The latest from ADKHunter…

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The Heart of Deer Season: You can tell things are happening in the deer woods right now simply by the amount of success stories you hear. That’s typical for mid-November and by all accounts the game of the rut is on. I spent most of last week in the woods where fresh rubs and scrapes were found both before and after Tuesday’s snow. Nearly every hunter I’ve talked to who took a buck in the past week said it was with a doe. My brother Bill, who is visiting from Arizona, killed a fine six-pointer on Saturday that had a doe pinned on a ledge and would not let her off. Bill was finishing a deer drive and snuck in on the pair for a shot, about 150 yards from where I was on watch (and it was MY birthday!).

For us Adirondack hunters there are four weekends down and three to go. The weather is looking pretty good from now through Thanksgiving. A little rain/snow here and there and mostly seasonal temperatures the rest of the way. We’ll see what happens, but if the forecast hold it could be some classic deer hunting weather. If you have some hunting time this week, all the power to you. Get out there and get it done while the getting is good.

Also:
•2019-20 Summary of Hunting Seasons
•ADKHunter’s Facebook page.
•Buck’s Blog in NY Outdoor News

 

2019 Hunting Season Photos

Continue to previous 2019 reports…

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Southern Zone opens Nov. 16

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The 2019-20 regular deer and bear hunting seasons in New York’s Southern Zone begin at sunrise on Saturday, November 16, and continue through Sunday, December 8. The Southern Zone regular season is New York’s most popular hunting season, with participation from about 85 percent of New York’s 550,000 licensed hunters. Harvest during this season accounts for nearly 60 percent of the total statewide deer harvest and 30-60 percent of the statewide bear harvest.

Following the regular deer and bear seasons in the Southern Zone, late bowhunting and muzzleloading seasons will run from Monday, December 9, through Tuesday, December 17. 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 Saturday, October 26 and will close at sunset on Sunday, December 8. 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 December 9 to 15. Continue reading →

Adirondack Backcountry Advisory Remains in Effect

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Posted Nov. 5, 2019
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) backcountry advisory remains in effect for the Adirondacks as DEC continues to assess storm-related damages that could affect the safety of trails. In addition, DEC is evaluating roads and other state facilities in the region that were damaged by flooding and other storm impacts. 

Many town, county, and state roads were impacted by the Oct. 31 storm. In addition, storm damage has made some bridges impassable and washed out roads and seasonal access roads. Many backcountry trails throughout the Adirondacks have infrastructure damage, including washed out bridges and downed trees, creating unsafe hiking conditions. The public is encouraged to contact local agencies and DEC before they visit to verify if roads are passable and trails are safe. Please report any backcountry damage to DEC’s Region 5 office by emailing R5.Info@dec.ny.gov.

For current trail conditions, visit DEC’s Adirondack Backcountry Information webpage

List of current conditions and closures:

Boreas Ponds Tract, Town of North Hudson

  • Gulf Brook Road is closed due to culvert damage and washout.

 

Crotched Pond, Indian Lake

  • Damage to roads and infrastructure.


Speculator Tree Farm and Perkins Clearing Conservation Easements

  • Damage to roads and infrastructure. Closed to the public until further notice.

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DEC ANNOUNCES FURBEARER TRAPPING AND HUNTING SEASONS

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

New York’s trappers play an important role in wildlife conservation and management efforts by providing important data to DEC’s expert wildlife biologists, especially for fisher and marten management. DEC encourages all trappers to report harvested fisher and marten, andto provide required samples to help the state improve 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 in recent decades, the state’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 began 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.

Trapping season dates vary by species and geography, with raccoon, fox, and bobcat opening on Oct. 25, and beaver opening on Nov. 1 in northern New York, Nov. 10 in eastern New York, and Nov. 25 in western New York. Trappers should check the regulations guide or the DEC website for opening dates in their area. Continue reading →

More DMPs available Nov. 1 at DEC License Sales Outlets

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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that remaining deer management permits (DMPs) in several wildlife management units (WMUs) will be available to hunters beginning Nov. 1.

DMPs, which allow hunters to harvest antlerless deer, 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 has not been reached. In these units, DEC will re-open 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 outletbeginning Nov. 1.

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

It’s Bat Week!

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In observance of Bat Week, an internationally recognized weeklong focus to raise awareness about the important role bats play in our environment, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today urged outdoor adventurers to avoid cave and mine sites that may serve as seasonal homes for hibernating bats. Human disturbance is especially harmful to the state’s bat populations since the arrival of the disease known as white-nose syndrome, a fungus that has killed more than 90 percent of bats at hibernation sites in New York due to how closely bats congregate in caves during winter months.

DEC reminds the public to follow all posted notices restricting seasonal access to caves and mines. When bats are disturbed during hibernation it forces them to raise their body temperature, depleting fat reserves. This stored fat is the only source of energy available to the bats until the weather warms in spring.

Bat Week is observed through Oct. 31, and is organized by representatives from conservation groups and government agencies in the United States and Canada.

Two species of bats are currently protected under federal and State endangered species law. The Indiana bat, which is sparsely distributed across New York, is a federally endangered bat listed before white-nose syndrome began affecting bat populations. The northern long-eared bat is protected as a threatened species under federal and New York State Endangered Species law. The current population for this formerly common bat is approximately one percent of its previous size, making the species the most severely affected by white-nose syndrome. Nonetheless, northern long-eared bats are still widely distributed in New York. Their presence has been documented in most of the 100 or so caves and mines that serve as bat hibernation sites in the state.

Anyone entering a northern long-eared bat hibernation site from Oct. 1 through April 30, the typical hibernation period for bats, may be subject to prosecution.

There is currently no treatment for bats suffering from white-nose syndrome. Along with the New York State Department of Health, DEC is partnering with researchers from the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and experts at several universities across the country to better understand the disease and develop a treatment. This collaborative effort helped identify that reducing disturbances at hibernation sites during the winter can help the remaining animals survive. For more information about white-nose syndrome, visit the White-Nose Syndrome Response Team website. Details about the protection of the northern long-eared bat can be found on DEC’s website.

Posted in DEC

DEC announces WomenHuntFishNY winners

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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced

Rachael Bush (Orwell Creek)
Photo: NYSDEC

the winners of the angling segment of the WomenHuntFishNY photo contest, held this summer. After sifting through almost 4,000 photo entries, DEC staff chose 14 winners and runners-up.

“The response we received to the WomenHuntFishNY fishing photo contest was astounding, which made choosing the winner that much more difficult,” Commissioner Seggos said. “These images cast light on the Empire State’s fantastic fishing opportunities and the excitement enjoyed by those who pursue the sport. Our hope is that this contest encourages even more women and girls to try their luck and cast a line.”

Winners and runners-up were chosen in each of the following categories:

  • Freshwater Fishing (Inland) winner: Crystal Shore (Oneida Lake); runner-up: Michelle Muir
  • Freshwater Fishing (Great Lakes) winner: Rachael Bush (Orwell Creek); runner-up: Dana Paciello (Lake Ontario)
  • Saltwater fishing winner: Angela Bryanne De Jesus (East River); runner-up: Samantha Moses (Cold Spring Harbor)
  • Ice Fishing winner: Courtney Bly (Silver Lake); runner-up: Jennifer Pelletier (Lake George)
  • Youth Fishing winner: Lydia Houck (Lake George); runner-up: L. Murphy
  • Multi-Generational winner: Stacy Hollenbeck (Sandy Creek); runner-up: Christielee Bower
  • Action Shot winner: Brianna Cook (West Canada Creek); runner-up: Sarah Eilers (Lincoln Pond)

 

Winning entries will be featured in DEC’s print and electronic publications, including DEC’s website and The Conservationist magazine, to help spread the word about the great fishing in the Empire State, and to inspire future generations of women anglers. Only photos taken in New York State were considered for the contest.

Although the contest has ended, all anglers, hunters, and trappers are encouraged to share their photos with DEC at any time of year. All submissions will become property of DEC to be used in promotion and outreach efforts. Please send photos to: wildlife@dec.ny.gov.

According to a 2015 report by the New York State Comptroller’s Office of Budget and Policy Analysis, spending on hunting- and fishing-related activities totaled more than $5 billion in New York in 2011. Approximately 170,000 women purchase fishing licenses in New York State each year, and more than 50,000 women are registered in the Recreational Marine Fishing Registry. According to a 2011 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey of fishing, hunting, and wildlife-associated recreation, women make up approximately 25 percent of New York anglers.

To see the winners and more photos entered in the contest visit DEC’s Flickr photo album. (All photos courtesy of DEC)

 

DEC to Remove Sediments at Westport Boat Launch

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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that the agency will remove sediments accumulated in front of the ramp of the Westport Boat Launch on Lake Champlain in late October. The launch will be closed from Oct. 15 – Nov. 29. The removal of sediments will improve access for boaters who launch and retrieve boats during periods when the water is low.

DEC will close the boat launch, which is located off Champlain Avenue (Route 22), while work is underway. DEC expects work to begin after the Columbus Day holiday weekend and to complete the removal of sediments by the end of November.

The sediments will be dewatered at the boat launch site, tested for contamination, and disposed at a facility approved to accept the waste.

Brookies found in Lake Colden!

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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation (ALSC) today announced the confirmation of brook trout in an Adirondack lake deemed “fishless” for decades due to the negative effects of acid rain. The discovery of the self-sustaining brook trout population in Lake Colden, a high elevation lake in the High Peaks Wilderness, is attributed to improved water quality directly resulting from the state’s rigorous standards to prevent the airborne pollutants that cause acid rain.

“The discovery of brook trout in Lake Colden illustrates how we can make positive environmental change when we act to prevent the harmful effects of pollution,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “New York’s efforts to improve air quality statewide have resulted in cleaner air, and now we have even more evidence that all species can benefit from decisions based on sound science and investments in effective policies. However, this progress is threatened by the constant assault from the Trump Administration on clean air and environmental programs, which is why we will continue to fight to ensure they do not unravel progress like this remarkable restoration. I applaud the commitment of DEC staff across multiple administrations and divisions, our partners at NYSERDA and the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, and other stakeholders who helped make this breakthrough a reality and I look forward to continuing our work to protect New York’s air quality and spur further progress.” Continue reading →

Public Meetings on DEC’s New Approach to Inland Trout Stream Management

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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is developing a new plan for inland trout stream management based on updated scientific information and the desires expressed by trout anglers during 16 public meetings held across the state in 2017.

Prior to completing the draft plan, DEC fisheries managers would like to meet with trout stream anglers to explain the proposed approach, answer questions, and solicit feedback. Ten public meetings around the state are scheduled between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12 to facilitate these discussions. The schedule of dates and locations is below and can be found online on DEC’s website.

The meetings will feature a presentation introducing the primary tenets of the plan including stocking, wild trout management, fishing regulations, and access. The presentation will be followed by a discussion period during which attendees can ask questions and provide informed comment.

DEC plans on releasing a draft trout stream management plan for public comment later this year.  

Meeting schedule

Note: Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and meetings will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Continue reading →