Last year, I attended for the first time the New York State Outdoorsman Hall of Fame induction banquet, typically held in late April. My reason for going was to be there for the induction of a friend and colleague. I…
Yes, there are other baits and other fishing methods. But a simple hook and a worm has always gotten the job done, and always will.
For the year-round outdoorsman, there are two times of the year that can be the toughest to get through: the holiday season, and the first few weeks of spring. At year’s end, once deer season is over, it’s often hurry…
As the March sun gets higher in the sky and the days get longer, ice anglers anywhere there’s still ice will be trying to get that one last outing in. But they should approach these outings with caution. Late-season ice…
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently issued a press release announcing that mid-winter aerial surveys of the Adirondack moose population had been completed. But there was still some work to be done as DEC biologists wanted…
It will be interesting to hear what our wildlife biologists will have to say about the condition of the deer herd after this winter. And, what impact it could have on the 2019 fall hunting seasons.
I consider myself very fortunate to be a property owner. Twenty-two acres might not seem like much to some, but it is a world of its own to others. For me, it is a place I’ve trampled nearly my entire…
Small-game hunting might not be the big ticket it once was, but at least you can say it’s still hunting season and perhaps re-live your own memories. Get out there while the seasons are still open.
Some hunters are ready for deer season to end, but I’m seldom one of them. Especially this year, when the weather interrupted numerous hunting plans. It was a crazy deer season where the weather was concerned, starting from the beginning.…
Recruiting, retaining, reactivating on full display this deer hunting season.
Hard hunting was worth it for the author during a Thanksgiving Day hunt a few years ago, and he couldn’t have been more thankful.
And put in the time to help ensure your success.
If writer had to make a choice, it would be to cut some time off the end, at least in years when the late season carries into mid-December.
Archery season is open across New York and hunters couldn’t be happier. With the exception of a mid-October warm-up, the weather has been much cooler this year compared to the past two early archery seasons. Encouraging, to say the least,…
I remember my first days of small game hunting like it was yesterday. Being born in mid-November, I had to wait until my 14th birthday, which was the minimum hunting age at the time, before I could buy my first…
The meteorological summer is over, and the autumnal equinox lies ahead. That means the average sportsman is likely preparing for hunting season, or perhaps even enjoying some early-season goose or gray squirrel hunting and anticipating the opening a number of…
I can’t tell you how many deer hunters I know who never touch their deer rifles, or any firearm for that matter, until just prior to deer season. For many it doesn’t seem to be a big deal, but for…
It’s been a tough summer in terms of losing friends and family. We in New York’s outdoor writing (and reading) community continue to mourn the losses of our friends and colleagues Will Elliott and Ron Kolodziej, who both recently passed.…
It’s mid-summer and boating in vessels of all sizes is at its zenith. As someone who spends quite a bit of time on the water, mostly paddling and fishing from a canoe or kayak, I’ve learned firsthand that safety awareness…
The early black bear hunting seasons in New York are still a couple months away. However, summer ushers in a bear season of its own, where it's the bears that are doing the hunting – for food. This can be…
About 1,150 students from 59 schools participated in the 2018 spring season. That’s up from 370 kids and 19 schools in 2017, and 128 students from five teams in 2016.
Turkey season is over and many of us toss our gear aside for the time being while we go about getting our gardens fine-tuned or squeeze in some late-spring fishing. If you’re like me, a fair amount of your turkey…
When the morning sit doesn’t pan out and you have room to roam, scale down the gear and give mobile hunting a try. It’s a great way to find birds and get a little exercise to boot.
If you are one of those anglers who has been waiting for ice out to finally come at your favorite trout pond, you may finally be in luck. What has been one of the longest winters that many of us…
Every turkey hunter dreams of a textbook spring gobbler hunt. And when they do occasionally happen (for some it’s more occasional than others) we’re on top of the world. When you pull one off on a woodland or a mountain…
Easter weekend finally brought the weather I was looking for, and I sprang into action on the chore list. After all, turkey season was only a month away (shorter for the youth weekend) and there’s plenty to do if I…
I at least hope for a calm day with no wind, even if the air is cold, so as to drift over the deep holes with a number of lure presentations.
But portable shanties have taken over and allow anglers to take the comfort and convenience of a shanty wherever they want.
Deer tracks started picking up around the author's home a few weeks ago.
Big- and small-game hunters alike can disperse along the road in a region very popular for snowshoe hare hunting, while snowmobilers and the towns of Newcomb and North Hudson, standing to benefit from a connector trail, are perhaps the happiest about the classification.
Who knows if the ice we have is going to be all the ice we’re going to get.
Like so many in the deer hunting community, especially in New York, I was saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Charlie Alsheimer a few days before the New Year. The fact that he touched a great number of…
Last winter was one of most dangerous on record in New York for winter outdoor recreation, particularly for snowmobilers and ice anglers. Unfortunately, this one is not off to a good start. On Dec. 16, a Queensbury, N.Y., man drowned…
There’s still some hunting time left and, if you find yourself with a full freezer, consider sharing your success with someone else this holiday season.
If you’ve had a tough season and can’t seem to punch a tag, don’t give up – the best hunting of the season could be about to happen.
Your best asset during the rut, or at any part of the hunting season, is time in the woods.
The New York State Outdoor Writers Association recently held its 50th fall conference and anniversary celebration in Warren County, the same place where members held their very first meeting back in 1967. The organization was formed by Hans Paller, a…
Common-sense tactics involving little money or effort might help you get a little closer to your quarry.
Earlier this year I mentioned in this blog how proud I was to be among a group of ice anglers who came out to support a fund in the name of a fallen New York state trooper. I think what…
All things considered, it's shaping up to be a potentially good year for bear hunters.
Procrastination can be costly, and each year around this time many aspiring hunters find themselves on the waiting list to get their hunter education courses completed. Most want to get it under their belts by deer season, but they’re also missing out on the small-game seasons that are crucial training ground for young hunters.
All who reap the benefits of these large-scale tournaments and all the fanfare that comes with them taking place in northern New York should be popping a cork.
Having the encounter in such a pristine environment as Cedar River Flow with an old friend along was surely a blessing.
Summer is here and the bass are waiting for anglers of all extremes. That includes the tournament angler with an expensive bass boat, the young angler casting off shore, and everyone else in between.
It seems as though this is a bad year in the Northeast for the pesky arachnids. Actually, it seems like that every year. On top of that, national news stories are surfacing about other tick-borne diseases like Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and the Powassan Virus, which have everyone on high alert.
Still, during the month of May I always feels torn between the two pursuits, as do many of my peers.
I’m never going to win a turkey-calling contest, especially with a mouth call, but thanks to other options, I’m able to walk out of the woods once in while with a gobbler slung over my shoulder.
A reminder to trout anglers to enjoy a classic lure, or at least the concept behind it, during one of the most enjoyable times of the year to be trout fishing.
Often organized by a handful of dedicated volunteers, these banquets raise money not only for the organization itself, but often to support funding for local programs and projects.
Most of all, know that it’s the law to wear that PFD. Consider it the blaze orange of the water.
Dan Ladd is an outdoor writer based in the southeastern Adirondacks. He is the web author of ADKHunter.com and has authored two books, including Deer Hunting in the Adirondacks. Dan writes a weekly column for The Chronicle in Glens Falls, N.Y., and is a frequent contributor to New York Outdoor News.
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