HuntingNY-News

The state Department of Environmental Conservation fish hatchery in Constantia is charged with raising walleye for stocking purposes across the state. Michael Greenlar/The Post-StandardDEC workers and volunteers get male and female walleye by catching them in special underwater traps on Oneida Lake near the hatchery. Here, workers take the fish from a trap with nets, putting them in a holding tank on their boat. It happens every spring at the Oneida Fish Culture Station in Constantia. This year’s walleye egg collection process, though, had some interesting twists and turns. The state Department of Environmental Conservation fish hatchery is charged with raising walleye for stocking purposes across the state. DEC workers and volunteers net spawning walleye at the mouth of Scriba Creek, which flows by the hatchery. The netted fish are taken by boat to the hatchery where the females are stripped of their eggs and the males of their sperm, and then released into the creek. The fertilized eggs are put in special containers and eventually they hatch, generating millions of walleye fry. The fry are raised at the hatchery and eventually get stocked in Oneida Lake and elsewhere. This year, the process got under way about two weeks early, according to Mark Babenzien, the hatchery’s manager. He noted several oddities. “I noticed the first fish spawning in Scriba Creek about March 13. That usually happens around March 28,” he said. “And normally the spawn progresses where there’s so many fish you can walk across the fish. That didn’t happen this year. At its peak there were probably a few thousand walleyes in the creek, where normally there’s about 30,000.” Babenzien said the netting of walleyes began on March 20, whereas normally it doesn’t begin until after April 1. “We caught fish in all stages of the egg-laying process — some that were hard (not yet ready to lay their eggs), some that were ripe and some that were spent (had already laid their eggs),” he said. “It was like that the whole two weeks we were netting them. Normally, they’re mostly all at the same stage.” Michael Greenlar/The Post-StandardWorkers strip the fish of their eggs and sperm, mixing them in a bowl to assist the fertilization process. Finally, when it came to the end of the netting process and no more fish were being caught, the hatchery had a number of ripe females but a shortage of males. Babenzien said the staff just gave up and released the females into the stream. “I’ve been doing this at the hatchery for 23 years and I’ve never seen anything quite like it,” he said. “Spring came early, the flows from the streams were low. The lake was low. It all affected where the fish spawned. Many may have just spawned in the lake, which they’re allowed to do. They just went out to the shoals and laid their eggs,” he said. The bottom line, though, was that things worked out and it was still a matter of “mission accomplished” at the hatchery. “We collected enough fish to get 289 million eggs. That’s what we were aiming for,” Babenzien said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

They can only be used to hunt big game (deer and bear), according to a DEC spokeswoman. One reader asked me recently if it was legal to hunt wild turkeys with a crossbow. I contacted the state Department of Environmental Conservation and got a reply from Lori Severino, a departmental spokeswoman. You cannot hunt turkeys with a crossbow,” she said. “Crossbows may only be used to hunt big game (deer and bear).” Use of a long bow or a compound bow, though, is allowed. The crossbow, according to current state law, falls under the classification of a “firearm.” So you can take down a deer, but you’re banned from shooting a wild turkey or even a rabbit with a crossbow. Hmm. I don’t understand the reasoning behind that. The law that governs the use of crossbows in New York ends after this fall’s hunting season. Hopefully, lawmakers and the DEC can work together and get new regulations in place that resolve the turkey-hunting thing, what other hunting seasons the crossbow can be used and other issues. For more questions and answers about crossbows, see the DEC website . View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Trout anglers: 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. CNY FISHING FORECAST A reminder that walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie season closed on March 15. 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 continue to be clear and moderately low. 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 Brown trout are being taken along the lake shore flat-lining (trolling lure behind the boat without any weight) with stickbaits. If you can find some off-colored water, fish around it. Good starting depths have been the 6- to 25-foot range. In the clear-water areas, fishing with planer boards may help. SALMON RIVER The river continues to be down, flowing at about 285 cubic feet per second at midweek. Anglers continue to catch steelhead and occasional browns. Try the deeper pools. Use egg sacs, trout beads and night crawlers. OSWEGO RIVER The river is down, and fishing hasn’t been good lately. Anglers are catching some nice brown trout, though, in the harbor. ONEIDA LAKE 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. There are reports of some good perch fishing on the northern end if you can get on. Anglers trolling are getting lake trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Lake trout are coming on spoons or flasher and fly rigs fished 100-115 feet down over 130-150 feet. Green has been a good color. Fishing stickbaits on the surface over 15-25 feet of water is working for the brown trout and salmon. Fishing on the south end of the lake has picked up for Atlantic salmon and brown trout. 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 has been good off the pier with fish hitting minnows. A few rainbow trout are still being taken in the tributaries on egg sacs, salted minnows and flies. OWASCO LAKE Cool, windy weather has kept a lot of anglers off the lake this week. Some are catching bullheads from shore, though, down at the southern end using night crawlers and crayfish. Things may pick up this weekend. OTISCO LAKE Yellow perch are being taken on small minnows off the causeway. Black crappies are being taken in the shallows on small minnows. SKANEATELES LAKE The DEC launch is open and one dock is in. Anglers getting out in boats are still catching some yellow perch in the north end of the lake. The bite has been very on-and-off. If you’re not catching fish, keep searching. Lake trout are hitting near bottom in 40-50 feet of water. SODUS BAY Anglers getting out in boats are catching yellow perch in shallow water on small minnows. Fishing around the bridge is producing black crappie and a few bullheads. SANDY POND Black crappies are hitting around docks, and perch are being taken in the north pond. Some bullhead are also being taken on the pond. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER The perch have moved to deeper waters (around 20 feet), and the bullhead bite remains slow. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR A reminder that all angling is prohibited on the Otselic River from the mouth (where it enters the Tioughnioga River) to the Whitney Point Reservoir Dam, until opening of walleye season. Bullhead fishing slowed down with the cold weather but should pick back with the warm temperatures forecasted. Try fishing for bullheads after dark on the north end of the reservoir and also off Keibel Road. Crappies are also being taken in the reservoir along shore. The spillway area is closed until the walleye opener. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"They hit on worms, but I saw other fishermen doing well on salted minnows and spinners," she said. Submitted photo Pauline Eggers holds up a nice brown in this first photo, and several more below. She wrote: "Check out the browns I caught in Butternut creek the day before April 1st. I caught several but just kept two to cook for dinner that night. "They hit on worms, but I saw other fishermen doing well on salted minnows and spinners." Submitted photo View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I fished this stream once -- years ago. Glad to see this is being done. Editor's note: I fished this stream before -- years ago. Glad to hear this is being done. The following is a Finger Lakes Land Trust press release: Ithaca, NY -- The Finger Lakes Land Trust today announced that it has received a grant of $12,000 from the conservation organization Trout Unlimited (TU) to cover costs associated with the acquisition of a conservation easement on 128 acres of land bordering the East Branch of Owego Creek in the Town of Richford, Tioga County. Conservation easements are perpetual legal agreements that limit future development while allowing the land to remain in private ownership. In this case, the proposed easement will provide for vegetated buffers along the creek while allowing for continued use of the land for agriculture and forestry. Landowners who donate conservation easements may be eligible for both state and federal tax benefits. The award was made through the first ever Coldwater Land Conservancy grants – a program established to support the protection of native trout habitat within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Funding for the program was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. “TU has long recognized the importance of private land conservation as a tool to protect cold water fisheries” said Elizabeth Maclin, Vice President for Eastern Conservation at TU. “These grants allow us to put this philosophy into practice throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed where loss of native brook trout has been particularly severe.” “We’re grateful for the support of TU,” adds Land Trust Executive Director Andrew Zepp, “and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with landowners who are interested in continuing their tradition of careful stewardship of our land and water resources.” The East Branch of Owego Creek is well known for its trout habitat and has been designated “best for protection” by the Eastern Brook Trout joint venture – a collaboration of agencies and non-profits seeking to protect, restore, and enhance brook trout populations throughout their historic range. New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation provides for public fishing access on land adjacent to the proposed conservation easement. This latest project is the Land Trust’s third within the watershed of the East Branch of Owego Creek. The organization already holds a conservation easement on land located just south of the Village of Richford and also owns and manages a 140-acre nature preserve on a tributary to the creek. The Finger Lakes Land Trust is a regional non-profit conservation organization that works cooperatively with landowners and local communities to conserve those lands that are vital to the Finger Lakes and New York’s Southern Tier. The Land Trust has permanently protected more than 13,000 acres through direct acquisition as well as the use of conservation easements on lands that remain in private ownership. The organization is supported by more than 1,900 families from throughout the region. Additional information about the Land Trust and conservation easements may be obtained by visiting the organization’s web site (www.fllt.org) or by calling its Ithaca office at (607) 275-9487. Trout Unlimited is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. Additional information about TU may be found at the group's Web site. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The festival will celebrate important bird areas throughout the Finger Lakes Region and the conservation organizations that are working to identify and conserve areas that are vital to birds and other biodiversity. Courtesy of Paul T. SchnellLiberty, the bald eagle, will be at the festival.The following is a press release: There will be something for everyone at the Montezuma Audubon Center’s 6th Annual Wildlife Festival in Savannahfrom 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 5. Friends with Feathers and The Institute for Environmental Learning will deliver live birds of prey programs throughout the day with a variety of owls, hawks, and “Liberty the Bald Eagle”. The non-releasable animals will be on display during the programs that will focus on birds of prey characteristics, rehabilitation and conservation. Everyone will have a chance to get a picture taken with “Liberty." Another highlight of the festival will be the Children’s Theater and Activity Tent where Lois Sprague will entertain festive goers with balloon animals and Andrea Whitcomb-May will perform conservation-related puppet shows that are sure to inspire. Everyone can also enjoy the bounce house, dunk booth, sing a-longs and the drum circle, making bird crafts and stained glass art, wildlife trivia, and building a bluebird box. Wildlife enthusiasts can fish their way to the backyard bass game and then fly over to see the dragons from the pond. The festival will celebrate Important Bird Areas throughout the Finger Lakes Region and the conservation organizations that are working to identify and conserve areas that are vital to birds and other biodiversity. The festival schedule also includes: Dan the Snake Man programs, guided nature walks and canoeing excursions, a garlic mustard pull contest, a GPS treasure hunt, acoustic music from Tom Barnes and Chuck & Paul, delicious food, local vendors, a native plant sale, wildlife exhibitors and much more! The cost to attend the festival is $3/adult, $1/school-aged child, FREE for children 4 and younger. For more information, call 315.365.3588, visit the center's Web site or e-mail [email protected]. The Montezuma Audubon Center is located at 2295 State Route 89 in Savannah, NY, about 1.5 miles north of the Hamlet of Savannah. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The course is limit to 50 students. A hunter safety course that ran in the Outdoors calendar in Sunday's edition of The Post-Standard had some incorrect information. To register, sign-up at the Fayetteville Rod and Gun Club, at xxxx, from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday and 10:30 to noon Saturday. The course, which is limited to 50 students will run from 6 to 9:30 p.m. April 17, 6 to 9:30 p.m. April 19 and 8:30 to noon April 21. The club is located at 4545 Whetstone Road, Manlius. Call 682-8962. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I continued to fish until 6:30 pm with my totals at Skaneateles Creek being 13 fish: 7 browns and 6 rainbows. All the fish ranged from 8 inches up to my biggest fish of the day which was a 15 inch brown," he said. Victor Dupuis photoA nice Skaneateles Creek wild brown trout. Victor Dupuis, of Lafayette, had a good day fishing Skaneateles Creek earlier this week. He wrote me: I am an 18 year old freshman at SUNY Delhi. I am not sure if you are still looking for fishing stories but I thought this was worth sharing with you. This past Monday, April 9th, I decided to get up and hit Nine Mile creek around 8 :30. After fishing Nine Mile for about 3 hours and only landing one small brown I decided to head over to Skaneateles Creek. "I had heard about the fly fishing-only section and thought i would give it a try. After only a half hour I had landed four fish: One brown 13" and three rainbows measuring at 10 inches, 12 inches and 13 inches. "I continued to fish until 6:30 pm with my totals at Skaneateles Creek being 13 fish: 7 browns and 6 rainbows. All the fish ranged from 8" up to my biggest fish of the day which was a 15 inch brown. "I had never landed a rainbow on my fly rod up until yesterday so it was quite a thrill. "I attached a couple pictures of the fish. I was alone so I couldn't get pictures with me and the fish." Editor's note: Skaneateles Creek is stocked by the Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery in Elbridge with rainbows. Any browns caught there are wild browns. Thanks for sharing, Victor. and good luck on the spring semester! Victor Dupuis photoA nice Skaneateles Creek rainbow. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Have a suggestion for a story or feature on the Outdoors page of The Post-Standard? Contact Outdoors editor David Figura at [email protected] or call 470-6066. David Figura photoDennis Rhoads, of Summerhill, and his son, Andrew, went smelting this week on a tributary of Cayuga Lake. Local trout fishing is going strong, but that's not the only thing outdoors enthusiasts are doing lately. This week on The Post-Standard's Outdoors pages I'm writing about: FRIDAY:Main piece: Dip netting for smelt. It's a dying thing, but folks are still getting out on tributaries on Cayuga and Owasco lakes.. and you have work for those you catch. Column: I considering writing about several things. including this year's CNY Outdoorsman of the Year (picked at a recent outdoors show); An update on crossbow legislation..and other things. SUNDAY: Main piece: The best spot in the state for photographing nesting bald eagles is....Mud Lock at the northern end of Cayuga Lake. Photogs from across the state, and even from Canada, line up every morning trying to get shots. Column: Still mulling my options.. 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

I never knew there were walleyes in Cayuga Lake. Dennis Rhoads photo Andrew Rhoads, of Summerhill, caught and released this whopper walleye recently on Fall Creek while fishing for rainbows there. The fish measured 27 1/2 inches. He caught it on a worm. Fall Creek is a tributary to Cayuga Lake. I never knew that Cayuga Lake had walleyes. Evidently so, judging by this photo. Nice fish, Andrew! By the way, the fishing season for walleyes and northern pike closed March 15 and reopens May 5. It's illegal to target these fish during this time. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It was the first stop on his "Heads Will Roll" spring turkey tour, he said. McGraw's Mike Joyner, a well-known local turkey and author, wrote to me about his recent spring turkey trip to Texas: Submitted photoMike's first bird First stop on my 2012 "Heads Will Roll" Spring Turkey Tour- Texas Hill Country. Originally I had planned to hunt with my old friend and good buddy, Preston Lawson at the Gumbo Ranch, just south of San Angelo. Earlier that winter, Preston had a scheduling conflict and would not arrive at the ranch until after my flight back home. I was unable to move dates around as I had registered for the Dallas Rock-N-Roll Half Marathon, then planned to spend a week with my daughter, son in-law, and three grandchildren. The power vacation would then finish up with a three day turkey hunt. I was disappointed as I truly enjoy a good hunt with Preston. After a little scrambling, and some quick research, I followed up on a few ideas from Preston. I whittled down my options, deciding on a semi-guided hunt at Magnum Guide Service, located in Eldorado. I would hunt out of one of their ranches located in Sonora. This would include meals, accommodations at the ranch, transportation to the leases, and coveted known intel on gobbling birds. With the vacation crisis averted, my tour would begin on schedule. Once in a great while, things do line up properly, and I would enjoy the best of many circumstances. One of which rarely cooperates is the weather. The weeks leading up to my departure were filled with unseasonably warm, bright and sunny days in mid-March. The weather began to return to more seasonable temps the day I left for Texas. The good weather followed me the entire trip. I couldn't ask for a better deal than that. The vacation went as planned, starting out the first weekend with family, and participating in the race. The race event itself went well, I executing a good race plan, ran my best time in fifteen years, and had my grandchildren there to see me finish. The next few days was spent with family, helping install a wood floor in my daughter's house, and had a night out for a great meal and a movie. The week flew by as expected. After picking up a rental car in Keller, I headed out to Sonora the following day on Friday. Another sunny day made for a scenic trip across Texas. I made it into camp early that afternoon, and settled right in. After meeting fellow hunters. guides, and cook staff, we had a way too good of a meal. After the huge dinner, we all hung out for a casual evening. There were eleven hunters in camp, and I really enjoyed the camaraderie, as it was a good crew in my humble opinion. The kind of folk you like more and more as you spend time with them. We were entertained as well that evening by the "house flock" that hung around the ranch house. The flock included some huge gobblers, and that had everyone pumped up for the first morning of the hunt. The guides were well seasoned and very competent in their own right, the hunters in camp were all experience deer and or turkey hunters. This would spell bad news for gobblers the following morning. No need for alarm clock first morning. Everyone was up early and ready to go. After a huge breakfast, we were off to the drop off points. After getting a rundown on features of the pasture I would start in, and where I could expect to hear gobblers on the roost, I headed out in to the darkness. I would follow an old roadway to listen for the first gobble. As the first glow of light changed to day break, gobblers sounded off. As it turned out, the birds were in the general direction as described, but another 300-400 yards further back, and in another pasture. It was thought that birds were roosting on both sides of the pasture, but not to be this particular morning. In fact uncustomary to most years, the gobblers were changing roosts almost daily. Although I did not hunt this same pasture again, another hunter went there the following morning, and had birds gobble on both sides, with one being reasonably close. That bird rode back in the truck. I heard eight different gobblers as well as hens, which were not far from each other. With a fence between us, it proved difficult to make them cover the distance with a girlfriend by their side. Rio's will cover ground, and lots of it. However, unless I got the hens to come, or a gobbler to peel off, I was not going to be in the game. I did manage to get a gobbler, a hen, and likely a jake (judging by the poor attempt at gobbling) to come close to the fence line. After a brief exchange they followed the fence out on a big flat, gobbled one last time about a half mile away, and that was all she wrote. Gobbling stopped all together around 9AM, and it got hot. Another sunny day, heard gobbling, not a bad start. Afternoon was uneventful, with the exception of a hen I called in and kept around for fifty minutes. We had some nice conversation, and a little back and forth. No boyfriend in tow or nearby. Other hunters had some luck first day, and there were seven gobblers tagged. A father and son in-law team doubled on long beards, with the son in-law tagging his first bird ever! Another great meal and I hit the bed early as my allergies kicked in with heavy green up. With the high pollen count my sinuses were in overdrive. Everything was in bloom, and it hit me like it hadn't done in years. The second morning I started out in another pasture that had birds gobbling there the day prior. I felt a bit better after a few sinus meds, and it was a welcomed relief. With a mile walk to my first listening spot, I headed out along another roadway before first light. Like the day before, only at a different location, the gobblers had moved. Instead of being roosted in the draw or on top of a small hill, they sounded off out past a huge open prairie, in another pasture. I found a small oak hammock off a point to set up. Even though 600-800 yards lay between us, I could not make a move unless they moved down into the draw, or over to the other side of the hill. With so much open space, I set out a motion decoy behind my location about twenty yards or so out in the roadway that wrapped around the point. After the first gobbles, there was a long pause of way too long type. I issued a short series with my short box, and got cut off by four gobblers. In fact, no more gobbling would occur unless I made a call. I kept stretching out the time, hoping to get them in a seek and find mode. It was quiet enough that I believe I could have heard a hen, if there was one there. Although I did not hear any hens, I suspected there was. All four gobblers would answer the box or a mouth call. As expected the gobbling changed after fly down. They all sounded further away except for one! It wasn't long that I spotted a gobbler jumping the pasture fence about 400 yards out. He was coming in full strut, only to stop, look, and gobble along the way. Half way across the field I issued the last series of calls, and put the gun up. There was just enough brush to hide minor adjustments in the last 200 yards. The gobbler was cautious as he closed the distance, but most importantly he kept coming. The rising sun lit the gobbler up, making for a most vivid and brilliant memory of him as he approached. As he closed to forty yards, he began to circle, with his body language suggesting he did not like the decoy. I decided right then and there that he should not have an opinion, I did however give him one as I squeezed the trigger! First bird down! A solid three year old bird sporting 1" spurs, 9" beard. I figured him to go maybe nineteen pounds, not much more than that. After taking some pictures, the birds began to gobble again. Gobbling trailed off around 9:30AM. The rest of the morning would remain uneventful, although very pleasant from my perspective. The walk back to the pickup point and the hearty lunch that followed seemed that much more enjoyable with a successful morning. The afternoon hunt would be at another pasture, and would be where a pile of gobblers had been heard. I was informed that they were hanging up hard, and just out of range. The afternoon would be hot as well, but cooler than the day prior. Submitted photoMIke's second bird. After being set out for the afternoon hunt, I went back in past where the gobblers had been hanging up. I quickly found an open area with a natural funnel and pinch point. Being satisfied with what I came across, I settled into another small cluster of oaks with ample shade. The plan was to spend time there with a low impact approach. Calling would be spread out twenty-thirty minutes at a time, and no loud calling unless the wind picked up. Several hours had passed, and the wind had picked up enough to require a little more volume from the calls. I had not called for twenty minutes, when a bird gobbled 200+ yards to my right. Being that I was close to being caught asleep while on point, it caught me by surprise. Having plenty of experience of gobblers sneaking in later in the day, I knew full well the importance of staying sharp and focused. Even though it had reached ninety out, I had a shady spot with a cool breeze to aide my comfort. The sleepy type of comfort. Recouping from an "almost buggered it up" moment, I responded with a call. A minute later, came a delayed response. I followed up with another call series, nothing answered back. I decided to hold off after that. Fifteen long minutes go by. The bird sounded off again but had moved off. I oblige with a short series of yelps with a box call, no response. At this point, I was not thinking too much of this, as I had "been there, done that" before. A little while later the bird gobbles again in about the same place he first started, and another bird further back jumps on it and gobbles. I cut and pop on a mouth call, and they both cut me off. Waited five minutes, called again, no response. Switched to the box call and tried another short series plus a couple of cutts, same deal. I shut it down, and wait it out. Each minute that passed felt like an hour. The bird might just walk off, but I needed to change it up, and make them come looking. Twenty minutes pass, same bird in the same spot, rips out a gobble. I stand my ground, no call, not a peep. The time now passes like molasses on a cold day. Eight-ten minutes pass, he gobbles again, but this time the crucial clue! The gobble had changed, more intense, louder, and longer. I give him three yelps off my Halloran box, gobbler cuts me off before I get to the third yelp. I get the gut feeling he is going to commit, and come in front and center. I gave it a full minute, then started to cutt at him with a mouth call. Never finished as the bird's gobble drowned me out first note in, 100 yards and closing. Gun up! He came straight at me through a cedar thicket. Seconds pass, and I spotted his snowball head fifty yards out. He was wasting no time getting to me. Closing to twenty five yards, he passed behind a cedar bush just before his final steps, allowing one last adjustment of the gun barrel. Once he closed to twenty five yards directly in front, he dropped into full strut for a brief moment, and just as quickly folded up, ready to march onward. I popped a hard cutt on the mouth call, which the gobbler liked well enough to stick his neck out (literally) for. The gobble never came out, or was drowned out by the shotgun blast. I had the holosight in acquisition mode with target lock. At the shot the bird was laid out flat where he had stood. A load of Hevi-13 delivers as advertised. Second bird down is another three year old gobbler sporting 1" spurs, 8-3/4" beard- although thinner due to partially being broke off near the breast. This gobbler was slightly lighter than the first gobbler in the 18 pound range. Having filled my second tag at 6PM, I had another full hour plus to go before being picked up. I took my time to find nice spots for pictures. When I was all done with that, I sat down along the fence line and enjoyed the remaining daylight, as the air had cooled with a constant breeze. Being a little full of myself over the day's success, I also found myself a little disappointed that my wife was not there to share it with, as she could not get the time off to make the trip. Lee and I have shared many hunts together, and even enjoyed a double now and then. With a little planning and continued good circumstance we may make the trip back down together. With the second day over, the crew of eleven hunters had seventeen tags filled, all of which were long beards. Despite the odds of it, the father and son in-law team would double again! There was one hunter there from Pennsylvania, that needed a Rio for a grand slam, but had done all but pull the trigger up to this point. He would have his day the following morning on the last day of hunt. The eighteenth bird brought in would be the bad boy of the hunt, sporting 1-1/4" spurs. They spent three days figuring him out and got it done on the last day! All in all it was a great hunt. The food and hospitality was more than you could ever ask for, thousands of acres to chase long beards, and a great bunch hunters to share turkey camp with. I spent the last morning going for a run along the main ranch road. What a treat it was to listen to birds gobble as I trudged along my route! The ride back to Dallas was just as sunny coming out, and all the more pleasant after a quality hunt with good people coupled with a great harvest! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

thIt would put young big game hunters (ages 14-15) with adult mentors in the woods at the same time as bowhunters who would also be out hunting for deer. Check out the poll and register your vote. Dick Blume/The Post-Standard The state Department of Environmental Conservation this past week released its updated list of proposed rules affecting deer and bear hunting in the state. There were no big changes from the original proposal released last year, except for one. The DEC is pitching a special, three-day season for young hunters. Youths age 14 and 15 would be allowed to use firearms to hunt for deer during the Columbus Day weekend in portions of the Southern and Northern zones. The aim is to get this and other changes in place for the coming fall season. If approved, the special youth hunt would be Oct. 6-8. The changes would put junior big-game hunters with firearms in the woods at the same time as bow hunters, whose season precedes the regular firearms season. And that’s the source of some contention. The idea is to give young hunters, with licensed adult mentors, a head start and an increased chance for success prior to the regular deer hunting season. The state already does this with special pheasant, turkey and waterfowl hunting weekends for youth. ’’The youth season will run concurrently with early bowhunting season and is not expected to have any noticeable impact on deer behavior or bowhunter success, particularly in light of the more than 100,000 small-game hunters (turkey, squirrel, rabbit, ruffed grouse, etc.) also afield during the early fall,” the DEC said in a statement. The statement points out that youth deer hunts are held concurrent with bowhunting seasons in many other states, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Do you support a junior youth hunt during Columbus Day weekend? The reason the DEC can say that the bowhunting season and the youth hunt will run concurrently is that it has proposed lengthening the Southern Zone archery season more than two weeks, having it open Oct. 1. The following are excerpts from two hunters on opposite sides of the issue of allowing the special, three-day season for youth to hunt deer. Supporting the hunt is Lance Robson, of Sennett, a member of the New York State Conservation Fund Advisory Board, who stressed he’s giving his personal opinion. Opposing it is David Kosowski, of Avon, legislative chairman for the New York Bowhunters. Special youth hunt a great teaching tool Lance Robson As a longtime bow and firearms hunter and mentor of new hunters, both youth and adult, I applaud this proposal. It promises to be a valuable tool in the process of teaching, coaching and mentoring young hunters. In a late 2011 DEC survey of 2,500 randomly selected households with New York resident youth hunters ages 12-15 years, 90.5 percent of respondents said they would participate if a youth hunt were available. I am deeply concerned by some of the rhetoric in opposition. The New York Bowhunters, an advocacy group, has a longstanding position in opposition to a youth firearm hunt. In fact, they claim the defeat of such a proposal in 2004 as one of their signature accomplishments. That group and others suggest that bowunters will somehow be put at risk by youth deer hunters. There are far more camouflage-clad hunters afield during the regular big season without any such problem. Many years of records show that youth hunters are our safest class of hunters. As additional safety measures, junior firearm big-game hunters and their mentors are the only hunters in this state required to wear blaze orange, and they are required to hunt from the ground and cannot hunt from elevated stands. As things stand today, without extending the bow hunting season any more, a Southern Zone bowhunter has about 42 days (10-year average) of dedicated bowhunting time when one considers the early and late seasons. They can also hunt during the 23-day regular firearms season, giving them a grand total of 65 days per year to enjoy their sport. A hunter with a shotgun or rifle has just 23 days each fall. If you include hunting with a muzzleloader afterward, the total jumps to 32 days per fall. Simply put, a bowhunter already has two to three times the opportunity of any other Southern Zone hunter. Many of these bowhunters want primary access to the big bucks and to heck with all the other hunters. Bowhunters don't need firearms going off David Kosowski New York Bowhunters is opposed to placing any type of firearm in the archery-only seasons. The use of firearms during the bow seasons will disturb the peace and tranquility of the archery hunt. When the guns go bang, it causes the deer to head to their hiding spots and forces the bigger bucks into a nocturnal mode of behavior for both the bow and the regular firearms season. With guns going off it will be difficult to separate the good guys from the bad, resulting in increased illegal activities. We are opposed to placing a youth firearms hunt during the archery seasons as hunters do not need a special season to take a kid hunting. The most effective means to recruit kids is to take a youngster hunting during the existing seasons, while supporting legislation that would lower the big-game hunting age for all weapons to 12 years of age. Junior bow-hunting license sales increased by 57 percent after the big-game hunting age for junior bowhunters was reduced to age 12 in 2010. The same will happen with the reduction of the junior big-game firearm age. A youth weekend firearms hunt should be placed on the first weekend of the regular seasons, as is being proposed by the DEC for the first weekend of the Suffolk County big-game gun season. Another option would be to place a youth big-game firearms hunt on the first or second weekends of September. This would avoid any conflicts. The DEC-funded Cornell University study titled “Final Report: Statewide Deer Hunter Survey — 2010” on page 16 states: “Despite majority agreement that a youth hunt would be a good idea, little agreement was found with respect to timing. It also showed that the highest positive response was to conduct this hunt on the ‘immediate weekend prior to the regular season.’” The bottom line is that the DEC picked the Columbus Day weekend, and not the sporting community. Time to weigh in The DEC is soliciting feedback on this until May 21. To see more detailed explanations of the youth hunt proposal and more changes, including instructions for providing comments, visit the DEC website . View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I share stories about a 10-yeare-old who reeled in a 19 1/2 brown; a mystery angler who landed a 24-inch rainbow on Nine Mile Creek and a teenage fly fisherman who had his best opening day ever. Submitted photoKyle and his nice brown.Last Sunday’s opening day of trout season produced a host of wonderful memories and catches. The following three tales stand out: A great start The magic for young Kyle Barnes occurred on his very first cast. The 10-year-old was using his spinning outfit to cast worms from shore with his father, Paul, on the Tioughnioga River in DeRuyter, when he hooked and landed a 19½-inch brown trout. “I’ve been fishing there for years and never caught anything bigger than 12 inches,” the father said. The ironic thing about that trout, the father said, was that neither he nor Kyle caught another fish. They didn’t even get another bite during the ensuing hour that they fished. Paul Barnes, who admitted he wasn’t expecting to catch much, said he came unprepared. He didn’t even have a stringer. He said he threw his son’s trout in the back of his truck and drove it to their DeRuyter home, which was nearby. He gutted it and put in the fridge. The father returned to the river with his other son, Cameron, 6, but they got skunked. Kyle’s fish, though, was more than adequate, Barnes said. “My wife cooked it that night on the frying pan with some seasoning. It was big enough to feed the whole family,” he said. Mystery angler The talk at the end of the day on Nine Mile Creek was about an Oswego man who landed an eye-opening, 24-inch male rainbow trout. A couple of nearby anglers, who took pictures of the fish for the guy, tried to persuade him to put it back in the water. The angler would have none of that, insisting he was going to take it home and have it mounted. “We told him it would make more sense to put the fish back. ... and to have a replica made instead, using the pictures and the measurement,” said John Nolan. “He insisted he was going to keep it, which is his prerogative.” And he did. The pictures are available, but I’m not going to run them on this page or on my blog, or even give his name, unless he gives his consent. As Nolan said, that’s his prerogative. Lucky fly guy Jake DeCapio, owner of the Wayfarer Co., a spin and fly tackle shop on Nine Mile Creek, said the unwritten story on opening day was how the low, clear water increased the results of local fly fishermen. The high, colored waters that normally characterize opening day in Central New York handicap the fly fishermen, who are often outfished by the worm and lure guys. Not so this year. A good example was Joe Sicherman, a 17-year-old fly caster from Fairmount, who started out on opening day fishing Nine Mile with his buddy, Ryan. “I caught and released five fish on flies on Nine Mile and then went over to Skaneateles Creek and caught six more,” he said, noting that he was using Nine Mile scuds and it was his best opening day ever. He went out again on Monday and landed 10 fish, and was out again on Wednesday and caught 9 to 10 more. The West Genesee High School junior said his biggest fish so far has been 12 inches. “Doing well is all I care about, though I would like to get a big fish, of course,” he said. For sharing their exploits, both Sicherman and Kyle Barnes will get the pick of outdoors-related books on my desk. If the Oswego angler ever reveals himself, he’ll get his choice as well. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught two nice browns. Submitted photoJoe Leogrande, of Auburn, poses with his catch following a day of fishing on Limestone Creek this week. He wrote: "A A Frigid day for trout fishing at limestone creek, but catching fish warms the heart. Two nice brown trout that look like native browns or last year holdovers." He said one measured 10.5 inches; the other, 12.5 inches. "They enjoyed night crawlers. Now, I will enjoy frying them in butta' and almonds." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Some areas of Central New York are more tick-infested than others. Green Lakes State Park and the surrounding area, for example, with its unchecked and ever-growing deer population, is the local Ground Zero for Lyme disease. Victoria Arocho A female deer tick. Peter Palumb’s experience last weekend is food for thought, and may even make your skin crawl. Paumb, operations sergeant at the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion in Syracuse, was out on property next to Green Lakes State Park, land on which he’s been given permission by the owner to hunt deer and turkey. “Saturday afternoon I hiked the property, observing many turkey and a few white-tail deer,” he began. “After three hours of scouting, I headed back to my car. Once inside my car I noticed three ticks crawling on my left leg. “After removing them and placing them inside an empty prescription bottle, I got out of the car only to find 11 more crawling on the exterior of my clothing. Once home, I disrobed and went into the bathroom and found another three on my body, one which had already pierced my skin. I removed them all and took a long, hot shower and checked myself again once to ensure none remained.” What got my attention is that Palumb said he never once sat down as he often does while hunting. He said he walked through the woods, open fields and scrub bedding areas looking for sheds (shed deer antlers). “I can tell you from many years of doing this for enjoyment and exercise, I have on a rare occasion found a single stray tick on my body or clothing,” he said. “I have never seen it like this. The more I read about Lyme disease the more uneasy I become.” Staff writer Kathleen Poliquin reported earlier this week that experts have said our past mild winter will translate into a bad year for ticks. Palumb’s account adds credence to her story. Victoria Arocho Some perspective on their size. Not all ticks are the same. But it’s worth knowing that in the case of a tiny deer tick, which transmits the debilitating Lyme disease, it must be attached to its host for at least 48 hours to pass on the illness. One of the tell-tale signs of a deer-tick bite is a bull’s-eye-like bruise around the bite area. Among the suggestions to avoid tick bites offered by the state Health Department: - Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily. - Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants. - Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors. - Consider using insect repellent. - Bath or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you. - To remove a tick from skin, use tweezers to grab it close to the mouth, as close to the skin as possible, and gently and steadily pull it straight off without twisting. If you think it might be a deer tick, it’s a good idea to save it in some kind of container and show your doctor. Some areas of Central New York are more tick-infested than others. Green Lakes State Park and the surrounding area, for example, with its unchecked and ever-growing deer population, is the local Ground Zero for Lyme disease. Palumb pointed out that not only outdoorsmen and women (hunters and anglers) should be concerned. “I worry about gardeners, landscapers, golfers, picnickers and children playing outside,” he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

These humble fish, an afterthought most of the time, are important now because they are concentrated, fun to catch, and most delicious to eat. Jim Commentucci/The Post-StandardA party of anglers fishes for bullheads Friday evening at the mouth of the Little Salmon River at Mexico Point on Lake Ontario. By Jim Commentucci Staff writer Each year they show up, just as the robins do, to usher in springtime. It’s the annual spawning of bullheads. Anglers flock to the shores of local waterways during the late evening and nighttime, gathering at certain hot spots. These humble fish, an afterthought most of the time, are important now because they are concentrated, fun to catch, and most delicious to eat. You’ve seen the roadside-stand advertisements for bullhead dinners. There’s a reason for that. When caught from cold water, bullheads are a light, mild-tasting treat. You can buy them or you can get your own free. Getting you own is more satisfying. Bullheads gather at shorelines at night in spring to spawn, particularly at the mouths of tributary streams on large lakes. That’s why they are easy to target on Lake Ontario and Oneida Lake. In fact, at places like Mexico Point on Ontario and Cleveland or Oneida Creek on Oneida Lake, bullhead fishing can be fast and furious. There’s not much to rigging for bullheads. They will eat just about anything from chicken liver, prepared (dough) bait, corn or worms. But night crawlers will outfish all other bait by far. It’s simply a matter of threading a ’crawler on a No. 1-size hook and chucking it out. There are, however, a couple of points to consider. First: Bullheads almost always swallow the hook. Try using a snelled hook leader with a snap swivel and slip-sinker rig. Packaged snelled hook leaders (like those made by Eagle Claw) are inexpensive and allow the angler to simply remove and replace. You can retrieve the hooks later at home when you’re cleaning the fish, rather than mess with the task in the dark. Second: There are lots of other fish that like to eat night crawlers at night. I’m talking big fish like carp, catfish, sheepshead — and even an occasional sturgeon. Propping your fishing rod on a Y-shaped stake or stick is the way to go. Be sure to leave your bail open on your reel or your drag loose, though. I’ve seen more than a few poor anglers’ rigs violently yanked into the water for good by some unseen lake monster. Cleaning bullheads has traditionally been a matter of separating the head and innards from the body. I prefer simply to fillet and skin. You just roll them in some seasoned flour and lightly fry in bacon fat or butter. A simple fishing rig, a chair, a lantern, a snack and maybe some company. It’s all you need to enjoy some springtime bullhead fishing. Enjoy the robins. Eat the bullheads. Jim Commentucci/The Post-StandardBrown bullheads caught by Ben McDonald of Parish are shown in a bucket Tuesday night. McDonald was fishing in an inlet to Toad Harbor on the north shore of Oneida Lake in West Monroe. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Anglers on Oneida Lake continue to cash in on perch and bullhead, along with other panfish, particularly around the marinas. The crappie action on Otisco Lake has also been impressive recently. CNY FISHING FORECAST A reminder that walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie season closed on March 15. Also, all persons aboard a pleasure vessel less than 21 feet, regardless of age, must wear a personal flotation device (PFD) until May 1. Bait stores (list and map). INLAND TROUT STREAMS Streams across the area are low and clear. LAKE ONTARIO Before the cold and wind over the weekend, brown trout were being taken along the lake shore flat-lining (trolling lure behind the boat without any weight) with stickbaits. If you can find some off- colored water, fish around it. Good starting depths have been the 8- to 10- foot range. SALMON RIVER The river is down to 285 cubic feet per second. Anglers continue to catch steelhead. Try the deeper pools. OSWEGO RIVER All areas along the river are fishable. Fishing near the dam has been good for steelhead and some brown trout. Steelhead and brown trout are hitting egg sacs, trout beads, jigs and stickbaits. ONEIDA LAKE Anglers continue to cash in on perch and bullhead, along with other panfish, particularly around the marinas. Anglers are also getting out on the Oneida River, catching bullhead and panfish. CAYUGA LAKE Lake is still low. Reports of some good perch fishing on the northern end if you can get on. Anglers trolling are getting lake trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Lake trout are coming on spoons or flasher and fly rigs fished 100 to 115 feet down over 130 to 150 feet of water. Also, jigging in 135 to 145 feet of water has been good for lake trout with a variety of plastics working. Fishing stickbaits on the surface over 15 to 25 feet of water is working for the brown trout and salmon. SENECA LAKE Lake trout are being taken on flies and flashers fished 110 feet down over 150 feet of water. Atlantic salmon and brown trout are hitting spoons fished 10 to 20 feet down over 80 to 100 feet of water. Yellow perch fishing from the pier has been good with fish hitting minnows, spikes and oak leaf grubs. OWASCO LAKE The perch and bullhead bite continues to be on lately, particularly at the southern end. Use fathead minnows for the perch; worms and crayfish for the bullheads. Trout anglers are targeting the Inlet for brown trout, using egg sacs and worms. Reports of some nice trout being taken in the Inlet. OTISCO LAKE Anglers fishing from boats are catching crappies, perch and bluegills. Use fathead minnows or Cubby jigs. SKANEATELES LAKE The DEC launch is open. Anglers in recent weeks have been reporting great perch fishing, it slowed, but it’s picking up again. Use fathead minnows, or small plastic jigs. Trout anglers can target Grout Brook at the lake’s southern end for spawning rainbows. It’s low, though. SODUS BAY Anglers trolling the lake shore have been catching a lot of brown trout in about 12 feet of water. Anglers in boats are also doing well with perch, using fathead minnows. Anglers from shore are doing well with crappies and bullheads. SANDY POND Crappies are hitting around docks. No word on the perch bite. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER The perch and bullhead bite has slowed recently with the cool weather, but things have started to pick lately. Reports of some good perch catches around Goose Bay. Try fathead minnows. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Lots of crappies are being caught by anglers using fathead minnows and bobbers. Bullhead are being caught after dark on the north end of the reservoir, and also off Keibel Road. The spillway area is closed until opening day of walleye season. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I've seen pictures, but I have no name. I've seen pictures, but I have no name. I'm trying to reach the angler who caught a 24-inch rainbow trout on Nine Mile Creek opening day. All I know is he kept the fish and is from somewhere in Oswego. I can be reached at 470-6066 or by email at [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He was using a center pin rod and hooked the fish on a trout bead. Submitted photo Frank Doll, of Wolcott, poses with a nice steelhead he caught Jan. 10 in Sterling Creek (east branch), a small waterway that runs into Lake Ontario. He was using a center pin rod and hooked the fish on a trout bead. It weighed more than 15 pounds, he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The National Wild Turkey Federation and the Salmon River Strutters Chapter will sponsor a sanctioned Turkey Calling Contest for adults and youth, ages twelve years and younger, on April 15 at Bass Pro Shops, Auburn. The winners of the open division will be awarded cash prizes; youth division winners will receive prize awards provided by Empire Calls. Submitted photoSteve Alkins, of Jamesville, poses with his first wild turkey. The following is a press release: The National Wild Turkey Federation and the Salmon River Strutters Chapter will sponsor a sanctioned Turkey Calling Contest for adults and youth, ages twelve years and younger, at 1 p.m. April 15 at Bass Pro Shops in Auburn. All members of the NWTF may register− non-members may join NWTF on April 15 upon registration. Registration closes at 12:30 p.m. Cost is $25. The winner of the open will be elgible to participate in the 2013 Grand National Calling Contest. Emceeing the event will be Jim Montanaro from NWTF. The winners of the open division will be awarded cash prizes; youth division winners will receive prize awards provided by Empire Calls. Exact cash awards will be determined by the number of registered callers (entry fees). The cash award split will be as follows: First Place- 50% Second Place- 30% Third Place - 20% Five open contest calls: 1). Hen Yelps 2). Kee-Kee Run 3). Fly Down Cackle 4). Cluck and Purr 5). Callers best Call Youth contest calls: 1). Hen yelps 2). Cluck 3). Cutting of a Hen Turkey 4). Callers Best Call View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Competitors in the league, which began in the early 1960s, shoot at 11 different clubs in Onondaga and Oswego counties in a season that lasts to the end of August. Last year, more than 740 shooters participated. Trap shooting anyone? The Central New Trap League kicked off Tuesday evening at rod and gun clubs across Central New York. Competitors in the league, which began in the early 1960s, shoot at 11 different clubs in Onondaga and Oswego counties in a 20-week season that lasts to the end of August. The league is divided into north and south divisions. The final match pits the north championship team against the south’s top squad Last year, it was Toad Harbor Rod and Gun Club in Hastings versus the Pompey Rod and Gun Club. The Toad Harbor squad finished on top, according to Dick Masterpole, who coordinates the league. Masterpole said last year the league featured 744 shooters. For more on the league, call Masterpole at 963-8974. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

New rules would include a youth deer hunt, longer bow seasons, mandatory antler restrictions in more areas. The DEC will accept public comments on this proposals through May 21. Submitted photoMartin Hale, of Cato, poses with a 12-point deer he shot Nov. 20 near Victory. The buck's antlers had a 21-inch inside spread, and deer dressed out at 185 pounds, he said. The following is a DEC press release: The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today proposed rules affecting deer and bear hunting in New York to implement the state’s Five-Year Deer Management Plan, Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. “Regulation changes are needed to implement many of the strategies of the recently adopted Management Plan for White-tailed Deer,” Commissioner Martens said. “The changes to the deer hunting seasons, mandatory antler restrictions, use of Deer Management Permits (DMPs), and development of Deer Management Focus Areas will increase opportunities for New York hunters, consistent with input we’ve received from the public and deer management goals.” DEC adopted the five- year deer management plan in October 2011 following extensive public input and can be viewed on the DEC Web site. Comments previously submitted on the draft deer management plan were important in finalizing the deer plan and developing this rulemaking proposal. DEC will accept public comments on this proposal through May 21, 2012. Comments on this rule should be specific to the proposals herein and should not be resubmissions of previous comments submitted on the full deer management plan or previous regulatory proposals. This rule also proposes some adjustment of bear hunting seasons, which are generally concurrent with deer seasons. DEC is proposing to: - Establish a three-day youth firearms season for deer to occur during Columbus Day weekend in portions of the Northern and Southern Zone where deer may be taken with a firearm which will increase opportunities for junior hunters. Junior hunters (ages 14 and 15) will be authorized to take one deer of either-sex with a firearm during the youth season. DEC anticipates participation by approximately 16,000 youth hunters, roughly one youth hunter for every two to three square miles of deer habitat in New York. The youth season will run concurrently with early bowhunting season and is not expected to have any noticeable impact on deer behavior or bowhunter success, particularly in light of the more than 100,000 small game hunters also afield during the early fall. Youth deer hunts are held concurrent with bowhunting seasons in many other states, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Opinions of potential participants about a youth firearms season can be found on the DEC Web site. - Lengthen bowhunting seasons in the Southern Zone by moving to a fixed opening date of October 1 to increase bowhunting opportunities. This will lengthen bowhunting seasons in the Southern Zone, and lengthen the regular season (bowhunting only) in Westchester County by an average of 15 days and include an additional four weekend days in most years. - Adjust the Northern Zone muzzleloader and regular season start dates by up to one week later certain years to increase bowhunting opportunities and accommodate the proposed youth firearms season. This rule will begin the Northern Zone muzzleloader and regular seasons one week later in 6 of 10 years allowing for a longer early bow season these years. - Establish a late bowhunting season in the Northern Zone, concurrent with the late muzzleloading season, to increase bowhunting opportunities. This rule will increase bowhunting opportunities in the Northern Zone by an additional seven days and will be similar to the concurrent bow and muzzleloader seasons in the Southern Zone. - Allow DMPs to be used during Northern Zone bow and early muzzleloader seasons to simplify regulations and increase hunter opportunity and choice. Current regulations allow use of DMPs in the Northern Zone only during the regular season and late muzzleloader season. This change will only affect those portions of the Northern Zone where DMPs can be issued (Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 6A, 6C, 6G, 6H, 6K), and this change will not affect the number of DMPs issued. WMU locations can be check out on the DEC Web site. - Establish mandatory antler restrictions in WMUs 3A, 4G, 4O, 4P, 4R, 4S, and 4W to reduce harvest of yearling (1.5 year old) bucks. The mandatory antler restriction will prohibit hunters during all seasons in all portions of the listed WMUs from taking an antlered deer unless it has at least 3 points on at least one antler. Hunters less than 17 years old will be exempt from the restriction. In 2011, yearlings comprised 49 percent of the total adult bucks taken in these units. This rule is expected to change harvest composition so that 15-20 percent of the adult bucks taken in these units are yearlings. The restriction is expected to decrease total buck harvest approximately 35-45 percent initially. - Simplify the description of the area open for deer hunting during the January firearms season to include Suffolk County, subject to local discharge restrictions. Current regulations include a complex and lengthy description of open areas that are unnecessary considering existing local ordinances and legal setbacks from structures for discharge of firearms. - Establish provisions for designation of Deer Management Focus Areas to intensify use of traditional hunting in specifically designated geographic areas to assist communities with the burden of overabundant deer populations. This rule will increase bag limits to two antlerless deer per hunter per day and establish a Deer Management Focus Area deer hunting season in late January. This rule will establish specific permit, tagging and reporting requirements in focus areas. This rule also defines the first such focus area in Tompkins County that includes portions of the towns of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Enfield, Ithaca, Lansing, Newfield, and Ulysses. This area has very high deer populations and relatively poor access for hunters. Deer management focus areas will enable greater harvest opportunity for hunters who are able to gain access to lands for hunting, and are intended to augment on-going management activities in the affected area. - Adjust bear seasons in the Northern and Southern Zone to remain consistent with bow, muzzleloader and regular seasons for deer. - Correct a road name in the boundary descriptions for WMUs 5A and 5C, where Franklin County Route 24 was incorrectly identified as State Route 24. To see more detailed explanations of these proposals, including instructions for providing comments, visit the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html. The proposed rulemaking can also be viewed in detail in the April 4, 2012 publication of the New York State Register, which will be posted at www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register/2012.html. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I'm writing this week about bullhead fishing and the best tales from opening day of trout fishing season. Have a story suggestion for The Outdoors page? Call Outdoors Editor David Figura at 470-6066 or email him at [email protected] Anybody know anyone who still hits Cayuga or Owasco lakes for smelt during the spring? Frankly, I don't know anybody who still goes after smelt, but I hear they're out there. A guy from Binghamton called me just this morning asking me what I knew. I'm also looking for anyone who's been out successfully hunting wild boar lately. I was down at Grout Brook doing my opening day of trout fishing season unday and heard shots. The anglers I was with matter-of-factly said it was probably boar hunters. I'm intent on doing a story on this. Finally, I hear this is going to be a terrible spring for ticks. You turkey hunter out there... are you worried? What precautions do you take, or would recommend? I'm personally concerned about this... If you know anything about any of these topics, give me a call at 470-6066 or email me at [email protected]. Meanwhile, here's what's on tap this week on The Outdoors Page in The Post-Standard. FRIDAY Main piece: We check out the local bullhead fishing scene, which from all reports seems to be on fire lately. Column: Not set yet. Still mulling my options. Maybe something about ticks and the Oneida Lake lake levels. SUNDAY Main piece: Best three tales from CNY's opening day of trout fishing. (Deadline to submit stories and photos is noon Thursday). I've received a few so far.. keep 'em coming! Column: Not set yet. Still mulling my options. 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 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

He caught it using a Copper John nymph. ! Submitted photo A smiling Daniel Morgan proudly shows a 21-inch brown he caught on Chittenango Creek with his fly rod. He said he used 7x tippet and a Copper John nymph with a size 16 hook. Nice fish! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Here's two nice pictures of oepning day trout sent in by readers. The first is of Kyle Barnes 10, with a 19 1/2 inch rainbow trout he caught on theTioughnioga river in DeRuyter . The second is of a 19 inch brown caught and released by Jeff Machan. He caught it on a wooly bugger in Nine Mile Creek.... Submitted photoKyle's lunker. A nice rainbow.Here's two nice pictures of oepning day trout sent in by readers. The first is of Kyle Barnes 10, with a 19 1/2 inch rainbow trout he caught on theTioughnioga river in DeRuyter . The second is of a 19 inch brown caught and released by Jeff Machan. He caught it on a wooly bugger in Nine Mile Creek. Submitted photoJeff Machan's brown. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog