#whyBHA
This month’s #whyBHA is from Gary Stefani (@ggstef11):
I have been hunting and fishing since I was a youngster, but I’m relatively new to the BHA community. I joined @backcountryhunters in 2020, at the excellent #publicgrouse film showing in Syracuse, and volunteered for the New York BHA chapter on the communications team. I was fortunate to grow up in a rural village in eastern MA. I could go hunting and fishing out my parent’s back door, with access to thousands of acres of un-posted land. There were ruffed grouse, wild bobwhite quail, waterfowl and deer all within walking distance of home, not to mention saltwater and freshwater fishing and scuba diving. But in terms of hunting culture in my hometown, I was living in the tail end of an era, as I watched the places I loved turned into housing developments and suburbs. When the hunting land vanished, the local hunting culture vanished with it. For several years I didn’t hunt, feeling hurt and discouraged for what few upland birds were left struggling for survival in ever shrinking woodlots. When I moved to upstate New York to start a career, I found myself in a different kind of outdoors environment, and on public land hikes it soothed my soul to once again see grouse and the beautiful, wild places where they live. There were large tracts of public land, and it was here that I returned to hunting. But I didn’t forget what is being lost every day. It is my motivation for joining BHA. And it doesn’t hurt that BHA people are awesome, they do amazing things, they have fun, and they welcome everyone into this community. Even if you’ve never hunted or fished, check out BHA.
Check out our Instagram page, and #whybha to see other volunteers and hear their motivation to be a part of this organization and community!
Photo of the Month
A Blue-winged Teal, taken on public land & water in Region 6. (Nate Kennedy
Chapter News
Christopher Borgatti Introduction as New York/New England Regional Coordinator (Chris Borgatti)
It’s an honor and a pleasure to serve the New York Chapter as the New York and New England Chapter Coordinator. In the past two months, I have been impressed by the work of the state’s chapter leadership teams and I look forward to supporting their work in the future.
A little about me. I have been a BHA member for six years and part of the New England leadership team for the past five years. I am best described as a generalist hunter and angler and look forward to any excuse to get in the woods or on the water.
Feel free to contact me at [email protected]. I look forward to meeting you at a future event!
Successful NYC Pint Night includes Kick Off for the “Envoy”
NY BHA had a great time right in the center of the Meatpacking District at Chelsea Market for the NYC Pint Night! Thanks to all that attended in spite of the torrential rain. Special thanks to our featured speaker, Cliff Cadet (@urbanarcherynyc and host of When the Hunt Calls podcast),
for a great story and perspective on the intricacies that hunters navigate when living in the City. Also, thanks to Creamline for being so accommodating with their beer garden as well as indoor space when the storm forced us inside.
Another good story for NY BHA coming out of this Pint Night is the continuing growth of our NYC Envoy. The NYC Envoy was formed in April of this year to engage our downstate members after Covid took the wind out of our sails with a lack of events in the City. The ongoing goal of the Envoy is to create an enhanced direct link between our contingent of members from NYC and the surrounding suburbs, and the Chapter. If you live in or close to the City, please consider becoming part of the NYC Envoy. Contact John Barone for more information at [email protected].
Pint Night with The Adirondack Council
It was a great Pint Night with the Adirondack Council in Keeseville, NY. Rocci Aquirre from the ADK Council started the evening off then handed it over to Don Lee. Don, former Trout Unlimited Lake Champlain chapter chair, retired Air Force pilot, deer hunter, and big salmon fisherman, gave a great talk about salmon in Lake Champlain, some great deer stories, as well as some cautionary tales. Our host, Ausable Brewery and Northern Feast provided some great beverages and food!
Stay tuned for more Pint Nights! Announcements coming soon.
Tag Us!
We love getting tagged on Instagram. Feel free to tag us in your NY public land and waters related posts. Could be hunting, fishing, conservation activities, BHA Events, a great hike, someone you taught to hunt or fish, anything you do on public land. Put @newyorkbha in your post. Periodically we will select posts that tagged us and feature them in our story on the New York BHA page!
Tips from the Field
This tip comes from NY Chapter board member Brian Bird. Sharpening fixed blade broadheads can be a nerve racking task. To gain control he made a tool from a broken arrow shaft. Wrapped in leather and electrical tape to create a handle, the broadhead can now be securely held while sharpening. The proper angle can now be maintained and fewer sliced fingers! Check out the video on our Instagram page @newyorkbha.
State News
DEC Monitoring EHD Outbreak
NYS DEC is currently monitoring an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease affecting deer herds in several counties across New York. As DEC continues to track the spread of EHD in NY, the public has been asked to submit any suspected EHD cases using this form.
For more information about EHD in NYS, please visit the NYSDEC EHD Webpage.
Don’t forget your orange or pink!
As a reminder to all NYS hunters this season, the DEC has issued the following new regulation, in addition to several others.
Any person hunting deer or bear with a firearm or a person who is accompanying someone hunting deer or bear with a firearm shall wear:
- a minimum total of two hundred fifty square inches of solid fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink material worn above the waist and visible from all directions; OR
- a minimum total of two hundred fifty square inches of patterned fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink consisting of no less than fifty percent fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink worn above the waist and visible from all directions; or
- a hat or cap with no less than fifty percent of the exterior consisting of solid fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink material and visible from all directions.
Next Up In NY
Fall hunting seasons are right around the corner! Here are a few highlights of what is coming up next in NY:
Waterfowl & Small Game:
- Ducks: Varied but there are seasons coming up in November, December and January - See Link
- November 1: Long Island *Pheasant and **Quail (see link below for more details)
- *Pheasants: See Pheasant Hunting
- **Quail: See Bobwhite Quail Hunting
- Varying Hare: Seasons starting in December or January depending on location. Go here for details: Varying Hare.
Deer:
- November 6: Southern Zone Crossbow
- November 20: Southern Zone Regular (Firearms)
- December 13: Southern Zone Late Bowhunting
- December 13: Southern Zone Muzzleoading
- December 6: Northern Zone Late Bowhunting
- December 6: *Northern Zone Muzzleloading (Only in selected Northern Zone counties - see link below for details)
- *See all 2021 Big Game Seasons Here: Deer and Bear Hunting Seasons - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Turkey:
- November 20: Suffolk County (WMU 1C) Fall Turkey
- See Fall Turkey season details here: Turkey Hunting Seasons - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
How to Connect with Us
Here are a few ways you can keep in touch with the New York BHA chapter:
Stay up to date with events and blogs from New York on our BHA web page at New York Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
Join our Facebook group at NY Chapter of BHA on Facebook.
Follow us on Instagram New York BHA (@newyorkbha).
Check out our LinkTree at: New York BHA Linktree
Contact the Chapter Board by email: [email protected]
And last but not least, come to an event!
NYBHA Sponsor Shoutouts
Check out our sponsors on Instagram:
Email [email protected] for information to become a sponsor of New York BHA.
About New York BHA
The New York Chapter is focused on bringing BHA's proven approach to conserving wild places and outdoor heritage to the Empire State. Join us to conserve our wilds!