Fall Hunting Seasons throughout New York
Leaf peeping, apple picking and hunting mean fall has arrived in New York State. Join the nearly 1 million hunters who participate in this popular American tradition. Central and western New York are great places to don your hunting gear. A large deer population and abundant state lands, where the highest concentrations of deer are taken every year, virtually guarantee success.
Bear hunters should head to southeastern New York, where hunters in Delaware, Greene and Ulster counties took hundreds of bears last season. Turkey hunting season is open in the Adirondacks and eastern New York this month as well.
Great Autumn Hikes
Explore fall in New York's outdoors. The Great Autumn Hikes webpage lists some favorite fall hikes of DEC staff. Selections span the state and range from short and easy to long and challenging.
Family Fishing Festival at Hempstead Lake
Want to find a sport the whole family, from toddlers to grandparents, can enjoy? Try fishing. The perfect place to start is at the annual Fall Fishing and Children's Festival, which will be held on Saturday, October 19 at Hempstead Lake State Park from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. More than 1,000 trout will be stocked prior to this event.
Participants fish for free-no freshwater fishing license is required. Learn how to fly-fish, cast and identify local fish. Loaner rods are available, along with free bait and fish cleaning. Children's activities will include pumpkin decorating, a magic show, pony rides and face painting. The headline event is a casting contest in which participants can "catch" a pumpkin or "hook" a prize.
Cost: $6 for those 12 and older
For more information about the Fall Fishing Festival, or if you have weather concerns, please call DEC's I FISH NY number, 631-444-0283.
Long Island isn't the only place downstate where the fishing is great. Learn about fishing in New York City in the October 2011 Conservationist magazine.
Hike of the Month: Greenwood Creek State Forest
Travel along the Olympic Byway, Rte. 3 in the western Adirondacks, to view spectacular fall foliage and visit quaint towns. Just outside the Village of Harrisville in St. Lawrence County, enjoy a hike in Greenwood Creek State Forest. There is a small picnic area near a stream and waterfall and a trail that runs alongside the stream, through the woods and back to the picnic area. Hikers can take a quarter-mile hike here, or choose the full 1.8-mile loop past a bubbling spring, through a red pine plantation and along rocky ridges.
For other hikes throughout the state, visit DEC's Great Autumn Hikes webpage.
Watchable Wildlife at Landis Arboretum
Esperance, Schenectady County
Landis Arboretum, a former farm overlooking the Schoharie Valley, is one of only three arboreta in eastern North America that have old-growth forests. It also has a complete New York State native plant collection, year-round educational programs, and perennial gardens. The arboretum is home to dozens of species of birds and other wildlife. There is a designated bluebird trail, and hawkwatches and owl prowls are popular. Wetlands and ponds attract ducks, geese, herons and woodcock, while scrub areas harbor grouse, killdeer and sandpipers. Deer are prevalent, and dawn and dusk offer the best opportunities for seeing coyotes, fishers, squirrels, foxes, raccoons and, occasionally, bears.
Visit DEC's Watchable Wildlife webpages for other great places to view wildlife.
Camp at Fish Creek Pond Almost Until the Snow Flies!
Fish Creek Pond remains open later than any other DEC campground in the state, not closing until November 10. Located in the heart of the Adirondacks just west of Saranac Lake, it is ideal for fall camping. Because summer crowds are gone, leaving peace in their wake, fall may become your favorite time for camping. A limited number of sites, including several with water access, remain open through the fall on a first-come, first-served basis. Enjoy a quiet paddle in a canoe on mild days, and warm yourself near a crackling campfire on chilly nights. See the webpages for Fish Creek Pond Campground to plan your stay.
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