints, measure distances, calculate acreage, and record your route and elevation profile. Live tracking and location-sharing features can also help hunting partners stay connected in the woods.
Perhaps one of the most valuable features is offline mapping. Users can download detailed maps before leaving home and access them in areas without cell service. In rural country, that can be a real advantage. Just remember that GPS location and downloaded maps do not replace a compass, a backup navigation plan or basic outdoor safety practices.
New software from onX Hunt allows users to navigate private and public land boundaries, 3D satellite and topographic base maps, offline maps, and hunt-specific layers such as woodland tree types, public access areas, complete with landowner tax-payer name identification.
Weather is another important consideration. The onX Hunt app includes forecasts and hunting-related weather information, including wind and barometric pressure data for specific pinpoint locations. These details can help hunters evaluate conditions and plan which stand is best for the day. As with any forecast, local conditions can change, but this program sorts out the riffles before heading out.
Wondering when the deer rut will start in 2026? One easy answer is that it will land when it happens because the whitetail rut is engineered around daylight, weather factors, moon phase and overall herd health. Together, these things influence when and how heavily deer are on the move during peak times. The core peak breeding window in each locale, however, is something you can plan around right now, weeks before the first cold front with this software. The map information layers available are impressive.
The subscription cost is another attraction. At the advertised price of $35 annually for New York State coverage, it is an affordable tool for hunters who regularly explore new properties or want a better understanding of the land around them. Subscription prices, included features, and renewal terms should be confirmed before signing up. For all 50 states, the cost is $100 per year, worth it if you’re heading west for elk or antelope. For either subscription, there is onX SOS that connects you to the 24/7 professional rescue team at Overwatch x Rescue (OxR) who coordinate emergency support and cover rescue and evacuation costs. No claims process. No surprise bills. Just help when you need it most, from a real person on the other end. Imagine needing an emergency helicopter transfer from your hunting zone and receiving a $50,000 bill?
No app replaces good judgment, permission from landowners, or a thorough understanding of hunting regulations. Remember too that property records can also contain errors or lag behind recent ownership changes, so boundaries and access rights deserve careful verification. Go ask permission face to face and smile. Knowing the land is the first step toward a more enjoyable and responsible day afield.
Mike Schoonveld (left) and Tom Berg fished with charter Captain Daryl Glasner last weekend to find 85 fat yellow perch and a few walleyes in 50m feet of water using minnows for bait near Sunset Bay.
With the seasonal changes in progress, many hunters are moving to the woods, but on calm days, the Lake Erie anglers are still dropping lines. Off Sunset Bay, my state of Indiana friends visited Lake Erie near Sunset Bay to fish for walleye and yellow perch with CEO Guide Service with Captain Daryl Glasner (716-462-8632). They took home walleyes and 85 plump yellow perch as freezer fillers. The yellow perch were caught on live and frozen minnows – they said it didn’t matter – moving around a few times to find the fish in about 50 feet of water using 2-hook bottom rigs.
On the upper Niagara River, I dropped lines with Captain Conner Cinelli and Cinelli’s Fishing Adventures (716-870-8143) to cash in on the renowned autumn fall smallmouth bass fishery that occurs here every year. We drift fished through several Grand Island drifts with live golden shiners set up in a 3-way rig pattern using a 6-inch dropper to the sinker and a 4-foot leader to the size 8 hook and the lip-hooked shiner. We caught bass to 5-pounds, but most were two to three pounds. Despite the cold mornings and bitter northwest and east winds, some of these bass were jumping out of the water and testing our drag settings with 10-pound Berkley XT monofilament line. Nothing fancy, but like so many things in life, catching fish consistently is always about location, location, location.
Gotta love the outdoors.
Outdoor Calendar
Oct. 17-30 – Fall turkey hunting season, 1 bird either sex allowed, sunrise to sunset. See dec.ny.gov for zones.
Oct. 27 – Children in the Stream Youth Fly Fishing/4H Program, Fly tying/fly fishing classes, 7-8:30 p.m., free, Costello Room, Rockefeller Art Center at SUNY Fredonia, For info: email Alberto@albertorey.com.
Nov. 3 – Children in the Stream Youth Fly Fishing /4H Program, Fly tying/fly fishing classes, 7-8:30 p.m., free, Costello Room, Rockefeller Art Center at SUNY Fredonia, For info: email Alberto@albertorey.com.
Nov. 4 – Fly Tying Class, 6-8 p.m., free, Falconer Rod & Gun Club, 329 Falconer St., Jamestown; info: 716-467-0782.
Join our free newsletter mailing list below!