Outdoors books can help cure cabin fever

In last week’s column we dealt with outdoor activities that people could do safely without being “Covidiots.” Two factors that might limit outdoor fun could be lack of snow or heavy snow and cold temperatures.

Early this week as I write this column it appears that the snowbelt areas at least, are getting a significant amount of lake effect snow. Based on the forecast it seems that the areas of the snowbelt such as Redfield and Osceola or the area of the central Adirondacks around Old Forge should get an adequate amount of snow for people to enjoy snowmobiling or crosscountry skiing, etc. in the near future.

If at some point the weather does not cooperate there are always indoor activities that can help keep you occupied and take your mind off physical activity. There is no shortage of books or on-line publications that are suitable for all tastes or interests.

Three books that I would recommend, even for those peo

ple who hate to sit still and read, are “Adirondack Deer Trackers,” “At the Mercy of the Mountains,” and “Adirondack Timber Cruising.”

“Adirondack Deer Trackers” is a book of tales of four men who did not just dream of tracking down trophy bucks; they achieved this many times. The book doesn’t detail how-to techniques, although the reader will pick up tips and information from it.

It is a collection of tales of adventures by individuals who take the ultimate challenge in deer hunting. Like tales told around the camp stove, these stories transport you into the Adirondack forests with a feel for the excitement of the hunt. They entertain the reader and give an idea of the challenge, the hard work, the excitement, or even the disappointment of the hunt.

The Adirondack Trackers are a core group of four central New York hunters who love the Adirondacks and deer hunting by tracking. Joe Dinitto, Steve Grabowski, Jim Massett and Dave Williams are all very accomplished hunters and trackers, as well as story tellers as these adventures will show.

The book is definitely for anyone who loves deer hunting, can relate to the big woods, and enjoys the experience. See the website www.adktrackers.com for more information.

A book that is sure to grab your attention and hold your interest is “At the Mercy of the Mountains” by Peter Bronski. It is a collection of true tales of survival and tragedy in the Adirondack Mountains. Some are of human error or carelessness, others are of triumph and courage. Some deal with misjudging the weather while others are subject to unusual conditions beyond their control. All the stories will grip you and make you realize that there is often a fine line between triumph and human tragedy. The Adirondacks are not to be taken for granted.

Prolific Adirondack researcher and writer William J. (Jay) O’hern has published another book that will delight readers, including those who share his fascination with the old logging days in the Adirondacks and anyone who wants to know what life was like in these parts during the past century and a half.

“Adirondack Timber Cruising” overflows with compelling stories about the everyday—but by no means ordinary— people who lived and worked in the timber woods before chainsaws and trucks, and explains how mechanization changed everything. Memories of loggers and others who worked in the lumber camps and towns populate the pages as the reader cruises to the end of an era that will never be forgotten. Hundreds of vintage photographs make this a two-in-one book, with a wide array of eyewitness pictures accompanying the stories.

Adirondack Timber Cruising is available on line at www.theforagerpress.com and at www.adkwilds.com; or locally at stores or it can be ordered by calling North Country Books 1-800-342-7409.

O’hern has many other books of Adirondack life that reveal the details of life and the people who lived then. These range from topics such as early settlements, camps, folk tales, recipes, and interesting individuals such as Noah John Rondeau. For the complete list of Jay Ohern’s many books check the website: www.adkwilds.com or email jay@ adkwilds.com. SHORT CASTS

DEC Unveils Crappie Plans

The DEC recently announced its plans to revise management of sunfish (bluegills, pumpkinseeds, redbreasts ) and crappie in certain waters. They say that this reflects current anglers’ views and science for larger waters. Complete plans are available on the DEC website. The plan calls for yielding larger sized fish and insuring adequate populations for recreational anglers. New regulations would reduce the statewide limit from 50 to 25 sunfish. It would increase the statewide minimum size for crappie from 9 to 10 inches.

The big panfish initiative on certain waters would set a minimum size of 8 inches and a creel limit of 15 sunfish. Among the waters that this would affect are Canandaigua, Saratoga, Cazenovia, Otisco, and Honeoye. There would be a 12 inch minimum size and daily limit of 10 crappie on these above waters as well as Delta Lake.

Comments are being accepted until February 15 by email at: fishplans@dec.ny.gov.

Victory For Clean Air DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced earlier a victory for clean air. The U.S. Court of Appeals early this week denied the Trump administrations’ plan to drop the Clean Power Plan. Replacing the Clean Power Plan with the “Affordable Clean Energy rules would have increased climate-altering emissions and air pollution while jeapordizing the nations’s promising clean energy economy, according to Seggos.

Great Backyard Bird Count

Help out in an effort of citizen science and enjoy nature at the same time. The Great Backyard Bird Count will be held February 12 – 15, 2021 and they are looking for volunteers. Count for as little as 15 minutes one day or watch for many hours each day at multiple locations. The time and effort are up to you. Keep track of the kinds of birds you watched, make the best estimates of each species numbers, and enter your lists. Check for details and sign up at www.birdcount.org.

Great Opportunity at Great Lot Sportsman’s Club

The Great Lot Sportsman’s Club is hosting four guided snowshoeing trips at their club just off Osceola Road near West Leyden. Those interested are asked to meet at 9:45 at the entrance to the club at 43277 Osceola Road. Spaces are limited and reservations are required. Yes, there is practically always lots of snow around Osceola and West Leyden.

Afterwards all will be treated to a hot lunch and refreshments at the clubhouse.

The snowshoe trips and lunch are free and open to all age groups. For more information or to sign up, please contact Guy Case at 315-378-7592. Dates are Feb. 13, Feb.27, Mar. 13, and Mar.27. I have been there before and it is a great facility, and a very nice group of people that do a lot for the community.

Unmarked Tip-ups Some minor changes that ice fishermen should be aware of involve tipups.

Previously ice fishermen were allowed 2 hand lines and 5 tip-ups which had to be labelled with owner’s name and address. Now you are allowed 7 total lines in the water (e.g. 7 tip-ups) and the tip-ups do not have to be labelled. The angler still has to be in attendance.

Crossbow Coalition News

The Crossbow Coalition has taken encouragement by the governor’s language in the State of the State Book. Governor Cuomo called for increased hunting opportunities by expanding the crossbow season into the big game season. He also called for allowing junior hunters age 12 – 13 to hunt with a rifle or shotgun when under the supervision of a parent, guardian, or mentor. This is expected to be included in the Executive Budget Proposal to be released soon. Visit the webpage nycrossbowcoalition.com and submit letters to your legislator asking for support.