Curmudgeon

Golden Eagle clash yesterday in Delaware County.

When some of my Moultries start acting up, I put them on a sunny windowsill or hang them over the wood cook stove for an extended period. That often straightens things out. This has resolved electronic problems and internal fogging. I've never had ants in one.

With most habitat changes there are winners and losers. Many of the losers are species that hunters never think about.

When I asked for the regulation book while ordering my license on the phone, I was told to go to my Town Clerk to get one. I have to assume that internet orders are treated the same.

My recollection is that the study referred to mature forest, not ag land. Land such as yours - where it seems agriculture is being done to specifically favor deer - is a totally different thing. In other words, the deer density refers to habitat that is not being actively managed by people. Someone with more time could do a search for the exact paper. It's been quite a few years since I read it.

Now imagine a biologically sound 10 deer per square mile. BTW - I actually did the math - instead of guessing - and it 1 deer to just under 13 acres.

I will comment as an individual, and contribute to organizational comments. ANY comments on the new draft may be kept under the radar. I'll try to find time to read the responses soon.

I just read key parts of the plan. It seems weak on hunters helping control the population. "3.3. Allow take of mute swans by waterfowl hunters in certain situations." (see page 12 of http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/muteswanmgmtpln2015.pdf ) I understand that DEC is responding to downstate animal rights pressure. Upstate hunting should not be controversial - any more controversial than other waterfowl hunting. Yes, mute swans are pretty, but they are also a destructive invasive species.

Mike - I have not received a regulation guide since I started buying my license on the phone. I don't spend much time on it on-line - basically only checking for changes. I would probably miss your ad. They should give every license holder a paper copy of the regs but money is tight.

Doc - I agree with you. However, if habitat health was the primary biological goal, most deer hunters would find the numbers of deer too low. Hunters constitute the most important interest group. When I was on the last 4F Citizen Task Force, the hunters were the only group split on whether there were too many deer in the unit. (Actually a few parts of the very large unit have lower densities than the rest.) A study I read from PA claimed that ideal forest health would be achieved with a maximum of 10 deer per square mile. That is one deer for every 64 acres. How many of them would be bucks? How many hunters would bother hunting with those odds? For the past 3 years we are averaging about one deer harvested for each 15 acres I own. Those kind of densities are destructive yet many hunters around me still refuse to kill does. I was accused a few years back of "killing the brood stock". Obviously, it hurt my feelings.

Cats still haven't forgotten that they were worshiped in Egypt. Their attitude remains the same.

The feral cat colony here was a danger to wildlife. It was more of a danger to livestock and people due to rabies. We had a rabid raccoon in the barn. It was probably one of the raccoons being fed on the porch by the cat lady next door, about 100 yards away. My vet and the public health nurse both told me to ignore the animal cruelty laws and kill the feral cats. Re bird feeders, if people are feeding birds because they love them, no one's cat has a right to come on their property and kill those birds. The crazy cat lady is gone now. I don't shoot my neighbors cats but if I had a problem with them killing birds at feeders or bird houses, it would get fixed one way or the other. I would approach her first. If you love your cat, keep it inside where it is safe. CAT FIGHT!

Speaking of fighting cocks - why not digress further - I used to work with a guy who raised them. He too kept the cocks caged. His wife converted to become a Jehovah's Witness. After several attempts by her to get him to give up cock fighting, she released all the cock birds just after he left for work one day. He came home to a bloody mess.

You should see what happens when you discuss outdoor cats on bird forums - fireworks.

Any native bird that is not a "game bird" is protected. Eagles have additional federal protection. Balds are still listed on the NYS list. They were downgraded from Endangered to Threatened. I can't recall their current federal status but it would be easy to look up for anyone interested. This is the NYS list - http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7494.html

We actually had a feral cat displace a bald eagle that was feeding on a carcass. I wanted the eagle to return and feed on the cat but it didn't happen. There is a story - possibly apocryphal - that when the big eagle nest came down along NY 10 in Delaware County, there were 5 cat collars in it. There is another story I heard first hand of a bald eagle taking a pet cat from a backyard in Portlandville (Otsego County) and making a nice meal of it. My sister's ferocious kitty - which was known for hunting grouse - was finally eaten by coyotes in her old age. The cat's name ironically was Baby.

At these baited sites, there is often a truce declared between animals that would ordinarily be this close. A Golden Eagle would eat a fox in a hurry if it was hungry. This photo was overexposed by the high sun last week. I darkened it as best I could.

Are there areas of upstate where there are enough mute swans for hunters to target them - as opposed to incidental encounters?

This news release just showed up in my inbox. I haven't read it yet. The plan link is http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7076.html DEC Releases Revised Mute Swan Management Plan for Public Comment Significant Changes Made to Plan as Result of Previous Public Comments Plan Focuses on Protecting Wetland Habitats; Swans Can Remain in Urban Parks and Other Controlled Settings The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today released a revised mute swan management plan with significant changes after considering the diverse public comments received on a first draft released in January 2014. DEC is accepting public comments on the revised plan through April 24. The mute swan is a non-native, invasive species brought to North America to beautify estates in the late 1800s, but birds that escaped or were released established feral populations that are competing with native wildlife for aquatic food plants and nesting areas. The revised draft Management Plan for Mute Swans in New York State is available on the DEC website. "Wildlife management can present challenges in trying to balance conflicting interests, such as when a beautiful bird has undesirable impacts," DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. "This revised plan remains committed to minimizing the impacts of mute swans on wildlife dependent on wetlands for their habitats, while being sensitive to public concerns about how and where that is accomplished." During the review process, DEC met with a variety of statewide stakeholder groups, including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ducks Unlimited, NYS Fish and Wildlife Management Board, Humane Society of the U.S., NYS Conservation Council, NYS Invasive Species Advisory Committee and USDA Wildlife Services. "These organizations displayed a tremendous amount of professionalism in voicing their concerns while demonstrating a willingness to listen and seek solutions that would be broadly accepted," Commissioner Martens added. "As a result of this thoughtful public input, the plan is greatly improved." Notable changes to the plan include: A revised goal focused on minimizing swan impacts, rather than eliminating all free-flying swans; A regional approach that recognizes the distinct differences in history, status, impacts and management opportunities for mute swans between downstate and upstate regions of New York; A new strategy to permit municipalities to keep swans at local parks and other settings pursuant to local swan management plans, as long as certain conditions are met; A commitment to full consideration of non-lethal techniques, including egg-oiling and placement of swans in possession of persons licensed by DEC, except where immediate removal of swans is necessary to protect public health or safety; and A more succinct summary of the impacts mute swans can have, citing additional scientific studies. The revised management plan describes nine strategies that DEC believes are necessary to achieve the plan goal. Key strategies include public education and outreach to inform people about the history and impacts of mute swans in New York; banning the importation, commercial trade, propagation and release of mute swans; allowing municipalities to develop local mute swan management plans in cooperation with DEC; and continued efforts by DEC to reduce wild mute swan populations, especially in upstate New York where they did not occur before 1980. Comments on the revised draft mute swan plan may be submitted in writing through April 24 to: NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife, Swan Management Plan, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754 or by e-mail to [email protected] (please type "Swan Plan" in the subject line). DEC's summary of and responses to public comments on the earlier draft plan are also available on the DEC website. In addition to mute swans, DEC is concerned about many other invasive species in New York, including aquatic invasive plants, zebra mussel, emerald ash borer, Asian carp, Eurasian boar, to name a few. For more information about invasive species in New York, and DEC's efforts to prevent and control them, go to: New York Invasive Species Information website (leaving DEC website).

I've never been a Native American, so I wouldn't know.

According to this, I can legally shoot cats hunting wild birds at my feeder, at bird houses, etc - feral or otherwise. That is news to me. I don't want to shoot anyone's pet but we have had big problems with feral cats in the past. Thanks.

You misunderstood. Ali's "rope-a-dope" was him backing up against the ropes. He did this as he aged for much of the early fight to wear out his opponent. Then, after spending a good part of the fight conserving his energy against younger fighters, he would come on strong.

I got one out of a neighbor's yard last week that had just curled up and died. It got used as eagle bait. I saw another in the condition of Wooly's on Saturday. I was out before dawn this morning. There is a crust the coyotes are walking on without breaking through - at least at night while it is below freezing. The coyotes will be feasting now - on the dead and dying. This is just a fact. Stating it may incite some people but I like coyotes and don't advocate killing them to help deer.

Please scan it and share. I would like to see it.

Now it's time to "rope-a-dope".