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I’ve spent more time chasing ducks than deer in the last decade but when I did deer hunt, I stuck to muzzleloading. I normally challenge the assertion that it is not safe to be in the woods during hunting season, but I come closer to giving in to the notion during this week. There will be far...

When I was at Rutgers, while we did visit the heart of the Pine Barrens for certain classes and purposes, we went as close as some forests in East Brunswick to see examples of pine barren soils and vegetation. Only the politically drawn boundaries of the barrens have simple lines separating them...

I’d like to be in the pines but I’ll be at my in-laws in the northern part of the state shortly. I imagine Friday will be spent exploring the mountains with the dog while the wife is stimulating the economy with her sister, and all will be happy :). Happy Thanksgiving all!

Whether deer hunting or waterfowling, being settled down well before sunrise and watching and hearing the surroundings come to life is one of the biggest thrills of hunting. The killing is the most minor part of it, and on many days doesn’t happen at all. I’ve been asked why I can’t enjoy nature...

You guys are braver than me. I worked as an arborist for a while, so I could deal with the rope work but not the caving. Maybe it’s a touch of claustrophobia or being spooked as a kid reading about Tom Sawyer being lost in the cave, but the idea of going into a cave beyond sight of the entrance...

One use that many growers had for portable rails was for periodically sanding the bogs. The rails were reset sideways across the bog after sand was dumped or shoveled from miniature rail cars. Sometimes during cold winters sand might be spread evenly on the ice covered bogs, to settle onto the...

I normally do not publicize the Ocean County Park programs here, mostly due to the number we run, not to mention this one not being Pine Barrens related (sorry Ben!) but we have a nice hike this Sunday (Nov. 7) that is still not filled up and the thread in the Photographers Forum on the Water...

Beautiful pics! I grew up in a less pretty part of northern Jersey but spent countless hours exploring that area and can’t visit it enough. On a related note, Ocean County Parks is leading a guided hike in that region this Sunday (11/7) and there are still several spaces open in the van. We are...

I’m a big proponent of nature taking its course myself. Unique habitats like this form, mature and change all through the pines, and what disappears in one place may appear someplace else. Many of these are never seen by all but a few people. The PBX excursions detailed on this forum give us a...

Removing the blockage is futile unless repeated every few days. I’ve done it. A friend has done it. I’m sure others have. The beavers have to go, period. I spoke to a trapper who has a beaver permit for that area and he said he was going to check into it. I will try to follow up on that. Aside...

I was at the dedication ceremony and was not under the impression that the mountain itself was included in the new preserve. I've learned from experience that newspaper articles are not the best sources of specifics on a topic. Reporters have good intentions but are hastily jotting down notes on...

I enjoyed them very much too. Even as a child, before I was interested in history, the local newspaper published a weekly "then and now" series that captivated my attention.

I wish I could attend, but I'll be working. I wouldn't worry about the hunters if I did go. I don't look like a duck. :)

I would never think of eating my lab. My wife’s pug, on the other hand…………………. :rolleyes:. I’m not totally sure those things weren’t even bred for eating.

Catalpa isn't native to the the northeast but isn't an invasive species either. I find something neat about them. They were much more popular years ago and you can find them at many abandoned sites in the pines. Martha and Harrisville come to mind. I even remember them planted as street trees as...

No argument there! People are certainly the biggest threat to both the environment and to ourselves. :)

I made almost the same statement about just staying home if you are so frightened on a duck hunting forum I participate on, regarding killing snakes. The thread started with a debate on killing venomous snakes, and ended up with numerous posts by idiots who proudly boasted that they killed ANY...

I was simply stating one of the reasons the staff at Wells Mills do not give out directions as a matter of policy. No one is blaming you for asking. And finding sites with a topo map really isn’t a special skill. Topo maps merely show all the sand or dirt roads that road maps do not. You follow...

I always hate this idea being tried. Protecting a rare species usually requires protecting their habitat, not their numbers. You can’t stockpile them on increasingly smaller amounts of habitat.

Most of the staff at Wells Mills do know how to get to the mountain but there are a couple who do not (including the ones covering the desk this weekend). Of those who do know, they have been instructed not to give directions for the reasons already discussed. Unfortunately, liability has become...