Welcome!

Hey Everyone, 

The Vs of geese are pointed south and it is time to breathe in that fall air! Rendezvous was a great time! I cannot wait for next year’s event already!  We posted some recaps on our Instagram account and have a few more picture laden posts to come. As fall fishing and hunting seasons fire up we were discussing all things butchering, meal prep, and bear grease rendering recently at our Communications Team meeting and plan to put out some how-to reels and videos on the subject. If there is a particular topic you want us to cover be sure to email me at [email protected]. And speaking of volunteer teams, if you are interested in becoming a volunteer sign up below!  

Get out there and enjoy your public lands and waters! 

Tight lines and shoot true!

Brian Bird NYBHA Chapter Chair 

Chapter News from September

NY Chapter Rendezvous in the Adirondacks

The NY Chapter Rendezvous was a great success.   The event happened the weekend of Sep 8 along the banks of the Ausable River   Attendees saw some amazing speakers, learned some real skills useful in the woods (turkey hunting, bigwoods buck hunting, saddle hunting, pack dumps), streams (fly casting) and kitchen (turkey butchering, cooking with organ meats, moose lihapiirakka).  Attendees also won some amazing raffles and auctions with donated items from Seek (an 8 person hot tent), Weatherby (a waterfowl shotgun), Benchmade, Costa, Gastrognome, Hunt to Eat, Quaker Boy and many more!   Some amazing guided trips were also won, including trips from Dirty Bills Guide Service, Carp in the Park NYC,Adirondack Mountain and Stream,Grasse River Adventures and more!   Lots of stories were shared, new friends were made and funds were raised to fuel future NY BHA conservation work and events!   Read more and see some photos from the event here. 

Blog post - "TRIGGER WARNING" - THOUGHTS ON NY LAWS & REGS

NY BHA member / volunteer Josh Emig wrote a post going through some of the new and proposed laws and regulations hunters in the state need to be aware of.   Read more at the link below.

Trigger Warning - Thoughts on NY Laws & Regs

Upcoming Events

Sporting Clay Shoot - Mid-Hudson Sporting Clays in New Paltz, Oct 7 @10am

Join your fellow BHA members to get some last minute shooting practice before waterfowl and small game seasons at Mid-Hudson Sporting Clays!   This event has some restrictions and requires you to RSVP, so check the link below to get more information and to RSVP!

NY Sporting Clay Shoot - RSVP Here

NYBHA/SLU DU Habitat Tree Planting - Constableville, Oct 20 @9am

Join us in working with the St. Lawrence University Duck Unlimited Chapter to improve habitat by planting trees!  We will get started at 9AM and go until 4PM. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Be sure to bring a pair of gloves, sturdy work boots and weather appropriate clothing. Check the link below to get more information and to RSVP! 

NYBHA/SLU DU Habitat Tree Planting - RSVP Here

NY Hunting seasons!

Summer is over and hunting season is here!   Make sure to check the reg book and be safe out there!

• Small Game Season
• Deer Season
• Bear Season
• Fall Turkey Season
• Waterfowl and Migratory Game Bird Season

Legislative / Policy Update

DEC Updates

NY Marine Saltwater Fishing License - Feedback wanted - DEC is looking for feedback from NY anglers on a proposal for a fee based saltwater fishing license.  Currently NY is one of only a few coastal states to not have a fee for a saltwater fishing license.  The federal government requires a $15 fee, however NY has had an exemption providing the state provides angler data to NOAA.  Given the opt-in rate for the free license in NY has been extremely low there is a real risk NY will lose this federal exemption and saltwater anglers will be required to pay $15 to the federal government for a saltwater fishing license.  All of the revenue generated by this federal fee would go to the federal general fund and very little if any of that money would come back to the state.  However if NY were to implement a fee based license, then not only would that money go to the state, but matching federal funds would also come to the state and that revenue would be required to be spent on improving the fishery.   We at BHA are in favor of this proposed fee.  Let the DEC know what you think at the survey link below.

Take the survey!

Unit/Recreation Management Plans - DEC regularly seeks public input as they work to manage our public lands.   While they will regularly receive input from other groups, often hunters and anglers are fairly silent.   It directly benefits the hunting and angling communities for you to take a look at these plans and voice your feedback directly to DEC.   They do listen to your input and in the past, our voices have resulted in wins for hunters and anglers.  Current plans open for feedback include:

Region 6

• Adirondack Foothills Unit Management Plan
• Indian River / Upper and Lower Lakes APUP

Region 7

• Chenango Trail Unit Management Plan

Region 8

• Keuka Highlands UMP and Keuka Lowlands UMP - comments open until further notice
• Great Divide Unit Management Plan (formerly Erwin UMP and Great Divide UMP) - comments open until further notice

Legislative Updates

While the legislative session has wrapped in Albany, it is still worth keeping an eye on the following bills and letting your elected officials hear from you.  

Lead ammo ban on all public lands - Both the Assembly and the Senate have bills proposing banning all lead ammunition only on public lands.  The bill passed in the Assembly and the relevant bill in the Senate is S4976.   While we are in very much in favor of hunters voluntarily switching to non-toxic ammunition, we feel that these bills are likely to be ineffective and unfairly target only public land hunters.   Reach out to your elected officials!

New York wildlife crossing act - A bill that directs the Department of Transportation to identify sites along all highways, thruways and parkways in the state where wildlife crossings are most needed to increase public safety and improve habitat connectivity and create a priority list of wildlife opportunity areas where federal grant monies may be available to implement the top five projects identified.  We are in favor of this proposed bill and encourage you to reach out to your elected officials to get this one over the finish line.   The relevant bills are S4198 and A4243.

Back tags, hunting rights, crossbows and dogs - A few other bills to keep your eye on:

• Remove the requirements for back tags - S367 / A1486
• Hunting dogs cannot be deemed running at large - A2224
• Remove restrictions on crossbow size/weight - S2250 / A4372
• Constitutional right to hunt and fish - S870 / A3348
• Prohibits leasing public land for gas production - S724
• Ban leg gripping traps - A110 / S1619

Call for Volunteers

We need your help!  We are looking for volunteers to help with the following efforts.

• Regional Event Coordinators - Want to help us plan gatherings for your fellow NY BHA members?   We need help with local Pint Nights as well as our upcoming NY Rendezvous
• Policy and Legislative work - Our Policy team and newly forming Legislative team needs passionate folks to jump in and help us do the important work to protect our public lands and access for hunters and anglers!
• Mentorship work - We want to build a list of folks in the state who are open to being mentors for new hunters and anglers.  We have opportunities and need for folks who can give a little all the way up to folks who want to really invest a lot.  Everything from answering questions to being a one on one coach to participating on our larger weekend long hunt camps for new hunters.
• Conservation work - We are working with DEC to have more opportunities for events to do quality habitat work on our public lands.  Want to roll your sleeves up and help, we would love to have you!

If you are interested in volunteering a bit of your time and talents, please let us know by filling out and submitting this form.

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 New York BHA on Facebook. 

Follow us on Instagram New York BHA (@newyorkbha).

Contact the Chapter Board by email: [email protected]

Thank our sponsors: New York BHA Corporate Sponsors

Join us at an upcoming event: BHA Events

Signup to be a volunteer: NY BHA Volunteer

Last but not least, make sure your BHA membership is current and give the gift of BHA to a friend or family member!