Wolf Mountain Nature Center Provides Unique Experience

High on a hill overlooking the Chenango Valley the peaceful silence was pierced by a wolf howl. Soon it was joined by a dozen others as well as the yelps of several coyotes. It was really pretty cool to be in the midst of this wolf serenade of primal sounds that lasted several minutes.

This exciting experience took place last Sunday afternoon while my wife Carol and I were visiting the Wolf Mountain Nature Center near Sherburne. This is a special place created by Will Pryor, a native of Boston, whose interest and love of wolves led him to create this interesting place dedicated to exhibits and education of grey wolves, along with some coyotes and arctic fox. The Nature Center covers 64 acres of forest, meadow, and ponds.

Currently there are 15 wolves separated by compatible pairs or pack into enclosures of various sizes. These are large and well constructed enclosures containing reproductions of natural habitat as well as manmade dens and other structures to give the wolves a variety of territory to explore. Despite

Outdoors

the cover there are hiking trails around them so you can get views of practically all the wolves at some point. Typically you can get views of the wolves from five feet away. Some of the wolves are in advanced age but most are active and engage in play that many people find revealing and fascinating.

Although the tours are suspended due to Covid regulations there are staff members at various locations to provide information and answer any questions. A key part of your experience at Wolf Mountain Nature Center is to gain accurate knowledge and understanding of wolf behavior and an appreciation of wolves and their natural systems.

This is part of the mission of Wolf Mountain Nature Center along with the opportunity to observe animal behavior and develop unique educational programs for a diverse audience. You can get to watch wolves at play, as well as learn of the individual personalities of each one. Most of us are fascinated to learn that wolves have unique personalities just like humans do. Instead of seeing wolves as fearsome beasts, you will start to see them as interesting and important parts of the natural system.

There are also similar enclosures with natural habitat containing coyotes and arctic foxes. Each of these will have expert guides on hand to provide you with lots of information as well as interesting personal tales about those inhabitants. I personally found the arctic foxes especially interesting little critters that love to explore and play in their home habitat

The Center also has other special programs such as “Camping with wolves” where youngsters sleep in their own tents or the Native American tipis near a wolf enclosure, assisting with chores, meals, and stories around a campfire. Reservations for 2021 will start shortly.

There are volunteer programs such as caretaker for a day. Many Saturday evenings there are Wolf Communication Programs with some still scheduled for Aug. 22, Sept. 5, Oct. 3, and Nov. 7. These include group tours, lecture, and pack howl.

Currently the Center is open Friday 11 – 3, Saturday 12 – 3, and Sunday 12 – 4. Starting in September it will be open Sundays from noon until 4. For more information contact the Nature Center at 607-627-6784 or e-mail twmncwolves@yahoo. com. The address is 562 Hopkins Crandall Road but unless you have a GPS I strongly advise you to get directions.

Basically travel to Sherburne, go west on Route 80 to Smyrna, then turn south on South St. and go about a mile and take your first right. Turn left off that road about 100 yards further and follow Beaver Meadow Road for several miles up a long hill. It’s a pretty, scenic ride, and well worth the effort. You will be informed, entertained, and hopefully have a “howling good time.”

SHORT CASTS

Irish Setter Boots

If it seems that hunters are spending less time on their feet, it is true. Studies show that more and more hunters are spending time in tree stands or blinds instead of still hunting, driving, or other traditional methods. There is nothing wrong with that, it is just the adaptation to the times and proven methods. This means that many hunters are spending less time on their feet. But they still need quality footwear depending on how far they walk, the need to keep feet warm, and the importance of scent control.

Personally I spend a lot of time on my feet and I actively hunt for seven weeks of deer season, in addition to many days of small game hunting. I have always had problems with my feet but that has not stopped me from covering five, six, or more miles per day while hunting. And I usually hunt in rugged terrain in the north country and during the cold, wet, or snowy days of late season. Thus quality footwear is important.

Several people recently asked me what hunting boots I used or recommended. I pointed out my latest boot, the Vaprtrek by Irish Setter. Irish Setter has long been a producer of quality footwear ranging from hunting boots to work boots, and lifestyle shoes like oxfords or hiking shoes. You have to see the website Irishsetterboots.com to get an idea of the incredible variety of footwear and styles within.

The Vaprtrek line is traditionally 8 inch hunting boots that are extremely comfortable, tough, and made with quality materials. The come in a variety of models mainly depending on the amount of Primalof insulation for everything from uninsulated models for early season grouse hunting to much more insulation for cold, snowy late season days of deer hunting. They are very lightweight despite the thick rebound sole and substantial arch support thanks to their new composite material for soles.

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The combination of leather and synthetic Armatec XT is extremely abrasion resistant to give you many years of usage under tough conditions. It comes in Mossy Oak pattern for use in any type of hunting.

Depending on your amount and type of hunting, you might very likely have several pair of hunting boots. Take some time and evaluate your needs depending on your hunting experiences. Don’t overlook your feet when making hunting preparations. DMPS Available Now Deer Management Permits will be available at all license-issuing outlets or by phone, internet or mail through October 1, 2020. Deer Management Permits, which are used to manage the deer herd, are issued through a random selection process at the point of sale. Customers who are selected will receive their permits immediately. The chances of obtaining a Deer Management Permits remain the same throughout the application period. The 2020 chances of selection for a Deer Management Permit in each Wildlife Management Unit are available online, through License Agents, or the Deer Management Permits Hotline at 1-866-472-4332.

VIEW Exhibits and newsletter

After being closed for much of the summer, VIEW, the popular art center is open.

Currently the featured exhibit is the Adirondack National Exhibition of American Watercolors. This is the 11 th annual exhibit that draws artists from all over. In addition to seeing it in person, you can see much of the entries on line. Check VIEW,ORG to sign up for the free newsletter. In addition to information on exhibitions, and events there are on-line workshops available through Zoom. And many people who have missed reading Gary Lee’s naturalist columns can read them online with each edition of the newsletter.