HuntingNY-News

Honorees were recognized for supporting innovative education programs &advancing critical environmental restoration projects in Onondaga Lake and the Montezuma Wetlands. The following is a press release from Audubon New York: SKANEATELES, N.Y. --- Audubon New York's Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah, N.Y., presented the 2013 Donald G. Colvin Conservation Awards to Joseph Martens, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and Applied Ecological Services (AES) for their support of important habitat conservation projects in Onondaga Lake and the globally significant Montezuma Wetlands Complex, and educational programs to foster the next generation of environmental stewards. The awards were presented Friday evening (June 7) at the ninth annual Montezuma Audubon Center benefit at the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles, NY. The Donald G. Colvin Conservation Awards are presented annually to leaders in recognition of their dedication and inspiring influence within the Central New York conservation community. The Awards are named in honor of Colvin, a visionary who spent over a decade championing the creation of the Montezuma Audubon Center. "Commissioner Martens and Applied Ecological Services are exemplary leaders committed to protecting and conserving our Central New York natural resources," said Erin Crotty, Executive Director of Audubon New York. "We applaud their steadfast support of on-the-ground restoration projects, innovative environmental education programs, and fostering strong partnerships to protect and enhance the Montezuma Wetlands Complex and Onondaga Lake." The Montezuma Wetlands Complex and Onondaga Lake have both been recognized as Important Bird Areas (IBAs) by Audubon as they provide essential habitat for a large diversity of migrating birds. However, careful stewardship and public education is continually needed to ensure these unique areas are maintained and enhanced. Recently these two areas have been selected as priority IBAs by the National Audubon Society to focus conservation efforts at these important habitats along the Atlantic Flyway. The Montezuma Audubon Center is a leading model of partnership between the State, not-for-profit community, and private sector. The DEC owned facility is operated by Audubon and supported by an Advisory Board and surrounding communities for its efforts to connect area residents and visitors to these irreplaceable habitats and promote their restoration. Since the Center was established in 2007, it has become a valuable community resource that has worked closely with the DEC to enhance outreach activities, and prioritize key acquisitions to enhance the surrounding habitat. "The DEC has been a vital partner in our education and stewardship efforts and we can't thank Commissioner Martens enough for this tireless leadership and unwavering commitment to the Center's success," said Frank Moses, Director of the Montezuma Audubon Center. "From promoting our sportsmen education camps, to enabling our restoration activities at Onondaga Lake, to promoting the Center in the State's recently released watchable Wildlife guide, a day does not go by without Commissioner Martens' positive influence on our efforts." DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said, "Governor Cuomo has made conservation and land preservation a priority for the state, increasing funding for land acquisitions this year by $2.5 million. DEC and Audubon's work at the Montezuma Audubon Center is an exemplary example of what can be accomplished through collaboration and partnerships. It's an honor to be recognized for this award and on behalf of DEC, I would like to thank Audubon for it's partnership in environmental education and for its leadership in conservation efforts across the State, including its strong support for Onondaga Lake habitat restoration efforts." In addition to the partnerships with the State, the success of the Center and its unique conservation programs relies on strong connections to corporate partners who are directly engaged in restoration activities. Since its creation in 1978, Applied Ecological Services (AES) has undertaken numerous design and implementation projects in Central New York to enhance the Montezuma Wetlands Complex and Onondaga Lake. Most recently, the firm was instrumental in creation of the Seneca Meadows Wetlands Preserve: an addition of over 576 acres of wetlands to the complex, providing new critical habitat for birds and other wildlife. In addition, AES has been active in supporting the newly formed Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, which has had over 200 volunteers plant over 1300 trees, shrubs, and plants. "If there is one firm that is truly thinking globally by acting locally, it's Applied Ecological Services," added Moses. "AES has utilized their internationally recognized expertise and staff resources to greatly enhance the ecological integrity of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. Chairman Steven Apfelbaum has continually bolstered our education programs to landowners and provided invaluable support at our annual Wildlife Festival. They are truly a model company that has gone above and beyond to enhance the regions biodiversity." "I am thrilled to receive this award on behalf of our dedicated staff that has undertaken groundbreaking restoration projects in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex," said Steven Apfelbaum, Chairman of Applied Ecological Services. "We are proud to be involved in the innovative habitat restoration of Seneca Meadows, and even more proud to be working closely with Audubon to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy and learn about this unique habitat that so many birds, other wildlife and amphibians depend on." Previous award recipients include: President of the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Matt Driscoll, Seneca Meadows, Honeywell Hometown Solutions, John D. Marsellus, National Grid, Tim Noga, SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry President Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr., Georgena Terry, Savannah Town Supervisor Donald G. Colvin, Senator Michael F. Nozzolio, Former Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Denise Sheehan, and former U.S. Congressman James T. Walsh. About Audubon: Audubon New York is dedicated to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. The national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences. For more information about Audubon New York visit: ny.audubon.org About Donald G. Colvin: Donald G. Colvin was Savannah Town Supervisor for 48 years, the longest serving supervisor in the State of New York. He recognized the importance of the wetlands and the migratory bird stopover to the community. Don sold the property to the State of New York to preserve the wetlands and donated the proceeds of the sale to the Montezuma Audubon Center. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

She caught it on a worm she dug from her garden. Urai Page proudly holds up a 9-pound sheepshead she caught Sunday while fishing from her dock on the Seneca River near Port Byron. Her husband, Bob, wrote: "River is flooded from last week's heavy rains, we had to wade out through 40 yards of water to reach the dock. "This lunker grabbed a night crawler that Urai dug from her garden." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The local turnout is expected to be smaller than a similar rally held in Albany in late February. The Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs has arranged for a 56-seat charter bus Tuesday for local sportsmen and women to attend a rally in Albany to show opposition to the Gov. Cuomo's SAFE Act. "This is the last chance we have to get our message to the Legislature before they end the legislative session," said Stephen Wowelko, president of the Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs. 'We need to prove to our legislators and governor that gun owners will not just go away and forget about their infringement on our Second Amendment Rights." The one bus is a marked difference to a similar, anti-Safe Act rally held Feb. 28 in Albany. For that rally, local gun rights advocated filled six charter buses from Onondaga and Oswego counties, in addition to two smaller buses from Madison County. Then, more than 100 buses across the state attended the rally. There won't be that many this time around. Wowelko said the expected lighter turnout Tuesday shouldn't be misinterpreted. "There have been a number of localized efforts in recent months across the state. Support is not waning. The fact we are going and sending buses from all over the state again is the important message," he said. "We're not going away." Tuesday's rally at West Capital Park is sponsored by S.C.O.P.E (Shooters Committee on Political Education). Scheduled speakers include Jeanine Pirro, host of Justice with Judge Jeanine and former Westchester District Attorney; Dan Bongino, former secret service agent and candidate for senator of Maryland, Carl Paladino and Assemblyman and radio show host, Bill Nojay. "Join us as we help Sen. Kathy Marchione and Assemblyman David Dipietro hand-deliver more than 140,000 petitions calling for repeal of the unconstitutional NY Safe Act to Gov. Cuomo's office," Wowelko said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

During the past 10 years, Dr. Manoj Vora he has reached the summit of the seven highest peaks on each of the seven continents of the world. Mt. Everest was his final destination. A Lowville doctor has achieved his dream and his hope is that others will be inspired by his accomplishment. On May 22, Dr. Manoj Vora, an internal medical doctor, reached the top; of Mt. Everest in Nepal in the Himalayas. The feat finishes off a 10-year effort by the 52-old physician to scale the seven highest points on all seven of the world's continents. Dr. Vora in 2011.Courtesy of Manoj Vora Inspired by the book, "Seven Summits," Vora began his pursuit with Africa's Mt. Kilamanjaro in 2004. In 2005, he climbed Mt. Aconcagua in South America. In 2006 and 2008, he attempted Mt. McKinley/Denali in Alaska, returning to reach the summit in 2009. He climbed Mt. Elbrus in Europe in 2007 and Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia in 2008. He made an unsuccessful attempt at Mt. Everest in 2010 and finished off that year with a successful climb of Mt. Vinson in Antarctica. Vora noted there are less than 300 climbers world-wide that accomplished what he's done, and only about 110 in this country. For more, see the Seven Summits website. Vora is due home today and a celebration is planned this afternoon involving family and community members.. He responded this morning by iPhone to the following questions about his accomplishment. You reached the summit on May 22. Briefly describe the feelings and emotions that were running through your mind at that time. Who was with you? Did you say or shout anything out? I reached the summit on May 22 at around 7:30 in the morning. It felt like a dreamlike state. I had a hard time believing that I have actually accomplished the monumental feat of summiting Mount Everest. There were four other people with me of whom two were my assigned climbing Sherpas. I had written down a brief, two-minute message from the summit. I was unable to accurately record that message on my video camera because of my Sherpa's inability to handle the camera. I did succeed in recording the message partially. (See Dr. Vora's complete statement below) What did it look like on top of the world? What was the temperature on the top of Everest that day? Any wind? The view from the summit of Everest is spellbinding and breathtaking. All the mountains that we were looking up to until that date were now below us. The temperature must have been around 0ðF. There was a gentle breeze at the summit which did not interfere with our ability to stay at the summit for nearly 45 minutes. Mt. Everest is spellbinding and breathtaking. Courtesy of Manoj Vora There's been a lot written about the short window, weather-wise, to climb Everest in May ..and that lately there's a lot of climbers lining up to do that. Were you part of a crowd last month waiting to go up? Traffic jams on certain areas of Mount Everest are not uncommon every year. At these bottlenecks, climbers are on occasion forced to wait 30 minutes to an hour to make further progress. This sometimes dooms the chance of an individual's summit. I was very fortunate in that the date I chose as my summit date there were very few climbers on the mountain. It appeared that we had the mountain all to ourselves. There were no traffic jams that I had to deal with. The reason why we had the mountain all to ourselves was that majority of the climbers had chosen the previous day as their summit day with the prediction being for higher winds on the day I chose as my summit day. Fortunately, that prediction did not turn out to be true and we had an absolutely stunningly beautiful summit day Just what did you do to get in shape for this climb? My exercise/training regimen consisted of a judicious balance between strength, stamina and flexibility. To increase my lower extremity strength I did a lot of climbing during the winter months in the Adirondack Mountains with my climbing partner Thomas Lizzio of Syracuse. To improve my stamina, I swam at the local pool in Lowville. I did a lot of bicycling in the summer and fall followed by a regimen on a stationary bicycle at home In the winter. I chose to practice a lot of yoga to improve my flexibility. Along with this, I did a lot of reading of mountaineering books including some classics. This helped with improvement of my mental fortitude and strength. One cannot underestimate the importance of this aspect of the training. Who was your guide(s)? How did you pick him (them)? In December of 2010 I had climbed Vinson Massif on Antarctica with a guiding service called Mountain Trip. They are based in Colorado. I had a wonderful experience with that outfit and therefore I chose to go to Everest with the same outfit. How long did the total trip take, from start to finish? What about the actual climb? The total trip took nearly 2 months. I landed in Kathmandu on April 2. We started our hike to base camp on April 4 and reached base camp on the 13th. Following this, we did several acclimatization hikes around base camp. The actual climbing began about five days after reaching base camp. The first rotation up the mountain lasted for four days and the second rotation lasted seven days. During these rotations I reached progressively higher levels on the mountain up to a maximum of 24,000 feet. After a period of rest we waited for the summit window which was around the 21st and 22nd of May. In 2010, you were unsuccessful in your attempt to reach the summit of Everest. What made the difference this time? There were many differences between my previous attempt of 2010 and my recent attempt. I had chosen a different outfitter that is known for providing quality services throughout the climb. This was a guided climb as against a supported climb three years ago. The food quality was excellent. My experience from the previous attempt may have helped. I had trained differently this time which also may have contributed to my better performance despite my having aged three years since the previous attempt. And finally I cannot underestimate the power of prayer and good wishes of which I had plenty this time from the hundreds of people that were following my climb in the social media. I understand you made extensive use of social media to chronicle your climb. Briefly, how so? Several people had expressed a desire to follow my climb. I used social media extensively during my climb. I had access to the Internet at base camp. I had a Facebook page devoted to my climb. I also had subscribed to a service called Hipcast to dictate my voice files which were then posted on Facebook and Tumblr. I also had designated my daughter and my climbing partner as administrators of my Facebook page. They were responsible for updating my page on a regular basis. I also had access to telephone services at base camp so I was able to stay in constant contact with my family and intimate circle. I also had purchased a SPOT device and paid for subscription services so that with a push of a button I was able to send text messages to my wife, my daughters, my climbing partner and my sister that I was okay. I also was in constant telephone contact with the above-mentioned folks. Apart from doing the seven peaks on seven continents, did you dedicate this climb to anyone or any cause? The slogan for my climb this time was "Inspiring the next generation to dream big". I also expressed my gratitude to several people including my wife, my parents as well as my patients. I also made special mention of three of my teammates who had left the expedition early on. Apart from your mountain climbing equipment and supplies, did you bring anything else personal along with your to the summit? I brought with me several objects to the summit. I had my local paper from Lowville, the local paper from Boonville, family photographs, papers with my summit speech written on them, and two separate posters one with my slogan written on it and one given to me by a corporate entity from my hometown of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Were there any setbacks or problems that you encountered? This climb was made more challenging by several setbacks that I encountered during the time I was on the mountain.Instead of the usual hazards of high altitude mountaineering which include extremely cold weather, crevasse danger, avalanche danger, physical ailments and injuries, on this particular climb I encountered a greater problem with the guide. He and I did not see eye to eye on several issues. It almost appeared that he was playing an adversarial role rather than the role of a facilitator. I had Oxygen equipment malfunction on the day before Summit Day. I also suffered some minor health issues including a bad throat infection. I had developed a bad case of the Khumbhu cough that caused severe rib cage pain. Fortunately, I was able to overcome all of these adversities and remain totally focused with the help of several people and continue my climb to its successful completion. Dr. Vora, right, met Reinhold Messner, a famous mountaineer and documentary filmmaker at the Mt. Everest base camp. Messner was there filming on a documentary on the 60th anniversary of the first successful climb on the mountain in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Reinhold successfully climbed Everest alone in 1978 without the aid of oxygen. Courtesy of Manoj Vora If you had to do it all over again, would you do anything different? If I had to do this climb all over again I would ascertain who the guide is and would prefer to have someone with whom I have climbed before who understands my climbing style, my strengths and my weaknesses. Is there anything else you'd like to say about your accomplishment? The one thing I would like the readers to know about this accomplishment is that it is not that I am the only one to take credit for this. Scores of people had wished me well, had prayed for my well-being while I was on the mountain and a select few had provided me with the much-needed gentle push and moral support during my moments of weakness. I share this accomplishment with each and every one of them This afternoon, there's a celebration planned in Lowville to recognize your accomplishments. What's happening? At 3 p,m. there is a small gathering at the Village Park in Lowville to recognize this feat. This is something that my wife has organized and is desperately trying to keep a secret from me. I have been a resident of Lowville for nearly 20 years and have at some point or the other treated or interacted with a majority of the residents of that village. Where do you go from here with your mountain climbing exploits? I have now completed my dream of summiting the highest mountains on each and every continent on Earth. I would now like to utilize my stories and my experiences to inspire the next generation. I would like to inspire them to dream big, work hard to accomplish their dreams and once their dreams are realized to help others realize their dreams. This inspirational message needs to be spread wide and far to the impressionable youth of today. Dr. VORA'S STATEMENT THAT HE READ WHEN HE REACHED THE SUMMIT OF MT. EVEREST "I am now on the summit of Mount Everest. This marks the completion of a ten-year quest. The seven Summit dream is over and the next dream of inspiring the succeeding generation is on. " I want to acknowledge the following people for their unflinching support of my crazy dream: my beloved wife Sheree, who I worship. My parents. My three daughters Amber, Nimi and Shamaa. My sister Malini and my brother-in-law Bhavesh for believing that I can pull this off. My niece Pooja and my nephew Akash. My extended family and circle of friends. My training partners Thomas Lizzio of Syracuse and Shamaa. My Sherpas. My three other teammates Brian, John and Trudi, who are not here to share this moment. My patients who have supported me over the years. My climbing partner Eldon Boone of San Diego, California. My colleagues at the Lewis County General Hospital. My dedicated office staff Debbie and Jami. My fans, followers and supporters everywhere. My sister-in-law Linda Lou, Ben and my best friend Milind. And also Kenny, who watches over us from up above. And Jim, it is all your fault. A message to the Jains all over the world: there is mystical power in the Namokar Mahamantra. I hold flags of the two countries that mean the most to me: India, the country of my birth, and USA, the country that I now call my home. I pray for world peace. I end with the message: dream big, realize your own dreams, and then help others realize theirs." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The majestic adult birds stand 4 feet, with wing spans approaching 6 feet. (See photo slideshow and video). Watch video Here's a great tip for getting the most while viewing the 35-nest, great blue heron rookery at the Sterling Nature Center. "Sitting still and watching for a while is the best approach," advised Jim D'Angelo, director of the nature center, which is owned and run by Cayuga County Parks and Trails in the town of Sterling. The rookery is located on 60 acres of flooded wetland and there's a small viewing area with benches. "Try not to move or talk loud. You'll notice more about the herons and before long, you'll start to notice other wildlife moving around in front of you," D'Angelo said. Other denizens of the flooded area include a wide variety of birds, beavers, muskrats, river otters, minks, several species of turtles and snakes and numerous butterflies and dragon flies. There's also the bullfrogs. One will start calling, and then the whole group will join in. The stars of the show, though, are the great blue herons. The majestic birds stand 4 feet, with wing spans approaching 6 feet. "The first ones come back from down south around mid-March, while others come back in April or early May," D'Angelo said. "Their eggs are in the nest around 30 days, and the hatched young remain another 50 to 60 days before heading off on their own." The herons are currently in various stages of the breeding process. Some are sitting on eggs. In several instances, adult birds can be seen constantly bringing back fish, snakes, small mammals and other food for their one to three youngsters, which measure 2 to 3 feet high. The scene is prehistoric-looking and sounding. The herons can be heard constantly "cluck-clucking" from their stick nests, many which measure 3-to 4-feet across. The nests sit some 40 feet high. Some are within 50-60 yards of the viewing area; others are 100 to 150 yards away. For the best viewing experience, bring a good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope. D'Angelo said 25 nests survived the winter. The early arrivals generally just did a little bit of refurbishment and moved in. An additional 10 new nests have since been constructed. The flooded wetlands area where the rookery sits was formed back in the early 1990s, thanks to a beaver dam that flooded the small stream that flows through the forested swamp. As the water level rose, trees died, providing the perfect setting for the heron nests. Right now the scene is bustling, but don't wait too long to visit. "Usually, by the end of July all of them should have left and the rookery will be quiet," D'Angelo said. More on Sterling Nature Center: In addition to the blue heron rookery, the 1,400-acre nature center offers an interpretative center and numerous programs, along with a wide diversity of habitat with 10 miles of hiking trails and 1.9 miles of undeveloped Lake Ontario shoreline. Admission is free. A free lecture on the great blue heron rookery is set for 1 p.m. June 15. For more, call 947-6143 or see cayuganet.org/sterlingpark The Figura Challenge: The Sterling Nature Center is one of the 15 prime Central New York outdoors locations I recommended that readers visit this summer. Read more on this. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

See updated league standings. CENTRAL NEW YORK TRAP LEAGUE (RESULTS OF WEEK 8, June 4) NORTHERN DIVISION PATHFINDER (198) at TOAD HARBOR (196) NORTH SPORTSMAN (190) at CENTRAL SQUARE (190) SOUTH SHORE (bye) SOUTHERN DIVISON CAMILLUS (200) at BRIDGEPORT (198) DEWITT (192) at POMPEY (195) SKANEATELES (194) at THREE RIVERS (197) The following shooters shot 25 out of 25. (In instances where 75s and 50s are listed, that means shooters shot 25 for 25 three and two weeks in a row, respectively). BRIDGEPORT----75'S---RICK TASSONE--50'S--CHRIS CRETARO--LEE SMITH 25'S--CATHY BARNEY--GEORGE HART--MIKE --BLOSS CAMILLUS---50'S--TIM CORRENTE--25'S--CARL PLOCHKO 1st--AL REICH--GEORGE BOULEY -- RICH PRIOR--MARK DONEBURGH--BOB WIEGAND--PETE KEHOSKIE CENTRAL SQUARE---25'S--JEFF HAIL DEWITT----NONE NORTH SPORTSMAN--25'S--LOU RODER PATHFINDER---25'S--J.J. JOHNSON--JOHN RUDY SR.--ALAN BACON--JAKE DAVIES JOHN FISH--JACK McILORY POMPEY--25'S--MIKE LATOCHA--JEFF BELL--JOHN MESSBAUER SKANEATELES--25'S--CHAD LANDON--ROB RADCLIFF SOUTH SHORE---BYE THREE RIVERS---50'S--TED CAVALLARO--25'S--BILL TAMBS--RICK LIBERTY--ZOOBEE FREYTAG--AL COOK TOAD HARBOR--50'S--KIETH CHESBRO--BOB GREEN--GEORGE GIBBS -- 25'S--MATT PALMISANO UPDATED LEAGUE STANDINGS: (Includes points earned, followed by total clays hit) Northern Division PATHFINDER 11 pts., 1184 TOAD HARBOR 10 pts., 1385 SOUTH SHORE 6 pts., 1173 CENTRAL SQUARE 4 pts., 1145 NORTH SPORTSMAN 1 pts., 1127 Southern Division Pompey 13 pts., 1577 Camillus 10 pts., 1565 Three Rivers 10 pts., 1541 Skaneateles 8 pts., 1569 Bridgeport 7 pts., 1553 Dewitt 0 pts., 1492 Results courtesy of Dick Masterpole. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

She caught it at the Caughdenoy Dam. Meg Senecal, of Liverpool, proudly holds up a nice bass she caught and released recently. She wrote: "90 degree heat didn't stop me from fishing at Caughdenoy Dam this weekend. I caught this beauty of a bass - 18 inches, 3.5 pounds -- before releasing her back. "I caught it on a simple hook with a juicy fat night crawler on my Ugly Stik. I cast the line at the top of the dam area. I caught lots of pan fish at the bottom area of the dam on every single cast. " Everyone was having great luck!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The challenge consists of visiting 15 prime Central New York outdoors locations this summer. We're entering Week 3 of "The Figura Challenge." The challenge consists of visiting 15 prime Central New York outdoors locations this summer. All are within an hour's ride of Syracuse. Do yourself a favor. Check them out. Meanwhile, I'm writing this week about the offerings at one of the 15 prime locations -- the great blue heron rookery at the Sterling Nature Center in northern Cayuga County. It's one of nature's wonders that should be seen. When you visit one of these locations, send me a note about your impressions and photos to show you were there. Send your stuff to [email protected]. Meanwhile, here's comments supplied by two readers who've taken me up on the challenge. Marguerite Dodd wrote: "I've attached pictures from my recent visit to Green Lakes State Park. Green Lakes is truly one of my favorite places to go in Central New York. "I grew up coming here quite often, with my grandma, family, for swimming lessons, camping with friends, when I took up running and when I'm looking to escape in a hike. Green Lakes literally has something for everyone to enjoy, camping, hiking, swimming, biking and golfing. Marguerite DoddMarguerite Dodd "It has what has the be the most scenic golf course in CNY, many miles of hiking trails that takes out out by the water, in the depths of the largest stand of old growth forests in Central New York and camp sights. Not to mention one of its coolest assets, the crystal green/blue color of both Green and Round Lakes. "If you're curious what causes the beautiful colors of the lakes, what an old growth forest is, what species of animals live in the park, there are educational opportunities in the trail signs all along the trail around both lakes. It's $8 to enter the park during the day, however its free after 7 and the park closes at dawn." Lindsay Watkins wrote the following about his hiking trip on the gorge trail at Taughannock Falls on the western side of Cayuga Lake: "I must say - this was a perfect hike! I just recently moved back to the area and I am once again in love with upstate. A scene at Taughannock Falls State ParkLindsay Watkins "This hike was a perfect combo of breathtaking views with just enough glute blast from the north rim trail to make me not feel guilty eating Ithaca's own Purity Ice cream. "On the way home we stopped and purchased growlers from a new farm brewery hopshire. Delicious! Thanks for the challenge!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Earlier this week, I saw an eye-opening scenario unfold on the street in front of my house. Wendy Worsham's "Fat Crow" painting. Worsham's paintings are acrylic on either canvas, wood or paper. She often combines colored pencil, ink and oil. Submitted photo There's some hard realities in the world of birds this time of year - particularly involving crows. Earlier this week, I saw an eye-opening scenario unfold on the street in front of my house. There was a big crow on the road, holding down a small, live, struggling bird with its feet. It was pecking repeatedly at it to kill it. At the same time, there was a swarm of at least a half dozen other small birds, continuing swooping down on the crow. Within a couple of minutes, the small bird being held by the crow was dead and the crow picked it up in its beak and flew away. Laura Erickson, former science editor at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and author of several books on birds, said the crow's actions were not a case of a bird acting badly. Most likely, she said, the adult crow was getting food to feed its young. "Baby crows need a high protein diet," she said. "Crows are family birds that bond with each of their babies. They have to feed their babies. They're hunters. People eat other mammals, and some birds eat birds of other species. It's really no different than one of us going to the store to buy meat and milk for our children," she said. Crows often get their needed food this time of year, she added, by raiding the nests of robins, red-winged blackbirds and a host of other small birds -- often waiting until the young birds are nearly ready to fledge (leave the nest) before grabbing them. The one on my street could have either been plucked out its nest and dropped on the road, or could have been hit by a passing car and was disabled, Erickson said. The reaction of the other birds to the scene was not usual, she said. Often, when a crow grabs a young bird or is causing some other kind of trouble, smaller birds of various species will react to the stress call of one and join in on what Erickson called "mobbing" behavior. This can result in repeatedly dive-bombing of the crow or working together to chase it off. Erickson stressed crows aren't the only birds that target the young of others, mentioning blue jays, great horned owls, red-tailed hawks and even bald eagles, among others. "Even chipmunks raid the nests of birds," she said. "There's so much exciting drama out there this time of year if people are paying attention." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A reminder: The regular bass fishing season doesn't open until June 15. Until that time, only catch-and-release fishing is allowed. CNY FISHING REPORT Reminder: The regular bass fishing season doesn't begin until June 15. Up until that date, only catch-and-release bass fishing is allowed. INLAND TROUT STREAMS: Many sections of area streams and lakes have been stocked as of May 31. They include Cayuga County: North Brook, Owasco Inlet, Salmon Creek and Fall Creek; Cortland County: Otselic River; Cortland County: Little York Lake, Merrill Creek, East Br. Tioughnioga River, West Br. Tioughnioga River, Casterline Pond and the Otselic River; Cortland County- Little York Lake, Merrill Creek, East Br. Tioughnioga River, West Br. Tioughnioga, Casterline Pond and the Otselic River; Madison County: Lebanon Reservoir, Eaton Brook Reservoir, Upper Lelands Pond, Stonemill Brook, Beaver Creek, Canastota Creek, Limestone Creek, Payne Brook, Chittenango Creek, Canaseraga Creek, Chenango River, Cowaselon Creek, Old Chenango Canal, Oneida Creek, Sangerfield River, and the Otselic River; Onondaga County: Nine Mile Creek, Onondaga Creek; West Br. Onondaga Creek, Tannery Ceek, Spafford Brook, Furnace Brook, Fabius Brook, Limestone Creek, West Br. Limestone Creek, Geddes Brook, Carpenters Brook, Butternut Creek, and Skaneateles Creek. (Hotline number is (315) 689-0003); Oswego County: Light House Hill Reservoir, Black Creek, North Br. Salmon River, Rice Creek, East Br. Salmon River, Salmon River and West Branch of Fish Creek; Tompkins County: Enfield Creek, Virgil Creek, Buttermilk Creek, Salmon Creek, Fall Creek and Sixmile Creek and Cayuga Lake. LAKE ONTARIO The strong and variable winds have made getting out, and then staying on fish difficult. Brown trout continue to be scattered after the variable winds we've had the last few weeks. If you can find some off colored water try fishing stickbaits and small spoons in the area during the early morning. As the day gets brighter, moving to 40 feet or deeper water has been helping to extend the brown trout bite. Lake trout fishing has been more stable with fish being found in 100 to 200 feet of water. Some salmon have been hitting flasher and flies and spoons fished 80 feet down over 150 feet of water. SALMON RIVER Fishing has really slowing down on the river, which is usual for this time of year.There are smallmouth bass and rock bass being caught in the lower river. OSWEGO RIVER Some walleye are being taken in the river on large stickbaits, jigs and nightcrawlers. Trolling after dark in the harbor with large stickbaits is producing some walleye, with some nights being good and others being very slow. Anglers are starting to get more catfish and freshwater drum (sheepshead) in the river. ONEIDA LAKE Water levels are high, making shoreline fishing for bass (catch-and-release), and panfish productive. Walleyes are getting caught by anglers in boats fishing in 8 to 20 feet of water, using sonar lures along with jigs tipped with night crawlers. Bullhead bite appears to be over. (Just a reminder that you cannot fish for lake sturgeon,as they are on the threatened fishes list. If you accidentally hook one please do not fight it and release it quickly.) CAYUGA LAKE Trolling in 80 to 160 feet of water with spoons or flasher and flies, fished off downriggers, copper wire, or Dipsey divers is working for lake trout. Vertical jigging is also working for lake trout in 50 to 150 feet of water. SENECA LAKE Lake trout hitting spoons and flasher and flies fished 60 to 150 feet down. Vertical jigging has also been also working in 65 to 135 feet of water. OWASCO LAKE Anglers getting out on the north end are catching yellow perch on minnows. Anglers trolling with spoons or flasher and flies are getting some lake trout and a few brown trout. OTISCO LAKE Tiger muskie fishing has been good for anglers fishing for them. Remember tiger musky must be 36 inches to be legal on Otisco Lake. Anglers taking advantage of the catch-and-release bass season are getting smallmouth and largemouth bass. A few walleye are also being taken by anglers trolling with stickbaits or spinner rigs. . SKANEATELES LAKE Perch are being caught on the north end. A few lake trout and rainbow trout are being caught by anglers fishing for the perch or bass in 15 to 25 feet of water. Smallmouth bass are being taken by anglers taking advantage of the catch and release season and good lures have been tube jigs. Anglers are also taking their share of nice-sized, rock bass, particularly at the northern end. SANDY POND: A few walleye and northern pike are being caught. Anglers are also getting some black crappie, bluegills and yellow perch. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Fishing as slowed down lately. Water is still pretty cold. It's expected to pick up soon. (A reminder, the Canadian bass fishing season opens June 15, the same as our season. Previously, it used to be a week later). SODUS BAY Anglers fishing the deeper water are still getting some yellow perch. Bluegill fishing has picked up as the spawn has started. Northern pike fishing has been good with pike hitting a variety of lures with stickbaits and spoons being good bets. Bass fishing has also been good with bass jigs, plastics and topwaters all working. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR White crappie fishing continues to be good with most of fish being found away from shore now. There are still some being caught near shore, but it looks like the spawn is about over. Some real nice, 12- to 15-inch, crappies are being taken. The walleye bite is starting to improve and angles are getting them on worm harnesses. The channel catfish bite continues to be slow, but it should pick up. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Sea Lamprey control is crucial to maintaining the fishery in the Great Lakes, which account for some $7 billion in economic return annually for states bordering these waterways and Canada. A new weapon has been added to the Lake Ontario sea lamprey control efforts. State, federal and Canadian officials Tuesday dedicated a new sea lamprey barrier and trap on Orwell Brook, a tributary to the Salmon River in Oswego County. The project is a collaborative effort among the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The barrier was designed by Miller Engineers of Syracuse. A single sea lamprey can kill up to 40 pounds of fish a year.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] Sea Lamprey control is crucial to maintaining the fishery in the Great Lakes, which account for some $7 billion in economic return annually for states bordering these waterways and Canada. A single one of these vampire-like creatures , which attach themselves to the sides or underbelly of a fish and suck out its bodily fluids, can kill up to 40 pounds of fish a year. "Sea lampreys are one of the most destructive invaders the Great Lakes has seen." Marc Gaden, a spokesman for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. "Sea lamprey control on Lake Ontario and throughout the Great Lakes basin has been a tremendous success reducing lamprey populations as much as 90 percent in most of the lakes." Currently, American and Canadian officials split the responsibility of dealing with sea lamprey in the lakes. Much of the responsibility in Lake Ontario is handled by the Canadians for logistical reasons. They who monitor their waters and more than 19 tributaries on the American side, Gaden said. The application of lampricides (pesticides specific to lamprey) in spawning areas of lake tributaries is the primary tool used to control their spread. Other tools, such as lamprey barriers are also critical. The idea is lamprey need access to spawning habitats. Barriers prevent access. Orwell and Pekin Brook, which flows into Orwell Brook upstream from the barrier, generate thousands of sea lamprey larvae each year. Both waterways are treated every three to four years with lampricide. "At least one final lampricide treatment will be conducted upstream of the barrier this year (2013) to remove any remnant larvae," according to a press release from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. "In subsequent years, the portion of Orwell Brook from the barrier downstream to the junction with the main Salmon River will be treated every three years." The new barrier on Orwell Brook, according to the news release, is an "adjustable crest, low head barrier fitted with aluminum stop logs that can be removed outside of the annual lamprey spawning run each spring" to accommodate other spawning fish such as salmon, steelhead and brown trout. The stop logs, though, will be put back in place during the spring lamprey run, trapping them as they try to go upstream while permitting "passage of jumping species, such as steelhead and Atlantic salmon." Canadian officials will be responsible for maintaining the height of the barrier, using the stop logs. The spawning adult lamprey, meanwhile, will be removed from the trap at the barrier each spring by U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials, who will then either landfill the lamprey or provided to biologicial students for dissection. Gaden said lamprey control in Lake Ontario didn't start around 1970s. "Prior to that a lot of the fish were coming out looking like Swiss cheese." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I'm gathering comments and photos from readers on how their father influenced their love for the outdoors. Deadline for submitting both is 10 a.m. Tuesday. Send them to [email protected]. An adult great blue heron is surrounded by its young. Now is the prime time to view is eye-opening nesting area, located at the Sterling Nature Center. And by the way, it's one of the locations listed on The Figura Challenge.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] Interesting week. I'm sore from shoveling a ton or so of mulch into the flower beds around my house and from hiking this past weekend up Mt. Washington, N.H. Apart from that, here's the stories I'm working on this week and the next: - A new sea lamprey barrier/trap that was dedicated on Orwell Brook (a tributary of Salmon River) - Birds that prey on the young of other birds this time of year (particularly crows) - The great blue heron rookery up at Sterling Nature Center (it's prime viewing time right now) - A wrapup of a recent trout fishing venture on the Battenkill (a river that spills into the Hudson River from the east, just south of Lake George. For Father's Day weekend: - A collection of reader comments and submitted photos about how their father influenced their love for the outdoors. Deadline for submitting comments (keep to 200 words, is 10 a.m. Tuesday). Send your comments and photos to [email protected] - Annual Father's Day wildlife photography contest.. Coming up: - I spend some time at the new DEC training school for environmental conservation officers and forest rangers. - The marked increase of memberships at local rod and gun clubs in the wake of the SAFE Act. - A precede story to the opening day of bass fishing season. (June 15). - A Cicero man who's dedicated to improving the population of purple martins in Central New York. 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. 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

"I anticipate that this summer's populations of black flies and deer flies may be smaller than average," she said. However, deer tick populations seem to be exploding all over Central New York, she added. Getty images I recently interviewed Kim Adams, a Cooperative Extension entomologist with the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, recently about when was the best time "bug-wise" to take a summer vacation in Central New York. Her comments were part of a story in which I stated my opinion, along with syracuse.com meteorologist Dave Eichorn's, that the best time to take a summer break was the last couple of months of July and the early part of August -- a stretch that generally has the sunniest and warmest weather each year. Adams recently emailed me this followup response: "My initial response to your question as put still stands but I think Central New Yorkers, or those who wish to visit Central New York, need to take the long view if planning to vacation here and be ready to jump on board when conditions favor fewer insects. If one is saving one's pennies and planning, pick a year following a dry year, like last year, and a winter with little snow, like last year. I anticipate that this summer's populations of black flies and deer flies may be smaller than average. Of course, if one is extremely flexible and can stick your backpack in the trunk at the most opportune time, you are not going to beat the first warm, insect-free days, be they in March or May! If stuck with a week in mid-July following a week of rain, (or with a summer of fieldwork), it helps a little sometimes to remember that there are many places in the world where there is not enough water or where the water contributes to things far worse than we face here. It also helps to be able to vacation somewhere else besides the north woods. And on that note, deer tick populations seem to be exploding all over Central New York. It seems they are occurring almost everywhere and the best advice I can give anyone new to ticks is to remember to take appropriate precautions and I'm sure you have been over that many times. "I am a Maryland native and ticks were simply a part of summer. We wore what we wanted; much too warm to wear long pants tucked into socks and long-sleeved shirts! Just need to remember to check yourself over thoroughly whenever coming in Another direction to take with your question might be tolerance of the insect involved! As each group comes and goes I declare that this one MUST be the worst. Black flies, vicious, small, in your nose and eyes, between your eyeglasses and eyes, in your ears! UGH!! And, many people, if bitten more than a few times, develop an immune reaction, lymph nodes swell up etc. etc. Bites swell up and itch forever. "To me, deer fly bites hurt the worst, but, if you can manage to leave them alone, the hurt wears off quickly. If, however, you end up where there are a lot of them they can drive you out of the woods faster than anything, almost literally. They will cover your back, biting right through your shirt, and your hands. "Finally, mosquitoes. These guys are the persistent, perpetual enemy. I don't know whether it is best to hear them or not. We cannot audibly perceive all species, this applies to both mosquitoes and deer flies. If you hear them there is the anticipation factor. If not, you have no chance to try and get them before they get you. "It is possible for many to deal with mosquitoes though, at least for a while, by wearing long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, a hat or net and some DEET." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

CNY OUTDOORS CALENDAR Kids fishing class: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Lake Neahtahwantha Park at Bullhead Point, Route 3, west side of Fulton. Loaner rods and reels available, free bait. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Childen 16 and older must have a fishing license. Sponsored by Spider Rybaak and McGrath & Associates Carp Angling Services.... CNY OUTDOORS CALENDAR Kids fishing class: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Lake Neahtahwantha Park at Bullhead Point, Route 3, west side of Fulton. Loaner rods and reels available, free bait. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Childen 16 and older must have a fishing license. Sponsored by Spider Rybaak and McGrath & Associates Carp Angling Services. Call 882-1549. Walleye fishing tournaments: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and June 14, Oneida Lake. Two separate tournaments hosted by the Oneida Lake Team Walleye Trail. Cost is $150 for a two-person team. For more information or to register for either tournament, seeoneidawalleyes.com, "Oneida Lake Team Walleye Trail" or [email protected]. 3-D archery shoot: Signup from 8 a.m. to 10 a .m. Saturday, Sunday, Deerslayer Bowman's Association, 8100 State Rt. 104 W, Oswego. Cost is $15 for adults. Call 529-5995. SAFETY COURSES: Bow: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 14, Deerslayer's Bowman's Club, Route 104, Hannibal. Pre-register. Call Chris at 806-5281 between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Bow: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 28, Stillbrook Fish and Game, 184 CC Road, Williamstown. Pre-register by calling 963-7530 or email [email protected]. Gun: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 13, 14, 16, Nedrow Rod and Gun Club, Route 20 at Hogback Road, Navarino. Pre-register by calling 469-1820 or 469-4784. Bow: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 25, Albion Fish and Game, 2770 State Route 13, Altmar. Pre-register by calling 963-7530 or email [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a salted minnow. Jim Schafer, of Cicero, holds up a 23½- inch brown trout he caught recently on the east branch of the Tioghnioga River in DeRuyter. He used a salted minnow as bait. Submissions for "Catch (Trophy) of the Week" should be sent to [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Deadline for submitting comments and photos is 10 a.m. Tuesday (June 11). I'll compile them for a story that will run on Father's Day. For Father's Day this year, I'd like to compile a story based on comments from readers telling how their father contributed to their love of the outdoors. Deadline for submitting comments and photos is 10 a.m. Tuesday (June 11). Send them to [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Beauchamp gave the fish to the DEC and a trophy mount with his name on it will hang in the DEC's Ray Brook office. Rick Beauchamp and his state-record brookie.DEC I interviewed Rick Beauchamp about his state record-setting brook trout Monday and wrote a story that appeared on this blog the same day. Beauchamp, of Mayfield, N.Y., landed the 22 1/2 inch, 6.03 pound brookie May 15 on Silver Lake in Hamilton County. I taped a followup interview with Beauchamp telling about his accomplishment and the fact that he gave the fish to the state Department of Environmental Conservation office in Ray Brook, where it will be mounted and hung on the wall. There was one fact, though, that wasn't in the original story that came out in Beauchamp's taped statement. After he gave the DEC office his fish, one of the staffers there took the meat home and ate it for dinner. Granted, only the fish's skin is required to make a trophy mount, but I still found it brook trout. The alternative would have been, of course, to just dispose of it. Listen to Beauchamp's story. » Download audio View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

One event on Sunday, the "7@7 Altitude with Attitude" run at Green Lakes State Park, is a 7.7 mile competition over all sorts of terrain at the park. In this photo taken at the 2010 Paige's Butterfly Run near the Federal Building in Clinton Square, L-R; Kelly Murlick and Malinda Greene of Syracuse were part of a team competing in the centipede division where five runners were tied together. They called their team Centipediatrics and each member wore medical garb although they were not doctors.David Lassman / The Post-Standard This weekend's running schedule in Central New York includes four running races and one "sprint distance" triathlon. Saturday: 1). Paige's Butterfly Run, Registration starts at 7 a.m. at the Hanley Federal Building. The featured 5K race (no dogs allowed) begins at 9 a.m. in front of the National Grid Building on West Erie Blvd. Afterward, a "caterpillar crawl" fun race for children ages 5 and under begins in front of the Hanley Federal Building at 9:45 a.m. That will be followed by a 3K fun run/walk in front of the National Grid Building, starting at 10:30 a.m. Proceeds go to support pediatric cancer research and patient programs at Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse. Online registration is $30 until midnight today (June 4); $35 afterward and $40 on race day. To register online or for more, see pbrun.org. 2). The 34th annual " Livestrong Green Lakes Triathlon," begins at 8:30 a.m. at Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville. The swim (1/2 miles) is in Green Lake, the 20K bike part of the event goes out of the park on Route 290 and courses back into the park on Route 5, the final 5K run is around both lakes. Registration was limited to 500 entrants and is now closed. For more on the event, see fleetfeetsyracuse.com/calendar. 3). The 18th annual "Nate the Great Race," is set for 8:30 a.m. in Canastota in conjunction with the Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. Cost is $25; $35 on race day. To register online, or for more on this 5K run, and the children's fun run at 9:30 a.m., see naterace.com. Sunday: 1). The "7@7 Altitude with Attitude" run is a 7.7 mile race, beginning at 7 a.m. at Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville. The race promises to be on a "scenic trail that will "exhilerate and challenge" runners. Cost is $45 for registration on race day. For more, see fleetfeetsyracuse.com/calendar. 2). The "Green Lakes 5K Livestrong at the YMCA" run begins at 8:30 a.m. at Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville. The race is on a "soft trail" around the park's two lakes. Cost is $35 to register on race day. For more, see fleetfeetsyracuse.com/calendar. For more information on races during the coming weekend or weeks in an area stretching from Binghamton to Watertown, see the Fleet Feet events calendar at fleetfeetsyracuse.com/calendar Last weekend's results: Four running races were held this past weekend: two on Saturday, two on Sunday. 1). The "Munchkin Mile Kids Fun Run," a race for children, was part of he Oz-stravaganza Saturday in Chittenango. It was a non-competitive, un-timed race. A total of 103 children participated. 2). "Runapalooza," featured a 1 mile fun run and a 5 K run Saturday on the Onondaga Community College campus. See final results at fleetfeetsyracuse.com/runapalooza. 3. The "AIDS 10K run/ 5K Walk" was held Sunday morning at Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville. For final results, see leonetiming.com/2013/Roads/AIDS10k13.htm. 4). The "Save Modified Sports at West Genesee," 5k run and 1.5-mile fun run/walk was also held Sunday, beginning at the West Genesee High School's main entrance. For final results, see the race's website at savemodifiedsportsatwg.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Acquisition is intended to protects resources, enhances recreation on Overlook Mountain. The following is a DEC press release: New York State recently purchased 266 acres of land on the upper reaches of one of the most prominent and popular summits, Overlook Mountain, in the Catskill Park in the Town of Woodstock in Ulster County, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens today announced today. "By increasing open space funding by $2.5 million in this year's budget, Governor Cuomo has placed a priority on preserving and conserving New York's natural resources," Commissioner Martens said. "As one of the most recognizable landmarks on the eastern escarpment of the Catskill range, Overlook Mountain has long enjoyed a prominent place in America's natural and cultural history. It also provides a stunning backdrop to the Town of Woodstock. We will continue to work with local governments and land trusts to protect properties in the Catskills." DEC purchased the property from the Open Space Institute for $857,800, which was paid from the Environmental Protection Fund. The acquisition included two properties: the 191-acre California Quarry property formerly owned by the Town of Woodstock and the 75-acre KTD property, both of which were previously purchased by the Open Space Institute. Both properties will be added DEC's Overlook Mountain Wild Forest in the Catskill Forest Preserve. DEC will pay full property taxes on the land. "This acquisition expands the Overlook Wild Forest and protects important habitat and watershed in the eastern Catskill Park," said Kim Elliman, the president and CEO of the Open Space Institute. "Just as important, it permanently protects the magnificent views of Overlook Mountain from the Town of Woodstock and surrounding areas in the Hudson River Valley." "This acquisition will provide significant protection of the south face of Overlook Mountain, the dominant landscape feature in Woodstock, and will be appreciated by generations of Woodstock residents," said Town of Woodstock Supervisor Jeremy Wilbur. "The Woodstock Land Conservancy (WLC) is delighted that these two significant acquisitions have been conveyed to New York State," said Patricia Goodwin, President of WLC. "Both are products of WLC's highly successful public-private partnership on the Save Overlook campaign with the Open Space Institute and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. These lands have breathtaking views of the southeastern Catskills, Shawangunk Ridge and Hudson Valley." Ingrid Haeckl, a biologist with Hudsonia, said, "These parcels expand the area protected in one of the largest intact Catskill forest cores and provide important habitat for far-ranging animals including black bear, bobcat and timber rattlesnake. The California Quarry parcels include significant valuable crest, ledge and talus habitat, and high quality areas of chestnut oak woodland, as well as numerous small wetlands on the ledges. Protection of those parcels also protects significant cultural assets, including large old bluestone quarries." Overlook Mountain is an important feature of the Catskill escarpment that is specifically identified in New York State's Open Space Plan. Both of these parcels are adjacent to existing forest preserve lands and were identified in the DEC's Overlook Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan as critical high elevation parcels. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"He got up like he used to, and shot this beautiful bird at 7:20 a.m.," his father said. Among other things, Andrew Heagle, of East Syracuse, had one goal in mind after he graduated recently from Colgate University. He wanted to go spring turkey hunting. His father, Andrew Sr., wrote: "This is a photo of my son and a 10 1/2" beard tom turkey he harvested. He loves the outdoors but hasn't been able to hunt much due to attending Colgate University the past four years. " But as luck would have it for him, he graduated and we bought his license (soon after) at Dick's. " He got up like he used to, and shot this beautiful bird at 7:20 a.m. Even after I tried talking him out of going and thought he'd be better off trying (to fish) for walleye...LOL! "P.S.: He said he was surrounded by three deer while he called the turkey in... and ended up with a 15 yard shot as it pushed around the decoys. "Bird was taken in Town of Manlius, County Onondaga. Nice bird. Had him for dinner!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

She took it with a 30-yard shot with a 12-gauge shotgun. Ali Barrett, of Locke, poses with her first wild turkey, taken on Friday, the last day of the spring season. She hunted hard all season,going out numerous times. She took it with one shot at 30 yards with a 12-gauge shotgun, using hen and jake decoys to lure it. She shot it in the town of Skaneateles. It had a 10-inch beard. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Ate one, gave one away to a neighbor who was batching it for the weekend." Tim Oakleaf, of Fayetteville, lives practically across the street from Limestone Creek. He wrote: "Caught these fish in Limestone Creek with a total of four casts into two separate holes within about 15 minutes and less than 50 yards. "I was surprised and delighted to be going back home so soon! "I knew I had more than enough for dinner. Ate one, gave one away to a neighbor who was batching it for the weekend." : View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a clear wabbler and worm. It measured 22.5 inches. The following is a DEC press release: Rick Beauchamp, of Mayfield, Fulton County, is the new holder of the state record for brook trout after catching a six-pound, 22.5-inch brook trout in Silver Lake on May 16, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. Beauchamp reeled in the record-breaking fish while fishing Silver Lake in Hamilton County in the Adirondack's Silver Lake Wilderness. The new record brook trout, caught on a lake clear wabbler and worm, weighed in at slightly just more than 6 pounds, surpassing the previous state record set in 2012 by two ounces. The brook trout is not only a success for Mr. Beauchamp, it also reflects the ongoing recovery of Adirondack lakes from the effects of acid rain. Until a few years ago, Silver Lake was too acidified to support a trout population. In 1969 the lake was determined to be fishless and in 1976 it had a pH of 5.0 which is too acidic for brook trout to thrive. After water chemistry samples indicated the pH of lake had risen to almost 6.0, DEC began an experimental stocking program for brook trout in 2002. Currently DEC stocks Windfall strain native brook trout in Silver Lake and brook trout are the only fish species known to be present. Beauchamp submitted details of his winning catch as part of DEC's Angler Achievement Awards Program. Through this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet specific qualifying criteria and receive official recognition of their catch and a distinctive lapel pin commemorating their achievement. The three categories that make up the program are: Catch & Release, Annual Award and State Record. Information about the Angler Achievement Awards Program, including past winners and a downloadable application form, can be found on the DEC website at: l or by contacting DEC Bureau of Fisheries by phone at (518) 402-8891 or e-mail at [email protected] Program details and an official entry form can also be found in DEC's current Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a "white zonker." Ryan Norkett, of Liverpool, proudly holds up a nice brown trout he caught recently on Butternut Creek. The brown measured at 21" and was taken on a "white zonker" with a 5- weight fly rod. After several minutes of fighting, Ryan was able to wear the fish down and take him in. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

She was only three feet away. She could have reached out and touched it. Genie Dibble has been following a family of great horned owls at Green Lakes State Park for 13 years. "At least I think it's the same pair - or at least relatives," she said. Throughout the warmer months, Dibble, 72, of Chittenango, hikes around the park with her Nikon D90 digital camera around her neck. She's constantly snapping photos of the park's floura and fawns, printing up calendars each year of her best shots. . Earlier this month she had a first - a face-to-face encounter with a baby great horned owl. It was on ground, on a log and was only about three feet away. She could have reached out and touched it, but thought better. Mom and dad look on. Great horned owls are nicknamed 'feathered tigers" because of how aggresssive they are to prey.Genie Dibble "It's a good thing she didn't. The adult female might have made her opinion known at that point," said Laura Erickson, former science editor at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and author of several books on birds. "There's people out there with permanent scars on the back of their heads or backs for picking up or grabbing at young great horned owls." Erickson said great horned owls are the largest owls that breed in this state and have the nickname of "feathered tigers." Although they don't weigh very much (adults get up to about 3 ½ pounds) they have no hesitation about taking on rabbits, skunks and other prey of that size. "If the animal is too big to carry away, they'll eat it (where they killed it) or just eat the head," she said. Erickson said great horned owls mate for life and once they find a good breeding ground they'll stick around. One banded owl, she said, was found to 28 years old. She said the females are larger than the males. She said both make "a soft, mellow 'who-who,' " and maintain auditory contact with each other by calling back and forth. The female's call is noticeably higher and softer than the males call, which is generally louder and lower pitched. Dibble said although the birds she's been following seem to return to the same place every year in the park, it's not always easy to find them. Often she has to stay still and listen for their calls. Dibble said this year she was initially alerted to the female's presence by its call. After spotting it, she followed and photographed as it flew from one tree to another. At point, she just sat down and tried to be still. It was then that she turned and noticed the baby owl nearby on a log. "That night, we had a terrific storm with high winds and all," she said. "I came back the following day and couldn't find them. I thought the worst. I felt guilty, that either the mother might have taken it away, or that the young bird might have been killed in the storm." A couple of weeks later, she returned and saw the adult female and the young bird near each other in a tree. "I was really relieved," she said. For more on great horned owls, check out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website at allaboutbirds.org. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog