HuntingNY-News

Different depths worked for us, he said. Robert Twichell, and his Dave Cassel, both of Fayetteville, cashed in recently while ice fishing on Skaneateles Lake. They caught some nice lake trout. "A couple different depths worked for us,roughly at 90 feet at the north and 40 feet at the south end," he said. Twichell said he and Cassel caught some nice ones measuring from 18 to 24 inches at the southern end. "We used a variety of things-- jigging spoons, jigs, jigging Rapalas, some tipped with a minnow," he said. "We caught and released several that were 28 to 32 inches near the north end of the lake. They weighed about 8 to 10 pounds." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Many of the campgrounds these days have cable hookups. The 34th annual RV and Camping Show kicked off Thursday at the state Fairgrounds and continues through Sunday. Jim Kring has been the show's manager for more than 20 years. I asked him to list five things that folks might find interesting or didn't know about recreational vehicles and campers at the show. He chatted with several of the dealers and came up with the following: Sue and Brian Winer of Fayetteville tour a Starcraft AR-One trailer at the Central New York RV and Camping show, Thursday at the New York State Fairgrounds. Scott Schild | [email protected] 1).There's a camper at the show that enables its owner to set up in 30 seconds. 2). There's an RV that features two complete bathrooms. "It's the bunkhouse model," Kring said. "The parents have their bedroom and bathroom in the front; the kids sleep and have their bathroom in the back. There's also a back entrance to the kids' bathroom so they aren't tracking sand and dirt through the whole RV." 3). There's a self-contained travel trailer at the show for less than $10,000. It's a tow-behind that hooks up to your bumper. "It sleeps four nicely," Kring said. 4). "We have motor homes here that have solar panels on them to generate power," he said. "Another vendor is offering turbines to take advantage of the wind." 5). "And who'd think you'd see a 60-inch TV in the living room of a camping trailer," Kring said. "That's big time camping there." He said many of the campgrounds these days have cable hookups and many of the larger RVs have satellite dishes." Show hours for the rest of the show are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $10 and children under 16 free. The kids also get a free "camping meal," which includes hot dog, soda and chips. The show, which Kring said features more than 500 different units, is taking place in the Center of Progress Building, the Horticulture Building and the Exhibit Center (the Dairy Building). For more, see the show's website at cnyrvshow.org. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

County Legislator Mike Plochocki noted Syracuse is in a "strategic location" to take advantage of the state's fishing opportunities, with Oneida Lake, the steadily improving Onondaga Lake, the Finger Lakes and numerous streams and rivers. The Onondaga County Legislature has budgeted $35,000 this year for a new online fishing page designed to be a "one-stop shopping" destination for those interested in fishing, fishing guides and other related services and accommodations in the area. "The process has begun. It's still early in the process," said county Legislator Mike Plochocki, R-Marcellus. The page is being handled by the county Parks Department. Bill Lansley, the county's parks commissioner, said he has met once with Syracuse Design, an in-house, consulting firm that the county has a contract with to handle its website. Syracuse Design will build the fishing page. Lansley didn't have a date of when it would be finished. He said it will appear on the county's website and be featured on the county's parks page. When clicked upon "it will have the feel of an entire, separate page." He said he doesn't expect it will cost $35,000. It helps that it will be added to the existing county website, as opposed to starting from scratch, he said. The idea for a fishing page came from the county's Fishing Advisory Committee. The county Legislature's Environmental Protection Committee, which oversees the advisory committee, liked the idea and passed it on to the full county Legislature. It was approved and included in this year's budget. Jordan Taylor, from Cicero, fishes with his family at Onondaga Lake Park.Dick Blume | [email protected] Fishing Advisory Committee member Mike Cusano, of Clay, a long-time bass angler and former president of the New York Bassmaster Chapter Federation, said the idea was to come up with a website similar to Oswego County's. That site offers a wide array of angling information and services, including where and when to fish; what species are available and where to catch them; fishing regulations; lists of guides and charter boat captains; links to hotel and restaurant accommodations; interactive maps and more. "Fishing tourism is a very under-sold commodity in this state.It's much bigger in other states. It's an industry with economic returns in the billions," said Plochochi, who is chairman of the county's Environmental Protection Committee Plochocki noted Syracuse is in a "strategic location" to take advantage of the state's fishing opportunities, with Oneida Lake, the steadily improving Onondaga Lake, the Finger Lakes and numerous streams and rivers. Oneida Lake, with its nationally ranked walleye fishery, is the fourth most visited fishing location in the state, following the two Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, according to the DEC. This area has also hosted three national-level, Elite Series Bassmaster tournaments on Oneida and Onondaga Lakes, all which have pumped money into the local economy. One is scheduled this August on nearby Cayuga Lake. An Elite Series tournament held last summer at Waddington on the St. Lawrence River brought impacted the local economy there by more than $1 million, according to a Clarkston University study. Dave Turner, Oswego County's promotion and tourism director, cited a 2007 study done by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Department of Economic Development that the overall economic impact of angling on Oswego County was "over $42 million." Although the Onondaga fishing page will seek to imitate or exceed the offerings of Oswego County's fishing page, a major difference is that Onondaga's page will not appear as part of a county tourism website, which the Oswego's fishing page does. The story is the same in other counties, such as Niagara, Wayne and St. Lawrence counties where fishing is big business. "Fishing should be part of the whole tourism package," said Bill Hilts Jr., director of Outdoor Promotions for the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp. Nikita Jankowski, communications manager for the Syracuse Convention and Visitor's Bureau, said Wednesday she had no information on the planned fishing page. Lansley said the Visitor's Bureau has not been included yet in discussions about the page,but he expects its website will have a link to it. The Visitor's Bureau receives money from the county's room tax to promote events and activities in the Syracuse and greater Onondaga County area. "We don't have any information on it, other than it's a line on the county budget," Jankowski said. Chad Lapa, a web designer for BlueEye Design in Rochester, set up the Oswego and Monroe county fishing pages and said the $35,000 figure budgeted by Onondaga County is "in the ballpark," particularly if one considers the costs of on-going maintenance. "I set up the Oswego County page in November 2010 and made it so they could update themselves. That cost around $30,000," he said. Lapa said his company is currently in discussions with Erie and Chautauqua counties to set up fishing-related websites for them. Alison Power, tourism, marketing and outreach coordinator for the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, said her chamber put up its fishing website four years ago and said the Onondaga cost estimate "is in line." "You also have to incorporate things like social media -- Twitter, Facebook,email blasts, things like that -- and make it readable and useable on small devices, such as iPhones," she said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Birdfeeders can be a place where diseases can spread very quickly between birds because of their close contact with each other. Want to help the birds during the winter? Keep your bird feeders clean and help your hungry feathered friends avoid such maladies as "Songbird Fever." Salmonellosis or "Songbird Fever" is among the most common diseases associated with bird feeders. "Commonly reported signs include ruffled feathers, droopiness, diarrhea, and severe lethargy; chronically infected birds often appear severely emaciated. Sick birds may also be observed to seizure," according to the USGS National Wildlife Health Control website. Outbreaks can affect many bird species including redpolls, cardinals, goldfinches, sparrows, cowbirds and pine siskins. The bacteria can be shed in the bird's feces even when the bird appears healthy, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation., Salmonellosis can spread through contact with infected birds, contaminated seed, seed waste on the ground or water in bird baths. The disease can also be spread to both people and domestic animals. Other common songbird diseases that are spread through bird feeders are mycoplasma conjunctivitis (an eye infection of house finches) and trichomoniasis (an oral parasite of songbirds, pigeons and doves). The DEC offered the following tips to help keep birdfeeders and bird baths disease-free through the winter months: - Empty and clean them with hot soapy water at least every two weeks. - Soak your feeders in a dilute, 10-percent bleach solution and allow them to dry before re-hanging them. - Waste seed on the ground beneath feeders should be cleaned up and discarded. - Spreading feeders out and relocating feeders periodically can limit the build-up of waste. - Practice good hygiene when cleaning feeders and bird baths by wearing gloves to handle seed waste and washing hands after performing maintenance. If you observe multiple sick or dead birds at your feeder, contact the DEC. The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's Project Feeder Watch also has more information about feeding backyard birds. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The problem is that the Adirondack property is owned by Syracuse University and held in trust for SUNY ESF. More than 5,300 acres in the North Country operated by SUNY ESF were off limits to small and big-game hunters with firearms this fall as a result of the N.Y. SAFE Act. That could change under a bill authored earlier this month by Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski, which calls for some minor word changes in the law. Under the SAFE Act passed earlier early last year, the law increased the penalty for the possession of a firearm on school and college/university properties. Previously, the Penal Law charged violators with a misdemeanor. The SAFE Act elevated the penalty to a Class E felony. The SUNY ESF announcement of a hunting ban last year concerned the 2,500-acre Pack Forest Demonstration Area in Warrensburg in Warren County, and the 2,800-acre Dubuar Memorial Forest adjacent to SUNY ESF's Ranger School at Wanakena near Cranberry Lake in St. Lawrence County. For decades, SUNY ESF allowed hunting with firearms on these lands by its students, faculty, research staff and the general public. As a result of the SAFE Act, hunting that involved rifles, shotguns, or firearms was stopped on those properties. Hunting with bows and trapping, though, were continued. The SAFE Act brought attention, to a "flawed interpretation" SUNY ESF had about the law that affected the properties. The school was under the impression that the school's lands were exempt from the penal law concerning school and college/university property due to previous legislation that was crafted with the school in mind. After consulting with attorneys, SUNY ESF announced the hunting ban. The problem was that the Adirondack property is owned by Syracuse University and held in trust for SUNY ESF. The exemption only covered land owned by the college. Barclay's bill adds the language "held in trust" when describing exemptions under the law concerning SUNY ESF land. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This is not intended to be all-inclusive list of cases handled, but is representative of dispositions received by the Region 7 law enforcement office. Thanks to the help of Capt. Matt Revenaugh, who heads the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Region 7 law enforcement team headquartered in Syracuse, I'm offering the latest in an on-going series entitled, "Keeping Watch." The idea is to give readers insight to the final disposition of tickets issued by our local environmental conservation officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The cases that appear here are cases where the defendant has either pleaded guilty or found guilty after trial. This is not intended to be all-inclusive list of cases handled, but is representative of dispositions received by the Region 7 law enforcement office. Click on the link below to see the most recent cases: R7 Fine 2-27-14.pdf View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

If you can stand the cold, most waterways have plenty of good thick ice to fish on. CNY FISHING REPORT Bait stores (list and map). SALMON RIVER The river is low. The frigid temperatures and snow continue to make fishing difficult, with slush ice forming on the river and shelf ice along the shore. Anglers braving the cold are still getting a few steelhead in the deeper pools in the upper river between Pineville and Altmar. OSWEGO RIVER Cold and snow continues to make fishing the river difficult. Nothing new to report. ONEIDA LAKE The entire lake is still frozen over, with ice thickness varying from a foot up to more than 18 inches in places. Anglers on snowmobiles or ATVs are catching nice perch north of Dunham's and Frenchman's islands. Others are cashing in about couple hundred yards off Williams Beach or Chapman Park. Big Bay continues to produce hot for bluegills, crappie and sunfish. Walleye fishing has slowed down recently. CAYUGA LAKE Ice thickness is a reported 8 to 10 inches at northern end. Lots of perch and pickerel being caught. Try fathead minnows for the perch. Anglers are also getting some nice brown trout fishing from shore at the old Milliken Power Station in Lansing using shiners. SANDY POND Reports of 20-plus inches of ice. Perch fishing has started to improve some with small minnows working well. Northern pike are hitting large minnows fished with tip-ups. SENECA LAKE The cold and windy conditions have made getting a boat out difficult, but some anglers going out of Severne are getting some perch. OWASCO LAKE Entire lake is frozen. Ice thickness around varies from 12 to 20 inches. Reports of nice lake trout being caught on shiners around Ensenore. Anglers are also taking some nice perch on fathead minnows. Some nice northern pike are also being caught at the southern end on big shiners. OTISCO LAKE Entire lake is frozen. There are 12 inches of ice being reported in front of the county park and on the north end. Bluegill and pumpkinseeds fishing action has slowed down on the north end over the last few weeks. A 43-inch tiger muskie was caught during a recent ice fishing derby. SKANEATELES LAKE Most, if not all the lake is frozen. Reports of some nice perch being caught on fathead of minnows. Anglers are also catching a few trout. SODUS BAY There's 14 to 18 inches or more of ice on the bay. Reports of some nice perch and bluegills being caught, along with a few northern pike. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Lots of fishable ice, with some bays having ice up 36 inches thick. Popular spots continue to be Eel Bay, Lake of the Isles, Round Island , Chippewa Bay and all the nearby inland lakes. Continued reports of especially good perch fishing on Chippewa and Chaumont bays and the head of Round Island near Clayton. Anglers are also catching walleye in Mud Bay. Live bait (fathead minnows, shiners and spikes) continues to be the ticket. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR There's 15 to 16 inches of good ice, and reports of some good walleye fishing. Anglers are catching them on fathead minnows and jigs, or medium shiners on tip-ups. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"It's not like we're going to give up and go away," Martens said. The state Department of Conservation "will likely amend" its proposed, 10-year mute swan management plan in response to the negative reaction it has received, said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens on Wednesday. The DEC's initial draft management plan called for the complete elimination of wild mute swans in this state within 10 years. Methods to be used included shooting them, sterilizing them and destroying their eggs. The plan did allow though, for permits to be issued to municipalities and other public entities, in addition to private individuals, provided the swans not be released into the wild. The public comment period for that plan ended Feb. 21. DEC officials said they received 1,500 individual comments, more than 16,000 form letter emails and 25,000 signatures on various petitions opposing the plan. Read a local guest columnist who is against it. "This has gotten a lot of attention," said Martens, appearing Wednesday before the Syracuse Media Group Editorial Board. He said he's directed his staff to compile a summary of the comments and proposals to address the issues raised. "It's not like we're going to give up and go away," Martens said. Mute swans, despite being "pretty," are an invasive species with documented negative impacts on the environment. Marten said DEC staff have has identified the birds negative impacts. He said the plan that's received the criticism is the DEC's "first cut" at dealing with the problem. Read the entire plan. The DEC estimates the state's mute swan population at 2,200, with three distinct populations on Long Island, the lower Hudson Valley and along Lake Ontario. They were brought to this country from Europe in the 1800s. Mute swans are the same swans made famous by Hans Christian Andersen's story "The Ugly Duckling." They also the birds enjoyed by many on the village pond in Manlius. Mute swans have white plumage, an orange bill, a black face mask and a graceful curving neck. Native tundra and trumpeter swans, which are smaller, have black bills and straight necks. Wildlife biologists say mute swans cause a variety of problems, including aggressive behavior toward people and other birds, destruction of aquatic vegetation, degradation of water quality, displacement of native wildlife species and potential hazards to aviation. Other states, including Maryland, Michigan, Connecticut and Rhode Island have population control programs to keep the bird's numbers down. Local Audubon officials have supported the DEC's plan. But culling programs have drawn criticism from humane organizations. GooseWatch NYC posted an online petition opposing New York's mute swan reduction plan and criticizing the DEC for proposing it. The DEC's proposal called for "completely eliminating them by and large from New York. Whether we amended that, or how we go about it will come under serious review," Martens said. Martens stressed the DEC's plan as initially written was a long-term plan, and called for "nothing radical or dramatic in the short-term." He said the final decision on what to do with the birds will likely be his. "It probably does end up on my lap one way or the other," he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I got out on Owasco Lake last weekend to ice fish, and most likely will spend some time on the ice again this weekend in my never-ending search for tasty perch fillets. Last week's rain has been followed by another week of freezing weather. Man, it's been a cold winter. I got out on Owasco Lake last weekend to ice fish, and most likely will spend some time on the ice again this weekend in my never-ending search for tasty perch fillets. Anybody have some good recipes? Send them to me at [email protected]. I'm also planning on participating for the first time this Saturday in the annual Lake Como Ice Golf Tournament. It's an 18-hole match, with holes varying from 30 to 90 yards. The last time I checked, the ice on this lake on southeastern Cayuga County was more than two feet thick. Meanwhile, here's the stories I'm working on this week and next: - DEC Commish Joe Martens stopped by the Syracuse Media Group office Wednesday and met with our editorial board. I asked him about crossbows and the DEC's controversial mute swan plan. He said crossbows will likely be legal by this fall (provided the governor's budget passes) and that the DEC will "most likely" revise its mute swan plan following all the negative reaction to it. - I've heard the U.S. government will cease its management of the former Seneca Army Depot in Romulus by early next year. The land contains one of the largest, if not the largest herd of all-white deer in the country. What will happen once the feds leave? Who will maintain the 26-miles of fencing around the property that keeps the deer in? Stay tuned. - Winter time in Central New York means huge numbers of crows in certain urban and suburban areas of our region (most notably Auburn, Syracuse, Geneva and Cortland). What's the status of the crow populations this winter in those areas, what's being done to make sure they aren't a nuisance? - What's the update on a proposed DEC boat launch on Otisco Lake? - Onondaga County has budgeted $35,000 for a new fishing website. - An update on the state's war against wild boars. -An update on the joint city/county deer task force. -Should hunters in Onondaga County be allowed to hunt deer with rifles? (Many surrounding counties allow it). ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First, it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The DEC hasn't said whether that means allowing their use for senior and physically challenged hunters during the regular archery season, or for all hunters in all big game hunting seasons. Joe Martens, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said the use of crossbows by hunters in this state could be legal by this fall -- provided Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget is passed by the state Legislature. "It's got to pass," said Martens, speaking Wednesday before the Syracuse Media Group editorial board. Cuomo placed language in his spending plan that would give the DEC the authority to develop regulations governing crossbow use in New York. DEC officials have previously said they favor crossbow use but the parameters are unclear. The DEC hasn't said whether that means allowing their use for senior and physically challenged hunters during the regular archery season, or for all hunters in all big game hunting seasons. "We haven't thought it out yet," Martens said, noting as with every regulation change the DEC will have a public comment period to gauge public opinion. Either way, he said, if Cuomo's proposal passes hunters will most likely be legal by this fall. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Lemon stressed, "this is all still the talking stages." The state Department of Environmental Conservation is talking to the city of Syracuse about the state taking over a stretch of property at the southwestern end of Skaneateles Lake and making it a shoreline fishing spot open to the public. "There's some concrete docks there that stretch out into the water. It's shallow at that end but the docks will let you get out abnd fish in about 16 feet of water," said David Lemon, the DEC's regional fisheries manager for Region 7. Lemon said the land includes "a couple of hundred feet of shoreline," and that the DEC would build a small parking lot. "There would be limited parking, probably for about six vehicles," he said. Lemon stressed, "this is all still the talking stages." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Any proceeds in excess of bus costs will be donated towards the SCOPE/NYSRPA lawsuit funds, Simmons said. Officials from the Onondaga and Oswego Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs are chartering two buses for the April 1 rally against the SAFE Act in Albany. The rally is being organized by SCOPE (Shooters Committee on Political Education). The locals buses are in addition to others being chartered by the Pathfinder Fish and Game Club in Fulton. David Simmons, president of the Onondaga Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, said the first bus will leave at 5:45 a.m. April 1 from the parking lot at the Tractor Supply Company store on Route 13 in Pulaski and drive to the Gander Mountain store in Cicero, joining another bus. Both buses will then leave from 6:30 a.m. en route to Albany. Simmons said they will return sometime after 5 p.m. Simmons said the cost will be $25 per seat. "We hope we will get additional donations from clubs and individuals to avoid losing money." For more, email [email protected] or at [email protected], or call 247-5141. Checks should be made payable to the "Onondaga County Federation Of Sportsmens Clubs" (OCFSC is also acceptable). Also, write "Albany Bus" on the check's memo line, Simmons said. "I will also need to know whether the individuals will be boarding at Pulaski or at Cicero,' he said. "I also need phone numbers and email address for every individual, in the event there are last-minute changes and/or we are short on the head count when preparing for departure from Albany." Any proceeds in excess of bus costs will be donated towards the SCOPE/NYSRPA lawsuit funds, Simmons said. Read more about the rally. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Raptors have invaded the Montezuma Wetlands Complex this winter and now is a great time to see them </p> <p><br />The Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah has scheduled a "Raptor Van Tour" from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 27) in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.</p> <p>"Raptors have invaded the Montezuma Wetlands Complex this winter and now is a great time to see them, " according a press release. "Hop in the Montezuma Audubon Center van for an excursion to Montezuma's premier birding locations to encounter snowy owls, short-eared owls, bald eagles, rough-legged hawks and more."</p> <p>Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras. Fee: $8/child; $13.50/adult. Space is limited and registration is required. For more, call 315-365-3588 or e-mail <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. <br /></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"This is his second time out and he's hooked," his father said. Tristan Vang, 7, of Utica, holds up a pickerel he caught on Cazenovia Lake while ice fishing with his father, Ping Vang. The family's dog, Sam, a German shorthair pointer, is also pictured "He caught it on a Lindy jig and minnow," the father said. "This is his second time out and he's hooked. The fish was released unharmed." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The event is March 15. Educational programs are again planned at the nearby state fish hatchery, along with fishing clinics and hatchery tours. Artists and craft demonstrators are invited to participate in the 6th annual Fishing Heritage Day, set for May in the Chenango County hamlet of South Otselic. "The Otselic Valley Fishing & Heritage Association invites area artists, crafts people, and antique dealers to set up in the Otselic Town Park to show, sell and demonstrate their talents," said Pastor Carl Johnson, chairman of the Heritage Association, in a press release. Johnson said educational programs are again planned at the nearby state fish hatchery, along with fishing clinics and hatchery tours. "As always, we're looking forward to an eventful day where families and friends can enjoy a variety of activities that help remind us of the contribution of rural communities such as South Otselic, to our local, regional, and national heritage," he said. The deadline for vendors to register is March 15. For more, visit the association's website at www.ovfish.org or call 315-653-7490. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The crows leave droppings on sidewalks, vehicles and buildings and seemingly all over some city neighborhoods. Watertown City Council members said recently it's time for the city to turn to lethal measures in dealing with the city's huge winter crow population, according to the Watertown Times. The crow flock, estimated at 20,000 to 25,000, congregate in the city during the cold months, attracted by the lights and warm of the urban setting. The crows leave droppings on sidewalks, vehicles and buildings and seemingly all over some city neighborhoods. The city has a three-year, $14,506 contract with a private contractor to handle crow-hazing activities, using primarily pyrotechnics, laser lights and distress calls. Councilmembers say, though, that's just moving them around and that it's time consider such measures as shooting them. The city of Auburn has dealt with its winter-time crow flock for the past two decades. At it's height, the flocks was estimated to be more than 70,000 birds. The city has used hazing activities similar to what Watertown has been doing for years and it's had a noticeable effect. The birds have also been congregating in recent years each winter in the cities of Syracuse, Cortland and Geneva. Read the full story. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

All proceeds will be usedby the group to send kids to the DEC summer youth conservation camps. The Eastern Lake Ontario Salmon and Trout Association is hosting a Nautical and Fishing Tackle Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 15 at the South Shore Association clubhouse, 6690 South Bay Road in Cicero, "This year we already have lined up Fat Nancy's, All Seasons Sports, Salmon River Sports, R&R Lures, and others," said William Pingel, a member of the fishing group. " All proceeds area used by ELOSTA to help send kids to the DEC youth conservation camps during the summer." Admission is only $1 at the door. Some tables are still available, $25 per table. For more, call 252-6439. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The rally is April 1. Reservations must be made by March 10 to guarantee a seat. The Pathfinder Fish and Game Club in Fulton has arranged for buses for those wishing to attend an anti-Safe Act rally scheduled for April 1 in Albany. The "Stand Up For Your Rights Rally" is being organized by SCOPE (Shooter's Committee on Political Education). Buses will leave the Pathfinder club at 6 a.m. the day of the rally and return at about 5 p.m.. The club is located at 116 Crescent Drive in Fulton. To reserve a seat, mail a $30 check (payable to Pathfinder F&G Club) to John T Pavel, 3091 State Route 48, Oswego, NY 13126-5733. Include your name, address, phone number, email address (if you have one). Reservations must be made by March 10 to guarantee a seat. For more, call Pavel at 343-6368 evenings or weekends, or email [email protected]. For more information on the rally, go to the SCOPE website at scopeny.org. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

DEC Commish Joe Martens is meeting with the newspaper's editorial board next week and I'm scheduled to sit in. Any questions you'd like me to ask the commissioner? Bob Hamilton, of Lyons, enjoys cross country skiing at Austin Park in Skaneateles.Stephen D. Cannerelli [email protected] Winter is in full force across Central New York. Ski slopes are in full swing, cross country skiers are out doing their thing and the ice fishing scene is going strong with many local waterways frozen over. I stopped by Bass Pro the other day to pick up a new set of blades for my ice auger. No luck. The salesman said they haven't had any ice augers or blades for more than a month. They've all been purchased. I've been working lately on several projects. Stories I plan to publish soon include: - Onondaga County's new fishing website. -DEC has plans for new boat launches on Otisco and Skaneateles Lake. - DEC Commissioner Joe Martens is visiting the newspaper's editorial board next week and I've been invited to sit in. Any questions you'd like me to ask the DEC commish? Send them to [email protected]. - An update on the state's war against wild boars. -An update on the joint city/county deer task force. -Should hunters in Onondaga County be allowed to hunt deer with rifles? (Many surrounding counties allow it). ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First, it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Trails are being groomed to perfection with our new Ginzu groomer!," according to a press release from race organizers. Top cross country skiers from across Upstate New York are expected to compete in Saturday's 34th annual Winona Forest Tourathon. The popular cross country skiing event, hosted by the Winona Forest Recreation Association, will be held at the CCC Camp in Mannsville. "Trails are being groomed to perfection with our new Ginzu groomer!," according to a press release from race organizers. "Conditions are awesome. It gonna be a great race." The race schedule starts at 8 a. m. with the 37.5K and 50 K races, and continues at 8:30 a.m. with the 12.5 K and 25 K races. This year's event will include a chicken barbecue put on by the Mannsville Fire Co., door prizes, raffles and entertainment. For more on the race, see the Winona Forest Recreation Association website. To register online, go to skireg.com. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"We were fishing in 18 feet of water, straight out from Turtle Bay. It hit a medium-sized shiner," said Tom Boise, his fishing buddy. Syracuse angler Tim Loveland's 42 1/2- inch tiger muskie was the highlight of last weekend's ice fishing derby on Otisco Lake sponsored by the Moondance Restaurant and DeadBaitJeff. More than 60 anglers participated. Loveland's fish won the tiger muskie category and took the lunker award for Saturday.It weighed 20.17 pounds. "We were fishing in 18 feet of water, straight out from Turtle Bay. It hit a medium-sized shiner," said Tom Boise, his fishing buddy. The tournament featured judges who measured and weighed tiger muskies on the ice so anglers could practice catch and release. Other highlights included a 26 5/8 inch walleye weighing 6.15 pounds that was caught by Jeff Knowles, and Jim Steigerwald's brown trout, which measured 24 5/8 inches and weighed 8.97 pounds. Awards were given in four categories: Tiger Muskie, Perch, Bucket of Gills, and Lunker. Saturday and Sunday were judged independently. Tiger Muskie - Saturday: 1st Place, Tim Loveland, 42 1/2 inches, 20.17lbs - Sunday: --- Perch - Saturday:1st place, Johnny Lavbus, 11 5/8in, .77lb - Saturday:2nd place, Nick Bouley 11in, .70lb - Sunday: 1st place, Jim Rohe, 10 3/8, .63lb - Sunday: 2nd place, Bob Cutterback, 10 1/4, .57lb Bucket Of Gills - Saturday:1st place, Pete Parobek, 7.60lb - Sunday: 1st place, Pat Christopher, 10.80lb Lunker - Saturday: Tim Loveland, Tiger Muskie, 42 1/2 in, 20.17lbs - Sunday: Jim Steigerwald, Brown Trout, 24 5/8, 8.97lbs View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Following the tryouts, the top prospects get invited to a four-day camp at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, where they are run through a series of workouts and try their sport on the Olympic Training Center's ice track. </p> <p><br />LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- The U.S. Olympic program for slider sports has two approaches to recruiting athletes for its bobsled, skeleton and luge teams.</p> <p>They're called "combines" and "slider searches." Both are free for participants.</p> <p>Don Hass, development coach for the bobsled and skeleton programs at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, explained, "a combine is just like an NFL tryout.. a sort of 'Show us what you have.' </p> <p>"Participants fill out an application go through a series of activities, including sprinting, power lifting, standing long jump, heaving a 16-pound shot put," he said.</p> <p>He said he looks for athletes right of out of high school or college. He and other coaches conduct tryouts annually at 20 to 25 locations across the country. </p> <p>"We want raw power, raw speed. Those are the types of athletes we're looking for," he said. "Say, if get a football player from S.U. whose strong, a fast sprinter - he's going to the bobsled. If we come across at kid from Henninger High School who's running the 100 meter dash in 10.8 and he weighs in the 160 to 185, we direct him to the skeleton."</p> <p>He said a "top-level" push athlete in bobsledding can be trained in a few years. Good drivers, though, take from four to six years to develop.</p> <p>The luge program's "slider searches" are also conducted at numerous places across the country, said Fred Zimney, coach of the national junior team. The coaches set up a ramp on a city street with downhill slope. Participants climb into a sled with wheels at the top of the ramp, push themselves off and then go down the street, weaving in and out of cones. </p> <p>Erin Hamlin, of Remsen, who won a bronze medal at the Sochi Olympics this week, was discovered during a slider search held in 1999 in Utica. Zimney said three of the four Central New York youngsters currently in the training program were also discovered during slider searches.</p> <p>"It's very subjective," he said. "We see if they like the speed; are comfortable in a flat, aerodynamic position and have an intuitive knowledge about how to steer it."</p> <p>As for physique, Zimny noted teenagers can change dramatically as they grow older. "Often we look at how their parents are build," he said.</p> <p>The luge coaches also attend the national soapbox derby championships each year, looking for prospects who love speed, stay calm under pressure and feel comfortable steering their vehicles. Sidney Axton, 14, of Port Byron, who twice competed in the soapbox derby nationals, got noticed by Zimney partially on her performances there.</p> <p>The luge program looks for much younger prospects - starting in the 10- to 12-year range. "It takes 6 to 8 years at least to be competitive at the international level in the sport," Zimny said. "And afterward, it may take another 10 to 12 years to get to the Olympic level."</p> <p>Following both tryouts, the top prospects get invited to a four-day camp at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, where they run through a series of workouts and try their sport on the Olympic Training Center's ice track.</p> <p>Those who make the cut are invited back to begin their Olympic quest.</p> <p><strong>For more, including applications to apply for any of the three U.S. Olympic slider sport programs, see:</p> <p></strong></p> <p><strong>The luge: </strong>See <a href="http://usaluge.org/">usaluge.com.</a></p> <p><strong>The bobsled/skeleton: <a href="http://usbsf.com">usbsf.com</a></p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> All three Olympic slider sports - luge, bobsled and skeleton -- entail a simple principle: getting down the mountainside the fastest on a sled. </p> <p><br />LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- All three Olympic slider sports - luge, bobsled and skeleton -- entail a simple principle: getting down the mountainside the fastest on a sled.</p> <div id="asset-14258847" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/14258847-large.jpg" alt="APTOPIX Sochi Olympics Ske.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">:Katie Uhlaender of the United States starts a run during women's skeleton training at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. </span><span class="byline">AP Photo/Dita Alangkara</span></span></span> </div> <p>They all use the same course - an ice-covered run of about a mile long with huge, banking turns that the rider(s) must navigate at progressively faster speeds as they get toward the finish.They often approach 80 mph. The sleds in each sport are different.</p> <p><strong>LUGE:</strong> The luge is the only sliding sport where the racer starts on the sled. The racer, lying on the sled feet first, grabs a set of bars on either side and yanks him or herself forward at the start.</p> <p>The two-man luge starts the same way, but on a slightly longer sled. Both men are seated at the start. The top man (in the front), grabs on the start bars. The man on the bottom (in back) grabs ahold of straps on the front man's arms. They pull together to start, then lean back for the ride.</p> <p>Luge riders steer by putting pressure on the front of the sled with one leg or another (right leg to go left, left leg to go right). They also steer by pressing down on the back of the sled with their shoulders.</p> <p><strong>SKELETON:</strong> The skeleton sled is like a souped-up, Flexible Flyer. The body is made of carbon fiber, the chassis is steel and it has round, stainless steel runners.</p> <p>Like the luge, the skeleton sled is steered by slight shoulder and knee movements. The event is started by the athlete taking a 30 meter run and hopping on for the ride face first, just inches off the ice.</p> <div id="asset-14258859" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/14258859-large.jpg" alt="Sochi Olympics Bobsleigh M.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">The USA-2 sled from the United States piloted by Nick Cunningham, takes a turn during a training run for the two-man bobsled at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. </span><span class="byline">AP Photo/Michael Sohn)</span></span></span> </div> <p><strong>BOBSLED</strong> It's basically an on-ice, sprint car -- without a motor. After a sprinting start, competitors hop inside for the ride. Bobsled is the only one of the three sliding sports that is exclusively a team sport, with two- and four-man teams.</p> <p>While lugers and skeleton competitors control their sled by angling their bodies in different ways, the bobsled has a steering mechanism (ropes underneath the front shell connected to the front runners) which are handled by the driver in front.<br />.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> "College can wait, the luge can't," said Hannah Miller. </p> <p><br />LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Don Hass is confident a future Winter Olympian is out there today walking the streets of Central New York.</p> <p>"It could be someone in Syracuse, Liverpool , Solvay... you name it," said the development coach for the bobsled and skeleton programs at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid.</p> <p>"But having the physical ability is one thing. You also need to have a huge personal commitment, the intense drive, along with continued financial support from your parents and the community," he said.</p> <p>Lake Placid is the incubator, "the hub," for the U.S. Olympic program's slider sports -- the luge, the bobsled and skeleton. It has a mile-long, ice track, experienced coaches and housing for athletes. </p> <p><strong><a href="http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2014/02/olympic_bobsled_luge_skeleton.html#incart_river">Read more about the differences between the luge, skeleton and bobsled.</a></strong></p> <div id="asset-14262052" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/14262052-large.jpg" alt="Hannahstart.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Hannah Miller, 16, of Rome, just returned to Lake Placid after training and competing for several weeks in Europe.</span><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span></span></span> </div> <p><strong>CENTRAL NEW YORK CONNECTIONS</strong></p> <p>This week at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, the slider sports are front and center. <a href="http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2014/02/winter_olympics_2014_remsens_e_2.html">Remsen native Erin Hamlin,</a> a product of the Lake Placid program, captured the bronze medal Tuesday in the women's luge -- the first U.S. medal ever in the one-person event.</p> <p>Back home, there's five local teens training at Lake Placid hoping to compete in future Olympiads: Lugers Hannah Miller, 16, of Rome; Sydney Axton, 14, of Port Byron; Blake Hagberg, 16, of New Hartford and Justin Bistrovich, 13, of Syracuse; along with bobsledder Rebecca Hass, 14, of Fairhaven. </p> <p>Last weekend, Axton won a gold medal in the luge at the Empire State Games in Lake Placid; while Miller and Hagberg won the bronze in their respective age divisions.<br /> <br />Miller and Axton, who have both competed and trained in Europe, have been training for nearly three years. Both are eyeing spots on this country's junior national team. The national championships are next month in Lake Placid.</p> <p>"Hannah just returned from Europe and is the closer of the two," said Fred Zimny, the junior national team coach. "The top two (at the nationals) automatically make the team, and after that there's several spots filled afterward at the discretion of the coaches. This is not a gentle sport. It's all about time.</p> <div id="asset-14262067" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/blakemuggoodjpg-39936c3756d9087b.jpg" alt="Blakemuggood.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption"> Blake Hagberg, 16, of New Hartford.</span><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span></span></span> </div> <p>Lower in the U.S. Olympic luge pecking order is Hagberg, who is on the program's "candidates team," and training for the two-man luge. Finally, there's Bistrovich, a relative newcomer who is on the program's entry level, "development team."</p> <div id="asset-14262087" class="entry_widget_small entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-small"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/14262087-small.jpg" alt="2014-02-12-justin.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Justin Bistrovich, 13, of Syracuse.</span><span class="byline"></span></span></span> </div> <p>Hass, the daughter of bobsled coach Don Hass, won her third consecutive gold medal at the Empire State Games in the junior bobsled division, riding with Kalyn McGuire, 14, of Queensbury, N.Y. She is a junior bobsledder on the bobsled program's development team.</p> <p>She is the only Central New York athlete in the bobsled or the skeleton programs, but that may change soon, says her father who lives in Fairhaven and spends his winters in Lake Placid training bobsled and skeleton athletes.</p> <p>Don Haas said he will be focusing much of his recruitment efforts this year on the Northeast. He's planning a recruiting session for bobsled and skeleton candidates in Syracuse this summer, "right around the time of the State Fair."</p> <p> <strong><a href="http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2014/02/becoming_an_olympic_level_luge.html#incart_river">Read more about getting recruiting efforts and how to get into the U.S. Olympic slider sports program.</a></strong> </p> <div id="asset-14262089" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/14262089-large.jpg" alt="2014-02-12-hass1.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Rebecca Hass, 14, of Fairhaven, left, recently won her third consecutive gold medal at the Empire State Games in the junior bobsled, riding with Kalyn McGuire, 14, of Queensbury, N.Y. Hass is a junior bobsledder on the bobsled program's development team.</span><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span></span></span> </div> <p><strong>THE 'HUGE' COMMITMENT</strong></p> <p>For every Olympic athlete and those who want to be, it comes down to a huge commitment - both on the personal and family level.</p> <p>Athletes in the slider sports have a grueling training schedule that gets more intense as they climb the competitive ladder. Athletes such as Miller and Axton are training at Lake Placid a minimum of three weeks a month from early November to the end of March and often traveling to train and compete in Europe. Staying at the Olympic Training Center at Lake Placid costs parents $40 a day.</p> <p>As one gets toward the top of the system, more costs get picked up by the U.S. Olympic program. Until that point, though, financing a future Olympian can be daunting for most families.</p> <p>Apart from training at Lake Placid and traveling, other costs include traveling back and forth to Lake Placid and equipment. The sleds are provided, but some purchase their own.</p> <div id="asset-14262117" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/14262117-large.jpg" alt="2014-02-12-sydneymedal.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Sydney Axton with the gold medal she won at the Empire State Games.</span><span class="byline"></span></span></span> </div> <p>The Axtons, for example, last year estimated they spend $20,000, which included both parents accompanying their daughter when she traveled and competed in Europe, the cost of being a new, custom-made sled for her in Latvia. The Millers said they spent more than $10,000, but the parents did not travel to Europe with their daughter, and she uses a sled provided by the U.S. Olympic program. Both girls said they have had to reach out to the surrounding community (community groups, businesses, foundations, etc.) for sponsorships.</p> <p>There's also the missed school work, missed family time, missed holidays, missed proms. </p> <p>Hagberg, a high school junior, said many days at the Olympic Training Center are the same. "You slide once a day, often two; lift weights, study, eat and go to bed," he said.</p> <p>Axton talked about continuing her classwork at Port Byron High School by constantly emailing teachers. Many of the kids, she said, are home-schooled or take online courses. She said misses her family and friends back home, but keeps in touch. She added that she has her "luge family."</p> <div id="asset-14262109" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/2014-2-12-hannahmillerjpg-60dcee4fe4e3dc49.jpg" alt="2014-2-12-hannahmiller.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Hannah Miller said,"College can wait, the luge can't." </span><span class="byline"></span></span></span> </div> <p>For many athletes in the slider sports, college is put on hold.</p> <p>"College can wait, the luge can't," said Miller, who knows that any time her luge career could end with an injury, a lack of progress - a tap on the shoulder from a dissatisfied coach.</p> <p>Amy Miller said commitment is something she and her daughter talk about often. She stressed she and her husband aren't pressuring Hannah to stick with it.</p> <p>"We have told her when she doesn't love it anymore, she can just stop. She's free to love it. It's her dream, not ours," the mother said.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> New attractions this year includes a mini-boat demonstration, watercraft inspection education and wine tasting. </p> <p><br />GEDDES, NY -- The 2014 Central New York Boat Show began today at the State Fairgrounds with a large variety of boats and other watercraft, along with displays, attractions and seminars for young and old alike.</p> <p>This year's show, which lasts until Sunday, features more than 500 models of water vessels and personal watercraft. The show is taking place in the Center of Progress, Horticulture and the Exhibit Center buildings.</p> <p>New attractions this year includes a mini-boat demonstration, watercraft inspection education and wine tasting.</p> <p>Show hours are 1 to 9 p.m. today through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10; children 13 and younger, free.</p> <p>For more, see <a href="http://cnyboatshow.com">cnyboatshow.com</a>. </p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog