New York Mixed Bag: Bridge completed, access to Moose Pond Club Road reopens

Newcomb, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has reopened Moose Pond Club Road in the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest, in Essex County. A bridge replacement near the road allows for public access which leads to several primitive campsites and the trail to the Vanderwhacker Mountain Fire Tower. An alternate route added six miles to the fire tower hike during the bridge repair.

Moose Pond Club Road was closed in August 2021 after DEC determined the 28-foot-long bridge spanning Vanderwhacker Brook was unsafe for vehicle use. There are six designated primitive campsites located along Moose Pond Club Road, including the Vanderwhacker Mountain Tent Site, which is located a short distance from the tower trail. All are popular during the Northern Zone big game season, which opens Oct. 26 and are potentially available long-term during the season with a permit from DEC.

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Trapping Permits, Pheasant Hunting Changes In Place At Three Region 8 WMAs

Basom, N.Y. — DEC has begun accepting trapping permit applications for three DEC Wildlife Management Areas Region 8. Permit applications for Oak Orchard, Tonawanda, and John White WMAs are available for pick-up in person Monday through Friday at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge Office, in Basom, and will be accepted from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30.

Trapping seasons on these three WMAs are more restrictive than the overall seasons for Western New York. Muskrat and mink trapping for these public lands runs from Dec. 7, to Feb. 15, 2025, and limited to 25 traps at water sites. Beaver trapping dates follow the statewide seasons. Upland trapping at the John White WMA begins Nov. 1. Upland trapping at Oak Orchard and Tonawanda WMAs follows the statewide seasons.

Permitted trappers are required to report harvest and trapping efforts in each WMA area for all species. More information related to permits for these three WMAs are found in the trapping letter included with the permit application. Call 585-948-5182 for permit applications.

Also, DEC recently announced that the John White Wildlife Management Area will be closed to pheasant hunting and dog training on Tuesdays and Fridays during the pheasant hunting season. The John White WMA’s 2024 pheasant hunting season opens Oct. 19 and closes Dec. 31.

The change is consistent with regulations already in place at Tonawanda and Oak Orchard WMAs and remains in effect on the properties for future pheasant hunting seasons going forward.

Blue Hill State Forest To Offer 1,200 Acres For Recreation In Cattaraugus County

Yorkshire, N.Y. — DEC recently announced the acquisition of more than 1,200 acres in the town of Yorkshire, Cattaraugus County, to create the Blue Hill State Forest. The acquisition – the first State Forest added in the region since 1963 – will preserve critical open space and establishes the forest for watershed protection, timber production, and public recreation.

The property contains forests, ponds, fields, and access to Cattaraugus Creek, and was operated as Bluemont Ski Resort until 1979. DEC’s acquisition will provide increased recreational opportunities for the public, expand wildlife habitat, support ecosystem health, and conserve natural resources. Blue Hill State Forest will be managed under DEC’s Cattaraugus Unit Management Plan. Immediate plans for the property are to post and sign the boundaries, remove the old ski resort buildings, and conduct a full property assessment.

DEC acquired the property for $2.1 million from landowner Kingbrook Funding, LLC, through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund.

Lows Lower Dam Access Road Re-opens Following Dam Maintenance

Tupper Lake, N.Y.— DEC announced that the gate on the access road leading to the Bog River Dam, also known as Lows Lower Dam, has reopened following a period of closure for dam maintenance. The Lower Dam Road and parking area near the end of the road are now open to the public.

The project helped bring the dam into compliance with New York State dam safety regulations. Lows Lake (Bog River Flow) is part of the larger Bog River Complex. This popular destination is a favorite and is known for its exceptional wilderness paddling, hunting, fishing and camping opportunities.

Saratoga County Man Pleads Guilty To Illegal Sale Of Firearms

Gansevoort, N.Y. — A Saratoga County man has been sentenced to 51 months incarceration after dealing in firearms without a license and possessing a firearm as a felon.

Jacob Boldt, 35, of Gansevoort, New York, pleaded guilty to the charges, admitting he sold multiple firearms without a license, identified criminals as good customers for “ghost guns,” and possessed a firearm that he knew was stolen. At the time of the offenses, Boldt could not possess firearms because of a prior felony conviction.

United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also fined Boldt $5,000, ordered him to serve two years of supervised release and forfeit a shotgun seized by law enforcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, investigated the case with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office.