HuntingNY-News

They caught them behind their grandfather's camp. Submitted photoKen Matthews and Jacob Lugena, both 10, hold up a stringer of seven brook trout caught behind their grandfather's camp on West Canada Creek. Nice mess of trout, boys. Should make for a nice meal. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"It took 45 mininutes to boat him," Jim Pesane said. Submitted photoTalk about big catfish. Jim Pesane caught this impressive 14-pound cat on Big Bay on Oneida Lake recently, using 8-pound fluorcarbon line. He wrote: "It took 45 mininutes to boat him and he broke my net. Nice fish! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

“We’re not doing this for hunting purposes, just trying to get them re-established here,” said Michael Patane. Jim Commentucci/The Post-StandardA male and female bobwhite quail occupy an enclosure at the Great Swamp Conservancy. The up´land gamebirds used to inhabits the fields of Central New York.Michael Patane got the call at about 7 a.m. Thursday from the Canastota Post Office telling him the bobwhite quail chicks had arrived. Patane rushed over to pick up nearly a dozen cardboard boxes containing 1,000 day-old birds. He then returned to the Great Swamp Conservancy nature center, where he gently took them out of the boxes in a heated, indoor “brooding room” — one handful at a time. “I love bobwhite quail,” he said. “I used to raise them when I had my own private shooting preserve on my property. I just thought it would be a neat project for the conservancy to get involved in.” Bobwhite quail at one time inhabited the fields and woods of Central New York and much of Upstate New York , but no more. Excessive hunting and radical changes in the habitat due to farming eliminated most of them more than a century ago. Currently, the upland gamebird can only be hunted in a few places downstate. The DEC has established hunting seasons in Orange and Putnam counties and parts of Long Island. Since 2004, Patane and a small group of volunteers assisting him have been buying quail chicks from a Pennsylvania supplier. They’ve been raising them during the spring and summer and releasing them in early fall on the 150-acre conservancy property. To date, they’ve had little luck getting them to survive and breed in the wild. “We’re not doing this for hunting purposes, just trying to get them re-established here,” he said, squatting in the 15-by-15-foot brooding room, with its floor covered in fresh wood shavings and its sides lined with heavy plastic. “They don’t stay on the property. I’ve had people call me (each fall) and say that they’re seeing them in Morrisville (some 20 miles away), Bridgeport, Chittenango, Sylvan Beach, Oneida — they’re spreading out.” However, they don’t seem to be taking hold. Few, if any survive the winter. Hunters may be mistakenly shooting them, he said, but the majority are most likely falling prey to predators such as hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes and feral cats. Bryan Swift, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said nearly all the bobwhite quail downstate are pen-raised and released at private shooting preserves. The DEC set a season down there so hunters could shoot those birds that escape and manage to make it in the wild. But the numbers that do, he added, are very few. “The DEC back in the 1930s and 1950s experimented with introducing bobwhite quail but were not very successful,” he said. Swift said there may be several private shooting preserves in the Upstate area that offer the chance for hunters to pay to shoot bobwhite quail. He said Patane’s program is the only one he’s aware of that’s trying to get a wild population re-established. “He’s asked us to cooperate and assist, but we’ve politely declined,” Swift said. “We’ve allowed him to raise and release them. He’s not doing much harm, and his heart is in the right place, but we’re not encouraged by his results.” Patane, who the other volunteers at the conservancy call “Quail Daddy,” is undaunted. The day-old chicks received Thursday will be kept in the brooding room for several days at 98 degrees. Eventually, the room’s temperature will be dropped a degree as the chicks get bigger and stronger. They’re fed crushed gamebird pellets and water. Thursday morning, McManus put handfuls of clover and grass in the brooding room to occupy the tiny birds, which at this point are about the size of your thumb. “Baby quail are cannibalistic for the first couple of weeks,” Patane explained. “They’re just like kids. You have to give them something to do. Otherwise, they’ll peck at each other’s beaks, disabling some and making them unable to eat.” In about six to eight weeks, the birds will reach adulthood, becoming the size of a robin. With this most recent shipment of chicks, Patane is trying something new. He plans to raise and keep them through the winter months, releasing them in the spring. “Hopefully, when we release this group in May, they’ll be a number of breeding pairs and they’ll go out and do what they’re supposed to do,” he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Two huge events— one a gun show, the other a ski/snowboard equipment sale — are being held next weekend at the state fairgrounds in Geddes. The Gun Show The annual fall gun show hosted by the New York State Arms Collectors Association always draws a crowd. This year’s show, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in the Center of Progress Building,... Two huge events— one a gun show, the other a ski/snowboard equipment sale — are being held next weekend at the state fairgrounds in Geddes. The Gun Show The annual fall gun show hosted by the New York State Arms Collectors Association always draws a crowd. This year’s show, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in the Center of Progress Building, will feature more than 800 exhibits and displays provided by collectors and dealers from all over the country and Canada, according Sandy Ackerman Klinger, the show’s manager. Featured will be displays and sale tables of U.S. Military arms, Colt Revolvers, high-grade Kentucky rifles, gun parts and accessories, Native American items, frontier and Western paraphernalia, swords, knives, military weapons from many nations, military relics and equipment from before the Revolutionary War to the present. According to Ackerman Klinger, “While most items are for sale on a cash basis, gun shows cling to the old-fashion trade and barter way of doing business,” she said. “Haggling for the very best possible deal possible is both expected and accepted.” Admission is $6 for adults; $5 for seniors and children under 12 (with parents) free. For more, call 1-607-748-1010. Ski/snowboard sale The annual $3 million Ski and Snowboard Sale is set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Horticulture Building. The event, which has free parking and admission, will feature several thousand pieces of new downhill and cross country ski and snowboard equipment. Also, pre-owned skis, snowboards, boots and cross-country gear. Those who attend can also trade in equipment for credit toward other purchases at the sale, according to Nate Fox, of the Ski Company in Syracuse., who is one of the organizers. Fox said the event will feature equipment from all the local ski shops, numerous vendors and representatives from all the local ski slopes, including Whiteface Mountain and Gore. He added that anyone showing up at the event dressed in “full ski gear” from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday can stop by the White Face Mountain table, which will have members of its Road Warriors team passing out free lift tickets to the slope for the coming season as a promotion. The event runs from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Michael Patane and his fellow volunteers at the nature center are not raising these birds for hunting. They've been at it for seven years, hoping to re-introduce them into the wild and get them re-established. Staff photographer Jim Commentucci and I visited the Great Swamp Conservancy, just north of the village of Canastota Thursday and checked out the facilities bobwhite quail raising program, which is headed by Michael Patane. Patane picked up some 1,000 chicks that morning and unloaded them before my eyes. It was fascinating. He also had three adult quail in a back cage so I could see the end result. Patane and the nature center are not raising these birds for hunting. They've been at it for seven years, hoping to re-introduce them into the wild and get them re-established. The birds were once native to the Upstate area, but haven't been around for more than a century. For more, see my story on Sunday's Outdoor page of The Post-Standard. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The latest development in the wild boar war in Central New York just might be passage of a law banning captive boar hunts. Submitted photoWendy Cosselman, of Bleecker, shot this Russian boar last year at Wild West Trophy Hunts, a private hunting preserve in Chenango CountyThe latest development in the wild boar war in Central New York just might be passage of a law banning captive boar hunts. State Department of Environmental Conservation officials, faced with little or no money to trap and kill the ever-increasing population of Russian wild boars in this area and across New York in general, are looking at their source. “Stopping escapes (from private hunting preserves) is the biggest and most important issue we’re challenged with,” Gordon Batcheller, head of the DEC’s Bureau of Wildlife, told The Associated Press last week. “It might require legislation so we can shut down the source of these animals before they get on the landscape,” he said. Currently, there are several pay-to-hunt, fenced-in, private preserves in Central New York that offer Russian wild boar hunts to the public, along with their offerings of other trophy and exotic animals such as elk, bison and red stags. Also, developer Robert Congel, owner of the Carousal Center, offers wild boar hunts to his guests as part of the extensive fishing and hunting opportunities at his wildlife preserve at Savannah Dhu in Wayne County. Feral swine, which can weigh more than 400 pounds, are breeding in the wild in Cortland, Onondaga and Tioga counties, according to a $230,000 federal study completed last year. Batcheller and others have estimated that the local population is in the hundreds. Some were recently spotted in the Adirondacks. It’s no coincidence that where wild boar are found in the wild, a private hunting preserve is nearby, officials said. Wildlife experts point out that these animals multiply rapidly, with sows producing several litters a year of four to six piglets. They’re also wily and mostly nocturnal, making it difficult for people to hunt or trap them. More important, these animals are intelligent and adaptable. They dig up croplands. They damage ecosystems by rooting and digging for food, and they compete with native wildlife for food, devouring roots, stems, leaves, fruit, nuts, bark, birds eggs, mice, snakes, baby turkeys, fawns and road kill. In addition, they carry diseases that can be transferred to wildlife and domestic animals, and destroy wetlands by their wallowing. A number of states have banned captive wild boar hunts as a first step in controlling the wild population, including Michigan, which has a boar population estimated at 2,000 to 7,000, The Associated Press reported. Michigan wildlife experts noticed that boar started showing up in the wild soon after hunting preserves began bringing them in. “We’re not talking about Porky Pig getting loose from the farm,” said Patrick Rusz, director of wildlife programs for the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy. “These are wild boars. These animals are Houdini-like escape artists and they breed readily in the wild.” Officials at the DEC and the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets said wild boars are being brought into this state for hunting with little regulatory control “Unfortunately this industry remains poorly regulated and even more poorly monitored,” said Steve Joule, the DEC’s Region 7 wildlife manager. “The paucity of laws and regulations, coupled with a lack of oversight or monitoring of the hunting preserve and livestock industries (transport of hogs in particular) is a large part (perhaps the largest part) of the feral hog problem.” Michael Moran, a spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, added: “The only authority we have over wild boar brought into this state for hunting purposes is whether they were legally imported into the state. We check to make sure they have the proper health certifications. We have no regulatory authority over the breeding of such animals.” Neither the DEC, nor the state Ag Department, has a readily available list of places that offer wild boar hunts. Checking the Internet and calling around revealed several within a short drive of Syracuse: Cold Brook Hunts in Homer, Big Boar Lodge in Sempronius and Wild West Trophy Hunts in Columbus, Chenango County. Cindy Mikalunas, co-owner of Wild West Trophy Hunts, said her hunting preserve has been offering wild boar hunts since they opened in 2005, but currently has no boar on the premises. Told about Batcheller’s comment, she responded: “Like anything else, there are people who do things right and people who do things the lazy way and their boars get out.” She said the boars at her preserve, which generally run from 200 to 250 pounds, are kept in by special fences that include “hog panels,” which are buried about three feet in the ground. “We’ve never had a problem or an escape,” she said. She suggested state officials should put their emphasis on demanding proper fencing for boars on preserves. George Deak, a spokesman for Hidden Valley Outdoors, a safari park in West Winfield, south of Utica, said Batcheller’s comment is “short-sighted.” Prior to his arrival, Hidden Valley offered wild boar hunts. Today, the park has 10 boar in a 40-acre fenced-in area, which includes an inner perimeter of electric fence. The animals are there for viewing purposes only. The fence’s “integrity” is checked twice a day, Deak said. He says he’s had no escapes. “You could require that all male pigs be castrated so they couldn’t reproduce,” he said. “There’s ways to attack this without affecting the industry and costing jobs.” View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Hikers are advised to plan accordingly and be prepared to turn back when conditions warrant. Campgrounds in the Adirondack Park and in all of the Catskill Preserve are being assessed and evaluated daily and are opening based on their accessibility and safety The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) continues to review and update state trail and campground closures in the Adirondack and Catskill regions, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced.. Many state trails continue to be impassable or inaccessible due to the current weather conditions. In the interest of public safety, DEC will continue to assess conditions to determine if new closures are necessary and the status on the reopening of state trails and campgrounds. “We know how popular these areas are to hikers and how important hikers are to the local economy,” Martens said. “We have been able to re-open some of the wilderness areas and much of the trail systems in those areas due to the quick response and hard work of DEC staff and our stewardship partners. I also want to express my appreciation to the public for heeding the closures and allowing us to focus on the trail system. We did not need to respond to any search and rescue calls in the three wilderness areas during the closure.” Unsafe conditions remain in much of the backcountry of the Catskills due to the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and heavy rains which continue to cause flooding, bridge wash outs, trail wash outs, downed trees and other debris. In addition, many local roads are closed or only single lane traffic. As a result, DEC has received local requests to close trail heads in these impacted areas in an attempt to keep the roads open for local residents and emergency vehicles. Heavy rains across central New York and the Southern Tier have caused flash floods in some areas. DEC managed areas may be inaccessible and have not been fully assessed for damage at this time. Plan accordingly and be prepared to turn back when conditions warrant. Campgrounds Many DEC Campgrounds in the Adirondacks and the Catskills experienced significant damage from the storm including flooded areas, road destruction and loss of electric and water service. Campgrounds in the Adirondack Park and in all of the Catskill Preserve are being assessed and evaluated daily and are opening based on their accessibility and safety. Given the weather and imminent return of flooding to the Northern Catskills and beyond, DEC will not reopen the Catskill regional campgrounds this weekend. In addition, all DEC campgrounds in Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties will remain closed until further notice. Seventeen of the 41 Adirondack DEC campgrounds have closed for the season as regularly scheduled. Four campgrounds – Lake Harris, Scaroon Manor, Luzerne and Hearthstone Point – will close on Sunday, September 11. Fall camping is available through Columbus Day weekend at 20 Adirondack DEC campgrounds. - Clinton County: Ausable Point. - Essex County: Crown Point, Paradox Lake, and Wilmington Notch. - Franklin County: Fish Creek, Meacham Lake, and Saranac Lake Islands - Fulton County: Northampton Beach - Hamilton County: Eighth Lake, Indian Lake Islands, Lake Durant, Lewey Lake, Moffit Beach, and Sacandaga. - Warren County: Lake George Battleground, Lake George islands (Glen Island, Long Island, & Narrow Island), and Rogers Rock. - Herkimer County: Nicks Lake. A list of open and operational DEC campgrounds is continuously being updated on the DEC's website . The public should be aware that many state and local roads may be inaccessible to travel and access to campground areas could be limited. Those planning to visit the Adirondack or Catskill regions this weekend should call ahead or check for road closure information at the Department of Transportation's webpage . Trails Catskills: Trails in the Catskill backcountry have been heavily impacted and the public is advised to avoid the backcountry at this time. Due to damage to roads, many trailheads and other access points to the backcountry are inaccessible. All trails on DEC-managed property in Ulster and Greene counties are closed until further notice. Adirondack Area openings: The eastern zone of the High Peaks Wilderness and Giant Mountain Wilderness areas has been re-opened effective Thursday, September 8. Due to the amount of damage to certain trails, and the continued closure of a section of route 73 and other roads, Dix Mountain Wilderness area and a number of trails in the reopened areas will remain closed. However, the majority of trails are now open for public recreation. Giant Mountain Wilderness: Open trails include all trails starting from the trailheads on Route 9 and Route 9N. Giant Mountain may also be accessed via the Hopkin Mountain trail from the Ranney trailhead. High Peaks Wilderness: Open trails include those starting at the Adirondack Loj trailhead, the Cascade Mountain trailhead, the Garden trailhead, the Rooster Comb trailhead, the Upper Works trailhead, and the East River trailhead. All trails out of the Adirondack Mountain Reserve (Ausable Club) remain closed due to the closure of a section of route 73 and the damage to the trailhead parking lots. The Elk Lake trailhead remains closed. Trails that are not closed still may have bridges washed out and water levels in most rivers and brooks are at spring-high water levels. Crossings may be impassable at this time. These trails may also have blowdown, eroded sections or flooded areas. Pay close attention as many trails have been rerouted to avoid heavily damaged sections and eroded drainages can be mistaken for trails. The ability to navigate with a map and compass is important. DEC is bringing in additional emergency crews and staff to continue to clear and repair trails. The list of closed trails and conditions for open trails are available on DEC’s High Peaks Trail Information web page (www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7865.html). Information on closures and conditions of Catskill Preserve trails can be found at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/76659.html. This information will be updated as trails are assessed and reopened. Hikers and campers should expect to encounter flooding, bridge wash outs, trail wash outs and blowdown when entering the backcountry. Hikers are advised to plan accordingly and be prepared to turn back when conditions warrant. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

U.S. Forest Service botanist Thomas Rawinski, of Oakham, Mass., will share his studies related to the impacts of large numbers of deer on forests in a talk beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Is there such a thing as too many deer? U.S. Forest Service botanist Thomas Rawinski, of Oakham, Mass., will share his studies related to the impacts of large numbers of deer on forests in a talk beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. This week, Rawinski has been at the refuge “re-sampling” vegetation plots at the refuge to detect any changes attributable to increases of the refuge’s deer population. Among the things he did last year was check the height of tree saplings and a number of other plants. “It is quite stunning to think that one species can create such havoc, but the whitetail deer is the main herbivore in our forests and now these ecosystems are out of balance — primarily because humans have killed off most of the large natural predators such as cougars and wolves,” he said. Rawinski’s talk is free to members of the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, $5 for adult non-members, and $3 for students and seniors who are non-members. For more, call 568-5987, ext. 228. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

In Delaware, Sullivan and Ulster counties, hunters are now prohibited from killing spikehorn deer. They must have at least one antler with three points. This summer, the state Legislature for the first time got involved in the issue of antler restriction, passing a law that essentially tells hunters in several downstate counties what bucks they can kill based on the size of the animal’s antlers. In Delaware, Sullivan and Ulster counties, hunters are now prohibited from killing spikehorn deer. They must have at least one antler with three points. In the past, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has called the shots on this controversial issue, trying the approach out in several areas of the state based on surveys of hunters in those areas and what the majority of them preferred. Several years ago, the DEC tried out a pilot antler restriction zone in northern Tompkins and southern Cayuga counties. The result was a mixed reaction from hunters. The restrictions, which had a sunset clause, were not continued. The bottom line of all this is a slippery slope, highlighting an issue much bigger than antler restrictions. Do we rely on politicians who often are generally clueless about hunting matters making laws concerning hunting, or should such matters be left to science and the DEC’s wildlife biologists? I’d like to hear what readers think about this. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I'd like to hear from readers who dine on possum, woodchuck, raccoon, muskrat, beaver, turtle, bullfrog and crow. Tell me about your experiences and send me your best recipes. I used to be a picky eater. Up until eighth grade, I used to irritate my mother by refusing to eat spaghetti with spaghetti sauce on it, preferring butter and salt instead. In fact, she used to stick a fork in my meatballs and wash the sauce off in the sink before putting them on my plate. College, hard times and maturity changed all that. These days, I’ll try most anything — once. Last week’s story that I wrote about squirrel hunting generated a variety of comments online, in the mail and from persons I ran into this past week. Many I talked to looked down their noses at eating squirrel, which I have sampled. Frankly, it’s not bad. From what readers told me, there’s a wide variety of wild game recipes out there that are routinely being served on the tables of Central New York residents. In fact, I’ve heard from readers who say they never go to the grocery store for meat, eating only what they shoot in the woods or fields, or catch fishing. Most hunters I’ve talked to eat the deer, rabbit, pheasant, duck or goose that they shoot. A smaller number, though, consume other, less popular game. I’d like to hear from readers who dine on possum, woodchuck, raccoon, muskrat, beaver, turtle, bullfrog and crow. Tell me about your experiences and send me your best recipes. I also wouldn’t mind sampling any of these dishes — once. My mother would be proud. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The perch bite on Oneida Lake continues to be good, particularly in front of Cleveland. CNY FISHING FORECAST Bait stores (list and map). LAKE ONTARIO Salmon are being taken in 60 to 100 feet of water. Good baits continue to be flashers and flies, cut bait, large spoons and J-plugs. Good colors have been green, chrome, white, glow green ladder back and gold. SALMON RIVER The river has gone up and some salmon have started to make their way upstream. OSWEGO RIVER River level has gone up, and some salmon have started trickling into the river from the lake. ONEIDA LAKE Perch bite continues to be good, particularly in front of Cleveland. Anglers are getting them in the weedbeds in 10 to 20 feet of water, using small crayfish, a little piece of worm on a hook or tipping a small spinner with a piece of a worm or fathead minnow. Walleye bite is still slow but will probably change with cooler temperatures. Those being caught are being taken in deeper water or early in the morning. Evening bass bite has also picked up. Try a topwater lure. CAYUGA LAKE Lake trout, Atlantic salmon and brown trout are still hitting for anglers trolling with spoons or flashers and flies off downriggers, Dipsey divers, lead core and copper. Fishing 50 to 90 feet down over 100 to 350 feet of water is still a good starting point. Running Dipseys back 200 to 300 feet and running copper at 450 to 500 feet have also been good starting lengths. Good colors have been white, green, purple and blue. Vertical jigging with plastics continues to be good from 65 to 85 feet of water. Some nice brown trout are also being taken by anglers vertical jigging for lake trout. SENECA LAKE Lake trout are being taken on spoons and flashers and flies fished down 100 feet over 150 feet of water. Trolling very slow, 1 mph, with blue and silver baits has been working well. Vertical jigging with chartreuse plastics has also been good for lake trout in 65 to 95 feet of water. Anglers trolling very close to bottom are also catching some large brown trout. Smallmouth bass and yellow perch are hitting on crayfish and minnows fished off the pier. Anglers fishing large minnows under bobbers are catching some northern pike around Sampson. OWASCO LAKE Bass bite was strong last week. Nothing new to report this week. Very few anglers getting out because of the rain. OTISCO LAKE Smallmouth bass fishing continues to be fair in 35 to 40 feet of water on drop-shot rigs. Tiger muskies are being caught along weed edges on swimbaits, stickbaits and large spinners. SKANEATELES LAKE Trolling 45 feet down with perch-colored spoons is producing lake trout and Atlantic salmon. Smallmouth bass and rock bass are hitting along the shore out to about 40 feet of water for anglers fishing with tube baits, super flukes, drop-shot rigs and crayfish. Yellow perch fishing is starting to pick up, and they are being taken on small minnows or crayfish. SODUS BAY Largemouth bass are still hitting Senko-style baits, and a few pike are being taken on large spoons. SANDY POND Largemouth bass are still being taken by anglers using a variety of Texas-rigged plastic baits and topwater baits. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Walleye and smallmouth bass bite have been good this week, as well northern pike. Muskie bite is expected to begin shortly. No reports on perch fishing. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Water is high and brown. Very few anglers out on the reservoir this week. Nothing else to report. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It took him 20 minutes to reel the fish in. It weighed 8 ½ pounds. Submitted photoConnor Evans, 13, of Dewitt, caught this nice 29 12-inch walleye on Aug. 31. He was trolling near Wellesley Island on the St. Lawrence River with a Countdown Rapala when the fish struck. It took him 20 minutes to reel the fish in. It weighed 8 ½ pounds. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Officers had been noticing that flags from the Toledo Police Memorial Garden were disappearing from the memorial for days. A flag-stealing squirrel is to blame for the recent disappearances of small flags at the Toledo Police Memorial Garden in Ohio, according to the FindLaw.com Web site. "Officers had been noticing that flags were disappearing from the memorial for days, reports the Toledo Blade. "No suspects were spotted, and no clues were found. Until now. "The furry and elusive flag-stealing squirrel was spotted by police officers James Brown and Mark King Wednesday morning, the Toledo Blade reports." Read the full story. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"The unique benefit of any hunting is to eat the tasty, healthy meat of the quarry. Squirrels are no exception. Here is a wonderful recipe that, once tried, you'll never forget," he said. Nick Lisi/The Post-Standard Rainer Brocke, professor emeritus at SUNY ESF, wrote me this week to share his favorite squirrel recipe. Brocke, who lives in Lafayette, wrote: "Your fine article on squirrel hunting brought back memories of squirrels stalked years ago -- unparalleled practice for the pursuit of big game. "The unique benefit of any hunting is to eat the tasty, healthy meat of the quarry. Squirrels are no exception. Here is a wonderful recipe that, once tried, you'll never forget. "To prepare the meat, make a cut through the skin across the back and around the middle of the animal's body. With two pliers, grab each skin half at the back and pull the two skin halves apart, exposing all the meat up to the head, feet and tail which you cut off. "Now gut the skinned animal with a longitudinal cut along the abdomen, and then cut the empty body across the middle, washing each half. "Next, wrap each squirrel half in a strip of bacon, and wrap each in tin foil, crimping the foil "tent" closed. "Bake the wrapped squirrel halves in an oven at 350 degrees for about one hour or until the meat falls off the bones. Note, this recipe requires no butter, salt or other seasonings. The exquisite taste comes from nut-fed squirrel meat, basted with bacon fat and accented with smoke flavor. The beauty of this recipe is it's simplicity. You can achieve the same tasty result by baking the foil wrapped pieces in the ashes of a waning campfire. Delicious. "I hesitate to surrender this gourment's delight for free. On second thought, here it is, towards the greater joy of squirrel hunting and healthy eating. By the way, the kids love it. One squirrel per person will be quickly consumed." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The fish measured 38 inches and weighed about 17 pounds. Submitted photoThe fish was 38 inches and weighed about 17 pounds. Jeff Jaworski, of Marietta, holds up a monster tiger muskie he caught on Otisco Lake. He caught the fish last Friday, while fishing with Rob Spearing, also of Marietta. The two were trolling for walleyes. They were trolling over about 60 feet of water with down riggers set and had out a couple of long flat lines. "All of sudden the Tennessee Shad Rap Rebel flat line took off," Spearing said. "At first the fish did not put up much of a fight until he saw the boat. "Then he made a couple runs and eventually we were able to get him in the net. Here you can see one happy fisherman holding his prize which is estimated to be around 17 pounds. "Unfortunately, no walleyes were to be found." Spearing said Jaworski kept the fish and plans to have it mounted. View the full article

All the fish were caught near Oswego, several in the high, 20-pound range. Submitted photoTom Stevens, of Weedsport, and Bob Busch, of Lyncourt, hold up a nice catch of chinook salmon, all caught within a period of a couple of hours, fishing on Lake Ontario near Oswego. The pair were fishing with Capt. Mike Conroy of Proteus Sportfishing, out of Oswego. Conway said the fish pictured were "all in the high, 20-pound range." View the full article

New York trapped and removed 44 feral swine in Cortland and Onondaga counties in 2008 and 2009, but that effort ended when the state's budget got tight. Now authorities are working to build public awareness of the problem and encourage people to report sightings, as well as urging hunters with small-game licenses to shoot them, any time of year. Submitted photoJOE WATKINS stands next to a wild boar that he shot on Saturday near his home in the Cortland County town of Scott. The boar had one-inch tusks and weighed about 475 pounds. Itâs being held up by a backhoe. The following is an Associated Press story: VALLEY FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Wildlife officials in New York may ban captive boar hunts as they try to curb a growing feral hog population before it gets as bad as it is in Southern states, where roaming droves have devastated crops and wildlife habitat with their rooting, wallowing and voracious foraging. Feral swine are breeding in three counties in central New York, according to a federal study done last year with funding from New York's Invasive Species Council. The wild population statewide is likely in the hundreds , said Gordon Batcheller, head of the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Bureau of Wildlife. That's small compared with Texas, where biologists estimate the feral hog population at around 2 million, but Batcheller said any number is bad because they're certain to multiply. Damage becomes more noticeable when the population reaches the thousands and the hogs stake out home territories rather than wandering widely. Eurasian wild boars have become popular on private hunting ranches throughout the U.S. in recent years as an addition to deer and elk. Ranch owners deny they're the source of the free-roaming pigs, but Patrick Rusz, director of wildlife programs for the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, said the animals started showing up in the wild soon after hunting preserves began importing them. Their distribution is clustered near preserves, he added. "We're not talking about Porky Pig getting loose from the farm," Rusz said. "These are Russian wild boars. Those animals are Houdini-like escape artists and they breed readily in the wild. We've had domestic pigs for centuries and never had a feral hog problem until the game ranches started bringing these in." Wild pigs are intelligent and adaptable, eating almost anything and able to live in a wide range of habitats. They dig up cropland and lawns. They damage ecosystems by rooting and digging for food and devouring roots, stems, leaves, fruit, nuts, bark, bird eggs, mice, snakes and fawns. They compete with native wildlife for food such as acorns, carry diseases that can be transferred to wildlife, and destroy wetlands with their wallowing. Feral swine multiply rapidly, with sows producing several litters a year of four to six piglets, so as with any invasive species, it's crucial to mount aggressive eradication efforts before the population is widely established, Batcheller said. They're also wily and secretive, and become even more so when people try to shoot or trap them. New York trapped and removed 44 feral swine in Cortland and Onondaga counties in 2008 and 2009, but that effort ended when the state's budget got tight. Now authorities are working to build public awareness of the problem and encourage people to report sightings, as well as urging hunters with small-game licenses to shoot them, any time of year. "Stopping escapes is the biggest and most important issue we're challenged with," Batcheller said. "It might require legislation so we can shut down the source of these animals before they get on the landscape." A number of states have banned the captive wild boar hunts as a first step in controlling the wild population, including Michigan, with a population of boars estimated at 2,000 to 7,000. But ranch operators have lobbied the Michigan legislature to overturn the state's ban. While politicians argue, Rusz says the ban has been postponed and won't be fully in place for perhaps four years. "That's a travesty," he said. "We need an aggressive, common-sense approach. "Delays are just working in favor of the hogs." Other northern states concerned with the spread of feral pigs include Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The animals are well-established in Southern states. The boars are seen as a scourge for livestock, too. USDA wildlife biologist Justin Gansowski traps feral swine in New York and tests them for diseases that can be transmitted to domestic livestock. Several have tested positive for pseudorabies, a viral disease that's not fatal to humans but can sicken dogs, cats, goats and cattle. Another problem comes when preserve operators don't take adequate precautions to keep hogs from escaping, said Dave Vanderzee, owner of Easton View Outfitters, a game-hunting and breeding ranch about 20 miles northwest of Albany in Valley Falls. He keeps his Eurasian wild boars behind an 8-foot-tall wire mesh fence encircling about a quarter-acre, with the bottom of the fence buried to prevent burrowing out. "As an operator, you don't want to lose your livestock," Vanderzee said. They're too valuable." While deer are hunted from September through January, when they have nice racks of antlers, boar provide an exciting hunt and tasty meat year round, making them popular with hunters and valuable to preserve operators, he said. "With the cold winters and deep snowpack in the Northeast, I don't think New York is going to have quite the problem people think it will have with feral hogs," Vanderzee said. "But let's not find out. We should nip it in the bud." Rusz said no fence is foolproof, and the only sensible solution is to ban captive boar breeding and hunting, just as it's illegal to propagate other exotic invasive species. In Michigan, the Wildlife Conservancy is training volunteers to operate wild hog traps and working with landowners to ferret out and eliminate pockets of wild hogs. "Biologists will tell you, once they get established, they're going to come to a neighborhood near you," Rusz said. "The hogs will find you. That's the situation we're in." View the full article

David Lemon, fisheries manager for the DEC's Region 7, held a volunteer training session recently for those interested in assisting in cormorant harassment on Oneida Lake. Only about 15 persons attended, he said. David Lemon, fisheries manager for the DEC’s Region 7, held a volunteer training session recently for those interested in assisting in cormorant harassment on Oneida Lake. Only about 15 persons attended, he said. “Given the low turnout, it is going to be difficult to conduct any meaningful volunteer efforts if this is indeed the extent of our volunteer corps,” he said Monday in an email. Last year, he had 59 volunteers helping out. “Part of the reason I wanted to hold the training was to get the official volunteer forms completed and returned to me. Any individual who has not provided an up-to-date volunteer form will not be able to participate in the program. So for those folks who missed this year’s training, but attended last year’s session, I will make an exception and allow you to participate in 2011 — provided I receive a completed volunteer form.” Lemon said he’d like to begin the harassment program, which consists primarily of rousting the birds around the lake with boats and pyrotechnics, on Wednesday. The plan this year included fewer days on the lake, but total coverage of the waterway on those days that volunteers do go out. “We have volunteers signed up to cover just one zone in both the morning and evening hazing efforts for Wednesday,” Lemon said in his email. “I will recommend cancellation of the morning and/or evening hazing effort(s) if we don’t have at least five of seven zones covered. “ For more information, reach Lemon at [email protected] or call 607-753-3095, ext. 208. View the full article

This past year, the hatchery system, which is set up to run with 80 full-time staffers, has been getting by with 67. The new hires should help and will be in place by Nov. 30. The state’s budget office this week loosened up some purse strings and authorized the state Department of Environmental Conservation to fill 11 vacant positions in the state’s fish hatchery system. This past year, the hatchery system, which is set up to run with 80 full-time staffers, has been getting by with 67. The new hires should help and will be in place by Nov. 30, enabling the state’s fish hatcheries to operate at full capacity. The money for the additional employees is coming out of the state’s Conservation Fund, which is funded primarily from license fees paid by hunters, fishermen and trappers. “That’s a win for us,” said Lance Robson, of Sennett, who sits on the Conservation Fund Advisory Board. “Last fall, they released some fish (in certain parts of the state) that they would have liked to have kept until this spring because they had temporary employees and no guarantee the temporary employees would be here in the spring.” View the full article

For many Central New York hunters, squirrel hunting is where they got their first taste of action in the woods. David Lassman/The Post-Standard Scott Hopler said he couldn’t wait until he got out of work Thursday. “Today is opening day,” said the Bass Pro Shops staffer. “They’re out their barking, chirping... sometimes you just have to sit and wait for them. Other times, you sneak up on them.” Hopler was talking about squirrels and Thursday was the opening day of squirrel hunting across most of the state. “It’s quite a challenge,” he said. “They’re tough little critters and they’re really good eating. I like mine on the barbecue.” For many Central New York hunters, squirrel hunting is where they got their first taste of action in the woods. “It’s one on the traditional species that kids get started hunting on,” said Lance Clark, senior wildlife biologist at the DEC’s Cortland office. “They’re fairly common, so the likelihood of seeing something when you go out is fairly high. It’s a good way to teach a youngster hunting skills. You have sit and be quiet, make sure you have a safe shot when you do see something. “It’s also one of the few species you can hunt with either a .22 caliber rifle or a shotgun.” The minimum age to hunt squirrels in New York is 12. Before heading off to the woods, squirrel hunters need to have passed a hunter safety course and must possess a small game license. The daily take limit is six gray (black) or fox squirrels. The smaller red squirrels are unprotected, and can be hunted at any time with no limit. The best time to hunt squirrels is when they’re the most active: early or mid-morning, or just before dark. Prime spots include groves of hardwood trees, such as beech and oak. Nick Lisi/The Post-Standard “They are pretty elusive animals,” said Hopler, who hunts with a . 22 caliber rifle. “They’re a small target and easy to miss. They see you coming and they’re long gone. You have to be calm, move through the woods quietly and slowly. It definitely makes you exercise some patience.” Some squirrels hunters interviewed said they dress in camouflage; others don’t. Everyone, however, stressed the need to wear some blaze orange to let others in the woods know of your presence and that you’re out hunting. Hunter safety instructor Mike Arnold, of Camillus, said the point he tries to get across to young squirrel hunters – or any young hunters for that matter — is “safety, safety, safety.” “You can use small caliber weapons, including airguns,” he said. “They have to learn the ballistics and characteristics of ammunition. Know what your target is and what is beyond it. If you’re shooting a .22 round, it can travel a mile.” Arnold said squirrel hunting is usually done with small caliber rifles without a lot of recoil (kick) — a good feature for youngsters. “It teaches you to hunt and shoot accurately,” he said. Those who use shotguns use smaller gauges (.410 gauge or 20-gauge), and use shells with small pellets with dense patterns (size 5 or 6) so as to not completely destroy the meat in the animal. How much meat is there in a single squirrel? Enough for a meal? “I’d say one person, one squirrel,” Hopler said. “It makes the perfect meal with corn or peas and mashed potatoes. Just like miniature chicken thighs. You have your backstrap, two thighs and front shoulders — if the shoulders are saveable. Your best shot placement is right in the head.” Instructions on the correct way to field dress and clean a squirrel are available on the internet, as are a host of recipes. Jim Commentucci/The Post-StandardThere's a surprising amount of meat on a squirrel. Hopler said that before throwing squirrel meat on the barbecue, he applies a rub of consisting of “sage, a little paprika, some thyme, salt and pepper. Then I just cook it like chicken.” Chris Wines, firearms manager at Gander Mountain’s Cicero store, said he hunts squirrels with a Ruger, .22 rifle. He recommended field dressing the carcasses as soon as possible. He said he always carries a cooler filled with ice in his truck to help preserve the meat as he drives home. “I get about four to six of them and I make a wicked Brunswick stew,” he said. “Once you get past the mental stigma of it, squirrel meat tastes pretty good.” John Rybinksi, of Pompey, recommended taking two to four squirrels, putting them in a Crock-Pot and pouring in a bottle of Dinosaur barbecue sauce. “Let it go for few hours, and then pick the bones out,” he said. “You then have pulled squirrel meat. It’s excellent — just as good as the pulled pork sandwiches at the Dinosaur. “And it’s organic and lower in fat. They say shop local. That’s my idea of shopping local.” More hunting: In addition to squirrels, two other hunting seasons opened Thursday: - Early Canada goose: Season is Sept. 1-25. Daily bag limit is 8. - Crow: Season is Sept. 1 to March 31. No daily bag limit. View the full article

It's not clear now big this fish was. The state record for freshwater drum is 24 pounds, 8 ounces. Submitted photo Bob Dillabough Sr., 79, of Syracuse, boated this huge freshwater drum (sheepshead) while fishing Cross Lake on Aug 27. He was out fishing by himself at the time. He got him on a Cotton Cordell lure, a split stik bait. He said it took about 45 minutes to get it by the side of the boat. "Then when I got it in the net, I had trouble lifting it into the boat." "I'm also a catch and releaser. I release all my fish." The fish was 33 inches long, but It's not clear how much it weighed. The state record for freshwater drum is 24 pounds, 8 ounces. View the full article

Waddell was at the state fair Wednesday, meeting with fans and signing autographs. "I'm country as a chicken coop," said he said. "I grew up in the south. I'm a redneck and I love to hunt." Mike Greenlar/The Post-StandardMichael Waddell , at center, poses with L to R, Dominick Milliron 13 and Andrew Gillette 17, both from Marathon, at the Time Warner exhibit at the fair. Both kids were first in a long line waiting for the famed hunter. TV hunting personality Michael Waddell doesn’t mince woods when describing his roots and what he does for a living. “I’m country as a chicken coop,” he said. “I grew up in the south. I’m a redneck and I love to hunt.” Waddell, 38, was born in Booger Bottom, Ga., where he grew up hunting and fishing with his father, Edwin. His big break came when he won the Realtree Grand American Turkey Calling Contest and he joined Team Realtree in 1994. “The next thing I knew I had a camera in hand and a check coming from Realtree. And that was cool,” he said. During the past 17 years, Waddell has gone from a cameraman to producer to host of “Realtree Road Trips.” In 2007, he became co-host/owner of “Bone Collector.” Both these shows that can viewed year-round on the Outdoor Channel. He also has a book : “Hunting Booger Bottom, Life Lessons From the Field.” Waddell was at the state fair Wednesday afternoon at the Time Warner Cable exhibit, meeting with fans and signing autographs. Beforehand, he answered questions about his TV shows and hunting. Michael Greenlar/The Post-StandardMichael Waddell shakes hands with Beau Wilson age 10 of Massena. At far left is his mother, Julie. Is Michael Waddell, the easy-going, Michael Waddell on the outdoor TV hunting shows, the real deal? Is it a case of what you see is what you get – or is the Michael Waddell we see on TV a crafted image? That’s funny. The one thing about these TV shows is that what you see is what you get. They’re all straight documentaries (of trips). I guess early on in my hunting career on national TV, I had this thought process that I didn’t want to offend anyone – particularly hunters. (The format enables) viewers to see, though, who you really are and your true enthusiasm. You have to be secure in your own skin or it’s not going to work out. In your book, you talk about how your dad helped instill a love of hunting in you as a teenage boy. How’s he doing? Do you still get out in the woods together? Daddy and I still hunt as much as possible. He’s in Alaska right hunting bear, helping to host a “Bone Collector” show. I just got word in from a satellite phone. He killed on and I’ll bet he’s on Cloud 9. It’s interesting. Our roles have been reversed. He introduced me to hunting, but through my good fortune I’ve been able to invite and send him to places he only dreamed of hunting. Given a choice, which do you prefer to hunt with, a bow or a firearm? Why? I prefer to hunt with a bow. It gives you more of a challenge. You have to get the animal that much closer before taking a shot. And you get to see things, hear things you don’t see at long range. But I still do love to hunt with a rifle as well. What happens to the deer or other animals that you kill on your shows? Do you eat them, donate them to a food pantry? A variety of things. My family will go through four to five deer a year, eating sausage, ground meat, steak medallions. When we’re traveling, we’ll donate the meat to the needy. There’s a “Hunters Helping the Hungry” organization. Believe me, if we got an extra deer, we never let it go to waste. Somebody is always willing to enjoy it on their dinner table. On the average, how many times does it take for you to go out and get a deer or other trophy-sized animals for your shows — and what happens when you don’t make a clean shot? It seems that every outdoors TV show ends with a kill, accompanied by high fives and back slapping. The reality is not every hunt turns out to be a success. Most of our hunts are 6 to 10 days long. We have been real fortunate on a lot of them. Guys we hunt with are capable of making a high percentage of good, successful shots with the TV cameras on them. I take pride in my ability to close the coffin. It’s part of my job. However, we have a policy ... We can’t show a shot that had an unsuccessful recovery (of the animal). When you go after monster bucks, do you make arrangements to keep people out of the area until after you film? No, we don’t ask people to stay off the land when we’re filming. Some of the land we hunt on is private land, some is on land with personal leases that the company has and sometimes it’s on land that the company (Realtree) actually owns. On the shows, it breaks down to about 50-50 as far as hunting on private versus public land. Most of our elk hunting is on public land. Everything in Alaska is on public land. Most of our Midwest hunting for whitetails is on private land. What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? I truly am a huge fan of 80s rock — Guns N’ Roses, Van Halen, Motley Crue. Not only do I love to listen to their music, I’ve read all the books on these old bands. I play guitar and I keep Guns N’ Roses cranked in my truck. View the full article

The alert concerns the hydrilla plant, an invasive plant species. "It's important on this very busy boating weekend for people to take responsibility and care when boating through infested waters,"urged City of Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson. The following is a press release from Cornell Cooperative Extension: Cornell Cooperative Extension’s New York Invasive Species Program, working in concert with state and local officials, is enlisting the help of boaters over the Labor Day Weekend to prevent the spread of hydrilla to Cayuga Lake and beyond. “It's important on this very busy boating weekend for people to take responsibility and care when boating through infested waters,” urged City of Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson. “Please make every effort to educate yourself through available brochures and flyers or by talking to informed volunteers in order to protect our beautiful waterways.” Scientists and resource managers are working to develop an aggressive campaign to eradicate the plant in hopes that a quick response will prevent catastrophic spread —but they need the public to also do its part. Awareness and clean boating practices are essential. Avoid running watercraft through areas of densest infestation: near the Farmer’s Market docks and into Cascadilla Creek, adjacent to the Inlet shore near the Dragon Boat launch at Cass Park, and near the Cornell University Rowing Team boathouse. Remove any plants, mud or debris from boats or equipment that come in contact with water. This material should be disposed of in trash cans or on land where it cannot be washed into any pond, lake or stream. Drain any water from boats before leaving a launch area. Clean and dry anything that comes in contact with water including boats, trailers, gear, clothing and dogs. Hydrilla poses a serious threat to the lake ecosystem because it grows aggressively, up to an inch per day, and creates thick mats of vegetation that choke waterways. It quickly shades out other aquatic plants, displacing native species and reducing the quality of habitat for fish, insects and other organisms. If left unchecked, hydrilla will interfere with boating, fishing, and swimming and ultimately cost millions of dollars to control. “Hydrilla is one of the world's worst aquatic invasive plants,” said Dr. Holly Menninger, Coordinator of the NY Invasive Species Research Institute at Cornell University. “But unlike so many of the other places where hydrilla has invaded, we may have a chance here in the Cayuga Inlet to stop this species before it spreads much further, into the Finger Lakes and beyond.” Fragments of the plant, which are easily caught and transported by boats, boat trailers, and equipment can sprout roots and establish new populations. Fragments also float and are capable of dispersing via wind and water currents. “What we really need now is for boaters, swimmers, anyone who is on or along the water, to keep an eye out for new locations where hydrilla is growing and let us know before it gets widespread,” said Chuck O’Neill, Coordinator of the Cornell University Cooperative Extension Invasive Species Program. For more information about hydrilla and other invasive species, visit the New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse . View the full article

It measured 29 inches and weighed 11 pounds. Submitted photoTom Sr. with his big fish. Tom Bishop, of Marietta, landed this impressive 29-inch, 11-pound walleye Aug. 14 while trolling with John Bome on Otisco Lake. The fish was caught 28 feet down on a downrigger on a silver Sutton flutter-spoon. The first picture is of Tom with the fish. The second is of his son, Tommy, holding it. Either way, that's one nice fish. Submitted photoTom Jr. gives a better perspective on the fish's girth in this photo. View the full article

Shooting feral pigs from helicopters won?t work, but some rational steps should be taken to help control the wild hog population. View the full article