HuntingNY-News

The two caught two nice rainbows: one was 22 inches, the other 27 inches. Submitted photo Marshall Skiff and Jack Helmer, two semi-retired, 80-plus year olds had a fine day fishing on Skaneateles Lake from shore on a recent, warm March day. The two caught two nice rainbows: one was 22 inches, the other 27 inches. "Both were caught from shore using Canadian crawlers," Helmer said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a jig, fishing for crappie. Submitted photo Matt Smith caught and released this impressive, 6- pound, 2-ounce, largemouth bass while crappie fishing last week in Fair Haven. He caught the fish on a small jig. I 'm sure this fish put up quite a fight. Impressive. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

My daugher, Katie, forwarded me this video. Sets the stage for the coming season. My daugher, Katie, forwarded me this video. I really like it. Sets the stage for the coming season. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

With record low snowfalls this winter, businesses in upstate New York took a financial hit. Along the 10,500 miles of trails across New York State there are, convenient stores, gas pumps, and snowmobile parts, repair and sales dealerships that rely on snowmobilers as a significant source of revenue. The following is a press release from the New York State Snowmobile Association. LONG LAKE, NY – On Saturday, March 31st, the New York State Snowmobile Association (NYSSA) hosted their fifth annual Adirondack Trails Conference at The Adirondack Hotel in Long Lake. 40 representatives from organizations including NYSSA, DEC, APA, OPRHP and DOT along with local municipal and club officials came together to discuss why working positively with State Agency officials is so important to future partnerships and trails locations. "This year’s Adirondack Trails Conference was another success for the sport of snowmobiling,” said Jim Rolf, Trail Coordinator of NYSSA. “By coming together in this forum, each group has a fair chance to discuss how we can make New York snowmobile trails in the Adirondacks the best they legally can be. Width of trails, signage, and location are all factors that were openly discussed with suggested reasoning given by attendees for cooperative work.” Topics covered this year included: status of easements and recreational plans, identifying trails on the Forest Preserve that need work, reviewing upcoming UMP issues (trail designation and possible trail closures), history of the APA/DEC relationship, environmental damage from two tropical storms last fall, and the next steps with NYSSA’s Trails Steward program. “This is our chance each year to bring together so many key decision makers in our sport of snowmobiling,” said Dominic Jacangelo, Executive Director of NYSSA. “In a season that featured below average snowfall, this year’s Adirondack Trails Conference was still highly productive for discussing snowmobiling in Adirondack Park.” “With record low snowfalls this winter, businesses in upstate New York took a financial hit. Along the 10,500 miles of trails across New York State there are, convenient stores, gas pumps, and snowmobile parts, repair and sales dealerships that rely on snowmobilers as a significant source of revenue.” concluded NYSSA President Gary Broderick. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The secret is patience, and you just have to be sneaky," said Kevin Cute, of McGraw. "You just can’t walk up to a hole and think you’re going to catch a rainbow trout. They’re skittish. If you see them, they see you.” Watch video JIm CommentucciJames Miller of McGraw (left) holds a 25-inch-long male rainbow trout, and Kevin Cute of McGraw a 22-inch-long spent female rainbow, caught in Skaneateles Lake tributary Grout Brook in the town of Scott Sunday on the opening day of regular trout season. A spent female trout is one that has already dropped her eggs in spawning and is dropping back into Skaneateles Lake. Jim Commentucci / The Post-Standard Dennis Armani said he landed seven trout by 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning on Nine Mile Creek. “I’m keeping two,” the Westvale resident said. “My neighbor loves fish and it’s Good Friday this week, so he’ll have some fish.” Streams throughout Central New York were mostly clear and low, to moderately low on the opening day of trout season Sunday. The morning began overcast with a hint of sprinkles in the air. By noon, the temperature dropped and the day was marked with periods of rain and in some cases, sleet. Nevertheless, it was a memorable opening day for many, particularly for the scores of anglers who lined Nine Mile Creek between Camillus and Marcellus. Each year it’s the most heavily fished, local waterway because of the numbers of stocked fish put in it. Jake DeCapio, owner of the Wayfarer Co., a fly and spin fishing outfitter located along the stream, said he spotted nearly 70 parked cars as he drove into work before the sun came up. “I’ve never seen that many,” he said. Members from the local Rotary Club were out early selling coffee and baked goods at various points along the stream to raise money for the Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery, which stocks Nine Mile. One particular fish was the talk at DeCapio’s shop at the end of the day. “A 24-inch male rainbow came out of Nine Mile today,” DeCapio said, adding only that he knew the guy was from Oswego and kept the fish so he could mount it. Andrea West, of Kirkville, was happy with her 15-inch brown trout she hooked with a worm. She let her daughter, Taylor, 6, reel it in. “She reeled it in, so we let her keep it,” the mother said. “It’s in the car.” Larry Morgan was concentrating on using Panther Martin lures, trying out three different colors before nailing his first trout. “I tried copper and silver blades, and then switched to the dark, spotted one,” he said. “That’s the one that worked. I’m into catch and release, so the trout is back out there, floating in the stream somewhere.” Dan Eddy, of Seneca Falls, and fishing buddy, Matt Ae, of Cato, were having great luck fishing with nymphs. The two fly fishermen landed five fish in less than an hour, they said. It was a Great April Fools Day. We didn’t get fooled,” they said. Anglers at Grout Brook, which flows into the south end of Skaneateles Lake, grappled with low, clear water as they tried to catch large, lake-run rainbows that each spring run up the stream to spawn. “I’ve been fishing Grout Brook on opening day for 40 years,” said Kevin Cute, of McGraw, who landed a 22-incher. “The secret is patience, and you just have to be sneaky. You just can’t walk up to a hole and think you’re going to catch a rainbow trout. They’re skittish. If you see them, they see you.” One of Cute’s fishing buddies, James Miller, also of McGraw, cashed in on Sunday. He proudly pulled out 25-inch rainbow he had on ice in his cooler in the back of his truck. “We get here at midnight every year, and stay up all night,” Miller said. “Who can sleep? We can sleep tonight. It’s a tradition. We get a fire going. Last year we had elk meat and burgers. This year, it was venison sausage and hotdogs.” Both anglers said the stream was low and clear, similar to how it usually looks in late May. At Dresserville Creek, near Moravia, Barry Pettit, of Aurora, said he had only had one trout to his credit Sunday – a 3-inch, wild brown. “Basically, all you can fish are the big deep holes. The rest is too low. It’s down a good foot,” he said. “I’ve lost more hooks (on snags) than I’ve caught fish today.” Over at the Owasco Lake inlet, Larry Oliver, of Groton, sat back in his lawn chair, ignoring the rain and the decreasing temperatures. “I’ve caught three trout and two, mud suckers,” he said. Down the road in Locke, friends Hunter Hewitt and Caden Hooper, both 11, were fishing Hemlock Creek, a tributary that flows into the Inlet. They were using worms and lures, but were getting skunked. “It looks like all the other people took our fish,” Hooper said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"A 24-inch, male rainbow came out of Nine Mile today," said fishing shop owner, Jake DeCapio, adding only that he knew the guy came from Oswego and kept the fish so he could mount it. Watch video Dennis Armani said he landed seven trout by 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning on Nine Mile Creek. “I’m keeping two,” the Westvale resident said, adding he got to the stream at 4 a.m. to secure his spot. “My neighbor loves fish and it’s Good Friday this week, so he’ll have some fish.” Streams throughout Central New York were mostly clear and low, to moderately low on the opening day of trout season Sunday. The morning began overcast with a hint of sprinkles in the air. By noon, the temperature dropped and the day was marked with periods of rain and in some cases, sleet. Nevertheless, it was a memorable opening day for many, particularly for the scores of anglers who lined Nine Mile Creek, which annually is the most heavily fished waterway in the area because of the amount of stocked fish it receives prior to the opener. Jake DeCapio, owner of the Wayfarer Co., fly and spin fishing outfitter located along the stream, said he spotted nearly 70 parked cars as he drove into work before the sun came up. One lucky angler was the talk of the day. “A 24-inch male rainbow came out of Nine Mile today,” Capio said, adding only that he knew the guy came from Oswego and kept the fish so he could mount it. Andrea West, of Kirkville, was happy with her 15-inch brown trout she had hooked with a worm. She let her daughter, Taylor, 6, reel it in. “She reeled it in so we let her keep it,” the proud mother said. “It’s in the car.” JIm CommentucciJames Miller of McGraw (left) holds a 25-inch-long male rainbow trout, and Kevin Cute of McGraw a 22-inch-long spent female rainbow, caught in Skaneateles Lake tributary Grout Brook in the town of Scott Sunday on the opening day of regular trout season. A spent female trout is one that has already dropped her eggs in spawning and is dropping back into Skaneateles Lake. Jim Commentucci / The Post-Standard Dan Eddy, of Seneca Falls, and fishing buddy, Matt Ae, of Cato, were having great luck fishing with nymphs. The two fly fishermen landed five fish in less than an hour, they said. "It was a Great April Fools Day. We didn’t get fooled,” Eddy said. Meanwhile, some big rainbows were landed on Grout Brook at the southern end of Skaneateles Lake. Fishing buddies James Miller and Kevin Cute, both of McGraw, landed 25 and 22-inch fish, respectively. For more on Opening Day, see Monday's edition of The Post-Standard. Jim Commentucci/The Post-StandardLarry Oliver of Groton fishes for trout at the confluence of Dresserville Creek and Owasco Inlet in the town of Moravia Sunday on the opening day of regular trout season. Jim Commentucci / The Post-Standard View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

For some, the trout opener is a rite of spring. Outdoors Editor David Figura will be on assignment Sunday morning and early afternoon, covering the opening of the trout fishing season. Figura, who is on Twitter (@PSOutdoors), will be tweeting stream conditions and anecdotes as he stops by various streams in the area. Live updates: Opening day of trout season View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The fishing was as advertised,he said. Every day he and his friends landed about 25-30 brown and rainbow trout, averaging 14 to 20 inches.His biggest was a 26-inch brown. Submitted photoWeiter ishows his 26-inch brown that he caught on the Colon Cura River. For nearly 15 years, fly fisherman Steve Weiter has been a frequent visitor to such local trout waters as Limestone and West Canada Creek, and has occasionally wet his line in the Adirondacks and on the Delaware River. Less than a month ago, he got to experience a different trout fishing venue – Argentina. “I had two friends who asked me to come along,” the 50-year-old Manlius resident said. “I’m glad I did.” Weiter, who is library director at SUNY ESF and secretary of the local Iroquois Trout Unlimited chapter, traveled to Argentina Feb. 24 to March 4. He and his buddies, Mike Ray, a retired attorney from Atlanta, Ga. and Geoff Murphy, a doctor in Virginia fished several rivers near St. Martin de Los Andes, which is located in the southeast foothills of the Andes Mountains. The anglers stayed at a lodge. They’d get up by 8:30 a.m., have breakfast and the guides would come by and pick them up, trying out different rivers each day. “We’d be on the water by 10 a.m. and would fish until about 2 p.m., when we’d have lunch on the river,” he said. “We’d then fish until 8:30 to 9 p.m. each night, depending on the weather and how they were biting. “We’d then go back to the lodge, get cleaned up, have a glass of wine and have dinner at about 10:30 or 11 p.m. each night,” he said. Submitted photoA nice rainbow trout caught by Weiter on the Malleo River. The fishing was “as advertised,” Weiter said. Every day he and his friends landed about 25-30 brown and rainbow trout, averaging 14 to 20 inches. “My biggest was a 26-inch brown, which I caught on a minnow imitation,” he said. Weiter said his choice of flies were similar in many respects to what anglers use on Central New York streams. “We fished with a lot of standard caddis, Copper John nymphs – and minnow imitations,” he said. “We used inch worms, which feed on the willow trees that hang on the banks of the rivers. “We also got a lot of them on Chenobyl ants, which are big foam things that look a little messed up.” Prior to the this trip, Weiter, said the biggest fish he caught locally on a fly was a 15-inch brown he caught on Limestone Creek a few years back. “My biggest trout ever (prior to this trip) was a 22-inch brown on the Davidson River in North Carolina,” he said. “I’ve also broken off a number of big ones that I never saw.” Weiter said the trout in Argentina were “wild and healthy,” and none were stocked. “You get one 14 to 15 inches and it fights like a 19-inch fish here.” He said he brought his 5- and 6- weight rods on the trip. He said most of fishing took place from drift boats, with the guides paddling. He said they often drifted 10-12 miles without seeing another person. Submitted photoMost the fishing was done from drift boats. Weiter said there were no poisonous snakes or mosquitoes, but he did see an interesting mix of wildlife on shore including a European red stag, foxes and hares, sheep, goats — and a guanaco, an animal related to camels and llamas. “There were also condors flying overhead. That was interesting,” he said. He said the weather was similar to the Adirondacks in mid-August – sunny, then overcast, then sunny, with a lot of wind. It could get as high as 80 degrees during the day, and drop to the 40s at night. One night, the guides set up tents on the river and the three anglers camped overnight, an experience that Weiter listed as his most memorable, apart from the 26-inch brown. “We came back from fishing and they had everything set up. It was an asado, an Argentinian barbecue,” Weiter said. “We had half a lamb on an open spit. The night sky was beautiful. We could see the Southern Cross and the Milky Way.” Weiter said the guide costs were similar to what one might pay for a trout fishing trip to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, or some of the prime streams in Montana. The extra travel costs, though, bumped up the price tag. “It cost me about $7,000 with travel, tips and everything,” he said. Weiter said the biggest thing he brought back from Argentina was a better ability to cast into the wind. Submitted photoA 22-inch-plus brown trout caught by Weiter on the Chimehuin River. “At times it got brutal,” he said. “ I was forced to improve or sit down.” He said he won’t be out today during the trout season opener, noting he prefers to avoid the crowds. “I’m going to Hamilton, Canada for a fly fishing forum being put on there by the Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club,” he said. “I’ll probably be out on Limestone or Butternut (creeks) within a week or so.” For more: See the Web site of the Andes Drifters, the outfitters used by Weiter and his friends. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

She said she was relentless this past winter, getting out to scale mountains all but two weekends. Nature's Wilde PhotographyPatti Pastella on the summit of her final peak. Patti Pastella, an engineer who lives in Tully, made the grade this past winter. It took her nearly four winters, but Pastella, 49, is now a winter 46er. She scaled her last peak, Mt. Skylight, on March 10. The 46 “High Peaks” in the Adirondacks are all higher than 4,000 feet. Since the 1920s, thousands have taken up the challenge to climb all 46. Those who’ve achieved that status can have their names put on the Adirondack Forty-Sixers website and receive a certificate for their efforts. To achieve, Winter 46er status, one must climb these peaks between the period of Dec. 21 to March 21. Pastella’s last peak, Mt. Skylight is 4926 feet high and fourth largest in the range. “This extreme test is both difficult and at times dangerous, ranging from climbing in very deep snows to scaling cliffs of steep ice with an ice axe and crampons,” said Greg Andrus, who is Pastella’s fiance. Pastella said she was initially able to scale all 46 peaks, mostly in the summer, nailing the last two in the winter — getting to the top of the last one on her 46th birthday. For that, she achieved the regular Adirondack 46er status. “I’ve always wanted to climb in the winter. I was hooked and decided to try and climb them all again,” she said. Pastella said she climbed some of the peaks with Andrus, and others with members of the Rochester Winter Mountaining Society and the Adirondack Mountain Club. Some were day trips. Some involved an overnight stay in a cabin. Others involved staying in lean-tos or tent camping. The coldest it got while tent camping was 20 degrees, she said. “There’s something about getting up at 4 a.m. and then walking around for 10 hours in sub-zero weather,” she said. Did friends and family question her sanity? "Absolutely,” she said. “If you don’t do it yourself, you’ll never understand. You can’t understand or appreciate being on top of a winter peak with all the views.” Any close calls? “I did one peak last March (Phelps) in the most severe weather I’ve experienced,” she said. “The wind was blowing at 80 mph and was gusting. I got blown over and one of my crampons poked into my pants and into one of my legs. One of the guys I was hiking with was blown down and cracked some ribs.” “Her quest in the winter added up to more than 400 miles of trail work and more than 100,000 feet of vertical rise to complete her mission,” Andrus said. Pastella said she was relentless this past winter, getting out to scale mountains all but two weekends. “I climbed 18 this winter,” she said. Pastella is the 554th person to become a winter 46er, according to the group’s Web site. For more about the Adirondack Forty- Sixers and a complete listing of regular and winter 46ers, see the Adirondack Forty-Sixers Web site. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

There's a $10 registration for the junior (ages 7-15) and $15 for adults. A fishing license is required for the adults. The Anglers Association of Onondaga is once again beginning its junior and adult fishing programs, starting April 7 and 8, respectively, at Webster Pond, located off Valley Drive in Syracuse. There’s a $10 registration for the juniors (ages 7-15), and $15 for the adults. A fishing license is required for the adults. The youngsters are allowed to catch two trout per week on the pond. There will be a trophy at the end of the year for the boy and girl who catch the biggest ones, said Chad Norton, vice president of the anglers association. The adult anglers are encouraged to practice catch and release fishing, or they can keep two fish a week. For more, see the Webster Pond Web site, or call Norton at 727-2922. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This year’s event will feature $21,225 cash prizes and a grand prize of $5,000 for the biggest fish. There’s categories for lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and landlocked salmon. The 48th annual National Lake Trout Derby is set for May 26-29 on Seneca Lake. This year’s event will feature $21,225 cash prizes and a grand prize of $5,000 for the biggest fish. There’s categories for lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and landlocked salmon. Entry fee is $30, or $10 for the juvenile option. For more, see the tournament Web s or call 781-2195. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Stories should be submittted by noon Thursday to qualify. They should be no more than 300 words. Photos would help. The Post-Standard is once again looking for this year’s best Central New York opening day trout fishing story. Opening day is today. Stories should be submittted by noon Thursday to qualify. They should be no more than 300 words. Photos would help. Entries should be e-mailed to outdoors editor David Figura at dfigura@syracuse. The anglers who submit the top three stories will get a choice of more than two dozen, outdoors-related books currently on Figura’s desk. Questions? Email me or call 470-6066. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

For some, the trout opener is a rite of spring. Outdoors Editor David Figura will be on assignment Sunday morning and early afternoon, covering the opening of the trout fishing season. Figura, who is on Twitter (Psoutdoors), will be tweeting stream conditions and anecdotes as he stops by various streams in the area. Live updates: Opening day of trout season View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Do you dip net for smelt during the springtime on either Owasco or Cayuga lakes? Do you dip net for smelt during the springtime on either Owasco or Cayuga lakes? I'd like to talk to you about a story I'm doing on smelt. Call me at 470-6066 or email me at [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Most of my recent stuff has been Adirondack-themed," Lenweaver said. His recent portrayal of an Adirondack moose in a painting titled "Backwater Morning," won the outstanding painting award at the 55th Annual Central Adirondack Art Show in Old Forge. David Lassman/The Post-StandardTom Lenweaver works on a painting in his studio at his home. By Jon Krouner Contributing writer For years, wildlife artist Tom Lenweaver’s forte has been painting fish and fowl. Standard’s “Fishing Guide” and the New York State Freshwater Fishing Regulations manual. He also donates his paintings of ducks, pheasants and other birds to benefit such groups as the Central New York Wild Fowlers, Ducks Unlimited and the Great Swamp Conservancy in Lenox. His recent portrayal of an Adirondack moose in a painting titled “Backwater Morning” won the outstanding painting award at the 55th Annual Central Adirondack Art Show in Old Forge. The painting reflects a change in his focus. “Most of my recent stuff has been Adirondack-themed,” Lenweaver said. Lenweaver, 66, is a lifelong Syracuse resident and self-taught artist. After graduating from Solvay High School, he chose not to attend college. He landed a job in a printer’s art department, a position that launched his career as a commercial artist. By 1990, Lenweaver was managing a staff of employees at his own commercial art company. He said he found himself in desperate need of a diversion from the daily monotony. “It just got to be such a rat race,” Lenweaver said. “At five o’clock everyone would leave and I’m stuck there picking up the pieces. ... And the next day we’d start all over again.” Working into the night, Lenweaver began to paint water colors rather than focus on the business at hand. “Instead of lining up the ducks for the next day’s production, I said, ‘I’ll sit here for an hour or two and paint,’” Lenweaver said. His new hobby coincided with the birth of his granddaughter, Margo. “Maybe it was the fact that I was now a grandfather and my responsibilities changed,” Lenweaver said. “But I’ve just got to do something different before I go nuts.” David Lassman/The Post-StandardThis painting, titled “Reflections on Owl Pond,” was done by Tom Lenweaver, who also made the Adirondack-style frame. After a few months of painting in his office after hours, Lenweaver turned to Lou DePaolis, a friend and well-known local wildlife artist, for his opinion. DePaolis, who died in September, was impressed with his friend’s work. To have the approval of DePaolis “made me feel like a million bucks,” Lenweaver said. DePaolis acted as Lenweaver’s mentor and continues to influence his work. “I’ll be working on a painting and I’ll get to a certain area and I can hear his voice on just what to do,” Lenweaver said. Lenweaver eventually whittled down his business and transitioned his career to that of a freelance commercial artist. He is the oldest of four children and credits his parents’ love of hunting, fishing and the outdoors for his love of the outdoors. “All of this art is dedicated to my parents,” he said. “They introduced me to the wild, to nature and if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have had the love for animals.” Lenweaver raised three children in Syracuse and has six grandchildren. Today, he works out of a studio in his Lyncourt home, where he lives with longtime girlfriend, Mary. His most reproduced images, he said, involve fish. One captures the instant right before a largemouth bass takes the bait and bites into a fisherman’s hook; another shows a trout hungrily seeking its prey. Lenweaver recently sold a painting of a moose in a serene pond called, “Reflections on Owl Pond,” for $1,800. He carved an original frame out of birch wood for the piece. He also paints portraits of sporting dogs that cost up to $450 for a fully colored version, or $300 for a pencil drawing. Lenweaver’s love for wildlife, he said, eventually resulted in him giving up hunting. “I wouldn’t shoot another animal,” he said. More on Tom Lenweaver See his work on birdart.com and adirondacksart.com. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The classes will be 5 to 9 p.m. April 19, April 26, May 3 and May 10. Cost is $65 for all four nights. It's held at the Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery in Elbridge. The Iroquois Chapter of Trout Unlimited is offering its annual fly fishing school at the Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery in Elbridge. The classes will be 5 to 9 p.m. April 19, April 26, May 3 and May 10. Cost is $65 for all four nights. No equipment is needed. To register, call Marty Ivery at 626-6453 or 374-5776. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The anglers who submit the top three stories will get a choice of more than two dozen, outdoors-related books currently on my desk. The Post-Standard is once again looking for this year’s best Central New York opening day trout fishing story. Opening day is Sunday. Stories should be submittted by noon Thursday to qualify. They should be no more than 300 words. Photos would help. Entries should be e-mailed to outdoors editor David Figura at dfigura@syracuse. The anglers who submit the top three stories will get a choice of more than two dozen, outdoors-related books currently on Figura’s desk. Questions? Email me or call 470-6066. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I plan to tweet myself. Last year, we did this and participants, coupled with my reports, gave reports from more than a half dozen streams. I’m looking for anglers on Twitter who are willing to tweet conditions and other information about the streams they’re fishing Sunday morning. The tweets would be funneled to my outdoors blog for other readers to follow. This way, other anglers would get a good idea of what's going on at streams across the area. I plan to tweet myself. Last year, we did this and participants, coupled with my reports, gave reports from more than a half dozen streams. Interested? Contact me by 3 p.m. Friday at 470-6066. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The father said: "My son goes to Weedsport schools and is an honor student. He decided to help out a low-income family (by giving them) the meat. Submitted photo Brandon Androsko, 13, of Weedsport, poses with his 8 -point, 162-pound buck he shot in Georgia on a hunting trip there that promotes kids and their parents hunting together in support of a local school. The date of the hunt was Dec. 5th, said his father, David. The father's best friend, Randy Durniak, was also on the hunt. The father added: "My son goes to Weedsport schools and is an honor student and belongs to the Honor Society. He decided to help out a low-income family (by giving them) meat. "I also promote kids and hunting. I have been a hunter ed instructor for over 20 years for Cayuga County and think it's important to keep the kids interested in the outdoors," he concluded. I couldn't agree more. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Most deer at this point have lost their antlers -- which happens yearly. Submitted photo James Togni, of Lakeland, got this picture of an antlered buck on March 27 with his trail camera. Most deer at this point have lost their antlers, which happens yearly. Evidently, nobody told this buck. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught a 10- and an 11-pound brown trout on two different days. Submitted photoBurt with his 10-pounder.Burt Menninger, of Lakeport, fished in Lake Ontario Monday and reeled in a nice, 10-pound brown trout. He went back to the lake Wednesday and nailed an 11-pounder. Submitted photoThe 11-pounder. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Somebody once told me the tastiest ones are what you pick in the spring. Is that true? I got up this morning, went to the mailbox to pick up my paper and noticed the dandelions are already beginning to sprout all over my lawn. In my never-ending quest to try new and different things, I'm determined to pick some leaves and try out a dandelion salad. Somebody once told me the tastiest ones are what you pick in the spring. Is that true? Any other advice folks can provide me? View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I got it on a 10-weight, fly rod on this year's trip to the Bahamas," he said. Submitted photo Andy Dober, of Pompey, holds up a nice, 35-pound bull dorado (mahi-mahi) he caught recently during a fishing trip to the Bahamas. "I got it on a 10-weight, fly rod on this year's trip to the Bahamas. We did one day off-shore," he said. "I used a fly I tied," he added. "The pattern of the fly was created by Wayne Walts, a pilchard imitation." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Monday's paper will include coverage on opening day of the trout fishing season. To suggest an outdoors-related story or feature, call Outdoors Editor David Figura at 470-6066, or email him at [email protected] David Lassman/The Post-StandardTom LenweaverGood to be back from vacation. Lots of good stories will be appearing in coming weeks. This week's offerings stretch over three days. FRIDAY: Main piece: Profile on Tom Lenweaver, a well-known local wildlife artist. Column: Bits and pieces about upcoming trout season. SUNDAY: Main piece: Manlius resident Steve Weiter got ready for this year's trout fishing season by warming up in Argentina with some friends at the end of February. He talks about his adventures. Column: Looking to write about a CNY woman who recently joined the ranks of the Winter 46ers...and/or a well-known environmental conservation officer who's retiring. MONDAY: Main piece: Highlights from opening day of the trout fishing season. 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 fish offshore at the power plant in Lansing on Cayuga Lake - Anyone who's getting out in boats and fishing for perch, either on Oneida or any of the Finger Lakes. - Individuals with outdoor passions who would make an interesting feature story. - Someone who's saving big bucks by reloading their own ammunition. - Anyone who's tapping into the local bullhead scene. - Anyone who still gets out to dip net for smelt on Owasco or Cayuga Lakes. 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 on Chittenango Creek, which has a section that can be fished year-round. Submitted photo Hunter White, 10, proudly holds a 17 1/2 inch brown trout he recently caught on Chittenango Creek, which has a stretch that can be fished year-round. Nice fish! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog