Ithaca, NY, Oct 21, 2010 — Every once in a while, you catch a glimpse of a pheasant along a roadside.
It was almost certainly put there, or nearby, by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

You've heard of fish hatcheries and stocking, but New York State also hatches and stocks pheasants each year. They're bred in Ithaca, at the state's last remaining pheasant farm. The Reynolds Game Farm ships some 30,000 adult birds all over the state at this time of year.

WRVO's Joyce Gramza follows some of the birds from farm to field to learn more about the program.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Jul 05, 2010 — Ed Ketchledge was a prominent teacher and naturalist who helped found the Summit Steward program on the High Peaks.

Dennis Aprill was the outdoor columnist for the Plattsburgh Press-Republican, who also wrote popular guidebooks.

Brian Mann has this remembrance.  Go to full article

May 07, 2010 — The spring turkey hunt is underway across the North Country. For many outdoorsmen, it's one of the most challenging and satisfying hunts of the year. The weather is generally good, there are few bugs, and the Adirondack Mountains in May are stunningly beautiful. Brian Mann headed out this week with two veteran sportsmen from Moriah, in the Champlain Valley. He sent this audio postcard.  Go to full article

Jan 05, 2009 — To kick off the new year, we begin a new occasional series. It's called Story 2.0. We'll review stories our news team has filed in the past. Then we'll follow up with the people we interviewed to find out what's happened since. Today, chronic wasting disease. The fatal deer disease was discovered in two wild deer in Oneida County in April 2005. It was the first time it had been found east of Illinois. Wildlife officials were worried the disease would spread throughout the deer herd in New York and the Northeast. But so far, no new cases have been found. Chronic wasting disease has no known effect on people. All the same, it rattled some when it was discovered that one of the contaminated deer was served at the Verona Fire Department's sportsmen's dinner. David Sommerstein traveled to Verona for our story back in 2005. He updates the story with Martha Foley.  Go to full article

Nov 13, 2008 — The Adirondack Park Agency is meeting Thursday and Friday at their headquarters in Ray Brook. Beginning at 10:15 am, the board will debate changes to the regulations that govern hunting cabins and the expansion of shoreline homes. Both changes are controversial and face opposition from local government leaders, as well as state Senator Betty Little. Listen live by clicking the link below.

Brian Mann will have a recap tomorrow during The Eight O'Clock Hour and during All Before Five.  Go to full article

Nov 14, 2007 — With the fall hunting season in full swing, state officials say they've found more whitetail deer infected with a fatal new ailment called Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease. Cases have been confirmed in Albany, Rensselaer and Niagara Counties. Brian Mann has details.  Go to full article

Oct 18, 2007 — A black bear population boom in New York State has triggered a series of public hearings on how to manage the animals. Jonathan Brown reports.  Go to full article

Jun 08, 2007 — State officials in New York want tighter safety rules for sportsmen using big spring-loaded traps. The rules would require trappers to rig their gear off the ground, or to use special boxes designed to keep dogs and other pets from being caught. As Brian Mann reports, the state's biggest trapping organization supports the new guidelines. But anti-trapping activists say they don't go far enough.  Go to full article

Mar 20, 2007 — The man Governor Spitzer named to lead New York's Department of Environmental Conservation will finally get a hearing today. Assemblyman Pete Grannis, from New York City, needs confirmation by the state Senate. The process has been caught up in the escalating political battle between Spitzer, a Democrat, and Republican Senate majority leader Joe Bruno. But after weeks of delay, confirmation hearings are scheduled to get underway this morning in the Senate Environmental Conservation committee. Grannis has been praised by environmental groups, including the Adirondack Council and the Residents Committee to Protect the Adirondacks. But he's been criticized by many hunters and sportsmen. This week, the Essex County Fish and Game League announced that its members have voted to oppose Grannis's confirmation. Brian Mann spoke with Pete Grannis recently about his qualifications, about his vision for the DEC, and about the controversy surrounding his appointment.  Go to full article

Feb 28, 2007 — After three years of decline, state environment officials say the 2006 deer harvest was up slightly. Hunters killed nearly 190,000 deer across New York state. As Brian Mann reports, biologists found no new cases of chronic wasting disease.  Go to full article