Allegany State Park
Kinzua Bridge
Pumpkinville
Marilla Landing
47th Falling Leaves
Festival
Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky
Ellicottville
Fall Fun
Pa. Game Commission’s elk cam
Twin Tiers Hunting
Allegany County community events
Virtually anywhere in the Twin Tiers region is a beautiful place to explore and enjoy during the fall season.
But an extra-special destination in the region has always been Allegany State Park, offering more than 50,000 acres of beautiful forest scenery that puts on its best show in later September and through October.
The Red House area is known for the historic tudor-style Administration Building with everything centrally located around Red House Lake. It offers 5 miles of paved bike paths and fishing in the lake as well as kayaking and canoeing.
The Administration Building features a natural history museum, regional headquarters and a gift shop.
Thunder Rocks is an impressive bedrock city that allows for the nature lover to see the hidden beauty that this park is known for. The Stone Tower structure shows vistas of the rolling hills of mature forests.
Many beaver ponds are a good place to observe the diversity of wildlife located in the park.
The Quaker area is known for its two lakes and wonderful camping experiences.
The many hiking trails give opportunities to explore the naturally formed caves, plus the diversity of plants and wildlife.
The former Quaker store has been completely restored and now houses a
year-round, with new hours set for Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Note that the Friends Boat Launch in the Red House area is closed for the season due to very low water levels.
The Friends of Allegany State Park and the ASP Historical Society is taking part in National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 27, beginning at 9 a.m. on the Red House side of the park.
The meeting place is the Beehunter picnic shelter.
park museum. Interesting exhibits document the history of Allegany State Park as “The Wilderness Playground of Western New York,” and orients visitors to the parks unique features and attractions, both past and present.
Allegany’s mixed hemlock/hardwood forest, mountains, rolling hills and meadows, streams, ponds and lakes attract devoted outdoors enthusiasts year-round.
There are hundreds of campsites and cabins in both the Red House and Quaker areas of ASP — with camping during the fall season often a bit quieter than during the summer season.
New this year for the post-summer season: the Park Restaurant is open
National Public Lands Day is the largest single-day volunteer effort in the nation.
Weekend tours with the Friends of ASP are also planned at the Summit Fire Tower on Sept. 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at the Red House Sawmill on Sunday, 10 a.m. to noon.
ASP Historical Society’s Scavenger hunt packages are available at the weekend tours. Learn about the park’s history while having fun making new discoveries.
A $30 signup fee gets participants a goodie bag containing information on 15 historical gems to locate in the park, a full 2026-27 historical society membership and a chance to win a $200 cash prize at the end of the year.
By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER
It’s leaf-peeping time, and there’s nowhere better to see the majesty of autumn than the Kinzua Bridge.
From 225 feet above the floor of the Kinzua Gorge, an autumn view of crimson, yellow and orange leaves spreads out on an 8 mile forest vista that’s sure to be a bucket list destination for all who know about it.
While the views are spectacular, the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk and Visitor Center are magnificent in their own right.
The skywalk is a pedestrian walkway with a seethrough viewing platform in the floor, 225-feet in the air, built on the remnants of the bridge after a tornado knocked down the middle of the structure in 2003. The Visitor Center has hands-on, family friendly exhibits, videos and a Pennsylvania Wilds Conservation Shop.
If you plan to walk on the skywalk, you’ll want to go before Oct. 31 when it closes for the season. The bridge is under rehabilitation by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The project, which will be completed in 2027, will include removing the decking and railroad ties to access the towers, adding and replac-
ing steel in sections where thinning has occurred, reinstalling railroad ties and decking, installing new plexiglass for the viewing area, replacing the handrails and blasting clean and painting all of the steel portions of the skywalk.
The closure began in November. DCNR officials had said, “The work was planned after a structural safety inspection determined that, while the skywalk remains safe, it needs some maintenance to ensure its longevity.”
While the project will carry through for two more years, the DCNR had built in tourist time for the fall foliage season at the park. Visitors flock to the Pennsylvania Wilds to enjoy the magnificent colors of fall, and the Kinzua Skywalk is a spectacular spot from which to see the valley and its autumn display.
The Kinzua Bridge Fall Festival will be held in September, an event held annually by the Kinzua Bridge Foundation. Throughout the project, the Kinzua Bridge Visitor Center remains open.
According to the state DCNR, the original viaduct was built of iron, starting in 1881 with the placement of the stone piers and completed in 1882 — taking only 94 working days.
When finished, the Kinzua Bridge Viaduct was the highest railroad viaduct in the world. It was
constructed as an alternative to laying an additional eight miles of track over rough terrain along the line leading to McKean County’s coal, timber, and oil lands.
The original iron viaduct was approximately 301 feet high, 2,053 feet long, and weighed 3,105,000 pounds. The towers were a patented design called Phoenix Columns. The columns were lighter in weight and had greater strength than cast iron columns of similar shape and size.
By 1900, it became necessary to rebuild the entire structure with steel to accommodate heavier trains. Later that year, about 100 to 150 men, working 10hour shifts, completed the job in 105 days. The new steel viaduct had the same measurements, but now weighed 6,706,000 pounds.
Freight traffic discontinued during 1959.
During 1963, Gov. William Scranton signed a law that created Kinzua Bridge State Park. The park officially opened during 1970. Kinzua Viaduct received national recognition when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks during 1977.
Beginning during 1987, excursion trains traveled from Marienville through the Allegheny National Forest, stopping on Kinzua Viaduct before returning to
their point of origin.
During February 2002, DCNR engineers decided the structure needed a fullscale inspection. During the inspection engineers found sections of steel were rusted through, and trains were barred from the bridge. Then, during August, the bridge was closed to all traffic, including pedestrians.
Engineers determined high winds could create lateral pressure on the bridge, causing it to shift the center of gravity, thus increasing the weight on one side. Such an event could send the whole bridge crashing to the bottom of the Kinzua Creek Valley.
Beginning in February, 2003, W. M. Brode Co. of Newcomerstown, Ohio, a national leader in railroad bridge construction and repair, began working to restore Kinzua Viaduct.
On Monday, July 21, 2003, at approximately 3:15 p.m., an F1 tornado (wind speed 73 – 112 mph) struck the side of Kinzua Viaduct. Eleven towers from the center of the bridge were torn from their concrete bases and thrown to the valley floor. The viaduct was not rebuilt for a third time. Instead, the fallen towers were shorn up where they had fallen, the standing towers were repaired and the bridge was reimagined as a Skywalk.
GREAT VALLEY — Pumpkinville, which has been voted the Buffalo area’s Best Pumpkin Patch by the people of Western New York, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Oct. 31.
Located just minutes from Ellicottville at 4844 Sugartown Road, Pumpkinville features more than 35 attractions for all ages — including pumpkin picking, the classic Corn Barn, and hands-on activities designed to make every fall day a memorable one.
New attractions this season include the Jack & Jennie Junction interactive donkey exhibit where guests can pet, feed and
learn all about the farm’s pet donkeys, including a brand-new foal born in July, and the Rat Maze, where kids can climb, twist and wind their way through a fun and challenging course.
Returning favorites include the Pumpkinville Express Train, Pumpkin’ Jumpin’ Pillow, Corn Maze (Part of the Sesame Street Road Trip Across America), Goat Mountain, Gem Mining, where bags of sand turn up gems inside, the Birds and Bees, where guests can hold baby chicks and see bees making honey, and a Hayride.
The Fun Zone contains the Happy Horse
Carousel, Giant Slide, the Pumpkinville Feed Mill Obstacle Course, Paintball, Apple Blaster and Candy Cannon.
The Pumpkinville Grill offers a delicious menu featuring fresh donuts, cider slushies, and chicken barbecue on weekends. Back for his second season is Eric Jones, world-famous pumpkin carver, TV personality and Guinness World Record holder. Guests can enjoy his interactive live pumpkin sculpting shows every Sunday starting Sept. 28 from 1 to 6 p.m. Adults can unwind at the Beer Garden, which includes
local brews from Ellicottville Brewing Co., wines from Winery of Ellicottville and two big-screen TVs.
“We are thrilled to open our gates for a 57th season,” says Diane Pawlowski, who co-owns Pumpkinville with her husband, Dan. “This year’s new attractions — Jack & Jennie Junction and the Rat Maze — make Pumpkinville more magical than ever. As the oldest pumpkin farm in New York state, our goal has always been to help families create fall memories that last a lifetime.”
Admission is not required to access the front farm market, food court or retail gift shop. Pumpkinville is now a fully cashless venue, accepting credit cards, debit cards and Pumpkinville gift cards. If guests need to use cash, they may still do so at the front gate pay-stand.
Pumpkinville is a 225-acre family farm featuring pumpkins, squash, gourds and corn available for guests to pick and purchase. The farm’s mission is to give every guest “A Great Day in Great Valley.”
Fall attractions include a wide range of activities for kids in the barnyard, pumpkin patch, train area, and Storyland—plus cider mill apple pressing, weekend chicken BBQ, farm-fresh food, a fallthemed gift shop, gourmet treats, and maple products. Each year, new attractions and special events are added to give families a tradition that feels both familiar and refreshingly unique.
Pumpkinville is located just minutes away from Ellicottville at 4844 Sugartown Road, Great Valley, NY 14741. Pumpkinville.com.
Photo by Sara Furlong
The recently completed Marilla Landing along the Luther Reservoir access road, overlooking Marilla Reservoir. This year’s Marilla Trail Race will put the new amenities to good use and Tuna Valley Trail Association encourages the public to enjoy the area as well.
By SARA FURLONG
This year’s Marilla Trail Race participants will have one less reason to believe the race director’s off his rocker.
Bradford’s Josh Preston has spearheaded the successful but grueling 7- and 14-mile cross-country race since its inception. Now in its 12th year, the Marilla Trail Race is known for its vivid fall beauty and some wicked hills that inevitably have runners questioning Preston’s — and their own — sanity.
(For those not into voluntary suffering, there’s a shorter, nearly 4-mile walk on the Cornelius Connection trail.)
But for the last several years, Preston has been telling runners and walkers alike how great
the new amenities at Marilla Reservoir and the adjacent Luther Reservoir access road will be — an accessible parking lot and bathrooms, electricity, a pavilion and fire pit.
At long last, the Marilla Landing project is complete and this year’s Marilla Trail Race, set Sept. 27, will put the picturesque provisions to good use.
“I’ve talked about the project for so many years people were starting to think I was making it up,” Preston mused. “‘You guys aren’t gonna believe it’ — this year everybody gets to experience it.
“It’s hard to believe it hasn’t always been there, it fits so well. I think people are going to be really, really impressed by what’s been done out there.”
Preston said the project was a “huge capital invest-
ment, from government grants to incredibly generous donations from the community. It’s a pretty monumental undertaking so it’s not surprising it took so many years, but I think the outcome is really worth it.”
The Tuna Valley Trail Association, which proceeds from the race benefits, encourages area
residents to make use of the scenic space.
“You can rent the pavilion just like at a city park,” Preston noted. “It really expands what’s possible at Marilla, sparks people’s imagination about what they could do and makes it more accessible. That’s what the Trail Race is all
about — another way of getting people out there and making it easier for them to enjoy it.”
Just a couple weeks out from race day, Preston said registration numbers are strong and sponsorships are good.
“People from town are always super generous, it’s always kind of humbling,” Preston said, adding he would check in with businesses only to be told their check was already in the mail. “I think it’s cool because it’s a pretty tangible representation of investment in the community.”
The event generally draws upwards of 100 participants and folks stick around for a meal, giveaways and, of course, their finisher medals. This year,
Elk & Walnut Creative
Corner of Kane has fashioned a departure from the more traditional medals of the past, using natural elements for a layered wood scene. “It’s really cool,” Preston noted.
Race day packet pickup and day-of registration begins at 8 a.m. at Marilla
Landing. The 14-mile race goes off at 9:30 and the 7-miler at 10 o’clock. Hikers get underway at 10:10.
Lunch will be available, provided this year by Riverstone Community Church. Overall and age group awards will be announced around noon, with medals donated by
the Zippo/Case Museum for the top finishers and custom lighters for giveaways.
“They’re really sharp, an antique-looking style this year in a kind of brushed metal,” Preston said. “Zippo generously puts those custom lighters together for us every year.”
Visit marillatrailrace. com for online registration through Sept. 26, course information and printable maps, photos and videos from previous years, and driving directions.
“There’s a family, community atmosphere,” Preston said. “It feels like a little bit of a reunion every year. We’re excited to see everybody.”
By Kellen M. Quigley
SALAMANCA — In a tradition that has spanned nearly five decades, it wouldn’t be autumn in the city without the Salamanca Seneca Falling Leaves Festival.
Nestled between hills that are alive with fall colors, Salamanca will host its 47th installment of the festival the weekend of Oct. 3-5 in Jefferson Street Park. First organized in 1976, it will again celebrate community pride with various events, culminating Sunday with the grand parade.
“Everything is looking good,” said Mayor Sandra Magiera, a member of the volunteer group that organizes the festival. “It’s a lot of work we’ve been putting into it. There’s a lot of new things coming this year compared to other years.”
In a festival rooted in tradition, a balance of returning favorites and new attractions is key to making the festival a success. One of the new additions is magician Nick Mambretti, who will perform a magic show Saturday afternoon. The Ratchet Hatchet Axe Wagon will also be the park Saturday and Sunday, Magiera said.
“We have a couple new bands and new music,” she added. “We try to change it up every year so it’s not always the same.”
DJ Gardner “Rez Sounds” will play music
in the park Friday and Saturday; local country artist Cameron Markott will perform Friday afternoon with XIII Band headlining that night; Stone Cold will play Saturday night; and on Sunday afternoon, entertainment includes the White Pine Seneca Dancers with Xcite Wrestling wrapping up the festivities.
“I think it’s going to be good,” Magiera said. “People have been asking for I Got It and the wrestling, so we brought them back.”
Many favorite food and craft vendors from years past will be back along with several newcomers, Magiera said.
“We’re trying to get
a pizza place this year, and we have mini donuts back,” she said regarding food vendors.
Other attractions for the weekend include inflatable bounce houses, a youth archery contest, a mechanical bull, a basket raffle, hometown games, the scarecrow contest, caricatures from Eric Jones and a community church service. Friends of the youth center are also sponsoring a petting zoo, face painting and balloon animals.
“Anything that we can do for the residents of the city that’s really for free, other than what you want to spend on crafts or food, is good for the community. Everybody can enjoy it and don’t have to worry about a cost,” she said. “You get to see people you might not usually see, and everybody comes together and wants to have a good time.”
The organizing group of about five main members began meeting in May and met monthly until August when they’ve started meeting every two weeks, “just to make sure that’s everything is going well,” Magiera said. “We’re pretty confident it’s going to go okay.” Volunteers are still being sought for several of the planned events and contests. Interested volunteers can contact the mayor’s office at (716) 945-3110.
S h o p L o c a l i n t h e
G r e a t e r O l e a n A r e a T h i s
r O r n a m e n t :
By SARA FURLONG
COUDERSPORT — In the dark skies of Potter County, lights of any kind are generally unwelcome — let alone spotlights.
But that’s exactly what has shone on the starlight sanctuary that is God’s Country, with the “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky” exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Greg Snowman of Coudersport is deeply familiar with the eternal nightscape, having conducted stargazing tours at Cherry Springs State Park for several years before striking out on his own with Potter County Stargazing Tours, pcstargazingtours.com.
“It was just before COVID,” Snowman recalled of his first contact from the Smithsonian.
Jill Johnson, exhibit director, emailed the Potter County celestial scout, saying “Hey, my team and
The night sky in Potter County as recorded by a professional videographer for an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Greg Snowman of Potter County Stargazing Tours assisted the Smithsonian team with the exhibit.
I are coming up to the area to do research about light pollution and we’d like to take your tour.”
Her team comprised an artist, an anthropologist for cultural connections and a night sky biologist who studies the circadian rhythm and how that affects life.
Snowman remembered, “They came up and the first night the weather didn’t cooperate. The second night, it was just one of those beauti-
ful nights with the Milky Way high overhead.”
Not long after that, the pandemic brought the world nearly to a halt. But, a year or two later, with the exhibit running behind as a result, Snowman received another message.
“I get an email from Matt Dieterich, a videographer from Pittsburgh,” he recounted. “He works all around the world, but told me the Smithsonian team was adamant that his photos and time lapse had to be from that spot” — where the team previously visited.
What made Potter County so desirable for the renowned museum’s exhibit?
“I’ve been doing this for 15 years,” Snowman said, “and I get that question a lot. It may be a little bit of hype; I’ve heard it’s the
To book a tour with Greg Snowman at Potter County Stargazing Tours, visit pcstargazingtours.com. Tours can be held for “a couple or two” or a “crowd of 50 or 60,” Snowman said, and comprise two parts that usually start around 9 or 9:30. During the first 45 minutes to 1 hour, he uses a laser pointer to cover a “whole 360 of the night sky and constellations.”
During the second half, he uses a telescope in combination with a video camera made for astronomy to project different galaxies, nebulae and star clusters onto an outdoor movie screen “So we can all see it at the same time — in much more color and detail than you could ever see through a telescope alone.”
The website states, “Potter County Stargazing Tours operates on private property a short distance from Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania’s only Dark Sky Park. We’re located in the heart of the Pennsylvania Wilds Region, an area internationally known to have some of the darkest skies east of the Mississippi.” When the reservation is made online, customers will receive an email with more exact driving directions.
“Our tours offer the ultimate stargazing experience with an unobstructed 360 degree view of the night sky without any artificial light pollution,” the site states. “When you look up for the first time, you’ll think you can reach up and touch the Milky Way. You’ll be astonished by the amount of visible stars you’ll see during our 2 hour tour. This memorable stargazing experience will be something you, your family, and friends will always remember.”
darkest spot east of the Mississippi (River) and all this.
“And It is dark, but you can go to the Adirondacks or the North Woods of Maine … I tell people this is one of the most accessible dark sky spots for people.”
Dieterich and Snowman strategized about the best time to capture the heavens for the Smithsonian exhibit.
“The fall nights were so long, he got his Holy Grail shot — a 14-hour, one-shot time lapse of the night sky moving across. He did a whole 360, little theater experience.”
Shortly thereafter, Snowman received word that the exhibit was open and would run for two
years on the venerable institution’s second floor.
“I kept going, ‘I’ve gotta get down there,’” Snowman said, adding he finally made it back in March.
“My joke was, I never thought my name would be in the Smithsonian with Harvard and NASA’s, but my font wasn’t as big as theirs on the sign,” he laughed.
While the temporary exhibit will soon wrap up, you can still find the associated Smithsonian
Sidedoor podcast at naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/ lights-out. The episode “talks with astronomers, ornithologists and historians to learn how we found ourselves surrounded by a glowing shroud of elec-
tricity, and asks how we can have the dark without giving up the light.”
“It was a well received exhibit there,” Snowman said. “It was almost a little surreal. It was nice to see the message that they’re trying to get across about light pollution and protecting the night sky. It’s the same one I also try to remind people of when I’m doing the tour.”
Snowman said visitors travel from all over, “up and down the East Coast,” New York City, Pittsburgh and other urban areas to experience Potter County’s dark skies. The Smithsonian’s website for the exhibit notes that one-third of the world’s population cannot see the Milky Way because of light pollution.
He shared a story about a night when people had traveled a significant distance to Coudersport’s astral preserve, only to have clouds move in over the cosmic vista.
“I said, ‘I’m so sorry. I know you drove so far. Hopefully it will clear up.’ And one woman said, ‘I don’t think you understand just how nice it is to sit out here in the quiet. Even watching the clouds just come in and out. That doesn’t happen in our lives anymore.’
“Somehow I think the people who live in this region take (the dark skies) for granted,” Snowman observed. “Like, ‘What’s the big deal?’ They don’t really understand what a precious resource that is.”
By Kellen M. Quigley
ELLICOTTVILLE — As autumn turns the hillsides into a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors, there are still plenty of outdoor activities, festivals and events for visitors to enjoy in Ellicottville.
Fall Festival is one of the area’s favorite events, offering a weekend of fun for the whole family. The village transforms into a walkable four-block arts and crafts show accompanied by the brick-andmortar shops, flavorful culinary culture, chair lift rides, live music and more. The festival takes place Oct. 11 and 12 in the village of Ellicottville and at Holiday Valley Resort.
Later in the month, the EVL Halloween Half will be a fun-filled Halloween-themed event Saturday, Oct. 25 featuring a half-marathon and a 5K. Organizers encourage
When the air turns crisp and the brilliant colors of autumn begin to pop, people will still find plenty to do during the fall season in Ellicottville.
runners of all abilities to join in the fun. Just grab your friends, pick out your costumes and get ready to run.
As the holidays approach, more events will be held in the village, including Christmas in Ellicottville, Nov. 25-27, and A Christmas Stroll, Dec. 10. To find out more, visit ellicottvilleny.com.
Holiday Valley is the perfect place for a fall weekend getaway. During Fall Foliage Weekends, visitors can take a ride on the Mardi Gras and Spruce Lake chairlifts to view the spectacular fall colors on the hillsides. Mardi Gras lift is available Oct. 11 and 12, then again Oct. 18. Spruce Lake lift will operate Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 26. For information on hours of operation and ticket prices, call (716) 699-2345.
The resort’s challenging terrain includes 32 miles of mountain biking trails on the state land behind
the resort. The Spruce Lake chairlift, available weekends through Oct. 16, takes cyclists and their bikes to the top of the mountain, where they can begin a thrilling ride down.
On Nov. 8, Holiday Valley will host its annual Beer and Wine Festival. Get ready to raise your glass and indulge in the ultimate celebration of craft beverages for a weekend brimming with exceptional brews, fine wines and unforgettable fun. Nestled in the picturesque beauty of Holiday Valley’s hills, this festival is the perfect blend of amazing flavors, live entertainment and scenic views.
Fall family fun continues at HoliMont, billed as America’s Largest Private Ski Resort. Enjoy the fall colors with a hike up Sunset Trail to Horizon Pond and Saddle Pond, or a day of mountain biking.
On Oct. 12, HoliMont will host the HoliTrot Fall
Festival train run. Lace up your running shoes and celebrate the beautiful autumn season with this exciting event, which features a Kids Race and a 5K, winding through the resort’s extensive and scenic trail system.
The single-track trails in McCarthy State Forest offer hikers and bikers alike a great outdoor experience. There are over 40 miles of International Mountain Bicycling Association trails to ride in Ellicottville and the surrounding area.
HoliMont currently has 25 mountain bike trails that offer more than 14 miles of riding for all abilities. The Technical Terrain and Freeride Terrain trails offer rides from beginner to expert levels.
Up-hill lift service is available on weekends and is accessible from the Sunset parking lot. Call (716) 699-2320 or visit holimont.com for details and ticket prices.
A constant livestream in the heart of Pennsylvania’s elk country has restarted as the species begins its mating season, called the elk rut.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has again powered up its video and audio stream of an area near Benezette and Elk State Forest and State Gamelands 311 for viewers to catch a glimpse of the species’ ritualized late summer rut.
As male elk compete for female mates, the animals often engage in bugling, a loud and distinct series of calls and vocalizations that draws tourists to north central Pennsylvania each year.
The competition for mates also leads to occasional confrontations and battles among elk, some of which routinely weigh more than 1,000 pounds.
The elk cam is not the only livestream the commission offers, but it always proves to be one
the most popular, Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau said.
“I think people who are elk enthusiasts are elk enthusiasts in a big way,” he said.
The stream is consistently viewed by more than a million screens each year, according to Tim Sears, founder of HDOnTap, the company that manages the stream.
Even at night, Sears said, the stream continues in infrared.
According to a game commission release, viewers may also spot other wildlife, such as turkey or deer, on the livestream. Thge best time to spot elk is around dawn and dusk, when they’re most active.
The stream will continue until mid-October, when the bugling season concludes. Those interested can find the stream by visiting hdontap.com and searching for “Pennsylvania Elk.”
By WADE ROBERTSON
The air has a sharpness in the mornings, the humidity has dropped, the stars and moon shine brighter. You can feel the excitement and anticipation deep in your bones — hunting season has begun and archery is just around the corner.
Our area has a good population of whitetails and some truly large bucks exist. The biggest are very secretive and seldom, if ever, seen. But they do leave tracks and make rubs and you may even get a trail camera picture occasionally, but I know for a fact many bucks will purposely skirt a camera once they know it is there.
Allegany State Park has some beautiful bucks, but there is a lot of territory there and the bucks know a thing or two about leading you on a long, long chase. Still, they’re there and with a little luck you may run into one. They love clearcuts, big blown downs, backyards, big golden rod fields, thick creek and river bottoms, thorn and briar patches. They know the areas people avoid and live there. Big bucks will also lie very tight and let you walk right by. They will lie their heads flat on the ground remaining as invisible as possible.
Any buck past 2 1/2 years old knows a thing or two about surviving — they’re smart.
There appears to be a good squirrel crop this year and, despite the dry
season, quite a few nuts. Squirrels appear in some areas regularly, but will move to areas where mast abounds. Heavy acorn production in an area will draw squirrels to it, as well as hickory groves.
Scouting is a good idea; you never know for sure where a concentration may be. I only use a rimfire rifle for squirrels and early in the year that is very challenging with all the leaves still on the trees. A squirrel that wouldn’t stand a chance with a shotgun can almost be impossible to hit with a rifle as they seldom stay still for the four or five seconds it takes to get a shot.
But, if you can bag squirrels with your little rifle, a buck won’t stand a chance come rifle/shotgun/muzzleloader season. Duck and geese hunting can be excellent. The Allegheny River and other larger streams are good areas to hunt. Look for cornfields and other food sources.
Wood ducks frequent all the larger creeks and swamps in our area can be jumped from a canoe or pass shot. Be sure to keep
an eye on your watch, when the regulations say it’s time to stop shooting, do so. Your shots can be heard from quite a distance and the wardens have little trouble locating you if you stretch shooting hours.
Pheasant hunting can be a lot of fun. Numerous birds are stocked in several locations in both Pennsylvania and New York and if you have a good dog pheasant will be on the menu. You can also walk birds up working ditches and other cover. The more hunters in line the better. Posting a shooter or two at the far end of the ditch is a smart thing to do. The birds will run to the end and flush out of range many times. But, if someone is waiting that even the odds a bit.
Grouse and rabbits are not as plentiful as they used to be, but in some areas, there are enough to be worthwhile pursuing. Rabbits and grouse love edges. Rabbits prefer grass edges bordered by very thick brush and grouse love edges of old pastures and apple orchards bordered by poplar and as-
pen. A good dog is a great benefit hunting either, but just pushing the cover with a partner can also be successful. I have discovered some great deer sign doing just that, hunting grouse and rabbits.
One of my favorite fall pursuits has to be turkey hunting. There is something fascinating about these big, tough, cagey birds. Their large size is part of that, of course, just seeing them in the woods is a real adrenalin rush. I try to shoot only gobblers if possible. That can make a hunt even more challenging, but gobblers are easily two to three times the size of a hen and there’s something about that long beard and the hooked spurs on their feet that fascinates me.
Gobblers are tough to call — less calling is better and box calls seem more productive in the fall, especially the deeper gobbler side. Pattern your shot, please, and use specialized turkey loads with more velocity and hardened shot. Aim ONLY at the head and neck. Turkeys will be found where the food is. Check out cornfields, oak stands, fields and often pipelines and power lines. Scouting is again the key to locating where they may be as turkeys are seldom found in the same area consecutive years unless there’s crops near by.
The Twin Tiers is a great place to be in the fall. I wish you all the best of luck in the upcoming season.
By KATHRYN ROSS
Summer may be past, but events happening across Allegany County in autumn are getting ready for harvest.
• The Civil War Reenactment in Angelica will see the North and the South fighting in the streets and gentle southern ladies dressed for tea that Friday through Saturday. There will be living history camps and vendors in the park. Three battles will be fought throughout the weekend, times TBA. The event is free.
• Willing Fall Festival will offer food, craft items, wagon rides on Route 29 and more that Saturday at the Willing Town Hall on Route 19 South of Stannards. The event starts at 11 a.m.
Photo provided The annual Civil War reenactment is set for Sept. 26-27 in the village of Angelica.
Tour will highlight the artwork of dozens of artists and craftsmen across the county with an open studio tour. Maps are available online and in local businesses, Painters, ceramicists, sculptors, woodworkers and many others are taking part this year with some opening their studios on Friday night.
October is to enjoy the glory of autumn and celebrate the thrills and chills of the season.
• Andover Haunted House at 5 W. Greenwood St., will open for the season. From 7 to 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday throughout the month the Haunted
• Lobster Fest is when Kent Beer Company will host Cousins Lobster Company from noon to 6 p.m. that Saturday at 1699 Jones Road Spur in Andover. There will be music and games.
Attraction will be open to scare the bee Jesús out of the unsuspecting. Tickets are available at the door and online.
• The Armstrong Fall Festival takes place in Belfast near the intersection of routes 305 and 19 (6661 Rt. 305) south of the village. There will be free pumpkins, food, bingo and face painting.
• Allegany Artisans
• RidgeWalk and Run on that Sunday has been opening the forest of Alma Hill for walkers, hikers and runners to enjoy the splendor of fall. Prior registration is required and can be found online. For non-hikers an event tent will be open with food available for purchase. There will be music and wagon rides available.
Look for more events to be announced as the holidays get closer and the area gets ready to celebrate winter.
