History, Natural History & the Arts
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has announced that the 2021 hunting seasons in New York were the safest ever, with the lowest number of hunting-related shooting incidents since record-keeping began.
Conservation Police Officers (ECO) investigated nine hunting-related shooting incidents (HRSIs) in 2021, including one fatality. DEC did not asses the impact of COVID-19 on the 2021 hunting season. [Read more…] about 2021 NYS Hunter Safety Stats Released
New York bear hunters killed 1,346 black bears during the 2021 hunting seasons, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced.
Hunters killed an estimated 403 bears in the Northern Zone and 943 bears in the Southern Zone. This represents roughly 30 percent fewer bears taken in the north and 20 percent fewer taken in the south than in 2020, but only about 10 percent fewer than the five-year average in each zone. [Read more…] about 2021 NYS Bear Hunting Statistics Released
Now is a great time to search for winter tracks or other animal signs visible in the snow. It can be fun to be a detective and figure out what animals have been walking through your yard or across a trail. [Read more…] about Look for Wildlife Tracks in Winter
Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Palmateer reported he received an anonymous tip in early October about a wounded bear seen near land conservancy property in the town of Greenville, Greene County, during opening weekend of bow season. Knowing this area is closed to hunting and not high density for bears, ECO Palmateer contacted Investigator Sulkey for help surveilling the area. [Read more…] about 9 Hunters Caught Hunting Bear Illegally In Greene County
In April, a long-standing black bear poaching case pending in the Town of Fallsburg Court was finally resolved. [Read more…] about Bear Poachers Fined After More Than A Year
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that New York State bear hunters killed 1,723 black bears during the 2020 hunting seasons. [Read more…] about DEC Releases 2020 Bear Hunting Statistics
The winter season presents a series of challenges for wildlife, such as food shortages, colder temperatures and large snowfalls. Fortunately, native wildlife has developed unique physiological and behavioral traits to help them survive and thrive in New York’s cold winter climate. [Read more…] about How Wildlife Adapts To New York Winters
The 2020-21 regular deer and bear hunting seasons in New York’s Southern Zone begin at sunrise on Saturday, November 21st, and continue through Sunday, December 13th.
The Southern Zone regular season is New York’s most popular hunting season, with participation from about 85 percent of New York’s 550,000 licensed hunters. Animals killed during this hunting season account for nearly 60 percent of the total statewide deer take and 30 to 60 percent of the statewide bear take. [Read more…] about More Deer, Bear Hunting Seasons Begin This Weekend
Why Bears Don’t Write Poetry
First of all, bears sleep up to six months,
probably with no notebook by their bed.
If they wrote anything, that might be
long grocery lists of wishful thinking.
No doubt some bears dream in menus,
you’d guess from restaurants in states
known for raising beef cattle—or for
traditional bears, buffalo-ranch states.
Besides, bears are staunch omnivores,
at home as carnivores or herbivores.
Black bear hunting seasons open this weekend in the southeastern part of New York State and next weekend in the north country. [Read more…] about Early Bear Hunting Seasons Open This Weekend