What's are the best places and times?

[kurtteej]

I'm from down on Long Island and want to head up to the dacks to photograph wildlife (animals, birds, etc.) I spent some time in the High Peaks area (not specifically to do this), and was very disappointed with what I saw. This could have been my fault, but there just wasn't a lot going on.

I'd like to spend 3 or 4 days taking photos and up to a day or so getting there and getting back out. Remote areas are fine, but I'd like to know the beset places and times of year to go to see/photograph critters.

Any suggestions would be great. [I also intent on posting this into the hunters area -- i hope that isnt a problem, they're most likely to know where they are and where people coupld be likely to shoot me, accidentally.]

Kurt

[lumberzac]

Probably your best bet to see wildlife would be near the borders of the park. As you move closer to the center the forest become more mature which in turn doesn’t produce as much food for animals. The best times of day to see wildlife are generally around dawn and dusk.

I almost always see deer in the Pharoah Lake Wilderness. I've also heard that there are some moose there, but I have never seen them or any signs of them.

[Kevin]

2 separate questions certainly warrant 2 separate threads .

When hiking we (humans) usually make too much noise and send enough of a vibration through the earth to warn animals ahead of our approach. Because of this the only time I've seen wildlife up close was when I had been sitting for 10 or more minutes without making much noise. For example, in this trip report I wrote about an encounter with a pair of deer along a well traveled trail near the Ausable Club. It was only because we had made a random and prolonged stop that we saw them.




Lean-tos and camping areas are not always the best spots either as most wildlife (aside from hungry bears, mice, and red squirrels) won't come near when you're active.

Hunters have the best opportunities because of tree stands and being still for hours at a time. I'm sure they'll have more input on great spots. I'm in the same boat as you and even recently posted that I wouldn't mind going hunting for the simple fact of seeing more wildlife.

[poconoron]

I think Lumberzac has hit on a key issue- the more mature forests in the ADKs. I live in the Poconos and I regularly see right from my backyard the following:

Deer each and every day, often with fawns and in herds
Black bears strolling through several times each spring- fall
Wild turkeys foraging often in flocks of 20 or more, with chicks
Pileated wioodpeckers on tree trunks and calling at least once a week, often more.
Broad winged, red-tailed and red shouldered hawks calling and soaring often.
Occasional bald eagle soaring above.
Turkey vultures always
Possums and skunks at night
Great blue herons in nearby wetlands

I fully realize the benefits of the "forever wild" policy of NY State's forest preserve (older growth forests, certain wildlife benefitting like fisher, marten, etc.), but I sometimes wonder whether there could be a happy medium somewhere between "no logging" and clear cutting everything.

It's pretty obvious that the "right kind" of logging does very much benefit most wildlife species. Take a look at Maine where moose and lynx are doing very well, among many other species. Just some food for thought......

[RonandJon]

Come to my house in the suburbs

I live in Colonie, just outside Albany. My house is 1/4 mile off Central Ave (Rt 5), one of the most heavily travelled roads in the area. Behind my house is a large car dealership, from which I am separated by a strip of "forever wild" forest, about 75' deep.

Two years ago I had to build a 5' fence at the edge of my yeard to keep the deer from decimating my wife's flower beds and shrubs. In my yard or my neighbors, I routinely see possum, porcupine, woodchucks, wild turkeys, hummingbirds, and woodpeckers, including some not too common ones (can't remember the name - we had to look it up in our Audobon guide) Overhead, we sometimes see turkey vultures - the Albany Landfill (now the highest thing around for miles) is about 2 miles away, and it they apparently find it irresistable. I've seen a red fox run across the road nearby, too.

If I take a short 5 mile ride, by car or bike, if I am willing to brave the traffic, I get to the Bike Path, a rails to trails path that runs beside the Mohawk River for miles. My wife and I routinely see muskrats, beaver, great blue herons, great white egrets, mallards, wood ducks, merganzers, snapping turtles come to lay eggs, baltimore orioles and rarely, if we are very lucky, bald eagles.

So, Kurtteej - come on up, and bring your camera! Ron

[sacco]

best place - next to my treestand during hunting season

best time - when i've fallen asleep in said treestand.