HuntingNY-News

When it comes to fishing from shore, timing and location are important. The most productive approach is to get out in the early evening and, if possible, fish through the night until early morning. Timothy Whipple with his 27 3/4 inch walleye.. the biggest caught in in the 2009 Cicero-Mattydale Lions Club Walleye Tournament on Oneida Lake. The walleye fishing season opener is Saturday, and it’s time to start making preparations and going through your tackle. But what if you’re a beginner and you’ve never hooked a walleye, which rank at the top of the menu for most freshwater fish fanciers in Central New York? I talked this week with three walleye fishing guides — Tony Buffa, of Bridgeport, Ted Dobs, of Verona, and Ray Brown, of Auburn — for the skinny, the bare-bones basics of catching these fish. I had them focus on approaches that work on the No. 1 walleye factory in this area: Oneida Lake. Buffa issued a caution. “Some of this information is just our best guesses,” he said. “Opening day is always a crapshoot. Legally, we can’t be on the lake ahead of time to try things out.” Tackle and line The best bet for shore fishing and drift fishing from boats is a spinning outfit with a medium-heavy, 6½- to 7-foot graphite rod and a reel spooled with either 8- or 10-pound Berkley Fireline or NanoFil line, the experts said. The guys all agreed that although that Fireline and NanoFil fishing lines are more expensive than other lines, they’re worth it. They don’t stretch, “are very sensitive to the feel” and because of their smaller diameter (compared to monofilament and fluorocarbon lines) cast farther and more consistently than most everything else being sold. David Lassman/The Post-StandardThree good lines for fishing for walleye: Fireline and Nanofil for drifting and shore casting, and lead core line for trolling. Casting from shore All three anglers said timing and location are crucial. The most productive approach is to get out in the early evening and, if possible, fish through the night until early morning. The idea is to catch walleyes as they move toward shore to feed on baitfish such as shad. Casting and slowly retrieving 3- to 4-inch floating stickbaits, such as Rapalas, usually works best. Good colors are black and silver or blue and silver. Submitted photoJacob Hirshey, of Syracuse, caught this 25-inch, 5-pound, 6-ounce walleye while wading from shore during the evening on the east end of Oneida Lake. He was casting a black/gold Countdown Rapala, using a slow, steady retrieve. Possible locations include the canal wall at Sylvan Beach, the public fishing access area in Brewerton (at the I-81 overpass), or, if you get permission from private property owners, places like Lewis Point. Dobs recommended wearing waders to get out a bit to avoid the weeds, algae and debris on the shoreline. “The lake is low and it’s going to be nasty this year.” Drift fishing The go-to approach many will be using Saturday will be jigging with a black-and-purple bucktail jig tipped with a night crawler. The technique is simple: As you drift, cast the jig ahead of your drift so it reaches the bottom. Jig it and reel in as the boat moves toward it. This way it stays on the bottom and the angler has greater control of its action. Experiment with slow or quick retrievals. See what works. A mild wind can be your friend. Too much wind can be a pain, making it difficult to keep your jig on the bottom. Experienced anglers slow their drift by tossing “drift bags” into the water. The bags are attached to the boat with a rope. Brown recommended 3/8- to 1/2-ounce jig heads for the mild days and 1/2- to 5/8-ounce jig heads for the windier ones. Other proven lures include Heddon’s Sonar blade baits, which are also jigged up and down from the bottom and can often trigger a response when the walleye bite has slowed. Try silver for sunny days, gold for overcast ones and clown- or fire tiger-colored lures when nothing else is working, Dobs said. David Lassman/The Post-StandardProven walleye lures: (from the top)perch-colored crankbait, a black and silver Rapala, an XPS Minnow, a blue and purple bucktail jig and a gold Heddon Sonar blade bait. A number of anglers also catch walleye using worm-and-spinner rigs, which can be slowly trolled, drifted or cast at a variety of depths. Another technique is to use hard plastic lures, such as deep-diving crankbaits or suspended 3- to 4-inch stickbaits, such as Rapalas and XPS Minnows, with a slow retrieve. Without getting too complicated, black and silver or blue and silver, along with perch colors, are often the best bet, Buffa said. All three anglers agreed the best time to fish from a boat is from just before the break of day to mid-morning, and then again from 5 to 8 in the evening. As for locations, they noted that reports from the state hatchery in Constantia have indicated that the fish spawned earlier than usual this year, so by opening day many should be in deeper water, as opposed to clustering around the mouths of streams. Having a depth finder and fish finder on your boat is a plus. Drift-fishing anglers should target rocky points and areas around buoys 109, 113, 119 and 121 in 30-40 feet of water — and particularly around “the hump,” located a few hundred feet southeast of buoy 109. Another good stretch is along the north shore between Constantia and Jewel in 32-38 feet of water. “I’d head out to Shackleton Shoals, a six-mile shoal in the middle of the lake,” Dobs said. “The fish spawn there, and there’s enough rocks and depth changes to give the fish what they’re looking for. With all the rocks, sand and different depths, you can really gauge where the biting fish are at. It’s a good testing ground.” Trolling This is an approach some 25 percent of boat fishermen use on opening day, Brown said. It’s effective, but it’s not “active fishing” (involving casting and retrieving). “Trolling is a whole other ballgame,” Buffa said. “Some anglers are very good at this, others just get out and burn gas.” The guys in the know have the right rods and reels, planer boards, an array of proven lures, a GPS device and a depth finder. The trick is to keep your boat moving in the 1.5- to 2.1-mph range. No faster. Buffa and Brown said the beginner can go out and buy a special trolling rod and reel, along with a spool of color-coded lead-core line. The color of the line changes every 30 feet, and the lure sinks five feet for every 30 feet of line let out. Anglers should tie 35 to 50 feet of 20-pound monofilament line on the end of the lead-core line. Then, take a barrel swivel and add 6 to 7 feet of 6- to 10-pound fluorocarbon line. Finally, attach the lure to the end of the fluorocarbon line with a snap, or clip. “Once you see the fish marks (on your screen), it’s a no-brainer,” Buffa said. “Trolling, you can cover a heckuva lot more water and once you figure out where the fish are located and at what depth (with a fish finder), you then figure out which direction you’re going to troll from.” Walleye trollers generally use floating stickbaits, including Rapalas, Smithwicks and Thundersticks, or spoons such as Michigan Stingers. Once again, black and silver or blue and silver, or perch colors, are often the most effective. The best time to be out is just before dawn through mid-morning and 5 to 8 p.m. during the evening. A good starting point would be between Constantia and Jewel in 32-35 feet of water. “And with the new law, each angler aboard can use three poles,” Buffa said. Submitted photoDenny Tyler, of Onondaga Hill, with his big Oneida walleye. Know the law The walleye season kicks off at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. The statewide minimum size is 15 inches, and there is a limit of five fish per day. On Oneida Lake, only three fish a day can be kept. On the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, the minimum size is 18 inches and the daily limit is three. It’s the same for Cross Lake and parts of the Seneca River. For more, see the DEC fishing guide. State record The state record for walleye is 16 pounds, 7 ounces. The fish was caught by John Fluder on May 22, 1994, on a Mister Twister jig in the Kinzua Reservoir in Cattaraugus County. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It's the 67th annual membership meeting of the Oneida Lake Association being held in the Cicero-North Syracuse High School auditorium. So, how’s Oneida Lake doing lately? There’s a “one-stop shopping” event Tuesday evening at which one can get some good, solid answers to that question. It’s the 67th annual membership meeting of the Oneida Lake Association being held in the Cicero-North Syracuse High School auditorium. The school is at 6002 Route 31 in Cicero. The auditorium’s doors will open at 6 p.m. A host of exhibits put up by local fishing-related groups also will be available for viewing. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. The lake association, which has the motto, “It’s Your Lake — Help Us Preserve It!” has more than 3,000 members. Tuesday’s program will include annual reports, board elections and an update on the DEC-organized cormorant control plans for 2012. Guest speakers will include: - ;Mike Riordan, chair of the Calvary Baptist Church’s annual youth fishing seminar in Brewerton. - Mark Babenzien, manager of the DEC fish hatchery in Constantia, who will give an update on the walleye run and egg take for 2012. - Randy Jackson, senior research associate at the Cornell Biological Field Station at Shackleton Point, who will talk about the lake’s perch and walleye populations. He’ll also provide an update on lake sturgeon. - Dave White, recreation/tourism specialist with New York Sea Grant, who will give an update on the Oneida Lake Education Initiative. - Paul Curtis, associate professor and extension wildlife specialist in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University, who will talk about the common tern on Oneida Lake. The meeting will also feature numerous fishing-related door prizes and raffles. Among the prize drawings will be a Capt. Tony Buffa charter boat fishing trip for a youth 16 and under (who must be present to win) and two guests. Raffles will be held for two GPS units. For more on the meeting or the Oneida Lake Association, go to the Association's Web site. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This time of year mahi mahi (dorado) and marlin (blue) are biting great. Submitted photo Mili Irizarry, a Cazenovia dentist and veteran outdoorswoman, sent me these two photos of a trip, she and her husband, Rich, recently took to Puerto Rico. In both photos, the lucky anglers are holding up impressive mahi-mahi (dorado) that they caught. She wrote: "My husband Rich and I just returned from a wonderful Caribbean fishing trip, on the south western side of Puerto Rico. A small fishing town called Lajas and La Parguera. "This time of year mahi mahi( dorado) and marlin (blue) are biting great. It was an exciting fishing trip and we wanted to share this memories. "The food and ambience are super relaxing and good. Very good area to just rest , enjoy the simplicity of nature." "Best regards, Mili." Submitted photo View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He shot it in Onondaga County. Submitted photo Hunter Wilhelm, 14, of Baldwinsville, poses with his 23-pound turkey he shot the opening day of the 2012 Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend in Onondaga County. The bird had a 9-inch beard and 7/8-inch spurs. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The bird weighed 21 pounds, 15 ounces and had a 9.5-inch beard. Submitted photo Jeremy Wise, of North Syracuse, poses with his 21-pound gobbler he shot on Sunday during the 2012 Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend at a hunting camp in Madison County. He went hunting with his Uncle Jeff Schmitt. (Uncle Jeff is pictured behind Jeremy). The bird weighed 21 pounds, 15 ounces and had a 9.5-inch beard. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a medium-sized worm. Submitted photo Dylan, Slifka, 3, of Camillus, poses with his first fish -- a 10-inch brown trout he caught April 26 on Nine Mile Creek. He was fishing with his grandfather, Bill Slifka. He caught the fish using a medium-sized worm. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The boys were hunting at the time with their father. Submitted photoNash and Logan Boyd, both of Chittenango, pose with Nash's 21-pound wild turkey that he shot April 21 during the 2012 Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend. The bird weighed 21 pounds and had a 9-inch beard. The boys were hunting at the time with their father, Dan Boyd. According to the mother, Kris Boyd: "This is a picture of my two sons with my eldest son's turkey on April 21st. "Three birds came in on the boys and their dad. Nash's bird stayed down, Logan's bird rolled and ran away. Exciting they both got to shoot at the same time, though. This 21-pound bird had a 9-inch beard." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Events this weekend include the Women In Nature Workshop at the Dewitt Rod and Game Club and the "Take a Soldier Fishing" fishing tournament on Oneida Lake. Despite the blast of cold air and snow earlier in the week, the Central New York outdoors scene is really warming up. Among the offerings: - Saturday morning, 100 Central New York females will be participating — many for the first time — in a wide variety of outdoor events in the Women in Nature 2012 Outdoors Skills Workshop being held this year at the Dewitt Rod and Gun Club at 6560 Woodchuck Hill Road in Jamesville. The free event, put on by the Onondaga Federation of Sportsmens Clubs, is open to ages 12 and older. Each year, there’s a host of mothers and daughters attending. Classes this year will include archery, birding basics, camping, fishing basics, nature painting, orienteering, rifle and shotgun shooting, fly fishing, canoeing, reptiles and amphibians, kayaking, wilderness survival, nature journaling, muzzleloading, canoeing skills, deer-hunting basics, muzzleloading, trailer handling, turkey and waterfowl hunting skills, wild-game cooking and wilderness survival skills. A wild game luncheon will follow. For more, e-mail [email protected] or call 243-7667. - Also on Saturday, the N.Y. B.A.S.S. Chapter Federation is hosting its fourth annual “Take a Soldier Fishing” competition on Oneida Lake. The event, being held out of Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton, will pair two soldiers from Camp Drum with a volunteer boater for a free fishing outing. Boaters are once again providing their assigned soldiers a rod and reel, tackle and life vest for the day. This year, 125 soldiers will be participating. The group fishes from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. for anything that bites and they’re allowed to weigh-in one fish for a big-fish prize in one of five categories: drum/sheephead, common carp, bowfin, rock bass/ perch and white bass. Afterward, they’ll be treated to a cookout-style lunch. For more, call 786-8897. - Mike Cusano, president of the state B.A.S.S. Chapter Federation, is among those being inducted Saturday evening into the New York State Outdoorsmen’s Hall of Fame at its annual banquet being held at the Rusty Rail restaurant in Canastota. The Clay resident’s resume includes a wide variety of volunteer activities including working with junior anglers, organizing a water chestnut eradication program, participating in cormorant hazing, serving in various positions (including president) in the Salt City Bassmasters Club and organizing the “Take a Soldier Fishing” event. The Post-Standard honored Cusano with one of its first “Hero of Conservation” awards in 2008, which was followed shortly after by a similar recognition in Field and Stream magazine. The New York State Outdoorsman’s Hall of Fame is located in Vail Mills/Broadalbin, within the Wildlife Sports and Educational Museum. For a complete list of inductees, see the Hall's Web site. - Last, but not least, the spring wild turkey hunting season opens Tuesday. Hunting is allowed a half hour before sunrise to noon. The season lasts until May 31. The season limit is two bearded turkeys (one per day). In addition, the walleye fishing season opens a week from Saturday. For more, check out the state Department of Environmental Conservation hunting guide. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Ron Curvin called me early this week about what he termed an “unusual sighting” recently of some 20 loons swimming in front on his home on Owasco Lake. MIke Greenlar/The Post-StandardAn adult common loon at early morning on 6th Lake, near inlet, in the Adirondack Mountains. Ron Curvin called me early this week about what he termed an “unusual sighting” recently of some 20 loons swimming in front on his home on the western shore of Owasco Lake at Ensinore. “Usually you see one, two or three — but never 20 at one time,” he said. “Also, I saw one gobble down a large perch.” Is it really unusual to see that many loons at once? Laura Erickson, who writes for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said right now is the peak migration time for loons and that Curvin’s account is credible — provided he wasn’t actually witnessing a flock of mergansers or cormorants. “Loons may gather in the same spot during the migration period, but only during migration,” she said. “That would be impossible during the breeding season. They get very territorial.” As for a loon swallowing a large perch, Erickson said that’s entirely possible. She noted, though, that loons can’t tear a fish apart but have to swallow them whole, head first, so it slides down their throat easier. She said they have very “stretchy and expandable” throats. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Readers discuss the rifle association’s hunting and gun control agendas. View the full article

Trout streams across the area have perked up lately due to the rain we've been having lately. CNY FISHING REPORT (A reminder that walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie season closed on March 15 and the season reopens May 5. Also, all persons aboard pleasure vessels less than 21 feet long, regardless of age, must wear a personal flotation device until May 1.) Bait stores (list and map). INLAND TROUT STREAMS Streams across the area have perked up lately due to the rain we’ve been having lately. Most area streams have been stocked. To find out how many fish are stocked in your favorite Onondaga County stream, call 689-0003. To hear the DEC’s weekly fishing report, which includes a list of what streams have been stocked in Region 7, call 607-753-1551. LAKE ONTARIO When the wind is not blowing hard, anglers are getting out and cashing in on brown trout and some chinook salmon along the lake shore by flat-lining (trolling lure behind the boat without any weight) with stickbaits and spoons. If you can find some off- colored water, fish around it. Good starting depths have been in the 5- to 25-foot range, and blue and silver and black and silver, and also copper, have been good colors. In the clear water areas, fishing with planer boards and dipsey divers have also worked. SALMON RIVER The middle and lower part of the river has been productive for steelhead, but many have already headed back to the lake. River is low. Try the deeper pools. Use egg sacs, trout beads and night crawlers. OSWEGO RIVER The river is up a bit. The fishing has been off lately, though, as many of the browns and steelhead have headed back to the lake. ONEIDA LAKE The lake level is coming up. Anglers continue to cash in on perch and bullhead, along with other panfish, particularly around the marinas. Some are also getting out on the Oneida River, catching bullhead and panfish. CAYUGA LAKE The lake is still low. Anglers trolling are getting lake trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Lake trout are coming on flasher and fly rigs fished 100 to 125 feet down over 130 to 175 feet of water. Fishing stickbaits on the surface over 15 to 25 feet of water is working for the brown trout and salmon on the south end of the lake. They’re still getting a lot of perch at the northern end. SENECA LAKE Lake trout are being taken near bottom in 70 feet of water. Atlantic salmon and brown trout are hitting stickbaits fished near the surface. Yellow perch and black crappie fishing from the pier has been good with fish hitting minnows. OWASCO LAKE Anglers are getting yellow perch on the north and south ends with small minnows. The inlet was stocked with brown trout. Bullheads are also still be taken on night crawlers and crawfish. OTISCO LAKE Black crappies and yellow perch fishing has slowed, but some are still being taken in the shallows on small minnows. Reports of some anglers doing extremely well catching and releasing smallmouth bass. SKANEATELES LAKE Anglers getting out in boats are still catching some yellow perch in the north end of the lake on small minnows, but the perch are deeper, so look in the 20- to 30- foot range. Lake trout are hitting near bottom in 40 to 50 feet of water. SODUS BAY Anglers getting out in boats are still catching yellow perch in shallow water on small minnows. Fishing around the bridge continues to produce black crappie and bullhead. SANDY POND Black crappies are hitting around docks, and perch are being taken in the north pond. Some bullhead are also being taken. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER The perch bite is still going strong in Eel Bay and Krings Point. Try fishing anywhere from 5 to 20 feet of water, using fathead minnows. The bullhead bite continues to be good, particularly in the early morning and late evening. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR A reminder that all angling is prohibited in the Otstelic River from the mouth (where it enters the Tioughnioga River) to the Whitney Point Reservoir Dam, until opening of walleye season (May 5). Meanwhile, some crappies are being taken along the shoreline of the reservoir on small minnows. Bullheads are being caught after dark on the north end of the reservoir, and also off Keibel Road. The spillway area is closed until the walleye opener. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"The bird weighed 19 pounds had a 9-inch beard, and had 1 1/4 inch spurs. Submitted photo Nicholas Searer, 12, of Oswego, poses with a nice, 19-pound gobbler he shot last Sunday on property in Scriba. His father and a family friend were alongside of him during the hunt. His father, Charlie Searer, wrote: "We were hunting with a friend on his property in Scriba. "The bird weighed 19 pounds had a 9-inch beard, and had 1 1/4 inch spurs. "Some great calling by our friend Jay Burke drew this nice Tom in to gun range for the young shooter, and he displayed great patience to sit and wait for the bird to come in to him. What a great memorable day that I was able to share with my son. "To top it all off he has bragging rights over me because I haven't shot a turkey yet so not only did he get one before me, but he shot a really nice one which is going to be hard to beat." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

His father was also along for the hunt Submitted photo Tyler Bell, 13, of Syracuse shot this nice young tom turkey on Sunday during the special Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend. The bird was shot at 10:30 a.m., according to the boy's father, Tom Bell Sr. His older brother, Tom Bell Jr. called in the bird. "What a nice morning we had," the father said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He was hunting with his father Sunday during the 2012 Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend. "He took one shot and took home a great bird," the father said. Submitted photo Joe Romagno, 13, of East Syracuse, shows off the 22-pound bird he shot Sunday during the Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend. He was hunting with his father. His father, Victor, wrote: "It was shot Sunday 4/22/12 at 7 am. We began the hunt at 5 am in their blind. "The morning was filled with the sounds of an owl, coyote and the gobble of the turkeys. He knew it was only a matter of time. The hens lead the way at 5:30 am. Shortly after there was a 22 lb. tom with a 9" beard and 1" spurs. "He took one shot and took home a great bird." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I'm still on the hunt for someone to interview about wild boar hunting in CNY. Contact me by calling 470-6066 or emailing [email protected]. Submitted photoAndrew Rhoads, 13, with his 22.5 pound turkey taken during last weekend's youth turkey hunt. Hope everyone's spirits continue to be high for the coming spring. Don't worry, this snow will soon be gone. Here's what's on tap for this week on The Outdoors page in The Post-Standard. FRIDAY: Main piece: A collection of stories and photos from last weekend's youth turkey hunt. Column: The outdoors scene across the area is heating up beginning this weekend with a host of activities. (Women in Nature, Take a Soldier Fishing, etc.) SUNDAY: Main piece: So you want to catch a walleye on opening day? I talk to the best walleye minds in CNY and boil it down for the beginner fishing Oneida Lake on opening weekend. Column: Still working on the particulars. Stay tuned. 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: - Individuals who have, and continue to successfully hunt wild boar in the Cortland County/Onondaga county area. - Individuals with outdoor passions who would make an interesting feature story. - Someone who's saving big bucks by reloading their own ammunition. 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

It weighed 22.5 pounds and had a 9.5-inch beard. Submitted photoAndrew and his nice gobbler. Andrew Rhoads, 13, of Summerhill, poses with a nice gobbler he shot during the 2012 Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend. His father, Dennis, wrote: "Andrew passed up a few jakes early as we knew the toms were wondering around. "It took us until 8 a.m. to get the right one in. The measurements: 9.5-inch and thick beard, 1.25-inch spurs and 22.5 pounds. "We had birds on ground from before legal shooting, right through him shooting this one." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It had an 8-inch beard, according to his grandfather Submitted photo Conner Hitchcock, of Pulaski, took his first gobbler during New York state's youth turkey season. The tom, according to his grandfather, Gary Hitchcock, had an 8-inch beard and was taken in the town of Richland with the supervision of family friend, Brian Dye. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It weighed pounds and had a 4-inch beard. Submitted photoShamus and his first bird. Doug Davis, sent this nice photo of his son, Shamus, 14, who shot a gobbler during the 2012 Youth Turkey Hunt weekend. Shamus tells how it went down: " The day I woke up for the spring youth turkey hunt in 2012 it was early, but I was excited to once again get into to the woods. "Me and my Dad got our gear together and left to go to his friends house (Matt McCormick) who would be calling for us. "When we arrived where we would be hunting I noticed another car parked a few feet away from ours so we decided to investigate. We discovered more hunters that had permission on the property and decided to leave. "When we finally set up in a new location we heard gobbling within seconds of sitting down. While waiting to find the turkey, I noticed a piebald deer across a field which was awesome. "I prepared myself for a turkey, but it took a while of calling to lure in three jakes. I decided that the middle was the largest and as soon as I got a chance, I took my shot. The turkey fell hard and the others flew away. "It was extremely exciting and I hope I get another chance soon. The bird weighed approximately 17 pounds and had a four inch beard." Editor's note: Well told, Shamus. Good luck on your next one! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It's as large as a robin with brown-striped head. Any Idea what it is? Albino?" asked the reader. Dr. Irv Goldman, Dewitt, send in these two photos today with the following question: "It's as large as a robin with brown-striped head. Any Idea what it is? Albino?" I forwarded these photos to Laura Erickson, ""The Bird Lady," and former science editor of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. She still writes for them. I asked her if it was an albino robin. Laura responded: " I think so--ask if it was hopping like a robin. The beak looks a bit smaller, more bluebird-like, but that can be the angle. "...But it does have a bit of pigment, so it's more proper to call it a "leucistic robin"--that is, one with very little normal pigment." What's everyone else think. Is this a leucistic robin? View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The overwhelming majority of gun owners do not belong to the National Rifle Association. View the full article

I'd like to hear more from successful crappie fishermen. How's the season been going so far? Where are the hot spots? What techniques work? Submitted photoAnthony Mcmillan, of Syracuse, caught this nice, 14-inch crappie in Big Bay on Oneida Lake on April 18. He was using a two-inch, Berkley Powerbait Minnow. Editor's note: I'd like to hear more from successful crappie fishermen. How's the season been going so far? Where are the hot spots? What techniques work? View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The DEC estimates there are 800 to 1,000 moose in the Adirondacks. Bob Walker photo (SARANAC LAKE/The Associated Press) Scat-sniffing dogs are giving Adirondack researchers clues to upstate New York’s moose population. Researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society in Saranac Lake hired Working Dogs for Conservation in Three Forks, Mont., to find moose droppings in the Adirondack starting in 2008. They sent the scat to a genetics lab along with samples from neighboring states and Canada. Biologist Heidi Kretser tells the Adirondack Daily Enterprise that there’s a distinct genetic difference between samples from north and south of the St. Lawrence River. New York moose genetics were more similar to that of cousins from Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Kretser says scat studies could help the state Department of Environmental Conservation measure the moose population. The DEC estimates there are 800 to 1,000 moose in the Adirondacks. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was shot with a 20-gauge shotgun at 35 yards in town of Fabius. ." Submitted photo Patrick Collins, 14, of Fayetteville, poses with his first wild turkey. His father, Scott Collins, wrote: " It had an 8.5-inch beard and 1 1/4-inch spurs. It was shot with a 20-gauge shotgun at 35 yards in town of Fabius. "Patrick is in 8th grade at Wellwood Middle School. He was very excited." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The boy shot the bird with a Remington 1100, 20-gauge shotgun. The turkey's beard measured 9 3/4 inches and had one-inch spurs. It weighed 21 pounds. Submitted photoAustin with his first wild turkey. Austin Reinhardt, 12, of Baldwinsville, poses with his first wild turkey that he shot Saturday during the state's special youth hunt weekend. Also pictured are, Brian Gottfried, of Mendon, and Bill Lang, of Mendon. Both are local officials for Cross Road Limb Hangers, of Lima, a local charter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Both men accompanied the boy on the hunt in Mendon (just outside of Rochester). The boy shot the bird with a Remington 1100, 20-gauge shotgun. The turkey's beard measured 9 3/4 inches and had one-inch spurs. It weighed 21 pounds. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Earlier in the morning, Kyler wisely passed up shooting at a big mature tom that was closer, but in cover to thick and brushy for a clear shot..." Submitted photoKyler, his grandfather and Kyler's first wild turkey. Kyler Christopher, 13, of Bridgeport, poses with his first ever turkey with his grandfather, Dave Boek, of Altmar. Boek's brother, Bob, wrote me: "Dave, we faithfully buy the Sunday Post Standard and your Outdoors page is the first page we read every week. "My Brother Dave Boek of Altmar, NY, and his grandson 13 year old Kyler Christopher came to hunt with me in Boonville, NY for the opener of youth turkey season on 4-21-2012. Kyler shot his first bird ever at 28 yards, a Jake of 14lbs with a 4 inch beard at about 8:30AM. " What a great experience for all of us. But even more noteworthy was that earlier in the morning Kyler wisely passed up shooting at a big mature tom that was closer but in cover to thick and brushy for a clear shot. Dave and I are extremely proud of his good judgement and self discipline. "Kyler is the son of Glenn and Nichole Christopher of Bridgeport, NY. Unfortunately Glenn had to work and could not be with us. But were hoping to all be able to hunt together during regular season. "We are very lucky to have a youth season here in New York. My hat is off to the DEC on this issue and hopefully Kyler will be able to participate in the youth deer season in 2013." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog