HuntingNY-News

Bill Tambs from Three Rivers has shot 25 out of 25 for four weeks in a row. CENTRAL NEW YORK TRAP LEAGUE Week 5 - May 14 RESULTS NORTHERN DIVISION TOAD HARBOR (200) at SOUTH SHORE (196) PATHFINDER (195) at CENTRAL SQUARE (192) NORTH SPORTSMAN (bye) SOUTHERN DIVISION DEWITT (190) at THREE RIVERS (197) CAMILLUS (198) at SKANEATELES O(197) BRIDGEPORT (197) at POMPEY (200) STANDINGS (points earned and total score to date) NORTHERN DIVISION PATHFINDER 7 points, 786 TOAD HARBOR 6 points, 792 SOUTH SHORE 4 points, 782 CENTRAL SQUARE 3 points, 760 NORTH SPORTSMAN 0 points, 556 SOUTHERN DIVISION POMPEY 7 points, 986 CAMILLUS 6 points, 974 BRIDGEPORT 6 points, 966 THREE RIVERS 6 points, 963 SKANEATELES 5 points, 978 DEWITT 0 points, 924 SHOOTERS WHO SHOT 25 out of 25 (Where 100, 75 or 50 are listed, those competitors shot 25 out of 25 the past four, three or two weeks, respectively) BRIDGEPORT--75-VINCE VALOIS--25'S--JOE CAMPBELL--DOUG CARR--JIM TONER--DAVE FARKAS CAMILLUS--LEN KALLELZ--DAVE SHIPMAN--JOHN MAJOR--PETE KEHOSKIE--MARK DONEBURGH-- GEORGE BOULET CENTRAL SQUARE--50-KURT BROWN DEWITT--50-RICK KENYON NORTH SPORTSMAN--BYE PATHFINDER--JOSH DAVIES--B.J.GRANT--DON BRACY POMPEY--75-WAYNE WILCOX--50-FRANK MILLS--25'S-DEB BELL--GAVIN JONES--TOM McDERMOTT--BRENDAN BACKUS -1 ST--CHUCK HAAF--CLIFF HAFF--JEFF CAIN SKANEATELES--50-BILL MAIN--25'S-TOM MAIN--PATRICK GREENFIELD--TED KOCHANEK--URB WORMER SOUTH SHORE--RON INCE--NANCY YOUNG--DOUG ADOLF--CHARLIE SOUILER THREE RIVERS--100-BILL TAMBS--25'S--JOE FREDRICKS--RICK LIBERTY--MICKY KOVAK--PAT JEFFRIES TOAD HARBOR--50-DON SADUE--25'S-JOE MAC--BRAD ARNOLD--GARY ODELL--CRAIG CHESBRO--KIETH CHESBRO--DAVE McCREA--NICK RANALLI--ROGER MORAN--RON SMITH RESULTS COURTESY OF DICK MASTERPOLE View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Highlights include the Madcatter sailing regatta, Fishing Heritage Day at South Otselic and the start of the Wild Carp Week Triathlon on the Seneca River. CNY OUTDOORS CALENDAR ELOSTA Meeting: 7 p.m. Wednesday (May 15) at Gander Mountain store, Cicero. The guest speaker will be Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin'Tail/Cold Steel Sportfishing. The topic is " Fishing Techniques For Brown Trout in Lake Ontario. " ELOSTA stands for Eastern Lake Ontario Salmon and Trout Association. The Madcatter Regatta: Friday to Sunday, Oneida Shores Park, Oneida Lake. Hosted by Hobie Cat Sailing Fleet 204 Hobie Cat Club. Features Hobie Cat sailing and competitors from all the country and Puerto Rico. For more see fleet204.com. Fishing Heritage Day: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, South Otselic in Chenango County. Hosted by the Otselic Valley Fishing & Heritage Association in partnership with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Events will be at Otselic Town Park in South Otselic and the local DEC fish hatchery. For more information, including a schedule of all activities, see ovfish.org. Friends of NRA banquet: 4:3o p.m Saturday, Rusty Rail Restaurant, Route 5, Canastota. Sponsored by Madison County Friends of the NRA. For more, call or email Denise at 247 5140 or at [email protected]. Wild Carp Week Triathlon: Saturday to May 24, on the Seneca River in Baldwinsville. The tournament features $18,500 in prize money, with the featured event involving 75 straight hours of fishing beginning Sunday morning. For more, see wildcarpcompanies.com or email [email protected]. 3-D archery shoot: signup from 8 to 10 a.m. Sunday, Clay Sportsmen's Club, Henry Clay Blvd. Open to public. Cost is $15. Call 727-9898. Rimfire Silhoutte League: starting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, and continuing each Tuesday through Aug. 27 at the Liverpool Rod and Gun Club, Henry Clay Blvd, Clay. This is a 22-caliber, standard velocity league. Non-members welcome. There's a $6 one-time registration, and a $2 per match fee. For more call 622-2561 or 720-6750. Women's lake fishing seminar: 6 to 10 a.m. May 27, presented by Irish Knots Sports Fishing and OCFSC Women In Nature. Learn lake-trolling techniques. Equipment provided. Space Limited. $50. For details and registration, see [email protected] or call 243-7667. SAFETY COURSES: Gun: 6 to 9:30 p.m. May 21, 23, and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 25, Fayetteville Manlius Rod and Gun Club, 4545 Whetstone Road, Manlius. Register in person at the club from 10 a.m. to noon May 18. 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]. 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. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"We're telling people not to do anything that might attract the bears. We'd like to see them move through as they have in years past," said the park manager. Jim Semar, park manager, of Green Lakes State Park told me this afternoon that three black bears -- two cubs and a mother -- were spotted at the park late last week. "Members of the Syracuse ROTC spotted them Thursday and reported the sighting to park police, who heard them," Semar said. Semar said his staff is informing campers and others to pick up after themselves, and to not leave food out that the bears might eat. "We're telling people not to do anything that might attract the bears. We'd like to see them move through as they have in years past." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

No fishing license is required during the event. Spin casting rods and bait will be provided. The following is a DEC press release: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Trout Unlimited's Chenango Valley Chapter will conduct a free Family Fishing Clinic from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the South Otselic Fish Hatchery, located on County Route 26 in Chenango County. The program is part of the 5th annual South Otselic Fishing Heritage Days. No fishing license is required during the event. Spin casting rods and bait will be provided. Children under age 16 must be supervised. South Otselic has a rich fishing heritage with the B.F. Gladding Company, which has been making fishing line since 1816. DEC's South Otselic Fish Hatchery, which has been operating for 73 years, will conduct the clinic. The hatchery is located on County Route 26, in Chenango County. There will be two 15-minute instructional sessions for each of the two sessions. Both sessions will be followed by open fishing during the remainder of the clinic. There will also be open instructional stations set up in the Hatchery presented by Trout Unlimited members. These stations will consist of an aquatic insect identification and water quality program, fly tying and fly casting. The stations will familiarize anglers of all ages and skill with fishing techniques, tackle and aquatic insects. For the open fishing portion of the event there will be a stocked trout pond for kids, and a section of the Otselic River, which is also stocked, will be available for adult fishing. This section of stream is from the County Route 13 Bridge in South Otselic, downstream to the DEC parking area just below the hatchery. No fishing license is required to fish in the above mentioned areas during the event. Drawings for fishing tackle and equipment will be held for students participating in the fishing clinics. 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. 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. There will also be tours of the South Otselic Fish Hatchery during the day along with numerous community events. Parking for all events is available at the hatchery across from the town park. Admission to all activities is free. For more information on South Otselic Fishing Heritage Days, view www.ovfish.org, or contact Calvin Hite at (315) 653-7490. DEC sponsors several free fishing clinics throughout the state where possession of a fishing license is not required. A list of such can be found on the DEC website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The schedule includes races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton being the place where the sailors and spectators will gather each day. This weekend's Hobie Cat Fleet 204 37th annual Madcatter Sailing Regatta on Oneida lake is once again drawing sailors from around the country and Puerto Rico. "We're looking forward to good weather and strong breezes," said Tom Korzeniewski, the commodore for the Hobie Cat Fleet 204 sailing club in Cicero, which is once again hosting the event. Korzeniewski said the schedule includes races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday - with Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton being the place where the sailors and spectators will gather each day. He said more than 50 two-person teams have already signed up and he expects "half again that" to register by this weekend. This weekend's event should be the largest catamaran sailing regatta in the country this year, he added. The weekend will see racing in three divisions, with "expert," "intermediate" and beginner categories in the more popular, 16-foot division. Other divisions will include Formula 18-foot catamarans and 12-foot, Hobie Waves. He said Sunday's schedule will wrap up with an awards ceremony and barbecue at 3 p.m. at Oneida Shores. Korzeniewski lives with two Hobie Cat sailors with national titles under their belts - his wife, Linda, and their 17-year-old daughter, Erika. Linda, will be giving a seminar on racing Friday and will be competing in the 16-foot class during the weekend with Kathy Miles, of Sylvan Beach. Erika is passing on this year's event. "She's got her prom this weekend," the father said. See the Fleet 204 website for more. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Bid applications are available for firewood in state forests in the following towns: Caroline, Cuyler, Danby, Fabius, Harford, Niles, Owego, Redfield, Sandy Creek, Sempronious, Summerhill, Richford, Solon, Truxton and Virgil. The following is a DEC press release: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting bids from homeowners to cut firewood on state forests in Chenango and Madison counties. Due to the increased demand for firewood, sales will only be offered through a sealed bid auction and not by lottery. Unlike past years, there is no need to sign up in advance to participate in the bid process. All firewood for sale is standing, live trees located off-road and will require a chainsaw, tractor and cart or a 4-wheel drive truck for cutting, access and hauling. The trees available for cutting are marked by DEC foresters. This is done to ensure that the only wood removed is done for conservation and habitat reasons. Removal of marked trees improves forest health and the growing stock of understory trees and vegetation. Bid applications are available for firewood in state forests in the following towns: Caroline, Cuyler, Danby, Fabius, Harford, Niles, Owego, Redfield, Sandy Creek, Sempronious, Summerhill, Richford, Solon, Truxton and Virgil. Bid sheets are available on DEC's website or from DEC's Cortland office (Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and will be accepted until 2 p.m. on May 23. Maps depicting the location of each lot are also available online. Minimum bids for each lot are listed on the bid sheet. Persons may bid on as many firewood lots as they wish; however, any person or group who is the high bidder on multiple lots will only be awarded one lot for firewood cutting purposes. Cutting and removal of firewood may begin on June 1, 2013. All firewood must be cut and removed by Sept. 23. In an effort to prevent the spread of invasive insect species, such as the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Long-horned Beetle, state regulations prohibit moving firewood that has not been heat treated more than 50 miles. Persons completing bid sheets under this program may transport cut trees no more than 50 miles from where the wood is felled. They also must complete a "Self-Issued Certificate for Transport" form and carry it with them when transporting the wood. For more information on firewood movement restrictions visit DEC's website or call 1-866-640-0652 or e-mail [email protected]. Any person operating a chainsaw for any purpose while cutting firewood is required to wear Personal Protective Equipment including at least the following: hard hat, eye protection, hearing protection and cut-resistant chaps or pants. Chainsaws must be equipped with properly functioning safety devices including a chain brake. One should not apply if you do not have access to this equipment. Other firewood sales rules are available when one applies for a bid sheet as well as on DEC's website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"We shot them in Tompkins County, near Dryden. The hunt went just like a TV show, except Rose put her bird down with the first shot." Rosalie and Daniel Wilcox, of Central Square, both got their turkeys this year on opening day. -Rosalie's turkey had a 5" beard, 1/4" spurs and weighed 24 lbs. -Dan's turkey had a 7" beard, 3/4" spurs and weighed 28 lbs. -Rosalie used a 20 ga. New England Pardner single shot. - Dan used a 12 ga Mossberg pump. According to an email from the couple: "We shot them in Tompkins County, near Dryden. The hunt went just like a TV show, except Rose put her bird down with the first shot. "Dan missed a bigger bird (something about his sight was messed up and he tried to look over the barrel) "So Dan had to fix his sight and keep calling the birds. Three birds hung up about 75 yards away for 20 minutes. "They finally came in to the decoys and Dan shot the last one in line." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He shot it after hunting the bird three days in a row. He shot it first thing in the morning and then went to work. LeRoy White, of Bridgeport, shot this impressive turkey in Chittenango. It weighed in at 25 pounds with 1 1/2 inch spurs and a 10- inch beard. He shot it after hunting the bird three days in a row. He shot it first thing in the morning and then went to work. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The fish measured 23 inches and weighed 4 pounds, 2 ounces. Michael J. Gebczyk, of Auburn, holds up a nice rainbow trout he caught recently on Dutch Hollow Brook, a tributary of Owasco Lake. The fish measured 23 inches and weighed 4 pounds, 2 ounces. He caught it a worm. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I never did it before and I did the best I could," she said. Beth BushMichelle Gabel | [email protected] Pompey archery wiz Beth Bush held her own, her mother said, but failed to place at this past weekend's National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) championships in Louisville, Ky.. "She did pretty good," said Michelle Bush. "She shot 241 out of 300. It was a little overwhelming, though. It was a little different environment than what's she's used to. Some of schools had teams with as many as 100 kids." In total, the competition featured more than 9,800 entrants from all across the country. Each competitor fired 15 arrows at a target 10 meters away, and 15 at a target 30 meters away. Bush, 18, a senior at Fabius-Pompey High School, was the top female in the state's program after shooting a score of 271 out of 300 earlier this year and beating out 509 female shooters from 19 participating schools from across the state. She drove to Louisville Friday with her father, Steve, and returned Sunday for Mother's Day. The ride was 10-11 hours long, she said. "I never did it before and I did the best I could," she said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Read what others have said about this. I'm an avid fisherman and camper and I'm always grappling with when to take my summer vacation each year. I'm putting this question out to readers. When is the best week to take a break from work during the summer months in Central New York? I'd like to hear from others about when they take their time off and what's been their experiences -- good and bad. Dick Blume | [email protected] I'm interested in things that any outdoor enthusiast pays attention to, whether you golf, hike, kayak, fish, cycle -- or whatever. I'm looking for the time when there's the most sun, the least precipitation and warmest weather. (Bugs are also a concern.) My experiences over the years camping with my wife and kids have led me to believe the best time is either around the end of July or beginning of August. We seem to have the best weather during that time. Am I off-base? Here's what other readers have said so far: - "We have camped at Eighth Lake in the Adirondacks for a couple of decades in mid-July and have experienced the whole gamut of weather related issues. We now camp in early to mid-August and have found a vast improvement all around....the nights are cooler for sleeping, the water is warmer for swimming, the bugs are almost non-existent and the bass even seem to bite better. So the first two weeks in August are the way to go." - Jerry Gingalewski - "My husband and I really enjoy going to Hampton Beach NH a couple times a year for camping and deep sea fishing for haddock and cod. We normally go in June or July as hurricane season begins in Aug. and can ruin your whole trip.We fish off the Yellowbird (yellowbirdfishing.com) which is in Hampton Beach, NH and camp at Salisbury Beach State Park in Mass, about 5 miles away. There are just so many things to do in this area like fishing, whale watching, beaches, entertainment and the list goes on and on.I hope you enjoy wherever you go. Happy summer!" - Sheila Bohemier Elizabeth Lara - "2nd or 3rd week in September just before it officially becomes fall. Moderate temperatures and, if you're lucky, not a lot of rain or humidity. You can keep the 80F-90F degree days with 90%+ humidity. 65F-75F is my ideal." - Sherpa Jones - "I schedule my time off usually around the end of July and in early August. (No, not two weeks in a row But have been doing this for nearly 20 years. Sometimes, I get rained out, but on average it's a winner. On average, this is the warmest time of the year. And water temperatures are at their warmest then too. If the dog falls off the boat and into the lake it's a more comfortable rescue. Spooks the fish though." - David Eichorn, syracuse.com's resident meteorologist.. - The best weather is the first two weeks of June. WhoDuThunk - "Generally i prefer to take several long weekends through out the summer instead of using my 10 days all at once. works especially nice adding days to already long weekends ie: memorial weekend 4th of july labor day ect ect. justintyper - View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

There's also a 5K scheduled for Saturday morning in Whitney Point. CNY RUNNING SCENE There's two running races set for this weekend. The biggest is the 19th annual "Susan G. Komen CNY Race for the Cure," scheduled for Saturday morning at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes. The event features a 1-mile Kids for the Cure Dash and a 5 K run/walk. The running begins at 8 a.m. As of noon today, more than 5,050 runners had registered. For more information or to register, see the race website at komencny.org. The Whitney Point Preschool & Daycare 5K run is also set for Saturday morning. The race, a fundraiser for the daycare center, begins at 9 a.m. at Dorchester Park. For information or to register, check out the events calendar on the Fleet Feet Syracuse store's website at fleetfeetsyracuse.com. For more information on upcoming races during the coming weeks in an area stretching from Binghamton to Watertown, see the Fleet Feet events calendar. LAST WEEKEND'S RACES: Race results from last Saturday's Socci Stiletto Stampede at Long Branch in Liverpool were not available on the event's website (soccistilettostampede.com) today. To see the complete results of the Fly by Night Duathlon held at the Watkins Glen Raceway Saturday evening, see the event's website at flybynightdu.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"He used a blue and silver worm harness on a bottom bouncer." Jacob Shandler, 15, holds up a nice walleye he caught on Oneida Lake. His father wrote: "He caught this 21" walleye on Oneida Lake Saturday. "He used a blue and silver worm harness on a bottom bouncer." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It weighed 20 pounds. He caught it off the lower Niagara River. Jim Pesane, of Brewerton, hold up an impressive lake trout he caught recently on Lake Ontario off the Lower Niagara River. Pesane said he caught the fish using 8-pound, fluorcarbon line in 25 feet of water drifting with a minnow. "Took 20 minutes to boat him," he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The photos were taken last year in Homer, Alaska. Mike Ladd, of Hannibal, wrote: "Here are a few pictures I took in Homer, Alaska last year while on vacation. I know it is not central New York but thought you mght like to see them. MIke Ladd "One picture is of an adult eagle and a young before the head turned white. The head shot is of one eagle that perched on a light pole at the campground and I was about 40 feet away on a second floor observation tower." Thanks for sharing, Mike. Mike Ladd Mike Ladd View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Her smile says it all. 9.25" beard, 1 3/8" spurs, 18-lbs. Brittany Giancola, of Lafayette, shot this nice gobbler on Mother's Day morning. Her father, Craig Giancoloa, wrote: "Brittany shot this at 10 a.m. today in Pompey. Her smile says it all. 9.25" beard, 1 3/8" spurs, 18-lbs. Happy Mothers Day. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The virus, which causes Elephant Man-like lesions on a turkey's head and legs, has already been found in the Maine population while biologists in New York are seeking further information to determine whether the disease has impacted their flock. Joan Wynn The following appeared in Outdoorlife.com: "Officials in both New York and Maine have issued alerts asking spring turkey hunters to help them identify birds that may be suffering from Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus (LPDV). The virus, which causes Elephant Man-like lesions on a turkey's head and legs, has already been found in the Maine population while biologists in New York are seeking further information to determine whether the disease has impacted their flock." Read the full story. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Individuals spotting a poacher or any lawbreaker while fishing or hunting should call the DEC as soon as possible, dialing either 1-800-TIPP-DEC or 426-7431. Wednesday, DEC officers Mark Colesante and Chrisman Starzcek, were out patrolling on Oneida Lake, along the south shore. They spotted Thomas A. Smith, of Brewerton, whom they knew had his fishing license revoked. "As the ECOs approached the boat, the man began moving about. ECOs told the man not to throw anything over the side," said Emily DeSantis, a DEC spokeswoman. "One fish was released, but one ECO was able to board the boat before any more fish could be dumped. The man was found to be in possession of 53 sunfish (limit is 50)." Smith was a ticketed for fishing while his license or privilege to fish was revoked, fishing without a valid license, over the limit of sunfish, failure to comply with a lawful order of an environmental conservation officer and failure to comply under the navigation law. Smith is due back in Town of West Monroe court on June 10. Individuals spotting a poacher or any lawbreaker while fishing or hunting should call the DEC as soon as possible, dialing either 1-800-TIPP-DEC or 426-7431. The cell phone numbers of local DEC officers are also listed in the DEC's hunting and fishing guides. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was 30 inches long and weighed 10 pounds! Timothy DePalma holds up a lunker walleye he caught recently while fishing on Otisco Lake. He caught it from shore fishing with a 3-pound, micro light action pole, he said. "And no net to boot," he added. It measured 30 inches and weighed 10 pounds, he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Send your questions to [email protected]. Include the phrase "Ask the Outdoors Guy" in the subject line. </p> <p></p> <p>Each week I get emails or phone calls from readers asking questions on everything from birding to bear hunting.</p> <p>I do my best. If I don't know the answer, I try to find someone who does. Rather than just help this one person, I figured I'd start a new occasional feature on this blog entitled, "Ask the Outdoors Guy" so other readers can learn as well.</p> <p>Have a question you'd like answered about the great outdoors -- or something that's happening wildlife-wise right in your backyard? Send me your questions and I'll see what I can do.</p> <p>Send your questions to [email protected]. Include the phrase "Ask the Outdoors Guy" in the subject line.</p> <p>I have two questions I fielded this week.</p> <p><strong>1). How did Nine Mile Creek get its name?</strong> (<em>The question was submitted by Leonard Leonard Pyzynski, a teacher in the Marcellus School District who said he was asked about by a student and added that he had no idea)</em>.</p> <p><strong>ANSWER</strong>: Nine Mile Creek flows out of Otisco Lake and empties about 26 miles away into Onondaga Lake. According to website I check out on the history of the town of Marcellus, the creek got its name "from the fact that it was nine miles from Onondaga Hollow, which at the time the first settlements were made at the Creek was the nearest settlement on the east. It was also nine miles to Buck's, the nearest settlement on the west."</p> <p>2). Do foxes really eat cats? (<em>The question came from a friend, David Connelly, who seriously questioned a story I told him this morning. I was driving to go turkey hunting and I saw a fox cross the road with what appeared to be a cat in its mouth.)</em></p> <p>ANSWER: I checked several websites and yes -- foxes on occasion do eat pets. Foxes are omnivores, which means they'll eat just about anything.</p> <p><strong>According to the U.S. Humane Society website:</strong> "By and large, foxes seem to pay little heed to adult cats, recognizing that they’re dealing with an animal often almost their same size, with a well-deserved reputation for self-defense. Smaller adult cats and kittens, however, could be easy prey for a fox. So may dog toy breeds."</p> <p>.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"This is the good stuff of Central New York and Upstate. This is the stuff we should all be working on, he said. There was only one state or federal politician – actually an aide – at the recent spring meeting of the Oneida Lake Association. The April 29 meeting, the organization’s 68th annual get-together, was highlighted by talks and updates on the lake and its fishery by DEC, Cornell and U.S. Agriculture Fish and Wildlife officials. The 3,000-member lake association takes pride in protecting the lake and its fishing/tourism industry, which generates millions of dollars annually and has resulted in thousands of local jobs. Angelo Roefaro, the regional director from U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s office, decided to sit in. He was recognized and welcomed publicly by OLA officials. I chatted with him briefly afterward. “I felt like I was watching a National Geographic education episode,” he said. “At first, you get the 30,000 foot up view (from the fishery experts) and then you get down to the problems, and you hear from the local fisher people. It’s a gold mine for information, especially for representatives.” He said it was interesting to learn about the cormorant issue and to get an update on efforts to control the numbers of this fish-eating bird on the lake. (Federal efforts to harass the birds and keep them off the lake was discontinued in 2010 and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, assisted by a band of local volunteers, is currently trying to pick up the slack with harassment efforts during the fall.) I asked it there were any partisan issues – reasons why any politician, state or federal, Democrat or Republican, would steer clear of this gathering. “Partisian issues? No, this is the good stuff of Central New York and Upstate. This is the stuff we should all be working on. Things like invasive species and helping anglers,” he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"He was 19 pounds with a 9-inch beard and 1-inch spurs," she said. Sue Bookout, of Cazenovia, poses with a nice gobbler she shot this week. She wrote: "I shot this mature tom this morning in Madison County. I heard a gobble a couple hundred yards away, so I quickly sat down and made a few yelps on the slate call. ":I heard one more gobble and knew he was coming my way, so I put the call down and readied my gun. In no time a jake appeared. He was real wary and went in the other direction, but right behind him was this mature tom with a beet red head. It unfolded very fast. "He was 19 pounds with a 9-inch beard and 1-inch spurs." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The trek is 1.3 miles long. Visitors two to 85 have made the trip with these unique animals. Owning llamas is a bit like opening up a bag of potato chips, said Dawn Bishop. “You just can’t have one,” she said, smiling. She and her husband, John, bought their first two back in 2001. Since then, they’ve expanded their llama herd to 17 at their farm in Tully called Woodmansee Farms. Initially, they took them to special llama shows and to the state fair. They’ve also took some to community events and parades and to “meet and greets” with local clubs and organizations, at schools and at nursing homes. Three years ago they embarked on a different venture – allowing visitors to take the llamas out on leashes for treks on their picturesque, 40-acre farm. The highlight is a stop at the property’s beautiful waterfall on Onondaga Creek. “It’s not a get-rich thing, but it does buy their feed,” said John. “Things are going well. We’ve been getting calls and reservations from people all over -- Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York City and a lot of folks from Rochester . The llama treks are offered from mid-May to October, said Dawn, a teaching assistant at BOCES, who runs the business with the assistance of her husband, who retired early from his job of building homes because of a back injury. The trail is about 1.3 miles long. “We’ve had people from two to 85 take the hike,” she said. Llammas, which are native to the Andes Mountains in South America, were used by the Inca Indians primarily as a beast of burden, a pack animal, along with shearing their fiber(hair) for clothing. A llama can get up to more than 400 pounds and is larger than an alpaca, another South American animal raised primarily for its fiber. Llammas can carry about a third of their body weight, Dawn said, but the Bishopss don’t allow visitors to ride them for liability and other issues. Their feet are padded, pretty much like a dog’s foot, an attribute that makes them more sure-footed on trails than a hooved horse or mule. The animals are “inexpensive to keep,” eating hay, grass in the summer and some grain,” Jack said. “Out west they use them as pack animals for things like elk hunting trips, or for stocking fish in way-out areas,” he added. The Bishops stress that llamas are mild-mannered, timid animals.Gary Walts | [email protected] The outings at Woodmansee Farms last two to three hours, depending on the size of the group, their interests and the amount of time they want to take pictures. Each outing begins with a visit to the fenced in pens where the animals are kept, where a question and answer period is held, in addition to a brief lesson on how to handle the animals. “People always ask whether these animals spit,” Jack said. “They really don’t spit at people, unless you’re doing something that hurts them, such as giving them a shot. But they do spit at each other, particularly when their eating, fighting over grain.” From there, each visitor is given a llama to lead and the group heads out on the meandering trail that courses through the Bishops’ property, which offers steep ravines, a mixed hardwood forest, a pond and the waterfall. It’s not unusual to see deer, squirrels, ducks or a fox along the way, Dawn said. The waterfall is located at the halfway point, There, the llamas are tied to trees and and fed hay. The Bishops pass out snacks and drinks and the hikers are then given about a half hour to kick back, relax and take pictures at the waterfall. “Often, the kids play in the water and look for things like crayfish,” she said. Dawn mentioned a couple of other interesting attributes about llamas. “Sometimes they’re used as guard animals. Some farmer put them out with their sheep. They’re bigger and will let out a warning call if something is out there that shouldn’t be out there,” she said. They’re also not hesitant to protect or assert themselves if needed with other animals. She told of one occasion where one of her alpacas “stomped a skunk.” Dawn stressed llamas, though, that llamas are mild mannered, timid animals. Each of the couple’s animals have names, including Morrie, Rundycup, Katrina and Zeus. ”They all their own personalities, too. That’s what’s so unique about them,” she said. More on llama treks: See the Woodmansee Farms website or call 696-8997. Cost is $30 per adults; $15 for children ages 5-12; children under 5 free. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It weighed 22 pounds. Tony Mangano, of Baldwinsville, shot this impressive gobbler on opening day at 6:10 a.m. in Camillus. He wrote: "He weighed 22 pounds, had an 8” beard, and 7/8” spurs. It was my first tom turkey!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Highlights this weekend include a nature walk along Skaneateles Lake and a wildlife festival at the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah CNY OUTDOORS CALENDAR Bird Festival: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Saturday, Derby Hill Bird Observatory on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario in Oswego County, located off Route 104B in Mexico. Live hawks, bird walks, nature activities, and kids' face painting have been scheduled throughout the day. Admission, parking free. For more, see the Ononodaga Aububon website at onondagaaudubon.com. Youth Trout Fishing Derby: 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Altmar Hotel Pavilion. Sponsored by Stillbrook Fish and Game Club. Barbecue from noon to 3 p.m. Cost is $2 for the derby, $10 for the barbecue. All proceeds go to Steven Esposito Memorial Scholarship Fund. Two age classes: 2 to 9 for pond fishing; 10 to 18 for river fishing. For more, call 298-6945 or email [email protected]. The Madcatter Regatta: May 17-19, Oneida Shores Park, Oneida Lake. Hosted by Hobie Cat Sailing Fleet 204 Hobie Cat Club. Features Hobie Cat sailing and competitors from all the country and Puerto Rico. For more see, fleet204.com. Fishing Heritage Day: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 18, South Otselic in Chenango County. Hosted by the Otselic Valley Fishing & Heritage Association in partnership with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Events will be at Otselic Town Park in South Otselic and the local DEC fish hatchery. For more information, including a schedule of all activities, see ovfish.org. Friends of NRA banquet: 4:3o p.m May 18, Rusty Rail Restaurant, Route 5, Canastota. Sponsored by Madison County Friends of the NRA. For more, call or email Denise at 247 5140 or at [email protected]. Women’s lake fishing seminar: 6 to 10 a.m. May 27, presented by Irish Knots Sports Fishing and OCFSC Women In Nature. Learn lake-trolling techniques. Equipment provided. Space Limited. $50. For details and registration, see [email protected] or call 243-7667. The Madcatter Regatta: May 17-19, Oneida Shores Park, Oneida Lake. Hosted by Hobie Cat Sailing Fleet 204 Hobie Cat Club. Features Hobie Cat sailing and competitors from all the country and Puerto Rico. For more see, fleet204.com. Wild Carp Week Triathlon: May 18-24, on the Seneca River in Baldwinsville. Tournament features $18,500 in prize money and 75 straight hours of fishing. For more, see wildcarpcompanies.com or email [email protected]. SAFETY COURSES: Gun: 6 to 9:30 p.m. May 21, 23, and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fayetteville Manlius Rod and Gun Club, 4545 Whetstone Road, Manlius. Register in person at the club from 10 a.m. to noon May 18. 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