Your Guide
Gary Stefani is a NY licensed outdoor guide, with a passion for ruffed grouse, woodcock, and conservation of the wild places where they live. His first grouse season was over 45 years ago and he’s been hooked ever since. He grew up in eastern MA hunting grouse (called partridge in that part of New England) and wild bobwhite quail. After graduating college, he moved to NY where he has hunted grouse and woodcock for the last few decades. He lives in rural upstate NY with his wife and 3 English setter grouse dogs. He is a member of numerous conservation organizations. He is a Board Member of the NY Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and an active member of The Ruffed Grouse Society. He is a part time gun dog trainer for a local breeder of English setters. All these experiences have prepared him to help you get started in upland hunting or to enjoy your passion as an experienced hunter.
Guided Hunts
We will team a maximum of 2 hunters with a guide and one of our English Setter grouse dogs. Our dogs are well conditioned and experienced on grouse and woodcock. Morning hunts are from 8 or 9 AM until noon. We provide an in-the-field hot lunch. In the afternoon we will hunt with a fresh dog in a new cover, wrapping up at around 4:30 pm. You provide lodging and your own gun and shells. We love to introduce new/beginner upland hunters, and we are happy to take experienced hunters, and you may hunt over your own dogs or ours.
What you Provide:
-
You must have a NY Hunting license and a HIP Number (HIP number is free but is required for woodcock hunting).
-
Your own gun and shells.
-
You provide your own lodging and food (except for lunch on hunting days - we provide that). When you book your hunt, we will suggest villages in the region for your lodging.
Where We Hunt
We hunt in upstate New York, in the Catskills and Northern Adirondacks. You can choose one region or the other based on your travel preferences and schedule availability. Our covers include the spectrum of cover types, from abandoned farmland to second growth forest along old logging roads. When you book your hunt, we will suggest villages in the region for your to reserve your lodging. We will meet up with you in the morning and will drive from 15 minutes to an hour to the hunting grounds.