Catskillmountaineer.com Forum

The specific citation is 190.8(w)

w. No person shall erect, construct, install, maintain, store, discard or abandon any structure or any other property on State lands or subsequently use such structure or property on State lands, except if the structure or property is authorized by the department or is:

1. a geocache that is labeled with the owner's name and address and installed in a manner that does not disturb the natural conditions of the site or injure a tree;

2. a camping structure or equipment that is placed and used legally pursuant to this Part;

3. a legally placed trap or appurtenance that is placed and used during trapping season;

4. a tree stand or hunting blind that does not injure a tree, is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number, and is placed and used during big game season, migratory game bird season, or turkey season; or

5. a wildlife viewing blind or stand that is placed for a duration not to exceed thirty (30) days in one location per calendar year, does not injure a tree, and is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number

Other new provisions of the regulation were added regarding the use of tree stands.

190.8(x) On State lands, no person shall erect, construct, occupy or maintain any structure that is affixed to a tree by nails, screws or other means that injure or damage the tree except as otherwise authorized by the department.

and

(y) No person shall erect, construct, maintain, occupy or use any tree stand that is used, operated, accessed or reached by methods or means which injure or damage a tree on State lands, and no person shall gain access to any structure in a tree on State lands by means that injure or damage the tree.

All of the changes to the State Land Use regulation may be found on the DEC web site at: www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2359.html Look under the heading "Recently Adopted Regulation"

The full set of Part 190 regulation may be founds at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/regs/4081.html

What about trail cameras used by hunters? are they now outlawed?

What about non-DEC trails that have markers?

It seems like this has not been thought out carefully.

No, it wasn't planned very well. It is riddled with problems. I foresee a lot of problems.

Yes, non-DEC trails do have markers on them, and they would now be illegal, and could be removed. I can see someone being killed because of this law.

You can have a tree stand, but cannot have a trail camera. there are also researchers who try to determine populations of animals on mountains. they will be restricted.

Some people like to stash their packs in the woods, and pick them up on the way back. That is now illegal.

Some people like to stash water, and that is illegal.

Stashing your skis to climb a mountain will also be illegal.

Using tape to mark your location when you are lost is now illegal. This will cause the death of some lost hikers.

People also leave rowboats and canoe at lakes. This is now illegal.

there are a slew of other situations that people feel are important. This is a bad law, and should be fixed. Another situation where the DEC has run a muck with idiot laws.