The latest from ADKHunter…

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Hot Stuff: While there’s been some brisk mornings, some enjoyable hunting and a very cold start to muzzleloading week, the weather trend has been a warm one, And it’s expected to continue well into the first week of the regular deer season. The higher elevations and further north locations might not be so bad, but the forecast is for T-shirt weather for a bit. 

That’s not stopping buck activity, as this hunter saw things turn on this past week and in the form of both rubs and scrapes. I even passed on two chances to take a small buck. It’s the EA2B thing, to be honest. Not that I’m yearning for a second tag (yet), but I don’t want to be without a buck tag for the Northern Zone rifle season. So I let them walk. Meanwhile, one of our guys did take a bear. 

Regarding the earn-a-second-buck regulation, how did that affect your muzzleloading season? Like me, did you pass on a smaller buck, decide you would only kill a mature buck, not hunt at all or actively pursue does. As a newspaper guy, I’m trying to get some feedback on this, especially the challenges posed during a 7-day muzzleloading hunt. Send your thoughts to dladd@outdoornews.com

Good luck this weekend, and hunt safely!

(10/15) Smokepoles and Snowflakes: Last week we talked about the dry conditions blanketing the Adirondack region and this week’s rain, including that which is coming on Friday, is providing some relief. How much so, we’ll see as another dry spell and warm up appears to be in the cards for next week, ahead of the rifle opener. 

But let’s talk about this weekend and the November-like conditions headed for the North Country. The northern and western Adirondacks could see some snow, perhaps even accumulating. How cool is that? And “cool” is the word for this Saturday’s muzzleloading opener with wind chills in some areas possibly being in the 20’s. This could really get some deer moving and perhaps trigger some early rutting activity, which actually has more to do with daylight than weather. That said, I found my first buck scrape while scouting one my mountain haunts this week, which was encouraging. And I have found one rub. 

If you’re in acorn country, food could be everywhere for deer and the same with apples, even though many have passed. Too much feed can make it tough to pin-point deer, but it sure is good if we have a tough winter. 

2026: Mckenzie Barber shot this 4-point buck during New York’s youth hunting weekend while hunting with her father, Bill, in Chesterfield, Clinton County, Oct. 10.

 

Congrats to our youth hunters out there, including Mckenzie Barber, below who scored over the weekend in Clinton County. Be sure to send your Adirondack hunting photos to: dladd@outdoornews.com. And, for those of you who harvest a doe, enter the NYSOWA Antlerless Deer photo contest! 

-Dan’l

 

 

 

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Adirondack Backcountry Conditions (10/15)

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Recent Notices

The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Backcountry Information webpage for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.

 

Weekend of Oct. 16

Adirondack Canoe Route/Northern Forest Canoe Trail

  • The Hidden Cove Lean-to on the eastern shore of Long Lake, in the Adirondack Canoe Route Zone of the High Peaks Wilderness, will be worked on throughout the fall of 2026 starting the weekend of 10/17. Please do not disturb staged building materials. A notice will be posted if the lean-to is unavailable.

High Peaks Wilderness Complex

  • The Upper Works parking area is going to be getting a new vault toilet installed towards the end of October. Please respect areas marked with cones and flagging so that the crews and equipment can accomplish this task. 
  • The gate at Clear Pond is closed for the winter and will remain closed until after spring mud season. Hikers must park at the Upper Elk Lake Road parking lot on the west side of the Elk Lake Road approximately 2.3 miles south of the Elk Lake Trailhead. Please respect the parking rules to help ensure this access is maintained and there are no impacts to fire and rescue access.
  • From the evening of 10/24/26 until the morning of 12/7/26 – hikers may NOT enter the Elk Lake Conservation Easement. ALL hiking is closed during this time.

West Central

Blue Ridge Wilderness and Wakely Mountain Primitive Area

  • Waterway access to South Inlet and Raquette Lake from Rt. 28 has been restored.

Moose River Plains Complex

  • Indian River Road is closed at Otter Brook for a bridge replacement project. There will be no motor vehicle access to the Brooktrout Lake Trailhead and Falls Pond Outlet. Pedestrians may cross the stream to access points beyond the road closure. 
  • The Wakely Dam bridge will be closed to motor vehicle traffic from October 19 – October 23 for an engineering assessment. 
  • All access to Moose River Plains Camping Area must be gained from the Limekiln Lake/Inlet entrance until further notice. Due to an unforeseen bridge failure at Payne Brook, the gate at Cedar River Headquarters will remain closed. The road is currently closed between Wilson Ridge Trailhead and Cedar River Headquarters gate.  

Southwestern

Independence River Wild Forest (Stillwater Reservoir, Big Moose, and Three Lakes Conservation Easement Tracts)

  • The Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower Trail crosses private land – it is closed for the season and will reopen on December 21.

Weekend of Oct. 9

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DEC Seeks Hunter Cooperation For CWD Detection in Herkimer and Otsego Counties

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DEC is asking hunters who harvest deer in the towns of Columbia, German Flatts, Litchfield, Warren, or Winfield in Herkimer County, or Richfield in Otsego County, to submit the deer’s head for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing. By submitting the heads from their harvested deer, hunters will be entered into a drawing for a lifetime New York State hunting license for themselves or another hunter of their choosing. 

In 2024, DEC and the Department of Agriculture and Markets detected CWD, a fatal disease of deer, in a captive deer facility located in southern Herkimer County. DEC needs to test additional white-tailed deer in the area to ensure CWD hasn’t spread to the wild deer population and to detect an outbreak as soon as possible. 

Hunters can bring their deer heads to one of DEC’s eight head bin locations (see below). Taxidermists in the area may also be able to collect samples from deer intended for mounting. DEC will notify hunters of CWD results and if they won the lifetime hunting license once hunting season ends.

Deer head submission instructions  

  1. Cut the head off with some neck remaining.
  2. Keep the head chilled or frozen until submission to DEC.
  3. Remove the skull plate and antlers on bucks before submission. If you’re getting the buck mounted or cannot remove the antlers, contact DEC (see contact information below). DEC staff or the taxidermist you are using may be able to collect a sample for you.
  4. Place the head in a plastic garbage bag.
  5. Label the bag with your name, address, and phone number and complete the DEC tag at the drop-off location.
  6. Place the DEC tag in the small ziplock bag provided and place in the garbage bag with the head.
  7. Zip-tie the bag closed and deposit the bagged head in the white metal container at one of the head bin locations below. 

Deer head drop-off bin locations 

  • Columbia – 936 Jordanville Road, Ilion (left of the salt barn) 
  • Columbia – 147 County Route 259, Ilion (DOT buildings)
  • Litchfield – 804 Cedarville Road, Ilion (southern end of the salt barn)
  • Warren – 131 Hyde-Bell Lane, Jordanville (DOT buildings)
  • German Flatts – 85 East Main Street, Mohawk (Behind YMCA)
  • German Flatts – 106 West Main Street, Mohawk (Herkimer County Sewer buildings)
  • Richfield – 1545 County Route 25, Richfield Springs (Boss Farm)
  • Winfield – 306 Stone Road, West Winfield (Across road in turnaround) 

Keeping the head or unable to drop it off? Contact DEC at 315-866-6330, ext. 132, or cwd.response@dec.ny.gov.

Hunters play a vital role in helping keep New York’s wild deer herd CWD-free. For more information, visit DEC’s CWD webpage. 

Adirondack Bear Season Begins Sept. 19

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Bear hunting seasons begin on Sept. 19 and run through December 6 in the Northern Zone. The rifle season is only in Adirondack WMUs, while bowhunting is allowed in the rest of the Northern Zone. 

Bear Cooperators
Each hunting season, DEC works with successful bear hunters, cooperating taxidermists, and meat processors to collect age, sex, and weight information from harvested black bears. Recording this information over time allows DEC to more accurately monitor the size and health of New York State’s bear population, which helps inform future bear management decisions. To determine a bear’s age, DEC examines growth patterns in the root of an extracted premolar tooth.

Successful hunters who report their bear harvest and submit a premolar tooth from their bear will receive a commemorative patch and the age information from their bear. Hunters may also work with cooperating taxidermists and meat processors who will remove and submit the premolar teeth on their behalf. Please note that bear jaws and skulls submitted in lieu of a premolar tooth will not be analyzed for an age estimate.

Southern Zone Bear
An early bear season began on September 12 and runs through September 27 in 11 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in the Southern Zone (WMUs, 3A, 3C, 3H, 3J, 3K, 3M, 3P, 3R, 4P, 4R, and 4W). Additionally, an early antlerless deer season begins on September 12 and runs through September 20 in 23 WMUs in the Southern Zone–including 10 new WMUs where the early antlerless deer season has been expanded (1C, 3M, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4J, 6P, 7F, 7J, 7H, 7R, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F, and 9G).

 

Early NY deer Seasons
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is reminding big game hunters that early hunting seasons for deer and bear begin in September in New York State. An early bear season began on September 12th and runs through September 27th in eleven Wildlife Management Units in the Southern Zone (WMUs, 3A, 3C, 3H, 3J, 3K, 3M, 3P, 3R, 4P, 4R & 4W). Additionally, an early antlerless deer season begins on September 12th and runs through September 20th in 23 WMUs in the Southern Zone – including 10 new WMUs where the early antlerless deer season has been expanded (1C, 3M, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4J, 6P, 7F, 7J, 7H, 7R, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F & 9G). Bear hunting seasons begin on September 19th and run through December 6th in the Northern Zone.  

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Sporting Licenses On Sale

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Hunting and trapping licenses and Deer Management Permits (DMPs) for the 2026-27 season are now on sale. Licenses and permits can be purchased online, at any of DEC’s license-issuing agents, or by telephone at 1-866-933-2257. Hunting and trapping licenses are valid from September 1 through August 31 each year, while annual fishing licenses are valid for 365 days from date of purchase. Lifetime licensees who receive their licenses and tags electronically should check their email and those still receiving them via mail should receive them during the month of August.

Through November 30, the DEC Call Center is operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday; from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays; and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 22 and Sunday, November 29. Regular call center weekday hours resume on December 1.  

Hunters should have the following ready when buying a license: 

  • Complete contact information (e.g., name, address, email address, telephone number). For those who want their license and/or tags emailed, a valid email address is required. 
  • DEC customer ID number (if applicable). 
  • Proof of residency (e.g., driver’s license or non-driver’s ID with a valid New York State address). 
  • If purchasing by phone or internet, a valid credit card. 
  • If not already entered in DEC’s automated licensing system, hunters must provide proof of hunter or trapper education certification or a copy of a previous license for all hunting and trapping license purchases. 

For additional information, visit the General Sporting License Information webpage on DEC’s website. Information for hunters with a disability can be found on the Permits for Hunters with Disabilities page on DEC’s website. 

The 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, with pertinent rules and regulations, is available on the DEC Hunting webpage. Copies are also available at license issuing agents. Hunters are encouraged to stay up to date on changes to regulations as they prepare for the fall hunting seasons by visiting the Hunting page on DEC’s website. 

Hunting and Trapping Rule Changes for 2026 
In addition to changes in DMP availability (below), DEC adopted several changes to deer hunting regulations, including an expanded September antlerless season in several Wildlife Management Units and the “Earn-a-2nd-Buck” program. To facilitate the “Earn-a-2nd-Buck” program, DEC reclassified the former “Regular Season Deer Tag” as an “Antlered Deer Tag” and the former “Bow/Muzzleloader Either-Sex Deer Tag” as a “Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag.” Hunters who purchase bowhunting and muzzleloading privileges will receive a “Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag” for each privilege. Hunters will earn a tag for a second buck after taking and reporting one antlerless deer. For more information, review the “Q&A” on new hunting regulations to increase harvest of antlerless deer.  

Deer Management Permits (DMPs) 
Hunters can apply for DMPs (tags for antlerless deer) at all license-issuing outlets, by phone, or online. New in 2026, hunters can apply for up to four DMPs: two in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) with limited DMPs and two in WMUs with unlimited DMPs. For WMUs with limited DMPs, the DMP application and issuance process will be open from August 3 through October 1 and DMPs will be issued through the typical lottery process. The chances of obtaining a DMP in these units will remain the same throughout the application period; hunters do not need to rush to apply.  

Unlimited DMPs will be available in 23 WMUs (1C, 3M, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4J, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F, and 9G). Hunters can apply for DMPs in these WMUs at any time throughout the hunting seasons and all hunters who apply will receive DMPs. Preference points are not used or received when applying for DMPs in WMUs with unlimited DMPs. DMPs that are used to harvest antlerless deer in these WMUs will be replaced with a bonus DMP in the same WMU upon harvest report, allowing hunters to continue harvesting antlerless deer. There is no fee to obtain bonus DMPs. 

The 2026 chances of selection for a DMP in each WMU are available online, through license issuing agents, or by calling the DMP Hotline at 1-866-472-4332. To learn more about the issuance of DMPs, visit DEC’s website.

DEC also adopted changes to season dates and zones for fisher trapping. Visit DEC’s website for up-to-date information on hunting and trapping regulations and seasons.  

Camper missing in Moose River Plains

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New York State Police are reaching out to the public for assistance in locating a 73-year-old camper who was reported missing in the central Adirondacks last month, and who has not been seen since early August.

A NYSP press release said that on Aug. 17, they were notified of a possible missing person, Craig K. Streeter, of Mahopac, in Putnam County.

Streeter was last heard from on Aug. 2 and was last seen that same day at the Stewarts Shop convenience store in Indian Lake, in Hamilton County. Police said he was wearing a dark-colored long-sleeve shirt and jeans and left the location traveling in his RV.

State Police members responded to campsite 36 on Moose River Road (Limekiln Lake-Cedar River Road) in the town of Inlet after a recreational vehicle was located with no known activity. A preliminary investigation determined the RV belonged to Streeter, who is known to travel and camp in remote areas.

Due to Streeter’s lifestyle and frequent travel to remote camping areas, it was not uncommon for him to be out of contact for periods of time.

New York State Forest Rangers were the first to locate the RV. After they were unable to locate Streeter, additional law enforcement agencies were requested to assist with the search.

At press time, the search remained active and was being conducted by multiple agencies. Since August 17, searchers have covered more than 728 linear miles and 2,514 acres. There are currently no indications of foul play.

The 64,322-acre Moose River Plains Wild Forest is part of the 79,487-acre Moose River Plains Complex. The complex is a popular year-round outdoor recreation area accessible via a 23-mile seasonal road that features 116 remote roadside campsites. Streeter’s campsite is in the vicinity of the Sly Pond and Butter Brook trails, which are among several backcountry trails in the complex.

Anyone who was camping or hiking in the area or nearby remote camping areas between Aug. 2 and Aug. 7, and may have seen Streeter or has any information regarding his whereabouts or this incident, is asked to contact the New York State Police at 518-897-2000.

DEC Finalizes Adirondack Brook Trout Management Plan

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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the release of the final Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan. The brook trout is New York’s state fish and an iconic symbol of the Adirondacks and DEC’s new plan identifies the current risks, challenges, and opportunities that will guide the State’s management actions at Adirondack brook trout ponds for the next 15 years.

In the United States, pond dwelling populations of brook trout are extremely rare outside of Maine and New York. Brook trout ponds are an important component of the natural heritage of the Adirondacks, providing a unique angling opportunity in an often-secluded location. Once ubiquitous on our northern landscape, up to 90% of brook trout pond habitat has been lost due to anthropogenic factors, including poor silvicultural practices, acid-precipitation, and incompatible and detrimental fish species introductions. Retaining this resource is imperative to preserve our Adirondack natural heritage and a key element of the ecosystem.

Read the NY Outdoor News Report here. 

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