HuntingNY-News

<p> " We had a great day catching approximately 30-35 quality smallmouth bass on tubes and swim baits," Cusano said. </p> <div id="asset-11859836" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="285" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11859836-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="cusano.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span><span class="caption"></span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> <p>Rapsody Rods pro staffer Tim Morrison, left, and Mike Cusano, of Clay, hold up four nice smallmouth bass they caught in the Mohawk River.</p> <p>Cusano wrote: "I was invited to fish the 2013 Snowstorm Open on the Mohawk River (Fultonville, NY) out of fellow Rapsody Rods Pro-Staffer, Tim Morrison’s boat this past Sunday .</p> <p>" We had a great day catching approximately 30-35 quality smallmouth bass on tubes and swim baits. And when the final fish was weighed we found ourselves in first place with an 8 fish team tournament limit of 28.34 pounds</p> <p>"We also claimed the tournament lunker, a 4.24 Mohawk River that I caught on a swim bait. All the fish weighed in came on tubes fished with a Rapsody Maestro Series (RMBS6101MXF) or swim baits fished with a Maestro Series RMBC701HF and a Bass Pro Shop Pro Qualifier Bait Caster. "</p> <p><strong>Top 3 Places:</strong><br /> <br />Morrison/Cusano – 28.34 pounds<br />Hoch/Bishop – 24.85 pounds<br />Andrews/Brown – 24.70 pounds</p> <p><br /> <br />Mike Cusano<br /> </p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He's giving the meat to the Venison Donation Program. Submitted photoCazenovia Realtor Sean F. Hagan, who I've written about before, poses with a nice buck his shot Nov. 8. It was an 8-pointer and dresssed out at 182 pounds. He wrote: "It was my 37th day of hunting this season when I was graced with the presence of this deer that I had missed 3 weeks earlier in the season. It was Thursday Nov. 8th in the afternoon and I was hunting on a property a couple miles south of the village of Caz. "I was high in a poplar tree above a section of golden rod and thorn apple trees and just down wind of a bedding area. There was a lot of activity with does and small bucks wandering in the area when out stepped my objective. "He was around 25 yards out and I stopped him In the only shooting lane that I had with a grunt and sent my G-5 Montec into the vital area and he went about 95 yards. "I will be giving my deer to Marsh Mill Ranch, a meat processor in Kirkville that participates in the Venison Donation Program. Help feed families in the CNY area this year! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He shot it last week. Submitted photo Griffin Noffey, 18, poses with a nice buck he shot with his bow last week near Buffalo. Noffey graduated from Baldwinsville High School last year, according to his older brother, Morgan. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It's all about helping a national study of birds by just observing and counting the birds that come to your feeder during the winter. There's a program about it this Saturday at the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah. USFWS photoEvening Grosbeak at a feeder. The following is a press release: Do you enjoy watching birds flock to your feeders in winter? The Montezuma Audubon Center will host a Project FeederWatch program at 2 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 17) for everyone to learn about an important project that turns this pastime into valuable data. Project FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of common feeder birds throughout North America. The data collected is used by scientists to look at long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance. Take part in this valuable program and enjoy your bird feeders a little more! A mile long walk to see common feeder birds and migrating waterfowl will follow an indoor presentation. Fee: $3/child, $5/adult, $15/family. Space is limited. Registration required. To register or for more information about the Montezuma Audubon Center, please call 315-365-3588 or email [email protected]. The Montezuma Audubon Center is located at 2295 State Route 89, Savannah. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was his first deer with a bow in 26 years. Submitted photo Bob Wojtecki, of East Syracuse, proudly poses with a nice, 7-point buck in got this his bow on Nov. 3 in Marcellus. He wrote: "The tips of his antlers were only 1/2" apart and he was my first deer with a bow in 26 years." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It’s all about giving the big fish in Lake Ontario something else to feed on, and in the process increasing the success rate of their spawning. USGS photoDeepwater ciscoes can grow up to a foot long. The ones being stocked, though, are about half that size. It’s all about giving the big fish in Lake Ontario something else to feed on, and in the process increasing the success rate of their spawning. That’s the reasoning behind a stocking effort that began this past week of stocking deepwater cisco, a baitfish, offshore from Oswego. It’s the result of a collaborative effort between state, federal and Canadian agencies. Deepwater cisco haven’t been seen in Lake Ontario in nearly 30 years. The last known fish was collected in 1983. This stocking program is a first in the Great Lakes. The baitfish grow up to 10-12 inches. They feed primarily on plankton and invertebrates in water depths from 180 feet to 650 feet. They once were an important food source for native lake trout, Atlantic salmon and burbot in Lake Ontario, said Jim Johnson, lab director for the USGS Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science in Cortland. By the mid-20th century, though, populations took a nose dive because of over-harvesting by anglers, along with competition from populations of invasive alewife and rainbow smelt. The downside of the deepwater cisco’s disappearance has been that lake trout and salmon that feed primarily on alewife can experience reproductive failure due to a vitamin B deficiency, caused by the chemical thiamanase in that baitfish. Fish that feed on native species like deepwater cisco, though, are less likely to experience problems with their eggs and fry, Johnson said. Chinook and coho salmon currently being raised at the state Department of Environmental Conservation hatchery in Altmar often have a B-1 deficiency and have to be bathed in Vitamin B-1 solution, he said. USGS photoDeepwater cisco in a fish tank at the USGS Tunison Lab in Cortland. The new deepwater cisco stocking program is a cooperative, effort between the DEC, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. The juvenile fish (about 5 inches long) stocked this past week originated from eggs collected by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service staff on Lake Michigan during January and February of this year. Eggs were hatched and juveniles reared at the Tunison Lab in Cortland, and the White Lake Fish Culture Station run by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. This year, a total of 21,000 will be stocked and the effort is expected to be long term, Johnson said. "This is unique. There’s nobody anywhere in the world, at any time, that’s tried to restore a forage species in a lake the size of Lake Ontario in order to restore the resilience of the native fish community," Johnson said. "If this is successful, it will make it more difficult for other invasive species to get a foothold on this part of the lake." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Have a interesting, lesson-learning or downright funny hunting tale to share? Send it to me at [email protected] or call 470-6066. The following story was submitted by Don Therre, of North Syracuse: Many years ago I was going hunting with my parents on opening day as was our tradition. It would start with an early breakfast at our house and then we’d head to our selected stands before daylight. We walked together along the trail until going our separate ways. “As this was my first time going to this spot in the dark, I decided to wait until I could make out the area my stand was in. Suddenly, my peripheral vision spotted movement about 6 feet away. “It was a skunk. I was a high school student at the time and visions of sitting in a tub full of tomato juice with a scrub brush didn’t appeal to me. “My first inclination was to run. The next thought was that any movement could be interpreted as provocation. I became a tree. Not just any tree, but an unwavering oak. “Coming closer, it smelled my boots for several tense minutes before apparently determining that I wasn’t food, shelter, a possible mate or any threat. It continuing on its way. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed for my stand. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

For further information about groups can partner with the DEC, go to the DEC website or call the DEC's Land and Forests offices in either Cortland of Sherburne. The following is a DEC press release: Proving that partnerships are the key to successful programs, the Upstate Cerebral Palsy Association is working with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to keep several of the State’s forests clean and litter free, DEC announced Friday. The association, located in Morrisville, Madison County, has been removing litter from Stoney Pond State Forest and Nelson Swamp Unique Area, two popular recreational spots in Madison County, twice a week for more than two years. Working in two groups with six people in each group, clients from Upstate’s Morrisville Day Habilitation remove an average of two bags of garbage each week from the two recreational areas that are popular with hikers, bird watchers, cross country skiers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. “This is an outstanding partnership between a local non-profit and DEC,” said DEC Regional Director Ken Lynch. “The Upstate Cerebral Palsy Association is providing a valuable service for DEC while the association’s clients are learning life skills and enjoying state lands. We are very appreciative of the work the group is undertaking and we commend their staff for working with us on this project.” Karen Lindsay, Director of Madison County Programs, reached out to DEC with the concept for this program. “Being able to enjoy the outdoors has always been important to me,” she said. “With state government reducing in size over the last several years, it made me realize that we have come to rely too much on the government instead of participating with them. I also knew how much the individuals at the Morrisville Day Habilitation enjoy being outdoors and contributing to society. Considering these things, I realized how wonderful it would be for the individuals to volunteer for DEC. “ Lindsay reached out to DEC staff in Sherburne who quickly realized the benefits of working with Lindsay and her clients. Upstate Cerebral Palsy operates under the DEC’s Adopt a Natural Resources Program (AANR) which allows DEC to enter into stewardship agreements with individuals and organizations for activities which help preserve or enhance natural resources on lands under its jurisdiction. Volunteerism is the cornerstone of this program. It is a means for completing work that helps preserve, maintain and enhance natural resources at minimum cost to the state. Such activities may involve remediating vandalism, picking up litter and trash, establishing or maintaining access or nature trails, providing interpretive services for school groups and other citizens, managing fish and wildlife habitats, and otherwise providing positive benefits to the natural resource. The Morrisville group works with several other non-profits in Madison County including the Cazenovia Art Park, Habitat for Humanity, Oneida Towers, Root Farm, SPCA and local churches. Volunteer activities provide the individuals with the opportunity to learn socialization skills and employment skills. “Those who work at the state lands are happy to do so. They think it is important to provide the community with a beautiful natural environment for recreational purposes,” continued Lindsay. As volunteer Christopher Kerifien said, “It’s nice to pick up the trash because it looks better. People shouldn’t be throwing stuff in the woods!” Upstate Cerebral Palsy is a multi-faceted human service agency that provides programs and services for children and adults who are physically, developmentally or mentally challenged and their families. For further information on the AANR program and how you or your group can partner with the DEC, go to the DEC's website , or contact either the DEC’s Land and Forests offices in either Cortland, 315-753-3095 or Sherburne, 607-674-4017. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

And at 67, hositing a 200-plus pound deer into the back of an SUV can be more of a challenge than getting the buck in the first place, he said. Tom McDaries, of Port Byron, recently shot this impressive buck with his bow in the town of Conquest. He wrote: "Constancy to purpose is the secret to success. I shot an arrow at this buck in Conquest on Oct 20 and missed. On Oct. 25, I placed a trail camera near a large tree rub where I had unsuccessfully aimed my arrow. "The morning, after the big storm,Sandy, following a full moon, It seemed like a good day to hunt. "I got started a little late and when I was going into the woods I spotted the buck walking out into a bean field. I dropped down in some brush and blew a couple loud grunts and he continued on his way. "I blew a couple more grunts and decided to continue to my tree stand, which was about 100 yards away through heavy brush, near where I had placed the camera a week earlier. Half way to the tree stand, I stopped again and blew the grunt call once and decided this was an exercise in futility. I climbed into the tree stand, sat down with the bow in my lap. "Within about three minutes he walked up behind me about 20 yards to the left, and my arrow hit the mark. Before leaving the woods I decided to retrieve my film from the camera and there was the huge buck staring back into the empty forest, and the darkness. "Bow hunting requires some level of skill and 95 percent luck. A mature buck is totally unpredictable and that's what makes archery interesting. In some ways they appear to be creatures of habit, but many things change those habits in a second. For the rest of the season I'll be hunting with my camera-, 24 power zoom, and you never have to drag anything other than the tripod. Every year it is a little harder getting a deer into the back of my truck. Maybe I need a winch. At 67, hoisting a 200-plus pound deer into the back of an SUV can be more of a challenge than getting the buck in the first place. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The deer after being field dressed weighed nearly 200 pounds, he said, Submitted photoPaul Brennan shot this huge 9-point buck near Weedsport on Nov. 3. He shot it with his Mathews Z7 Extreme bow at about 20 yrds away. The deer after being field dressed weighed nearly 200 pounds, he said, and had a green rack score of 161 7/8. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It green scored 126 and weighed 150 pounds. Submitted photo Roger Sawyer, of Georgetown, arrowed this 10- point buck on Oct. 3 in the town of Georgetown. The buck green scored 126 inches on its antlers and weighed 150 pounds. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Hunters should make sure their guns shoot accurately. There's a sight in session set for this weekend at the Camillus Sportsmen's Club. </p> <p></p> <p><br /><div id="asset-11840060" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="254" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11840060-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2012-11-07-mg-gun1.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Michelle Gabel/The Post-Standard</span><span class="caption">BILL PARFITT,president of the Camillus Sportsmen’s Club, demonstrates how to sight in a shotgun to make sure it’s shooting straight. <br /></span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div><br /> Are you a member of the gang that can’t shoot straight?</p> <p>If you’re a hunter, it may not be you. It might be your gun.</p> <p>Opening day of the firearms season for deer hunting in the Southern Zone is Nov. 17. If you haven’t already, it’s time to sight-in your gun, making sure it’s working properly and shoots where you want it to.</p> <p>A good place to do that is your local rod and gun club, with assistance from experienced shooters. This weekend, the Camillus Sportsmen’s Club is offering public sight-in sessions.</p> <p>“We’ve been doing this here for more than 20 years,” said Dick Masterpole, who organizes the event for the club.</p> <p>The sessions are scheduled from 9:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the club, located at 5801 Devoe Road. Shooters will be charged $3 for the first gun, and $1 for every additional firearm. Participants will be assigned to club members to oversee their actions.</p> <p>Shooters will be set up on a bench and shoot sitting down, resting their firearm on a sandbag.</p> <p>The idea is to get at least three shots in a “group” — within a couple of inches of each other on a target. If you’re shooting high, low or to the left or right, your iron sights or scope may need to be adjusted.</p> <p>In the cases of shotguns with bird barrels, where there’s just a bead at the end of the barrel for aiming, the shooter will have to learn to shoot his or her firearm using “Kentucky windage.”</p> <p>“You can’t adjust anything. So if you’re gun is shooting low, you learn to aim it high. Shooting to the left, you aim to the right and so forth,” Masterpole said.</p> <p>In regard to ammunition, Masterpole recommended that shooters use the same brand when sighting in their guns that they do when hunting. Guns can drastically change in their shooting accuracy from one brand to another.</p> <p>“Also, not all guns will shoot everything,” he said. “It pays to do a little research before coming.”</p> <p>Masterpole stressed that safety is the top concern at the sessions.</p> <p>“You can only load up when you’ve been assigned a bench. No one is allowed to shoot unless a club member is by their side,” Masterpole said.</p> <p>Last year, during the Saturday morning session, an 8-point buck walked across the range.</p> <p>“It happens every year,” Masterpole said. “They were born and live (in the nearby woods) here. The shooting from the range doesn’t bother them a bit. We just call a cease-fire when it happens.”</p> <p><strong>For more </strong>Call the Camillus Sportsmen’s Club at 672-8331 or Dick Masterpole at 963-8974. </p> <div id="asset-11840063" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="257" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11840063-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2012-11-07-mg-gun2.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Michelle Gabel/The Post-Standard</span><span class="caption">Parfitt checks out his shots on a target.</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> The wife said she and her husband just can'tget over the fact that the doe has managed to successfully breed each year. To date, she has had four sets of two fawns. </p> <p>Sue Lado, of Jack’s Reef, told me this week that she and her husband, Jason, have been watching a three-legged deer near their home for the past four years.</p> <p>“We’re not sure what happened. It might have been hit by a car, or a hunter may have shot it off,” she said. “All she has on her right rear leg is the hip, with nothing below it. I remember that first year seeing her down by the river, licking it by the water.”</p> <p>Lado said the doe disappears during the warmer months. Each fall, around hunting time, she comes back and hangs around their property on the Seneca River.</p> <p>Despite her handicap, the doe is pretty quick.</p> <p>“If you make too much noise or get too close, her tail goes up and she’s in the woods. She’s very smart,” Lado said.</p> <p>Lado said she and her husband just can’t get over the fact that the doe has managed to successfully breed each year. To date, she has had four sets of two fawns.</p> <p>“It’s crazy, but you know how guys are. It doesn’t matter. God bless her,” she said. <br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> The hog could have come from the nearest breeding population, which is on the border of Onondaga and Cortland counties, said Associate Professor Paul Curtis, the Extension Wildlife Specialist at Cornell University. </p> <p><strong>I don't make this stuff up.</strong></p> <p>The Utica Observer reported the following:<br />"Utica police officers shot and killed a wild boar Wednesday afternoon — in the city.</p> <p>" Around 3:15 p.m., residents reported a wandering pig acting aggressively in the area of Bleecker Street, near Culver Avenue. Sgt. Steve Hauck said the pig became aggressive toward the officers and they shot and killed the 200-pound animal," the newspaper reported.</p> <p><a href="http://www.uticaod.com/features/x1292890218/UPD-shoots-200-lb-wild-boar-in-downtown-Utica">Read the full story.</a></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Don't forget. All persons aboard a pleasure vessel (boat, canoe, kayak) less than 21 feet long, regardless of age, must wear a personal flotation device from now until May 1. CNY FISHING FORECAST All persons aboard a pleasure vessel (boat, canoe, kayak) less than 21 feet long, regardless of age, must wear a personal flotation device from now until May 1. SALMON RIVER Both the lower and upper fly fishing sections are open. There are still some coho salmon spawning in the mid-to-upper river in the riffle areas, but their days are numbered. Steelhead fishing has picked up in the lower river as these fish enter to feed on the abundant salmon eggs. Good baits are egg-imitating flies and plastics, and streamers such as egg-sucking leeches. Other lures working right now include blue egg sacs, stonefly patterns in sizes 6-8, and 10mm Ontari-roe beads. OSWEGO RIVER The main sportfish in the river right now are steelhead and brown trout, with driftboat anglers having success. The salmon run is just about over. Good baits have been egg sacs, beads and egg-imitating flies. The bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are mandatory personal flotation device zones on the Oswego River below the Varick Dam. ONEIDA LAKE Yellow perch fishing has been good in 12 to 15 feet, with worms and fathead minnows working. A few walleye are being taken by shore anglers casting stickbaits (minnow-imitating plugs like Rapalas or Storm Thundersticks) at night. Overall though, the fall walleye fishing continues to be slow, and anglers have really had to work to get a few fish. Generally during the fall, walleye move into the shallows just before and after dark to feed on gizzard shad. Casting stickbaits in black and silver or blue and silver usually works for these fish. Try fishing in Big Bay, off Cleveland and near buoys 119 and 121. CAYUGA LAKE With the low water, there is still no salmon or brown trout activity to report in the tributaries. SENECA LAKE Yellow perch are being caught on the south end off the pier, near the salt plant and in the vicinity of Severne Point. Northern pike fishing has been good on the south end. Try large minnows fished under a bobber. There were very few reports from trout anglers, but jigging for lake trout should be good near points. OWASCO LAKE Panfishing continues to be good around the lake. Use worms and fathead minnows. Vertical jigging with plastics in 75 to 110 feet on the north end is still producing lake trout. OTISCO LAKE No new information. The current lake level continues to make launching larger boats tricky for some anglers. SKANEATELES LAKE A few yellow perch, bass and an occasional rainbow are being caught, but overall the fishing has been slow. Try the north end for smallmouth. Use hard and soft jerkbaits, tubes and hair jigs. SODUS BAY Yellow perch are being caught in 20 feet off points on jigs tipped with spikes. The low water is making launching boats difficult for some. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER The water is still low. Muskie anglers are out, but there have been no reports of noteworthy catches. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR The reservoir has returned to normal levels after being drawn for maintenance. Launching boats is no longer a problem. Because of the interruption there hasn’t been much in the way of fishing reports. However, due to the time of the year, walleye fishing should be good using stickbaits such as Rapalas, and also by jigging. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I took first and third places in the newspaper feature category, and third in the column category as well. John Berry/The Post-StandardJay Matteson says some of his friends have been critical of his hunt-and-text approach, but others like the play-by-play account of what he’s doing and seeing. The press release below is from the New York State Outdoors Writers Association. I won three awards at the group's annual fall conference -- two first places for best newspaper feature and column; and a third place for best newspaper feature as well. The winning feature was about Jefferson County deer hunter Jay Matteson, who texts from his treestand with his Blackberry, putting entries on his Facebook page while hunting. The winning column was about my friends, Jack and Karen Haggerty, of Skaneateles, who each summer get lion dung from the zoo and spread it on their garden to keep the rabbits away. The third place winner for newspaper features was my piece on Central New Yorkers who dine on Mother Nature's B Menu, eating such game as woodchucks, muskrats and raccoons.</strong> The press release follows: The New York State Outdoor Writers Association presented the winners of its annual writing and photography recognition program with carved duck decoy first-place awards and second- and third-place certificates and cash awards at the annual banquet of the organization at the Four Points by Sheraton in Niagara Falls, N.Y on Saturday evening, Oct. 20. The organization of 100 active members—professional communicators—and several dozen supporting members from the outdoor and travel industry—gathered in Niagara County Oct. 18-21 for its annual conference. The Excellence in Craft writing competition and Janice M. Keesler Memorial Photo Contest, co-sponsored by Ducks Unlimited, The Sportsman Channel and Redding Reloading Equipment, were judged by respected professionals of national repute from outside the organization. The photo competition was administered by Bridget Keesler, daughter of the namesake of the photo competition, who played a major role in initiating and administering the photo awards program in its earliest days. The Excellence in Craft writing recognition program was administered by Archer of Fulton, who was elected NYSOWA’s president at the conference. First-place winners in the writing competition for articles published in 2011 were: Newspaper Feature—David Figura, Skaneateles, for “Tree-stand Texter,” in the Oct. 28 Post Standard; Magazine Feature—Angelo Peluso, Port Jefferson, for “Long Island’s Secret Steelhead,” in the June On The Water; Magazine Column—Leo Maloney, Sherrill, for “Adirondack Whitetails,” in Spring North American Whitetail; Newspaper Column—David Figura, Skaneateles, for “Lion Dung Keeps Bunnies at Bay,” in the July 15 Post Standard Oneida Daily Dispatch; and Online Publication—Angelo Peluso, for “Fishing and the Outdoors: Long Island’s backyard wildlife” in the Dec. 21 northshoreoflongisland.com. John Berry/The Post-StandardAfrican lion dung from lions at the Rosamond GIfford Zoo is finding its way into some CNY gardens. In the photo competition, first-place winners were: Hunting and Fishing—Angelo Peluso, Port Jefferson; Outdoor Scenic—Michael Sargent, Middleport; Outdoor Recreation—Leo Maloney, Sherrill; Published Photograph—Oak Duke, Wellsville; and Wildlife, Mike Lynch, Saranac Lake. A complete list of first- to third-place finishers follows: Excellence in Craft writing competition winners: Newspaper Feature--1. David Figura, "Tree-stand Texter," Post-Standard -- Oct. 28; 2. Mike Lynch, "Legendary Guide Jim Goodwin Dies at 101," Adirondack Daily Enterprise – April 11; 3. David Figura "Nature’s ‘B’ Menu," Post Standard – Sept. 16. Magazine Feature—1. Angelo Peluso, "Long Island’s Secret Steelhead," On The Water – Oct.; 2. Angelo Peluso, "Arti-fish-ial Intelligence," Tide – May-June; 3. Mike Kelly, "Are New York’s Famous Trout Streams as Good as Advertised?" New York Game and Fish – June. Newspaper Column: 1. David Figura, "Lion Dung Keeps Bunnies at Bay," Post-Standard – July 15; 2. Angelo Peluso, “That’s One Tenacious Spider,” Times Beacon Record -- Sept. 15; 3. Leon Archer, "My Old Friend," Oswego County Weeklies – Oct. 14. Magazine Column: 1.Leo Maloney, “Adirondack Whitetails,” North American Whitetail – Spring; 2. Tom Schlichter, “There’s More to Being a Mate,” The Fisherman -- June 23; 3. Fred Golofaro, “In the Heat of the Night,” The Fisherman – July 21;. Online Publication: 1. Angelo Peluso, “Fishing and the Outdoors: Long Island’s Backyard Wildlife” northshoreoflongisland.com -- Dec. 21; 2. Bill Hilts, Jr., “A Rendezvous with Shooting and History,” nssf.org – Sept. 26; 3. Bill Hilts, Jr., “4-H Shooting Sports Program Takes Aim on Future,” nssf.org – May 31. Janice M. Keesler Memorial Photo Competition winners: Hunting and Fishing: 1. Angelo Peluso; 2. Bill Hollister, 3. Chris Kenyon. Outdoor Scenic: 1. Michael Sargent; 2. Mike Lynch; 3. Paul Schnell. Outdoor Recreation: 1. Leo Maloney; 2. Chris Kenyon; 3. Dan Ladd. Published: 1. Oak Duke; 2. Angelo Peluso; 3. Bill Hollister; Wildlife: 1. Mike Lynch; 2. Michael Sargent; 3. Angelo Peluso. PASS-IT-ON AWARD Ron Kolodziej was this year’s recipient of the Pass It On Award. This award is sponsored jointly by NYSOWA and Bass Pro Shops. To stress the importance of passing on our outdoor heritage to others, Bass Pro Shops sponsors this annual award and donates $300 to the scholarship fund of NYSOWA in the name of the recipient. A committee solicits nominations and chooses the writer who is most deserving of this award. Ron Kolodziej of Fonda, NY has been an instructor in hunter education and bow hunter education for many years. Many of his former students have gone on to become instructors or become involved in youth activities themselves. He was one of the key founders, and has a long time involvement in the Reids Hills Fish & Game Club kids fishing program. He has been a long time outdoor columnist in the “Amsterdam Recorder”, “Hamilton County Express”, and the” Sacandaga Express” and for many years was a regional editor for the “New York Sportsman” magazine. His writing in the Amsterdam papers and “New York Sportsman” magazine educated people on where and how to pursue outdoor sports. His writing in the above publications also stressed the importance of ethics, sportsmanship, and conservation. Ron has been an active member and past president of the New York State Outdoor Writers’ Association and is an inductee in the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame. M.PAUL KEESLER NEW YORK OUTDOOR CITIZEN AWARD The late Ed Feldmann was named as the recipient of the New York State Outdoor Writers’ Association M. Paul Keesler New York Outdoor Citizen Award. Feldmann was recognized for his outstanding efforts on creating awareness and significant achievement as an ambassador for New York’s outdoors. The award was created in the name of one of NYSOWA’s most beloved and active members, M. Paul Keesler, the deceased co-founder of “New York Sportsman” magazine. Keesler, through his writing and publishing efforts, spent nearly five decades promoting and conserving the outdoor wonders and recreational opportunities within New York State. The award recognizes an individual or organization that effectively has raised the public’s awareness of outdoor recreational opportunities and conservation issues in the state. Nominations could be made by the public, as well as by NYSOWA members. Ed Feldmann was the essence of what the NYSOWA M. Paul Keesler New York Outdoor Citizen Award represents. As both a public affairs officer for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources and as a professional broadcaster and writer on hunting, fishing and conservation, he was truly an ambassador for New York’s outdoors. Ed developed personal relationships with communicators and delivered in a timely and thorough manner the information they needed for their work communicating on New York’s outdoor treasures and challenges. It was not only professional communicators, however, with whom he worked. To see Ed at the DEC booth at the several consumer sportsman’s shows at which it exhibited was to watch a true ambassador. He was knowledgeable of the state’s outdoor treasures and he was quick to discuss them with everyone and encourage them to enjoy New York’s outdoor resources. Ed also hosted a long-running radio show in the Capital District on Sunday mornings. Here he could alert people to opportunities and issues and answer their questions. Through his regularly appearing articles in The New York Sportsman Magazine and Outdoor Bytes, he reached people through a traditional magazine and a new-age electronic publication. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Apart from the one this weekend at the Camillus Sportsmen's Club, are there any other sighting-in sessions open to the public this weekend or any time next week? Contact me at [email protected] or by calling 470-6066. Peter Chen/The Post-StandardBrent Teft, of Camillus, sights in the scope on his Savage .270 Winchester rifle last year at the Camillus Sportsmen's Club's public sight-in weekend. We're in the thick of the fall hunting season. The Southern Zone firearms season for deer opens Nov. 17. Here's what's on tap this week on the outdoors pages of The Post-Standard. FRIDAY: Main piece: Now is as good at time as ever to make sure you're gun is shooting straight. Some basics to consider for both shotguns and rifles. Plus, this weekend (both Saturday and Sunday) is the annual sight-in session at the Camillus Sportsmen's Club. ((ANY OTHER SIGHTING-IN SESSIONS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? CONTACT ME at [email protected] or by calling 470-6066. Column: A story about a 12-year-old Cazenovia boy who just learned how to fly fish and how he caught a lunker steelhead. SUNDAY: Main piece: More "Tales from the Woods," a story about a Liverpool guy who won a chance to hunt moose, thanks to the Maine moose hunting lottery; a memory about a deer hunter who almost stepped on a skunk while setting up in the early morning ; a story about a father who brought his 10-year-old daughter along when he successfully arrowed a 10-point buck. Column: DEC and U.S. Fish and Wildlife now stocking deep water cisco (a baitfish in Lake Ontario). They were raised at Tunison Lab in Cortland, after initially being netted in one of the other Great Lakes. In coming weeks, I'd like to write about the following outdoors activities. If you know someone who does these activities, contact me ASAP: -- Anyone who has arrowed a wild boar this hunting season. -- Someone who still has a license to fish commercially for perch in Lake Ontario with gill nets. -- Someone who's willing to talk about the history and current situation concerning the floating duck blinds at the end of Cayuga Lake that are put out every year. - Someone who hunts rabbits and squirrels with the aid of falcons or hawks. (Actually, if you hunt squirrels or rabbits with a firearm I'd like to hear from you.) - Anyone who would make a good candidate for The Post-Standard's Heroes of Conservation Award. Questions? See the previous story I wrote about this. ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> "I drew a moose tag for a Bull in Maine’s moose lottery this year. I never expected to," he said. </p> <div id="asset-11833689" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="285" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11833689-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="Moose Pic 2.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span><span class="caption"></span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> <p><strong>Mike Pellizzari, of Liverpool, shared the following hunting tale with me. </strong></p> <p>He wrote: "I drew a moose tag for a Bull in Maine’s moose lottery this year. I never expected to.</p> <p>"There are 10s of thousands people in the lottery and somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 permits issued and only 10% of those for non-residents. I presumed I’d build preference points (you get these if you are not drawn and they go in for future chances) for a future hunt – maybe.</p> <p>"I drew in Wildlife Management District (WMD) 17 which is nearly in the middle of the state and nor particularly note for Moose. Maine allows one swap between permit holders. I was able to swap with somebody who had a Bull Permit for WMD 4, an area further north and much better for Moose. </p> <p>"I did my homework and found husband and wife guides Troy and Cheree Conrad of Sunrise Ridge Guide Service and Sporting camps (www.sunriseridgeguide.com) out of Bingham ME. I couldn’t have been more pleased. This was my first guided hunt, a hunt of a lifetime for me.</p> <p>"WMD 17 is remote, the Maine North Woods. The towns have names like TR7 R17 WELS. Much, if not all the land is owned by paper and timber companies. We drove past Pelletier Brothers Camp. (See the Discovery Channel American Loggers).</p> <p>"We stayed in large wall tents heated with wood stoves.</p> <p>"Monday September 24th was the first day of the hunt. By 5:00 AM we were scouting logging roads in a pickup. While it was still dark, Troy spotted a large Bull and a Cow in the road. I caught a quick glimpse with the binoculars just before they ran into the woods. We drove a ways past where they went in and parked to wait for legal shooting time. Troy had a plan. We would go back to where they went in and “go after them aggressive”. I’m used to hunting whitetails so it was strange to make plenty of noise. Troy beat the brush with a moose shoulder blade; looks like the blade of a canoe paddle. He also called with a birch bark Moose call and broke branches. I had my compound bow; Cheree carried my 30-06 unloaded. (Guides cannot carry loaded weapons for clients). By the way legal implements for Moose in Maine are rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, handgun, bow and crossbow). </p> <p>"We broke into a clearing and Troy said “Get Ready!”</p> <p>"A Bull Moose stepped into view with about 54” -56” spread, double brow tines and went in excess of 900 lbs. He slowly swayed his huge antlers from side to side challenging the other “Bull” he heard to a fight to defend his cow.</p> <p>" I had a bow sling on my bow. In my excitement, I put the sling on wrong and could not draw my bow! The Bull had enough of my nonsense and left me standing there at 12 – 15 yards!</p> <p>"While I was disappointed in my blowing the chance to shoot a really nice Bull, I was thrilled to have such a fantastic hunt. It was unbelievable!</p> <p>"As the balance of the next couple of days went by, I turned down a couple of “small” bulls in the 40” range.</p> <p>"Wednesday September 28 rolled around and I was wondering about the “small” ones I let walk. I could hunt until Sunday but had decided I’d look to take a nice Bull. I would know what that was when I saw it.</p> <p>"With 25 minutes left in legal shooting time, we spotted a Bull in a cut at about 75 yards. I got onto my shooting sticks with my Remington 760 pump in 30-06 and fired. The Bull barely reacted! In my excitement, I managed to jam the rifle. Quick as thinking, Troy told me to give him the rifle, cleared the jam and handed it back, “Take him!” The second shot put him down.</p> <p>"What a wonderful feeling! What a spectacular animal! I will treasure all of the hunt and the new friendship I made with Troy and Charee.</p> <p>"I mentioned it was a hunt of a lifetime for me. Well, the next week Troy and Cheree donated a real Hunt of a Lifetime to a 7 year old boy, Wyatt Newhard, who is terminally ill with cancer. (Maine donates 2 Moose tags each year to Hunt of a Lifetime They were Successful with Wyatt and he got a nice moose. That is the kind of people Troy and Cheree are.</p> <p>"As for the “numbers” of my moose, he has a spread of 36” seven points, and an estimated live weight of 750 pounds. The table fare is excellent."</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I never get tired of seeing them and watching how they interact...and change as the seasons progress." Submitted photo Margie Manthey, of Marietta, snapped this interesting photos of deer on her property. "They are used to seeing me every day when I feed my horse or turn him out. Some days they are more tolerant. I got to watch a very "big baby" nursing yesterday -- his poor mother! She was almost knocked over. "I never get tired of seeing them and watching how they interact...and change as the seasons progress." Submitted photo Submitted photo Submitted photo Submitted photos View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He had caught his first trout on a fly only two weeks before. Submitted photoBen Stevens, 12, holds up a nice steelhead he caught on a fly on South Sandy Creek, a Lake Ontario tributary. His father, Gordon Stevens, wrote: "My son and I have learned to fly fish this year and two weeks ago he took his first brown trout on a fly. This past weekend fishing with Tony Gugino, a guide in Pulaski, we had great success. "Ben caught this lunker among the four he landed on Nov. 4 We said he'd go flyfishing with a guide if he get's straight A's and now I don't think he will waiver from those marks! All fish were released to spawn and get bigger!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> "I could not have been happier. It was a great deer, a quick kill and a fantastic experience! It more than made up for all the times we go in the woods and never see a creature. " </p> <div id="asset-11826505" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="570" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11826505-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="denismoneydeer.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span><span class="caption"></span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> Dennis Money, has been instrumental in getting the white deer tourism tours at the Seneca Army Depot this fall, is also a bow hunter. He wrote the following about a nice nine-pointer he arrowed on his ranch near Canandaigua. <p>Money wrote: "Today evolved into an incredible experience, not only because I harvested a very nice 9 pt drop tine buck but everything else that encompassed leading up to the final moments. </p> <p>"About 15 minutes after climbing up into my tree stand my greatest archery experience started. Out of now where a big buck (I figured an 8 pt) charged into our Xmas trees then circled in front of me at a fast run but always looking over its shoulder. He disappeared into some old growth firs and as I looked up another large buck was seen chasing after him. Wow! What a great start to the day.</p> <p>"Soon after that, a small buck appeared, the first of seven seen today. While I studied him, on my left I noticed a big buck coming out of the thicket. When he appeared I could tell he was a beauty with a nice high rack on this right side and a lower rack with a drop tine on the left. He came out into the goldenrod and walked around about 50 yards away and he then kept this up for about 45 minutes, obviously getting me excited but knowing I had no chance at that distance.</p> <p>"During this time the area virtually exploded with bucks of all sizes - a spike, a 3pt, 4pt, 2, six pts etc and each time they would approach the big guy who would take one step towards them and they they all backed off. Quite humorous. the other big buck never showed up.</p> <p>"And so it went, the big guy teasing me by hanging out of range and moving back and forth into the thicket rubbing his antlers. I then decided to climb down and try stalking the buck. I figured it was a low percentage but still a percentage and so I started to ease myself down the stand when suddenly I realized there as a spike buck only 15 yards away who would give me away if he saw me so I eased back up and waited. When the spike finally moved out of the danger zone, I crept down the stand and started my stalk.</p> <p>"Since I had cover at first, I carefully approached the field and saw him still in the thicket. I then dropped to my knees and started crawling to within 20 yards. At this point, I figured this is as close as I am going to get so lets go for the gold! I slowly stood up and released the arrow. I saw the arrow hit too far back I( I thought), as the buck bolted and headed away. My heart was pounding and I let out a big relief hoping that by some stroke of good luck I had my buck.</p> <p>"I went over to the strike area and started to follow the trail I thought the buck had taken. I soon found blood and then the broken top half of the arrow. I decided to follow the blood trail for a short ways just to see what direction he was heading before I backed off. I had gone about 75 yards and the blood trail was getting better but I have been down this path before and never found the deer I was tracking so I didnt want to get my hopes up. Then I looked up the hill and saw the white tail and the "brown log" of the dead deer. It turned out to be a perfect shot which I was grateful for.</p> <p>"I could not have been happier. It was a great deer, a quick kill and a fantastic experience! It more than made up for all the times we go in the woods and never see a creature. It will probably not happen again but I don't care. This was a totally awesome experience."</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He was fishing offshore at Sylvan Beach Submitted photo Cory Wasielewski, of Baldwinsville, holds up a nice walleye he said measured 30 inches. He caught it fishing offshore at Oneida Lake Sunday evening at Sylvan Beach. He hooked the fish at about 5:15 p.m. using a with a blue and silver-colored countdown stickbait lure. The fish weighed about 8 pounds, he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The presentation will look into the secret world of sandhill cranes, their natural history and the recent expansion of nesting cranes into the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. The following is a press release: Join us at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 3395 US Route 20 East, Seneca Falls, NY— Saturday, November 17 for our Nature of Montezuma Lecture Series. Jim Eckler, a Wildlife Biologist for NYSDEC, will reveal the hidden world of sandhill cranes in western New York! You will learn the natural history of the sandhill cranes in western New York State; the presentation will look into the secret world of sandhill cranes, their natural history and the recent expansion of nesting cranes into the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. Jim Eckler is a Wildlife Biologist for NYSDEC and a regional waterfowl specialist. He manages public wildlife management areas in Wayne and Seneca Counties, including the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. The program will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m. The series is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. If you are interested in sponsoring this series, please contact Chris Lajewski at the Montezuma Audubon Center, 315/365-3580, or Andrea VanBeusichem at the Montezuma NWR, 315/568-5987, ext. 228. Fee: Free to members of the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex; $5 for adult non-members; $3 for students and seniors non-members. Your fee will help fund future programs. For more information, contact Tasha Daniels at 315/568-5987 ext. 229, [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It's actually a model intended for educational purposes. Submitted photo The following is a press release: NY Sturgeon For Tomorrow was formed to promote the restoration of sturgeon in New York through public education and participation. We are excited to announce the purchase of a life-size, 7 foot replica sturgeon mount for use in educational displays to capture the awe-inspiring prestige of these magnificent fish. The sturgeon mount was obtained through a educational grant from the North American Native Fishes Association, through their Gerald C. Corcoran Education Grant Program. The sturgeon mount and accompanying display are intended for use at public education displays, and are now freely available for short-term loan to environmental groups, angler associations, universities, researchers, fish hatcheries, state and federal agencies, public and private schools, local zoos, and other pertinent groups. If your school or agency has any fish or environmental related displays, educational programs, meetings, or exhibitions we would strongly encourage you to consider borrowing this exhibit for your program. At shows and meetings we have done in the past, this incredible life-size sturgeon mount was found to be an extremely popular display. The replica mount is housed at the Cornell University Biological Field Station in Syracuse, NY, and loans coordinated by Tom Brooking at the contact information listed below. Please feel free to contact us anytime and reserve this great display piece for your next program or show, and forward this announcement to any other parties you think may be interested. Also, please feel free to visit our website or Facebook page for further information about sturgeon in this state, or to join and become a volunteer. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"After he made the shot, the deer dropped after running about 40 yards. Submitted photo Bowhunter Brian Russell related the following tale of his 8-point buck, which he got with his bow in Georgetown. Russell wrote: "I heard the buck blow, turned around in my stand, and saw him walking right toward me. "I stopped him in a shooting lane; shot him at about 15 yards and he only ran about 40 yards. "No tracking required. " View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog