January 2019 Outdoor Discovery

Hare Hunting in Northern NY

Jefferson/Oswego Counties

On a clear, cold winter morning when the snow glistens in the sunlight, head to Winona State Forest for a snowshoe hare hunting adventure. The season in the northern zone runs through March 17, and the daily bag limit is six hares.

Unlike deer hunting, you don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn and stumble out in the dark to wait for prey to appear. Snowshoe hares feed on twigs and bark during the winter, primarily at night, and they nap in the sun near low-lying boughs of small evergreen trees or thickets. They avoid open patches of land without good ground cover.

Winona State Forest covers more than 9,000 acres with nearly 40 miles of trails, including 10 miles of forest roads. Both snowshoeing and snowmobiling are allowed in the area. Good hunting opportunities can be found elsewhere on the Tug Hill Plateau and the peripheral Adirondacks, including:
Little John Wildlife Management Area
Happy Valley Wildlife Management Area 

photo credit: John Major

Hike of the Month: Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area

Chenango County

Hiking, birding, nature study, wildlife observation and hunting/trapping are popular activities at the 4,169-acre Pharsalia WMA.  Almost half of the 18.2 miles of marked trails are part of the Finger Lakes Trail and pass by the “Waterfalls of Pharsalia”—a series of small waterfalls and cascades leading to a pond. The trails meander on flat or gentle slopes through meadows, grasslands and forest. Wildlife includes white-tailed deer and turkey and numerous small mammals and songbirds. There is a new wheelchair accessible, 170-foot elevated boardwalk leading to a 15-foot viewing platform overlooking a 25-acre wetland complex at Pharsalia Woods, home to unique plant and bird species.

Watchable Wildlife: Moreau Lake State Park

Saratoga County

Located in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Moreau Lake State Park encompasses 4,300 acres with a 120-acre lake formed by glaciers. It is classified as both a Bird Conservation Area by the state and an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society.

Moreau is a significant wintering site for the bald eagle. Great-horned and screech owls. and several species of woodpeckers are often sighted in winter. White-tailed deer, coyotes and foxes round out the mammals you may see at first or last light. There are more than 20 miles of nature trails, and hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails attract visitors year-round.

Nature Notes

An eagle's 2-inch-long talons can exert 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch.

Upcoming DEC Events

First Day Hikes, 1/1, Various locations across the state, including WAG Trail, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town of Willing, Allegany County; RSVP to: Justin Thaine at 585-415-1521 or email Justin.thaine@dec.ny.gov.

Christmas Bird Count for Kids, 1/5 at 9:00 AM, Reinstein Woods EEC

Family Fun: Frosty the Bird Feeder, 1/5 at 10:00 AM, Five Rivers EEC

Woods Walk – What’s out in the Winter, 1/19 at 1:00 PM, Reinstein Woods EEC

Animal Intelligence, 1/19 at 2:00 PM, Five Rivers EEC

Winter Festival, 1/26 at 10:00 AM, Grafton Lakes State Park 

December Conservationist

Can you tell what this is? To find out, see page 7 of the December Conservationist, and read about a winter warrior. You can also learn how creatures living in New York have adapted to survive our coldest season, and check out amazing photographs of snowy owls taken during the irruption of 2017. And if you need some inspiration to get outdoors, read how the Adirondack Corps SCA is rehabilitating trails and building strong bonds between co-workers and nature. There’s this, and more, in the December Conservationist.

Don't miss it! Subscribe online or call 1-800-678-6399.