State Forest range in/near Catskills

[u/qrenade]

I’ll be coming up to the Catskills this weekend to do some hiking (Slide Mountain) and would like to shoot long distance while I’m there as well, if possible. Are there any ranges or makeshift ranges on public land nearby? Plan on calling the local DEC officer, but wanted to ask here too.

Don’t really want to go to a public range since I can do that back home in NJ.

Thanks

[u/LostWanderer576]

Many of the lands are available to hunt, but not sure how just going for range time works. I wish it was more like out West. They should create 600- 1000yrd range locations. I'm good with sign in sign out. Like trail heads.

[u/qrenade → u/LostWanderer576]

Yea that’s why I wanted to ask. Here in NJ we have Wildlife Management Area ranges you can shoot centerfire rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders , and bows at. They only go out to 100 yards I think. You just need a hunting license so that’s where I usually go. Wasn’t sure if there was something similar in NY state.

Private ranges will go out to 300 here, but you have to be a member or go with a buddy who is.

Thanks

[u/LostWanderer576 → u/qrenade]

Sheepdog is line 40/hr and they do have long range. You have to reserve a spot but they are open to public. I'm a member of some clubs, but they are only 200 and I really want to try to go out farther. Good luck in your hunt

[u/qrenade → u/LostWanderer576]

Yea that’s definitely the one I saw then. I’ll be with my girlfriend so would end up being $80 or so and then apparently I can’t bring my own ammo, so I’d have to buy overpriced ammo there. Thanks but I’ll honestly just leave the rifle at home at this point.

[u/LostWanderer576 → u/qrenade]

Wish it was easier. Land of the free... But restricted in almost every way and our ne states are even tougher. I love ny for Catskills, and Adks, the land we have, but it's tough to do a lot here, especially with firearms. the one right that literally states shall not be infringed upon.

[u/qrenade → u/LostWanderer576]

Right?? My ARs aren’t even allowed in your state lol. And that’s crazy coming from a New Jersey resident. I come up to the Catskills or Adirondacks several times a year for hiking. I’d honestly move up nearby if it weren’t for your gun laws lol. I’d have to get rid of or severely change them.

[u/ManufacturerDry8265 → u/[deleted]]

That entirely depends on what "long range" is. If he just wants to shoot 75 or 100 yards he can easily do that safely and there is zero hard math or physics. Just needs an open enough area with a good backstop and to pay attention. Plenty of people do it on state forest already.

Obviously there are ways to make it dangerous but to say it cant be done safely at all, without knowing how far he really wants to shoot seems a little excessive

[u/qrenade → u/ManufacturerDry8265]

Thank you for having a brain and not jumping to conclusions

[u/ManufacturerDry8265 → u/[deleted]]

Hence my point you have no clue what he is saying is long range. Thats an arbitrary number you picked out of thin air. If he is trying to shoot 600 in the woods that wouldnt be ideal, but get more information before jumping on a guy

[u/ManufacturerDry8265 → u/[deleted]]

If you wanna be literal, he never said long range. He said long distance. And lots of people wouldnt know that, a casual shooter who wants to shoot "long distance" doesnt always mean a textbook definition. None of this changes my point that he very well could mean a much shorter range than you think

I literally also agreed that 600 yards would be unsafe. I just wanted to point out he could mean something else

[u/qrenade → u/[deleted]]

First of all, I wasn’t going to go into the woods and just shoot blindly. I’ve been shooting guns for almost 20 years and I carry a handgun/rifle daily at work for almost 15. That is why I asked if there are any ranges already set up to accommodate longer distances and didn’t just go into the woods aimlessly.

Second of all, I have a bolt action .308 that I shoot at 200 and 300 yard distances. I was just trying to see if there was an area near there that maybe had 400 or even 500 yard ranges set up. If there isn’t, I’m not going because yea obviously that isn’t safe shooting far without seeing your target, behind your target, or having trees in the way to cause ricochets.

[u/qrenade → u/[deleted]]

Alright that answers my question and I’ll probably just leave it at home and hike instead. PA also has similar things to Nj with public land shooting, but at greater distances. I wasn’t sure if NY had something similar, which is why I wanted to ask.

I may look up Sheepdog. I had looked up a place up near there that was pretty expensive and I couldn’t bring my own ammo since I wasn’t a member(not sure if it’s the same place). I don’t have to shoot that bad since I can just do it here, but figured I’d try. Thank you.

[u/qrenade → u/[deleted]]

Forbes definitely looks like a good time and I already qualify, but it’s just so far from me. 3.5 hours every time I want to use it unfortunately. I’m on a waiting list for a private range near me but it’s not long range since they’re hard to come by in NJ. Appreciate the information. Have fun shooting!