Syracuse.com - Figura writing about beavers and the Canadian effort to rid Fish Creek of sea lampreys

[HuntingNY-News]

I'm preparing an update on those who've accepted "The Figura Challenge"of visiting 15 prime outdoors locations on Central New York this summer. Send your comments and emails to [email protected]

A beaver swims on the flooded wetland area that's home to the great blue heron rookery up at the Sterling Nature Center in Sterling.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] 

Blink, and sun come out. Blink again, and it's raining -- even hailing.

I can't believe the weather we've had the past couple of weeks.

I traveled up to Black Lake late last week for a few, well-deserved days of fishing. The lake level was way up and the fishing was slow. Regardless, I had a great time. How'd everyone else make out on Saturday's opener of the bass fishing season?

Meanwhile, here's what I've been working on for this week:

- An interview with Dietland Muller-Schwarze, a retired SUNY ESF prof and nationally recognized expert on the subject of beavers. He's written two book about them and in 2007 was given a lifetime achievement award by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for his 25 years of research on the animal.

- The Canadians are back on Fish Creek (a tributary of Oneida Lake) this week putting lampricide in the water to kill the spawning sea lamprey and their larvae.

- Fishing the famed, but finicky Battenkill. I recount my recent fishing experience on this well-known trout stream northeast of Albany that begins in Vermont.

- A morning at the DEC's boot camp (my words) for new environmental conservation officers and forest rangers currently underway at the DEC's training facility up at Altmar.

- It's bug season. Myths and facts about what attracts the blood suckers and biters (ticks, black flies, horseflies, deerflies and mosquitoes) to human hosts.

- What's the right -sized or type of fishing rod to use for bass fishing. You'd be surprised and all the different sizes and types. The days of one rod fits all are long gone.

- A great CNY shoreline hot spot for fishing for those who don't have a boat. Know of others? Send your ideas to [email protected]

Also coming up

- The marked increase of memberships at local rod and gun clubs in the wake of the SAFE Act.

- A Cicero man who's dedicated to improving the population of purple martins in Central New York.

- A story on the :master set" of 4,938 downloadable bird sounds released by Cornell.

- A story on the unique emergency room at the Cornell vet school were wild and domestic animals are given special treatment.

THE FIGURA CHALLENGE

I laid out the "The Figura Challenge" over the Memorial Day weekend -- challenging readers to to check out 15 Central New York outdoors destinations during the summer. Several readers have already taken me up on it and I'm getting comments and pictures. It's not too late to get started!

Each Thursday on this blog through the summer, I'll give an update on reactions, stories and photos submitted by readers about their travels to these destinations.

Send your impressions and photos of the places you visit on the list to [email protected],

Two new occasional features:

1). "Keeping Watch" a weekly or bi-weekly report from the Region 7 DEC office noting the fional dispositions of recent tickets issued by local conservation officers. Only ones where the defendant has pleaded guilty or is found guilty will be listed.

2). "Ask the Outdoors Guy" a weekly posting noting a question or questions from readers about the outdoors. If I can't provide an answer, I'll find someone who will. Send your questions to d[email protected].

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