A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study concluded that bear spray is more effective than firearms in stopping bear attacks.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has authorized its field employees to carry bear spray based on the USFWS report and a study done by Canadian bear biologist Dr. Stephen Herrero that reached similar conclusions
A recent AP story highlights some of [...]
The DEC has adopted a new regulation that allows small game hunters to use air guns. Before the recent change, DEC regulations did not clearly allow their use for hunting.
The new regulation permits the use of air guns that shoot a pellet that is .17 caliber or larger, using either a rifled or smooth bore [...]
This post will be regularly updated with news stories about people who were rescued from the wilderness by the Zero Essential, or people whose rescue was delayed because they had forgotten the Zero Essential.
The Zero Essential is usually forgotten by those who mindlessly regurgitate the ten essentials, perhaps because you don’t buy it in a [...]
Guy Waterman wrote in “Backwoods Ethics” that the very presence of communication devices such as cell phones, even if they’re tucked away and unused, reduces the wilderness experience.
A recent article in the New York Times – Hikers: Can You Hear Me Now? By Katharine Mieszkowski – states that San Francisco area search and rescue (SAR) [...]
Dick’s Sporting Goods stores have the Quest hammock stand on sale for $49.99. Using a $10 off $50 coupon brings the net total to $40. It is 15 feet long (from top of pole to top of pole) and 48 inches hight. The end caps are plastic so some tubing from Lowes or Home Depot [...]
Two recent stories of hikers who did not return from a day hike as planned highlight the difference between hikers who are prepared to spend a night in the woods even if they had set out on a day hike, and hikers who risk their lives because of lack of knowledge or egos.
These stories highlight [...]
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has published proposed regulations to amend the DEC’s black bear feeding regulations to establish a comprehensive, state-wide prohibition on the intentional and incidental feeding of black bears in New York.
The proposed rulemaking will also update the conditions under which hounds can be trained and used to help [...]
The New York State Department of Environmental conservation has issued an alert about the increased risk of encounters with black bears in Western New York (DEC Region 9) this spring and summer.
Watch this the DEC TV video on black bears in Western New York
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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has proposed elimination of the “containment area” currently in place in central New York to control the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (“CWD”). DEC has determined that revisions to the CWD regulations are needed since CWD has not been detected following five years of intensive monitoring.
If adopted, [...]
In 2001, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (the “DEC”) added new camping restrictions to the regulations governing use of wilderness areas in the Adirondack Park, including (1) a description of an area known as the South Meadows-Flowed Lands Corridor [6 NYCRR section 190.13(b)98)]; and (2) a prohibition on camping anywhere in the [...]
UPDATE:
I got a phone call this weekend from one of the managing partners, and a long email from another of the managing partners of ccoutdoorstore.com
They apologized for the incident. They said they really had only one of the items I ordered and that after they filled my order they realized that the entire group [...]
A recent Associated Press story, entitled “In rural NH, deer-car crashes bring free ‘dinner’” reports on the practice in New Hampshire of eating road kill deer. The story states that:
“if the animal can be salvaged, it’s offered to the driver who hit it. If the driver doesn’t want it, the officers call folks who will [...]
On Friday, March 12, 2010, two hikers set out in the Catskills for a weekend backpacking trip. They hiked to a lean-to Friday night were they stayed that night. On Saturday morning they went for what was expected to be a day hike along the Big Hollow Trail in the Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness Area.
They became [...]
The Erie County (New York) Outdoor Expo will be at the Erie County Fair Grounds this weekend – Thursday, March 11 to Sunday, March 14.
Schedules of events, shows and exhibitors can be seen at this website.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Crackdown on Deer Poaching Nets More than 100 Individuals
December 8, 2009
Contact: Yancey Roy, NYS DEC (518) 402-8000
“Operation Jackhammer” Targets Violators in Hudson Valley, Catskills, Capital Region and Adirondacks
A major initiative to crack down on illegal deer hunting from the Hudson Valley to the [...]
Once again the hiking forums are flooded with post about not hiking during big game hunting season. Last year, a local ADK Club Chapter cancelled a planned hike “due to hunting season” even though the hike was in a county forest where hunting is prohibited. My daughter and I had a very enjoyable hike that [...]
A new website (wnytrails.com) has been started for information about trails in western New York. Go to http://www.wnytrails.com Presently it only has blogs about a trails in Dann Lake Park (a town park in Amherst, NY) and the Amherst State Park (a state park alos in Amherst, NY)
The Eastwick Press recently published a story about two local hikers who got in trouble on a planned day hike up Round Mountain in the Adirondacks. You can read the full story here:
Desperate Hours For Two Grafton Hikers
While reading the story I was immediately struck by these contradictions:
“My mother, age 86, and [...]
By: Nogods
Due to a change in the New York State regulations regarding public land use for lands under the jurisdiction of the DEC, all trails through state forest lands outside of the Adirondack Park are now open for mountain biking unless specifically posted otherwise (that means posted by NYS, not some sign posted by the [...]
A few days ago I set off to discover whether bear repellent (bear spray) is legal in New York.
I discovered that it is legal because it is a registered pesticide with the Department of Environmental Conversation (and the EPA) even though it exceeds the allowable size of a “self defense spray” under New York Penal [...]
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