HuntingNY-News

It's one of the largest private property sales in the history of the area. The sale price was $12.4 million. From what I can tell, no noteworthy changes are in store for the multitude of outdoors enthusiasts who in the past have used the land and its waters.(See locator map.) One of the largest private property sales in the history of the Tug Hill quietly went down this summer, with no news releases or press conferences. In August, the Cortland-based Farm East, LLC, sold nearly 28,000 acres of wooded, undeveloped land to Salmon River Timberlands, which is a subsidiary of Woodwise Land Company, LLC. The sale price was more than $12.4 million. The land, located in the southwest corner of the Tug Hill region, is not all connected and spreads across four counties — Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis and Oneida. The majority of the property (more than 19,300 acres) is located in Oswego County. From what I can tell, no noteworthy changes are in store for the multitude of outdoors enthusiasts who in the past have used the land and its waters. Woodwise, a Scottsville-based business, owns more than 70,000 wooded acres in three states, with the majority of it in New York. According to the company’s website, Woodwise is “a private timberland investment company that actively seeks to purchase high-quality timberlands throughout New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and the rest of the Northeast. “We firmly believe in the principles of sustainable forestry. We manage our woodlands under these standards to insure wood, water, and recreation for current and future generations,” the website says. Matt Smith, director of operations for the company, said he’s been in touch with the 14 private rod and gun/hunting clubs that were previously leasing land for hunting and other purposes from Farm East. He said all those leases have since been renewed with his company. He also noted there’s some prime waterways that anglers have enjoyed in the past on the land — most notably, sections of the Mad River, a high-quality trout stream. All previous public access will remain, he said. Smith acknowledged that there’s also more than 11 miles of snowmobile trails that course through the property and that no one has contacted him yet about their use this winter. However, he noted the trails mostly cross land being leased by the sportsmen’s clubs and that they would probably be the ones to contact. He said the land offers a wide variety of timber, including hard and sugar maple, black cherry, birch “and lots of hemlock and ash.” He noted the company employs three full-time foresters to help manage its land. Marty Webster, of the Oswego County real property tax office, said he’s heard the company is “very high tech, using the best technology and scientific approaches available” for timberland management. “The price paid shows what timberland is worth in that neck of the woods,” he added. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

While there is pending (crossbow) legislation that may impact future youth hunts, until it has been acted on, the DEC's regulations remain in effect. The following is a DEC press release: The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has confirmed that junior hunters ages 14-15 will be able to hunt deer during a special youth firearms deer season over Columbus Day Weekend this year, Oct. 6-8.[ “Implementation of this youth deer hunt is a hallmark moment for New York hunters and represents continued efforts of DEC to engage more young people in nature and outdoor recreation,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. The youth deer hunt will take place Columbus Day weekend in both the Northern Zone and Southern Zone; a youth hunt was not established on Long Island due to restrictions in the Environmental Conservation Law. Junior hunters (ages 14-15) with a big game hunting license will be eligible to take one deer of either sex with a firearm when properly accompanied by a licensed and experienced adult. Junior hunters may use a Deer Management Permit or Deer Management Assistance Program tag for an antlerless deer or, during the youth firearms season only, they may use their regular season tag to take a deer of either sex. In areas restricted to bowhunting only (Westchester County and parts of Albany and Monroe counties), junior hunters may only use bowhunting equipment to take deer during the youth hunt weekend. “Bowhunting seasons remain open during the youth hunt, but I encourage bowhunters to set your bow aside for the weekend and be a mentor for a youth’s first firearms deer hunt,” Commissioner Martens stated. While there is pending (crossbow) legislation that may impact future youth hunts, until it has been acted on, DEC’s regulations remain in effect. More details of the Youth Firearms Deer Hunt and rules for junior hunters and their mentors are available on the DEC Web site.. DEC also offers special opportunities for junior hunters (ages 12-15) for waterfowl, wild turkey, and pheasants. See the DEC Web site for more on these hunts. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A total of 131,000 brown trout and brook trout were destroyed earlier this week at the hatchery. “DEC does not stock sick fish into the wild and, unfortunately, this was the only way to address this disease outbreak at the Rome Fish Hatchery,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. The following is a DEC press release: A portion of the fish being reared at the Rome State Fish Hatchery have been suffering from a severe outbreak of furunculosis, a bacterial fish disease, for the past several months, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. In an effort to eliminate the disease from the hatchery, 131,000 brown trout and brook trout were destroyed earlier this week. “DEC does not stock sick fish into the wild and, unfortunately, this was the only way to address this disease outbreak at the Rome Fish Hatchery,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “Our Fish Culture staff takes great pride in the fish that they produce and this was not an easy decision for us to make. The DEC fish hatchery system produces 2.4 million catchable size brook, brown, and rainbow trout for spring stocking each year, and lethal measures are only considered after all other attempts at disease control are exhausted.” Fish health concerns at the hatchery began in November of 2011, when large numbers of brown trout fry succumbed to a number of diseases. The loss left DEC facing a shortage of brown trout that would be stocked in the spring of 2013 as catchable-size yearlings. Neighboring states were contacted to see if surplus fish were available to help alleviate DEC’s shortage, and 175,000 fingerling brown trout were imported from the State of Virginia to the Rome Hatchery in the spring of 2012. These fish had been tested before being brought into the hatchery and were determined to be disease-free. Furunculosis was first diagnosed at the Rome Hatchery in late June 2012, when samples from the Virginia brown trout tested positive. Within a month, the furunculosis infection was severe and had spread to Adirondack and mixed-strain brook trout – both known to be susceptible to this disease. It is not known if the disease came in with the Virginia fish or had some other origin. The disease, combined with a number of secondary infections, led to high mortality despite repeated therapeutic treatments. Most of the Virginia brown trout did not survive, and by early September only 47,000 remained. Heavy mortality was also seen in brook trout, which numbered 84,000 by early September. These brook trout were intended for stocking this fall in the Adirondacks, constituting almost 25 percent of DEC normal stocking into Adirondack lakes and ponds. In early September, hatchery personnel removed heavily infected lots of fish from the Rome Hatchery. Brook trout intended for fall stocking would not be able to be stocked in accordance with sound management practice and DEC regulations. Given their disease status and the long-term best interest of the state’s hatchery program, it was decided to eradicate the disease from the hatchery as soon as possible. Targeted lots included the Adirondack and mixed-strain brook trout and the Virginia brown trout – roughly 131,000 fish in total. The fish were humanely destroyed using carbon dioxide on September 10 and September 11. A hatchery mitigation plan has been drafted outlining measures to be taken to clean up the hatchery, including restrictions on transfers of fish in and out of Rome Hatchery, biosecurity measures, and a testing plan to determine if and when remaining lots are free of infection. Due to pre-existing shortages and the furunculosis outbreak, it is expected that 224 lakes and ponds in the Adirondacks will be stocked with brook trout – 102 less than originally planned. Many of the ponds not stocked will still have holdover fish from previous years’ stockings and continue to provide excellent angling. There will also be fewer brown trout yearlings to stock in the spring of 2013 than usual, but final inventories will not be conducted until early next year. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was supposed to open this Saturday. It'll now be delayed until Oct. 31, unless conditions change. The following is a press release from the state Department of Environmental Conservation: An emergency regulation will postpone the opening of the Lower Fly Fishing Area on the Salmon River from this Saturday (Sept. 15) until Oct. 31, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. The intent of the emergency regulation is to ensure that adequate numbers of salmon enter DEC’s Salmon River Hatchery in order to provide eggs for salmon stocking that supports Lake Ontario and tributary fisheries. Due to unusually warm water temperatures and low water flow, DEC is concerned that unintentional fishing mortality of Pacific salmon could impact egg take operations and result in fewer fish for anglers in future years. The quarter mile section of the Salmon River that comprises the Lower Fly Fishing Area is located immediately downstream of the Salmon River Hatchery and upstream of the County Rt. 52 Bridge in Altmar. The upper boundary of the area is just downstream from Beaverdam Brook. This location is a staging area for various species of fish, including Chinook and coho salmon, as they prepare to enter the hatchery via Beaverdam Brook. Flows in the Salmon River are partially maintained through controlled releases from the Salmon River Reservoir. Under normal conditions, water releases from the reservoir are regulated through a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license intended to provide year-round minimum or “base” flows to the lower 18 miles of the Salmon River accessible to trout and salmon returning from Lake Ontario to spawn. In a typical year, base flows are increased on September 1 from summer level (185 cubic feet per second (cfs)) to fall level (335 cfs). However, the recent drought conditions have left the reservoir at a near historic low level (14 feet below dam crest on September 5, 2012) with no significant rain in the forecast. As a result, the executive committee of the Salmon River Flow Management Team agreed to conserve water in the reservoir by eliminating several high volume whitewater releases and delaying the transition from summer to fall base flow. Without these actions, there was a strong potential to deplete reservoir water by mid-October, based on current precipitation levels. Should salmon returns to the hatchery be inadequate, DEC has developed a contingency plan to secure additional salmon eggs from other Lake Ontario tributaries, including the Black River and Orwell Brook. Further information on this regulation can be obtained by contacting the DEC’s Cape Vincent Fisheries Station at [email protected] or call 315-654-2147. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

She was hunting with her dad at the time. Submitted photoAnna Spin, 14, of Auburn, poses with her first deer that she shot last week at an undisclosed location. "It was on a nuisance permit while hunting with her Dad," wrote Anna's mother, Amy Spin. "We love the outdoors and look forward to your column every week," she said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

No one wants to carelessly stick a deer with a poorly shot arrow and cause a non-fatal wound. That's why responsible, ethical bowhunters practice and practice their sport. Mike Jones said he can hardly wait for September to end. “Oct. 1 is like Christmas for me,” said the 36-year-old bowhunter. This year, the bowhunting season for the Southern Zone starts Oct. 1, two weeks earlier than last year. Many Central New York bowhunters this month have been diligently checking their trail cameras, putting up tree stands and practicing for the opener. That’s what being a responsible, ethical bowhunter is all about, Jones said. No one wants to carelessly stick a deer with a poorly shot arrow and cause a non-fatal wound, the East Syracuse resident explained. “During the week, I practice over at Maxwell Park, shooting from the ground. Each night I shoot close to 50 arrows,” he said. “On the weekends, I go down to my uncle’s house in Canastota and there we have different 3-D targets we shoot at from different yardages from a tree stand.” Fay Sorrells, 62, of Bridgeport, said he tries to shoot arrows year-round. “I just got off the hill this morning, checking for signs of deer and looking over my tree stands,” he said Tuesday. Sorrells said he’s been traveling weekly with several buddies to the Izaak Walton League Cortland Field Archers club in Homer. There, he and his friends shoot at ground level, aiming at 3-D styrofoam targets at various distances. He also practices from a tree stand he set up in his yard. “I’ve been doing this for more than 40 years,” he said. “I usually wait for the bigger ones. I trophy hunt and I do eat the meat. I don’t hunt anything I don’t eat.” Sorrells said he likes bowhunting because it gets him outdoors in the early fall. He also enjoys seeing “the deer acting naturally before their behaviors get changed as a result of the start of the firearms season.” Chris Nutter, of Cicero, a bowhunting safety instructor, says you can never have too many tree stands. He has been busy this month putting up or checking the more than 30 he has in three counties. “It’s that time of year,” he said. “I’d just like to encourage everyone in a tree stand to use their safety devices.” View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

One caters to the gun enthusiast; the other, the ski/snowboarding crowd. Two interesting outdoors-related shows are scheduled this weekend at the State Fairgrounds. - The annual Central New York Ski and Snowboard Show begins today and runs through Sunday in the Horticulture Building. In addition to a variety of vendors, the event will feature door prizes of lift tickets, ski-and-stay packages and learn-to-ski deals from various local mountains. The show will run 5 to 9 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free. For more, go to thinkwinterevents.com. - The Syracuse Gun Show will be open Saturday and Sunday in the Center of Progress Building. The show will feature more than 800 exhibits and displays, according to Sandy Ackerman Klinger, the show’s manager. The event is being put on by the New York State Arms Collectors Association. The show will include displays and sales tables of U.S. military arms, Colt revolvers, high-grade double-barreled shotguns, Remingtons, muskets, Smith and Wesson, Kentucky rifles, Native American items, frontier and Western paraphernalia, all sorts of gun parts, ammunition, accessories and much more. The show will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 to 3 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $6 per person. Seniors are $5, and children under 12 are free (must be accompanied by an adult). For more information, call Ackerman Klinger at 607-748-1010. For more, call 607-748-1010. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Once the temperatures drop and we get some rain, the salmon run will pick up considerably. Although the waters are low and the daytime temperatures have been warm, there’s no doubt: The salmon spawning run has begun. “It started Monday,” said Fran Verdoliva, the DEC’s program director for the Salmon River, who works at the Altmar hatchery. “There was a very substantial run (of mostly chinook). I was told it continued on Tuesday. It also continued Wednesday, but not as strong.” Verdoliva noted it was an early run, and that the salmon will continue making their way from the lake up the river through this month and into the next. He said the majority of fish right now are in the bottom half of the river, but some have made it to the upper stretches. Verdoliva stressed the Salmon River water level is still quite low. “We’re still at our summer base flow of 185 cubic feet per second,” he said, adding the average flow in September is usually around 330 feet per second. “The fish are coming, regardless,” he said. “They have their own schedule and mindset.” He said once the temperatures drop and we get some rain, the salmon run will pick up considerably. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

There were three significant runs up the river this week. Many of the fish, though, are still in the lower parts of the waterway. CNY FISHING FORECAST Bait stores (list and map). LAKE ONTARIO Lake Ontario salmon fishing scene continues to be hot. Lots of chinook salmon are being caught in 120 feet of water, fishing about 80 feet down using flashers and A-Tom-Mik flies, along with cutbait and Spin Doctors and flies. SALMON RIVER River is still very low. Regardless, there were several substantial run of chinooks this week. Most of the fish, though, are still in the lower half of the river. OSWEGO RIVER Water remains low and warm. A few chinook salmon have made it up the river to the dam, said one veteran angler, but it appears they’ve turned around and headed back into the lake because of the warm water temperatures. ONEIDA LAKE Things are picking up with the cooler temperatures. The perch bite has picked up lately. Not much to report on the walleye scene, though some anglers report catching them shallow (at about 6 feet) in the weeds using small jigs and spinners. CAYUGA LAKE Overall, things have been slow. Anglers fishing 80 to 110 feet down with flasher and flies are catching a few lake trout, as are those vertical jigging in 80 to 100 feet of water. Bass fishing, though, particularly on the northern end, remains a good bet. Try live crayfish or tube jigs, plastic stick worms and drop shot rigs. Pumpkin green and watermelon are good colors for plastics. SENECA LAKE Trout and salmon fishing has been slow recently. Bait and fish were being marked, but getting strikes was difficult. Anglers were marking fish 70 to 110 feet down. A few lake trout were hitting Spin Doctors and flies fished 70 to 90 feet down. Yellow perch fishing has picked up recently, with fish being caught on the south end, and by the salt plant. OWASCO LAKE Lots of nice bass being caught. Try live crayfish or tube jigs, plastic stick worms and drop shot rigs. Pumpkin green and watermelon are good colors for plastics. Best time to fish is early morning or late evening. OTISCO LAKE Anglers are still reeling in bass and panfish. Apart from that, no new fishing activity to report. SKANEATELES LAKE Bass fishing continues to be good in water ranging from 10 to 25 feet. Many are being caught on live crabs, along with tube jigs, plastic stick worms and drop shot rigs. Pumpkin green and watermelon continue to be good colors for plastics. Best time of fish is early morning or late evening. Yellow perch and rock bass are biting on the south end with small minnows or jigs working. SODUS BAY Bass fishing continues to be good early and late in the day with spinnerbaits, topwaters and a variety of plastics working. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Bass, walleye and crappie bites remain strong. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR The reservoir’s water temperature is starting to come down and anglers are picking up a few crappies. Fish the edges of the breaks in the river channel. Many fish are hanging along those edges. Anglers are also catching bluegills by trolling and then anchoring and fishing with small jigs when fish are found. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Money for this was obtained in part, from the sale federal duck stamps bought by waterfowl hunters. The following is a news release: WASHINGTON -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe today announced that the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission has approved the investment of nearly $11 million in revenue from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to add an estimated 10,640 wetland acres to seven units of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The commission also approved $18.4 million in federal funding to conserve more than 95,000 acres of wetlands and associated habitat in the United States under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). Among the beneficiaries is the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, which will receive more than $2.3 million. “With these key investments, we are strengthening our wetlands protection though the National Wildlife Refuge System and in other key waterfowl and wildlife habitat throughout North America,” said Salazar, who chairs the commission. “Thanks to the contributions of hunters, stamp collectors, and others who purchase Duck Stamps, our National Wildlife Refuge System continues to provide vital habitat for wildlife as well as pristine places for outdoor recreation for tens of millions of people.” “Besides providing recreational benefits to the public, our nation’s wetlands provide vital storm protection for coastal areas, hold and slowly release flood waters, and act as filters to cleanse water of impurities,” said Ashe. “Wetlands are vital landscapes for our nation’s birds and other wildlife who rest, feed and breed there throughout the year.” Of particular note is the commission’s boundary and tract approval at the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. By approving the addition of 12,352 acres of the largest wetland complex in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the commission is protecting one of the highest densities of breeding lesser scaup in North America and the highest density of breeding trumpeter swans in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. The purchase and lease of wetland habitat parcels are funded in part with proceeds from sales of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, otherwise known as the Federal Duck Stamp. They include: Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, New York - 625.39 fee acres; $2,377,000. The flat floor of this basin, composed of deep, rich, muck soils, presents a unique opportunity to acquire lands that can easily be restored to large shallow pools for waterfowl. Restoration of this tract could increase the refuge’s capacity to support an additional 9,000 migratory waterfowl in the spring and more than 18,000 in the fall. Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana - Boundary addition of 12,352 acres, including 810 fee acres at $3,604,500 and 5,834 lease acres at $11,085. The refuge encompasses the largest wetland complex in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The proposed acquisition will protect wetlands, provide important breeding habitat for 21 species of waterfowl, and secure important water rights. San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Texas - Boundary addition and price approval for 1,441 fee acres for $2,589,700. The proposed area is part of a rich and productive wetland complex providing wintering, migration, and resident habitat for waterfowl. Thousands of waterfowl winter in the area, including mottled ducks, mallards, northern pintails, gadwalls, widgeons, northern shovelers, blue- and green-winged teal, black-bellied whistling ducks, and ruddy ducks. Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Texas - Boundary addition and price approval for 200 fee acres; $176,200. The refuge protects important remnant bottomland hardwood and associated habitats for migrating, wintering, and breeding waterfowl, and has been identified as a priority project for the East Texas Bottomland Hardwood Initiative, a component of the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The proposed addition lies in the 100-year floodplain of the Trinity River and contains biologically significant bottomland hardwoods. Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon - 23.59 fee acres; $82,500. The Wapato Lake Unit protects and conserves imperiled northern Willamette Valley habitats that support large populations of wintering waterfowl, including tundra swans, mallards, northern pintails, canvasbacks, ring-necked ducks, lesser scaup, and cackling and dusky Canada geese. Tulare Basin Wildlife Management Area, California - 164 easement acres for $309,000 and Blanket Price Approval for 18,581 easement acres up to $3,000 per acre. The WMA supports the last remnant of wetlands and wildlife habitat left in a dramatically altered Tulare Lake watershed. The wetlands are an important winter foraging and nesting habitat for many waterfowl species, including mallard, northern pintail, gadwall, cinnamon teal, and northern shoveler. Tulare Basin wetlands have hosted wintering waterfowl concentrations in excess of 100,000. Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina - 1,542.83 fee acres; $1,850,000. The tidal freshwater wetlands are some of the most diverse freshwater wetland systems found in North America and offer many important habitats for migratory birds, fish, and resident wildlife. The tract consists of alluvial bottomland hardwoods and a network of oxbow lakes, ephemeral creeks, and tidal lakes and sloughs. Grants approved at today’s commission meeting were funded through the NAWCA Standard Grants Program and will support 19 projects in 14 states. Partners will contribute an additional $49.4 million in matching non-federal dollars toward these projects. The projects include: California: Butte and Colusa Basins Wetland IV Grantee: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. -- Partners will restore and enhance wetlands and uplands that support millions of waterfowl, shorebirds and other migratory bird species, including northern pintail, mallard, white-fronted goose, American avocet and white-faced ibis. South Carolina: Santee Delta and Winyah Bay Protection Project: Phase II Grantee: The Nature Conservancy -- Partners will protect wetlands and associated uplands to benefit breeding, migrating and wintering birds such as mallards and wood thrush. Iowa: Prairie Lakes 6 Wetland Initiative Grantee: Iowa Department of Natural Resources -- Partners will restore wetland and grassland complexes and improve management of large prairie marshes to benefit migrating birds and also provide better nesting and brood-rearing habitats for the birds that breed in the area, such as lesser scaup. The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission includes Senators Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Representatives John Dingell of Michigan and Robert Wittman of Virginia, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, as well as state representatives as ex officio members who vote on projects located within their respective states. Passed in 1989, NAWCA provides matching grants to organizations and individuals who have developed partnerships to carry out wetlands conservation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. More information about the approved NAWCA grant projects is available on it's Web site.. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Have an impresssive/funny trail camera photo you'd like to share? Send it [email protected] and include your daytime phone number. U.S.D.A. photoA mother (sow) Russian wild boar and its piglets. This photo was taken earlier this year with a trail camera on a farm in Spafford As I said last week -- tis the season. As we get further into the fall, expect to see more hunting-related stories and pictures on this blog and on my outdoor pages in The Post-Standard. For those who grimace at that, the numbers speak for themselves. This area has more hunting and fishing licences per capita than any other area in the state. A few years back, Bass Pro Shops officials said that was a major criteria in their decision to build their only store in New York State at the Fingerlakes Mall in Auburn. Here's what's on tap for this week for outdoors coverage in The Post-Standard: FRIDAY: Throughout Central New York, bowhunters are scouting their favorite hunting sites, checking their trail cameras, putting up treestands -- and practicing by shooting arrows. The bowhunting season for deer starts two weeks early this year on Oct. 1. Column: An update on the Salmon River's annual fall salmon run. Two interesting events this weekend at the state Fairgrounds: The annual ski/snowboard show and a gun show. SUNDAY: What's the update on the battle to stem the growth of wild Russian boar that escaped from a private hunting preserve near Scott, near the southern end of Skaneateles Lake. The U.S.D.A. has been baiting and trapping these bad boys (which often get up to more than 400 pounds) this summer. We talk to one Spafford farmer who let the U.S.D.A. officials on his property and they trapped/shot 32 pigs on this property summer. Column: One of the largest sales of privately owned forest land in the Tughill went down this summer.. with one timber company paying another some $12.4 million for more than 22,000 acres stretching into four counties. What's up with that, and what does that mean for outdoors enthusiasts (hunters, hikers, etc..) who in the past have been using that property to pursue their interests. In coming weeks, I'd like to write about the following outdoors activities. If you know someone who does these activities, contact me ASAP: -- Hunting Canada goose from coffin blinds in a cornfield -- Crow hunting -- Fall turkey hunting with the assistance of dogs -- Some who goes to the extreme to eliminate all scents from their body and clothes when they go bow hunting for deer. -- Someone who successfully hunts with a traditional long bow for deer. -- I'm also looking for impressive/humorous trail camera photos from readers. Send them to [email protected] and include your daytime phone number. 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

. Walter Bialobreski, of Pompey, sent me this photo he said was taken with his trail camera in Pompey. He wrote: "This photo was taken last fall. I'm told that doe will fight sometimes when they're in estrus." Anyone else ever see that happen? By the way, if you have a cool, impressive or a funny trail camera shot, send... . Submitted photo Walter Bialobreski, of Pompey, sent me this photo he said was taken with his trail camera in Pompey. He wrote: "This photo was taken last fall. I'm told that doe will fight sometimes when they're in estrus." Anyone else ever see that happen? By the way, if you have a cool, impressive or a funny trail camera shot, send it to me at [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I can't think of a better way to bring in September on Labor Day weekend than to be fishing with my son aboard the Dixie Dandy on Lake Ontario," the father said. Submitted photo David Bean and his son, Jordan, got out fishing recently on Lake Ontario. The proud father wrote: "On Sept. 1st, my son, Jordan Bean and I caught five salmon. This photo shows our proudest catches of the day! Jordan's, left, is a 25-pound fish and mine is a 27-pounder. I can't think of a better way to bring in September on Labor Day weekend than to be fishing with my son aboard the Dixie Dandy on Lake Ontario." " Life is good!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> The 2012-2013 duck and goose hunting season dates, and the method used by DEC to determine those dates, will be discussed. </p> <p><strong>The following is a DEC press release:</strong></p> <p>A waterfowl hunter information meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 13) at the Montezuma Audubon Center, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today.</p> <p>This meeting will focus on topics of interest to waterfowl hunters in Central New York and the Montezuma Wetlands Complex region.</p> <p>Topics to be covered include:</p> <p>• Highlights of waterfowl management and research programs at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Northern Montezuma and Lake Shore Marshes Wildlife Management Areas;;<br />• Waterfowl population survey results and other flyway news and updates;<br />• New York state’s waterfowl hunting season-setting process; and,<br />• The 2012-13 duck and goose hunting seasons, and suggestions for future seasons.</p> <p>Wildlife biologists from Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and DEC will discuss items of interest to waterfowl hunters in an informational and interactive forum.</p> <p>International survey results will be presented for waterfowl breeding populations and habitat conditions, which guide the setting of hunting season lengths, dates and bag limits.</p> <p>The 2012-2013 duck and goose hunting season dates, and the method used by DEC to determine those dates, will be discussed.</p> <p>The Montezuma Audubon Center is located at 2295 State Route 89 in Savannah, Wayne County.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The outing is being offered by the Montezuma Audubon Center </strong> Photo courtesy of Montezuma Audubon Center <strong>The following is a press release: "Enjoy the autumn migration of birds from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 29 with a leisurely canoe paddle around Howland’s Island on the Seneca River. "We’ll be listening closely for the song of migrating warblers, waterfowl and shorebirds. The fall colors should add a beautiful backdrop for one of the last paddles of the season. Space is limited and registration is required. "Call 315- 365.3588 or email [email protected]. "Fee: $7.50/child without boat rental, $12.50/adult with-out boat rental, $40/canoe rental (maximum 2 adults plus 1 child)." For more information about the Birding and Boating Canoe Paddle or about the Montezuma Audubon Center, visit the center's Web site. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

DEC officials and fish pathologists, though, say it's nothing to worry about. I Submitted photo- I got the following email from John Creesey, who sent me this photo: Last weekend my fishing buddies and I caught three lake trout on Cayuga lake. When we cleaned the trout, two out of three of them had this strange matter in their --lungs? My fishing buddies, Clea and Carl Barth, had never seen anything like it in their decades of catching lake trout. Could it be a bacteria or infection? Or maybe eggs in the development stage? (I forwarded Creesey's email and photo to David Lemon, regional fisheries manager for the DEC's Region 7 office in Cortland. Lemon emailed me back with the following report:) Lemon wrote: "The organ in question appears to be the stomach and part of the digestive tract and obviously not a "lung". I forwarded to our fish pathologist and our the rest of the Regional Fisheries unit to be sure I wasn't missing anything but no one saw anything out of the ordinary. "Given that the organ is in a bag it makes things look a little differently than it would naturally, but the yellow, wormy looking projections are simply pyloric caeca which are found in all trout and salmon and some other fish (for more, go this Web site.). "Again, it doesn't appear to be abnormal in any way, except perhaps that it looks to have quite a bit of fat deposit around the caeca (a sign of a well-fed fish). "Given there was a difference between what the angler "normally" sees inside the fish versus what he saw in this fish, I'd like to see a picture of what Mr. Cressey considers "normal" so we could, perhaps give a more definitive answer. My guess is that the high level of fat may be the cause of his confusion." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it using a live worm. Submitted photo Jake Gerardi, 11, of Fayetteville, caught this nice largemouth bass Labor Day weekend fishing up at Long Lake. The fish measured 21 inches. He caught it on a live worm. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It weighed more than 25 pounds. Submitted photo Alex De Santis, 10, of Camillus, holds up a huge chinook salmon he caught recently while on a charter boat with his father, Joe De Santis on Lake Ontario. The fish weighed more than 25 pounds. The captain was Brian Edwards of Fatal Attraction Charters. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The following Saturday, a full day of children’s activities, fishing seminars and outdoor programs are planned for the hatchery open house on National Hunting and Fishing Day. The following is a DEC press release: The Lake Ontario Tributary Anglers Council (LOTAC) will kick off National Hunting and Fishing Day activities at the Salmon River Fish Hatchery with a fishing seminar, Friday evening Sept. 21 entitled “King Salmon: Outside the Box.” Loren Williams, owner of Fly Guy’s Guide Service, will speak at 7 p.m. in the fish hatchery auditorium at 2133 county Route 22 in Altmar. “Loren’s 35 years of fly fishing experience, of which over 20 years have been spent on Lake Ontario tributaries, will provide an evening of his personal perspective and experiences fly fishing for Pacific salmon,” said Fran Verdoliva, Salmon River Program Coordinator for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. “Loren is a member of the Fly Fishing Team USA and was a former captain of the US Youth Fly Fishing Team that competes in international fly fishing competitions. He is an excellent caster including traditional fly casting, Skagit, and Spey casting and is well known for his skills as an innovative fly tier.” The evening will begin with a meet and greet social hour starting at 6 p.m. The seminar will begin at 7 p.m. The auditorium seating capacity is 75 so advanced registration is requested by calling the number listed below. A full day of children’s activities, fishing seminars and outdoor programs are planned for the hatchery open house on National Hunting and Fishing Day, Saturday, Sept. 22. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. There is no admission charge. Visitors can tour the hatchery with DEC staff, watch fish swim up the fish ladder through an underwater camera, learn about fishing for Pacific salmon, and learn about rare and endangered fish. There are several activities for children. Tours of the Salmon River Hatchery will be given every half hour starting at 10:30 a.m. "This is the one opportunity during the year where the public is able to access the working parts of the facility with a more up-close-and-personal tour,” said Verdoliva. Guests can also visit the 110-feet-high Salmon River Falls, a DEC Unique Area, located four miles from the hatchery. For more information contact the Salmon River Hatchery at (315) 298-7605. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Both are offering photography workshops WIldlife photographer Bob Walker made we aware of this last week. Walker wrote: "I was asked to pass on the following photography workshops being held out at Beaver Lake Nature Center, East Mud Lake Rd., Baldwinsville. Both of these photographers I know personally and they are both (great). First program....... Eric Dresser will be putting on a photography program,“Nature-Inspired Art,” at Beaver Lake Nature Center beginning at 7 p.m. Sept. 19. “For each of his photographs in the show, Eric will illuminate the background of how he planned the shot and the techniques he used. Eric has a book out showing wildlife of the Adirondack Park a must have publication for those who love and enjoy wildlife. Cost: Beaver Lake Nature Center members, $8; Nonmembers, $12. Second program...... Carl Heilman II who has agreed to do a workshop at Beaver Lake Nature Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 10. Heilman II has been published in magazines and work has appeared numerous times in ADIRONDACK LIFE. He is a great landscape photographer and has several well received books and videos to his credit. Cost: Beaver Lake Nature Center members, $8; Nonmembers, $12. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He was using 6-pound test line. Submitted Burnie Haney, of Calcium, holds a pair of nice smallmouth bass he caught on Lake Ontario recently. He was using 6-pound test line and Senko worms. One weighed 4.85 pounds; the other, 5.25 pounds. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was 31 inches long. Submitted photo Mike Stone, of Constantia, holds up a huge walleye he caught recently on Lake Ontario. His fishing buddy, Mike Domachowske, wrote: "Last Saturday, I took a trip up to Henderson Harbor in hope’s of catching a trophy walleye. After a few hours of trolling around the Calf Island Split, one of the rods went down like it was snagged on the bottom. "Fifteen minutes later, we netted a 31.5- inch, 12.5- pound trophy. For Mike, it was his catch of a lifetime." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This year's chinook salmon catch in August was the highest since the DEC began keeping records in 1985. Watch video It’s the best of times for Lake Ontario salmon fishermen. Capt. Tony Buffa, longtime Lake Ontario fishing guide, set out from the Oswego Marina at 6 a.m. Monday with three clients aboard his 31-foot Penn Yan boat. By 8:30 a.m., he was back in the marina. His three anglers had limited out, boating nine chinook salmon. “I called my afternoon people, telling them to get here as soon as possible,” he said. Buffa was back out at 11 a.m. “By 2 p.m. — done. Again, everyone limited out,” he said. “This entire season is reminiscent of what we used to see back in the late-1980s and early 1990s, when there was an over-abundance of fish and the catch rates were off the charts.” Actually, it’s even better, according to Jana Lantry, an aquatic biologist with the DEC’s Lake Ontario unit. She said this year’s chinook salmon catch rate in August was the highest since the DEC began keeping records in 1985. “It’s never been this good before.” Charter boat captains up and down the lake’s south shore have been cashing in on chinook and coho salmon since the spring. The chinooks have been averaging 17 to 25 pounds, with an occasional lunker pushing 30. "At the eastern end, we started catching kings in May. That was abnormal. You never see that,” said Capt. Mitch Franz, of Mit-She Charters out of Henderson Harbor. “The whole south shore of the lake has been lit up all summer. I talked to the DEC this week. We just had the best salmon fishing ever in August.” That’s not only good news for anglers, it’s good news for the local economy. Fishing is big business in Oswego County, where the annual impact has been estimated at $42.6 million, based on a 2007 angler survey done by the DEC. Last year, 30,865 fishing licenses were sold to out-of-state residents and international visitors. That doesn’t include online sales or licenses sold at stores such as Gander Mountain or Bass Pro Shops to people who are on their way to fish in Oswego County, said Janet Clerkin, the county’s tourism and public information coordinator. The salmon fishing bonanza on the lake should continue through this month and possibly into the beginning of October. This time of year the chinook and coho are coming toward shore. They’ve already started staging for their annual fall spawning runs inland. Due to the hot weather and lack of rain, though, the rivers and tributaries where they spawn are low and warm. Most of the salmon are waiting out in the lake for colder temperatures and higher waters before swimming up waterways like the Oswego and Salmon rivers. For many of these fish, Buffa said, the fish are taking in their final meals prior to the spawn. They’re hungry and very territorial — eager to strike out at what’s put in front of them. Buffa said his outings the past couple of weeks have been close to home, trolling back and forth between the mouth of the Oswego Harbor and Nine Mile Point. The most effective lures/baits, Buffa said, have been EChip attractors with a trailing A-TOM-MIK fly, along with attractors followed by strips of herring put on a special harness. Buffa said he also mixes things up with various spoons and J-plugs. Capt. Mike Conroy, of Proteus Sportsfishing, out of Oswego, said the large numbers of staging salmon near the mouths of the Salmon and Oswego rivers have made for easy pickings. “It’s like having a tree stand with two deer runs on either side of you,” Conroy said. Interviews with charter boat captains and DEC aquatic biologists revealed similar explanations as to why the salmon fishing has been so good. For eight to nine weeks during the spring, a northwest wind blew on the lake, resulting in colder water temperatures along the southern shore. It also stacked up the bait fish along the shore. “It was kind of a perfect storm for salmon,” Conroy said. “Light winter, beaucoup bait. The bait were here and made for an easy lunch.” The large numbers of fish that continue to be caught, though, are the result of another factor — the success of the natural reproduction of salmon in the lake’s tributaries. Each year, the DEC and Canadian hatcheries dump millions of salmon fry into the lake. Charter boat captains have been reporting that 40 to 50 percent of their catches this year are naturally grown fish. The way they determine that is both the U.S. and Canadian hatcheries have a machine that clips the adipose fin on the back of every fish raised in the hatchery. Many of the fish being landed by anglers have that fin intact. “We’re reaping the benefits of what happened three to four years ago in the Salmon River and the other tributaries,” Buffa said. The charter boat captains said the close-to-shore fishing will end in a couple of weeks when the salmon head inland to spawn. Anglers will then turn their attention to such perennial hotspots as the Salmon and Oswego rivers. “When that happens, you’ll be able to walk (across the water) on the fish,” Franz said. Try your luck Lake Ontario charter boat captains charge an average of $500 for a six-hour outing. Depending on the size of a captain’s boat, four to six anglers can be accommodated. For a list of charter boat captains, go to the Oswego Tourism Web site. Click on “fishing and hunting.” View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I was among those who bought their fishing and hunting licenses at the fair this year. A decision by the state Department of Environmental Conservation to sell hunting, fishing and trapping licenses every day at the State Fair this year paid off. The fair lasts 12 days. Last year, the DEC only sold the sportsmen’s licenses on the fair’s first four days and last three days. That year, the DEC raised $120,895 from license sales. This year, the DEC sold licenses all 12 days. The total amount taken in, according to DEC spokeswoman Diana Carlton, was $190,278. I was among those who bought their fishing and hunting licenses at the fair this year. On the cover of the new DEC fishing guide, which has a “Fishing the Finger Lakes” theme, are several pictures – one showing two individuals that I recognized because I know the family. Brothers Alex and Mark Angelillo, of Skaneateles, are shown holding two, nice lake trout they caught in Skaneateles Lake. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The bill passed both houses of the state Legislature on June 21. The governor has still not asked that it be sent to him for his signature. If the bill fails to become law, the DEC-endorsed youth firearms hunt, set this year for Columbus Day weekend, would go on as scheduled. I reported last week that the new crossbow bill that has passed both houses of the state Legislature, currently sits on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk awaiting his signature. I’ve since found out that’s not entirely true. The bill (A10583) passed both houses June 21. A call Friday morning to the bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney, D-Lindenhurst, in Suffolk County, revealed the bill is still with the state Assembly. The Assembly is still technically in session, but most members are back in their home offices and no bills are being passed at this time. Sweeney’s bill would continue the current law governing crossbows, which only allows their use in hunting deer during the regular firearms season and late muzzleloading seasons, until Dec. 31, 2014. It would continue to ban use of crossbows during the regular hunting season. It would also kill the DEC-endorsed, special youth firearms hunt for deer set for the upcoming Columbus Day weekend, which is a month away. If for some reason the bill languishes past Oct. 5, the youth firearms hunt weekend could go on as planned. Young hunters, ages 14 and 15 (accompanied by licensed adult mentors) would be able to take to the woods that following weekend to hunt deer with shotguns — or in counties where it’s allowed, rifles. “Typically, what happens is he (the governor) requests bills when he’s ready for them. He hasn’t requested this one yet,” Sweeney said. The assemblyman added said Cuomo is hearing from both sides on the crossbow issue and has inquired if it may be possible to reach an agreement that “does something a little different than what the bill proposes. “I’m willing to give that a try. I’m not going to say it’s my way or no way,” Sweeney said. Stay tuned. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog