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I'm also writing about the fact that tours of the white deer population at the Seneca Army Depot in Romulus will resume this fall. Peter Chen/The Post-StandardJames Wells, of Owego, shows his granddaughter, Cassidy, 9, of Candor, the bullhead he caught in the pond at Fair Haven Beach State Park. I Just got back from 8 days of camping at Lower Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks. Had great weather and some great fishing. Here's what's on tap for this week's Outdoors Pages in The Post-Standard: Friday: Main piece: Another in the series of Shoreline Hot Spots. This time I profile Fair Haven Beach State Park. Column: New fishing regs announced. Among them: there will now be year-round bass fishing allowed in Oneida Lake. Sunday: Main piece: I asked for it, and I got them-- a number of cute kid shots of them with their fish .. or just fishing with their toddler (Snoopy, Barbie, etc.) poles. Column: They will once again be tours this fall of the Seneca Army Depot and its white deer population -- plus a few other odds and ends. 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

My husband has been fishing for years, she said, "but I've only taken the sport upin the last year or so as I've been empty nesting and finally had moretime to spend with him and get into this sport." Kathryn Jahn holds up a nice 7.5-pound rainbow trout she caught on Owasco Lake on July 7. She wrote: "My husband has been fishing for years, but I've only taken the sport up in the last year or so (as I've been empty nesting and finally had more time to spend with him and get into this sport!) and this was a great catch. I took it with a spoon." Submitted photo View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The young girl loves fishing, her dad said, and has aspirations to one day have her own charter fishing business. Eva Hughes, 12, of Marcellus, holds up a nice striped bass she caught July 7 off the Cape Cod coast near Chadwick. Her father, Larry, wrote: "Eva's fish weighed 15 pounds and was 35 inches in length. She loves fishing. Her aspirations are to someday have a charter fishing business. "Chadwick incidentally is were shark have been sighted this year off the coast, feeding on the seal population." If you would like to call please reach me @ 430-4407. Thank you Larry Hughes View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a green tube jig. Submitted photo Ed Bruzdzinski, of Camillus caught this largemouth bass on July 15. He said it was 22 inches long. He caught it on a green tube jig and released it unharmed. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught a jack crevalle. Submitted photo Ben Wiese, of Syracuse, holds up a nice, 10-pound jack crevalle he caught in July off Ambergris Caye in Belize. He took the trip with his high school friends PJ Bombard and Bobby Watson. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a worm. Michael Geiler, 15, of Syracuse, holds up an 18-inch, largemouth bass he caught camping last week at Gilbert Lake State Park. He wrote: "I was fishing with my dad around dusk on a hook and worm when I caught this. I totally "out-fished" my dad while camping here. I also caught several trout but the was the most impressive. "Also, the ranger said that he didn't know that fish this big existed in the lake." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Everybody caught fish. Submitted photo Four generations of the Coher family went fishing recently on Lake Ontario with Capt. Mike Conroy of Proteus Sport Fishing, out of Oswego. Pictured with their fish are Nick Coher, 9, of Baldwinsville, with his dad Shane Coher, along with grandfather Jim Coher of Syracuse and great grandfather Red Coher of Satellite, Fla. Looks like the Cohers had a great time! (And by the way, I love the haircut on Nick.) View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"It is imperative that we get these out of Oneida Lake as the impact of a further infestation will be immense on the land owners and users of the lake." Submitted photoVolunteers out during a recent water chestnut pulling session The following is a press release: Salt City Bassmasters and the New York Bass Chapter Federation Nation have been active in combatting the spread of water chestnuts in the area for several years. This year we have moved our hand pull operations to Oneida Lake. Our members have found the invasive plants in Big Bay and other locations on the north and south shorelines. It is imperative that we get these out of Oneida Lake as the impact of a further infestation will be immense on the land owners and users of the lake. We will be performing the weed pulls on Oneida Lake over the next 3 weeks. Anyone wishing to volunteer can email Salt City Bassmaster President Patrick Grady at [email protected] or by calling 315 491-4299. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The decision was based on "the extremely dry weather conditions." The following is a press release: ALTMAR, NY – The whitewater release scheduled for Aug. 4 and 5 on the Salmon River has been canceled due to the extremely dry weather conditions. The decision was made by the executive committee of the Salmon River Flow Management Advisory Team, made up of NYS DEC Fisheries, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Brookfield Renewable Power. The committee determined that present reservoir levels in the Bennett’s Reservoir are too low to support the Aug. 4 and 5 recreational release. By canceling the release it is hoped to avoid reductions in base flows as the season progresses. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Both fish were caught from their "papa's" dock. </p> <div id="asset-11367047" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="506" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11367047-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="catchweek.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span><span class="caption">Hannah and her fish.</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> <p>These kids undoubtedly have had a good time fishing so far this summer:</p> <p>Hannah Trichilo, 5, of North Syracuse, holds a pickerel she caught recently from a dock on Maple Bay on Oneida Lake. She was using a silver floating Rapala.</p> <p>Her brother, Joey Trichilo, 8, caught this nice bass fishing from the same dock.<br />He was using a flatfish on a spinning rod.</p> <div id="asset-11367090" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="285" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11367090-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="catch2.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> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> He said he did it while taking a break from fishing for walleye.. </p> <div id="asset-11366894" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="508" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11366894-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="sheepshead.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>Mike Sattler, of Cazenovia, holds up a nice-sized sheepshead he caught recently on Oneida Lake.</p> <p>He wrote me: "Last night, I had to take a break from catching walleye to haul in this monster sheephead.</p> <p>"There was a nice northeast chop and he hit a perch sonar in 18 foot of water near buoy 125. I estimate he weighed about 20 pounds."</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The exam is slated for Aug. 24; Applications due Aug. 17 The following is a press release: The state Department of Environmental Conservation recently announced its leashed tracking dog examination. The exam is set for Aug. 24; applications are due Aug. 17. The examination for individuals interested in obtaining a license to use leashed tracking dogs to find wounded or injured big game animals is scheduled for Friday, August 24, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. until noon at designated New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regional offices across the state, the agency announced today. The list of Regional Offices can be found at on the DEC Web site. The deadline for registering to take the exam is August 17. A score of 80 percent or higher on the written exam and a valid New York State Big Game hunting license are mandatory requirements for receiving a license. There is a $50 license fee, and a $25 non-refundable processing fee associated with the license, which expires five years from the date of issuance. More information regarding the leashed tracking dog license can be found on the DEC Web site. To apply for the leashed tracking dog exam, contact DEC’s Special Licenses Unit by calling 518-402-8985 or by writing to: NYS DEC Special Licenses Unit 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-4752 View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

On the other hand, culling for smallmouth and largemouth bass is legal. The following is a message from Ed Mills, president of the Oneida Lake Association: I wanted to share with you some discussions the Oneida Lake Association (OLA) Board of Directors had at our July meeting. With Oneida Lake waters so warm, walleye fishing so good, and walleye tournaments so popular, OLA would like to bring to the attention of walleye anglers and walleye tournament organizers the need to follow DEC’s rules concerning walleye culling. Walleye culling occurs when anglers achieve their daily limit of three legal sized walleye but continue to fish. DEC’s rules for fishing that appear in New York’s fishing guide specifically state that all walleye caught subsequent to achieving the daily limit must be returned immediately to the lake, in this case Oneida Lake. As you might expect, holding a walleye in a boat live well for extended periods of time when summer temperatures are high is both harmful to the fish and will impact its survival upon release back into the lake. The bottom line is that culling for walleye is illegal in New York State. On the other hand, culling for smallmouth and largemouth bass is legal. New York State regulations regarding the culling of walleye and both smallmouth and largemouth bass can be found on page 13 of the NYS fishing guide. They are: A person may not fish for a species (not even catch and release) during the closed season for that species on a given body of water. A person may not possess, kill, or unnecessarily injure fish in excess of the daily limit for that species. A person may not have in possession, or intentionally kill or injure fish other than the size specified and allowed for that species on a given body of water. The fish an angler catches and immediately releases uninjured will not be counted as part of the daily limit for that species. A person may continue to fish for a species while in possession of a daily limit for that species provided all fish of that species subsequently caught are immediately returned to the water. See below for special provisions made for largemouth and smallmouth bass. A single, uninjured largemouth or smallmouth bass that an angler is landing, measuring or in the process of releasing from a recirculating or aerated live well, is not considered to be part of the daily limit. OLA feels that it is important that anglers are knowledgeable about DEC’s rules for walleye culling. OLA also feels that it is important that walleye tournament organizers and the anglers that participate in these tournaments consciously follow DEC’s culling regulations. With summer temperatures trends in Oneida Lake increasing, angler caught fish like walleye become stressed not only from handling but also from elevated water temperatures, New York’s culling law for walleye needs to be followed and enforced. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This is the largest gun and sportsmen’s event in Northern New York. The following is a press release: Clayton, NY – August 18 and 19 mark the 35th anniversary of the Clayton Rotary Club’s Clayton-1000 Islands Gun & Sportsmen’s Show held annually at Cerow Recreation Park in Clayton, New York. This is the largest gun and sportsmen’s event in Northern New York. Show proceeds benefit the Clayton Rotary Club’s scholarships and community and international service work. New among the show’s 60 gunsmiths, hunting guides and vendors with new, used and antique firearms, military history collectible, black powder guns, knives, sporting gear and memorabilia for hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts this year will be Tug Hill Cartridge. The Camden, NY, business custom manufactures ammunition for handguns, rifles, and competition, target and cowboy shooting guns. For the first time, Tom Wills of Lafargeville is bringing military surplus items that include rainsuits, insulated jackets, knee pads, and backpacks. Show visitors will also find decoys; fishing tackle; knives; buckskin moccasins, saddlebags, and other leather goods; and books on fishing, hunting and the outdoors. Dealers have scopes, sights, binoculars, reloading equipment, gun cases, holsters, grips, cleaning kits, cartridges, shells, calibers, and gauges. In addition to selling, the dealers buy and trade goods. Allen Lederhouse has brought his Guns on Wheels from Ransomville to the show since the early 1980s when his parents lived in Cape Vincent. “We used to bring our guns to the show in a Harley-Davidson sidecar and trailer and camp at Burnham Point State Park,” Lederhouse says. “Now, we enjoy local hotel accommodations.” Lederhouse has “black powder” guns among his wares. He says sportsmen can take advantage of extra weeks of deer hunting by using the muzzle loaders that now employ a pre-measured, safer pellet-style propellent. He has donated a $500 32-calibre Traditional Crockett muzzle loading rifle to the Clayton Rotary Club for raffle in honor of the show’s 35th anniversary. NCIS checks are required for all firearm sales and purchases. The Clayton-1000 Islands Gun & Sportsmen’s Show is a Yellow Ribbon Event for the military. Show hours are 8:30 am-5 pm Saturday, August 18 and 9 am-4 pm Sunday, August 19. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for military with ID; children under 12 free. Show sponsors include Caskinette Lofink Ford, Clayton Marine, Reinman’s Department Store, Wellesley Island Building Supply and Route 37 Building Supply. Clayton Recreation Park is south of the Village of Clayton along Route 12. For more information on the Clayton-1000 Islands Gun Show, contact Tom Neely at 315-482-4596 or Bud Baril at 315-686-2832. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

There are several good reasons why anglers fish year-round from shore at Taughannock Falls State Park on the southwestern side of Cayuga Lake. First, it’s the spot where the state Department of Environmental Conservation stocks lake trout each year in Cayuga Lake. It’s also the location where the DEC nets the lakers when they spawn each fall. Workers collect... Stephen Cannerelli/The Post-StandardJoan and Leonard Zonetti of Pottstown Pennsylvania enjoy fishing along the western shores of Cayuga Lake at Taughannock Falls State Park There are several good reasons why anglers fish year-round from shore at Taughannock Falls State Park on the southwestern side of Cayuga Lake. First, it’s the spot where the state Department of Environmental Conservation stocks lake trout each year in Cayuga Lake. It’s also the location where the DEC nets the lakers when they spawn each fall. Workers collect eggs from the females and sperm from the males. The fertilized eggs are then taken to the nearby Bath hatchery, where laker fingerlings are raised for later stocking in Cayuga and several other state waterways. “Lake trout do congregate at Taughannock in the summer and fall – particularly in the fall,” said David Lemon, the DEC’s regional fisheries manager for Region 7. “We’re not sure if they’re imprinting to the location, but it’s just evolved into a natural (gathering point).” Lemon said Taughannock is also a good spot to catch landlocked salmon from shore, particularly during the fall, winter and spring – and sometimes during the summer. Anglers also reel in brown trout, bass, panfish at the location. The big reason the shoreline at the park draws fish, he said, is that there’s a sharp drop-off from shore . “You can go cast from shore and easily get into 60 feet of water,” Lemon said. The park is located in Ulysses, about 8 miles north of Ithaca along Route 89. Anglers can fish at the park year-round, but there’s a $7 vehicle fee from April 21 to Oct. 21. Fishing is also permitted in the lower half of the creek, which flows through the park into the lake. For more information, call (607) 387-6739. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I’ll give one thing to bird-watching enthusiasts. They don’t mind sharing. In fact, they thrive on it. Diana Whiting photoA dickcissel, photographed by Diana Whiting. I’ll give one thing to bird-watching enthusiasts. They don’t mind sharing. In fact, they thrive on it. Diana Whiting, of Skaneateles, an award-winning wildlife photographer, recently benefited from that. She saw on Cayuga Birding List, an online website where birders share sightings of birds, that there had been a sighting of dickcissels at the Seneca Meadows Wetlands Preserve in Seneca Falls. She drove there with a couple of friends, John Garofalo and Carol Keeler, and after three trips managed to snap a good picture of the bird. The 576-acre preserve, by the way, is across the street from Seneca Meadows landfill, though you wouldn’t know it, Whiting and others said. It’s a great place to go birding. “A dickcissel is a Midwestern bird that’s not normally here. That’s why it’s such a big deal,” Whiting said. “There were people up there from Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton — all to see the bird.” Birders feed such information into bird alert websites across the country. “The spirit of the bird alerts is that everyone shares,” Whiting said. “It’s like having more eyes in the field.” A dickcissel is a “sparrow-like bird of the prairie grasslands of the United States. The breeding male is colored like a tiny meadowlark, with a black ‘V’ on a yellow chest,” according to the Cornell Lab or Ornithology website. So how does one go about finding a sparrow-sized bird in a 576-acre preserve? Carrying a field guide with pictures is a start. Birders who carry smart phones can also download the dickcissel’s song, play it and become familiar with it. If they hear it in the wild, they can home in on it. The bird alert sites are a huge help. Sometimes the directions given are general; other times, they are very specific. Using the website, Whiting said she was able to locate the birds in a certain oak tree about a quarter of a mile from the parking lot. “ I found a male and female, and maybe another male,” she said, adding she snapped her photo from about 200 feet away, using a high-powered, telephoto lens. Kevin McGowen, a spokesman from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, acknowledged there’s been a buzz lately in the birding community about dickcissels — not only in Central New York, but in other parts of the country. “It a funny bird,” he said. “They do these periodic adventures eastward, and we see them around here every now and then.” Whiting speculated that the birds may be showing up here because of the drought in the Midwest. She said Bird List websites for areas in Canada note they’re being seen up there as well. “I just heard from someone in Minnesota and they’re seeing them there in every county in the state,” McGowen said. “They’re usually just in the grasslands, but a lot of them have moved to the edges of their distribution.” Whiting said she likes the challenge of photographing a rare or unique bird. To see more of her wildlife photos, check out her website . View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

CNY FISHING FORECAST Bait stores (list and map). CAYUGA LAKE There are reports of abundant water fleas. Water fleas can make trolling frustrating so be prepared with flea flicker line, or try vertical jigging instead. There are also reports of floating weed mats; these free floating mats can also make trolling frustrating. Lake trout are hitting on spoons, and Spin... CNY FISHING FORECAST Bait stores (list and map). CAYUGA LAKE There are reports of abundant water fleas. Water fleas can make trolling frustrating so be prepared with flea flicker line, or try vertical jigging instead. There are also reports of floating weed mats; these free floating mats can also make trolling frustrating. Lake trout are hitting on spoons, and Spin Dr.'s and flies fished 70 to 100 feet down over 100 to 150 feet of water. Many methods are working to get lures down to depth such as copper, wire, Dipseys and downriggers. Starting Dipseys at 200 feet back and copper at 400 has been good starting points. Vertical jigging has been good for lake trout in 75 to 90 feet of water. CROSS LAKE/SENECA RIVER With all the warm weather, fishing has been slow on the lake lately. No reports from the river. INLAND TROUT STREAMS Streams are low — very low — and clear. We need rain. To find out how many trout (and what kind) are stocked in your favorite Onondaga County stream, call 689-0003. To hear the DEC’s weekly fishing report, which includes a list of streams that have been stocked in Region 7, call 607-753-1551. LAKE ONTARIO Chinook salmon fishing continues to be good with fish being found in 150 to 300 feet of water. Fishing down 90 to 150 feet with spoons, flashers & flies, or flashers and cut-bait are all working for the salmon. Good colors have been whites and greens. Brown trout fishing also continues to be good early in the morning in 50 to 70 feet of water. Smallmouth fishing has been good in 18 to 25 feet of water around Mexico Point with live bait working well. Fish baits 1 ½ to 2 feet off bottom to help avoid some of the bait- stealing gobies. ONEIDA LAKE Walleye anglers continue to do well, but the fish have moved to deeper water with the warm weather. Good baits continue to be bucktail jigs tipped with a minnow or night crawler, spinner-and-worm rigs, Dixie spinners and worms and other blade baits. Bass and pickerel fishing also continues to be very good in most of the lake. Anglers have been using plastic creature baits and Senkos for the bass. OSWEGO RIVER Sheepshead, white perch, catfish and rock bass are active throughout the river with crayfish or worms working. OTISCO LAKE Smallmouth bass fishing has been good with a variety of plastics working. OWASCO LAKE Water fleas are making trolling difficult on the lake. Try using flea flicker line or vertical jigging instead if trolling becomes too frustrating. A few lake trout are being taken in 80 to 150 foot of water on spoons. With the warm weather, other fish are going deep. A few bass and perch being taken. SALMON RIVER Things are quiet on the river this time of year. SANDY POND Largemouth bass fishing has been good early in the morning and in the evening. SENECA LAKE Water fleas are becoming nuisance when trolling on the lake. Try flea flicker lines or vertical jigging instead if fleas become too bad. Anglers are catching northern pike on minnows, stickbaits and spoons in the Watkins Glen area. Lake trout are hitting Spin Dr.'s and Flies fished 125 feet down over 400 feet of water. Atlantic salmon are being taken 50 feet down in the middle of the lake. Some largemouth bass are being taken in the canal area on topwaters like buzzbaits and Zara spooks. SKANEATELES LAKE Lake trout are hitting spoons in 60 feet of water. Bass fishing along the shore continues to be very good from 5 to 20 feet of water with tube jigs, Senko worms and topwaters working. Evening fishing for bass has been extremely productive, according to angler reports. SODUS BAY Bass fishing has been good early and late in the day with spinnerbaits, topwaters and a variety of plastics working. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Anglers are having success catching smallmouth bass using live crayfish. Northern pike are being picked up on shiners and walleye are getting caught on perch-colored jigfish. Perch are being caught in 30 to 60 feet with fathead minnows. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Smallmouth bass fishing has been good along the shoreline with crankbaits working well. Walleye fishing has been good early or late in the day for anglers trolling with worm harness and nightcrawlers along the old river channel. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was caught on Friday the 13th! Submitted photo Keith H. Houser proudly holds up a huge, 9.79 pound, catfish he caught on Oneida Lake. He wrote: "Last Friday, 4 of us decided to go out and try our luck on some smallies and walleye using the drop shot technique. Bite was slow as we figured it would be given the heat, but we were able to land 2 very large sunfish, 1 smallie, and 1 walleye. ":We were fishing between 17 and 18 feet of water when this monster hit. At first I thought it was a large walleye the way it kept trying to stay down. I was able to get it to near the surface a few times and given the darkness that was approaching, the flashes of the fish we saw in the water had us thinking it was either a large fresh water drum or a bowfin. "After a good 10 minute or so battle we netted this large channel cat. Something we never expected!" View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

They let it go afterward. Submitted photoDanny Filsinger, left, and Ryan Stanton, hold up the 42-inch tiger. Ryan Stanton, 16, of Bridgeport, was out on Oneida Lake fishing last Saturday with his buddy Danny Filsinger, 15, Lakeport, around Chittenango Creek. They teamed up to land this impressive, 42 1/2 -inch tiger muskie on a yellow and white spinner bait. They initially thought about keeping it and put it on a stringer. However, ended up deciding to let it go. For more on this, see my Outdoors column in Sunday's newspaper. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"If they're here, we'd like to see one," said Randy Jackson, senior research associate at the field station. I've been hearing unconfirmed reports this week about round gobies being caught in Oneida Lake. Officials have said all along that they expect the invasive fish species to make it's way into the lake via the Oneida River. However, at this point, there's been no confirmed instances. If you do catch one, take it home and freeze it. Officials at the Cornell Biological Field Station in Bridgeport would like it to examine it. For more information, call 633-9243. "If they're here, we'd like to see one," said Randy Jackson, senior research associate at the field station. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I'm still for Individuals who have successfully hunt wild boar in the Cortland County/Onondaga county area, or property owners who can show me recent examples of damage to the land/crops caused by these animals. Michelle Gabel/The Post-StandardOne of Lary Richardson's lures -- a vintage Arbogast Jitterbug fishing lure made during WWII. Because of the need for metal at that time because of the war effort, the front lip of the lure was made from plastic. Here's what's on tap for this week's Outdoors Pages in The Post-Standard: Friday: Main piece: An interview with Larry Richardson, an antique fishing lure collector. Column: Birders share. A story about how a wildlife photographer from Skaneateles successfully took a shot of "dickcissel," a relatively rare bird in these parts.. after reading about it the Cayuga Bird Alert Web site. Sunday: Main piece: Another in the series of CNY Shoreline Hot Spots. This week we focus on Taughannock State Park on the western side of Cayuga Lake, and why it draws anglers year-round. Column: Tiger muskie fever. two local anglers catch 42-inch plus tiger muskies on separate bodies of water. Possibly, a successful father/son bear hunting trip in Alaska. 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. -Folks I'd like to get in contact with for future stories/columns: - I'm REALLY looking for photos of young kids with the toddler poles (Snoopy, Barbie, etc.) and fish they've caught. Please send your photos, if you have them, to me at outdoors@syracuse. com. Include a daytime phone number for further questions. - Individuals who have successfully hunt wild boar in the Cortland County/Onondaga county area, or property owners who can show me recent examples of damage to the land/crops caused by these animals. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The talk is set for Aug. 4 at the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah A bobolink. The following is a press release: Andrew Hinickle, conservation biologist with Audubon, will speak 2 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 4 about his conservation work with grassland and shrubland birds and their habitats at the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah. The talk will provide landowners a chance to learn about the habitat needs of New York’s grassland and shrubland birds like the American kestrel, bobolink, short-eared owl and golden-winged warbler, hike through one of Montezuma’s most extensive grasslands and learn about what land owners can do to improve habitat for these birds. Hinickle works closely with agencies and organizations to engage landowners in cost-share or other incentive programs, drafting conservation and management plans for project sites, and monitoring the bird response to management activities. He comes to Audubon from the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, where he was employed as a Wildlife Biologist. Previously, he held positions with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, restoring wetlands and grasslands on public and private lands. He has a degree in Environment Science from the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay. Cost to attend his lecture is $3/child, $5/adult, $15/family, FREE for Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. 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

The fish was caught on an artificial frog and believe it or not from shore. Submitted photo Jesse Perrine hauled in this 42” tiger muskie from Jamesville Reservoir last weekend. His brother, Matt, wrote: "The monster was caught on an artificial frog and believe it or not from shore. Didn’t get the weight but looks to be over 20 pounds." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

His girlfriend said the fish was not measured, but estimated it was in the 38-40 inch range Submitted photo Devon Savage, of North Syracuse, caught this nice northern pike on July 16 on Oneida Lake. His girlfriend, Danielle, said the fish was not measured, but estimated it was in the 38-40 inch range. "I don't know much about fishing, lol," she said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It's part of the refuge's Nature of Montezuma Lecture Series. This event is free to members of the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex; $5 for adult non-members; $3 for students and seniors non-members. The following is a press release: SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) graduate student, Elaina K. Burns, will talk about the history of river otters in this staet from 2 to 3:30 p.m. July 28 at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 3395 US Route 20 East, Seneca Falls. The talk is part of the Nature of Montezuma Lecture Series. ,ou will learn the natural history of the river otter in New York State, including their extirpation and the efforts taken to restore otters to the central and western parts of the state, and the river otter’s ecological importance as a top predator. Burns will talk about the status of otters in the Finger Lakes and her research goals. Burns graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester with a B.S. in Biology and worked various field jobs studying piping plover, least terns, white-throated sparrows, and coyotes. She went back to school to earn an associates degree form the Finger Lakes Community College in Natural Resource Conservation. She has worked for the Department of Environmental Conservation, studying American marten and fisher for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She is currently a graduate assistant and Master’s student in the Fish and Wildlife Biology and Management Program at SUNY ESF. She aspires to be a biologist for the state or for a federal agency. Her talk 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. This event is free to members of the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex; $5 for adult non-members; $3 for students and seniors non-members. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog