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Try Carters Pond for Small Game
Greenwich, Washington County
With nearly 450 acres of woods, wetlands and fields, Carters Pond Wildlife Management Area is popular for small game hunting. Ruffed grouse, pheasant, cottontail rabbit and gray squirrel are plentiful. You may also find varying (snowshoe) hare, but remember that hare season doesn't begin until December 12. DEC requires new hunters to complete a free Hunter Education course before obtaining a license. After passing the course, you can easily obtain your license in person, online or by phone. See our Hunting Licenses webpage for information.
Tifft Nature Preserve
Buffalo, NY
The Tifft Nature Preserve provides valuable wildlife habitat only three miles from downtown Buffalo. Habitats include a 75-acre cattail marsh, woodlands, grasslands, Lake Kirsty, three ponds and a small stream. Tifft is an important stopover for migrating birds along the shore of Lake Erie. It also is a nesting habitat for rare marsh birds, and Audubon New York has designated it an Important Bird Area.
Wildlife watchers can strap on some snowshoes and hit the trails to view a variety of mammals and birds. Beaver and muskrat lodges can be seen in the marsh, the largest in Erie County. Because beavers are active all year, you may spot them swimming in open water. White-tailed deer browse at dawn and dusk and are visible throughout the seasons. Even in winter, everything from warblers to gulls to herons have been spotted in the preserve. It might be possible, too, to see at-risk birds such as common loons, bald eagles, northern harriers, red-shouldered hawks, peregrine falcons, common terns, short-eared owls and willow flycatchers. In addition, vigilant birders regularly observe the area's secretive American bitterns, and many visitors enjoy having chickadees land on their hands to eat sunflower seeds.
Mount Loretto Unique Area
Staten Island
The Mt. Loretto Unique Area offers nature lovers with more than 200 acres of forest, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal shoreline on the southern shore of Staten Island. These habitats make it a beautiful area to hike and one of the best places to spot migrating birds in the area. It is a New York State Watchable Wildlife site, where wildlife can be seen year-round. With five ecosystems--marine/coastal, grassland, forest, and tidal and freshwater wetlands--Mt. Loretto offers a wide array of habitats for bird species on Staten Island and lots of opportunities for birders.
Mt. Loretto Unique Area also features three hiking trails: Wetlands Trail, Grassland Trail, and Beach Loop. The Wetlands Trail includes a self-guided interpretive trail brochure, with eight stops along the trail. Some of them talk about the bird life at Mt. Loretto or the wildlife found at a pond, while others discuss the importance of wetlands, both tidal and freshwater.
Winter Camping at Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park
Westford, Otsego County
Atop a hill, Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park provides great views to the south and west. Hardwoods and conifers cover about two-thirds of the park, with meadowlands and ponds rounding out the remainder of the park's 200 acres.
Each of six rental cottages offers a bathroom with shower, an electric refrigerator, stove and microwave, a TV and a DVD player, furniture, bedding, kitchenware, et cetera. Campers must reserve in advance and stay for a minimum of two nights.
Winter activities at the park include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling on trails that connect to the state corridor trail system. In addition, the park is just a short drive from Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Ranger Report
Unprepared Hikers in High Peaks Wilderness
DEC's Ray Brook dispatch office received a call from Essex County 911 from a hiking party of three young men near the summit of Mt. Marcy. They were on an overnight camping trip but said they were "very cold and unprepared for winter conditions." The trio requested assistance in finding a nearby shelter, indicating they had awakened in a whiteout and that their gear, boots and clothing were frozen. Essex County 911 provided coordinates to confirm the group's location, and DEC dispatch established text contact with the men, instructing them to begin descending while Forest Rangers hiked in. The rangers used ATVs to get to Marcy Dam and then continued from there on foot. Hours after the call came, the rangers found the men approximately three miles from Marcy Dam. After helping them get warm, the rangers assisted the men the rest of the way down and to the Adirondack Loj.
Nature Notes
Beaver rarely leave the water for any extended period and can be found inhabiting wooded streams, the margins of lakes, ponds and reservoirs, swamps and marshes, and many other sources of open water year-round.
DEC's Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife App
Looking for an outdoor adventure close to home this spring? Download DEC's Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife App. Using the app's advanced GPS features, you will be able to identify and locate New York State's many hunting, fishing and wildlife watching sites.
Upcoming DEC Events
Conservationist Magazine
The December issue of Conservationist magazine has something for everyone. In it, you'll be inspired by the Original Woodswoman, who opened doors for women in environmental and outdoor careers, and learn how New York and dedicated organizations are expanding outdoor access for people with disabilities. You'll enjoy reading about a young family's moonlit nature excursions, and discover the beautiful raptors that brave New York's cold winters. You'll also see how a team of experts and volunteers are working together to protect forests from a tiny, but highly destructive threat. See the smallmouth that tied the state record, and a bachelor herd of nine whitetail bucks!.
There's all this and much more in the December Conservationist. Don't miss the next issue! Subscribe online or call 1-800-678-6399.
Photo Credits
- Snowshoe Banner - Albany Pine Busy
- Snowshoe hare - John Major
- Snowshoe Couple - Tifft Nature Preseve
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