In praise of small game hunting
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…
Buck's Blog
Don’t put away those fishing rods
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…
Practice now for upcoming deer season
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…
Sportsmen estate planning: accepting the inevitable
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.…
Safety first during summer boating season
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…
A different kind of bear season
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…
Scholastic clay target league explodes in popularity
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.
With spring gobbler season over, it’s time to prep gear for fall deer hunting
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…
The light stuff: Running and gunning for late-season gobblers
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.
Spring has sprung, and has trout anglers and turkey hunters thankful
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…
Going back to your turkey-hunting roots: longbeards in the big woods
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…
Tackling busy April of chores ahead of spring gobbler season
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…
No fooling: N.Y. poised for a typical cold trout opener April 1
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.
It’s time to remove those ice shanties
But portable shanties have taken over and allow anglers to take the comfort and convenience of a shanty wherever they want.
Whitetails weathering the New York winter – so far
Deer tracks started picking up around the author's home a few weeks ago.
Boreas classification a win for sportsmen
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.
On New York's bigger lakes, get ice fishing while the getting is good
Who knows if the ice we have is going to be all the ice we’re going to get.
Alsheimer leaves lasting legacy in the whitetail world
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…
Exercise caution on the ice and on snowmobiles
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…
The taste of success: venison for hunters and non-hunters
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.
Late season may be the great season for deer hunters
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.
Whitetail rut or not, it’s time to hunt
Your best asset during the rut, or at any part of the hunting season, is time in the woods.
Outdoor writers’ group celebrates 50 years
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…
Deer hunters should be sensible about scents
Common-sense tactics involving little money or effort might help you get a little closer to your quarry.
A salute to the sporting hero
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…
Early hunting seasons highlighted by Northern Zone bear offering
All things considered, it's shaping up to be a potentially good year for bear hunters.
Hunter education at the 11th hour
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.
Bass tournaments big business in northern New York
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.
New York moose sighting makes for a memorable outing
Having the encounter in such a pristine environment as Cedar River Flow with an old friend along was surely a blessing.
In New York, bass a fish for all anglers
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.
Taking precautions to avoid ticks, Lyme
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.
Turkeys win out over trout in May
Still, during the month of May I always feels torn between the two pursuits, as do many of my peers.
Calling turkeys with your mouth shut: Friction works just fine
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.
Wabbling into trout season with the time-tested Lake Clear Wabbler
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.
Banquet season a chance for sportsmen and women to support the cause
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.
Dress right for early-season fishing
Most of all, know that it’s the law to wear that PFD. Consider it the blaze orange of the water.
Venison overload? Canning and jerky-making great options
Both are time-tested methods practiced by our ancestors.
Sporting community rallies for a cause at ice fishing tournament
There are times when I’m downright proud to be a sportsman and this day was surely one of them.
Deer season’s over, but keep in touch with your hunting camp buddies
What can be better during the off season than getting together with fellow deer hunters? Myself and the crew I hunt with, the Iron Sight Gang, make it a point every winter to do just that.
Ice fishing preparation means gearing up for the hard water season
Ice fishing season has arrived for many anglers across the state. In fact on some waters at higher elevations, including the Adirondacks, there has been ice fishing action since mid-December.
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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