HuntingNY-News

It's that time of year when everyone should be on their guard to avoid hitting deer with their motor vehicles. This week's weather started off with frosty mornings. Don't you just love scrapping it off your windshield? Late fall has arrived and that means the opening of the Southern Zone season for deer hunting, which kicks off Nov. 16. It's time to go through your hunting clothing and equipment, and most importantly, to sight in your firearm. Here's what I'm working on this week: - This year's wild and crazy and huge "mast crop." Mast refers to the fruit, nuts and berries on plants, shrubs and trees. Many are calling it a record year. What's up with that? - Deer/car vehicle accidents.. This is the time of year to be on your guard. Interviews with readers who've been unlucky enough to have been in multiple accidents with deer. Plus some tips on how to lessen the chance that you might be in one. - One of the fastest growing contingents of hunters in this country and in this state are the female hunters. Retailers have reacted and there's whole lines of hunting clothing designed expecially for women. - Shoreline fishing for walleyes on Oneida and Otisco, and for rainbows on Skaneateles Lake. - The controversial Plan 2014, which would change a formula that's been in place for more than 50 years, regulating the water level on Lake Ontario. - An update on Cornell University's feat of recording and making available to folks more than 4,000 calls. - I plan to visit Cornell University's Vet School emergency room, where everything from prize show horses to pet iguanas are given medical treatment. - Commercial gill netting for perch on Lake Ontario. 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> If you haven't already, now's the time to start getting your equipment ready and to sight in your firearm. </p> <p></p> <p>The deer hunting season for firearms opens at sunrise Nov. 16. If you haven't already, now's the time to start getting your clothes and equipment ready and to sight in your firearm.</p> <p><strong>There's two events set for this weekend that will help get your trigger finger warmed up:</strong></p> <p>1). The Camillus Sportsmen's Club is hosting gun sight in sessions from 9:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The club is located at 5801 Devoe Road, Camillus. Cost is $3 for the first gun and $1 for each additional firearm. For more, call 672-8331.</p> <p>2) The Otisco Lake Rod and Gun Club is hosting the club's annual Turkey Shoot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A variety of shooting games, food and cash prizes and special raffles are scheduled. See the club's website at <a href="http://olrgc.org">olrgc.org</a> for more information.</p> <p>For further information on local rod and gun clubs in Onondaga County, check out the website of the Onondaga Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs at <a href="http://federationofsportsmen.com">federationofsportsmen.com</a><br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

His wife agreed to come along, despite never having fished before. Rich Lester said it all started earlier this year when he sat down with some buddies and brainstorming about each other's top, three fishing destination trips. "One thing I've always wanted to do was fish for peacock bass," said Lester, who lives in Manlius and owns three Ziebart stores in Rochester, Binghamton and Syracuse. "I'm age 59 and I just decided to pull the trigger. My wife, Maria, agreed to come along. It was a delight, particularly since she hadn't ever fished before," he added. Lester did some research, talked to an outfitter and chose the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon River. He booked a seven-day outing. Maria Lester with her 15 1/2-pound peacock bass. "We flew out of Syracuse on Oct. 17 and stopped at Chicago and Miami, before landing in Manaus, Brazil," he said. "We then took a charter plane to Barcelos. Barcelos is on a tributary of the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon." From there, he said, "We went 50 miles upstream from Barcelos with seven bass boats tethered to the (main boat)." The main boat was a 120-foot yacht, Lester said. "It was the Ritz Carlton of the Amazon River experience," he said. "There were seven air-conditioned state rooms and crew quarters below. We had a chef onboard and there were seven fishing guides. We rotated between them (the guides) each day." Lester said he and his wife got up every morning at 5:30 a.m., had breakfast and left to fish at 6:30 a.m. "We fished with topwater 'woodchoppers' lures, in additing to casting bucktail jigs," he said. Lester said his wife only fish the morning, returning to the main boat each day at noon for lunch. She spent the remainder of the afternoon on board of the main ship reading, chatting and relaxing with some other women onboard, along with taking lots of pictures. There was a lot to see, he added. "There were crocodiles, dolphins, schools of piranhas, macaws, eagles, toucan and hundreds of parrots and howler monkeys," he said. Lester said his wife ended up catching the biggest peacock bass -- a 15½ pounder on a bucktail jig. His biggest peacock weighed 15 pounds. During six days of fishing, the Manlius couple reeled in a total of 104 fish: three piranhas, one corvino and 100 peacock bass. Lester said they brought "a ton of DEET" insect repellent on the trip. He and his wife were pleasantly surprised when they discovered there were no mosquitos in the area, due to the high acidity of the water. The food on the main ship was "pretty good," Lester said. They ate lots of beef, fish and fresh vegetables and tropical fruit each day. The cost? "The fishing trip was $5,250 per person, plus $300 for a lure kit, $400 tips for staff, $200 for the guides and $1,000 apiece for airfare --- a total of about $14,000," he said, adding the trip included a stay on the first and last night at a five-star, hotel in Manaus. "I will be back," he said. "I had a level of anticipation and expectations. This exceeded my expectations. The Amazon is so intriguing." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

One was last seen in 2006. CNN reports that Africa's western black rhino is now officially extinct. The announcement came following the latest review of animals and plants by the world's largest conservation network. CNN.com reported: "The subspecies of the black rhino -- which is classified as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species -- was last seen in western Africa in 2006. "The IUCN warns that other rhinos could follow saying Africa's northern white rhino is "teetering on the brink of extinction" while Asia's Javan rhino is "making its last stand" due to continued poaching and lack of conservation." Read the full story. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The emergency regulations provide a ban on imports of specific species between Nov. 16, 2013 and Aug. 1, 2018. These species include Rocky Mountain elk, red deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, white-tailed deer, sika deer, and moose. The following is from a DEC press release: The Department of Environmental Conservation has announced emergency regulations to prohibit the importation of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) susceptible deer into the state. The emergency regulations provide a ban on imports of specific species between Nov. 16, 2013 and Aug. 1, 2018. These species include Rocky Mountain elk, red deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, white-tailed deer, sika deer, and moose. Currently 19 states including New York prohibit the importation of live deer. The protection of the state's deer population is important not only to the balance of the ecosystem but also is critical to supporting the hundreds of thousands of sportsmen and women whose recreational activities contribute some $780 million in economic impact statewide, according to the DEC and the state Department of Agriculture. "These emergency measures will help mitigate the risk of CWD taking a firm hold here in New York State," said State Acting Agriculture Commissioner James B. Bays. "I'm a hunter and an avid outdoorsman, and keeping New York's wild and captive deer herds healthy will help protect multi-million dollar industries that create jobs and provide recreational opportunities for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. From our agency's perspective, the most important thing that we can do is limit the exposure of deer to CWD. That's exactly what these regulations will do." DEC Commissioner Joe Martens added, "New York State has a long tradition of deer hunting and deer management. It is imperative that we remain vigilant and prevent Chronic Wasting Disease from entering the State. These regulations will bolster existing protections already in place in New York and help to maintain a vibrant population of our most sought after game species. This show of stewardship help will ensure that sportsmen and sportswomen continue to have great deer hunting opportunities throughout the state." CWD is a fatal, neurologic disease to species of deer caused by a disease agent called a prion, which eventually destroys the brain tissue of infected animals. Prions are shed by infected animals in their saliva, feces and urine. The time from infection to the first outward signs of illness (animals appear weak and unsteady) may be two years or longer. Soil contaminated with CWD prions cannot be decontaminated and can remain as a source of CWD exposure to wild deer for years. At the present time, the only accepted means of diagnosis must be performed after an animal suspected of being infected with CWD is dead. The primary tool for preventing spread of CWD is the USDA Herd Certification program, which requires herds that wish to ship animals interstate to undergo a five- year certification process involving surveillance testing and maintenance of herd inventories. While the program has helped slow the spread of CWD, it cannot guarantee that certified herds will remain CWD-free. Despite the best efforts of qualified animal health professionals, CWD has arisen in four new states (PA, MO, MN, IA) since 2010. The costs of states to deal with outbreaks in CWD in terms of resources and tax dollars are huge. Prevalence rates in some parts of Wisconsin are over 20 percent just 10 years after the introduction of CWD into the state, costing the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources $14 million the first year alone, with much of the money pulled from other wildlife programs. The economic impact that CWD could have on New York State is considerable. Based on the most recent data, New York's wild deer herds have a $780.5 million economic impact in the state, while the economic impact of captive deer is $13.2 million. There are an estimated 823,000 hunting licenses in New York and the state ranks third in the nation in residential hunters. In 2011, New York was fourth in the nation in spending by hunters and generated an estimated $290 million in state and local taxes. According to the latest data, there are 433 facilities across New York State that currently hold captive deer. Of these facilities, 25 imported a total of 400 CWD-susceptible deer from January 1, 2011 through March 29, 2013. New York will still permit the importation of deer semen for artificial insemination. Zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums will also be allowed to still import CWD-susceptible species. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Admission is free. The sale is set for 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Temperatures are dropping in Central New York lately, but the full blast of wintry weather is still more than a month away. Those who ski, snowboard or cross country ski can get a headstart on the season by attending the Annual New York State Fair Annual Ski Swap and New Ski Sale set for this weekend. The event includes the sale of ski-related goods, new and used, with more than 2,000 pieces of used ski and snowboard equipment. The event will also include new and pre-owned clothing, helmets and cross country gear from individuals and ski shops consignments,. Admission is free. The sale is set for 5 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

<p>This weekend's local running scene includes two races: a 5K steeple chase on Saturday in Seneca County and a 5K and 10K event in Dewitt. 1). Interlaken Steeple Chase 5K: 10 a.m. Saturday, in front of the Interlaken Reformed Church, 8315 N. Main St., Interlaken (Seneca County). For more see, interlakenreformedchurch.org. 2) Burn Run 10K Race: 9 a.m. Sunday, East...</p> <p>This weekend's local running scene includes two races: a 5K steeple chase on Saturday in Seneca County and a 5K and 10K event in Dewitt.</p> <p>1). Interlaken Steeple Chase 5K: 10 a.m. Saturday, in front of the Interlaken Reformed Church, 8315 N. Main St., Interlaken (Seneca County). For more see, <a href="http://interlakenreformedchurch.org">interlakenreformedchurch.org</a>.</p> <p>2) Burn Run 10K Race: 9 a.m. Sunday, East Syracuse Fire Station No. 2, Sanders Creek Parkway, Dewitt. This event features 5 and 10K races, along with a combined 15K award for the fastest combined times for the runner who competes in both races. The 5K begins at 9 a.m. The 10 K starts at 10 a.m. There's also a kids fun run at 8:30 a.m. For more, see the <a href="http://burnrun.org">burnrun.org</a>.</p> <p><strong>Running news:</strong></p> <p>I recently reported the results of three local triathletes who competed in the Pruhealth World Triathlon Grand Finals in London on Sept. 15. I've since discovered that two Oswego County women competed in the event as well.</p> <p>Sharon Morey, 67, of Oswego, competed in the Olympic distance (also called the standard distance) event in the 65-69 age group. She finished fourth in her group and was the first American woman in that group with a time of 2:40:53.</p> <p>Karen Allen-Turner, 45, also of Oswego, competed in the spring distance event. Allen-Turner finished 23rd in the 45-49 age group with a time of 1:20:42. <br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> "If someone brings him back to me, I'll pay $1,000 - no questions asked," she said. </p> <p><br />Joanna Steffan is relentless.</p> <p>But after four months of searching in vain for Kiwi, her lost African grey parrot, the Manlius woman is also becoming realistic.</p> <p>During the past four months, Steffan has had several close calls when she thought she was going to get him back. She said she's put nearly 30,000 miles on her car, searching almost daily for her beloved bird. She's offered a $1,000 reward.<br /> <br />No luck.</p> <p>"I just want closure,' the Manlius woman, said, noting the last sighting of the bird was 10 days ago on the railing of deck of a home on Oran-Delphi Road in the Manlius-Pompey area.</p> <p>"That was when the weather was warm. After that the cold spell started. He hasn't been seen since," she said.</p> <p>Steffan has been looking for the 14-year-old exotic bird since it flew away from her in her backyard on July 3, when the sound of fireworks frightened it. Kiwi is the size of a large pigeon, she said, with grey body feathers, red tail, white face mask, yellow eyes and black beak.</p> <p>Since that time, there's been several sightings. Ten days after he disappeared, Steffan said she spotted Kiwi on a rooftop in the village of Cazenovia.</p> <p>"I called his name and he responded by whistling back," she said. However, the bird would not come to her. She called Cazenovia village police and they said they couldn't help her without the owner's permission to get on the roof.</p> <p>The next day she returned with the owners' permission and a police officer in tow. Kiwi was gone.</p> <p>Since that time there's several other sitings, Steffan said. Locations include Delphi Falls, the Fabius-Pompey area and, near the DeRuyter Reservoir.</p> <p>Steffan voice cracks and she get very emotional talking about Kiwi. She's had the bird it since he was a young chick of three months. She emphasizes it's very intelligent.</p> <p>African grey parrots are one of the "most popular avian pets in Europe, the United States and the Middle East due to their longevity and unparalleled ability to mimac human speech and other sounds," according to Cornell University's birdlife.org website.</p> <p> Kiwi has an extra special talent, Steffan said. He mastered the voice of her husband, who died three years ago.</p> <p>"When I talked to Kiwi, it was like I talked to my husband," she said.</p> <p>Last night's frigid temperatures that dipped into the 20s and this morning's frost, left Steffan worried.</p> <p>As for the ability of tropical parrots to handle the cold, birdchannel.com notes:</p> <p>"Most parrots, even those from the tropics, can handle short periods (two or three days) of extreme cold -- if they have been allowed to become gradually acclimated to it. However, if your parrot has spent its entire life in your 70-degrees Fahrenheit home and you suddenly put it in an outdoor flight in 20 degrees Fahrenheit weather, that bird would probably get hypothermia. Sudden temperature changes can be very stressful to pet birds," the website said.</p> <p>Steffan said is hopeful that Kiwi has sought refuge in a warm place out of the wind, such as a farmer's barn. She points out it's going to get warmer later in the week.</p> <p>"I've been driving around asking farmers and homeowners to check their barn, garages and other out buildings. I get up every morning to search for him, " she said. "Like I said, if someone brings him back to me, I'll pay $1,000 - no questions asked.</p> <p>Anyone with information about Kiwi can call 447-2814 or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.<br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> The state Division of Fish and Wildlife sent out a crew to the area today looking for the deer, hoping to tranquilize it and remove the arrow. </p> <p></p> <p>The photo tells it all.</p> <p>A story today in the New Jersey Star Ledger reports that Susan Darrah, of Rockaway Township, on Friday spotted and photographed this deer with an arrow through its head in her suburban neighborhood.</p> <p>Darrah said she spotted it while looking out her living room window. She noted the animal wasn't bleeding and didn't appear to be frightened. She said she's seen the animal several times since.</p> <p>The newspaper reported that the New Jeresey Division of Fish and Wildlife sent out a crew to the area today looking for the deer, hoping to tranquilize it and remove the arrow. The New Jersey bow hunting season is currently underway.</p> <p><a href="http://www.nj.com/morris/index.ssf/2013/11/nj_woman_spots_deer_with_arrow_in_head_in_her_backyar.html?utm_content=buffer70537&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer#incart_river">Read the full story.</a></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Hellings said the deer dressed out at 175 pounds. He said his 14-year-old son and Ryan Bishop, the 16-year-old son of another friend, dragged the deer more than 200 yards through the woods to the truck. Schuyler Hellings, of Fayetteville, right, poses with his, Kip, and the 8-point buck that the dad shot this weekend up in Redfield. They were hunting in the northern zone, where the firearms season began Oct. 26. Hellings recently wrote for this blog about the joy of hunting and taking his son, 14, out during the recent youth deer hunt over the Columbus Day weekend. They didn't get a deer, but the outing was a success in other ways, he said. Hellings said he got the deer with a 75-yard shot with his Remington 700 30/06. It was a chilly morning. When they started, the temperature was 28 degrees. "He was hot after a couple of does," he said. "The rut has started up there. No scrapes last week. A lot started over the last three days." Hellings said the deer dressed out at 175 pounds. He said his son, and the 16-year-old son of another friend, Ryan Bishop, dragged the deer more than 200 yards through the woods to the truck. "Very happy they were there to help out," Helling said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Moses said he will be replaced by Chris Lajewski. Frank Moses, director of the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah, has left his job to take a position with SUNY ESF. He starts this week as assistant director of the college's alumni association. "I have had seven great years as the director of the Montezuma Audubon Center. I am very proud of the conservation work that has been done," he wrote in an email this weekend. "I am looking forward to continuing to grow personally and professionally to be a more effective contributor to society and our wonderful planet. I am grateful to have met so many kind and generous individuals," he said. Moses said he will be replaced at the Audubon Center by Chris Lajewski. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Women now make up more than a quarter of all anglers and represent the fastest growing segment within the hunting and shooting communities, making up as much as nearly 11 percent of all hunters. Nancy Canavan, of Syracuse, was happy last fall when she shot this 8-point buck in Cazenonia. I'm looking to interview local female hunters who are picking up a bow, shotgun or rifle for the first time this fall. According to a recent study by Southwick Associates, a private research company that specilizes in outdoor trends, "women now make up more than a quarter of all anglers and represent the fastest growing segment within the hunting and shooting communities making up as much as nearly 11 percent of all hunters. "Many people may be surprised to learn the traditional view of the outdoors person is changing, but to anybody who hunts, fishes and shoots, the presence of women on the water, in the woods and at the range is anything but new, and certainly not surprising," says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, in a recent news release. New Central New York female hunters can contact me at [email protected], or by calling 470-6066. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

They made their way into Oneida Lake through the Oneida River. Round gobies have been found in Oneida Lake.DEC photo Fishery biologists figured they'd turn up sooner or later. They've finally arrived. Round gobies have been found in Oneida Lake. Randy Jackson, associate director of the Cornell Biological Field Station in Bridgeport, confirmed today that the invasive fish species has finally made its way into the lake, based on two independent reports by anglers, a picture and samples. "They're here. Actually, we're surprised they took this long to arrive," he said. Jackson said a local angler has caught them two times (once in mid-summer and again in late summer) fishing under the Route 81 bridge in Brewerton at the lake's west end. He didn't bring in live or frozen samples, but he did turn in a picture. "We looked at the picture and there's nothing else it could be," he said. In addition, another angler recently brought in a couple of round gobies he said he had just caught at an undisclosed location on Oneida Lake. "Both of these guys are credible, with no reason to lie," Jackson said. The bug-eyed, minnow-sized fish are native of Russia. Fisheries biologists believe they arrived in the Great Lakes more than a decade ago in freighter's ballast water. They feed on "just about anything, " including the eggs of native fish and zebra mussels. They currently carpet the bottom of large sections of Lake Ontario and aggressively strip the hooks of bait fisherman. They were discovered two years ago Onondaga Lake and have since been spotted in Cross Lake, Cayuga Lake and the Seneca and Oneida Rivers. They made their way into Oneida Lake through the Oneida River. Matt Snyder, of Cicero, who is vice president of the Oneida Lake Association, said he shares Jackson's sentiments. "I'm surprised it took them this long to get here," he said. Snyder added that "Nobody knows how this is going to impact the fish or the fishing. I think that everybody who cares about the lake should just be more vigilant about the things we can control." Jackson said at this point they appear to be in the lake in low numbers, but that could change quickly. "They've not been seen yet in the stomachs of any walleyes we've examined, nor did they turn up when we did our annual fall electro-shocking of fish," he said. "I have no doubt, though. They're here." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A total of 152 birds were shot by DEC stafffor later analysis of their stomachs to see what they eating. In early August it was a 50-50 mix of yellow perch and gizzard shad. By late September, it was all gizzard shad With the onset of the fall duck hunting season, the harassment of cormorants has ceased for this year. Adult cormorants eat on the average two pounds a fish a day and in the 1990s nearly devastated the Oneida Lake fishery. A federally funded effort to harass the birds turned the tide, but that funding was cut in 2010. Since that time, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has picked up the slack in harassing cormorants with the help of local volunteers. Adult cormorants can eat on the average of two pounds of fish a day. There were several differences in this year's effort compared to last year, according to David Lemon, the DEC's regional fisheries in Cortland. This year, the volunteer involvement was reduced from previous years and the overall DEC involvement picked up by more than 33 percent, Lemon said. DEC started counting the fish-eating birds in August, while harassing the birds at the same time by zooming at them with boats and the use of pyro-technics. Fish and wildlife technicians, along with wildlife biologists from Regions 7 and 6 participated. Also during that month, a small group of volunteers were trained to assist. The volunteers didn't begin taking to the water until September, at which time the DEC staff continued their efforts. Last year, DEC staff were on the water two days a week during this month. This year, they were on the lake three days a week. Environmental conservation officers from the two regions pitched in, going out one of those days. Generally speaking, each week in September the number of cormorants on the lake was lower than last year," Lemon said. A total of 152 birds were shot by DEC stafffor later analysis of their stomachs to see what they eating. Last year, dietary analysis by the Cornell Biological Field Station determined the preponderance of fish ingested by the cormorants was gizzard shad. Not so this year. "The diets when they first started bringing the birds in August was a mixed bag, half gizzard shad and half yellow perch," said Randy Jackson, associate director of the Cornell Biological Field Station. Jackson said that the remnants of gizzard shad initialy found in the birds' stomachs initially were small, but by late September had grown to an average of 2 inches long. "By late September all they were eating was gizzard shad," he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He's still using his trusty Ithaca 20-gauge. Dick Culkin with two nice pheasants. Dick Culkin, of Onondaga, holds up two nice pheasants he shot recently near Baldwinsville. . Culkin, 80, retired principal at West Genesee Middle School, still manages to get out as much as possible to hunt these days. He travels to Vermont to hunt with one of his sons, and locally with friends and former students. These two pheasants he shot were raised by the Onondaga Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs at their pheasant rearing facility at the Jamesville Correctional Facility. He shot them with his trusty Ithaca 20-gauge pump shotgun. Culkin is a sure shot. He hasn't missed a bird in two years. , View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This feature honors those unselfish individuals who give untold volunteer hours and often money out of their own pockets to maintain or restore Central New York's woods, fields and waterways so we all can enjoy them. Many readers of this blog have one thing in common -- a love and appreciation for the outdoors. Some go the extra mile in helping in giving Mother Nature a helping hand. It's for that reason The Post-Standard's "Heroes of Conservation" was established six years ago. See last year's heroes. This feature honors those unselfish individuals who give untold volunteer hours and often money out of their own pockets to maintain or restore Central New York's woods, fields and waterways so we all can enjoy them. The award also honors those who volunteer their time to pass on the positive practices and traditions of outdoor activities ranging from birding to bear hunting. For these individuals, it's not enough to just enjoy these activities themselves. They want to mentor, to pass on their passion to others. Do you know a hero of conservation? To nominate someone, email or mail a nomination statement to me of no more than 300 words outlining the person's accomplishments. The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Dec. 10. A story will run in late December highlighting the top candidates. Questions? Call 470-6066. Nominations can be emailed to me at [email protected] or by snail mail to 22O South Warren St., Syracuse, N.Y. 13202. Include a daytime phone number in case I have questions about the nomination. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

One weighed about 70 pounds. Andy Schreiner, of Fulton, sent in this two pictures and wrote the following: "I'd like to share a couple pictures of blue catfish I caught two weeks ago in Oklahoma. Andy with his 30-pounder. "I have been wanting to fish Lake Texoma since reading about the blue catfish record being caught there about five years ago. My wife and I were scheduling a road trip over the summer to visit friends in Dallas. "I finally was going to have a chance, Texoma is only about 2 hours from Dallas. I Hooked up with Trails Guide Service, a really good choice. "The smaller of the two in the pictures I sent is over 30 pounds, the big one is 70 pounds. I lost count of how many fish we caught between five and 20 pounds. "We were using live and cut shad. The big fish inhaled a whole, live, 13- inch shad." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The new Lake Ontario water regulation proposal, a controversial issue, will be turned over early next year to the U.S. and Canadian governments to act upon. There's something about waking up to frost on the grass, Canada geese flying overhead and leaves silently falling to the ground from nearby trees. It's a great time of year to fish, hunt, hike -- whatever. The outdoors in Central New York is a wonderful thing. Here's what I'm working on this week: - The new Lake Ontario water regulation proposal, a controversial issue, will be turned over early next year for the U.S. and Canadian governments to act upon. - The Scout-O -- a two-day orienteering event set for this weekend at Highland Forest. - Deer/motor vehicle accidents. It's that time of year again when motorists should be the guard. - A wrapup story on the DEC cormorant harassment program on Oneida Lake this fall. - Commercial gill net fishing for perch on Lake Ontario (only a few individuals have licenses to do this). - Fall shoreline fishing for walleyes and rainbow trout (Oneida/Otisco/Skaneateles lakes). 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

The night-time shore bite on Oneida Lake is getting better and better. CNY FISHING REPORT Bait stores (list and map). SALMON RIVER Most of the salmon action is now in the upper river. Salmon are still actively spawning in the riffle areas. After spawning, Pacific salmon (chinook and coho) die, so each day there will be fewer and fewer of them in the river. More steelhead and brown trout are being caught in the lower river and these will be working their way into the upper river. Good baits have been beads, blue egg sacs, egg imitating flies and various streamers. OSWEGO RIVER More steelhead and brown trout are being caught in the river, along with the remaining Chinook salmon. Good baits are egg sacs, skein, egg imitating flies and plastics, and trout beads. The bridge to Leto Island remains closed and there are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. ONEIDA LAKE The shore walleye bite continues to improve and fish are being caught by shore anglers 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. Yellow perch are still being found in 10 to 20 feet of water with minnows, worms and small jigs working. CAYUGA LAKE Yellow perch are being caught in the north end on small minnows. No word on any brown trout or Atlantic salmon activity in the tributaries yet. The colder weather and rain predicted may help to bring some fish into the streams. SENECA LAKE Lake trout are being taken 50 to 80 feet down over 115-130 foot of water on spoons and flasher and flies. Yellow perch are hitting on small minnows. OWASCO LAKE Yellow perch are hitting minnows on the north end of the lake. Lake trout are also being taken on the north end by vertical jigging or trolling. OTISCO LAKE No word on the nighttime shore walleye bite. Fall walleye fishing is often good for shore anglers casting stickbaits off the causeway just before and after dark. Tiger muskie and bass are hitting crankbaits fished along shore and outside weed edges. SKANEATELES LAKE Docks will be removed from the DEC launch on Route 41 sometime next week (Nov. 4-. How long the launch stays open after that will be depend on the weather. Yellow perch are hitting minnows fished in 30 to 40 foot of water. Some nice-sized perch are being taken. A few rainbow trout are starting to hit for anglers fishing from shore with the marshmallow and worm rigs. The colder weather predicted over the next week should help improve this bite. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER A few nice-sized muskies are starting to be caught. The perch bite continues to be strong. Anglers are getting them on jigs and fathead minnows. SODUS BAY Yellow perch are being found in 25 to 30 feet of water and are hitting on minnows. Northern pike are hitting on spinnerbaits, spoons and minnows. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Walleye, yellow perch and smallmouth bass are hitting on crankbaits fished in 5-10 foot of water. Some large yellow perch are being taken. Good colors for crankbaits have been crayfish or perch colored. ** Remember the new fishing license year started Oct. 1. Make sure you have your 2013-2014 license before heading out. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Arrigoni said snapping turtles have been known to live up to 50 years and grow up to 50 pounds in weight. Taking care of any animal that long and that size is a big responsibility, he added. William Gilbert with one of the nine, northern pike he landed recently while fishing in Onondaga Lake. As an outdoors writer, I get all sorts of questions from readers about fish, wildlife and other outdoor matters. This week, I received questions about northern pike in Onondaga Lake and advice on keeping a wild snapping turtle as a pet. The questions and my answers follow: Q: I am a midwestern/southern fisherman here in CNY for business. I have a boat and have been using it in the Seneca River and northern bays of Onondoga Lake. The last two weekends I have trolled through the northern inlet into Onondaga from the river using Rapala deep divers that look like perch. I have caught many yellow perch from 6 to 16 inches and 1.5 to 3 pound smallmouth doing this. I kept a few perch 13 to 16 inches to fillet and fry and they were very good. I have also hooked into nine pike between 26 and 35 inches and taken pictures and released them. People at work have told me pike are also good fried, but I need to clean them properly. I watched a few videos on filleting them and removing the Y bones. I was just wondering it is normal to catch 30-plus inch pike in this area? And when is a pike "trophy" size? I have seen that the state record is 46 pounds, but what would a common size pike be for the area. *William Gilbert, Jacksonville, Fla. (formerly of Springfield, Mass.) A: William, sounds like you've been having a great time. A trophy is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I wouldn't consider a northern pike to be trophy unless it's in the 40-plus inches. My biggest to date is 35 inches. Northerns like the ones you're catching are impressive, but not that unusual. On a side note, I'd advise checking the DEC fishing guide book about "health advisories" for eating fish out of certain bodies of water. Onondaga Lake has a long and storied history of being polluted. As you can see on the lake today, extensive measures are underway to clean it up. Nevertheless, the DEC's general advisory for eating a yellow perch or a northern pike out of Onondaga Lake is one meal (defined as a half pound of fish) per month. Q: Last winter a friend found a quarter-size, snapping turtle in a road that was not near water. I took her in and have her living in an aquarium. She has grown quite a bit and is looking good except for the moss on her shell. Should I try to get it off or does it serve a purpose? Also, she is in a tank in just water, with a floating dock. Should she have access to dirt for the winter? I've been reading up on turtles. I've never raised them before. Any info would be helpful. *Linda This adult snapping turtle was estimated to weigh 40 pounds. A: Linda, as a general rule, it's never a good idea to take in a wild animal and try to turn it into a pet. In addition, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has strict rules about the hunting and possession of these turtles. They're one of two species of turtles that can be hunted in this state (the other is a diamondback terrapin) with either a gun or a bow. The season is July 15 to Sept. 30. The DEC regulations note the minimum size limit for possession of these animals is 12 inches in length (determined by measuring the length of their upper shell). The one you have is obviously much smaller than that and is currently being possessed out of season. "You may not harvest, take, or possess any other turtle species at any time," the DEC website states. Jim Arrigoni, a doctoral student in conservation biology at SUNY ESF, pointed out that such laws were not enacted to harass individuals who unknowingly take in wild animals out of curiosity or concern. They were passed to prevent persons from engaging in large-scale capturing or killing of the animals for use in the pet trade, to sell for food or other commercial purposes. Arrigoni noted that it's not unusual for female snapping turtles to lay their eggs as much as a half mile away from water and that young turtles are more than capable of finding their way back. As for the moss (it's probably algae, he said) on the young turtles back, he noted snapping turtles and other turtles are prone to having all sorts of things growing on them. "You could scrape it off with a tooth brush. It won't hurt it," he said. As for giving it access to dirt or mud, Arrigoni noted that since the turtle is probably being kept indoors it probably would not go through its normal winter dormancy period, where it buries itself in dirt or mud and hibernates. Arrigoni said snapping turtles have been known to live up to 50 years and grow up to 50 pounds in weight. Taking care of any animal that long and that size is a big responsibility, he added. My advice is let the creature go now, before winter. Pick out a spot near a body of water. Mother Nature will provide. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Blood samples confirmed the presence of PCBs, which the birds ingest by eating contaminated insects. </p> <p><br /> <br />ALBANY (AP) - A chickadee's two-note song and a song sparrow's trill can be subtly modified by low levels of PCBs, according to a study published last month in the journal PLOS ONE.</p> <p>The study compared the songs of birds from a stretch of the Hudson River contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls to those from an uncontaminated area in the Adirondacks. Lead author Sara DeLeon, who studied birdsongs for her doctoral thesis at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said computer analysis of song patterns showed variations in the chickadee's "fee-bee" song and higher quality in the song sparrow's trills.</p> <p><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-Capped_Chickadee/sounds">Listen to the sound of a black capped chickadee.<br /></a><br />Blood samples confirmed the presence of PCBs, which the birds ingest by eating contaminated insects.</p> <p>The differences in the songs are not apparent to the human ear. But DeLeon identified distinct patterns by using sound analysis software developed at the Cornell lab. She said the songs of both species are well-studied and it's been documented that there's normally very little variation in the way black-capped chickadees sing.</p> <p>Since dominant male chickadees are the ones that produce the most consistent songs, the variation linked to PCBs could have important consequences for breeding, DeLeon said.</p> <div id="asset-13675569" 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/outdoors/photo/13675569-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="springphoto.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">A song sparrow at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.</span><span class="byline">Brian Cubbison l [email protected]</span></span></span> </div> <p></p> <p>A key finding was that the song disruption was tied to specific types of PCBS, which have 209 variations, say DeLeon and the other authors of the study released Wednesday.</p> <p><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/song_sparrow/sounds">Hear a song sparrow's song.</a></p> <p>"Effects of PCBs are extremely complicated," co-author Andre Dhondt of the Lab of Ornithology said. "What this demonstrates is that most previous PCB studies may not give us the whole picture because they did not look at the specific type of PCB involved but just measured overall levels."</p> <p>He said DeLeon found that birds with PCB exposure had changes in their songs, and then took the next step to isolate the specific type of PCB causing it.</p> <p>The ill effects of PCBs on birds and wildlife are well-documented by decades of research, including many studies centered on the massive Superfund cleanup site where General Electric is dredging contaminated sediment from a stretch of the Hudson north of Albany. Most of the research has looked at mortality, reproduction and growth.</p> <p>The impact of prolonged exposure to low levels of PCBs is less studied.</p> <p>The research was funded by New York Sea Grant, a joint program of the State University of New York, Cornell University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> He got two hens. </p> <p><br /><div id="asset-13675528" 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/outdoors/photo/13675528-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2013-10-30-turkeys.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption"></span><span class="byline"></span></span></span> </div></p> <p>Joe Leogrande, of Auburn, is a happy hunter.</p> <p>He shot two wild turkey hens Tuesday while hunting in the town of Throop in Cayuga County.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The group's website is titled, "The Fungal Gazette," and the group's credo is "For the Love of Fungi." The Central New York Mycological Club, a group that focuses on collecting and eating wild mushrooms, has its last group trip or 'foray' scheduled for the year at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mexico Point in Mexico (Oswego County). Some wild mushrooms are poisonous. The club teams experienced pickers with beginners to learn which mushrooms are good and which to avoid. The Central New York Mycological Society meets the third Monday of every month in Room 127 in Illick Hall at SUNY ESF. Annual dues are $10. The group's website is titled, "The Fungal Gazette," and the group's credo is "For the Love of Fungi.": For more, see the club's Web site or call Rick Colvin at 635-8078. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It measured 17 inches, and weighed just under 2 1/2 pounds. Keith Leonard,. of Oneida, a serious dog sledder that I wrote about a couple of years ago, sent me these two pictures of a brook trout he caught recently. Leonard wrote: " Hi, Dave. You might remember me, I'm the dog sledder from Oneida. (See the video.) "Thought I'd pass along a couple of photos of a brook trout that I caught last week on the upper W. Canada Creek. It measured 17 inches, and weighed just under 2 1/2 pounds. I caught it on a night crawler. "My wife and I had it for dinner that night (the fish, not the worm). It was delicious! "Believe it or not, this is not the biggest brookie I've ever caught. I once caught one that weighed 3 pounds. I don't remember how long that one was. That one was on the Black Creek near Grey, NY. "It won me an award in the Leatherstocking Country annual fishing contest." Keith Leonard View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I shot him from 10 yards with my Oneida Strike Eagle (bow) that I've had for 23 years," he said. Robert Bishop, of Camillus, shot this 8-point buck earlier this week with his bow in Otisco. He wrote: "I shot him from 10 yards with my Oneida Strike Eagle (bow) that I've had for 23 years. "My dad was instrumental in helping me track him. He field dressed at 165 pounds. "He has given me another great day with my dad in the woods. " View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog