Jennifer

That's one reason I love squirrel hunting. It's very enjoyable, "low pressure", and how I like to introduce new hunters into the sport. It also serves as scouting missions, and a great way to learn the woods and general woodsmanship without having to worry about somehow "ruining" the hunt. Well done!

Not every property is suitable for the study, but thank you for trying, tater.

I know sometimes we complain about certain agencies not doing enough research into the game we love to hunt. Well, here's your chance to help out if you are a landowner in some parts of NY. Especially if you have turkey activity on your property! http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/94783.html More info and regional contact information: http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/94783.html

Thank you, and yes- the pair of ruddy ducks in my icon/profile picture will be on the 2015-2016 Federal Duck Stamp.

It makes for excellent curries, both Indian and Thai inspired. It's also great in stir frys. There's not much you can't do with it!

I usually squirrel hunt with my husband, and we find a combo of one of us carrying a 22lr and one of us with a shotgun is a great thing (also makes it so that we can take grouse, if grouse are in season). If you are hunting alone, it is your judgement call on a treetop shot with a 22, but personally I forgo it as all of my hunting spots have residences within a mile. The odds of a mishap are very low, but they aren't zero, and I don't like the idea. But it is a personal judgement call. If you are patient, squirrels usually work back down onto a trunk (which makes a great backstop) within 22lr range unless they have busted you and are making an escape. An exception is early/mid fall when they are working the treetops for acorns, hickory nuts, etc. Still, they will often cut nuts for a good 15 minutes, then come down to work on them.

Yes-- this is legal as long as they are not assisting in the hunt. For example, you couldn't (and I am sure wouldn't want to) set them up to drive game to you, as they'd be assisting in the hunt at that point. Taken from: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8310.html

I understand the frustrations you are referring to. "Those aren't my dogs" is an easy answer for uncaring owners if confronted with enforcement. I have also found that these are the type of people just to get more dogs to run loose if something happens to the current ones (hit by a car, or taken to the pound, etc). Still, it is a good papertrail to have if it is an ongoing problem. Good luck! It is a crummy situation for you, the animals, and the dogs. No one wins.

Legality of paintballing any given animal aside, I think the main problem comes from dog owners- and I use this term lightly in the case of dogs running at large- this is a mixed up world, but I know of a livestock keeper that pegged some dogs with various non-lethal deterrents and the "owners" of the dogs went after him for cruelty. I'm not saying it's right! Just a real-life experience. That's why it's a good idea to at least report the dog activity before doing anything. In my case, after I reported the dog activity twice, I was given permission to shoot should the dogs harass my livestock again. Fortunately for me, and the dogs, it never came to that (the owner moved away). I do love dogs very much. It's not the dogs fault just bad owners. Doc might be onto something with the electric charger. I know my solar unit has served me well, it is a 3-mile charger pulse system. I think I got the charger and the line and brackets for under $150 from tractor supply on sale. You might even find a better deal online. You'd just have to buy some fence stakes then... If the trap area is stationary it might be a good solution. Three lines should do it. Do you do the trap areas in the winter only? The only issue is if there is a snowfall you need to brush the solar panel off. Easy for me to do at home, but less convenient for you at a more remote location... If you do this year round you'd also need to take a weed eater out there during the summer to knock down the vegetation from the lines. The pulse charger will scare critters off that touch it, but won't cause harm or 'fry' anything. It also shouldn't cause harm, should a raptor come in contact. I would just mark the lines clearly with surveyor tape or similar visual cues so that they are less likely to get near them.

I'm afraid you are on the right track. I am not going to argue if it's right or wrong, but, after conferring with law enforcement, dog wardens, and roaming problem dogs with my livestock (chickens), you don't really want to do anything to harm the dogs unless they are posing immediate danger to person or property. Then, I have been advised to shoot them (vs. trying to ping them to 'scare' them) and immediately call authorities. Do no harm (nonlethal), or you can be hit with cruelty charges. Really. I asked about paintballs since I figured it would scare the dog off AND alert the owner that the dog was obviously someplace it was not wanted. I was told that I could be then hit with cruelty charges so I disregarded the idea. Dogs at large in NYS are indeed illegal (with exception to hunting dogs legally on a hunt) and are a nightmare for many people for the reasons you mentioned, but the trouble comes in with how to deal with them. In a neighborhood situation, and with dogs that are not dangerous, one can catch them then call the dog warden or take them to a shelter, but that is not always a possible solution in rural areas where dogs won't approach people, or with dogs that are overly aggressive. You may want to call the local folks in charge of dog control/dog warden and let them know the description of the problem dogs. They may not realistically be able to do do anything, especially if the dogs are ranging far and don't have a 'home', but getting a paper trail started can be helpful in the long run, especially if other people have trouble with them (especially folks with livestock).

I own the rights to the painting, and get the original back once they are done formatting and proofing the stamp (it is quite a process). When one enters the contest (and anyone in the US over age 18 can enter) you must sign an agreement that if you win, you will grant them the right to use the image as the Federal Duck Stamp (obviously) and that they may also use the image to promote the Federal Duck Stamp program. You also agree to sign things for them and do some travel (most of it is paid for by the festivals that one goes to) to help represent the program. A lot of people ask, "What is in it for the artist?" Before I won, I had only a very basic idea. I am being transparent about this in case it helps any future winners. The answer really depends on what the artist wants to do. There is no prize money whatsoever. $0.98 of every dollar the stamp makes goes directly toward conservation efforts (habitat purchase/maintenance, etc). I do get a single pane of stamps as a prize next September. There is considerable notoriety; it's a very big honor to win and it may bring the winning artist more attention at a national level. If the winning artist does nothing beyond the requirements set, then it can actually cost the artist money to win. Entry fees are $125+ shipping, and not all of the travel and related expenses are covered (again the money the stamp makes is NOT put aside for this, it goes to conservation). Most artists, however, do prints of their winning painting. Prints are expected by collectors, and a part of the prints that no one ever seems to talk about but is very important-- Ducks Unlimited gets a large number (thousands) of the prints to raffle and sell at chapter meetings, to raise even more money (remember this is independent of the fund that the Duck Stamp sales go into) for wetlands and conservation. So, it is in the artist's best interest to do prints, and they also really give a huge leg up to organizations like DU for their fundraising. The prints are completely independent of the Federal Duck Stamp (the stamp) and are on the artist's shoulders to produce. In the past, in the 1980s and early '90s, the wildlife art print market was booming. Some consider that it was out of control. Back then, an artist would usually sign with a publisher, and get a check, and then the artist would just have to sign and do remarques (little paintings in the margins). That's sort of a nutshell version. These days the market is not even a shadow of what it was due to many variables (economy, but also the age of collectors has generally gotten to the point where many are no longer collecting) so most artists find that they self publish, which has its pros and cons, but is a very large investment out of pocket and it turns into a full time job for about a year. In the end, what is in it for the artist? Some fame, a little fortune (these days) if one is good at marketing oneself, a lot of work, and a very good feeling of being part of one of the world's most successful conservation efforts in history.

That's a really great idea. I love it! Proactive in a positive way. I will have to dig mine out next time I visit my folks (my dad liked to keep them).

Very interesting. Thank you for your insight.

SUNY has developed a resistant American Chestnut, and it's being sent to the FDA for approval. It's very interesting and I will be watching that, for sure. They used to be 25% of our Northeastern forests and fed a huge amount of wildlife. http://www.esf.edu/chestnut/ I will stop derailing this thread now! Just thought it was interesting.

Great point. That is a really good distinction. I am not sure-- I can ask my DEC friend.

I also have all of my old licenses with the stamps signed, they are too nice to throw away. Funny enough, in time, even the signed stamps become collectors items! Not worth as much as an unsigned one (because most of them do end up signed of course) but it's all pretty interesting! I wish NY state still offered art stamps.

I see, thanks for the explanation! I apologize if I misunderstood. Forest ecology is very interesting. I am on a board for a nature preserve that has two properties, and one of the legal requirements of one of them is that it remain forever wild/untouched. The problem with this is the concept is that humans and nature are separate. At one time, perhaps, after the dawn of civilization and much of the world was still remote wilderness with a balanced ecology. Right now, and perhaps never again with the current or larger populations, are we going to see this balance in most areas. We've changed too much. Changed the species of climax timber, changed the apex predators, changed it all too much to leave it be and hope for the best. I used to actually have that mindset: "Nature took care of itself for way longer than humans have existed, leave it alone". This is a nice thought but it shows a bit of ignorance on my part as to the very, very complex changes people have wrought. I just read an article about how lack of understory because of over-browsing of native saplings and native understory plants has allowed invasive species of plant (which deer do not prefer) to take over much more rapidly, and it is also changing the entire ecology of the forest from the tiny microbes in the soil, to insects, to songbirds, etc. If you ever want an interesting read, and are bored, google the American Chestnut and what that single tree used to do for wildlife in the US. Sorry, that was rambling and off topic. What I am getting at is that careful, thoughtful selective logging and habitat management can go a long way. Leaving some old growth timber is important, but varied habitat is where we see the majority of wildlife.

Thanks so much! Yes, I will release the prints next year at about the same time as the stamp itself, which is at the end of June. I'm working on a companion painting right now that will be the 'background' image on the little sheet the stamp comes on.

I am very hesitant to do much speculation, yet. I am hoping very much to get the ear of birders and general nature enthusiasts. Realistically, anyone that gives a darn about our ecosystems in the US should consider buying one, but I know that is being a bit unrealistic. Most people don't even know that the duck stamp exists or what it is. I'm trying to spread the word, but I'm just one gal. Thank you!!

I'm not a typical wife but I have never been into jewelry, spas, etc. I always really enjoy it when my husband does something like make a simple card or write a little story (I am talking short), etc. Otherwise I also enjoy things that I can use, like things for my hobby or job (art supplies, biology stuff). For him I try to keep within his interests too. Techy stuff, one year I got him a nice keyboard that he plays.

It was signed into law today, it will be $25 starting in 2015.

The reasons for the global decline in species is much more complex than that, though black market trade is a problem obviously. Habitat loss and fragmentation overall is the #1 issue facing wildlife worldwide.

They are all in captivity. Sadly they are already functionally extinct.

They log some of the state forest land here in WNY, and have been looking at mineral leases last I heard. I have a friend that does survey work for the DEC, and have seen some logging personally on state land near me. For all of the money that timber companies have to tempt the state with, I guarantee oil has more. Moot point, though.

This year was a bad one for time for me, due to unexpected travel obligations. Typically I hunt anywhere from 20-40 days depending on the weather and my health issues. Most of them are all day hunts but sometimes they are just an afternoon, etc, depending on weather and what I am hunting (squirrels typically get about half a day). Recent lower gas prices not withstanding, it's hard for me to afford traveling more than 20 miles from home to hunt, so my few spots are usually within that radius. When I am small game hunting I will walk miles in a day, but deer hunting I try not to get more than a mile from the car, as admittedly dragging a deer by myself is rough work. My father, whom I hunt with often, can no longer assist as he can have serious health complications when lifting/dragging more than 30lbs.