To reach the two state forests, take Scott Road, Bonner Road or Scoville Road south from Route 9.

HIGH TOR WMA
Popular with hunters from the Buffalo and Rochester metro areas, High Tor offers a cluster of three tracts totaling 6,100 acres at the south end of Canandaigua Lake. The marsh property, with 1,700 acres bordered by routes 21 and 245, contains the meandering Naples Creek and is of little interest to grouse hunters. The real High Tor tract (meaning the high, rocky hill) is east of the village of Naples, with approximately 3,400 acres of typical Southern Tier grouse country. As elsewhere, management operations are aimed at maintaining a variety of habitat.

As the name implies, hunters can expect some rugged hiking here, but roads and trails provide good access into the property.

The third tract, known as South Hill, is essentially a steep 1,000-acre hillside overlooking the lake that nearly meets the marshy parcel of state land at the bottom. South Hill is largely wooded, but also has overgrown fields, which will harbor some birds at various times of the year. All of the High Tor tracts are on the outskirts of Naples, a popular stop on the Finger Lakes vineyard trail, which can be reached via scenic drives from any direction. Local roads from the village provide access, including Barrett Road, Donley Road and Shay Road, which have small parking lots at convenient locations.

ERWIN WMA
The Erwin Mountain State Forest is attached to the southern end of Erwin WMA, and the two parcels total 2,997 acres of public hunting lands west of Corning in Steuben County. Both properties are mainly covered with second-growth hardwoods and mature conifer plantings, although wildlife habitat improvement projects have created a more diversified environment on the WMA. Openings on the forest are dependent upon logging operations and occasional thinnings for timber stand improvements.

These properties are on the tops of two hills and a small valley, with the Cohocton River on the north, and Tioga River to the east. The terrain is typical of the Southern Tier, hilly and steep, although maintenance roads and trails make the going a little less difficult.

The Erwin properties are about five miles west of Corning off state Route 17. Take the Coopers Plains exit and Smith Hill Road to the north end of the WMA. Hunters arriving from the east should exit Route 15 at Gang Mills, turning onto Beartown Road for about 2 1/2 miles to a Y in the road and then bear right on Weaver Hollow Road, which enters the WMA and continues through the interior to hook up with Smith Hill Road.

Continuing on Beartown Road for about a half-mile beyond the Y, hunters will see the southern portion of the WMA on the left, and they will need to hike south through this parcel to reach the state forest.

HANGING BOG WMA
State wildlife biologists have been managing Hanging Bog WMA for public hunting and other outdoor recreational purposes since 1962, when the land was transferred to the DEC from the federal government. Additionally, Crab Hollow State Forest, with 1,154 acres, is attached to the west side of Hanging Bog, and Rush Creek State Forest adjoins the northeast corner, adding another 1,404 acres of land for a grand total of 7,129 acres at this location. Habitat improvements on Hanging Bog under state ownership have included conifer plantings, clear cutting and selective thinning of hardwoods, leasing crop fields to farmers, planting wildlife food and cover shrubs, and developing a small marsh and ponds.

Hunters can expect the usual hill-and-valley landscape of the Appalachian Plateau that extends across so much of New York. Hunting conditions are similar to those described above for Rattlesnake Hill.