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An alliance of local government, business, preservation and sporting organizations from both the Adirondack Park and around the State have banded together to launch Preserve the Gooley. This group is asking Governor Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Seggos to place a hold on the removal of a historic sporting camp, located in the Essex Chain Lakes complex. These lands, once part of the former Finch Pruyn property were purchased by NYS in 2012. Advocates for the preservation and public use of the Gooley Club are simply asking for the opportunity to make their case before the state agencies responsible for the site and to the public.

Steve Engelhart, Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), states that “during the process of developing a management plan for the Essex Chain Lakes, there was never a thorough public discussion about the possible uses of this site, even though such an effort is required by Environmental Conservation Law and the State Historic Preservation Act. It’s not too late to have this conversation if the demolition of the club’s buildings is postponed and a forum is created for an informed and open discussion about the site’s future.”

Supporters of this effort are asking the state to consider possible reuses that will preserve the structures and attract visitors to the Complex. The Gooley Club Camp on Third Lake of the Essex Chain was originally established in 1866 by Harve Bonney, a Civil War veteran from Pittsfield, Mass., and is the oldest continuously operating sporting camp in the Adirondacks. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of Adirondack Architectural Heritage and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the site was recently placed on both the NYS and Federal Historic Registers.

NYS Senator Betty Little offered the following; “We only stand to lose by failing to preserve the history of the Adirondacks, including notable camps and hunting clubs that have helped define the culture within our region and fostered traditions that stretch back multiple generations.  Keeping parts of this history intact is important to people today but will be even more important for future generations.”

Preserve the Gooley supporters are asking that a committee of stakeholders be formed to consider alternate uses for the camp, that would not only preserve an important part of the history and culture of the Central Adirondacks, but also serve as a point of interest to attract visitors to the Essex Chain Complex. Unfortunately, the flood of tourists promised by acquisition advocates has failed to materialize and the area receives few visitors. This has left local communities, still reeling from the loss of forest industry jobs and the economic activity previously provided by 20 dispossessed sporting clubs, with few viable alternatives.

Town of Minerva Supervisor, Stephen McNally offered his thoughts; “Preserving the Gooley Club buildings is important to our town, and to all of the Adirondack. The cultural history of our region is represented by these camps…repurposing them as a destination will help increase tourism. Their use as an interior outpost would provide a needed resource for education and safety for those visiting the Essex Chain of Lakes. I urge Governor Cuomo and the DEC to pause and consider working with us to create alternative uses that can benefit everyone” 

Preserve the Gooley advocates feel that a reuse of the camp as a museum or interpretive center chronicling its history, an interior ranger station or as a stop on the proposed “Hamlet to Hut” trail system would provide an incentive for visitors to make the trek to the Chain. Supporters point to the effort to save Camp Santanoni as a good model to follow. Originally scheduled to be torn down, a similar committee was formed, a compromise plan was developed and the Camp, reached via a 5-mile hike, bike or horse ride from Newcomb, now attracts some 15,000 visitors per year.

Mr. Engelhart also added; “the use of the complex would also preserve a National Register listed site and would honor the long and important history of hunting and fishing clubs in the Adirondacks as places where generations of people learned to love the outdoors and developed a conservation ethic so important in the region today.”

The following groups support Preserve the Gooley;

Adirondack Association of Towns & Villages                             North Country Chamber of Commerce

5 Towns Upper Hudson Recreational Hub                                  NYS Conservation Council

Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board                 Adirondack Architectural Heritage

NYS Conservation Fund Advisory Board                                     Access the Adirondacks

Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce                            NYS Fish & Wildlife Management Board

Tri-Lakes Business Alliance                                  Federation of Dutchess County Fish & Game Clubs, Inc.

To learn more about the effort to Preserve the Gooley or to offer support please go to  www.preservethegooley.org

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (August 27, 2018) – The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has once again joined as a sponsor of National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHF Day). NHF Day brings together sportsmen and women to celebrate the rich tradition of fishing and hunting with national, state, regional and local organizations hosting fishing and hunting related events.

“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation has been the backbone of advocating and promoting outdoor conservation through legislation and has been instrumental in our efforts to encourage others to take up the outdoors,” said Misty Mitchell, director of Conservation for Wonders of Wildlife. “We welcome them back for another great year and are proud to call them partners.”

CSF has worked for the interests of American hunters and anglers since 1989 and has steadily grown into one of the leaders on policy issues through active involvement within the hunting and fishing conservation communities. This includes staff leadership and engagement in the American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP), the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council, and the Sport Fish and Boating Partnership Council at the national level, and Families Afield and the Sunday Hunting Coalitions at the state level.

“National Hunting and Fishing Day is an important event for recruitment, retention, and reactivation of hunters and anglers across the U.S.,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “In addition to promoting events for new sportsmen and women on a local level, CSF is working with governors across the country on proclamations recognizing this holiday as well as the impactful economic contributions that the sportsmen’s community makes in their states.”

Congress established National Hunting and Fishing Day to recognize hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation. Since launching in 1971, each fourth Saturday in September is set aside as NHF Day. This year’s NHF Day is set for September 22 with retired NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. serving as honorary chairman.

NHF Day’s official home is at the Wonders of Wildlife in Springfield, Missouri. Both entities share the goal of strengthening the image of hunting, shooting and fishing. NHF Day is one of the most effective grassroots campaigns to promote hunters, anglers and the conservation of wildlife and habitat. Each year, thousands of people participate in NHF Day events across the country to commemorate the foundation of conservation through fishing and hunting.

In addition to support from CSF, NHF Day is made possible through the sponsorship and generous support of these well-respected companies and brands: National Shooting Sports Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, Yamaha, Realtree, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Izaak Walton League of America. 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos  announced that Canada goose hunting season opens Saturday, September 1, in most of the state.

Resident geese are those that do not migrate significant distances from northern breeding grounds to more temperate wintering grounds. Based on the growing population and frequency of complaints about geese, DEC biologists have concluded that a more acceptable number of resident geese in New York would be at or below 85,000 birds. The current population estimate is more than 200,000 birds. DEC’s long-term statewide population goal guides management programs and policies, including establishing hunting seasons and bag limits and allowing additional take of geese by permit.

Liberal seasons and bag limits are set to help stabilize resident goose populations. September Canada goose seasons occur in all goose hunting zones with the exception of Western Long Island. All upstate areas open September 1, and run through September 25. Canada goose seasons on Central and Eastern Long Island begin on the Tuesday following the Labor Day holiday (September 4 this year) and run through September 30. On Western Long Island, the season opens on October 13.

The September seasons include liberal bag limits (15 birds/day), extended shooting hours, and other special regulations to maximize hunter success.   

Additional details on waterfowl hunting regulations, season dates, hunting area boundaries, and bag limits can be found on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28888.html.

License requirements

To participate in the September Canada goose hunting season, hunters must: 1) have a 2018-2019 hunting license; 2) be registered for the 2018-2019 New York Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP); and 3) all hunters 16 years of age or older must have a 2018-2019 federal duck stamp signed across the face of the stamp in ink.

For a list of ways to purchase a hunting license, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6094.html.  To register with HIP, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6405.html.

To purchase a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, please visit the local post office or https://store.usps.com/.  

           New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today encouraged New Yorkers to participate in a survey for wild turkeys.

Additional information is available on the DEC website:

• Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/48732.html
• Citizen Science Initiatives: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/1155.html
• DEC Regional Office Contact Information:  http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/50230.html

Since 1996, DEC has conducted the Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey to track wild turkey populations and estimate the number of wild turkey poults (young of the year) per hen statewide. Weather, predation, and habitat conditions during the breeding and brood-rearing seasons can all significantly impact nest success, hen survival, and poult survival. This index allows DEC to gauge reproductive success and predict fall harvest potential.

            During August, survey participants record the sex and age composition of all flocks of wild turkeys observed during normal travel. Those interested in participating can download a Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey form along with instructions and the data sheet directly at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/48732.html. In addition, survey cards can be obtained by contacting a regional DEC office, calling (518) 402-8883, or e-mailing wildlife@dec.ny.gov (type “Turkey Survey” in the subject line). Participants can also submit observations on-line. Visit the DEC website link above and click “Summer Wild Turkey Sighting On-line Report.”