September is Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month
September is the month many hunters, especially bowhunters, start heading back to the woods to put up stands and get ready for upcoming hunting seasons.
Every year, hunters are seriously injured, paralyzed, or killed falling out of tree stands. Falls from tree stands have become a major cause of hunting related injuries and fatalities in New York.
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Over 6 million gallons of contaminated water put into Oak Orchard Creek
Orleans County is suing its neighbor to try to stop a sewer line from coming into the Town of Shelby and depositing up to 6 million gallons of what Orleans says is “contaminated” water into the Oak Orchard Creek.
The county on Monday filed an Article 78 complaint in State Supreme Court, seeking to halt placement of a sewer line from the STAMP site to the Oak Orchard Creek, a 9.5-mile long pipe along Route 63 that has been under construction since Aug. 3.
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Birds Acquired to Enable Planned Pheasant Releases Following Spring’s HPAI Outbreak
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that the fall 2023 pheasant season will proceed as planned. After the loss of the pheasant flock at DEC’s Reynolds Game Farm earlier this year due to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), DEC is acquiring ring-necked pheasants from a commercial hatchery to supplement fall upland bird hunting opportunities around the state. Every year, DEC releases 30,000 pheasants on more than 100 properties that are open to the public for pheasant hunting.
“Pheasant hunting serves as an introduction to hunting for many New York hunters,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “DEC was devastated by the loss of the State’s breeder flock this spring and is grateful to be able to offer the pheasant program this fall and beyond.”
New York does not have sufficient habitat quantity on a large landscape scale needed to support a wild, self-sustaining pheasant population, so the chance to harvest pheasants on publicly accessible lands relies on DEC’s pheasant propagation program. Pheasant hunting provides excellent opportunities to engage new hunters of all ages and to re-engage people who no longer hunt. In this way, the pheasant propagation program is an important hunter recruitment tool and many of these birds will be distributed to organizations hosting sponsored pheasant hunts for youth, people with disabilities, women, and novice hunters.
Both young (8-12 weeks) and adult birds will be received at Reynolds Game Farm over the coming weeks and raised until they are ready for stocking at locations around the state. DEC will continue to follow existing HPAI protocols to protect the flock and remains committed to producing and releasing pheasants in 2023 and beyond.
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DEC Joins Great Lakes and Northeast States and Canadian Provinces in Annual Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in partnership with seven Great Lakes states, six Northeast states, and six Canadian provinces, today announced the annual Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz will run from June 30 through July 9. This international campaign bolsters existing efforts to inform boaters and others about the risks of introducing and spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS). During this coordinated outreach effort, partners will boost social media AIS messaging and increase in-person AIS education at thousands of water access sites throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast region.
“New York State continues to fight against the spread of aquatic invasive species through initiatives like DEC’s Boat Steward Program, the statewide Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISMs), New York’s Invasive Species Awareness Week, and the Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “All boaters in New York can help protect their favorite lakes and rivers from these invasive pests by understanding how these species spread and making sure their watercraft and gear have been cleaned, drained, and dried.”
During last year’s AIS Landing Blitz, 1,100 stewards, volunteers, and staff educated more than 173,000 people at over 1,300 public and private boat launches and inspected more than 111,000 boats. Millions of people watched, listened, and read about AIS prevention efforts through news releases and social media. So far this year, DEC’s boat stewards alone have already performed more than 27,000 inspections and intercepted more than 1,200 AIS at boat launches throughout New York State.
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New Yorkers Urged to Follow DEC Guidelines to Avoid any Issues
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today issued guidance to help prevent conflicts between people and coyotes to protect the public and their pets.
“This is the time of year when New York’s resident coyotes breed and set up dens for pups that will arrive in the spring,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “While conflicts with people and pets are rare, New Yorkers should remain alert and follow DEC’s common-sense guidelines to minimize the risk for potential conflicts with coyotes.”
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