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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) proposes to manage the Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area for mature, closed-canopy forest (NOT good grouse, hare or other game habitat) unless they receive significant opposition to their plan. DEC is accepting public comment on the draft Tug Hill North Unit Management Plan through this Friday, Dec. 20. The draft plan (http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/regions_pdf/thndrump.pdf) outlines management direction for 8 State Forest parcels totalling about 37,000 ac, and the Tug Hill WMA (5,111 ac). Most of the Tug Hill WMA (approx. 5,000 acres) was purchased using Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Funds, which are a federal excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment which were championed by hunters for the purposes of “…restore, enhance, and manage wildlife resources, and to conduct state hunter education programs.” However, NYSDEC proposes only uneven-age forest management for the Tug Hill WMA, which will make the Tug Hill WMA less suitable for grouse, woodcock, hares, deer, and bear, rather than improve it for these species. The draft plan does mention creation of early successional habitat for at least a portion of the state forest parcels (although it's unclear how much, where or when). Please tell DEC that the Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area should be actively managed using even-age forestry practices to make this WMA the premier destination for upland hunters seeking ruffed grouse, American woodcock, and snowshoe hare in the Tug Hill Plateau of upstate New York. The DEC is accepting written comments on the draft Tug Hill North Unit Management Plan through this Friday, December 20, 2013, by mail to: Andrea Mercurio at DEC 7327 State Hwy 812, Lowville, New York 13367 or e-mail [email protected] . In your comments you may like to use the following bullets: • Thank DEC for the opportunity to comment, and for the balanced multi-use proposal for the state forest parcels in the northern part of the Tug Hill North Unit. • A major portion of the Tug Hill WMA should be managed using even-age forestry practices to improve habitat for ruffed grouse, American woodcock, snowshoe hare, and other wildlife, and make Tug Hill WMA the premier publicly-owned property in the region for sportsmen and sportswomen seeking these species. Thank you! – Andrew Weik, Northeast Regional Biologist, Ruffed Grouse Society