Almanack Contributor NYS DEC

Information attributed to NYSDEC is taken from press releases and news announcements from New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation.


Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Hunter dies after suffering cardiac issues walking to Buck Mt. trailhead

forest ranger reportTown of Webb
Herkimer County
Illegal Tree Cutting: On Nov. 26 at 1:06 p.m., Ranger McCartney heard someone approaching him on the trail while he was checking the register at Moss Lake. Ranger McCartney observed a subject dragging a freshly cut spruce tree and carrying a saw toward a pickup truck in the parking lot.

Once the subject loaded the tree into his truck, Ranger McCartney interviewed the 58-year-old from Old Forge and educated him about regulations prohibiting the cutting of trees by the public on State land, regardless of its potential use in holiday celebrations. The subject was issued an appearance ticket.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, November 29, 2022

DEC: New York Hunters are Enjoying More Older Bucks

 

Whether you hunt white-tailed deer primarily for fresh venison, the experience and memories, or a set of antlers, many hunters appreciate being able to observe and harvest larger, older age class bucks. In 2016, DEC launched the “Let Young Bucks Go and Watch Them Grow” educational campaign. The campaign promotes individual choice and voluntary restraint to shift the age composition of bucks harvested by hunters in New York State towards older age classes, while still providing hunters the freedom to harvest any buck they desire.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, November 28, 2022

DEC Wishes Hunters an Enjoyable, Safe, and Successful Hunting Season

Hunters

Hunting season, and particularly deer season, evokes many feelings for hunters across New York. With the firearms seasons now open in both the northern and southern zones, hunters are once again enjoying the beauty of our fields and forests pursuing white-tailed deer. Deer are by far the most popular game animal in the state, and over 550,000 people buy licenses each year for an opportunity to hunt them.

» Continue Reading.


Saturday, November 26, 2022

DEC Announces Start of Lows Lower Dam Rehabilitation in Town of Piercefield, St. Lawrence County

dec logoOn Tuesday, November 22, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the gate on the access road leading to the Bog River Dam, also known as Lows Lower Dam, will be closed starting Dec. 6, to allow for construction to maintain the dam. The road will remain closed through the 2023 field season. All vehicles must be removed from the access road to dam and parking area near the dam by 12 p.m. Dec. 6.

The project is necessary to bring the dam into compliance with New York State dam safety regulations. Construction activities will affect recreational users of the Horseshoe Lake, Hitchins Pond, and Lows Lake areas, including the cartop boat launch and parking area at the Lower Dam. The river access and parking area at Lows Lower Dam, located near the end of State Highway 421, will be closed beginning Dec. 6, and the road will remain closed for the duration of the construction project. Construction activities may take place seven days per week and are expected to last at least through the 2023 field season.

» Continue Reading.


Friday, November 25, 2022

Outdoor Conditions (11/25): Snowshoes or skis required for high summits, trails messy with thin snow/ice coverage

outdoor conditions logoThe following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information

NEW THIS WEEK

High Peaks Wilderness Snow Report (11/23): 13cm at the Colden Caretaker Cabin. High summits have enough accumulation for snowshoes or skis to be required. Low elevation ski trails do not have adequate coverage for skiing. In general, trails are messy with thin snow and ice coverage. Avalanche and Colden lakes have some ice present but coverage is not complete or consistent. 

Lake George Wild Forest: The Cat Mountain Red Trail from Edgecomb Pond Road to the summit is currently undermarked due to hikers taking trail markers as souvenirs. The trail is difficult to follow in winter conditions without proper marking. Please, leave trail markers where you find them for the safety of other hikers. The Blue Trail offers a well-marked alternate route to the summit.

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Hiker and dogs lost on Marcy; people stranded in Tug Hill snowstorm

forest ranger reportTown of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Nov. 15 at 2:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch requested Forest Ranger assistance with the search for a hiker on Mount Marcy. The 35-year-old from Toronto became lost while hiking with her two dogs. After speaking with the hiker, Ranger Curcio determined she had started from the Adirondak Loj, took the high water route, and crossed Indian Falls. Rangers Curcio and DiCintio headed into Marcy Dam to begin a linear search.

Dispatch called the Rangers with a new set of coordinates during their search, placing the hiker approximately 500 feet east of Indian Falls. At 6:24 p.m., Rangers made audio contact with the hiker and found her off trail in thick spruce. Rangers warmed the subject and escorted her and her dogs down to Marcy Dam and then to the Loj. Resources were clear at 9 p.m.

» Continue Reading.


Saturday, November 19, 2022

Public comments sought on draft Recreation Management Plan for land in Edwards

easement land

Draft Plan Creates Public Recreational Opportunities on Easement Lands

DEC is seeking public comment on a draft recreation management plan (RMP) for the Western Lassiter Conservation Easements, in the town of Edwards, St. Lawrence County. The Western Lassiter Conservation Easement RMP consists of the 1,336-acre Beers Lot Conservation Easement and the 834-acre Pine Hill Conservation Easement. The public comment period on the draft RMP is open until Nov. 30.

» Continue Reading.


Friday, November 18, 2022

Outdoor Conditions (11/18): Longway Trail in Shelving Rock impassable due to blowdown, Pharaoh Lake Trail bridge is out

outdoor conditions logoThe following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information

NEW THIS WEEK

Boreas Ponds Tract: Gulf Brook Road is closed to motor vehicle traffic for the winter season starting at the Blue Ridge Parking Area. The Blue Ridge Parking Area will remain open – plowing of the lot is subject to the Town’s plowing schedule.

Pharaoh Lake Wilderness: A bridge on the Pharaoh Lake Trail is out. Crossing may not be possible during high water – users should be prepared to turn back if conditions are unsafe. The bridge is at a curve in the trail, with steep approaches from both directions. Winter users should be prepared to stop completely at this location to assess conditions before crossing.

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Rangers locate overdue hunter in Dickinson, assist Buck Mountain hiker with injured wrist

forest ranger reportTown of Dickinson
Franklin County
Wilderness Search: On Nov. 8 at 7:50 p.m., Forest Rangers Booth, Bronson, Praczkajlo, and Russell responded to a report of an overdue hunter in the town of Dickinson. The reporting party found the 79-year-old’s vehicle near Mosier Hill, but could not find the subject. Rangers searched the hunter’s usual hunting location with negative results. At approximately 1:45 a.m., while conducting linear searches, Ranger Praczkajlo noticed something shiny in the woods. It was the hunter’s rifle.

Ranger Praczkajlo radioed the other Rangers and they started searching the area. Rangers found the subject approximately 50 yards from the rifle, scratched, bruised, and hypothermic after falling into a swamp.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, November 15, 2022

DEC Reminds Outdoor Enthusiasts, Hunters to Share the Woods Safely this Season

With the Southern Zone regular big game season beginning Saturday, Nov. 19 throughout much of the southern part of New York State, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos is encouraging outdoor enthusiasts to respectfully share the woods and follow common-sense safety precautions this fall and winter.

“With most public land across New York State open to multiple forms of recreation, from hiking and nature photography to hunting and trapping, visitors should be cautious, courteous, and responsible when sharing the woods to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience,” said Commissioner Seggos. “DEC encourages all visitors to review the safety guidelines for hunting and recreating in the woods before going afield and respectfully sharing the outdoors with others.”

DEC requires big game hunters using a firearm to wear hunter orange or pink and encourages non-hunters to wear blaze orange, blaze pink, or another bright color during fall and winter months to be seen more easily and from greater distances. In addition, wearing bright colors makes it easier for Forest Rangers, Environmental Conservation Police Officers, and other rescue personnel to find lost, sick, or injured people afield.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, November 14, 2022

Recreation Highlight: Low Elevation Hikes for the Shoulder Season

It’s stick season in the Adirondacks. As with any season change, variable conditions can heavily impact the state of the trails. Consider choosing a low-elevation hike or interpretive trail over the next couple weekends to avoid inclement weather and trail conditions.

The Adirondack Day Hikes webpage has plenty of great low-elevation options. Here are a few to consider this coming weekend:

Rock Lake Trail – Just 1.6 miles roundtrip, the shores of Rock Lake provide gorgeous scenery at a very approachable distance and low elevation. This would be a safe hike to fit in before the rain shows up for the weekend.

» Continue Reading.


Saturday, November 12, 2022

DEC: Fall for Nest Boxes

Birdhouses are a simple addition to your yard that can provide nesting places for many kinds of birds and weeks of wildlife-watching opportunities. Cavity-nesters, like tree swallows, house wrens, blackcapped chickadees, Eastern bluebirds, wood ducks, and American kestrels, all use nest boxes. The type of birds you might attract depends on the size of the box and the nearby habitat; some birds prefer open fields while others prefer forests or wetlands.

» Continue Reading.


Friday, November 11, 2022

Outdoor Conditions (11/11): Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway to close for the 2022 season this evening

outdoor conditions logoThe following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry Information webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information

NEW THIS WEEK

Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway: The parkway will close for the 2022 season at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11. Please note the shuttle to the summit of Prospect Mountain is not available at this time. Admission fees to access the highway are temporarily waived. For more information about visiting the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway Day Use Area, go to DEC’s website.

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Missing Person Search Concludes with Indian Lake House Fire, Rescue, Arson & Burglary Charges

forest ranger reportTown of Indian Lake
Hamilton County
Search Turns to House Fire and Rescue: On Oct 31 at 9:40 p.m., New York State Police (NYSP) requested Forest Ranger assistance in locating a subject originally reported as an overdue hunter. The family of the 25-year-old from Hudson had reported the individual missing and indicated he might be despondent and suicidal. Ranger Lieutenant Kerr and Rangers Miller, Nally, and Scott responded to the Blue Mountain trailhead where NYSP found the subject’s car. Rangers searched the Blue Mountain and Tirrell Pond areas through the night.

At 2:50 p.m. the following day, a passerby alerted Rangers to a house fire approximately one-half mile away from their command post. Rangers and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputies pushed through the door and found the subject of the search unconscious on the floor.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, November 7, 2022

Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway Will Remain Open with Free Access through Nov. 11

dec logo

On November 4, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway in Lake George will remain open through Veterans Day with free access. The parkway will close for the 2022 season at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 11.

Please note: The shuttle to the summit of Prospect Mountain is not available at this time. Admission fees to access the highway are temporarily waived.

For more information about visiting the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway Day Use Area, go to DEC’s website.

Photo at top courtesy of the NYS DEC.



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