New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State locating and extracting lost, injured or distressed people and policing state lands.
This report of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers was prepared by DEC:
Town of Middleburgh, Schoharie County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 28 at 8:39 p.m., while patrolling Dutton Ridge State Forest, Forest Ranger France observed a vehicle parked on the side of Anderson Road. Another vehicle approached and the person inside told Ranger France they were on the phone with two missing hunters who owned the parked vehicle.
The two 59-year-olds became lost while tracking a deer they shot. Schoharie County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted with the search efforts. At 9:15 p.m., Ranger France located the two hunters in good condition and assisted them out of the woods.
Town of Naples, Ontario County
Wildland Fire: On Oct. 29 at 9:55 a.m., Forest Rangers Dormer and Raffaldi-Smith responded to a wildland fire near Clement Road. By 3 p.m., Rangers and the Naples Fire Department had the fire controlled.
The cause of the fire was an unextinguished, unattended campfire. On Oct. 30, Rangers declared the fire out.
Rangers remind campers to never leave a campfire unattended. And to put out the fire, drown it with water and make sure all embers, coals, and sticks are wet, and then move rocks to make sure there are no embers burning in the ground. More fire safety tips are available on the DEC website.
Town of Martinsburg, Lewis County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 29 at 8:32 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a lost hunter near Graves Road on Lesser Wilderness State Forest. The 67-year-old from Ancram became lost in the darkness while tracking a deer they shot.
Forest Ranger Maxwell worked with New York State Police and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department on the search. Using cell phone coordinates, rescuers located the hunter at 9:30 p.m. in good health.
The hunter had a flashlight that died and a cell phone that was nearly out of charge.
Rangers suggest hikers and hunters bring light sources such as headlamps with extra batteries and not rely on phones for navigation and light. In the wilderness, cell phone batteries lose charge more quickly.
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 31 at 2:25 p.m., Forest Ranger Dawson responded to a call for a hiker with a knee injury below North Point. Ranger Dawson reached the 57-year-old at Artist Rock and assisted the hiker back to North South Lake Campground. Resources were clear at 3:30 p.m.
Town of Ticonderoga, Essex County
Wilderness Search: On Nov. 1 at 12:30 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the family of a hunter missing since the previous day. The 34-year-old from Ticonderoga spoke with a hunting partner through the night but failed to make it out of the woods.
Forest Rangers Kabrehl and Quinn searched the area and found items belonging to the hunter. At 4 p.m., the hunter made it to a home on Canfield Road.
The hunter refused medical attention from Rangers but accepted a ride from a friend to the hospital due to cramping from dehydration and exhaustion. Resources were clear at 5 p.m.
Town of Brownville, Jefferson County
Rescue: On Nov. 1 at 9:50 p.m., Forest Ranger Cooley assisted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Chaumont Fire Department, and Watertown Fire Department with the rescue of two anglers on their boat stuck approximately 100 yards from shore in Black River Bay.
The pair accidentally operated their boat in shallow waters, causing it to run aground. Rescuers used an inflatable raft to safely retrieve the two fishermen.
Black River Bay on Lake Ontario is a mile wide water body formed by the Black River about two miles from Sackets Harbor, west of Dexter Marsh and east of Pillar Point. Black River Bay is part of the Golden Crescent, along with Henderson and Chaumont bays.
The bay is a popular area for swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing.
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