HuntingNY-News

Since this weekend is Free Fishing Days across the state, anglers of any age can fish without a license. The Family Fun Fishing Weekend is underway on Onondaga Lake, featuring fishing competitions Saturday and today. Saturday, a carp fishing tournament was held at Willow Bay and along the Onondaga Lake shoreline. The entry fee was $10 for adults; $5 for juniors, ages 15 and under. A Family Fun Fishing Derby is being held from 9 a.m. to noon today, also at Willow Bay ($2 for adults; $1 for juniors). More than $2,000 in prizes will be awarded during the two competitions. Both are catch-and- release format. No fishing licenses are required because this weekend (June 29, 30) is New York State Free Fishing Days. For more on the Family Fun Fishing Weekend, call 458-7998, email [email protected] or check out the event's website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"The three of us go out in a canoe with outriggers to prevent capsizing. The shooter stands at the bow of the canoe and the others slowly and quietly propel the canoe through the shallows looking for the carp," he said. Harry Capone Jr. send the above picture and wrote the following: "Dave, I met you at the SRC arena earlier this year. You asked me to send you a picture of one of our bow fishing outings. Well, here it is! Every Father's Day my son and my father and I go bow fishing for carp on Oneida lake. "The three of us go out in a canoe with outriggers to prevent capsizing. The shooter stands at the bow of the canoe and the others slowly and quietly propel the canoe through the shallows looking for the carp. "Here is our harvest this June "The fillets tasted excellent. Very much like talapia. I basted them lightly with olive oil and lemon and pan seared them." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was 29 inches long. Jacob Welsh, from Marcellus, caught this beefy brown trout recently while fishing on Seneca Lake. The fish was 29 inches long and weighed 13 pounds. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Conditions vary from one evening to another. Meanwhile, anglers are catching trout, bass, Atlantic salmon, rock bass, perch -- even bullheads -- on the surface with dry flies. Fred Touron takes fishing the annual brown drake hatch on Skaneateles Lake seriously. The Cato resident, who uses a Hyde drift boat with a small motor attached, has been on the lake fishing nearly every evening since the hatch began in mid-June. He fishes from about 7:30 to dark, which sometimes means being on the water as late as 10:30 p.m. "I'm adopted the philosophy I have to be down here rain or shine. You never know. I figure I put in about 30 hours a week doing this, sometimes getting home as late at 11:30 p.m.," he said, adding so far this year he has caught a couple of rainbow trout in the 23-inch range. This annual insect hatch, which starts each year at the shallower, warmer northern end and works its way southward down the lake, Is not unique to this waterway. However, its size is really something to see and draws anglers from throughout Central New York and beyond. Other lakes have similar hatches, but the size of the hatch on Skaneateles is huge -- drawing anglers each year from around Central New York and beyond.David Figura | [email protected] This annual insect hatch is not unique to Skaneateles Lake, but its size is something to see. Each year, it attracts fly fishermen from throughout Central New York and beyond. The brown drake (Ephemera simulans) is a type of mayfly. This bug is dinner for a multitude of fish on the lake -- trout, bass, perch, rock bass, Atlantic Salmon, bullheads. The preferred fishing gear of choice is a 5-7 weight fly rod with a floating line, with a 9-11 foot leader. Bring several artificial brown drake flies. They can get beat up badly by repeated catches, or broken off if you luck into a big rainbow, bass or Atlantic salmon. Prime time to fish are windless nights from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. -- or as Touran says, "as long as you can see your line." Anglers fish out of kayaks; canoes; drift boats; inflatable, one-person pontoons - craft that enable the fishermen to use stealth in approaching the fish and that allow room for fly casting. Be forewarned. There's no guarantees. Sometimes there's too many flies on the water, or not enough, or the wind is too strong. Of the more than half dozen anglers fishing around the DEC boat launch on lake's northwestern end Tuesday evening, none reported catching any trout. That didn't mean, though, that those anglers didn't get any action. All reported hooking up with perch, smallmouth bass, rock bass -- even a few bullheads. Dave Wheeler, of Camillus, holds up a 13-inch perch he caught on his dry fly during the brown drake hatch on Skaneateles Lake.David Figura | [email protected] Dave Wheeler, of Camillus, was fishing out of his kayak. At one point he was sitting still in the water with no action. He saw a huge, 20-plus inch trout cruise by his kayak sipping flies, but it quickly disappeared. Suddenly, he was surrounded by a school of nice-sized perch, and began catching and pulling in one after another - all in the 10-13 inche range. "I've caught perch doing this as big as 14 to 15 inches," he said, holding up one of his perch for a photo. "One year I caught a 19-inch smallmouth bass. I had a lot of trouble, though, getting him off the bottom. He didn't want to come up." Ray Axtell, of Ithaca, fishing out of a kayak, tried a different tact Tuesday. He was casting a bead-headed olive wooly bugger, which sank instead of floated. "I got into a number of perch," he said. "As it got real dusky, I moved closer to shore and started casting along the edge of the overhanging trees. I landed more than eight nice smallies that I couldn't just pull right in. Almost all were in the 13 to 14 inch range. It tired my arm out so that I had to switch hands and land them lefty." Touran said the hatch is past its peak, and will begin quickly fading soon. He said his friends are aware of his obsession, and in the past few weeks have been constantly calling him for updates. "I just tell them you just have to get out here and do it. It's not a science. You never know," he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Race officials, fearful of a severe thunder storm that had moved through the area Sunday afternoon, pulled the plug on the race while there were still competitors out on the final, running leg of the event. </p> <p><br />Ironman officials announced a special deal Thursday for those competitors who were not allowed to continue during Sunday's Ironman 70.3 Syracuse competition at Jamesville Beach Park because of the arrival of a fast-moving thunderstorm through the area.</p> <p>The offer includes a discount on one of several upcoming races. There's one hitch, though. The offer is only good until July 5.</p> <p>Race officials pulled the plug on the race at 2:20 p.m. Sunday at a time when there were still "less than 100" competitors out on the final, running leg of the event. The competition, which featured a 1.2- mile swim, a 56- mile bike ride and a 13.1- mile run, began at 7 a.m.</p> <p>David Eichorn, staff meteorologist for Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, said "shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday a nearly stationary line of thunderstorms developed from near Utica, (moving) westward through Onondaga County to the Finger lakes.</p> <p>"For a while, the line itself didn't move while individual thunderstorms traveled eastward along it. This resulted in localized flooding as individual storms kept forming and moving along the same line. In meteorology, this is called "training" cells.</p> <p>"Flood advisories were issued that afternoon by the National Weather Service," he said.<br />At the time, those athletes who were still out on the Ironman 70.3 Syracuse running course where told to immediately stop.</p> <div id="asset-13007073" 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/13007073-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2013-06-23-kr-Ironman6.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption"> A competitor warms up for the start of the Ironman 70.3 Syracuse -- the swim.</span><span class="byline">Kevin Rivoli l [email protected]</span></span></span> </div> <p>One reader, "Multi34," who emailed me Tuesday, wrote: "We read your article and were sadly disappointed in your conclusion. Nowhere do you state the fact that severe thunderstorms forced staff to corral competitors on the running course to the finish while receiving a DNF as a result. Our future son-in-law had the final six miles of his half marathon to complete and was unable to complete his first IRONMAN 70.3. We wish you had mentioned that, as we were one of 100's of wet spectators awaiting our friends and family members."</p> <p>Race officials said the race featured 2,200 entrants. To participate, the competitors had paid $250 for early registration and $275 for late registration.</p> <p>Officials at World Triathlon Association headquarters in Tampa, Fla., which runs the Ironman 70.3 competitions, on Thursday released the following statement, which it said was sent to those who didn't finish:</p> <p>"We share in your disappointment that you did not have the opportunity to finish the run course at the 2013 IRONMAN® 70.3® Syracuse due to the severe weather conditions on race day. Athlete safety is always our number one concern and we made the decision to close the run course in order to keep everyone safe. We understand that due to the safety concerns, many athletes could not fulfill their goal of completing the entire IRONMAN 70.3 distance, so we would like to provide you with another opportunity to do so. <br /> <br />"We are excited to offer you a choice of a $100 entry into one of the following 2013 IRONMAN 70.3 North American Races: IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie, Ind. (July 13), IRONMAN 70.3 Racine, Wisc. (July 21), IRONMAN 70.3 Lake Stevens, Wash. (July 21), IRONMAN 70.3 Steelhead, Mich.(Aug. 4), IRONMAN 70.3 Timberman, N.H. (Aug. 18), IRONMAN 70.3 Muskoka, Ontario (Sep. or IRONMAN 70.3 Austin, Texas(Oct. 27). <br /> <br />"To take advantage of this exclusive offer, please email [email protected] no later than Friday, July 5th to confirm that you would like to take advantage of the $100 entry offer and please specify in your email which race you want entry into. Please note that this is an exclusive, one-time, offer with a deadline of July 5 at midnight EST."</p> <p>WTA spokesman, Jeff Edwards, who is vice president of operations for North America, said that this isn't the first time an Ironman competition has been halted because of potentially dangerous weather. He said races have been stopped in recent years in New Hampshire and in Georgia.</p> <p>Edwards said race and local law enforcement/public safety officials Sunday were closely following the storm via Doppler radar. "We monitored things like ground strikes of lightening, which provided fairly convincing evidence that it was the appropriate decision."</p> <p>Edwards noted the races for which the special WTA's offer covers gives competitors a wide choice, geographically, to pick from. Asked why the offer didn't extend to next year's Syracuse 70.3 race, he responded:</p> <p>"One of the main reasons (for the offer) was that these folks have trained to come to this point in June. They should be prepared and fit to go for another race, to take advantage of their fitness level relatively soon," he said.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Local state Department of Environmental Conservation officials this morning said they were aware of a fish kill taking place on Duck Lake in Cayuga County, but at this point are not taking any action on it. Don Gage, of Volney, who has a camping trailer on the small, shallow, 1.2-mile-long lake, said there was nearly a dozen dead fish... Local state Department of Environmental Conservation officials this morning said they were aware of a fish kill taking place on Duck Lake in Cayuga County, but at this point are not taking any action on it. Don Gage, of Volney, who has a camping trailer on the small, shallow, 1.2-mile-long lake, said there was nearly a dozen dead fish floating around his dock Wednesday. He said he's heard from others around the lake of "100s) of dead, floating white perch, crappies, bluegills and bass. "We've heard conflicting reports," said David Lemon, regional fisheries manager for the DEC's Region 7. "One reliable source I talked to said it was mostly white perch and that it (the fish kill) started appearing last week," he said. He said Duck Lake isn't the only place where fish kills have been reported recently. "In other areas, most of the reports have been about sunfish." Lemon said fish that recently finished spawning are stressed and can be prone to bacterial or viral infections. He said with recent spikes in warm temperatures, it's just too much for some fish "and some just die." He said at this point he's not sending staff up to Duck Lake to investigate or take samples for testing -- but will consider that if the fish kill continues. He said determining the reason behind a fish that's been dead and floating in the water for nearly a week is difficult. Lemon suggested that if someone wants to help they try and collect a recently killed fish, freeze it and then hand it over to DEC officials for testing. The DEC's Cortland office, which oversees Cayuga County, can be reached at 1-607-753-9407. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/world/asia/court-hears-arguments-on-whaling-by-japan.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/06/27/world/hague/hague-thumbStandard.jpg" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"></a>Hearings began at The Hague into an Australian suit charging Japan with unlawful practices and with using so-called research as a front for commercial whaling. View the full article

Three shooters have hit 25 out of 25 two weeks in a row CENTRAL NEW YORK TRAP LEAGUE Results for Week 11 (June 25) Northern Division North Sportsman (185) at South Shore (196) Toad Harbor (196) at Central Square (189) Pathfinder bye Southern Division Dewitt (184) at Skaneateles (195) Camillus (199) at Pompey (196) Bridgeport (191) at Three Rivers (194) SHOOTERS WHO HIT 25 OUT OF 25 CLAYS (Where 50s are indicated, that means the shooter has shot 25 for 25 two weeks in a row) Bridgeport, 50's, Vince Valois Camillus, 25's, Tom Anthony,Tim Wylde,Chris Pollichemi,Mark Doneburgh,Bob Karker,Tim Corrente, Anthony Palumbo Central Square 25's, Don Mackey Dewitt 25's , Peter Catalano Jr. North Sportsman 25's, Henry Gass Pathfinder Bye Pompey, 50's, C.R.Haff, 25,s, Jeff Bell, Marsh Taylor, Jeff Cain Skaneateles, 50's, Urb Wormer, 25's, Rod Radcliff, Brian Perkins South Shore, 25's, Mike Kirwin, Bill Detore, Joe Snyder,Alex Kubacki Three Rivers, 25's, Bill Tambs, Sheriden Babikian Toad Harbor,25's, Will Milton, Paul Cripp, Dave McCrea, Jarod Gibbs Results courtesy of Dick Masterpole View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I saw it yesterday and today. I, and other people I've talked to have seen crappies, white perch and bluegills and bass," he said. "I don't how long this has been going on." Don Gates, of Volney, who has a camping trailer on Duck Lake in Cayuga County told me this afternoon of a "fish kill" on the tiny lake. "I saw it yesterday and today. I, and other people I've talked to have seen crappies, white perch and bluegills and bass," he said. "I don't how long this has been going on." Duck Lake is located in the town of Conquest. It's a small (213 acres, 1.2 miles long) mall shallow lake located in the town of Conquest. The current New York State record black crappie, 3 lb. 12 oz, was caught from Duck Lake in 1998 by Kenneth Kierst. Gates said he saw nearly a dozen dead fish near his dock today. He didn't know if anyone had called the state Department of Environmental Conservation yet. I put in calls to the DEC's Region 7 office late this afternoon at 4:30 p.m., but no one was available to comment. I'll give an update on the situation tomorrow morning. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I found a bird nest in my front yard with shed hair from my dog and more than two feet of monofilament fishing line.l Last weekend I found a small bird's nest in a forsythia bush in our front yard with a two interesting building materials - hair from our dog, Cali, and more than two feet of monofilament line. We've been brushing our white-haired dog for the past couple of months on our front lawn, leaving the hair on the grass. Evidently, the dog's scent didn't bother the bird that picked it up. "Birds do have a slight sense of smell, no better than ours. It most cases, it's a little poorer," said bird expert Laura Erickson, author and former science editor at Cornell's Lab of Ornithology. "Birds often use hair from other animals to build their nests. It's a natural fiber that doesn't stretch of shrink when it gets wet." I described the size and location of the nest and Erickson said it could have been a tuffed titmouse or a chipping squirrel. She said she once witnessed a tuffed titmouse pluck hairs from the tail of a sleeping raccoon at Sapsucker Woods in Ithaca; and on another occasion, from the carcass of a road-killed squirrel. The length of the fishing line, which I figure I made available by haphazardly tossing on the lawn, was troubling, Erickson said. Birds often get entangled in discarded fishing line and die, she said. "It's a careless and easy thing to do. A lot of people do it," Erickson said. She noted discarded fishing line in coastal areas is the main cause of mortality for brown pelicans. At locations where there's a lot of fishing activity, Erickson added it's a popular Eagle Scout project to create a monofilament disposal barrel or container for fisherman to use. Erickson said saving and throwing junk fishing line in the garbage at home is better than tossing it on the ground on the side of a stream or into the water on a lake. She pointed out, though, it may still end up at a landfill where a bird can get at it. She suggested using scissors to cut it up into small pieces that aren't very long before disposing of it. Erickson said birds use a wide variety of skins, feathers and fur from other animals to build their nests. Great crested flycatchers, for example, use the shed skins of snakes. I asked her about the most unusual building material she's seen in a birds nest. "I have seen cellophane used from discarded cigarette packs. Evidently they didn't read the warnings on the package," she said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It covers four state forests in Chenango County. The plan outlines management activities for the next 20 years and defines goals and objectives for various issues, including biodiversity, timber and public recreation. The following is a DEC press release: The Pharsalia Woods Unit Management Plan, covering 13,622 acres in western Chenango County, has been approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The plan includes four states forests: New Michigan, Pitcher Springs, Perkins Pond and Pigeon Hill which are located in the towns of Pharsalia, Plymouth, Pitcher, and Otselic. "These forests offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities for all of the public including a lean-to for camping on Perkins Pond State Forest," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. "DEC staff work diligently at maintaining our forests for multiple-uses and it clearly works well in places like Pharsalia Woods." "The high elevation forest habitats found at Pharsalia Woods make it standout as a critically important area on the Atlantic Flyway in Central New York, supporting a great diversity of forest breeding birds," said Erin Crotty, Executive Director of Audubon New York. "We commend Commissioner Martens and the DEC staff for finalizing the Unit Management Plan and prioritizing actions that will ensure the high quality forests at the Bird Conservation Area are maintained, and economically important wildlife recreational opportunities are enhanced." Donald Windsor, who first proposed that Pharsalia Woods be named an Important Bird Area in July 1997, and member of the Chenango Bird Club, the New York Flora Association, the Chenango County Historical Association, the New York State Archaeological Association, the Bullthistle Hiking Club and the Finger Lakes Trail Conference noted, "The Unit Management planning process is useful to our organizations because the public meetings allow our suggestions to be integrated with those of other organizations. This broad-based contribution enables DEC to optimize the special interests of all its stakeholders to establish a multiple-purpose use of state land." "Our organization is especially in favor of the proposed relocation of the Finger Lakes hiking trail that will eliminate the present 1.8 miles of road walking and place the trail entirely on public lands with no road walking," said Joe Dabes, former Director of Trail Inventory and Mapping of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference and ten time end- to- ender of the 560 mile long main Finger Lakes Trail. "We also appreciate that the plan calls for a proposed new lean-to along the Finger Lakes Trail and relocation of the Plymouth Lean-to Trail which will eliminate the present 0.7 mile walk along Stewart Road, putting this section of the trail entirely in Pharsalia Woods State Forest." Stephen C. Catherman, Vice President of Trail Maintenance for the Finger Lakes Trail Conference noted, "It is a privilege and a pleasure to work with your organization to further our commitment to maintain a premier hiking trail across New York State. The Adopt a Natural Resource program and the agreement we have in place with you enables us to realize this goal. We hope to continue this cooperative relationship far into the future." Mark Money, Vice President of the Chenango Sno-Rides, a local snowmobile club that works with the DEC through an Adopt a Natural Resources Stewardship Program, said," We worked closely with the DEC in creating a parking area at Camp Pharsalia so that snowmobilers can have a safe place to park their vehicles during the winters months. This has provided an excellent opportunity for the Snowmobiling community to park and load/unload vehicles and equipment safely. Our club keeps the parking area free of snow throughout the winter for anyone who wishes to use the parking area to access the forest. We appreciate the opportunity the DEC has provided in supplying the community with a safe environment to start and end the day of snowmobiling in Chenango County and beyond." The plan outlines management activities on the Unit for the next 20 years and defines goals and objectives for various issues, including biodiversity, timber and public recreation. The Audubon Society has designated a portion of the Unit in the town of Pharsalia as an "Important Bird Area" because it is a regional migratory concentration site and provides breeding habitat for a wide variety of forest nesting species. Currently the forests in the Unit contain 231 acres of roads and developed areas, nine acres of quarries, 11 acres of open land, 58 acres of shrub land, 347 acres of open/shrub wetlands, 1,603 acres of forest wetlands, 751 acres of mixed hardwoods/natural conifers, 5,558 acres of natural hardwoods, and 5,054 acres of conifer plantation. The remote character of many areas on the Unit provide ideal conditions for recreational activities such as wildlife observation, pleasure driving, hiking, hunting, trapping and snowmobiling. The tornado that impacted this area in 1998 created approximately 1,000 acres of disturbed shrub/young-forest land with hundreds of standing snap trees. This area has attracted interest from the public for nature observation, as it is remarkably different from much of the surrounding area. Hunting, fishing and trapping are permitted anywhere on the Unit, except where prohibited by regulation, law or sign. Snowmobiling is one of the most popular activities on the Unit. The Nine Mile Trail on New Michigan State Forest is part of the Corridor Trail 7 and is a popular regional destination for snowmobiling. A portion of the Finger Lakes Trail traverses through the Unit on Perkins Pond State Forest and New Michigan State Forest. New Michigan State Forest's name will be changed to Pharsalia Woods in the near future to more accurately reflect the history and geography of the area. All maps and information on the DEC web site will be updated to reflect this change The plan may be viewed online .Copies of the plan on CD are available for pick up at the DEC Lands and Forests office in Sherburne, 2715 State Highway 80, and Sherburne, NY 13460. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Follow outdoors writer David Figura's daily activities on Facebook. Check out "PS Outdoors" and hit "like." Got out last night on Skaneateles Lake with my fly rod and kayak and indulged myself during the annual brown drake insect hatch. Every year, this epic insect hatch draws anglers from across the region as this species of mayfly fills the air and litters the water, providing a nutritious and filling treat for fish of all species in the lake. (I caught five perch, 10-13 inches long, and saw a bruiser trout (20-inches plus) come within 10 yards of my kayak.) Dave Wheeler, of Camillus, holds up a nice, fat perch he caught on his fly rod this week during the brown drake hatch.David Figura | [email protected] In addition to the brown drake hatch, I've also been working on the following this week: - The recent announcement from Gov. Cuomo of funding for some $17 million grants for work at ;outdoors recreational sites across the state. Locally, the DEC's Region 7 is getting more than $300,000... $100,000 of which is going to build staircases up both sides of Tinker Falls (and a connecting path at the top). - The DEC's boot camp for new environmental conservation and forest rangers.. the first such class of new officers since 2008. It's going on right now up the DEC's training facility in Altmar. - The strange things birds use to build nests (a personal story about I found weaved into a nest in a shrub in front of my house.) - The CNY triathlon culture. I was blown away Sunday covering the Ironman 70.3 Syracuse competition. Triathlons, and the people who do them, are a big thing and more and more people are getting into them. - An update on the Cornell Ornithology lab and its most recent compilation of recordings of more than 4,000 bird calls from across the world. - Which fishing rod do you use for bass fishing. The choices today are numerous and ever-growing. - Shoreline hot spots. Continuation of a series I started last summer about great places to fish from shore if you don't have a boat. - The Cornell Vet School emergency room, and all the strange cases of domestic and wild animals that it deals with on a daily basis. - The marked increase of memberships at local rod and gun clubs in the wake of the SAFE Act. THE FIGURA CHALLENGE I laid out the "The Figura Challenge" over the Memorial Day weekend -- challenging readers to to check out 15 Central New York outdoors destinations during the summer. Several readers have already taken me up on it and I'm getting comments and pictures. It's not too late to get started! Each Thursday on this blog through the summer, I'll give an update on reactions, stories and photos submitted by readers about their travels to these destinations. Send your impressions and photos of the places you visit on the list to [email protected], Two new occasional features: 1). "Keeping Watch" a weekly or bi-weekly report from the Region 7 DEC office noting the fional dispositions of recent tickets issued by local conservation officers. Only ones where the defendant has pleaded guilty or is found guilty will be listed. 2). "Ask the Outdoors Guy" a weekly posting noting a question or questions from readers about the outdoors. If I can't provide an answer, I'll find someone who will. Send your questions to [email protected]. 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 new federal duck stamp, featuring the winning painting, an image of the common goldeneye, will be issued on Friday. View the full article

<p> Events are planned on Onondaga Lake and in the village of Fair Haven. </p> <p>Two local events are scheduled for this weekend's statewide, <a href="http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2013/06/june_29-30_is_free_fishing_wee.html">Free Fishing Days </a>set for Saturday and Sunday. On both days, individuals can fish for free without a license.</p> <p>1)<strong>. Family Fun Fishing Weekend</strong>: A carp fishing tournament is set for 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Willow Bay and along the Onondaga Lake shoreline ($10 for adults; $5 for juniors, ages 15 and under). In addition, a Family Fun Fishing Derby is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, also at Willow Bay ($2 for adults; $1 for juniors).</p> <p>More than $2,000 in prizes will be awarded during the two competitions. Both are catch-and- release format. No fishing licenses are required because June 29-30 is New York State Free Fishing Days. For more, call 458-7998, email [email protected] or check out onondagalakefishing.com.</p> <p>2). <strong>The 8th Annual All-Aboard Fishing Weekend</strong>. Soldiers in Fort Drum's Warrior Transition Unit, will begin fishing with tournament-level bass fishermen on Friday on Lake Ontario in an event hosted by the Fair Haven Fishing Association. The soldiers will be escorted to the Fair Haven Fire Department that evening in a welcome parade. They will be out out the water again Saturday, fishing for salmon fishing on the boats of members of the Fair Haven Fishing Association.</p> <p>Sunday, the Fair Haven Chamber, the Fair Haven Fishing Association, Anchor Resort and Marina and a host of volunteers will host a group of physically and mentally challenged kids to a day of fishing in the bay and followed by a picnic at the marina. </p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> The Ironman 70.3 Syracuse featured more than 2,200 competitors with $25,000 in cash prizes awarded to pro athletes. </p> <p><strong>This weekend's Central New York running scene features two events:</strong></p> <p>1). <strong>Ride & Run for the Rescue</strong>, beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday at Long Branch Park, in Liverpool. Schedule includes a 5K run and 10-, 20-, 40- and 62-mile bike rides. A fundraiser organized by the Rescue Mission with the slogan, "Hit the Road to End Hunger." For more or to register, see <strong>rmlifechanging.org</strong>.</p> <p>2). <strong>The Patriot Run</strong> on Sunday at Paul V. Moore High School in Central Square. Schedule begins with a fun run mile at 9:15 a.m., followed by a 5K run at 10 a.m. A portion of the proceeds will be used to support "adopted" Fort Drum Soldiers, with the remainder going to assist charitable works such as the Central Square Lions Club's annual food baskets drive. For more or to register, see <strong>thepatriotrun.org</strong>.</p> <p><strong>Last week's results</strong>:</p> <p>1).<strong> 2013 J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge</strong>, the 3.5-mile team run/walk was held Tuesday at Onondaga Lake Park. For final results, see <a href="http://Jpmorganchasecc.com/events.php?city_id=13&page=events032012">Jpmorganchasecc.com/events.php?city_id=13&page=events032012</a></p> <p>2).<strong> Utica Roadrunners XC Run</strong>, was held Saturday at T.R. Proctor Park, Utica. Final results can be found at <a href="http://uticaroadrunners.org">uticaroadrunners.org</a>.</p> <p>3). Chittenango Lions Club's Yellow Brick Road Run, featured a 5-K walk and an 8-K road race. Final results were not available.</p> <p>4). The Ironman 70.3 Syracuse was held Sunday at Jamesville Beach Park. For final results, see <a href="http://ironmansyracuse.com">ironmansyracuse.com</a>.<br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The book features places to hike, camp, fish, hunt, boat, winter sports and wildlife viewing areas on both state and New York City-owned property. The state Department of Environmental Conservation today announced a newly, redesigned, full color Catskill Park map and guide book today. The book features places to hike, camp, fish, hunt, boat, winter sports and wildlife viewing areas on both state and New York City-owned property. The guide, published by the DEC, features a large map showing the location of public lands, as well as trails, campgrounds, fishing spots and boat launches. Local accommodations and attractions are also listed, and there are descriptions of a variety of adventures accessible for people with disabilities. Free copies of the map and guide are available from the DEC and New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, county tourism offices and local outdoor recreational businesses throughout the Catskill Park. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Central New York is slated to get $306.888. Among the local projects are plans for building stone steps and paths on both sides of Tinker Falls and connecting them on top with a path. Richard Pancoe, supervising forester for the DEC's Cortland District, near the base of Tinker Falls.David Figura | [email protected] Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today more than $17 million in outdoor recreation improvement projects across the state. Cuomo's list includes $306,888 in work around Central New York, including plans for stone steps and a trail up and around Tinker Falls, located on the border of Onondaga and Cortland counties. Local state Department of Environmental Conservation announced the Tinker Falls project during a noon press conference today at the location, which is in the Labrador Hollow Unique Area off Route 91. "This latest round of improvement include strategic investments to upgrade and expand recreational opportunities throughout the state, which will attract more visitors and boost regional businesses that benefit from people utilizing outdoor recreational facilities," according to a press release from the governor's office. Cuomo said the projects will begin this summer, covered by money from the New York Works II program and the state Environmental Protection Fund. The Tinker Falls project, expected to cost $100,000, will be covered by the New York Works II program, with the remainder of the money for the local work coming from the Environmental Protection Fund, said Ken Lynch, regional director of the DEC's Region 7. The remaining projects include road and culvert repair work at state-owned roads and trails across the region, an engineering study of existing sheet piling rehabilitation and lighting improvements along a shoreline on Oneida Lake in Cleveland and some stream rehabilitation along parts of Oquaga Creek near Binghamton. Tinker Falls is easily accessible, with parking areas on both sides of Route 91. The quarter mile trail leading to the falls was constructed by the DEC during 2008-2009. "Before this trail was put in here, this stream flowed down through this valley and people walked up and created their own trail. There was a lot of erosion and the stream was making things a little treacherous. The only parking here was a pull-off for one or two cars," said Ken Lynch, regional director of the DEC's Region 7. " We expanded the parking area, made it accessible to handicapped people and now have a hardened trail for handicapped-accessible access and we have the protection of the natural resource, the stream, the banks. " The Labrador Hollow Unique Area which encompasses 1,474 acres, is located in the towns of Fabius and Truxton. In addition to Tinker Falls, the area includes an above-ground boardwalk of nearly 2,000 feet over a wetland area and a picturesque pond. Richard Pancoe, supervising forester for the DEC's Cortland District said visitors like to get on top of the falls and underneath in the 50-foot-high area called the amphitheater. He said people for a long time have been scurrying up both sides of the falls. From left, Mayleena Holm, of Baldwinville, Tamin Holm, of Melbourne, Fla., Kathleen Davis, of Melbourne, Fla. and Caden Holm, of Baldwinville, cool off in the amphitheater area of Tinker Falls.David Figura I [email protected] Figura | [email protected] "There's spring seeps that come out of the ground. They're very wet, very treacherous," he said. The path at the top, Pancoe said, will connect with a pre-existing section of the North Country Scenic Trail, which locally is maintained by the local Adirondack Club members. Pancoe said $100,000 will pay for the stones and other supplies and to contract out the work to paid workers supplied by the Adirondack Mountain Club. The idea, he said, is to create a situation where visitors stay on the designated paths and keep off areas that are unsafe or that cause erosion. Work is expected to start later this summer and should be finished by the spring or summer of next year. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> I'm relying on readers to help me locate noteworthy areas to profile. Send your suggestions to me at [email protected] and we'll get this series going again. </p> <p>Every year about this time I start get phone calls or emails from readers interested in my recommendations about where they can fish from shore without a boat.</p> <p>Last year, I started the series " CNY Shoreline Hot Spots," based on recommendations from readers. </p> <p>I ended profiling nine places, including specifics about what you're find there, what kind of fish you'll catch and a map of where the spot is located. <a href="http://topics.syracuse.com/tag/CNY%20Shoreline%20Fishing%20Hotspots/index.html">Check out last year's stories.</a></p> <p>I'm relying on readers to help me locate other noteworthy areas to profile. Send your suggestions to [email protected] or call me at 470-6066 and we'll get this series going again. </p> <p><br /> </p> <p><br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> "This is the perfect time to introduce someone to the sport of fishing or invite a friend or relative from out of state to enjoy the great fishing the state has to offer," DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. </p> <p><strong>The following is a DEC press release:</strong></p> <p>New York residents and visitors may fish for free without a fishing license in any of the state's 7,500 lakes and ponds or 50,000 miles of rivers and streams during the weekend of June 29-30, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced.</p> <p>Saltwater anglers may also fish in marine waters or for migratory marine fish species without enrolling in the Recreational Marine Fishing Registry.</p> <p> "This is the perfect time to introduce someone to the sport of fishing or invite a friend or relative from out of state to enjoy the great fishing the state has to offer," Commissioner Martens said. </p> <p>NY's Open for Hunting and Fishing initiative includes the streamlining of hunting and fishing licensing and reducing license fees, improved access for fishing at various sites across the state, stocking as much as 900,000 pounds of fish raised at DEC hatcheries, and increasing hunting opportunities in various regions.</p> <p>To further encourage fishing in New York State, Governor Cuomo signed legislation last year expanding the opportunity for free fishing clinics, allowing more New Yorkers to experience fishing for the first time by enabling DEC to increase the number of free clinics that can be held throughout the state.</p> <p>The Free Fishing Days program began in 1991 to allow all people the opportunity to sample the incredible fishing New York State has to offer. New York's sport fishing industry generates an estimated $1.8 billion in economic activity annually, supporting nearly 17,000 jobs.</p> <p>For a listing of free fishing events, <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27123.html">refer to the DEC website.</a> The public is advised to check back regularly as new events are regularly added to the list.</p> <p>Anglers are reminded that although a fishing license is not required during the free fishing day weekend, all other fishing regulations remain in effect.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A list of all local racers in the event will be available later today. As soon as they're provided we will post them on syracuse.com. Watch video Cars and vans filled with competitors, fans and volunteers for the 4th annual Ironman 70.3 Syracuse began pulling into the huge, grassy parking lot at Jamesville Beach shortly after 4 a.m. this morning. By 5:15, the lot was nearly half full, with a big line on vehicles coming from the north on Apulia Road, slowly pulling into the park's entrance. Shortly afterward,volunteer Christine Hodkinson, of Liverpool, was was among those standing at the entrance to the bike holding area, holding a black Sharpie marker and shouting loudly to passersby. "Body marks? Anyone need body marks?" she asked as a steady stream of triathletes, many carrying water bottles, bicycle pumps and knapsacks, walked by her toward the bicycle holding area. "Each athlete must have their race number written on their left arm and their age group on their left calf," she explained. The half Ironman competition kicked off at 7 a.m. this morning at the Onondaga County park under sunny skies and a cool breeze. The temperatures, though, rose into the 80s and the humidity likewise increased throughout the morning, making it a trying time for many of the competitors. More than 2,200 competitors from 40 different states and 20 different countries raced today -- the most ever in this four-year-old event, according to Ken Hammond, the race director. Most raced in the individual competition, while more than 200 raced in a relay version of the event, featuring two- or three-person teams. The competition featured a 1.2 mile swim, followed by a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run. The field featured 18 male and nine female professional triathletes competing for a total of $25,000 in prize money, with the top male and female competitors getting $3,000 each. Three Aussies and a Swede dominated. The top male pro finisher was Joe Gambles, 28, a native Australian who won this event last year. His time was 4:02:58, about nine minutes slower than his winning 2012 time. Gambles was in second place coming out of the swim and caught fellow Aussie, Sam Douglas, of currently lives in Manhattan, about 10 miles into the bike race. The top two male competitors, from left, Sam Douglas and winner Joe Gambles.David Figura | [email protected] "The head wind was tough on the bike. The first half of the run was OK. But after that it was just survival, which was probably the same for everyone out there today," Gamble said. Douglas, 21, finished second at 4:09.28, followed by John Polson, another Australian, in third at 4:16.48. Both Gambles and Polson, 26, train in Boulder, Colo. The top female pro was Lisa Norden, 28, who silver medaled in the triathlon at last year's London, Olympics. Norden was strong throughout the race and finished 6th overall, with an impressive time of 4:24:37. Asked what it felt like finishing so high in an overall field that was 70 percent men, Norden, from Stockholm, Sweden, flashed a big smile. Lisa Norden, the top female finisher.David Figura | [email protected] "It's quite enjoyable. It's my hobby, actually," she said. The top female pros after Norden were Heather Leiggi, 38, of Bryn Marr, Pa. (4:47:42) and Molly Roohi, 32, of King George, Pa. (4:47.57). The top local male competitor was Doug MacLean, 33, of Ithaca, who arrived at the finish line in 7th place, just behind Norten. He was competing in the pro division and ran 4:25:22. "You gotta defend the home (turf)," he said. The top local female finisher the second year in a row was Kristen White, 41, of Manlius, who finished 44th overall in 5:01:09, winning the women's age 40-44 division. "It was way hotter than last year. I was grabbing as much water as I could at every water stop. The volunteers were awesome," she said. Speaking of volunteers, the Ironman Foundation donated $20,000 to local non-profit groups, who responded with supplying an impressive number of volunteers among the 1,100 helpers at Sunday's event, said Jim Szczygiel, who coordinated the group. The winners of the age group divisions competed for plaques instead of cash. In addition, winners of all the divisions also qualified for the World Ironman 70.3 championships, set for this September in Las Vegas. The majority, though, were there for bragging rights or simply seeking the satisfaction of finishing. Ginny Robbins, 63, of Dewitt, said she entered at the urging of her friend and running buddy, Joan Arno, 61, of Manlius. " I'm just going to do it real slow and easy," Robbins said. "Joan said, 'Ginny, we're not getting any younger. If we don't do it now -- then when?' " Before the race, Vince Detata, 35, of New Jersey, reflected the sentiments of many interviewed -- particularly the first-timers. "I'm not looking at my time. I just think it'd be a good thing if I could complete this thing," he said. For final results, see Ironmanlive.com View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

More than 2,200 participants are competing in the half triathlon competition, which features 1.2 miles of swimming, a 56-mile bike ride and finishing with a 13.1 mile run. Female pro competitors finish the swim part of their race and head off to the cycling part at the Ironman 70.3 Syracuse half triathlon competition this morning at Jamesville Beach Park.David Figura | [email protected] It was 6 a.m. and Christine Hodkinson was at Jamesville Beach Park with a black Sharpie in her hand. "Body marks? Anyone need body marks?" she asked as a steady steam of triathletes, many carrying water bottles, bicycle pumps and knapsacks, streamed by her toward the bicycle holding area. "Each athlete must have their race number written on their left arm and their age group on their left calf," she explained. The Ironman 70.3 Syracuse half triathlon competition kicked at 7 a.m. this morning at the Onondaga County park under sunny skies and a cool breeze. The temperatures, though, are expected to warm up as the morning progresses into the 80s. More than 2,200 competitors from 40 different states and 20 different countries are competing today -- the most ever in this four-year-old event, according to Ken Hammond, the race director. The competition features a 1.2 mile swim, followed by a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run. The field features 18 male and nine female professionals, who are competing for the $25,000 in prize money being offered. Top seeds include Australian native Joe Gambles, who won here last year, and Sweden's Lisa Norden, a silver medalist in the triathlon at last year's Olympics in London. The majority, though, are in age group categories for each sex. They're competing for plaques and personal bragging rights. The winners, though, in the pro and each age group category will also qualify for the World Ironman 70.3 championships in September in Las Vegas. Ginny Robbins, 63, of Dewitt, said she entered her first half triathlon at the urging of her friend and running partner, Joan Arno, 61, of Manlius. "Joan talked me into it. I'm just going to do it real slow and easy," she said. "Joan said, 'Ginny, we're not getting any younger. If we don't do it now -- then when?" Vince Detata, 35, of New Jersey, reflected the sentiments of many interviewed, particularly the novices. "I'm not looking at my time. I just think it'd be a good thing if I could complete this thing," he said. The competitors will be out all morning, and in many cases, into the afternoon competing. The pros are expected to finish in 4 to 5 hours. An awards ceremony is schedule at the park at 3 p.m. Several athletes boasted colorful, and multiple tattos on their arms or calves, adding a challenge to Hodkinson's pre-race task. "I just try to go over them and mark the numbers as dark as possible," she said. "In some cases, I'll write on both arms." I'll be posting again shortly after noon with the results of the pro competition. For more on the event, see the Ironman website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It would have put antler restrictions on deer hunters in parts of Onondaga, Cortland and Madison counties. The politics in this state involving hunting, fishing and trapping continue to amaze me. In recent years, there's been a trend of small, vocal special interest groups that have figured out how to get their way by beating the system. Legislation on such issues as hunting with crossbows and antler restrictions for deer hunters are prime examples. The system involves the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which by legislative mandate, is supposed to set the rules and regulations for these activities. The DEC is responsible for maintenance and oversight of the state's fish and game. To do that, the DEC's fish and wildlife staff is paid almost entirely from the state's Conservation Fund, which consists of money collected each year from fishing, hunting and trapping licenses. There are isolated incidents when the DEC puts emergency regulations in place, with little or no discussion. However, most changes put in place involve a transparent process that involves public comment sessions and additional periods of time where feedback is taken in from sportsmen and women . How do you beat the system? A special interest group can deluge its local state legislator with calls, emails or petitions and convince them to sponsor a special local law that essentially does an end run around the DEC's rule-making process. In doing so, the lawmaker often ignores or is ignorant of established sportsmen advisory groups at the local or state level that number-wise carry more weight in the outdoor sporting community on such issues. I've written about this trend before, and I saw it almost happen again this spring involving a law sponsored by two Southern Tier lawmakers who sponsored a bill that would have put antler restrictions for deer hunters in certain sections of Central New York. The original bill, S4806 and its Assembly counterpart, A7550, was authored by Sen. Thomas Libous , R-Binghamton, and Assemblyman Cliff Crouch, R-Guilford, respectively. The original bill, if it would have passed, would have implemented antler restrictions on hunters in DEC Wildlife Management Units 7M and 7P, covering parts of Onondaga, Broome, Chenango, Cortland and Madison counties. The bill read "the taking of antlered deer shall be prohibited (in the designated areas) except when an antlered deer is taken with at least one antler with at least three points; each point must be at least one inch measured from the main antler beam." The bill would have expanded antler restrictions currently in place in Sullivan, Ulster and Orange counties in the Mid-Hudson area. If passed, the new law would have taken effect "immediately." The rationale? "This will protect the majority of yearling bucks, 1.5 year old bucks, with their first set of antlers (in the designated areas). This allows them to get older, which means hunters see more bucks and harvest larger bucks." There's no reference in this bill to the DEC, or the DEC's five-year, state-wide deer management plan. In addition, Libous and Crouch do not represent any parts of Cortland, Onondaga or Madison counties. Evidently, that point was brought up as the bill was subsequently revised during the 11th hour to only cover sections of Unit 7P in Chenango County, which they do represent. The end result is the law, as of late Friday, failed to make it out of either the Assembly or the Senate. I'm not going to debate the issue of antler restrictions here. That's the subject of another column on another day. What I feel needs to be emphasized is this increasing trend of state lawmakers doing end runs around DEC, which is supposed to be, and is paid to be, the experts on matters of fish and wildlife. Let the DEC do what we pay it to do. It's as simple as that. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Beavers were here first and we followed with our houses and roads -- not the other way around," he said. For some, beavers are nothing but a bother. They dam up streams and culverts and flood fields, residential areas and roads. Local wildlife nuisance control experts and county road crews are constantly busy during the warm months, trying to take them out or working to undo their handiwork. Dietland Muller-Schwarze counts himself among those who has a "more balanced" attitude toward this busy, water-friendly mammal. "Beavers were here first and we followed with our houses and roads -- not the other way around," he said. Beavers were almost extinct in this state at the beginning of the 20th Century due to excessive trapping and loss of habitat due to farming and development. Only a few were left in the Adirondacks near Old Forge. However, due to protective measures by the state, their numbers came roaring back during the last 80 years. Muller-Schwarze, 78, a retired SUNY ESF professor in wildlife biology, studied the animal in parts of the Adirondacks and in the Alleghany State Park for more than 25 years. He wrote two books on them -- the most recent, "The Beaver: Its Life and Impact," was published in 2011. His research focused on the animal's use of chemicals (scent) to communicate with other beavers. Today he writes and occasionally gives talks. He was interviewed this week at his home in Manlius. Of all animals, why did you chose to study beavers? My specialization was chemical ecology and animal behavior. Although they're largely nocturnal, they stay in one place and for many years. You can count on them being there. A beaver swims across the flooded area that's home to the great blue heron rookery at the Sterling Nature Center in Sterling. The flooded 40-acres was created when a beaver dam was built on a stream running through the area.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] Talk about how they use chemical communication. Beavers use scent or castor mounds to communicate with other beavers. They dig out loads of mud with their paws and dump it one area on the water's edge of their territory. Then they go on top of it with their rear end and mark it with secretions from their castor glands. It has a strong smell, even to people. We did all kinds of experiments, such as how they reacted to odors from other females and males, other juveniles and adults and from a neighboring beaver. What happens if a beaver smells the scent of a strange beaver on its mound? That's an outrageous situation. He'll swim around and look for the intruder. And if he finds him, he'll chase him off. More than once, we found beavers with notches and as much of a quarter of his tail bit off. The beaver will then go back to the castor mound, paw it apart and then go with his rear end and mark it again with his own scent. You mentioned your "more balanced" attitude toward beavers. Please explain. They do a lot of good. Their dams create wetlands, which cleanse the water. The water percolates slowly through the area and gets purified, everything from bacteria to toxins get taken out. In addition, these wetlands create habitat for other large animals, birds, insects and plants. In the Adirondacks, beaver-made wetlands are assisting the comeback of moose. Finally, beaver-made, wetland/meadows were attractive to the early settlers of this country, who drained them and easily turned them into farm land because of the fertile soil. Talk about ways that beavers and humans can live in harmony. . During the times when beavers were scarce, humans built all sorts of roads, homes and vacation homes near streams, rivers and lakes that didn't take beavers into account. Nowadays, we know there are many ways to design and regulate things like stream flows by doing things like putting pipes in beaver dams so that beavers and humans can live peacefully together. There are such things as "beaver deceivers' that can be set up in front of culverts so that beavers can't block them up. Still, there comes a time when a beaver becomes a nuisance and there is no answer apart from trapping it, or killing it. The DEC used to trap and relocate these animals, but no longer does so because it ran out of places to relocate them. Your thoughts? With all the development we have, there will always be conflicts...with residential developments. shopping centers, golf courses. Last I read, there were an estimated 18,000 beaver colonies in this state (with family size of 4 to 5 animals). Before, there were predators such as bears, mountain lions and wolves to keep their numbers check. We don't have those big predators any more. Frankly, I don't have any problems with trappers. They play the role of the predator. What do beavers eat? Just bark and trees? They're vegetarians and eat mostly soft plant material, such as grasses, ferns, the leaves of raspberry bushes. As for chopping down trees, they use them to make their dams and lodges after eating the bark off. They also make a pile of branches with the bark still on underwater near their lodge. They depend on that as their main food source during the winter. Beavers created this damage last to trees along the Onondaga Creekwalk near the Inner Harbor off Onondaga Lake.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] This past spring, there was a news story about a man in Belarus who was fatally injured while trying to grab an adult beaver. It bit him several times in the leg, severing his femoral artery. Comment? Really, the beaver did not kill the man. It just defended itself. The man could have just as well suffered fatal injury from a dog, a snapping turtle, or for that matter, by barbed wire. The key is, you just don't handle a wild (or even domestic) animal in that manner. You are asking for trouble. Tell me something interesting or funny about beavers. In 2004, down in Louisianna, police were chasing robbers of a casino, who threw their stolen cash into a stream while trying to get away. Police later found some of the cash packed in a beaver dam. It was an odd way to launder money. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> 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. </p> <p><br />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."</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p><strong>Click on the link below to see the most recent cases:</strong></p> <p> <span id="asset-12962007"><a href="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/other/R7 Fine 6-19-13.pdf">R7 Fine 6-19-13.pdf</a></span> </p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Mother Nature has been generous to Central New York and she does not disappoint. Do yourself a favor and get outside this weekend. Here I am, along with my wife, Laura, daughter, Katie, and our dog, Cali,at the base of the lower part of Taughannock Falls. It's quite a sight and an easy hike. I didn't receive any written comments from readers this week who've accepted "The Figura Challenge" to visit 15 prime Central New York outdoors locations this summer. However, I keep hearing from folks who like the idea or who have started. In fact, yesterday I had a message left on my home answering machine from my doctor's office reminding me about my appointment Friday morning and the woman ended her reminder with a compliment about The Figura Challenge. OK, this weekend's weather forecast calls for warm, sunny weather. It's time to turn off the TV or the computer and get outside. In recent weeks, I've heard from folks who've visited recommended locations such as Taughannock Falls, Bear Swamp, the Sterling Nature Center (with its eye-opening great blue heron rookery), Chittenango Falls and Pratt's Falls. Enough said. Check out my list. Do yourself and your family a favor. Mother Nature has been generous to this area and she does not disappoint. Send your comments and photos to me at [email protected] for my weekly updates. Looking forward to hearing from you. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog