Recent NYS Forest Ranger actions:

North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 30 at 10 p.m., Essex County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance for a hiker suffering from an unstable knee injury on Algonquin Peak. Ranger Evans made contact with the 25-year-old from Vermont and instructed her partner to make a brace so the pair could continue moving downhill.

When Rangers Evans and Lewis reached the hiker at 1:30 a.m., they re-splinted the knee and helped the hikers out of the woods. At 6 a.m., the subject went to Glens Falls Hospital for further treatment.

Town of Lake Luzerne
Warren County
Brush Fire: On May 1 at 5:58 p.m., Ranger Donegan responded to a call for a large brush fire in Lake Luzerne. Two additional Rangers were called in to assist the six fire departments trying to get the fire under control. The majority of the 75-acre fire was on private property and no structures were threatened. Four Rangers returned the next morning and contained what was left of the fire.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information, and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information.

If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.

Multiple Deer Illegally Taken on Pillar Point in Brownville on April 25

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is asking the public for information about a deer poaching incident that occurred on April 25, 2022, in the area of Pillar Point in the town of Brownville, Jefferson County, between midnight and 5 a.m. Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECO) are investigating the incident, which involved multiple deer killed at several locations along different roadways throughout the area.

Residents are being asked to review security camera footage and report any vehicles or people captured on video during those hours. Residents are also asked to report any suspicious vehicles, people, or gunshots during those hours.

Reports can be made by calling DEC Dispatch at 1-877-457-5680 and referencing case 22-007456 or by contacting ECO Evan McFee directly at 315-640-0335.