HuntingNY-News

He fished the lake Friday afternoon with Clay bass angler Michael Cusano and myself and had good luck. It started with a playful challenge issued earlier this year when I was interviewing Joe Martens, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation. "By the way, do you fish?" I asked. "I'm not much of a trout fisherman," he said. "But I do like to fish for bass." With that, I suggested he travel to Oneida Lake and take advantage of the lake's great bass fishing, I told him that Oneida was recognized by Bassmaster Magazine being as one of the best bass lakes in the country. I pointed out he and Gov. Andrew Cuomo seemed to be ever-present in the Adirondacks. Why not get around and see what else this state has to offer? Martens caught some nice-sized bass. I snapped a picture of this one with my iPhone. Mike Cusano is in the background.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] Martens agreed to the outing. We set tentative dates four times, and four times Martens cancelled citing various reasons. He came through Last Friday, following the graduation ceremony of the DEC's graduation ceremonies of new conservation officers and forest rangers up in Pulaski. Martens showed up in the afternoon with his aide, Michael Bopp and Ken Lynch, the DEC's Region 7 director, at the Oneida Shores boat launch in Brewerton. I had arranged beforehand for veteran bass anglers Michael Cusano, of Clay, and Brian Eisch, of Watertown, president of the Salt City, to take us out. They were waiting for us at the launch. I got on Cusano's boat with Martens. Martens hoists a nice Oneida Lake smallmouth he caught.David Figura | [email protected] I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. It was a little breezy and cold that day. What if we got skunked? Cusano, who had been practice fishing throughout the day on the lake in preparation for a weekend tournament, was confident. He motored to spot on the western end of the lake and set the commissioner up with one of his spinning rods and a Kitech swimbait. Three casts later, Cusano had his first fish on. It was about a 17-inch smallmouth bass. Then he caught another. Shortly after, Martens hooked a nice, fat smallmouth that looked to be about 18 inches long. "Could you get a picture of this? My son will be so jealous," he said, smiling, holding the fish up by its lower lip. We didn't measure or weigh any of the nearly 20 fish we caught and released during the 2 ý hours we fished. We chatted briefly about such things as the DEC gag order on department staff talking to the media ("Things have gotten better or late, but there's still problems," I told him) and a controversial Lake George boat launch proposal to deal with invasive plant species. Apart from that, it was just three guys enjoying the day. We talked about our kids and the weather -- while catching what seemed like bass after bass. Martens made a point of saying that with the heavy demands of his job, he rarely gets out fishing. He did say he plans to participate in the Governor's Challenge Bass Tournament, pitting all levels of government officials and others against each other in a friendly competition. The tournament was announced by Cuomo earlier this year and has been tentatively scheduled for next summer during an Elite Series bass tournament at a still unnamed Finger Lake. Back on shore afterward at Oneida Shores, I pulled out my tape recorder and interviewed Martens on several topics, ranging from hydrofracking to the Onondaga Lake cleanup. During the interview, a small boy, Donovan Kelly, 9, of Liverpool walked up to us on the dock, carrying a 5-gallon bucket. From left, myself, Martens and Donovan Kelly, of Liverpool, with a nice sized rock bass the boy had caught with a worm from the dock at Oneida Shores boat launch.Michael Bopp "Wanna see a nice rock bass?' he said. My interview time with Martens was limited because he had a 5:30 conference call with the governor scheduled. I told the boy to wait a minute. He patiently stood. When we finished with the interview, Martens and I directed our attention to the boy. We quickly posed for a picture with him and his fish. Martens then excused himself, and heading back to his car for the conference call. At that point, a man who was with the boy, pointed to me and said he knew who Martens and I were. I told the boy that Martens was the DEC commissioner, whose agency writes all the rules and regulations about fishing. The boy seemed confused. "What's he got ... a lot of money or something?" he asked. I laughed. "No, he's just a very important person," I responded. As a result of the outing, Oneida Lake is now on Martens' radar. Bopp, his aide, sent me an email Monday confirming that. "Joe has been telling everyone he had the best fishing outing ever, and gained a ton of appreciation for the Oneida fishery," he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This is how I prepare my perch, sunfish, bluegill and crappie fillets. This recipe never disappoints. I've experimented with numerous ways to cook fish over the years. Some have worked, some have been rejected by my wife and kids. I came up with the following recipe in recent years that works well with panfish and never seems to disappoint. 1). Take a bowl and mix one egg and some milk. Dip the fillets in. 2). On a separate dish, have crushed Ritz crackers with generous amounts of Cajun Shake seasoning sprinkled in. This combination takes the buttery taste of the crackers and gives it a little kick. Coat the wet fillets with this mixture. 3). Take either a hot frying pan or electric fry pan and coat bottom with oil olive. Let the surface get hot before putting in the coated fillets. Fry fillets briefly on one side, and flip only once. Don't over-cook. To make sure a fillet is cooked, take your spatula and see if you can break it easily in half. When you can do that, it's done. 4). Serve warm (I like to cover the fillets on a plate with aluminum foil) and have lemon slices (very important) readily available on the table to squeeze over the fillets. Enjoy View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I don't really know why my wife and I had never heard of this art park until this year, but it was very nice, he said. Reader Lynn Davis sent me the following email recently: While not one of the 15 local destinations mentioned in your "Take the Figura Challenge," my wife and I wanted to make sure that you were aware of the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park just outside of Cazenovia. They have "104 acres of conserved land and groomed trails, the Art Park is dedicated to providing a unique environment for the showcasing of art by emerging and established artists, in natural and gallery settings." They have a total of around 2 miles of trails, almost all of them are half a mile or less. One trail links up with the "North Country Trail System" and leads back to Cazenovia - I am not sure how long that trail is. The trails are easy to walk. One does go downhill and, obviously, back uphill. I would still classify them all as easy (I am not a hiking expert however - just "oldish"). The trails are very well marked. Because it's an art park they do have sculptures outside. When we visited last weekend, there were several people on the grounds flying kites -- BIG kites. From what we had read, there was going to be some kite flying competition there the following day. They have a children's art park as part of the area. It has a wooden structure that looks a bit like a castle. They have several wooden structures that you can go inside. There is also ponds on the grounds, and some have sculptures in them also. The sculptures are all labeled with nameplates. I don't really know why my wife and I had never heard of this art park until this year, but it was very nice. For more see the park's website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Each week this blog will be a resource for what's going on in the woods at The Woods," said Stacy Drake, publicist at the Marcellus nature center. This monarch butterfly is sipping the nectar from a milkweed. Carol Bradford Baltimore Woods has started a blog called "Under the Log." "Each week this blog will be a resource for what's going on in the woods at The Woods," said Stacy Drake, publicist at the Marcellus nature center. "This blog will serve as an online nature journal that's interactive. We will share fascinating nature news through photos, personal stories, videos, and helpful links and we encourage conversation," Drake said. "Nature can be enjoyed by everyone at any age and we want to hear what stories you might have to share and we want to answer your questions, too," she said. Stories currently posted include a pieces on the annual migration of monarch butterflies and how jewelweed is "going ballistic" at the Woods. The blog can be found at whatisunderthelog.blogspot.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"It weighed 215 pounds before field dressing. It was my first with a bow!" she said. Maggie Schoeneck, of Durhamville, poses with a 10-point buck she shot Friday with her bow while hunting near her home. "It weighed 215 pounds before field dressing. It was my first with a bow!," she said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He said it hasn't been finished yet and added state Health Commissioner Nirav Shah has been given no deadline for its completion. This weekend's local running scene features a 5K run on Saturday and a half dozen races on Sunday. Sunday's offerings include a several 5Ks, a 5 miler and a 10K run. 1). Baldwinsville Rotary Autumn 5K Run/Walk: Starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, near the high school track at CW Baker High School, Baldwinsville. For more, see cnyrunning.com. 2). Move 5K: Starts at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Green Lakes State Park (beach area), Fayetteville. Includes a 5K run/walk, 5K course for hand-cyclists and wheelchairs. For more, see fleetfeetsyracuse.com. 3). Global Community 5K: Starts at 9 a.m. Sunday, Saw Creek Shelter, Onondaga Lake Park. See globalcommunity5K.org. 4). Eastwood Park-to-Park Run: 10 a.m. Sunday, Sunnycrest Ice Rink, Henninger High School. A 5 mile run. This is the final race of SYRATHON 2013. For more, see astwoodrun.com. 5). CRMC Hospital Aid Trick or Treat 5K/10K Run: Starts at 11 a.m. Sunday, J.M. McDonald Sports Complex, Cortland. A 5 K run. For more see, crmchatrickortrot.org. 6). CCS Class of 2014 Pumpkin Run & Spooky Sprint: Starts at 2 p.m. Sunday, Cazenovia Middle School, 31 Emory Ave., Cazenovia. A 5K run/walk. For more, see caz.cnyric.org. 7). 5K Run/Walk to Redefine Beauty: Starts at noon Sunday, Nottingham High School Upper Track. For more information, see, cnyrunning.com. Last weekend's results: 1). Empire State Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay: Held Sunday. Started and finished at NBT Bank Stadium, Syracuse. For results, see syracuse.com. 2). Cortland YMCA Leaf Peeper Half Marathon: Held Sunday at Yaman Park in Cortland. For more, see cortlandymca.org. 3). STC Halloween Run 5K: Held Sunday at Green Lakes State Park. For results, see leonetiming.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

They caught it near Clayton on a Believer lure. Jeff Reininger, of Irondequoit, holds up a 51-inch muskie he and Mike Andersen, of Baldwinsville, caught and released recently on the St. Lawrence River near Clayton. According to Andersen's son, Rory: "They caught it on a Believer lure. They did not get a weight. It is not healthy to hold a muskie straight up and down. The fish swam away as fast as when they were fighting him! First one of the year for them." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The new conservation officers will report to work Oct. 23, with a starting salary of $50,827. All 31 will be assigned to the lower Hudson Valley/New York City/Long Island regions. A heavy rain storm Friday morning couldn't dampen the spirits or erase the smiles of the state's newest group of environmental conservation officers and forest rangers. A graduation ceremony for the two groups was at held at the state Department of Conservation's training facility in Pulaski. In anticipation of foul weather, the commencement was held inside a giant tent. By the end of the ceremony, the sun was shining. "I am very proud of all of you," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens in front of a packed crowd of the graduates' families and friends. "You are the face of the agency." This year's graduating class -- the state's 19th -- included 31 conservation officers (six females) and 13 forest rangers (three females). The two groups started their training together 24 weeks ago at the training facility. The recruits were required to show up each week on Sunday night and stay on the premises until Friday afternoon. The paramilitary-style training and other demands took its toll on some. Six recruits didn't make it through. Alexander Virkler, of Syracuse, stands in line at attention just out the tent prior to graduating as a DEC forest ranger.David Figura | [email protected] "We had one recruit leave within 20 minutes of starting the program and another left just three weeks ago," said Lt. Bernard Rivers, the officer-in-charge. He noted the required time away from family and other personal developments added to the strain. "This class had two child births (by spouses), two marriages, two engagements and two family deaths," he said. A proud Matthew R. Foster, of Camillus, (second from left), is among the state's newest environmental conservation officers. He's surrounded, from left, by his father, Bill Foster; his wife, Samantha and his mother, Nancie Arquette.David Figura | [email protected] The hour-long ceremony included a rousing performance by the New York State Environmental Conservation Police pipe and drums band, and a video that gave the crowd an idea of what the training involved. In addition to Martens and Rivers, others speaking included Assemblyman Will Barclay; Col. Walter Heinrich, acting director of the DEC's division of law enforcement, and Joe Zeglin, the DEC's forest protection director. The new conservation officers will report to work Oct. 23, with a starting salary of $50,827. All 31 will be assigned to the lower Hudson Valley/New York City/Long Island regions. The new rangers will start Oct. 21, earning $55,693. Two will be assigned to St. Lawrence County, one to Otsego county, one to Essex County and the remaining 12 will be assigned to the lower Hudson Valley/New York City/Long Island regions. Local conservation officer graduates include Waldemar Auguscinski, of Pulaski; Matthew Burdick, of DeRuyter, Matthew Foster, of Camillus; Jeffrey Krueger of Ithaca; Jason Hilliard, of Genoa; Edward Piwko, of Parish and Geoffrey Younglove, of Red Creek. Local forest ranger graduates Michael Chappell and Alexander Virkler, both of Syracuse. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

During the early part of 2013, fur prices were up practically across the board with record amounts sold,according to an expert in the wild fur market. The coming season should produce the same trend, all thanks to a growing demand from Chinese buyers. With New York's trapping seasons for certain animals starting soon, local trappers are looking forward to another good year with good prices. During the early part of 2013, fur prices were up practically across the board with record amounts sold, according to an expert in the wild fur market. The coming season should produce the same trend, all thanks to a growing demand from Chinese buyers. Good coyote pelts should earn trappers about $35 each. "Chinese manufacturers are large volume manufacturers and it is very important to them that they have sufficient quantities to operate a full line in their factories," said Herman Jansen, managing director of the North American Fur Auctions, a large wild fur clearinghouse in Toronto, Canada. "Raccoon, muskrats, coyotes and a less extent, beaver, fit perfectly with their thinking," he said. The fur is used for clothing; hats, gloves, earmuffs, coats and the trim of coats. Jansen said when one considers the world is consuming in excess of 50 million mink skins a year and that China is the biggest consumer of mink, it only makes sense that trappers need to keep, or increase the wild fur quantities available to them. "China has a population of 1.3 billion people," he said. "It has an economy that continues to grow and continues to create a stronger middle class that is very interested in buying luxury goods." The Central New York area trapping seasons for raccoon, red fox, gray fox, skunk, coyote, opossum and weasel kicks off Friday (Oct. 25). Trappers willing to travel outside of the area, can also begin trapping bobcat, along with mink and muskrat that day. The season for beaver opens Nov. 1 in the North County, and on Nov. 25 locally. Trappers can start trapping mink and muskrat locally on Nov. 25. For more on the specific seasons and areas were trapping certain species is allowed, check out the DEC hunting/trapping guide. "We expect continuous strong demand for all of our wild fur," Jansen said. "As long as we have a normal, cold winter in China, Russia, and to a lesser extent the rest of the world, then once again we could be setting records." Central New York area trappers sell their furs to a handful of local stores and at several wild fur auctions hosted by local fur trapping organizations. The auctions feature buyers from fur companies from this country and Canada. Local groups include the Independent Fur Harvesters of CNY, the Oswego County Trappers Association and the Cortland Trappers Association. "Fur, Fish and Game Magazine said red fox furs should be in the $60 to $65 dollar range; gray fox in the $35 to $40 and coyotes will remain about $35 each," said Al LaFrance, president of the Independent Fur Harvesters of CNY. His group has about 35 members. "There should also an increase in the demand for raccoons, which will get trappers about $25 to $35," he said. The furs from coyotes, foxes, muskrats, deer, beavers, raccoons, and other animals are put on the floor for inspection at the Independent Fur Harvesters of CNY's annual fur sale in 2011 at the Pompey Rod & Gun Club. Peter Chen | [email protected] LaFrance said the demand for muskrat fur "was the big driving last year. They ended up reaching averages of $14 each. This year, they should start around $11. The bottom line, though, is that most furs should be up." LaFrance said the Independent Fur Harvesters have a fur auction set for Dec. 21 at the Pompey Rod and Gun Club, and another at the end of February. For more information on the local trapping groups, see nytrapper.com and click on "meetings." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> It was taken on the last day of the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt weekend. </p> <p></p> <p>Ian Frackelton, 14, of Skaneateles harvested this 8-point buck Monday in the town of Owasco on the last day of the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt weekend..</p> <p>He was hunting with his father, John.</p> <p>The deer weighed 200 pounds after being field dressed. It was a 3 1/2-year- old deer -- a healthy 3 1/2 year old, judging by its weight.</p> <div id="asset-13595284" 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/13595284-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2013-10-14-sideshot.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption"></span><span class="byline"></span></span></span> </div> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It took her 25 minutes to land the fish. A proud Nicole Smith, of Eastwood, holds up her first salmon ever. She wrote: "So, I had sent you a pictures of my boyfriend's catch, now I'm want to send you my catch. " I got a beautiful ,16-pound coho, at the staircase on the Salmon River using my 9-foot pole and 12-pound test and 10-pound leader, with a yellow sponge, "I took me about 25 minutes to get it in." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was a doe. Young bowhunter Curtis Girard, 12, of Syracuse, poses with his first doe harvested in North Pitcher on Oct, 6. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The perch bite remains strong on Owasco, Cayuga and Oneida lakes. Maverick Janes, 17, of Port Byron, hoists a chinook salmon he caught on the Salmon River on a fly he tied himself. CNY FISHING REPORT Bait stores (list and map). SALMON RIVER There are salmon being caught throughout the river, from the estuary to the Upper Fly Zone. Many salmon are actively spawning now in the riffle areas. Good baits have been plastic eggs, egg imitating flies and streamers. Some brown trout and steelhead are being reported in the lower river. OSWEGO RIVER More salmon have entered the river this week and they are being caught throughout the river. Good baits are egg imitating flies and plastics, and also egg sacs or skein. A few trout are also being caught mixed in with the salmon.The bridge to Leto Island remains closed and there are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. ONEIDA LAKE Yellow perch are still being found in 10 to 20 feet of water with minnows, worms and small jigs working. A few walleye are starting to be caught by shore anglers casting stickbaits after dark, but overall it's still slow. Some cooler weather is needed to improve this shore bite. CAYUGA LAKE Anglers reporting lots of perch being caught at the northern end. Use fathead minnows. Some nice-sized ones being reported. Vertical jigging has been working for lake trout with fish being found in 65 to 110 foot of water. Trolling down 70 to 80 feet over 100-160 foot of water with spoons or flasher and flies is also producing some lakers. SENECA LAKE Lake trout are being taken 50-80 feet down over 115-130 foot of water on spoons and flasher and flies. OWASCO LAKE Anglers are still keying in on the perch, using fathead minnows in 15 to 20 feet of water. Lake trout continue to be caught at the northern end of the lake by trolling by jigging. Smallmouth bass are hitting crayfish or drop-shot rigs fished in 25 to 30 feet of water. OTISCO LAKE Largemouth bass are continuing to hit on stickworms and swimbaits. No word on the nighttime shore walleye bite. SKANEATELES LAKE Smallmouth bass continue to be the story here. Anglers are catching them on on tube jigs, stick worms (Senko-style baits), topwaters and drop-shot rigs in 10 to 35 feet of water. Best bait, though, continues to be live crayfish - particularly at the south end. Still no word on the rainbow trout shore bite. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Bass are being taken in 15 to 25 feet of water on crayfish. Some big largemouths are being caught in areas with heavy weeds (6 to 10 feet). Walleye bite remains good along "the humps." Good lures continue to be Reef Runners or green Jigfish. Anglers are also reporting some good catches on perch, using fathead minnows and worms. SODUS BAY Reports of nice-sized perch being picked up in deeper water (30-35 feet out by the channel). WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Walleyes are starting to hit, but they're running small. Smallmouth bass are hitting well. Try fathead minnows or jigs. Panfish bite has also turned on lately. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Local fur trappers have good reason to look forward to the coming trapping season. A national expert from the North American Fur Auctions, the world largest wild fur clearing house, recently said it's going to be a great year for fur -- with record prices and industry activity. The Central New York outdoors scene is a happening place this time of year. As I've said repeatedly in the past, this area is a hunting and fishing nirvana -- particularly in the fall. October marks the peak of the salmon run on the Salmon/Oswego rivers (followed by steelhead/brown trout runs); the bow hunting season, which began Oct. 1, the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt (took place this past weekend), pheasant hunting season (begins this Saturday), great bass fishing, the walleye and rainbow trout bite from shore at several local lakes... and on and on. Here's what I'm working on this week: - Local fur trappers have good reason to look forward to the coming trapping season. A national expert from the North American Fur Auctions, the world largest wild fur clearing house, recently said it's going to be a great year for fur -- with record prices and industry activity. - The Youth Firearms Deer Hunt this past weekend has all the appearances of a great success. . I'm getting great pictures of local succesful hunts and no reports of any accidents statewide. Send your photos to [email protected]. - This Friday, the state Department of Conservation is graduating its first class of new environmental conservation officers and forest rangers since 2008 at its training facility up near Pulaski. - Deer/motor vehicle accidents. Still collecting information on this. I'd like to thank the 14 individuals who have emailed me, relating tales of having multiple run-ins with deer. (One woman said she's hit 12 deer while living here the past 30 years). Other stuff I'm working on: - An update on the Reynolds Pheasant Farm down on the Cornell University campus - Fall shoreline fishing for walleyes and rainbow trout. - Upland bird/pheasant hunting -- Commercial gill netting of perch on Lake Ontario - So, what's the deal with how the water level on Lake Ontario is regulated? A new plan addressing that issue is quite controversial. - An update on the volunteer-based cormorant harassment program on Oneida Lake. - A story on minority sportsmen (and women) who hunt, fish and hike in Central New York. - So, what's up with all those floating duck blinds at the northern end of Cayuga Lake. What's the history behind all that? 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

It was a brown trout. He caught it on a worm. Dominic Talucci, 4, holds up his first fish -- a 13-inch brown trout. He caught it while fishing with Phil Talucci, "his proud grandfather," on Butternut Creek near LaFayette. He was using a worm as bait. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Joe is fishing with an old bamboo fishing rod while Sawyer (his dog) awaits the first catch. The reflection of the sky and trees can be seen in the calmness of the water." Rob Carey, of Ira, snapped this eye-opening shot of his friend, Joe Cavender, of Liverpool, while the two were on their annual canoe trip on the Raquette River. Carey wrote: "Hi Dave. Here is a photo of my friend Joe Cavender and his labrador, Sawyer, taken over the summer. We were on an annual canoe trip on the Raquette River, just a few miles north of Tupper Lake "Joe is fishing with an old bamboo fishing rod while Sawyer awaits the first catch. The reflection of the sky and trees can be seen in the calmness of the water." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He was hunting with his father at the time. Ethan Sonnacchio, 13, of Constantia, is pictured with his dog, Sammy. The boy is holding up his first pheasants ever, taken Sunday during the youth pheasant hunt weekend (Saturday and Sunday). He was hunting with his father in West Monroe at the time. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He got him in Chenango County. Seth Vargas, of Oneida, shot his first deer -- a 9-point buck - Sunday during the statewide Youth Firearms Deer Hunt weekend. He shot the deer in the town of Columbus in Chenango County. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Other readers wanted to know why the Nine Mile aqueduct was recently drained and what's going on with the building of "dirt bridge" over Nine Mile Creek I pose with a buck taken last fall with my father's Ithaca Deerslayer 12-gauge shotgun.Nancy Neiley photo Readers are constantly asking me questions concerning the outdoors on subjects ranging from birding to bear hunting. Questions this week came from a man who can't decide what firearm to use this fall to hunt deer in a rifle zone, an angler who's concerned about the Nine Mile aqueduct being drained and a man wondering about work taking place on Nine Mile Creek. 1). Question: "This season I plan on deer hunting in a rifle zone for the first time in about 15 years. I usually hunt shotgun in the Central New York area. I have three choices for a gun and am having a really hard time choosing one to hunt with this year. All three guns I shoot often and they shoot well. My choices are: a Mossberg 500A 12 gauge; a Remington Woodmaster Model 742 Carbine .308 or a Remington Woodmaster Model 740 30.06. The .308 and the 30.06 were both manufactured around 1960. The Mossberg is only a few years old. I am somewhat partial to the .308 due to the fact that it was my grandfather's gun, and by hunting with it I feel I am in way honoring him. What are your thoughts? -Chris Coccia, of Baldwinsville Answer: It's tough to say. There's some missing information. You don't mention what kind of bullets you're using, the type of action on these firearms -- or whether they have scopes or iron sights. I shared your question with several friends who are knowledgeable about firearms. The Mossberg is good out to about 100 yards, they said. As for the rifles, in the hands of an accomplished shooter, the range increases out to about 300 yards. The two rifles are quite similar in performance, I was told. They have similar bullet weights and diameters. But that said, all three of these firearms are more than capable of bringing down a deer. And from a hunter's standpoint, shot placement is the key. Chris, you mention all the guns shoot well and you shoot them often. It comes down to a subjective thing. Personally, I'm sentimental and like the idea of using your grandfathers' gun. But that's me. I'd like to hear what other readers say about this. 2). Question: "I have been fishing the Erie Canal at the Nine Mile aqueduct for the last few years and today when i got there the canal was drained. All of the fish were held up the in few pools of water that were deep enough for them to fit. I'm assuming this was done to kill of the algae bloom, but at what point do the powers that be just choose to do this and possible kill off all of the fish? It's my understanding that the same type of thing was done out at Gillie lake and they killed off most of the bass that were in the pond. I'm hoping this doesn't happen here as well. Any info you can share would be great." - Brad C. Stalter, of Syracuse Answer: I chatted with Eric Bacon, director of parks and recreation for the town of Camillus, which oversees both the aqueduct and Gillie Lake. Bacon said the aqueduct is "occasionally taken down for maintenance. "This will be temporary," he said. "We want to keep water in the canal, to keep it wet. " He explained the most recent drainage was prompted by some leakage in the northeast corner of the aqueduct. 'We hope to address that," he said. "We're the parks department. We want people to recreate -- to use and fish in the canal," he said. As for Gillie Lake, he said the parks department takes it down every year "on or about Nov. 1" He said it helps keep aquatic weeds in the 77 ½- acre lake in check. One of the positive effects of doing this, he added, is that the swimming area has "really been cleaned up." Bacon said a couple of years ago, the water level "went down further than we had hoped. We lost some fish, but not a ton of fish. "After that, we've been monitoring things closer," he said. Bacon said he was unaware of a large fish kill involving bass in Gillie Lake, added he didn't know if any bass were in there. He said the primary species in the lake is gold fish, and that in recent years the lake has been stocked with trout. 3). Question: "Recently I was merging onto 690 West from 695 over by the fairgrounds and noticed something odd. It seems like the construction workers have dumped dirt into nine mile creek to drive their vehicles on. I know that they are developing trails over by the creek and I assume that these "dirt bridges" are a part of that. But wouldn't dumping all that dirt into the creek pose some kind of threat to the wildlife? And disrupt the flow of the creek? Any information you could share with me on this would great." - John Brusa, of Solvay Answer: The dirt bridges are part of the remediation of Nine Mile Creek. The work is being overseen by the state Department of Environmental Conservation to ensure there's no water quality issues, according to the DEC. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

All the fish had spear wounds evident in their gill areas. The following is a DEC press release: A group of four fishermen are facing felony charges after they were caught by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Officers with 74 striped bass that they had allegedly illegally speared in waters off Valiant Rock in Block Island Sound, Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. In late August, the Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) were on a routine patrol from Shinnecock to Fishers Island when they observed three divers with spear guns in hand boarding the fishing vessel Sea Spearit at Valiant Rock in a shallow area East of Gull Island. Upon boarding the vessel, operated by Christopher R. Miller of Montauk, the ECOs found both tagged striped bass and untagged striped bass in coolers. Some of the tagged fish bore the tags belonging to Miller; others were tagged with tags belonging to Miller's sister, Tanya J. Miller, who was not present on the ship. All the fish had spear wounds evident in their gill areas. New York State Environmental Conservation Law forbids the taking of striped bass for commercial purposes by spear due to the fact there is a slot size limit that is hard to determine until the fish are actually in hand, and that this is considered a much easier way to secure a fish whose populations have to be managed in order to ensure the continued viability of the fishing stock. "Fishing limits were established to maintain a healthy, sustainable striped bass population and violators of this law will be subject to arrest and prosecution," Martens said. "When individuals use inappropriate methods to harvest a critical resource like striped bass, they are depleting the fishing stock and penalizing commercial fisherman who play by the rules and harvest fish using appropriate methods." After ordering the boat back to Montauk, ECOs took possession of the fish and brought them to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office for weighing, which determined that the total unlawfully harvested striped bass weighed 926.5 pounds, valued at $4,632. Felony charges can be filed in instances where the value of harvested fish exceeds $1,500. Miller and two of the other divers surrendered on Oct. 4 at State Police Headquarters in Riverside. Their arraignment date is set for Nov. 4 in Southold Town Court. A warrant was also issued for Peter J. Correale of New Canaan, CT, who is presently out of the country and will be charged at a later date. All three of the individuals who surrendered were charged with a Class E Felony of taking striped bass for commercial purpose with prohibited spears in excess of $1,500 in value. They were also charged with two violations for taking fish out of slot sized and possessing untagged striped bass. The individuals facing these charges are: • Ship captain Christopher R. Miller of, Montauk; • Erik A. Oberg of Montauk; • Mica Marder of East Hampton. Mr. Miller was also charged with a violation for unlawful possession of striped bass tags and failing to display a dive flag as required by the NYS Navigation Law. On Oct. 2, ECOs also caught Miller off of Montauk Point with three speared striped bass hidden in a compartment on his boat. The total weight of the fish was approximately 100 pounds with a value well over the $250 threshold, making this a misdemeanor under the ECL with a minimum penalty of $5,000. His court date for this misdemeanor charge is Dec. 4 in East Hampton Town Court. Individuals spotting illegal activities are encouraged to call DEC's Environmental Conservation Officers at (631) 444-0250 during business hours, and 1-877-457-5680 or 1-800-TIPP-DEC at all other times to report suspected illegal activities. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It took almost 20 people to move the specimen to the beach. While snorkelling in Toyon Bay, marine biologist Jasmine Santana of Catalina Island Marine Institute came across the remains of an 18-foot long oarfish, according to io9.com. "It took almost 20 people to move the rare specimen to the beach," the website said. Read the full story and see a video of an oarfish swimming. 1445530770/1445605998/@jesusdiaz View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"He now knows that some of the best times while hunting don't involve loading a deer into the truck bed," the father said. Kip and Schuyler Hellings. Editor's note: I received this email this morning from Schuyler Hellings, a proud father from Fayetteville. There's a lot of truth and food for thought within it. He wrote: "I'm writing to share the experience I had this past weekend during the NY Youth Hunt. My 14-year-old son, Kip Hellings, recently completed his Hunter Safety Course at the Sandy Pond Sportsman's Club. "The class was great and the instructors (Lou McNett of the Mad River Club and Lee Harvey of the Sandy Pond Sportsman's Club) kept the kids interested and informed during the instructional period. "Kip passed with a 96 and we purchased a license on the way home. Last Saturday we went to a friends camp near the Lincklaen State Forest to make sure he was still proficient in his accuracy with his firearm. "After hitting the target to his and my satisfaction we went inside to cook dinner and turn in for the night. We got up early Sunday, went to a spot where I had shot a deer during last years regular season. "We sat in the chilly morning air, I chuckled to myself as I watch his head swivel back and forth at the slightest sound. He learned that red squirrels and chipmunks can sound like Deer walking through the dry leaves. The porcupine that passed about 30 yards from us sounded like a herd running through the woods! "As we walked back to the truck I was able to show him a game trail so he could determine on his own, a good place to set up in the future. We didn't have an opportunity to fill a tag but a father and son got to spend some quality time together. " I was really proud of how when we got back to camp and had breakfast, he immediately started packing up both of our things into the truck without being asked. When he asked for a broom to sweep out the camp from the leaves we'd tracked in, I almost fell over. "While it would have been nice to send you a picture of Kip having filled his tag for the first time, I'm just as happy to have helped my son learn a pastime that he will hopefully pass on to his son. "He now knows that some of the best times while hunting don't involve loading a deer into the truck bed." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The fish measured 21 inches. The charter boat trip was a gift from his grandparents. Jack Miller, a freshman at Westhill High School, holds up a nice, 21-inch, walleye he caught. He caught it while on Capt. Tony Buffa's charter boat on Oneida Lake. Buffa wrote: "Jack fished with me yesterday with his dad, Russ, and granddad Russ. The charter was a gift from his grandparents. "This 21-inch 'eye is the first walleye of his fishing career. It hit a Mad River holographic perch 5/8 oz. blade bait in 34 feet at buoy 109." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This is the second deer that the boy has taken. He got one last year on the youth hunt weekend when he was 14. Keller Pai, 15, of Groton with a doe he shot Sunday morning with a muzzleloader during the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt weekend. He was accompanied on the hunt by Paul Walling. Walling said this is the second deer that the boy has taken. He got one last year on the youth hunt weekend when he was 14. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> The ticket is his hand-tied flies. </p> <div id="asset-13582973" 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/13582973-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2013-10-15-handtiedflies.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Maverick Janes with a nice chinook salmon.</span><span class="byline"></span></span></span> </div> <p>Maverick Janes, of Port Byron, holds up a good-sized chinook salmon he caught Monday morning on the Salmon River.</p> <p>He caught it a fly he tied himself. It was his first fish of the day.<br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog