HuntingNY-News

<p> "We did everything that was asked. When they saw the picture we sent them, they said it looked like we had the record," said Walters. "Who knows? I'll be great if we get it." </p> <p><br />A 54-inch muskie caught on the St. Lawrence River last week stands a good chance of getting into the International Game Fish Association's record book as a world record under the "Catch and Release" category.</p> <p>The fish was landed by Matt Forjohn of Ambler, Pa. on Dec. 2 . He was aboard a charter boat, Water Wolf Charters, with Capt. Bob Walters, of Skaneateles Falls.</p> <div id="asset-13917309" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/news/photo/2013/12/13917309-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2012-12-10-bigmuskie2.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Forjohn caught his fish on a 12-inch, Swim Whizz lure, which was painted to resemble a small walleye.</span><span class="byline">Courtesy of Bob Walters</span></span></span> </div> <p>The fish was measured using an official IGFA device. Per IGFA rules, it was measured from the front lip to the "v" of its tail (not the outer part of the fin). Using that technique, it measured 130 centimeters (51.18 inches). That's two centimeters longer than the current record set in 2011 by an Illinois angler fishing in the Ottawa River in Canada.</p> <p>Forjohn caught his fish on a 12-inch, Swim Whizz lure, which was painted to resemble a small walleye. The fish hit while Walter's 31-foot Cherokee boat was trolling near a shoal at Carleton Island, which is about where the river begins on Lake Ontario.</p> <p>Once the muskie hit the lure, Forjohn was the only angler to handle the rod. Darryl Raate, the boat's first mate, netted the fish after a brief battle. <a href="http://www.stlawrencemuskiefishing.com/2013/12/matt-forjohns-54-inch-musky/">Walters noted the catch, measurement and release was captured on video.</a></p> <p>Walters said the fish was caught on 65-pound test Tuf Line with an 80-pound test, Seguar fluorocarbon leader.<br /> <br />Walters said bigger muskie have been caught and released in the river and elsewhere. He noted, though, that IGA rules require an official measuring device, pictures and the proper paperwork to be filled out before it's declared a record.</p> <p>"We did everything that was asked. When they saw the picture we sent them, they said it looked like we had the record," said Walters. "Who knows? I'll be great if we get it."</p> <p>The IGFA's All Tackle world records are determined by weight instead of length. The <a href="http://wrec.igfa.org/WRecordsList.aspx?lc=AllTackle&cn=Muskellunge">All-Tackle record for a muskie </a>is currently held by Carl Johnson. It weighed 67 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught in 1949 on Lake Court Oreilles in Hayward, Wisc.</p> <p>Walters estimated that Forjohn's muskie weighed nearly 50 pounds.</p> <p>The charter boat captain said after the pictures were taken, the muskie was put back in the water and "swam away with vigor. "<br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The track meet Sunday at OCC is free to enter and open to all ages. This weekend's running schedule in Central New York includes an 8-mile trail run at Highland Forest, several 5K runs and an open track meet for all ages at Onondaga Community College. 1). Last Chance Trail Run/Pancake Breakfast: Starts anytime between 8 and 9:15 a.m. Saturday, Skyline Lodge, Highland Forest. The complete trail is 8 miles long, but there are short cuts allowing runs of various lengths. The trails are well-marked to prevent competitors from getting lost. For more, see syracusechargers.org. 2). Jingle Around The Town: Starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. A 3K/5K fun run/walk. Participants are encourage to dress in holiday-theme costumes. For more, see fairhavenny.com. 3. It's a Wonderful Run 5K: Starts at 4:40 p.m. Saturday at the Bridge Street Bridge in Seneca Falls. For more, see itsawonderfulrun5K.com. 3). Old Tyme Christmas 5K Run: Starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, downtown Weedsport. For more, see weedsportchamber.org. 4). FELDER-SRC track meet: Starts at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Onondaga Community College Arena. Free and open to all. Age group competitions. Events include 55-meter dash, 55-meter hurdles, mile run, 200- and 800-meter runs, high and long jump, shot put. For more, email [email protected]. Last weekend's results: 1). Ugly Christmas Sweater 5K Run/Walk: Held Saturday at St. Mary's School, 61 N. Main St. Cortland. For results, see syracuse.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A summary of stories the wire, outdoor blogs and other news sources. The following are among the more interesting, funny and bizarre outdoors stories I've come across lately: - I wrote a column last year about my disgust with irresponsible dog owners who allow their dogs to mess on popular walking, hiking and cross country ski paths during the winter months -- naively assuming the snow would take care of things. I got quite a reaction from it. Well, an apartment and condominium complex in Braintree, Mass. has come up with an interesting approach to dealing with this problem of dog owners who don't clean up after their pooches. The complex is turning to DNA testing of the dogs so enforcement officials can analyze the dog doo-doo to identify the owner. See an interesting outdoors-related story that you think I should share. Send the link to me at [email protected]. The owners pay a first-time fee of $59.95 for the testing. Those found guilty of not cleaning up after their dog are fined a $50 testing fee -- plus a $100 fine. Interesting. - Last week, a large black bear mauled a 54-year-old Florida woman as she was walking her dog. Florida officials are saying it's "one of the worst bear attacks on a human in the state's history." -Speaking of unfortunate, a deer/motor vehicle accident in Virginia had an usual twist. Not only were two vehicles involved, but a jogger who just happened jogging nearby was likewise hit by the flying deer carcass and needed medical treatment. - Meanwhile, an angler last week who was fishing out of his kayak ijn Hawaii was attacked and killed by a shark. - An Australia news agency reported who a sea eagle snatched a small video camera that was set up at a crocodile trap. Researchers recovered the camera -- along with the bird's eye view of a 70-mile flight that was recorded by the camera. Check out the story and the video. - View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The regular firearms season for the Southern Zone ended at sunset Sunday (Dec. . By Tom Adessa The old tree stand creaked and groaned in cadence with my knees as I climbed up for an afternoon sit; we have aged together. I hoped an impending snowstorm would put the deer into an early feeding mode. Would I finally fill a tag today? The entire season had been fruitless; it was either too warm or too windy and then there were the two misses. But I remained optimistic, looking forward to venison sausage and making chili during the winter. Tom Adessa Settling in, I scanned the familiar wood lot for any activity and my thoughts drifted back to the years of hunts from this stand. If only the metal and fabric could talk, I wondered what stories they would tell. How many deer pass by here in the night? How big is that buck rubbing on that beech tree? Is this where the coyotes howl from after sunset? Memories of past wildlife encounters from this stand came to mind as I waited. I smiled thinking about the chickadee that landed on my shooting rail. He was just curious about the big lump high up in a tree. Or on an opening day of archery season just as I drew on a buck, a coyote slinked past upwind and spooked him. And that time a Cooper's hawk flew back and forth scolding me; his piercing cry alerted the entire woodlot to my presence. A fluffy red fox once curled up and slept in the morning sunlight not twenty yards away, his red fur glistening with golden highlights. '"Wait! Whats that? Deer?" I thought to myself. No, the crunch in the dry leaves was just another squirrel stocking up on beechnuts from under the leaf litter. His presence reminded of a family of five raccoons that feasted on the nuts earlier in the season. One of the raccoons had sat on his haunches; his fat belly and pose reminded me of a Buddha statue. My watch showed 30 minutes of legal shooting time left. This is that magical time when the deer trickle through this finger of woods to feed in a nearby corn field.Would tonight be one of those times? The last few minutes pass by much too quickly and it's time to call it a season. The cold has made me stiff and I stand up to stretch. A sharp "whoosh" cuts the stillness and antlers flash as a buck snorts and trots away, his tail rocking back and forth giving me a white salute goodbye. He was standing 50 yards away in a thicket waiting for darkness. I smile while shaking my head and unload my gun. That's not the first time I have seen that on the last day Editor's note: Adessa lives in Auburn. He hunts deer in both the bow and firearm seasons. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

They're studying their spawning habitat. Chaumont Bay is the only known place on the entire lake where this once, plentiful fish spawns and researchers want to find out why.. Watch video For the past three weeks, a pair of researchers -- one from the Nature Conservancy, the other a Cornell graduate student -- have been on a frigid mission on Lake Ontario's Chaumont Bay. Their goal? "We're here to capture and tag male and female ciscoes with radio receivers," said Mathew Levine, Northern New York field representative for the Nature Conservancy. On Tuesday, the two announced they had finished part of their task. They tagged 15 females that day, in addition to the nine males they tagged previously. Chaumont Bay is the only location on Lake Ontario where this native fish, with its bluish-green top and silvery underside, is known to spawn. The fish, which measure 13 to 16 inches as adults, were once plentiful, but there are relatively few in the lake now. For the past two years, a joint effort by the Nature Conservancy, the state Department Environmental Conservation , the U.S. Geological Survey and Cornell University has been trying to confirm that Chaumont Bay is a spawning location and understand why. They were alerted to the spot by ice fishermen and other anglers. Cisco eggs from the captured fish are being collected and taken to the U.S. Geological Survey's Tunison Lab in Cortland, where fingerlings will be raised for later stocking in the lake. It hasn't been easy for Levine and George. They worked out of a 18-foot flat-bottom boat with a 30-horsepower motor. One week, high winds kept them off the water. The cold air and water temperatures forced them to dress in survival suits, which kept them warm and acted as full-length life preservers. "With the water this cold ( 38 degrees), if you fall in you'll have about 45 second before you lose your motor functions," George said. Problems with the Lake Ontario fishery began with the collapse of the lake's Atlantic salmon population due to over-fishing and other factors during the late 1800s. Another problem was the arrival of the alewife, an invasive baitfish species. Alewives, which came into Lake Ontario through the Erie Canal, flourished because the lake's top predator (Atlantic salmon) were taken out. The lake trout population, which could have picked up the slack, was devastated by another invader, the sea lamprey. As a result, the alewife population boomed. The cisco population took a hit because alewives savor cisco larvae. In addition, with the absence of the Atlantic salmon, anglers and commercial fishermen turned to the cisco and depleted that population. The introduction of Pacific salmon (chinook and coho) in Lake Ontario during the late 1960s provided a new predator for alewives. The problem, though, was that alewives contain concentrations of thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down vitamin B12. Thiaminase causes developmental problems and mortality in trout and salmon fry. "The current management plan for Lake Ontario recommends focusing on cisco restoration as a method of both increasing the native diversity of Lake Ontario as well as providing an alternative prey source for native top predators," said Darran Crabtree, director for conservation of the Central and Western New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. The fish that Levine and George tagged were caught in a net set up by the DEC on a shoal where the water was 5 to 6 feet deep. When they first started checking three weeks ago, all they found were male ciscos, along with a 5-pound smallmouth bass, a 2-foot eel and a few rock bass. "We were a little early," George said. ''When the temperature drops to the optimal temperature (about 42 to 45 degrees or colder) the females will come in and spawn." Tuesday afternoon the females arrived in appreciable numbers. After using up all their radio transmitters, the two left the remainder of females in the net for the U.S. Geological Survey staffers, who planned to stop by the next day to collect eggs. Levine and George will return to Chaumont Bay for the next couple of weeks with a radio receiver and an iPad linked to GPS system. They'll track and document the location of the ciscoes they tagged. The batteries in the radio transmitters, which will remain permanently attached to the fish, run out in 45 days. "Once we confirm this is the actual shoal where they spawn, we'll look at the characteristics of this shoal and look at other areas around the lake that have similar characteristics ... and maybe we'll find ciscoes there," Levine said View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"It was just laying there dying," she said in an interview late last month. "I'm a big-time animal lover and just couldn't walk by. A Madison County woman who believed she was rescuing an abandoned fawn left by its mother ended up with a surprise: a ticket from a state wildlife officer and a $27.50 fine. Marilyn Page, 23, of Peterboro, said she, her husband, Neil, and two young daughters, Alivia, 5, and Elizza, 2, were hiking in the woods in Eaton in June when they came across on the ground a young fawn that still had its umbilical cord attached. "It was just laying there dying," she said in an interview late last month. "I'm a big-time animal lover and just couldn't walk by. The family waited for about 15 minutes. The fawn's mother was nowhere in sight, Page said. "I picked her up, put my sweater around her and brought her home (to their apartment)," she said, noting she also stopped by the local Tractor Supply Co. store and picked up some formula that's used for kids (baby goats) and started feeding the deer out of a baby bottle. They took care of the deer for three or four days while trying to find a state volunteer wildlife rehabilitation specialist to care for the deer. They got a visit June 15 by DEC environmental conservation officer Chris Childs, who issued her a ticket. The ticket required her to appear in Smithfield Town Court to face a state fish and wildlife law charge prohibiting "possession of a wild animal (a deer) for use as a pet." The charge carries a maximum penalty of a $250 fine, a $75 surcharge and/or 15 days in jail. While writing the ticket, Childs offered Page a "a civil compromise" of a $25 fine and $2.50 court surcharge if she would plead guilty to it. She agreed to the compromise. The case was handled by Town Justice Harriet McNamara on July 9. She approved of the reduced fine. The citation was noted in a November summary of tickets written by state environmental conservation officers that was released by the DEC's Syracuse office. It's not a good thing to pick up or touch a young fawn found in the wild, wildlife experts say. State Department of Environmental Conservation officials every year put out news releases, hand out brochures and even have a page on the DEC website dedicated to that message. It's common behavior for a doe to leave its fawn or fawns when approached by a predator or humans. Fawns have little or no scent and by instinct remain perfectly still in such situations. By leaving the fawn, the mother's actions are are intended to draw attention to her and away from her young - returning afterward when the coast is clear, a DEC wildlife biologist said. Steve Joule, the DEC's chief wildlife biologist from Region 7, said every year his office gets calls about similar incidents from well-meaning but misinformed individuals. "They feel like they're doing a great thing, but once they take it in they condemn the animal," he said, adding when it becomes habituated to being fed and cared for by humans it won't survive in the wild. 'And when it gets bigger, the nice, cuddly fawn becomes a nuisance problem and then we get the call," he said. Page said the day she brought the deer home her family's cat was run over and killed in front of their home. "It was very emotional for us," she said. She said her mother called the DEC and was given a list of local volunteer wildlife rehabilitation specialists who would take the deer. The first person she called, according to Page, chastised her for "stealing the fawn and that I did wrong. She had me in tears." Page did find a wildlife rehabilitation specialist who would take in the fawn in Pompey, but is still she irritated by Child's ticket. "It was kind of a slap in the face," she said. "If I didn't sign it, though, he said I was going to have to pay a heavier fine." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The public is encouraged to report dead birds to the regional DEC offices. Carcasses contain small amounts of toxin and pose some threat to animals that feed on them. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that Type E botulism has again hit the eastern basin of Lake Ontario this fall, resulting in sizeable mortality in migrating waterbirds. Reports from the public and field investigations by DEC crews indicate that at least 200 to 300 common loons have washed ashore along Jefferson and northern Oswego County shorelines. The birds' deaths were all attributable to type E botulism, according to a DEC news release. Long-tailed ducks, grebes and gulls have also been found. The death of this many loons has not been seen on Lake Ontario since 2006. Type E botulism is caused by a bacterial toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum, a widespread bacterium in the sediments of the Great Lakes. Certain environmental conditions cause this strain of Clostridium to produce a toxin that can spread through the food web of the lakes. First documented in waterbirds from Lake Michigan in the 1960s, type E botulism was recorded irregularly for three decades in the lower Great Lakes. Since the late 1990's, however, type E botulism in birds has become an annual event in one or more of the Great Lakes resulting in very large kills in some years. Two non-native species, round gobies and quagga mussels, appear to play a key role in this change of pattern. According to DEC: "Botulinum toxin, generated in the vicinity of mussel beds, possibly in rotting mats of algae, is picked up by the filter-feeding mussels. The mussels are the preferred food of the round goby, a small bottom-dwelling fish that is very sensitive to the toxin. Intoxicated gobies in turn become easy prey for diving waterbirds, such as loons, grebes, and some duck species. The remains of gobies are the most common component in the stomach contents found in botulism-killed diving birds." Since the emergence of this new disease system, thousands of birds have perished annually. To date in 2013, all known botulism mortality in diving birds in New York has been confined to the eastern basin of Lake Ontario. Bird carcasses did not wash ashore until late October, the majority arriving in the last two weeks. In past years, mortality events have not occurred much later than the third week of November therefore DEC biologists do not anticipate much additional mortality, although carcasses may continue to wash ashore for a while longer. The public is encouraged to report dead birds to the regional DEC offices. Carcasses contain small amounts of toxin and pose some threat to animals that feed on them. DEC has removed carcasses from portions of state-owned shoreline. Shoreline residents are encouraged to bury carcasses if feasible. To report dead birds found in Jefferson County contact the DEC at 315-785-2263. To report birds found in Oswego or Cayuga counties, contact the DEC at 607-753-3095, ext 247. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> "With a freezer full of venison and all of us getting at least one deer this year we have been duck hunting while everyone else is in the woods." </p> <p><br />Dennis Rhoads, of Summerhill, sent in this picture of two sons, Matt, left, and Andrew, along with the family's dog, Hailey, who've been out duck hunting with Rhoads on the eastern side of Cayuga Lake lately.</p> <p><strong>Rhoads wrote:</strong></p> <p>"With a freezer full of venison and all of us getting at least one deer this year we have been duck hunting while everyone else is in the woods. Great on those 20-plus mile an hour wind days. Last 3 days of limiting on mallards with a few black ducks mixed in."</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The figures are contained in a recently released survey done by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services of fishing, hunting and wildlife recreation-associated recreation. After years of decline, the numbers of individuals participating in hunting and fishing nationwide is rising, according to a recent report. "There's a variety of reasons why. It's kind of like the perfect storm, said Mark Duda, executive director of Progressive Management, a private, Virginia-based consulting firm that specializes in crunching numbers and at looking trends associated with nature resource use and outdoor recreational issues for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and state fish and game agencies. Thomas Plochocki, 3, of Geddes, waits for a bite during the Fall Sportsmen's Days at Carpenter's Brook Fish HatcheryLauren Long l [email protected] Participation in hunting-related activities has risen 9 percent nation-wide from 2006 to 2011, and 11 percent for fishing, Duda said, citing figures recently released in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services survey of fishing, hunting and wildlife recreation-associated recreation. The survey is done every five years.Read the full report by Progressive Management. Duda emphasized the reasons behind the increases are "multi-facted. "For example, there's at least 10 major reasons for the increase in hunting and all them are inter-related or play off each other," he said. "There's things like the economy tanking and people getting laid off and having more time on their hands, the increase in folks hunting for food, the rise in females hunting, new youth hunters, recreational shooters turning to hunting, returning military personnel taking it up -- and the success of state fish and wildlife agencies taking positive steps to increase access to hunting lands." He said the same goes for fishing. "There's the economy, the increase in folks fishing for food, uncreases in access, changing of the licensing structure and opening up new fishing opportunities, etc..." New York State, particularly Gov. Andrew Cuomo with his "New York's Open for Hunting and Fishing" campaign, has been touting the importance of hunting and fishing this past year and its impact on the state's economy. "New York State remains near the top in hunter and angler licenses, an estimated 1.88 million anglers and 823,000 hunters, indicating a mostly stable group of participants. The same study found in 2011," according to press release earlier this year from the governor's office.. "New York was second in the nation in total angler spending on fishing-related items and sixth in non-resident angler spending. This spending generated an estimated $108 million in state and local taxes. "In 2011, New York was fourth in the nation in spending by hunters and generated an estimated $290 million in state and local taxes. New York ranks third in the nation in total number of resident hunters," the press release said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Turn in poachers. Call 1-800-TIPP DEC. Thanks to the help of Capt. Matt Revenaugh, who heads the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Region 7 law enforcement team headquartered in Syracuse, I'm offering the latest in an on-going series entitled, "Keeping Watch." The idea is to give readers insight to the final disposition of tickets issued by our local environmental conservation officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The cases that appear here are cases where the defendant has either pleaded guilty or found guilty after trial. This is not intended to be all-inclusive list of cases handled, but is representative of dispositions received by the Region 7 law enforcement office. Click on the link below to see the most recent cases: R7 Fine 12-4-13.pdf View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He's old school," the grandson said. "He never hunted for trophies -- just the meat." The hunt will be shown on TV, his grandson said.. Gus Ventura, 83, of Auburn, poses above with a massive, 8-point buck, the biggest deer of his life. He shot the buck in Mentz on opening day, Nov. 16. His grandson, Nick Ventura, also of Auburn, tells the following story: "My name is Nick Ventura and I recently had a great hunt with my grandfather who is 83 years old. It has been my goal for a while to get him a deer. "On opening morning, I was fortunate enough to go beyond that. I left my gun home and brought my camera with me in an effort to film the hunt. "Mid-Morning, this beautiful 8 point stepped out working his way towards us. The deer caught us and ran 50 yards and stopped broadside before my grandpa made a great heart shot (with his Ithaca Deerslayer 12-gauge shotgun). The deer went 75 yards before expiring. "To say this was a memorable hunt for my grandfather, my father and I, is an understatement. The footage is amazing and will be on Time Warner Cable, and the Pursuit Channel as I am associated with a TV show all filmed in the Northeast called The Crossroads TV. "My grandpa has always been a fan of your articles and always shows me the stories of peoples success. He hinted at me yesterday saying you should email that guy and tell him to put 'old guy gets a deer.' " The grandson said the deer is currently at the taxidermist and will be his grandfather's first ever trophy mount. "He's old school," said Nick Ventura. "He never hunted for trophies -- just the meat." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Steelhead are still being taken throughout the Salmon River, with most of the fishing pressure still taking place in the upper river (from Pineville to the Upper Fly Zone). CNY FISHING REPORT Bait stores (list and map). SALMON RIVER Steelhead are still being taken throughout the river, with most of the fishing pressure still taking place in the upper river (from Pineville to the Upper Fly Zone). Bottom bouncing or float fishing with pink, blue or chartreuse egg sacs and bright colored egg patterns is catching steelhead. Other good baits have been Oregon cheese glo-bugs, flesh flies and tangerine beads. (The Upper Fly Section closed for the season on Nov. 30. It will re-open on April 1.) OSWEGO RIVER The river is up. Anglers in drift boats have been enjoying good action for brown trout and steelhead. Good baits are egg sacs (pink, white or chartreuse mesh), egg imitating flies and plastics, and trout beads.Remember, the bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. Visit Oswego County Tourism web site for more information. ONEIDA LAKE Tthe shore bite for walleyes should still going on, but it's slacked off considerably in the past week or so. Try casting stickbaits just before and after dark. Some good areas are Sylvan Beach, Lower South Bay, Lewis Point, Oneida Shores and Bridgeport. Stickbaits in blue and silver, or black and silver usually work well for these walleye. The Lewis Point cooperative ice fishing access site is now available for use. Please respect the landowner's wishes and follow the arrows directing you to the lake. Failure to do so and the resulting property damage could cause the loss of this popular site. CAYUGA LAKE Yellow perch are being caught in the north end on minnows. SENECA LAKE Yellow perch are hitting on small minnows and plastics. The northern third of the lake has been productive for perch. OWASCO LAKE Yellow perch are hitting minnows and worms throughout the lake. OTISCO LAKE Nothing new to report. SKANEATELES LAKE When they can get down there, anglers have been doing well from shore for rainbow trout at Lourdes Camp using marshmallow and worm rigs. SODUS BAY When anglers can get out in boats, yellow perch are being found in 25 to 30 feet of water and are hitting on minnows. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER It's that time of year when charter boats and other anglers are catching nice-sized muskies. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR The Whitney point Reservoir docks were taken out recently. With the rain and snow melt the reservoir will probably be rising and becoming turbid. Before the rain, walleye were being taken on jigs tipped with minnows. It may be a good time to try the spillway for walleye using jigs or stickbaits. *** From Nov. 1 to May 1, all persons aboard a pleasure vessel less than 21 feet regardless of age must wear a Personal Flotation Device while underway. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Have a nomination for the annual "Heroes of Conservation" feature? Send it to [email protected] by Tuesday, Dec. 10. Here's what I'm working on this week and beyond: - Snowy owls at Hancock International Airport -- and elsewhere around Central New York. These unique migrating birds call the Arctic tundra home. Seen a snowy owl lately? Send your comments and pictures to [email protected]. - Unique research project on Lake Ontario involving DEC, Nature Conservancy, U.S. Geological Survey and Cornell University involving studying the only place on the lake where cisco (lake herring) spawn at this time of year. Hint: it's a shoal in Chaumont Bay. - Peterboro woman fined for keeping a deer (actually a fawn) as a pet. An interesting and unique tale. - A Syracuse doctor who has a collection of wild and domestic animal skulls that numbers more than 200 -- and he want to sell off one piece from his collection before Christmas. (It's a mountain lion skull). - An update on CNY skiing scene. Will the local slopes be open again this weekend? - A photo slideshow for syracuse.com of big bucks taken by hunters during the Southern Zone deer hunting season so far. (The regular season ends this Sunday). - A SUNY ESF project involving river otters. - Extreme winter adventures/endeavors. Have any you'd like me to look into? Send me a note at [email protected]. (I've already thought of ice climbing, heli-skiing and extreme winter camping) - Rifle country.. seems like Onondaga County is pretty much an island in a sea of counties that allow rifle hunting for deer..and that an effect was made this past year to have Onondaga County join the group. An update on this.. - Visiting the Cornell Vet School Emergency Room, where all sorts of exotic and interesting animals are seen and given medical treatment. - The Cornell University department that handles all the polls and surveys for the DEC -- and it's been doing it for decades. - A Q&A with Stephen Wowelko, the departing president of the Onondaga Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs. - A Q&A with the head of the Finger Lakes Land Trust about the two properties secured this year and what's ahead for 2014. - Winter hikes. The DEC is promoting the idea of taking a hike this New Year's Day. I'm assembling a list of 15-20 great places to take a winter hike. I could use a little help coming up with the list to publish the Sunday before. Send your ideas to me at [email protected]. Finally.. I'm continuing to solicit nominations for the annual "Heroes of Conservation" feature I write every year. Get those nominations in soon! ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First, it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. - View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Seen any snowy owls recently? Send your pictures to me at [email protected]. </p> <p><br />Reader Nick Capria sent in the above photo of a snowy owl with the following comment:</p> <p>"This guy has been hanging out here at Fuccillo Kia in Clay," he said.</p> <p>I'd like to hear from readers if you've seen a snowy owl recently at a location <a href="http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2013/12/want_to_see_a_snowy_owl_at_han.html#incart_river">other than at Hancock International Airport.</a> Send your comments and pictures to [email protected].</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"We know people want to see the owls. They're wonderful creatures .. but we also have an airport to run," said Christina Callahan, commissioner of aviation at the airport. Interested in seeing a snowy owl at Hancock International Airport? Nearly a half dozen of the migrating birds, whose home is the Arctic tundra, have been spotted at the airport during the past week. Two local wildlife photographers, Syracuse dentist Greg Craybas, and Paul Pflanz, of Syracuse, have sent in photos this week to syracuse.com. Airport officials, though, are directing persons interested in viewing the birds to a single observation area as to not disrupt airport operations. "We do have dedicated observation area where people can park and they have a view of our main runway, which is runway 10-28," said Christina Callahan, commissioner of aviation at the airport. "We can't guarantee that they can see the owls. Our own staff have spotted them in other areas that are not accessible to the public. Going to the observation area, though, does not disrupt traffic or airport operations. To get to the observation area, Callahan said, "As you're driving down the airport's main road toward the airport, you'll come to a traffic light. Turn right and you'll come to a stop sign. Take a left at the stop sign and continue and you'll see fire station on the right. The parking area is adjacent to the fire station.": She emphasized, "We want to discourage people from pulling of the main road and parking, just for safety reasons." Greg Craybas photo Meanwhile, I asked the two local photographers who sent in pictures to describe exactly where they took their photos. Craybas noted: "The owls are typically on the light towers near FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS) buildings. The owls blend in very well to the surroundings," he said. " People will mistake them for seagulls on the light towers. The signs inside the fence area are common perching areas for the owls. It takes time to spot them." Callahan responded: "Once again, we want discourage people for their own safety from parking on the side of the road and encourage them to bring binoculars." See more photos taken by Craybas. Pete Davis photo Of the bird Pflanz photographed, he wrote: " We saw it in the first 100 yards or so after turning from the main entry road onto Air Cargo Road," he said. "This is a one way road going east. It was only just on the other side of the fence before the first building. I've also seen them in other years at the east end of Air Cargo Road before the viewing area / cell phone lot. "Another good place in years past has been the North Access road which parallels the main exit road on the north side. It can be reached by a northward turn adjacent to the NYS Trooper Barracks, or by the first right turn as you depart the terminal area. "Basically, you need to get as close to the fences that keep us off the runways as possible. There have also been reports this year of the on top of the various buildings lining both sides of the entry/exit roads, particularly the trooper barracks." Pflanz concluded: "Good pictures are a matter of luck-like being at the right place at the right time. We had seen no owls. I got a call on my cell phone and stopped to answer it. Linda (his wife) looked out the window and there was the owl a stone's throw away. Without the call, we would have missed the bird." Callahan responded: "It would irresponsible for us to promote those locations. The fence is a security fence and anyone found along those areas mentioned could be stopped by security and asked what they're doing. "We know people want to see the owls. They're wonderful creatures, but we also have an airport to run. The safest area to see them is the dedicated observation area." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Water stops in one race will include Christmas cookies. There's two running events Saturday in Central New York, both with a holiday theme. 1). Oswego YMCA Reindeer Run: Starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oswego YMCA, 249 W. First St., Oswego. A 5K run/walk. Come dressed in a holiday costume. For more, see oswegoymca.org. 2). Ugly Christmas Sweater 5K Run/Walk: Fun run starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, 5K starting at 9 a.m. Both start at the St. Mary's School, 61 N. Main St. Cortland. Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater. Water stops will include Christmas cookies. For more, see smscortland.org. Last week's results: 1). The 45th Annual Turkey Day Races: Held Thanksgiving Day at C.W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville. Featured a 800-meter kids run, along with 5 and 10K races. See syracuse.com for final results. 2). The Fayetteville-Manlius Turkey Trot: Held Thanksgiving Day at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. The event included a 800 meter run at 10 a.m., followed by 4K and 8K runs at 10:15. Competitors were not timed. However, the winners received pumpkin pies. To see the winners, go to syracuse.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He was fishing with his mother and father at the time in Pineville. John Danczak, 11, of Skaneateles, holds up his first steelhead. He caught it in the Salmon River on Thanksgiving Day. He was fishing with his father, Joe, and mother Barbara, at the time. His father wrote: "John caught and landed this fish in Pineville. He hooked the fish himself on a blue egg sac, using 8-pound test line with a 6-pound test leader and a size 10 hook. Mommy netted him. "Then we let him go so we can catch it again next year," the father said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The free brochure includes a color-coded checklist of many of the birds seen in the county, along with pictures to help in identifying them. A free brochure highlighting Cayuga County's birding hot spots is being offered by the county's tourism office. The brochure, "For the Birds, Bird Watching in Cayuga County" highlights 14 prime bird watching locations as well as several just outside the county's limits, said Meg Vanek, executive director of the tourism office. The brochure consists of 12 folded panels, plus a map. Vanek said the brochure features such locations as the Sterling Nature Center, with its well-known great blue heron rookery; Fillmore Glen, an ideal spot to see fly catchers, hermit thrushes and other songbirds and the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge with all its migratory birds coming through each spring and fall. "Each location on the map has a little description of the types of birds you'll find there, plus websites you can go to for further information," she said. Vanek said the brochure also lists the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah; Derby Hill, on the shore of Lake Ontario in Oswego County and Sapsucker Woods in Ithaca. Finally, the brochure includes a color-coded checklist of many of the birds seen in the county, along with pictures to help in identifying them. To get a copy of the brochure, stop by the tourism office at 131 Genesee St. in Auburn, or call the office at 800-499-9615 to have one mailed. For further information, check out the tourism office website at tourcayuga.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"We were floating egg sacs and using lures," the father said. It was five degrees when they started. Andrew Sicherman and his son, Joseph, both of Fairmount, cashed in late last week while fishing for steelhead on the Salmon River. The father wrote: "My son and I went steelhead fishing in a drift boat on Friday. It was five degrees when we started out and the fishing was a bit slow. Our guide was John Kopy. He really knew his stuff and was able to put us on some fish, including this nice one Joseph caught. "We were floating egg sacs and using lures. We caught a total of five fish." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This is my first buck and he's going on the wall, she said. Rachelle Russell, of East Syracuse, proudly poses with an 8-point buck she shot recently in Georgetown. She wrote: "I missed opening weekend (first two weekends, actually) of gun season this year because of a work trip that had me in the Netherlands. " Friday morning (11/29), my husband and I get to our hunting spot and there he is, standing along a fence line in the field. "We had him on game camera all summer long. We nicknamed him "Pincher" because his front points pinch together about 5 inches apart. He field dressed out to about 185 pounds. "I've been hunting bow and gun for six years now. A lot of hard work, time, dedication, and passing up smaller bucks finally paid off. This is my first buck & he's going on the wall!!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It weighed in at nearly 200 pounds. Dennis McCarthy, of Fulton, poses with a huge, 8-point buck he shot recently in Homer. He wrote: It weighed in at nearly 200 pounds. It's the finest buck I've ever harvested." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Todd's boat made it the first race, but when stopping to drain water between races the rigging froze," Cagwin said Members of the Inner City Model Yacht Club, a remote controlled sailboat group, held their annual regatta Thanksgiving morning in the Inner Harbor of Onondaga Lake. The club's 13th annual event, the George Dickel Cup Regatta, was attended by nearly a half dozen club members. This year's winner was Tyley Cagwin. The sailors concluded the event like they always do -- with a shot of George Dickel Tennessee whisky. The boats are built from kits and measure three feet long, and four feet high from the tip of the keel to the top of the mast. This year's winner, Tyler Cagwin, holds a glass of whisky the George Dickel cup. Fayetteville resident Lee Cagwin, the club's leader gave the following account: "Thanks to Steve, Ross, Tyler and Todd for enduring the cold and to Steve for the pictures. Temperature was approximately 25 degrees and 10-15 knots of wind out of the northwest. "Due to wind chills the boat controls were freezing and not working. Had to shovel the docks before setting the marks. My boat froze up before the first race and sailed across the harbor to the far bulk head before being stopped by the bulk head. "Todd's boat made it the first race, but when stopping to drain water between races the rigging froze. Steve, Ross and Tyler were able to finish 2 races. "Tyler (Cagwin) goes home with the Cup again. Again, thanks to all for braving the cold and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

-Extreme winter adventures/endeavors. Have any you'd like me to look into? Send me a note. (I've already thought of ice climbing, heli-skiing and extreme winter camping) What a place we live in. You blink and winter has arrived. The local ski slopes are opening for business starting this weekend. The snowmobile enthusiasts are starting to prepare for the opening of their season just a few weeks away. Man, I even started looking over my ice fishing equipment last night. (I need to get my auger sharpened.) But not so fast. The regular deer hunting season in the Southern Zone is just half over, with the late muzzleloader season coming right after. There's still time to get your deer. And what about waterfowl hunting? There's still more of that to come. Here's what I'm working on this week and beyond: - Hunters who give thanks/pray after harvesting a deer. A sampling of what readers said on this topic. - Ask the Outdoors column: I have several questions from readers that I'm working on - The start of the ski season. Ever wonder what it would be like to spend a whole night with the snow-making team at a local ski resort? So have I. I have no idea what's involved. - The DEC/Nature Conservancy and U.S. Geological Survey are teaming up to look for native cisco (a baitfish) spawning areas on Lake Ontario. Wonder how they do that this time of year? So do I. - Next week a meeting is being held in Ithaca to discuss the water quality of Cayuga Lake. I plan to find out what the current state of affairs is there. -Extreme winter adventures/endeavors. Have any you'd like me to look into? Send me a note at [email protected]. (I've already thought of ice climbing, heli-skiing and extreme winter camping) - A profile on Fran Verdoliva, the DEC's Salmon River guy who at one time was an all-American college distance runner. - Rifle country.. seems like Onondaga County is pretty much an island in a sea of counties that allow rifle hunting for deer..and that an effect was made this past year to have Onondaga County join the group. An update on this.. - Visiting the Cornell Vet School Emergency Room, where all sorts of exotic and interesting animals are seen and given medical treatment. Finally.. I'm continuing to solicit nominations for the annual "Heroes of Conservation" feature I write every year. Get those nominations in soon! ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First, it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. - View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

She dispatched it with one clean shot. Adriana Bullard, 16, of Clay, poses with an impressive, 10-point buck she shot recently. She was hunting at the time with her father, Chuck, and Jim King. She used a 12-gauge shotgun. King wrote: "She was on watch with her father when this beauty showed up only after 10 min of hunting. "She dispatched it with one clean shot. We named it "The Sunday After Church Buck," and the three of us prayed before the hunt. "I believe the Lord was listening!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was an 8-pointer with a 20-inch spread. Art Woldt, of Spafford, poses with an impressive 8-point buck he shot opening day. Woldt is a retired DEC guy who worked in the Office of Public Affairs in Albany. He did public service announcements, and participated in the outdoor show effort, among other things. He's a native of Spafford and lives there now. According to buddy, Les Wedge, another DEC retiree: " He's a helluva nice guy and 85 years old. On opening day, he took the best buck of his life, an 8 pointer with a 20-inch spread." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog