A year’s worth of weather, in a week
Notes from the North Woods
It certainly has been an interesting week to be in the woods.
The wave
Notes from the North Woods
Adirondackers have again begun practicing that old, familiar wave.
Connected by natural rhythms
Notes from the North Woods
Most rivers and streams are still running high, with waterconnected by natural rhythms.
The Trout Where-Abouts
Notes from the North Woods
Most rivers and streams are still running high, with water temperatures about average for the season.
Searching for spring
Notes from the North Woods
After waiting and watching for the backwoods ponds to shed winter’s hard cap, I couldn’t take it anymore.
The little video that could...fix a road
Notes from the North Woods
This coming weekend, I’ll be heading back down to Newcomb to attend the final offering in the “Got Game” lecture series.
A warm heart for cold weather
Notes from the North Woods
In recent weeks, I’ve been seeing a lot of sign of animals on the move.
A day at the Adk Sportsmans Dinner
Notes from the North Woods
As has been my custom in recent years, I spent the third Saturday of March at the Adirondack Sportsmans Dinner in Schroon Lake.
A Return to the South Slopes
Notes from the North Woods
Following last week’s spell of foul weather which threatened to wash away winter, it appears the season has rebounded.
Ancient anglers
Notes from the North Woods
The recent thaw has raised the expectations of many local anglers for another early ice out, as any of the region’s lakes and ponds were free and clear of ice for the opening day of trout season on April 1st.
Turning back time
Notes from the North Woods
According to most calendars, the spring season officially arrives during the month of March.
A fish tail
Notes from the North Woods
As winter begins a slow transition towards spring, my enthusiasm for the coldest season has already begun to diminish.
Celebrating the tradition of celebration
Notes from the North Woods
On Saturday, Feb. 23, residents of Saranac Lake will again be joined by visitors from across the region to help carry on a spirit of celebration that has kept a festive atmosphere alive in the community for several weeks.
The looming storm
Notes from the North Woods
Despite recent temperature variations that have kept local thermometers bouncing around like a pogo stick, the winter of 2012-13 has been rather blah.
Water over the Dam
Notes from the North Woods
In recent years, winter weather patterns have become increasingly difficult to predict, especially in the Adirondacks, which has always managed to maintain a tried and true tradition of having snow on the ground by Thanksgiving, followed by a white Christmas and a brief January thaw.
Outdoor sports and gym class
Notes from the North Woods
As debate over gun control continues to rage across the country, it is interesting to note two proposed bills that were introduced in the New York State Assembly and Senate last year.
Letting the cat out of the bag
Notes from the North Woods
Eastern cougars were listed as Endangered Species in 1973, however in March 2011, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a change of status for the big cats when agency biologists requested cougars be removed from the Endangered Species list.
Winter gives way to sports show season
Notes from the North Woods
Winter gives way to sports show season
A season with a reason
Notes from the North Woods
As I gaze out my office window, a stiff and steady west wind is sending tiny tornados of snow, tumbling across the frozen ground in my side yard, and finally the wind-driven snow is beginning to pile up.
Life and death ... in a small town
Notes from the North Woods
Born in 1956, I remain the product of a lifetime spent primarily in small town America.
St. Hubert, the Jagermeister
Notes from the North Woods
Back in early October, I had the pleasure of leading a hike for a group of visitors from Europe.
Season-ending snow
Notes from the North Woods
The first significant snow of the season has finally arrived, and while accumulations remain far too meager to jump-start the backcountry ski season; the woods are again white.
Forest oddities
Notes from the North Woods
Anyone who has spent much time in the woods understands that nature is very fickle. In fact, it is quite often downright contrary.
The business of wilderness
For years, there has been a protracted debate over the value of protected state lands encompassed within the Adirondack Forest Preserve.
Cold weather heats up the Big Game Hunting Season
Notes from the North Woods
The landscape has begun to take on a decidedly winter-like cast, as a fresh covering of snow recently secured a white cap atop most of the peaks in the upper elevations.
Annie, get your gun!
Notes from the North Woods
Although the overall number of licensed hunters in the United State has been on a steady decline, from over 14.1 million participants in 1996 to less than 12.5 million today, there has been one promising trend with the potential to save the shooting sports industry.
They're always watching
Notes from the North Woods
During the waning days of trout season, I took advantage of the opportunity to combine some grouse hunting with a bit of angling.
The history of hunting in the Adirondacks
Notes from the North Woods
According to The Hunter's Aim: The Cultural Politics of American Sport Hunters, 1880-1910 written by Daniel Justin Herman, “sport hunting in the United States reached its pinnacle in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
A day with dog and gun, rod or rifle
Notes from the North Woods
Recent weather patterns have finally begun to exhibit a distinctly autumnal turn, the pace of life has begun to slow down, following a rather extended and tiresome, tourist season.
Rod, gun and makeup
Notes from the North Woods
With each passing day, the evening air grows cooler and the hillsides get a bit brighter as great flocks of birds continue to fly overhead on their annual migrations south.
The sporting season begins
Notes from the North Woods
The annual autumn migration that is responsible for taking young men, old men and increasingly, a large number of women into the deep woods of the Adirondacks is set to begin soon with the launch of the early bear season on Sept. 15.
Outdoor Escapes and Etiquette
Notes from the North Woods
According to a recent national survey, people who regularly recreate outdoors, and those who had participated in outdoor recreation while growing up, are more likely than all others to be completely satisfied with their lives.
Autumn on the rise: Time for fur, fins and feathers
Notes from the North Woods
According to the most reliable reports, angling opportunities on most local lakes and ponds has slowed down significantly in recent weeks.
Displaced, but still tied to the land
Notes from the North Woods
In the past few weeks, I’ve been involved in a number of discussions regarding the recent state purchase of lands from the Adirondack Nature Conservancy.
The angling doldrums of August
Notes from the North Woods
Work is underway this week on a river bank stabilization and habitat restoration project along the East Branch of the Ausable River in the hamlet of Keene Valley.
Some like it hot!
Notes from the North Woods
The heat of the summer has descended upon the Adirondacks, delivering temperatures that have soared well above 80 degrees.
Summertime and the living is easy
Notes from the North Woods
Summer is now in full swing with a slate of events and activities available for almost everyone’s enjoyment.
Backlash on the World Record Bass
Notes from the North Woods
Although the recent weather patterns have been decidedly summer-like, the actual summer season did not officially begin until Wednesday, June 20th.
Back home, again
Notes from the North Woods
Last weekend, I returned to Elizabethtown to attend the opening of the new, Raging Rivers exhibition at the Adirondack History Center Museum.
Back from the ponds
Notes from the North Woods
The blackflies are back, and so are the tourists, just as the fishing season has finally hit full stride.
Of Bugs and Brookies
Notes from the North Woods
In 1624, a Jesuit priest traveling through the Dismal Wilderness of the Adirondack region claimed his experience with the demons of the north was, “The worst martyrdom I have ever suffered in this country.”
Fishless Joe
Notes from the North Woods
Almost every angler has suffered at least one embarrassing incident while pursuing fish.
Going buggy
Notes from the North Woods
In last week’s column, I purposely raised the alarm to be on the lookout for ticks.
The annual blood drive is on its way
Notes from the North Woods
Despite the early arrival of the spring season, there really hasn’t been much of a problem with skeeters or black flies to date.
Waters connect
Notes from the North Woods
The adventure of outdoor travel is no longer considered a normal part of life for a majority of the country’s population.
The trout whereabouts
Notes from the North Woods
Due to summer-like weather patterns that had arrived by the early spring, this year’s trout season has been greatly accelerated.
Troubles in camp
Notes from the North Woods
For those of us who were fortunate enough to have settled within the borders of one of the world’s finest parks, it appears we made a wise decision.
One last cast ...
Notes from the North Woods
I’ll be along in just a minute, I’m just gonna’ take one last cast.
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