Members of the public, as well as military personnel and their families and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees, are all welcome to hunt, fish, trap and pursue other recreational opportunities on Fort Drum training lands.Before participating in any recreational activity on Fort Drum, persons must first obtain a Fort Drum Recreation Permit and Access Pass. Current Recreation Permits and Access Passes will expire on September 30, 2009. Permits and access passes valid beginning October 1, 2009 are available in person or through the mail.Permits are available in person at the Natural Resources Permit Office (Bldg. S-2509) on Route 26 between Great Bend and the Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield. The Natural Resources Permit Office will be open through October 23 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday, and Fridays from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm. From October 26 – November 20, the Permit Office will be open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday, and Fridays from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.To obtain a Fort Drum Recreation Permit in person, applicants must present a photo ID and current New York State hunting, fishing or trapping license. Transactions are cash or U.S. Postal Service money orders only.If the office hours don’t fit your schedule, Fort Drum Recreation Permits are also available through the mail. To receive a 2009-2010 permit through the mail, send in a completed application; signed hold harmless agreement; a photocopy of a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, military ID, etc.); a photocopy of your 2009-2010 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation fishing, hunting, and/or trapping license; a recreation survey; and the appropriate fee in the form of a U.S. Postal Service Money Order. Application instructions and forms are available to download from Fort Drum’s Fish & Wildlife Management web site at http://www.drum.army.mil/garrison/pw/FishAndWild.html; or, they can be picked up at the Natural Resources Permit Office (S-2509) or Fort Drum’s Fish & Wildlife Management Office (T-4848). For the fishing, hunting, and/or trapping license, you only need to provide a photocopy of the license showing the “License/Privilege” information (i.e. tags do not have to be photocopied.) New York State licenses are not available for purchase anywhere on Fort Drum, but are available at local licensing issue agents.Permit fees are based on age: youth 15 years and less and adults 70 years and older receive a free permit for all activities; youth ages 16 and 17 pay a reduced fee for all activities; persons 18 — 69 years of age pay full price. Full price permits are $10 for big game hunting only, $10 for small game hunting only, $10 for fishing only, $10 for trapping only, $25 for all hunting and fishing; and $35 for hunting, fishing, and trapping.To engage in other activities such as birdwatching or hiking, a recreation permit is $5; these activities are included with the purchase of any other permit.Before entering the training areas, all recreationists must first check in daily with Range Division by calling the Sportsman’s Hotline at (315) 772-7153. The Sportsman’s Hotline is updated at approximately 6:00 p.m., listing training areas that are open the following day. Upon leaving their permit number, recreationists may access any training area that is open for recreation that day.For more information about access, permits, or recreation opportunities, check out Fort Drum’s Fish & Wildlife Management web site at http://www.drum.army.mil/garrison/pw/FishAndWild.html.