Sportsman fear losing access to Boreas Ponds

The issue of Boreas Ponds looms large over the future of the Adirondacks. New York State completed the purchase of the Boreas Ponds Tract at a cost of $14.5 million. Reportedly this is a very beautiful area that adjoins the High Peaks Wilderness Area. Naturally there are many competing views about classification and usage.

Towns and communities are naturally concerned about potential usage that will attract visitors and have a real economic impact. They would like reasonable access that will attract fishermen, hunters and paddlers, etc. Many have voiced their support for a snowmobile trail that would connect communities. They favor a classification of Wild Forest, which would allow direct access to the Ponds and permit mountain bikes or snowmobiles to use the old log roads in the areas around the Ponds. They have formed a coalition with sportsmens groups and the NYS Conservation Council called Access the Adirondacks.

By contrast the extremists and zealots among the “preservationists” such as Adirondack Wild, or a coalition of three people calling themselves Adirondack Wilderness Advocates (AWA) want it all classified as Wilderness with the avowed intention of keeping most people out to “protect” the area. Adirondack Wild spokesmen like David Gibson have publicly attacked the proposals suggested by the APA and have claimed that natural resources come first and access or usage of them are irrelevant.

The coalition AWA, including Bill Ingersoll, the publisher of the “Discover the Adirondacks” series of guidebooks, has been openly critical of compromise on access and has publicly stated that he wants as few people as possible to preserve the “solitude.” Their plans would require a 14-mile hike to see the area. He has been writing several self-righteous articles espousing the importance of wilderness and saying that if anyone wants to see it they should be physically

fit enough to hike many miles and backpack there. Obviously he arrogantly dismisses any other form of recreation besides his own, especially if it somehow does not fit with his view of “wilderness.”

Other groups such as BeWild (a coalition of Adirondack Council and Adirondack Mountain Club) favor a compromise which would classify Boreas Ponds as Wilderness yet keep Gulf Brook Road open for six miles to allow paddlers, fishermen, etc. to reach LaBier Flow and provide a shorter distance to access the area. They also favor some snowmobile trail closer to the road. The Nature Conservancy is also advocating a similar plan.

There will be a series of public hearings during the months of November and December where the APA will present its three proposals and hear comments on these and other ideas. Unfortunately there are no hearings scheduled for Central New York or the Central Adirondacks. It is expected that the APA will reach a decision on the classifications of this property early in 2017.

The NYS Conservation Council, which is the umbrella organization representing sportsmen’s groups, is urging all people to get involved and make their wishes known for a Wild Forest classification, which would be less restrictive and allow greater access. There would still be the usual protections for the environment and forest preserve.

Steve LaMere, NYSCC Region 5 Director and Environmental Policy Analyst makes the following plea: “Real access for sportsmen and women in the Adirondacks is increasingly becoming an is- sue on new state land purchases. The recent classification of the Essex Chain of Lakes parcel is a good example. What was formerly 30 miles of roadways accessing these lands is now down to less than three miles.”

The present Boreas Ponds Tract and other parcels that have recently been transferred to the State and are now in the process of being classified by the State could potentially be subject to extreme restrictions if some prowilderness organizations and individuals get their way. The good news is that a new, united organization with a strong voice is now leading the fight to prevent this from happening.”

This group, called Access the Adirondacks (.accessadk.com/index.html), has reached out to different stakeholders in the Adirondacks in order to establish a coalition of likeminded organizations. It now consists of a consortium of various municipalities, private associations and user groups as well as conservation organizations, including the New York State Conservation Council, Inc. The NYSCC is a key part of this group and will work very hard to keep the sporting community aware of plans, events and progress as this process evolves.

This new alliance will be an effective force if all parties work collectively for the purpose of providing fair and reasonable public access to state lands. Sportsmen and taxpayers all have a vested interest in ensuring that the state agencies involved in the classification process hear their perspectives and expectations and then act upon them. They have a real chance of effecting change if they are organized, vocal and mobilize people of similar interests.

Everyone can help by passing on emails or news on to fellow sportsmen and women. Ask the lead- ership of your respective fish and game clubs and county federations to write to the contact person for the state (see below) who is soliciting and reviewing comments on the classification process; and copy the Governor’s office and your local legislators. If it is possible attend at least one of the hearings that are currently scheduled throughout New York and make sure your voice is heard on this important matter. Please print out and sign the petition found on the Access the Adirondacks website, have as many people as possible sign it, and then send it in! Thank you!

Postal mail and email addresses for written comments are as follows:

Kathleen D. Regan, Deputy Director, Planning. Adirondack Park Agency, PO Box 99,

1133 State Route 86, Ray Brook, NY 12977.

You can also email your comments to: ClassificationComments@apa. ny.gov

Written comments must be received by Dec. 30, 2016.

Opening Weekend of Northern Deer Season a Washout

The long anticipated opening of the Northern Zone Deer Season was literally a washout. The cold, rainy and windy weather on Saturday kept many of the expected crowd of hunters home. The weather and the fewer hunters afield contributed significantly to the lack of success.

There was not the usual excitement and anticipation because of the nasty weather. Although the conditions for still hunting were good, more hunters were concerned about staying dry and comfortable. Hunters were also restricted somewhat in where they hunted since small brooks had turned into sizable torrents and wetlands became impenetrable swamps.

Although most of us had raingear it made travelling tough because the raincoats or pants are frequently being snagged on briers or hindering our visibility. Generally, the deer were not on the move since they tend not to move much during windy weather and there were few hunters bumping them from their cover.

The weather forecast for this week and next weekend do not look much better. Last year hunters complained about the warm, sunny weather which altered deer habits. This week’s weather should prove that old adage: Be careful what you wish for.

Several hunters commented to me that they had not seen many scrapes – the areas that deer clear on the ground and leave their scent. I have seen a couple places where there were a line of scrapes along an old log road prior to the opening of muzzleloading season two weeks ago. Personally, I do not get too excited over scrapes since all that tells you is that there are deer travelling through the area.

My experience and some of the more carefully researched articles indicate that bucks get the urge to make scrapes as their hormones kick in but this can be a couple weeks prior to the rut. They are the deer’s equivalent of “social media” because several bucks and doe may freshen the area and leave their scent.

A line of scrapes that is frequently visited might indicate a buck’s route but when the rut starts they will be on the prowl and too busy to visit the scrapes. Research and trail cameras show that the vast majority of scrapes are visited at night. My advice, and that of many veteran hunters, is that scrapes indicate the presence of deer and routes they frequent, but don’t waste too much time sitting and watching them.

In its decision, the Court of Appeals granted the hockey association’s motion for summary judgment, ending the case.

The game featured several on-ice fights between players, some of whom were ejected. The Whitestown coach was also ejected. After the game, two female spectators began fighting, prompting a brawl involving several others.

Rome Youth Hockey Association attorney Matthew Kelly said a ruling that his client had a responsibility to prevent the fight would have devastated youth sports leagues around the state. Many are run by volunteers, he said, and lack the resources to hire private security.

“The plaintiff was attempting to greatly expand the responsibility of youth recreation leagues,” Kelly told The Associated Press.

Attorney Andrew Kirby, who represented Pink, disputed that claim. He said his client’s argument was simply that the hockey association failed to follow its own rules regarding unruly spectators.

He said that hopefully the case will shine a light on adult behavior that shouldn’t be tolerated at youth sports events.

“People need to be responsible,” he said. “Parents have to act responsibly at these things because the children are watching.”

Pink also sued Matthew Ricci, the man who pleaded guilty to the assault charge, and the city of Rome, which owned the area that hosted the tournament. The city and Ricci agreed to undisclosed settlements, according to court papers. The Whitestown Youth Hockey Association was also named as a defendant but was dropped from the suit by a lower court that ruled it did not have the potential level of responsibility as the Rome Youth Hockey Association, which had leased the arena.