The latest from ADKHunter…

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

More Snow: For the third time in the past week the Adirondack region is about to get another shot of November snow. There isn’t a hunter out there who doesn’t want snow to hunt on, but too much of a good thing is possible for the hunter spending a lot of time on foot. But, that’s the way it goes during the most unpredictable time of the year. Also, any snow we get is likely to stick around as there is not much of a warm-up in the long-range forecast.

Bucks continue to fall around the region but many hunters remain frustrated with scattered food sources. Ferns, briar patches and anywhere deer can browse seem to be the go-to spots. Find what they’re eating and you’ve found deer. And with the rut in progress you’ll likely find some bucks. We’ve found more rubs over the past week then we have thus far in the season and we also found a few scrapes on top of the snow. Hopefully there’ll be more of that in the fresh snow, which certainly gets the hunter excited.

Meanwhile, the Southern Zone opener is Saturday, Nov 17 and many hunters “head south” leaving the Adirondack woods a little quieter for the rest of us. Be safe out there and hopefully the snow helps, more than hinders, your hunting efforts.

-Dan’l 

PS: If you are out there or hunting , and having some luck, please send us a photo of your luck, big or small. We know how easy it is to post photos on Facebook. Here on ADKHunter they remain on display indefinitely and are easy to access. We also like hearing reports of your trips into the woods; what your seeing and what your not, in terms of sign, deer, feed, etc… As for our own Facebook page? We like to use that for news, articles on hunting tactics, and hope you’ll drop in there too. 

Also:

•ADKHunter’s Facebook page.
•Buck’s Blog in NY Outdoor News
•DEC’s Summary of 2018-19 Hunting Seasons

Latest Hunting Photos

Read on for previous 2018 hunting reports… Continue reading →

Goin’ South? Southern Zone Big Game Season Opens Nov. 17

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

With the start of New York’s most popular big game seasons just days away, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos is encouraging hunters to be safe, have fun, enjoy the environment, and consider passing-up shots on young bucks. The regular firearms seasons for deer and bear begin Nov. 17.

The 2018 regular deer and bear hunting seasons in New York’s Southern Zone begin at sunrise on Saturday, Nov. 17, and continue through Sunday, Dec. 9.  The Southern Zone regular season is New York’s most popular hunting season, with an estimated 85 percent of New York’s nearly 600,000 licensed hunters participating. This season accounts for nearly 60 percent of the total statewide deer harvest and 30 to 60 percent of the statewide bear harvest. 

Following the regular deer and bear seasons in the Southern Zone, late bowhunting and muzzleloading seasons run from Dec. 10 through Dec. 18.  Hunters taking part in these special seasons must possess a hunting license and either bowhunting or muzzleloading privileges. 

In the Northern Zone, the regular deer and bear hunting season opened Oct. 20 and will close at sunset on Dec. 2. The Northern Zone includes the Adirondacks, Tug Hill Plateau, Eastern Lake Ontario Plain, and the Champlain and St. Lawrence valleys.  A late bowhunting and muzzleloading season for deer will be open in portions of the Northern Zone from Dec. 3 to Dec. 9.

Already this year, hunters are reporting solid success.  Hunters have reported more deer and bear taken in the Northern Zone and similar numbers of deer and bear taken in the Southern Zone compared to this time in 2017. Continue reading →

DEC Seeking Input on Blue Ridge Wilderness UMP Connector Trail

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

 The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public input regarding a proposal in an amendment to the Blue Ridge Wilderness Unit Management Plan (UMP) to develop a multi-use community connector trail along State Route 28 in Hamilton County, DEC Director Bob Stegemann announced today.

“The proposed trail will connect the communities of Indian Lake, Inlet, Raquette Lake, and Long Lake as part of Adirondack Community Connector Trail System,” said Director Stegemann. “DEC’s goal is to protect natural resources, provide outdoor recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, and ensure the Forest Preserve is an asset to the communities and a benefit to local economies.” 

The proposed trail extends the Seventh Lake Mountain Trail to Sargent Ponds Multiple-Use Trail and will be maintained as a Class II Community Connector Snowmobile Trail. Establishing a land-based community trail link between Indian Lake and Long Lake was included as community connection goal in the 2006 Snowmobile Plan for the Adirondack Park and the 2011 Moose River Plains Wild Forest Unit Management Plan. DEC is working to relocate designated snowmobile trails away from water bodies for safety reasons.

A public meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2018, at the Raquette Lake Union Free School District, 115 Route 28, Raquette Lake, NY. The meeting facility is wheelchair accessible. Please provide requests for specific accommodations to 518-623-1275 at least one week in advance. Continue reading →

DEC Seeking Public Input for Hammond Pond Wild Forest UMP Ammendment

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public input to improve recreational opportunities and natural resource protections in the Hammond Pond Wild Forest Management Unit, Regional Director Bob Stegemann announced. 

A public meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Nov. 13, at the North Hudson Town Hall, 3024 US Route 9, approximately one mile from Exit 29 of the Northway (I-87). The meeting will provide the public with an opportunity to provide input on future recreational uses, as well as present and future issues. The meeting facility is wheelchair accessible. Please provide any requests for specific accommodations to 518-623-1275 at least one week in advance.

DEC completed a Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Hammond Pond Wild Forest in 1988. There have been two amendments since then – the 1993 Bicycle Trail Amendment and the 2016 State Route 73/9N Viewing Area Amendment. The 2018 draft UMP has been wholly revised to protect the unit’s spectacular natural resources and enhance public recreational access.

Management proposals in this draft include:

  • Create high quality, universally accessible parking, camping and trail recreation opportunities.
  • Provide equestrian trails that are complimentary to the equestrian camping facilities at the Frontier Town Campground & Day Use Area.
  • Contribute to the completion of the 4,600-mile North Country National Scenic Trail by providing a route connection across the Hammond Pond Wild Forest.  
  • Designate existing community connector snowmobile trails in UMP for continued use.
  • Construct and designate tent sites, and construct one new lean-to.
  • Strategically connect and extend linear trails to create loops and interesting longer distance opportunities

Located in the eastern region of the Adirondacks, the Hammond Pond Wild Forest consists of 45,500 acres of Adirondack Forest Preserve lands in more than 50 parcels between Lake Champlain in the east, State Route 74 in the south, the Northway in the west, and State Route 9N in the north. Some parcels are located between the Northway and US Route 9, and around the communities of Keene and Keene Valley.

Natural water features in the Hammond Pond Wild Forest include portions of the Schroon River, Black Brook, Crowfoot Brook, Split Rock Falls, Hammond Pond, and Moose Mountain Pond. The larger peaks include Bloody Mountain, Peaked Hill, Harris Hill, and Baxter Mountain. Current recreational opportunities include hiking, paddling, boating, fishing, primitive camping, a historic fire tower, hunting, trapping, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and wildlife viewing.

Public comments will be accepted until December 7, 2018. Public comment can be provided at the meeting or directly to Forester Corrie Magee by mail or email: NYSDEC, 232 Golf Course Rd, Warrensburg, NY 12885 or R5.ump@dec.ny.gov.

Oct. 25 Start of Furbearer Trapping and Hunting Seasons

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced  that furbearer trapping and hunting seasons begin soon in many parts of New York State. Trappers should note special permit requirements for fisher and marten trapping seasons.

“Hunting, angling and trapping are proud traditions in New York that contribute greatly to the State economy, and I’m excited to once again announce the opening of furbearer hunting and trapping seasons,” Commissioner Seggos said. “New York’s trappers play an important role in our wildlife conservation and management efforts by providing important data to DEC’s expert wildlife biologists, especially for fisher and marten management. I encourage all trappers to report their fisher and marten, and provide required samples to help us improve our wildlife management efforts.”

Fisher and marten are medium-sized members of the weasel family, which also includes weasels, ermine, mink, and river otters. While fisher have been expanding their range throughout New York State in recent decades, New York’s marten are restricted to the Adirondacks.

Coyote hunting season began Oct. 1 across much of the state, and hunting seasons for other furbearers such as bobcat, raccoon, and fox begin on Oct. 25. Season dates and zone boundaries for all furbearers can be found on DEC’s website and in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide.

 Trappers are reminded of changes to trapping regulations for fisher that began in 2016, including the requirement of a special permit, and expanded opportunities for fisher in select Wildlife Management Units in central and western New York. All fisher and marten trappers must obtain a special, free permit from their regional wildlife office, submit a trapping activity log, and submit the skull or jaw from harvested fishers and martens. Continue reading →

Goin’ South? DMPs are still available

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today that remaining Deer Management Permits (DMPs) will be available to hunters in several Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) beginning Nov. 1.

  DMPs allow hunters to harvest extra antlerless deer and are issued for specific WMUs to control deer populations. In some WMUs, all applicants received permits during the initial application process and the DMP target was not reached. In these units, DEC will reopen the DMP application process on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunters may apply for up to two additional DMPs in these WMUs at any DEC license sales outlet on Nov. 1.

Leftover DMPs are not available by phone, mail, or internet. Applications must be made at license issuing outlets. Applicants that previously paid the $10 DMP application fee during the initial application period, or who are exempt from the application fee, will not be charged for this additional application. Hunters that did not previously apply for a deer management permit are required to pay the $10 application fee.

 Applications for leftover DMPs will be accepted for the following WMUs: 1C, 3M, 3R, 3S (bowhunting-only), 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8A, 8C (bowhunting-only), 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 9A, 9F, and 9G.

Additionally, Bonus DMPs are available for hunters who successfully take an antlerless deer in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J, or 8C.

  For WMU locations, refer to the 2018-19 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide or visit DEC’s website.

During this extended application period, DEC will issue DMPs for an individual WMU until the target quota is achieved. The status of permits will be reviewed each night, and as individual units are filled they will be removed from the list of those available effective the following day. A list of units with available leftover DMPs will routinely be updated on DEC’s website or via the DMP Hotline at 1-866-472-4332. Continue reading →

DEC: Essex Chain Bridge Improvements

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the completion of three new bridges in the Essex Chain Lakes Complex in the towns of Newcomb and Minerva, Essex County. The bridges provide safer public motor vehicle access to the Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area and sections of the Blue Mountain Wild Forest, and are accessible from the end of mud season to first snowfall.

“The Essex Chain Lakes Complex is a popular destination for paddlers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts,” said Commissioner Seggos. “Part of Governor Cuomo’s statewide Adventure NY initiative to connect New Yorkers with nature, the installation of these bridges provides a safer, more accessible experience for visitors while improving habitat for aquatic wildlife.” 

The three bridges, Woody’s Road Bridge, Cornell Road #1 Crossing, and Deer Pond Road Bridge, replace structures originally built by Finch, Pruyn and Company Inc. prior to New York State’s fee and easement acquisition of the former Finch Lands. These new bridges were designed to modern New York State Department of Transportation standards that make the new structures safer for public passenger vehicle traffic and can accommodate use by heavy trucks and equipment associated with timber harvesting and sustainable forest management on nearby conservation easement lands. The total cost for the bridges was approximately $500,000, supported by the Environmental Project Fund.

The design of each new bridge incorporates a natural hydraulic opening that will return the stream channels below to an improved flow condition. The channels had previously been narrowed by abutments from the original bridge construction. Restoring the streams to the natural flow provides environmental benefits in flood plain management, as well as enhanced habitat and connectivity for aquatic wildlife.

The 19,600-acre Essex Chain Lakes Complex is comprised of the lands and waters of the Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area, the Pine Lake Primitive Area, and the recently classified portions of the Blue Mountain Wild Forest. Located in the central Adirondacks, the complex contains the eight lakes of the Essex Chain and several other ponds and lakes. The Hudson River forms its eastern boundary, making it a paddler’s paradise.

Under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Adventure NY Initiative, DEC is making strategic investments to expand access to healthy, active outdoor recreation, connect more New Yorkers and visitors to nature and the outdoors, protect natural resources, and boost local economies. This initiative will support the completion of more than 75 projects over the next three years, ranging from improvements to youth camps and environmental education centers to new boat launches, duck blinds, and hiking trails. Read more about the Adventure NY initiative.

DEC manages 4.6 million acres of public lands, including three million acres in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve, 52 campgrounds, 5 day-use areas, more than 5,000 miles of formal trails, and hundreds of trailheads, boat launches, and fishing piers. Plan your next outdoor adventure at DEC’s website.

 

Watch out for moose!

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

Motorists should be alert for moose on roadways in the Adirondacks and surrounding areas at this time of year during peak moose activity, advises the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Early fall is the breeding season for moose in northern New York. During this time moose are wandering looking for mates, leading them to areas where they are not typically seen. While this improves the opportunities for people to enjoy sighting of a moose, it also increases the danger of colliding with one on the roadway.

Moose are much larger and taller than deer. Their large body causes greater damage, and, when struck, their height often causes them to impact the windshield of a car or pickup truck, not just the front of the vehicle. This past weekend three moose-vehicle accidents were reported resulting in the death of the moose in each collision. New York has no recorded human fatalities resulting from an accident with a moose.

Moose are most active at dawn and dusk, which are times of poor visibility. Moose are especially difficult to see at night because of their dark brown to black coloring and their height – which puts their head and much of their body above vehicle headlights.

DEC advises motorists to take the following precautions to prevent moose vehicle collisions:

  • Use extreme caution when driving at dawn or dusk, especially during September and October;
  • Reduce your speed, stay alert, and watch the roadsides;
  • Slow down when approaching moose standing near the roadside, as they may bolt at the last minute when a car comes closer, often running into the road;
  • Moose may travel in pairs or small groups, so if a moose is spotted crossing the road, be alert for others that may follow;
  • Make sure all vehicle occupants wear seatbelts and children are properly restrained in child safety seats;
  • Use flashers or a headlight signal to warn other drivers when moose are spotted near the road;
  • Motorcyclists should be especially alert for moose;
  • If a moose does run in front of your vehicle, brake firmly but do not swerve.
  • Swerving can cause a vehicle-vehicle collision or cause the vehicle to hit a fixed object such as a tree or pole; and
  • If a moose is hit and killed by a vehicle, the motorist should not remove the animal unless a permit is obtained from the investigating officer at the scene of the accident.

 

Hunters, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to enjoy wildlife from a distance. Do not approach wildlife, particularly species like bear or moose that could be aggressive toward humans or protective of their young.

More information about moose can be found on the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6964.html. 

Support the Venison Donation Coalition!

ADKHunter.com Posted on by

www.venisondonation.org

With hunting season fast approaching, the Venison Donation Coalition wants to remind hunters of how easy it is to give back. Since its inception in 1999, the Venison Donation Coalition has coordinated the processing and distribution of over 1 million pounds of venison to Food Banks across New York State. . Coordinator Greg Fuerst explains “The Venison Donation program has grown from one county the first year to cover the entire state and has provided more than 4 million servings of venison to hungry New Yorkers through food pantries, soup kitchens, and other food programs. We are grateful for our partnerships with the New York Farm Bureau, the Food Bank Association of NYS, NYSDEC, and processors across the state. But we couldn’t do it without the support of the sportsmen and women who donate their field dressed deer.”

Natasha Thompson, Chair of the Food Bank Association of NYS states, “The Venison Donation Coalition has been a tremendous partner in our efforts to build and sustain hunger free communities across the state. Venison is a local, organic, and sustainable source of healthy protein that our recipients enjoy.” The Venison Donation Coalition relies heavily on state grants and individual donations through the D.E.C.A.L.S. program at any license issuing agent. If every person who purchases a hunting license would donate $1 per year to the Venison Donation Coalition, it would insure the continuance of the program. As you are aware, grants can be cut or eliminated any time.

In addition to the D.E.C.A.L.S. program, donations can be made through the Venison Donation Coalition’s website at www.venisondonation.org or sent by mail to their office at Venison Donation Coalition, Inc., 3 Pulteney Square, Bath, NY 14810.

The Venison Donation Coalition, Inc. is a non-profit organization that coordinates and funds the efforts of venison processing to feed the hungry throughout New York State. For more information, please call 1-866-862-3337.