HuntingNY-News

It was an 8-ounce sunny. Submitted photo Peter Vercillo, 78, of Eastwood has fished for some 30 years and never caught a fish until this past summer at Chaumont Bay, according to his son, Peter Vercillo Jr. The son sent in this photo of his dad proudly holding up his 8-ounce sunny. "I enjoy your photos and captions in the sports section and I thought this one might be amusing to readers and it is the truth," the son wrote. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

His sister, Bella, caught a 6-foot gray reef shark during the outing Submitted photoFather and son hold up the amberjack. Massino Capozza, 10, caught two really nice fish while on a fishing charter with his father, Richard, and sister Bella, during a recent trip to Hawaii. They fished off of Konam on the Big Island. One picture is of the boy's 52- inch, 65- pound amber jack and the other is his hapupu, a rare Hawaiian grouper. His sister, Bella, caught a 6-foot gray reef shark during the outing. Submitted photoThis is a hapupu, a rare Hawaiian grouper. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The crowd has grown every year and 350 people are expected to attend this year. The event includes demonstrations by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, instructional seminars, live fish, bait demonstrations, crafts and games and a spooling station to re-line fishing reels. The following is a press release: Mike Riordan’s memories of growing up in Central Square center on his family and the many hours that his father, Don Riordan, spent with him teaching him how to fish. When his father passed away several years ago, Mike made it his mission to share his lifetime of fishing memories and knowledge with others. Through the “Angler’s Legacy” project, Mike made the commitment to introduce at least one person to fishing each year. He and his wife, Wendy organized their first free fishing seminar at the Calvary Baptist Church in Brewerton in 2007. Their goal was to teach at least 50 people how to fish. The crowd has grown every year, and Riordan expects 350 people to attend this year on Saturday, March 31. The seminar opens at 9 a.m. and continues to 3 p.m., with an hour break for lunch. The church is located at the intersection of Mud Mill Road and U.S. Route 11 in Brewerton. The event includes demonstrations by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, instructional seminars, live fish, bait demonstrations, crafts and games and a spooling station to re-line fishing reels. Everyone that attends will receive a “Getting Started Beginners Guide to Freshwater Fishing” book published by the NYS DEC, as well as a tackle pack. There will be door prizes and a complete tackle box given to a family that attends the seminar. The Oswego County Tourism Office will sponsor outdoor writer and author Spider Rybaak from 9 a.m. to noon at the seminar. Rybaak will speak about opportunities for families to fish from shore at locations around Oswego County. He will distribute a variety of tackle donated by manufacturers to children, the new Oswego County Fishing and Hunting Guide, and other materials. Riordan explained that after the first event, the Calvary Baptist Church added this event to their annual calendar. The church and its members are the primary sponsor and donated prizes, pizza and snacks. Pastor Bruce Havens indicated that the event complements the mission of outreach to the community. “I cannot express enough thanks to the 40-plus volunteers that help make this event possible,” said Riordan. “The target audience is families and beginner fishermen. It is my desire to help parents and kids become familiar with the basics, so they can go to the local park, river, lake or fishing hole and have a successful time of fishing. This will give parents and children enough time to learn about the sport and try their hand at it before the April 1 trout opener.” The event is free and open to the public. For more information call 668-9790 or visit the church's website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

There are several choices, and that’s what makes fishing streams and rivers in this area so attractive. Peter Chen/The Post-StandardRobert Risley, of North Syracuse, takes advantage of the beautiful spring weather last week to fly fish on Butternut Creek, which is among the few trout streams open year-round.. FRED FARWELL, of Syracuse, places trout into Nine Mile Creek as part of the annual stocking efforts of the Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery. Dick Blume / The Post-Standard TROUT are rounded up for stocking in streams at the Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery. More on trout stocking š For information on streams in Onondaga County, call the Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery hotline at 689-0003. š For information outside of Onondaga County, call the DEC stocking hotline at 607-753-1551, or go to dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9218.html . Overall label for double truck: TROUT FISHING PREVIEW Main hed: Choices Aplenty Sub hed: The trout of CNY include stockies, wild ones and big ones from the Finger Lakes By David Figura Outdoors editor Every spring Central New York trout fishermen prepping for opening day are faced with a question: What kind of fish do I want to catch? There are several choices, and that’s what makes fishing streams and rivers in this area so attractive. First, local waterways offer three types of trout — brown, rainbow and brook (not forgetting lake trout). Second, anglers can choose to stocked trout, wild trout or large, spawning rainbows in Finger Lakes tributaries. Going after the big guy It’s no secret that year after year the majority of big trout caught on opening day are lake-run rainbows from Finger Lake tributaries. Anglers hoping for the big ‘bow on opening day line the banks of Grout Brook (Skaneateles Lake); the Owasco Inlet (Owasco Lake); the Yawger, Fall and Salmon creeks and the Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake); and Catharine Creek (Seneca Lake). There’s a small group of determined anglers who walk these streams days before, scouting out holes and stretches, hoping to catch glimpses of the lunkers. Armed with that knowledge, some arrive well before dawn opening day and set themselves up in lawn chairs, waiting for the day’s first light before dipping their egg sacks or night crawlers in the water. The majority of anglers, though, just show up and fish whatever stretch of stream is available. This year’s unseasonably warm spring could impact the number of spawning fish in the stream. DEC staff at the Cayuga Lake Fishway on the Cayuga Inlet, and those electro-shocking rainbows on Catharine Creek on Seneca Lake, reported sizable numbers of fish earlier in the month. Could many of those fish be back in their respective lakes by the times anglers arrive April 1? It’s possible, particularly the females, according to David Lemon, regional fisheries manager at the DEC’s Cortland office. However, not every fish is going to spawn before April 1, he said, adding there will be fish in the Finger Lake tributaries come opening day — with the big question being how many. John Warakomski, of Skaneateles, a longtime trout angler and guide, said an early spawn could be a blessing, particularly if an angler happens upon a trout that’s returning to the lake. “Once the fish spawn, they will go on the feed to bulk up,” he said. Dick Blume/The Post-Standardxxxxxxxxx Going after the stockies Knowing where to go is key. Central New York streams that get stocked receive their fish from two sources: the state DEC hatcheries and the Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery in Elbridge. Hands down, most anglers agree, the best-stocked streams locally on opening day are in Onondaga County, courtesy of the county-run Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery. “I’d fish Nine Mile (between Camillus and Marcellus), Butternut (near Jamestown), Chittenango (between Cazenovia and Chittenango) and Limestone creeks (near Manlius,” said Jake DeCapio, veteran angler and owner of the Wayfarer Co., a spin and fly fishing outfitters shop located along Nine Mile Creek in Camillus. The main reason to check those waterways out, he said, is that they all have easy access and are well-stocked prior to opening day by Carpenter’s Brook hatchery staff and volunteers with yearlings (8-10 inchers) and two-year-old trout (12-14 inchers). The DEC, however, does not complete all its stocking of local trout streams outside of Onondaga County by opening day. Lemon said the stocking schedule is driven by the hatcheries’ schedules, which each year takes into consideration the varying weather in areas stretching from Binghamton to Oswego. In addition, the state’s hatchery staff, which recently was brought up to full staffing levels, have other responsibilities this time of year, including walleye egg collection at the Constantia hatchery and steelhead egg collection at the Salmon River hatchery. Dick Blume/The Post-Standardxxxxxxxxx The bottom line, Lemon said, is the trout streams in the southern area of Region 7 (Broome and Chenango counties) and the Otselic River (as it flows through Madison, Cortland, Tioga and Chenango counties), will get stocked prior to opening day. Other streams in Cayuga and Madison counties usually don’t get stocked until mid- or late April, and Oswego streams traditionally don’t get their trout until late April. “That’s because there’s usually about 3 to 4 feet of snow up there this time of year,” Lemon said about Oswego County. He added, though, that unseasonably warm weather could result in hatchery staff ending their egg-collection duties earlier than usual, and as result the stocking of the remainder of the streams may end up getting pushed up a week or two. It all depends on the weather, he said. Going on the wild side The idea of a wild trout is appealing, but first a little perspective. The brook trout is the only native trout in local streams. The browns were initially brought here from Europe, and the rainbows were relocated from the West Coast. Regardless, a wild trout is essentially one that was hatched and grew up in a stream, not a hatchery. In most cases, the wild ones caught today are offspring of trout that were previously stocked but have since taken to reproducing naturally. In addition, wild fish often exist side by side in a stream with stocked trout, often unnoticed because they’re more skittish and wary of anglers’ antics. One example is Skaneateles Creek, which has a lengthy catch-and-release area between Skaneateles and Jordan. The Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery each spring stocks the streams with rainbows, but knowing anglers have learned that the stream also holds its share of big, wild brown trout. “About five years ago, a ton of wild rainbow trout, varying in size from fingerlings to more than 20 inches began appearing in Nine Mile Creek,” according to DeCapio. “I’ve got a picture of one in my shop that’s 27 inches.” How do you tell a wild from a stocked trout? In year’s past, the difference was clear when you gutted the fish. The stocked ones, fed on pellets at the hatchery, had white-ish meat. The wild fish had a bright red/pinkish hue due to its steady diet of insects and crustaceans. That’s since changed, Lemon said, as hatchery staff have started adding supplements to the feed, giving the hatchery fish a similar meat color. DeCapio said he often can tell a hatchery fish from a wild one by just looking at it. He said the fins on the stockies are often split and ragged, and their noses are sometimes blunted from running into the concrete walls at the hatchery, or into other fish there. Where does one catch wild trout — particularly brookies? For most anglers in the know, that’s a closely guarded secret. “Sometimes you just have to get in the truck and drive and hit a number of areas, and don’t be afraid to get lost or to bushwhack and walk several miles away from the crowd,” said Robert Riseley, of North Syracuse, who likes to focus on catching wild brookies with his fly rod. It often won’t be easy fishing, with all the brush, prickers and over-hanging branches. “Bring your patience with you,” DeCapio said. “You’ll often end up cursing a blue streak when you’re in that stuff.” View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

KNOW YOUR LIMITS Inland streams/rivers: The daily limit for brown and rainbow trout is a combination of five fish, with only two over 12 inches. Regulations on catching and releasing and the use of only artificial lures apply to the section of Skaneateles Creek from Old Seneca Turnpike Bridge north of the village of Skaneateles downstream 10.2 miles to the... KNOW YOUR LIMITS Inland streams/rivers: The daily limit for brown and rainbow trout is a combination of five fish, with only two over 12 inches. Regulations on catching and releasing and the use of only artificial lures apply to the section of Skaneateles Creek from Old Seneca Turnpike Bridge north of the village of Skaneateles downstream 10.2 miles to the Jordan Road Bridge in the village of Jordan. There is also a catch-and-release section of Chittenango Creek, which stretches from the town of Fenner/town of Sullivan line to just south of the village of Chittenango. Finger lake tributaries: There is a three-fish limit, with A minimum size of nine inches in Owasco and Skaneateles tributaries for rainbows and browns. Cayuga and Seneca lake tributaries also have a three-fish limit, with a 15-inch minimum. Spafford Creek, a tributary of Otisco Lake, has the same rules as any inland stream or river because there is no spawning of lake-run rainbows. Note: These regulations do not cover all bodies of water. Read about your particular area in the DEC fishing guide or check out the DEC website at dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing. If you can’t wait: The state allows year-round fishing in stretches of three streams in Region 7. If you want to wet your line today, you can legally fish with live bait, lures or artificial flies and keep the fish from: - Limestone Creek (from the mouth to Route 20) - Butternut Creek (from the mouth to Route 20) - Chittenango Creek (from Route 20 north to the Conrail railroad line) (The daily limit on all three of these streams is five trout (brown or rainbow), with only two longer than 12 inches.) View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Today, six of the nine DEC regions in the state have K9 units, which consist of one dog and one handler. The dogs are trained to locate venison, along with other types of meat such as black bear and wild turkey. Some are even trained to sniff for trout and perch and bass. Michelle Gabel/The Post-StandardBrett Armstrong, state environmental conservation officer, poses outside the DEC building on Erie Boulevard with Nitro, a German shepherd that helps investigate hunting accidents. By Melissa Faith Siegel Contributing writer Back in early November 2010, a man called state environmental conservation officer Brett Armstrong, saying he suspected his neighbor had shot and killed a deer with a gun during bow season. Armstrong took his K9 dog, Nitro, to the suspect’s property in the town of Greene in Chenango County. The German shepherd found the 10-point buck that had been killed illegally. It was in a barn, covered by a blue tarp in a mound of hay. “Never would have made that case without the dog,” Armstrong said. “I had absolutely no evidence whatsoever that a deer had been taken, but his nose detecting the odor in the air two barns away was enough to get us to where the evidence was.” Armstrong and Nitro are part of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s K9 unit, which was first started in 1978 with a dog named Paws and his handler, Richard Matzell. Today, six of the nine DEC regions in the state have K9 units, which consist of one dog and one handler. The dogs are trained to locate venison, along with other types of meat such as black bear and wild turkey. Some are even trained to sniff for trout and perch, along with largemouth and smallmouth bass. Unlike with police dogs that sniff out drugs — where everything they find is illegal — meat and fish can be legally possessed. So once the dog has found something, it is up to the handler to determine whether any illegal activity has occurred. The dogs are also trained to find the smell of burned gunpowder, which is evidence of a gunshot. This helps the officer determine where a gun was fired from and in what direction, which in turn helps in the reconstruction of hunting-related shooting incidents. Such incidents involve hunters causing damage to another person or property. The third use for the dogs is locating missing persons, or possible criminals who are trying to escape. However, many times there is no material available that has the scent of the person on it, or if there is, it has been contaminated. The dogs are trained to track the freshest human scent or track in an area where the person was known to have been. The dogs are also taught how to help apprehend criminals and how to protect their handlers. They’ll bite, if necessary. Armstrong said he knows of only two bites that have taken place in the program in its 34 years. “A lot of people think that police dogs are vicious. They’re not,” Armstrong said. Armstrong first applied to be a handler in 2004 and then got Nitro from the Czech Republic when the dog was a year and a day old. Most of the K9 dogs are from Europe rather than the United States because American dogs are bred more for show. Armstrong said the K9 program specifically looks for dogs that are between one and two years old. With dogs younger than a year old it is hard to tell if they will have the temperament for the job, while those older than two have fewer usable years left in them. It is also key that the dogs are social, neither too aggressive nor timid, and have “a high ball drive,” which means they love to play. “We kind of use the ball as their currency,” Armstrong explained. “If they want that ball, they’ll do anything for it, and we can utilize that in many different ways in order to trick the dog into thinking that work is actually just fun play.” Once a handler gets assigned a dog, the two go through 16 weeks of basic training before they meet the qualifications to be certified for field work. They then must continue training for a minimum of 16 hours per month, in addition to taking a three-day annual recertification test. “I spend more time with my dog than I do my wife,” Armstrong said, and laughed. The training begins with basic obedience, which is teaching the dog to sit, stay, heel and lie down on command. From there the dogs learn the various forms of detection. “You can fool my eyes, you can fool my brain, you can fool my ears, but you can’t fool the dog’s nose,” Armstrong said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Exams are slated for April 20; applications due April 13. The following is a DEC press release: Examinations for New Yorkers wishing to become licensed volunteer wildlife rehabilitators and those seeking an apprentice license to practice the sport of falconry, has been scheduled for Friday, April 20, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. The deadline for registering to take these exams is April 13. The exams will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at DEC Regional offices across the state. (The exam will be offered from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Avon Office, Region . The list of Regional Offices can be found at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/50230.html. There is no charge to take either exam. The wildlife rehabilitator license issued by DEC is free of charge; however, there is a fee of $20 for a two-year falconry license. Wildlife rehabilitators care for injured, sick and orphaned wild animals with the ultimate goal of wildlife rehabilitation to prepare the animals for their return to the wild. Applicants should understand that a degree of technical skill and a significant commitment in time, money and effort is required to be a wildlife rehabilitator. Prospective applicants are encouraged to gain experience by serving as an assistant to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. A wildlife rehabilitator study guide and examination manual are available to applicants for $15 a set. The study materials also include the application necessary for registration. The materials were developed by wildlife rehabilitators, veterinarians and biologists to teach applicants about the practice of wildlife rehabilitation, including technical requirements for licensed volunteers. Wildlife rehabilitator applicants must be at least 16 years of age, submit two character references along with their application, have no convictions for violations of the State Environmental Conservation Law and be interviewed by a DEC regional wildlife staff person. To qualify for the DEC Apprentice Falconry license, applicants must be at least 14 years of age, possess a valid New York small-game hunting license and maintain DEC-approved facilities for housing the raptors. Apprentices are limited to possessing one bird, either an American kestrel (a falcon also known as a “sparrow hawk”) or a red-tailed hawk. Falconry has a rich history and tradition throughout the world. In the United States, recognition and acceptance of falconry as a sport is promoted primarily through the efforts of dedicated enthusiasts. In New York state, the tradition is continued by more than 200 licensed falconers. Falconry is a demanding sport which requires a significant commitment in time and effort. The novice must be prepared to accept the responsibility that is part of falconry. After two years as an Apprentice falconer, a licensee may qualify for a General falconry license. To become a Master falconer, the licensee must have a minimum of five years experience practicing falconry at the General falconry level. At the master falconry level, individuals may possess up to three raptors of a variety of species. Additional information on these exams and licenses is available by contacting DEC’s Special Licenses Unit at (518) 402-8985, or by emailing [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Has the local bullhead fishing scene started yet with all the warm weather we've been having lately? Has the bullheading scene started yet with all the warm weather we've been having? I got an email while I was away last week that anglers are doing well up Fairhaven way. What's the scene like on Oneida Lake? The St. Lawrence River? Give me a call at 470-6066 or drop me an email at [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Brookfield Renewable Energy Group reminds the public that all seasonal boating safety barriers /booms, signage and other safety measures are not yet in place at the company’s 75 hydropower facilities in New York State. Extreme caution should be used when recreating on or near rivers. The following is a press release: While people may be tempted to take advantage of the unusually warm weather to get a head start on river recreational activities, Brookfield Renewable Energy Group reminds the public that all seasonal boating safety barriers /booms, signage and other safety measures are not yet in place at the company’s 75 hydropower facilities in New York State. Extreme caution should be used when recreating on or near rivers. “Our operations teams are working hard to accelerate the installation of boat barriers and other safety alert systems typically installed in late spring. We ask the public to respect closed recreation access, and to be prepared when recreating on or near water because river conditions can change quickly and without notice,” said Brookfield’s Julie Smith-Galvin. “Be vigilant about safety by avoiding dams and structures such as powerhouses and substations, and by observing all signage, warning signals, and sirens.” Brookfield partners with the National Safety Boating Council and New York State Parks to promote the Wear It! water safety campaign. According to Smith-Galvin, “Brookfield encourages everyone to take personal responsibility for safety and wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when recreating on or near water any time of year. Remember to Wear It! New York.” New York’s waterways are cold, year round. Hypothermia can adversely affect people who are stranded in the water even for short periods of time, and drowning may occur. The National Safe Boating Council recommends the “1-10-1” approach to fight hypothermia if submerged in water. Specifically, use the first minute to get breathing under control. Then you’ll have 10 minutes of meaningful movement, and one hour before you become unconscious. The 1-10-1 approach will only work if you are wearing a life jacket to help keep your head up. Check out the National Safe Boating Council’s 1-10-1 video. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

With the onset of warmer weather, New York’s black bear population will be on the move. The following is a DEC press release: With the onset of warmer weather, New York’s black bear population will be on the move. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today issued guidance on how to prevent nuisance bear encounters. Black bears will take advantage of almost any readily available food source, including bird feeders and garbage. To prevent encounters between bears and humans, people should never intentionally feed bears and should take every precaution to discourage bears from seeking out food sources in neighborhoods and other residential areas. Typically, black bears are timid and will avoid all contact with humans. However, bears will become a nuisance and can cause significant damage if they believe they can obtain an easy meal from bird feeders, garbage cans, dumpsters, barbeque grills, tents, vehicles, out-buildings or houses. It is not only illegal to intentionally feed bears, it is also illegal to inadvertently feed them. Specifically, after written notice from DEC, the incidental or indirect feeding of bears through food attractants such as garbage, pet food or bird seed is illegal. DEC has the authority to require the removal of these and other food attractants when bears become problematic. It is in the best interest of both bears and people for bears to get their food solely from wild sources. Once a bear learns to associate certain structures with food, it can become a serious nuisance to people and a threat to itself. Bears that lose their natural fear of humans are much more likely to be illegally shot, hit by an automobile or destroyed under a DEC nuisance permit. Some studies suggest that when a bear is fed (either directly or indirectly), its life expectancy is cut by as much as 50 percent. Once a bear becomes a problem, DEC is often asked to relocate the bear. Contrary to popular belief, bear relocations are rarely effective at solving the problem. Bears are extremely mobile and have excellent homing abilities. Relocated bears often return to their original capture site or may continue their bad habits at a new location. If the circumstances that led to the original problem are not corrected, other bears will quickly be attracted to the site and the bear/human conflicts will persist. In addition to being ineffective, bear relocations are extremely time consuming and often dangerous. The heavy door on the bear traps, although not dangerous to bears, presents a potential danger to curious humans and pets. The simplest way to avoid a nuisance encounter is to remove all food sources. Removing the food source will remove the bear. Because virtually all nuisance bear problems are the result of hungry bears being attracted to human food, pet food, bird food or garbage, these problems can be minimized by taking these simple precautions: Never feed bears. It is illegal. If you believe that bears are being fed, please report it to DEC. Stop feeding birds as soon as the snow melts. Birds do not need supplemental food in the summer, when natural foods are most abundant. Clean up all seed fragments and shells left over from winter feeding as the smell will attract bears. Dispose of garbage as frequently as possible and store in a secure building prior to disposal. If garbage is picked up at the curb, put the garbage out just before the scheduled pickup or place it in a roadside bear-resistant container. Do not put garbage out the night before pick-up at the curb. Clean garbage cans frequently with ammonia. Do not burn garbage, it’s illegal and it attracts bears. Do not add meat scraps, bones or melon rinds to your compost pile. Clean up barbecue grills before night fall, and after they cool down store them inside. Feed pets indoors and store pet food indoors. If pets must be fed outdoors, take in all uneaten food and dishes before dark. Turn off kitchen exhaust fans that vent to the outside whenever possible. When camping, keep food out of sight and secured in the trunk of a hard topped, locked vehicle if one is available. If a vehicle is not available, hang food and garbage from a tree at least eight feet off the ground. Keep picnic tables, utensils, fireplaces and the surrounding areas clean. To learn more about black bears, look for DEC’s DVD Living with New York Black Bears at your public library or visit the DEC’s website . Everyone is asked to respect bears as wild animals — from a distance. For more information about bears in your area, contact the nearest regional DEC office. For a list of regional offices, visit the DEC's website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Have an outdoors related story or feature idea that you'd like to see in The Post-Standard? Call Outdoors Editor David Figura at 470-6066 or email him at [email protected]. Can you believe it? Opening day of trout fishing season is almost here. Here's the offerings this week on the Outdoors page of The Post-Standard. Friday: Main piece: Profile on Nitro, one of the DEC's specially trained K9s which are trained to sniff out illegally shot or caught fish and game, in addition to spent shotgun and rifle shells in hunting accident investigations. Plus.. the outdoors calendar; Catch of The Week Sunday: Two-page feature, a precede to the opening day of trout fishing season. Main piece includes the three types of fish anglers will be trying to catch: the big lake-run rainbows on the Finger Lakes tributaries, stocked trout from local fish hatcheries and wild trout. This story will include "the skinny" on catching all three. Also: how to scout ahead of opening day with your computer by cruising around the DEC web site; news that two new access points on local trout streams -- one on Nine MIle Creek, and another on Onondaga Creek -- will be open for the first time this season, a summary of trout fishing- related videos on syracuse.com, and much more. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Oneida Lake Team Walleye Trail has its first tournament June 3 on Oneida Lake out of Oneida Shores Walleye angler Karl Elsner is going to fish in a big tournament close to home this year — thanks to his girlfriend. Elsner, 50, and his buddies have been complaining for awhile that there’s no substantial walleye fishing tournament circuit with big payouts that focuses just on this state’s waters. To compete, they have to keep traveling to Pennsylvania, Ohio and beyond. Elsner’s girlfriend, Alicia Stevens, said she just got tired of listening to all the whining. She also disliked her boyfriend, who’s a nurse practitioner, being away so much. “Karl and all his friends live on Oneida Lake and they kept talking about how it’s a premier spot,” she said. “I told them, ‘Why not just do these tournaments here, in this state? How hard can it be?’” Stevens, 47, who owns the Genesis II Hair Replacement Studio in North Syracuse and is president of a marketing group, admittedly doesn’t know the difference between a sonar jig and a stickbait when it comes to walleye fishing. But she does know marketing and promotion, and writes her own commercials for her hair replacement business. “I said, ‘Look, you guys just fish, and I’ll do what I do and take it from there,’” she said. Stevens has since created the Oneida Lake Team Walleye Trail, which has its first tournament June 3 on Oneida Lake out of Oneida Shores. The two-angler team event has a $150 entry fee and thanks to sponsor involvement, a guaranteed payout of $2,000 for the winning team. The anglers getting the first- and second-largest fish will get an additional $500 and $250, respectively, courtesy of the Syracuse Realty Group. The group is donating the money in memory of James Wallace, a well-known Oneida Lake angler. The only thing that comes close to what Stevens is proposing is the New Eastern Walleye Circuit, which has tournaments scheduled on Mosquito Lake (Ohio) on April 29, the Kinzua Reservoir (Pennsylvania) on June 24, Lake Erie (northeast Pennsylvania) on July 7 and Oneida Lake on July 22. The championship is set for Sept. 15-16 on the Kinzua Reservoir. For more, see www.neweasternwalleyeseries.com. However, the tournament series, which has a $260 team entry fee for each competition and promotes itself as part of the Cabela’s National Team Championships qualifying circuit, didn’t have a strong showing last year on Oneida Lake. Tournament director Tom Means said he usually has about 30 teams each year on Oneida, but last year only 17 showed. The winner’s payout was around $1,500. Stevens said she’s determined to organize competitions next year on such waterways as Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Chautauqua Lake. For more information, or to register for the June 3 tournament, see www.oneidawalleyes.com. Other walleye action The 34th annual Cicero-Mattydale Lions Club Walleye Derby is set for May 5-6 on Oneida Lake. It starts at midnight that Friday and runs until 3 p.m. Sunday. Being a fishing derby, competitors can fish from boats or from shore. The entry fee is $10 and the largest walleye at each of the lake’s eight weigh-in stations will get a $200 gift bag from Triple S, a Buffalo-based fishing equipment company. The angler catching the largest fish overall will earn $1,000. Anglers can register at Gander Mountain’s Cicero store and a number of other businesses around the lake. For further information, call Rick Teschler, fishing manager at Gander Mountain at 698-1100. *-- There is also a small tournament series, The Oneida Lake Walleye Trail, that’s been held on the lake for the past four years. “We don’t have large payouts. We give back 100 percent of what we take in ... it’s kind of like a little club thing,” said Mike Domachowske, of Constantia. “Our largest tournament to date had 18 teams and we paid out $600.” This past week, the series organizers set dates for the 2012 season. There are four one-day events scheduled for May 20, June 10, July 8 and July 29. There is a two-day championship event on Aug. 18-19. Each of the competitions are headquartered at the Old Boathouse in Constantia and last each day from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. “The tournaments are two-person team events and open to any teams that want to enter,” Domachowske said, adding the entry fee is $50 per team for the one-day events and $100 for the championship. For further information, call 623-9283 or 391-0153. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

“I’m an animal lover. It’s always been a dream of mine, something on my bucket list,” Linda Tepper Cohen said. Linda Tepper Cohen Two lions observe the scene from the bush. Linda Tepper Cohen said it’s something she always wanted to do. “I’m an animal lover. It’s always been a dream of mine, something on my bucket list,” she said of a two-week trip to South Africa last June that featured a six-day photographic safari. » Lakeport woman enjoys African hunting safari Cohen, 63, of Fayetteville, a communication specialist and host of Upstate Medical University’s weekly radio show, “Healthlink on Air,” traveled with a group that flew into Capetown and took in such sights as the island prison where Nelson Mandela was held for more than 20 years, the gorgeous southern coastline and the wine country. The highlight, though, was her trip to Sabi Sabi, a private animal reserve near Kruger National Park in northeastern South Africa. The following is a summary of her adventure in her own words: The daily routine We’d go out in Land Rovers twice a day, for about two to three hours at a time. We got out at early sunrise, and just when the sun was setting. There were about eight to nine of us in each Land Rover. There were several tiers of seating on each one. We had a driver, who was equipped with a rifle (which he never used), and a spotter. There was no screen to protect us from the animals. It seemed that all of the animals were used to seeing the Land Rovers drive through their world every day. We were instructed, though, to stay seated and not to stand because that would be viewed by the animals as something different, unique. We saw a pride of female lions, lying on the hillside with babies all around. We saw rhinos and elephants. At one point, a giraffe came close and looked down on us. It was the most majestic thing you can think of. That made the whole trip worth it. The accommodations Some might call this a “sissy” safari. This was not about sleeping in a tent on the ground. We stayed in nice individual buildings on a beautiful piece of property. There was an international chef. Each night we would have some wild-game dish, in addition to offerings to satisfy whatever food taste or dietary restrictions you had. I eat meat, but I have a son who’s a vegan and I’m sensitive to that. I was worried about the food and brought power bars, but I never cracked one open. We always ate outside, overlooking the grassy plain. Linda Tepper CohenCape Buffalo make their way across the grassy plain at sunset. Highlights One evening we came across a recent kill made by a pride of lions. We didn’t see the actual kill, but we got to see them devouring it. We shined lights on them while it was happening. It was disturbing, but on the other hand it was a part of nature. It was one of those circle-of-life things. I also loved watching the mothers with their babies — mother lions and their cubs, the baby and mother rhino interacting. It was so sweet, so lovely. At one point, we were right in the middle of a herd of elephants. Maybe I was Pollyannaish, but I didn’t feel threatened. In a spiritual way we were connecting with the animals. We were harmoniously traveling through and we weren’t a threat to their environment. Scariest moment At one point a leopard came right up to the Land Rover where I was sitting, using us as a shield to hunt other animals. It came within six inches of where I was sitting. It was a lot bigger than a German shepherd. Equipment I brought a DSLR Nikon D80 with an 18-200 millimeter telephoto lens. Cost The whole package, which included one overnight stay at a hotel in New York City, came to $6,600. What she brought back I took a lot of photos. I made a slideshow of the best and showed them to members of the Syracuse Camera Club, of which I’m a member. I also took my 12 best shots and put a 2012 calendar together, which I passed out to friends and family. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I was about 300 yards away when I shot the hartebeest. I was dead on with my 7mm-08 Marlin rifle," Menninger said. "It was a lot bigger than anything I’ve ever harvested before." South African safari tales Today: Lin Menninger, a retired teacher’s assistant who lives in Lakeport, talks about her hunting safari with her husband, Burt, at the Amanzi Private Game Reserve. For more see the reserve's Web site. Sunday: Linda Tepper Cohen, a media specialist who lives in Fayetteville, talks about her photography safari at Sabi Sabi, a private animal reserve near Kruger National Park. For more, see the reserve's Web site. Submitted photoLin Menninger and her husband, Burt, are shown with a greater kudu that Burt shot during a 10-day hunting safari in central South Africa. Lin Menninger remembers one particular moment during her African hunting safari last summer when she really knew she was far from home. “I was standing out on the back patio of the lodge and hearing lions roar, knowing they were roaming free,” the 59-year-old Lakeport resident said. “There’s a videotape that caught the expression on my face and me saying, ‘Wow!’” Menninger, and her husband, Burt, met Leo Cecil, of Middletown, at a Safari Club International Club Banquet a few years ago. They decided to accompany him this past August on a 10-day hunting safari to the Amanzi Private Game Reserve in central South Africa. The following are excepts from an interview with Menninger about the trip: The daily routine: We got up at the crack of dawn, ate a piece of fruit and drank a glass of juice — we didn’t want to waste any time — and hunted till about 11 a.m. each day. We came back to the lodge, had brunch, regrouped and then went out and hunted until dark. We drove in and out of the bush in Toyota trucks. A guide with binoculars looked for animals. Once we spotted a herd, we stopped and stalked on foot. Sometimes they’d move. We often had to go a great distance, moving little by little, before getting in position to take a shot. Whenever we took an animal, there were trained staff who took photos and videos. Another truck with trained skinners took the carcass back to process it. Supper was served at 7 p.m. By the time dinner was over each day, everyone was usually beat. The accommodations: We stayed at a plush chalet out in the middle of nowhere on the reserve. It was very rustic, though. You walked in on the first floor and you had a living room, two baths, a kitchen with a microwave, stove and fridge, and four or five more beds upstairs. We ate all our meals at the main chalet where we had gourmet cooking. We actually got to eat everything that we harvested. What we didn’t eat was donated to the natives in the area, or to a restaurant. My favorite main course was springbuck wrapped in bacon. My favorite dessert was this pumpkin roll topped with hot, saucy pudding. I must have gained about 8 to 10 pounds. Submitted photoMenninger poses with Jaco van den Berg, a professional hunter with Amanzi Safaris, and the hartebeest she shot Some highlights: I must have taken 3,000 pictures. I had a grand, old time looking at the animals, vegetation, the rocks, smelling the dirt. I had such a great time, and frankly, I never laughed so hard in all my life. The hunting was great, but to me the highlight was the beauty of the country and its people. Hunting-wise, I harvested three animals, and my husband had six. I shot a warthog, a common blesbuck, which is a little bigger than a deer, and a red hartebeest, which is as big as a horse. I was about 300 yards away when I shot the hartebeest. I was dead on with my 7mm-08 Marlin rifle. It was a lot bigger than anything I’ve ever harvested before. When I saw it up close my eyes filled with tears. I just kept petting its face as everyone was congratulating me. I thanked the animal for the experience, for allowing me to harvest its meat. It just blew me away. It was a real spiritual experience. Submitted photoMenninger pauses for a photo before sighting in her gun. Sitting around the dinner table each night, we were all like little kids. I cried three days before we left because I was having so much fun. I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving. Two of the people we met have since gotten married, and we’ve been going back and forth on Facebook with the wedding pictures. Scariest moment: It wasn’t scary, but it was exhilarating. One night we went out walking with flashlights scouting for jackals. We had guns, but you didn’t know what was behind you. We did see some eyes, but they were far away. Submitted photoMenninger poses with Jaco van den Berg, a professional hunter with Amanzi Safaris, and the common blesbuck she harvested. Equipment: I brought one firearm, my 7mm-08 Marlin rifle. I also packed a camera and way too many clothes. If you left any clothes out, whether they were clean or not, they got washed. I really didn’t take enough warm clothing. Cost: Airfare was about $2,500 for both of us, plus $11,300 for the accommodations and costs for shooting each of the animals (there were individual prices). We’re having mounts made of all the animals. It cost $5,500 to get the capes on each mount “dipped (to eliminate any bugs or harmful bacteria) and shipped,” and $8,900 for the taxidermist. Where will the trophies go? We have a large bedroom with a 14-foot-high ceiling. I’ll just change our Adirondack-style bedroom into a safari bedroom. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The money will be coming our way thanks largely to the Conservation Fund Advisory Board and other outdoor advocates across the state who first raised this issue. It looks like $18 million in federal money that was scheduled to come to the state this year for fish and wildlife management and habitat restoration is safe for now. Outdoor advocates, such as members of the state’s Conservation Fund Advisory Board, have been howling for the past year that wording in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2011-12 budget wiped away the state’s eligibility for the federal money. They were referring to a section that appeared to give the state authority to dip into the state’s Conservation Fund to cover expenses other than for fish and wildlife management. Their fear was that Cuomo’s proposed 2012-13 spending plan was going to continue with the same language. Cuomo’s folks insisted early on there was nothing to the sportsmen’s concerns. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service disagreed, saying the state’s own laws prohibit that sort of budget shuffling. The Conservation Fund is supported largely by sportsmen’s license fees for hunting, fishing and trapping, and its use is restricted by state law to fish and wildlife management. The reason the federal funding wasn’t terminated last year was that it was committed before last year’s state budget was passed. That wouldn’t have been the case for the coming year if nothing was changed, federal officials said. After a high-ranking official from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notified the state that the money would not be coming unless things were changed, a revision to the 2012-13 spending plan was drafted. It specifically stated that budget transfers “that would result in the loss of eligibility for federal benefits or federal funds” would not be allowed. The federal money comes from federal excise taxes paid by sportsmen on such things as the purchase of firearms and ammunition, fishing equipment, small boats and motors, etc. It’s the result of longstanding federal legislation, namely the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts. The requirements of the two federal laws are that the money that the state takes in from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses must be used in accordance with state law to manage fish and wildlife. Following the rewording of the state’s proposed 2012-13 budget document, a Feb. 22 letter written by John F. Organ, chief of the Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, noted that the revised wording was “minimally sufficient to allow New York state to maintain eligibility to participate in the federal programs.” I know this sounds like a lot of bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, but the bottom line is $18 million in federal money that the state was counting on to protect and enhance New York’s fish, wildlife and habitat was in danger of being withheld. Now it’s not. In addition, thanks largely to the Conservation Fund Advisory Board and other outdoor advocates across the state who first raised this issue, the money will now be coming our way. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

If you've never seen the walleye egg-taking process, this is the time to travel to the hatchery, located on Route 49. Mark Babenzien, who heads the DEC’s fish hatchery in Constantia, said this week that the walleyes are spawning early this year on Oneida Lake. He said the first fish came into Scriba Creek, which runs alongside the hatchery, on Tuesday. If you’ve never seen the walleye egg-taking process, this is the time to travel to the hatchery, located on Route 49. The process will start Tuesday. A good time to visit will be Thursday through April 1. The hatchery is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visitors can see workers stripping fish of their eggs from 11 a.m. to noon, and from 1 p.m. until the fish caught that day are all processed. There’s no cost. For more, call the hatchery at 623-7311. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Meanwhile, Salmon River fishing remains good. Steelhead and rainbows are still thick in the upper river. CNY FISHING FORECAST Just a reminder that walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie season ends today (March 15). All persons aboard a pleasure vessel less than 21 feet long must wear a personal flotation device until May 1. Bait stores (list and map). SALMON RIVER River continues to be good. Steelhead and rainbows are thick in the upper river. Try pink bubblegum worms, trout beads (10mm), egg sacs (blue, pink and chartreuse mesh), streamers, stonefly nymphs and egg-imitating flies. The Upper Fly Fishing Area will reopen April 1. OSWEGO RIVER Anglers getting out in drift boats are getting into good numbers of steelhead and brown trout. Shore anglers are fishing along the riverwalk and behind the hotels. Steelhead and brown trout are hitting egg sacs, trout beads, jigs and stickbaits. CAYUGA LAKE Anglers trolling around Taughannock Point are getting lake trout and some Atlantic salmon. Fishing 20 feet down has been a good starting point for the salmon. Trolling on the south end of the lake is producing some brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Stickbaits and spoons are working. Anglers getting out in boats on the north end are getting some yellow perch. SENECA LAKE Yellow perch and black crappie fishing from the pier has been good, with fish hitting minnows, spikes and oak leaf grubs. Trolling on the surface with stickbaits, streamers and spoons is working for Atlantic salmon and brown trout. Lake trout are hitting spoons fished 100 to 120 feet down. ONEIDA RIVER A few boaters were out on the lake this week finishing up the walleye season and fishing for panfish. Reminder: There’s no catch-and-release bass fishing allowed on Oneida until the first Saturday in May. The South Shore launch ramps have been cleaned, but no docks are in yet. OWASCO LAKE Anglers have been getting out in boats fishing for perch using fathead minnows. OTISCO LAKE No fishing activity to report. SANDY POND There is no safe ice or open water activity to report. SKANEATELES LAKE The DEC launch is open. Anglers getting out in boats are mostly fishing for perch with fathead minnows on the east side of the north end. Others are jigging for lake trout in about 50 feet of water. SODUS BAY Several anglers continue to get out in boats to fish the north end for perch. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Ice fishing season is over. Anglers are getting in boats to fish for perch with fathead minnows. There are reports of good catches in front of the Clayton docks, Round Island and Kring’s Point. Some bullheads are being caught, but it’s still early for that. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Ice fishing season is over. Anglers fishing at the spillway are still getting some walleye using fathead minnows and bucktail jigs. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Wisconsin State Assembly approves bill to allow wolf hunting and trapping seasons. (M)1 View the full article

This legislative change became effective on January 30, 2012 and now makes it a misdemeanor under Penal Law section 265.01(1) for a prohibited person to possess these type weapons. The following is a State Police press release: The New York State Police Gun Investigation Unit from Troop B Headquarters in Ray Brook, NY, would like to educate the public regarding a recent amendment to the laws of New York State associated with the possession of black powder or muzzle-loading weapons. On August 3, 2011 the New York State Penal Law was amended to include antique firearms, black powder rifles, black powder shotguns, and any muzzle-loading firearm in the list of weapons that a person convicted of a felony or serious offense is prohibited from possessing. This legislative change became effective on January 30, 2012 and now makes it a misdemeanor under Penal Law section 265.01(1) for a prohibited person to possess these type weapons. Prior to this law becoming effective, those people convicted of felonies and serious offenses were allowed to possess muzzle-loading weapons. This new law removes that right and will affect all prohibited persons, regardless of when their conviction occurred, as the new law contained no grandfather clause. The only option available to a prohibited person who would like to continue possessing muzzle-loading weapons is to apply for a Certificate of Relief with the court of conviction requesting that he or she be relieved from this disability. This holds true for all convictions, except those in which a person was sentenced to a term of imprisonment with the NYS Department of Corrections. Relief from these convictions would have to be sought from the New York State Parole Board. Further information regarding these certificates can be obtained from the NYS DCJS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

There seems to be number of stories being written lately across the state on wild boars (feral hogs). I'd like to update readers on the scene here. Meanwhile, I'm writing this week in The Post-Standard about two different kinds of African safaris taken by women (a photo and hunting adventure). I've been reading a lot lately about wild boars and feral hogs across the state. I am very interested in talking to anyone who has bagged one of these bad boys lately in CNY, and also to property owners who have them on their property. I can be contacted at 470-6066 or at [email protected]. Meanwhile, here's what's on tap on the Outdoors pages this week in The Post-Standard. FRIDAY:Main story: Part I of a two-part series.. "Tales from Two Safaris." The first story looks into a photo safari taken by a CNY woman in South Africa. Column: Interesting update on the upcoming walleye fishing circuit this year.. at this point, the biggest paying tourney scheduled is being put on by the girlfriend of an angler. I update the other walleye-related competitions as well. SUNDAY Main story: Part II of a two-part series, "Tales from Two Safaris"... We interview a woman who went with her husband on a hunting safari in South Africa and ended up bagging three animals herself. Column: Still mulling my options. Thinking about writing about the lake level on Oneida Lake.. Stay tuned. Coming: - Story about Nitro, the DEC's special K9 that it uses to sniff out illegally gotten game and fish, in addition to shell casings in hunting accidents - Opening Day trout fishing precede.. (two full pages) 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 - Those who hunt snow geese - Someone who hunts crows. - 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. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The ban runs through March 16 through May 14. “This time of year has the most risk of fires and the risk is even greater this year due to the extremely mild winter we’ve seen across the state,” DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens said. Violators are subject to both criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. The following is a DEC press release: All residential brush burning is prohibited in smaller communities during the state’s historically high fire-risk period from March 16 through May 14, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens reminded New Yorkers today. “This time of year has the most risk of fires and the risk is even greater this year due to the extremely mild winter we’ve seen across the state,” Commissioner Martens said. “Since the open burning regulation passed in 2009, there have been fewer fires reported in New York state. In an effort to protect the health and safety of our children, families and our natural environment, we remind residents that brush burning is banned statewide beginning this week.” In 2009, New York toughened restrictions on open burning to reduce harmful air pollutants and help prevent wildfires. While the burn ban regulation allows residential brush burning for most of the year in towns with a populations of less than 20,000, it prohibits open burning in all communities during early spring when the bulk of New York’s wildfires typically occur. The state regulation prohibits the burning of garbage at all times and in all places. Several factors enable wildfires to start easily and spread quickly at this time, including the lack of green vegetation, abundance of available fuels such as dry grass and leaves, warm temperatures and wind. Open burning is the largest single cause of wildfires in New York state. Data from DEC’s Forest Protection Division shows that debris burning accounted for about 36 percent of wildfires in the state between 1985 and 2009, which is more than twice the next most-cited cause. In addition, from 2000 to 2009 New York’s fire departments responded to an average of 2,300 wildfires each year from March 14 to May 16. That represents about 46 percent of all wildfires for the year. Fire department data for 2010 and 2011 indicated a 26 percent reduction in wildfires during the burn ban period for those years when compared to the previous 10 years (2000-2009). In addition, 86 percent of all communities across the state had a reduction of wildfires compared with the previous five years. Some towns are designated “fire towns” primarily in and around the Adirondack Park and Catskill Park. Under the Environmental Conservation Law, open burning is prohibited in these municipalities without a written permit from DEC. Open burning is prohibited at any time in these municipalities. To find out whether a town is a designated “Fire Town” and/or to obtain a permit, parties should contact a DEC regional office. For a directory of the DEC Regional Offices, visit the DEC website. Violators of the open burning state regulation are subject to both criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. To report environmental law violations call 1-800-TIPP DEC (1-800-847-7332), or report online at the DEC’s website. A list of questions and answers on the open burning regulation is also available on DEC’s website. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Several readers wrote in saying this fish was actually a brown trout. I made a few calls and after getting some additional information, I'm sticking with my original call. Submitted photo The following story and picture has generated some discussion among readers, some who are convinced I made a mistake and that the fish was actually a brown trout. They noted it lacks a semi-forked tail, which they said is a characteristic of Atlantic salmon. Here's what I orginally wrote: Nick Trapani, 23, formerly of Skaneateles and now living in Syracuse, caught this impressive, 26-inch landlocked salmon in Skaneateles Lake today. He caught it on a spinner, fishing offshore on the northwestern side of the lake. His plans? "I'm going eat it, off course," he said. This is the second landlocked salmon he's caught out to the lake, Trapani said. Last winter he caught a smaller one and cooked it over an open fire. "It was delicious," he said. Editor's note: At first glance, I thought it was landlocked salmon, primarily because it looks like there's Xs (as opposed to spots) on the fish's body and that is a characteristic of an Atlantic salmon. . After getting a few emails, I called David Lemon, regional fisheries manager at the DEC's Cortland office.. he and another wildlife biologist looked at the photo and were split on what it actually was. I also called my predecessor, J. Michael Kelly, who brought up some of the same points made by Lemon and the other wildlife biologist: Kelly wrote me: Dave, I'm torn on this one. I'd like to see a close-up of the spots on back and sides. Do you have a photographer's "loop" magnifier? If you do, put it so you can tell if the spots are rounded or are quite a few of them X-shaped? The latter indicates salmon. Also, the caudal peduncle (wrist) just ahead of the tail or caudal fin is not real slim (Atlantic) but not real stocky (as with big browns) so at this distance can't make the call on that basis. The scientific determinant would be the number of rays in the anal fin -- 9 if Atlantic, 10-12 if a brown trout -- but the angler has that fin covered with his hand. Finally, a brown trout's upper jaw is longer (maxillary bone extends rear to behind eye) than a salmon MOST of the time but not always. The color of spots doesn't matter much because lake-dwelling browns often have black or dark brown spots except when spawning in the fall. They have orange spots at that time, with haloes -- but so do some spawning Atlantics. In this case I would be interested in a biologist's opinion. Bottom line: The DEC doesn't stock browns in Skaneateles Lake, although some wild ones could make it in from one of the lake's tributaries. Either way, it's a rarity if it's a brown. Kelly and DEC's literature on this subject said the semi-forked tail, which some readers mentioned as a distinguishing Atlantic salmon characteristic is not true in all cases. Thus, unless conclusively proven otherwise (All I have is the picture) I'm sticking with my initial conclusion that the fish is a landlocked salmon. The way Nick was sounding when I first talked to him, he's probably eaten by now.... View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I was a bit surprised showed the picture. I didn't realize deer still had their antlers so late in the spring," one reader wrote. Submitted photo. This is the time of year that bucks across Central New York shed their antlers. Well, not all have yet. Dick Capella sent me this email over the weekend: "Dave---enclosed is a pic of a nice buck still sporting his antlers. Pic was captured on Mar. 4, 2012 using a trail cam. James Togni Of Lakeland is the outdoorsman who owns the cam. I was a bit surprised when Jim showed me the pic---I didn't realize deer still had their antlers so late in the spring. "The quality's a bit poor, but I hope you can use it." Thanks for sharing. Anybody else seeing bucks out there that are still sporting their antlers? View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

New York is divided into five waterfowl hunting zones: Western, Southeastern, Northeastern, Lake Champlain and Long Island. DEC recently appointed task forces for each zone to solicit recommendations on opening and closing dates, split seasons and a special hunting weekend for youths The following is a DEC press release: Task Forces to Help Set Season Dates for Waterfowl Hunting in New York Hunters are invited to submit recommendations for the dates of the Fall 2012 duck hunting seasons to regional Waterfowl Hunter Task Forces, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced today. DEC will evaluate the task force recommendations in setting waterfowl seasons, which must comply with federal rules. New York is divided into five waterfowl hunting zones: Western, Southeastern, Northeastern, Lake Champlain and Long Island. DEC recently appointed task forces for each zone (except Lake Champlain, see link below) to solicit recommendations for the Fall 2012 hunting seasons, including opening and closing dates, split seasons and a special hunting weekend for youths. Each task force includes representatives from the New York State Conservation Council, established waterfowl hunting organizations and individual waterfowl hunters who were chosen to provide input from diverse points of view. The recommended dates must be within federal guidelines established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). For Fall 2012, DEC expects the USFWS to allow a 60-day duck season, split into no more than two segments per zone, opening no earlier than Sep. 22, 2012, and closing no later than Jan. 27, 2013. Waterfowl hunters can participate by providing duck season suggestions to any task force member on, or before March 30, 2012. Names and contact information for all task force members are listed in alphabetical order in the attached table and on the DEC website . Comments can be provided by mail, telephone or e-mail. The task forces will meet in late March and April, and DEC plans to announce tentative duck hunting season dates in June. Input on hunting seasons for other migratory game birds, including Canada geese, snow geese, brant and woodcock, may be submitted also to any member of DEC’s season-setting team. However, due to greater uncertainty about federal regulations for those species, decisions and tentative dates will probably not be known until later in the summer. Waterfowl seasons in the Lake Champlain Zone will continue to be set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Management Board, with input from DEC and waterfowl hunters in New York and Vermont. Although there is no formal task force for this zone, hunters can send their suggestions to any DEC season-setting team member on the list below. Descriptions of New York State’s waterfowl hunting zones can be found on the DEC website and are listed in DEC’s Waterfowl Hunting Seasons and Regulations brochure. The tentative waterfowl hunting season dates will be posted on the DEC website and announced in June. 2012/13 WATERFOWL SEASON TASK FORCES(in alphabetical order, contact anyone on the list) 2012/13 WESTERN ZONE TASK FORCE NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE & E-MAILJIM ADRIANCE (Southeastern Area) 1930 Cole Place Vestal, NY 13850 607-768-1528 (H) 607-779-5298 (W) [email protected] KEN ALFES(NYSCC – R8) 10604 Townline Road Darien Center, NY 14040 585-547-3579 [email protected] JIM ECKLER (NYS DEC) 1385 Morgan Road Savannah, NY 13146 315-365-2134 [email protected] RON FALKOWSKI (Central NY Wildfowlers) 767 Nichols Point Road Bridgeport, NY 13030 315-633-9567 [email protected] GEORGE GIBBS (NYSCC – R7) 159 Center St, PO Box 264 Cleveland, NY 13042 315-675-6072 [email protected] RANDY HOLDEN (South Central Area) 219 Breesport Road Horseheads, NY 14845 607-739-6735 (H) 607-742-9886 © [email protected] BILL HOWELL (Niagara Frontier Area) 5859 Stinson Road Arcade, NY 14009 585-496-5162 [email protected] BILL KALWAS (Finger Lakes & Western NY Waterfowl Assoc) 39 Caledonia Ave Scottsville, NY 14546 585-749-4948 [email protected] DARIN J. KATTA (Southwestern Area) 15 Seel Street Dunkirk, NY 14048 716-785-0713 [email protected] CHUCK OLIN (Canandaigua Lake Duck Hunters) 690 Old Dutch Road Victor, NY 14564 585-742-3871 585-455-5722 © [email protected] NICK WANSHA (Lake Plains Waterfowl Assoc) 90 Kearney Drive Rochester, NY 14617 585-482-4594 [email protected] KEN ZOLNOWSKI (NYSCC – R9) 30 Danbury Drive Cheektowaga, NY 14225 716-836-2239 [email protected] 2012/13 SOUTHEASTERN ZONE TASK FORCE NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE & E-MAIL BILL ALEXANDER (NYSCC – R3) 170 Clinton Corners Road Salt Point, NY 12578 845-266-5747 RAYMOND GAWLAS (NYSCC – R4) 23 Concord Street Scotia, NY 12302 518-372-2357 [email protected] JOHN O’CONNOR (NYS DEC) 1115 Route 86 Ray Brook, NY 12977 518-897-1296 [email protected] VINCE OLECHNOWICZ (Catskill Area) 258 Braymer Lane Delhi, NY 13753 607-746-6180 [email protected] JON PANINSKI (Central NY Wildfowlers) 120 Campbell Road Mattydale, NY 13211 315-427-0926 [email protected] NATHAN PIERUZZI (Hudson River Waterfowlers) 58 Salvino Drive Athens, NY 12015 518-469-3822 [email protected] MIKE PODGORSKI (NYSCC – R7) 2287 Ferndell Road Cazenovia, NY 13035 315-655-8067 [email protected] DAN SPIGNER (Waterfowl Improvement Assoc) 9 Academy Street Greenwich, NY 12834 518-692-0017 [email protected] GARY WILL (Chenango Valley Area) 225 River Road Hamilton, NY 13346 315-691-3168 [email protected] 2012/13 NORTHEASTERN ZONE TASK FORCE NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE & E-MAIL STEVE ANDRUCKIEWICZ (Saratoga-Lake George) 157 Cramer Road Ballston Spa, NY 12020 518-587-9942 PETE BARNEY (Northern NY Area) 64 Old State Road Potsdam, NY 13676 [email protected] KEVIN BODMER (Central Adirondacks) 236 Keese Mills Road Paul Smiths, NY 12970 518-327-3022 [email protected] DOUG CARR (Central NY Wildfowlers) 109 Roosevelt Ave Canastota, NY 13032 315-952-3160 [email protected] GEORGE GEDNEY (Waterfowl Improvement Assoc) 15 Stonehurst Drive Queensbury, NY 12804 518-361-9918 [email protected] TOM HUMBERSTONE (North Central Area) 2081 Coon Hill Road Skaneateles, NY 13152 315-685-6819 ANDREW MACDUFF (NYS DEC) 317 Washington Street Watertown, NY 13601 315-785-2534 [email protected] NICK MCNAMARA (Northern WMAs) 1125 County Route 14 Rensselaer Falls, NY 13680 315-344-6580 [email protected] BILL SAIFF III (Ontario - St Lawrence) PO Box 111 Brownville, NY 13615 315-771-3514 [email protected] KURT SNYDER (Oneida Lake Assoc) 6429 Long Point Road Brewerton, NY 13029 315-668-9156 [email protected] JAMES TRACY (Upper Mohawk) 5525 Marsh Road Lee Center, NY 13363 315-337-6829 2012/13 LONG ISLAND ZONE TASK FORCE NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE & E-MAIL JOHN ADAMS (South Shore Waterfowlers Assoc) 30 Diane Drive Manorville, NY 11949 631-618-5728 [email protected] KELLY HAMILTON (NYS DEC) 50 Circle Road- SUNY Stony Brook, NY 11790 631-444-0255 [email protected] JAMES IANNACONE (Peconic River Sportmans club) 275 Islip Boulevard Islip Terrace, NY 11752 631-581-2977 [email protected] RON KEE (Smith Point Fish & Hunt Club) 11 Skyhaven Drive Patchogue, NY 11772 917-753-4054 [email protected] STEVE LAURINO (Manhasset Bay Sportsman Club) 9 Corchaug Avenue Port Washington, NY 11050 516-729-9189 [email protected] RICH OTTERSTEDT (Suffolk Co Alliance of Sportsman) 18 Ashford Drive Lake Grove, NY 11755 631-789-2480 [email protected] RON SINEO (NYSCC – R1) 10 Rutherford Street St. James, NY 11780 631-862-8518 [email protected] ERIK TALLBE (Nassau Co Fish & Game Assoc) 10 Skylark Road, Ste. 101 Massapequa Park, NY 11762 631-427-0200 [email protected] DEC WATERFOWL SEASON SETTING TEAM KELLY HAMILTON [email protected] NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road- SUNY Stony Brook, NY 11790 631-444-0255 PATRICIA VISSERING [email protected] NYS DEC Region 3 21 South Putt Corners Road New Paltz, NY 12561 845-256-3088 KARL PARKER [email protected] NYS DEC Region 4 1130 North Westcott Road Schenectady, NY 12306 518-357-2154 JOHN O’CONNOR [email protected] NYS DEC Region 5 1115 Route 86 Ray Brook, NY 12977 518-897-1296 ANDY MACDUFF [email protected] NYS DEC Region 6 317 Washington Street Watertown, NY 13601 315-785-2534 TOM BELL [email protected] NYS DEC Region 7 1285 Fisher Avenue Cortland, NY 13045 607-753-3095 JIM ECKLER [email protected] NYS DEC Region 8 1385 Morgan Road Savannah, NY 13146 315-365-2134 CONNIE ADAMS [email protected] NYS DEC Region 9 270 Michigan Avenue Buffalo, NY 14203 315-365-2134 BRYAN [email protected] NYS DEC Central Office 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 518-402-8922 View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The photo was taken this past Saturday. "We were fishing on 12 inches of ice to get these crappies and pickerel," he said Submitted photo Michael F. Domachowske, of Constantia, sent me this interesting photo (considering the weather we've been having lately) and the following report: "Hard to believe, but this photo was taken this past Saturday – March 10, 2012. It’s of Kyle Whelan on a small lake, 10 minutes north of Constantia. "We were fishing on 12 inches of ice to get these crappies and pickerel." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog