From the Chair

Hello everyone and happy Public Lands Month!  As the fronts push through and the nights are getting cooler, autumn is creeping in. Early goose, squirrel and early archery deer seasons have opened here in New York and I hope you are getting ready as the rest of hunting seasons will be open before you know it. Do not forget about fishing. The salmon are working out of Lake Ontario into the Salmon River in Pulaski and the steelhead will be in soon. When it comes to trout fishing, board member Kelly Buchta of Dette Flies has some words of wisdom to help us become better anglers and stewards as some trout are spawning right now. Catch her piece later in the newsletter.

We are looking for more volunteers to help out with our various teams and projects here at NY BHA. If you are interested in helping out with the Regional Events, Communications, or the Policy team let me know by email [email protected].  

Last month I was able to participate in the Explore Hunting Workshop in New York City. Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and Hunters of Color are traveling to urban centers around the country to introduce people to hunting and conservation. We kicked off the event Friday evening at the Filson store in the Flatiron District in Manhattan followed on Saturday at the Metropolitan Rod and Gun Club in the Cobble Hill District in Brooklyn. It is always great to meet new people and connect with old friends at these events. A takeaway for me from this event is just how easy I have it as a hunter living upstate rural New York. Hunters living in the NY City metropolitan area have some incredible hurdles to jump over to pursue their passion to hunt. From transportation (parking your car or using public transit), to gun ownership in one of the most heavily legislated cities in America, to the difficulties in logistics like finding hunting partners and mentors or processing game. To those hunters grinding it out while living in the metropolitan area, I tip my hat!  

It’s Public Lands Month! Be sure to sign up to become a member or renew your membership!  If you do so this month you will receive a free Gerber knife with the BHA logo on it!  That is a great deal!  (Go to the following link for the membership special:  BHA Membership Special!)

Get out there and enjoy your public lands and water! Mention us, @newyorkbha, in those Instagram post and we will share yours or you can share them directly to our Facebook group, New York Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. 

Brian Bird

NY Chapter Chair

Photo of the Month 

A woodcock nest found in late March in southern NY.  The area was quickly vacated to let the hen continue her nest tending. (Photo: G. Stefani)

Chapter News

Party Boat Trip

On April 30 the New York Chapter chartered the 56’ Never Enuff III out of the World’s Fair Marina in Queens. The weather was perfect for a day on the water.  And the porgies were biting!  Everyone took home fish.  As you can see, a great time was had by all.

All Photos by Ryan Monaghan

Archery Night in Brooklyn 

Archery Night in Brooklyn was a big success! @newyorkbha, @huntersofcolor and @gothamarchery teamed up to put this event together. We had a great turn out with nearly 20 attendees including some new archers! The 3D range was hugely successful and we are all looking forward to the next Archery Night. If you live in or around NYC, stay tuned for more opportunities to get into archery hunting or tune up your existing skills. Even if you have never hunted or shot a bow, this team can get you started!

Cooking: Wild Turkey Schnitzel  

Board member Ted Krueger showed us this delicious recipe for Wild Turkey Schnitzel Sandwiches.  Tune in to our Instagram page highlights at New York BHA (@newyorkbha) to view the complete video!

Urban Hunters Workshop 

The Urban Hunters' Workshop was a success! @urbanarcherynyc teamed up with @newyorkbha to provide their first workshop just outside of NYC. They covered scouting 101 (e-scouting, sign, and forage) and a tree stand safety demonstration by @matt_corcoran924. If you live in the New York Metro area and are looking for a way to get started hunting or to learn more, stay tuned!

Explore Hunting Workshop NYC

In August, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers HQ, the New York Chapter, and Hunters of Color hosted a free, all-inclusive, two-day workshop for those who wanted to learn more about hunting, wild food, and the conservation community. Day One consisted of an evening at the Filson’s New York Flagship Store where we had free-flowing conversations about conservation, hunting, and launching an outdoor lifestyle from the city.

On Day Two, participants headed to the Metropolitan Rod and Gun Club to learn about getting started hunting. Many topics were discussed including the different hunting opportunities available to New Yorkers as well as some of the basics of bringing food from field to table.  The day concluded with discussion about where to go if you're interested about learning more and staying connected with the conservation and hunting communities. 

Big thank you to our hosts at Filson New York and Metropolitan Rod and Gun. Also, thank you to all our friends, and chapter leaders who volunteered to lead the sessions. Special thanks to New York Department of Environmental Conservation for being in attendance as well!

Next Up In NY

Hunting seasons start to open in October with early archery, small game, and many others.  Click here for all the hunting seasons: NYSDEC 2022-2023 Hunting Seasons

Fall season for Salmon and Steelhead fishing throughout the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes areas is around the bend. Be sure to check regulations where you fish as there are various special regulation areas in different waters.  Click here for all freshwater fishing regs: Freshwater Fishing Regulations - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation

Upcoming Events!

September 24 - Outdoor 3D Archery & Wilderness Skills Day. Eugene and Agnes Meyer Nature Preserve.

September 29 - ADK Pint Night at the Hungry Trout

Tips from the Field

Fishing: Mind the Redds

In the fall season, brown and brook trout move into smaller tributaries, or “feeder” streams to spawn. The female uses her tail like a broom to clear an area of stream bed suitable for safely holding her eggs. Where trout spawn is an area called a redd, and while they vary in size. Typically they are 3-4 feet long and a few feet wide, and a different color than the stream bed around it. The redd must have a suitable sized gravel to hide the eggs, and is often in broken water that produces oxygen to help the eggs hatch healthy. It’s very important to be aware of these nesting sites, as wading or disturbing them will undoubtedly kill the eggs.  - Kelly Buchta

Build Your Own Arrows

Board Member Greg Whalin shows you how to build arrows, click here to view it:  Arrow Build on Instagram.   

Packing for a Backcountry Big Game Hunt

Board Member Ted Krueger goes over his complete pack contents for a big game hunt out west.  Check out his 8-part series, here is the link for Part 1:  Packing for Big Game on Instagram 

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).

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 select posts that tagged us and feature them in our story on the New York BHA page!

Check out our LinkTree at: New York BHA Linktree

Contact the Chapter Board by email: [email protected]

And last but not least, if you are not already a member, join BHA!  For a limited time, get a free Gerber knife when you join BHA, at this link: BHA Membership Special!

NYBHA Sponsor Shoutouts 

Check out our sponsors on Instagram:

• Adirondack Mountain and Stream  (need to verify if they are still with us)
• Dette Flies 
• Grasse River Adventures

Email [email protected] for information to become a sponsor of New York BHA.