Site Discussions

Often, splitting the difference for the sake of peace is badly flawed strategy, but in this case, it would make sensible policy. Depending on the split. The one I like would allow paddlers to drive to an existing (but currently private) takeout/putin just upriver of the Hudson gorge.  This would permit use of a long, wild stretch of the river with benign water conditions below Newcomb and provide canoe access—but no more—to the area’s ponds.  More difficult to figure is access to OK Slip Falls, deep in the gorge, likely to be very popular and thus in danger of being destroyed because of its beauty.

First, let me say I’m in the timber business and I own a camp in the Adirondacks.

Can we please have some wilderness areas left in the world? Why do we feel we have the right to imprint the human population on every square inch of land.

It seems to me the people who are doing all the crying about NY State buying this land are the ones who have had access for the past century and who have worked very hard to keep the rest of us out. I applaud the State and look forward to seeing this wonderful wilderness area. The Property Rights Foundation, how can this be, they never owned the land, how can they have property rights. The State didn’t take away anybody’s property rights. Finch Pruyn did what was best for them, as the rightful property owner they are the one’s with the property rights. Lucky for the rest of us the Nature Conservancy and the State of NY were there to ensure the property would become available to all of us.

Acorns! Butternuts! Pine cones! You can make a sweet angel from a jack pine cone -body,acorn-head,and two milk weed pod pieces-wings. My kids have always loved making these and they look really nice! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Do you know of any studies done to determine whether recreational/commercial trapping reduces the incidence of mange in wild furbearers?

Very nice Meghan! Chris,Mark and Steve forecast the weather a few times a day here on our local radio station 97.7

Hi Stuart,

Nice to hear from you. I was up deer hunting this past weekend on Shatterack. I kept thinking the deer that live there must have some mountain goat dna in their blood to be able to go up and down those steep ledges.

Give me a call (802) 439-6292 or an email (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) and we can talk Rupert and logging history up there.
Dave

I FOUND THIS SITE WHILE LOOKING FOR “DEER HUNTING IN VT IN THE 1950’S
I IMMEDIATELY TUNE IN WHEN I SAW SHATTERACK MOUNTIAN. MY FAMILY OWNED A LARGE PART OF SHATTERACK - ABOUT 300 ACRES, IN THE 1950’S & BEFORE.WE OWNED WHAT WAS CALLED THE OXBOW. WE HAD A FARM ON THE UPPER END OF EAST STREET, RIGHT AFTER THE LOURIE FARM.
WE USED TO CUT LOGS & SKID THEM W/ A HORSE DOWN TO THE HEADER BY THE ROAD. I WORKED FOR A LOGGER IN THE MID ‘50S & BUILT A SKID ROAD DOWN FROM THE TOP OF SHATTERACK TO HAY FLATS ON THE KENT HOLLOW ROAD. IT WAS TOO STEEP TO COME UP FROM HAY FLATS SIDE. JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CABLE LOGGING YOU MENTIONED. WE LOOGED OFF A PRETTY GOOD PART OF THE HAY FLAT SIDE OF SHATTERACK. DO YOU KNOW THE NAME OF THE CABLE LOGGER?
THANKS FOR A REPLY

Hello Mr. Long,
thank you so much for an interesting and wonderful article on making Windsor chairs.  I haven’t learned so much and laughed so hard reading an article before.  Your story about the front legs was funny and entertaining.  I can see myself in that same situation some day.  I’m searching the internet for a class on Windsor chairs and found your northernwoodlands.org article.
Best Regards & Happy Holidays,
John H.

Interesting article, thanks!

Yesterday in Lindsborg, KS I saw a shallow-cupped nest.  The whole nest was on the flattish side.  It was made entirely of cedar bark and was underneath a large red cedar.  Any ideas on the bird who made that nest?

The story is very well told.  I think it would have given me chills even if I wasn’t Isaac’s father.

A great article about the nostalgia of deer hunting in Vermont. Yes, we old hunters remember the great meals, camp camaraderie and many good days in the woods. For too many of Vermont’s dwindling number of hunters, the memory of actually seeing deer and bucks 25 years ago, is what keeps us buying licenses and not becoming migratory deer hunters, spending our vacations and dollars in New York, Ohio or Texas where there are good game populations.
While earning my wildlife degree at UVM one of the key concepts taught was that habitat was the keystone of healthy herds. Unfortunately, much of Vermont has become marginal deer habitat with little early successional forest,agriculture or openings of any kind. While most of the US is enjoying record populations of deer and growing numbers of hunters (the latest USFW report shows an increase of 9% in hunters while VT has had more than a 9% decline)who are spending 33% more on their passion, we see declining numbers. It is hard to keep a young hunter committed when they go the whole season seeing few deer, so the future will not be brighter unless we change logging practices, educate landowners about habitat and get the VT F&W re-engaged in supporting game populations as a high priority. I am not another unhappy hunter as my wife and I have harvested two nice bucks this year on our 200 acre, high elevation Windham home site. Last year I took the heaviest archery deer in the state. The good news is that VT has great deer genetics, the whitetail is a wonderfully resilient animal and with a little habitat work we can have great hunting again. We do need to get started on this before all the old hunters with long memories depart for the Happy Hunting Grounds and I don’t mean Iowa.

1st December 2012: Coming home from Dorset at 10:30 pm we saw a large catamount run very fast across Route 30.

Dave - not much seen up here in north Starksboro yet - by me anyway. Seen some nice looking deer hanging from some neighborhood buck poles, though, so I am keeping a good thought - and am also glad I got a doe permit for muzzle-loader this year to improve my odds. It seems as though with a warming climate that the weather most conducive to hunting is now early December - I’d be curious to know what folks think of that.

Great article, Dave.
I come from a long line of deer hunters also and, yes, the food has definitely changed!
My grandmother, Betty Smith, used to have men calling her weeks before deer season to line up the home made VT maple baked beans that she was so famous for. Now I am the baked bean maker. Although unlike my grandmother, I hunt. So the cooking and baking starts about a week prior to the season which usually consists of home made breads & rolls, beans, chili, all the canned goods from the gardening season, 3 different kinds of quiche, lasagna,and the list goes on…I won’t get into the sweets. We have only had 1 deer harvested a 172lb fork horn (one side of the antlers was broken off) just to clarify…Well, I’m leaving work and on vacation for all of next week, maybe I’ll report back with another deer!  Best of luck to all my fellow hunters, and BE SAFE!

This has really helped me with my project in 9th grade biology and also has really informed me too.

I just saw a catamount outside my home in Granville! We’re located way out in the boonies on a back road kind of behind Rochester near the Green Mountain National Forest. My German Shepherd, who normally never barks or growls at anything, has been going nuts in the mornings for a few weeks now. I know that we have a lot of bear and moose out here so I usually just yell at her from the other room to stop barking. This morning however she was going exceptionally crazy so I went to the window she was barking out and there it was! It was about 6:20 am and the sun had come up just enough that I could clearly see a HUGE cat. It was moving at a pretty good clip at first but slowed for a moment and looked towards the window the dog and I were looking out before taking off again and darting into the woods across the road. Can’t find any tracks but I’m going to keep looking.

Thank you for putting into words something I have always felt.  During the storm’s 80 mph winds I was compelled to go outside and experience mother nature.  We are surrounded by mature oaks, ash and beech and they were so impressive in their bending and whipping.  We lost several large trees but it is awe inspiring that we didn’t loose more.  How well they fought the wind!  In extreme weather I often wonder what the Native Americans of our area would have been doing during such a storm.

A very well written article.  What each of these states did not realize in their decisions is that for the vast most part, the savings they might have achieved in their fire protection / forestry budgets was shifted and moved to their social programs.  Most observers in those area where fire towers were located & needed left their jobs and could not find work. The State added to the needy payrolls of welfare, the towers became derelict, and we all lost out in this transition. Today, I would be much happier knowing that I’m paying $20,000 a year for an observer on Mt. Adams in the Adirondacks than an unemployed individual in Newcomb NY. who can not find work.  That IS a problem all over America….but what looks good on paper for some is not really good for others.

Nice perspective! Couldn’t have said it better myself. The guys dancing behind the weatherman were hilarious! >:-)