We are really fortunate in the U.S. to have the opportunity to freely enjoy the outdoors. Especially in the Finger Lakes, anyone could gear up economically and harvest enough for a healthy fish feast or a wholesome game dinner.
There were a lot of people ice fishing on Owasco Lake this weekend, what a great event.
A friend into varmint control was skillful enough to bag over 80 coyotes so far this winter. Several weighed over 70 pounds. You can respect getting out and meeting wildlife on their terms in our free and open country.
American hunters and anglers have become the most effective and strongest defenders of environment and wildlife the world has ever known. More outdoors people are involved in learning what makes our outdoors work for us and the fish and animals.
A great example is the excitement over the deer season changes being promoted by New York DEC.
Regardless if the proposal was right or wrong, most sportspeople are amazed and upset that DEC rolled this out with no early input.
Many years of supposed communications with clubs, alliances, federations did not seem to light a bulb in DEC's collective heads. While public forums were recently held, the opportunity to be heard is limited and whether anyone is listening from Albany is still a serious question.
In the early 1980s, hundreds of bird hunters went to similar forums and asked DEC to shift emphasis towards improving habitat instead of exclusively "put and take" DEC stocking of pheasants. Stocking was the only real path they took and both the pheasants and our watersheds lost out.
Go out and try to find a pheasant in Central New York today. Yet even if only 50-100 acres of switch grass had been planted each year since 1980, there would be thousands of acres today. All of it would be bird friendly along with filtering our water for cleaner lakes. Another mistake is continuing to ignore quality deer management science and practice.
However, in an effort to stop the proposed deer season changes, and to affect a intelligent management plan within the state that will create harmony among hunting groups and build a sustainable hunting strong hold, some sportsmen are forming the New York Whitetail Management Coalition.
The mission is to unify bowhunters, gun hunters, muzzleloaders, sporting goods retailers and manufacturers, the insurance lobby, farm lobby, tourism lobby, and many others in order to affect reasonable deer seasons and Quality Deer Management in New York.
I can e-mail anyone a copy of the proposal and contact information, which was entered into the record last week at the public forum at the N.Y. Fairgrounds in Syracuse.
They need your support, before DEC rams these new seasons through, to hire the finest deer biologists, attorneys, lobbyists and other professionals in order to affect a change allowing for our own input. They are asking for help at any level you can afford.
It's a shame we have to fight our own bureaucrats but that's not a bad thing where we have so much to gain.
South Shore Marine on Owasco Lake has another ice fishing derby next weekend. Have winter fun and be careful out there.
Winter Trap League Results
Trapshooting and breakfast were fantastic at Falcon Sportsmen Club on Feb. 13. Weather was close to perfect, considering it's still winter, and Dottie and Deanna Wells, along with Esther Slayter kept offering a select menu throughout the day from the kitchen.
Camillus Sportsmen#,s Club came in first, ranking first in the league, with two perfect 50s posted by Len Kallfelz and Ken Marvin, 49 by Bill Parfitt, and 48 by Pete Kehoskie.
Falcon Sportsmen Club, second place standing, came in second for the day, with only one shooter scoring a 50-straight, Gary Shernesky; Frank Bozeat, Rod Roberts (49x50); and Glenn Gabriel, Don Wells (48x50).
Weedsport Rod and Gun Club placed third, and third in the league, with high shooters Roger Jorgensen (50x50); Dusty Archambo, Heidi Myers, Dick Treat and Linda Weinerth (48x50).
Otisco Lake Rod and Gun Club top guns: Jack Gutchess and Al Reich (49x50); Chuck Haaf, Conrad Hess, Nelson Pratt (47x50).
Scheduled shoots: Otisco Lake Feb 20; Camillus Sportsmen's Feb 27.
Kozlowski, a local sportsman who is the president of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association, is The Citizen's outdoors columnist. He can be reached at alkoz@baldcom.net
A friend into varmint control was skillful enough to bag over 80 coyotes so far this winter. Several weighed over 70 pounds. You can respect getting out and meeting wildlife on their terms in our free and open country.
American hunters and anglers have become the most effective and strongest defenders of environment and wildlife the world has ever known. More outdoors people are involved in learning what makes our outdoors work for us and the fish and animals.
A great example is the excitement over the deer season changes being promoted by New York DEC.
Regardless if the proposal was right or wrong, most sportspeople are amazed and upset that DEC rolled this out with no early input.
Many years of supposed communications with clubs, alliances, federations did not seem to light a bulb in DEC's collective heads. While public forums were recently held, the opportunity to be heard is limited and whether anyone is listening from Albany is still a serious question.
In the early 1980s, hundreds of bird hunters went to similar forums and asked DEC to shift emphasis towards improving habitat instead of exclusively "put and take" DEC stocking of pheasants. Stocking was the only real path they took and both the pheasants and our watersheds lost out.
Go out and try to find a pheasant in Central New York today. Yet even if only 50-100 acres of switch grass had been planted each year since 1980, there would be thousands of acres today. All of it would be bird friendly along with filtering our water for cleaner lakes. Another mistake is continuing to ignore quality deer management science and practice.
However, in an effort to stop the proposed deer season changes, and to affect a intelligent management plan within the state that will create harmony among hunting groups and build a sustainable hunting strong hold, some sportsmen are forming the New York Whitetail Management Coalition.
The mission is to unify bowhunters, gun hunters, muzzleloaders, sporting goods retailers and manufacturers, the insurance lobby, farm lobby, tourism lobby, and many others in order to affect reasonable deer seasons and Quality Deer Management in New York.
I can e-mail anyone a copy of the proposal and contact information, which was entered into the record last week at the public forum at the N.Y. Fairgrounds in Syracuse.
They need your support, before DEC rams these new seasons through, to hire the finest deer biologists, attorneys, lobbyists and other professionals in order to affect a change allowing for our own input. They are asking for help at any level you can afford.
It's a shame we have to fight our own bureaucrats but that's not a bad thing where we have so much to gain.
South Shore Marine on Owasco Lake has another ice fishing derby next weekend. Have winter fun and be careful out there.
Winter Trap League Results
Trapshooting and breakfast were fantastic at Falcon Sportsmen Club on Feb. 13. Weather was close to perfect, considering it's still winter, and Dottie and Deanna Wells, along with Esther Slayter kept offering a select menu throughout the day from the kitchen.
Camillus Sportsmen#,s Club came in first, ranking first in the league, with two perfect 50s posted by Len Kallfelz and Ken Marvin, 49 by Bill Parfitt, and 48 by Pete Kehoskie.
Falcon Sportsmen Club, second place standing, came in second for the day, with only one shooter scoring a 50-straight, Gary Shernesky; Frank Bozeat, Rod Roberts (49x50); and Glenn Gabriel, Don Wells (48x50).
Weedsport Rod and Gun Club placed third, and third in the league, with high shooters Roger Jorgensen (50x50); Dusty Archambo, Heidi Myers, Dick Treat and Linda Weinerth (48x50).
Otisco Lake Rod and Gun Club top guns: Jack Gutchess and Al Reich (49x50); Chuck Haaf, Conrad Hess, Nelson Pratt (47x50).
Scheduled shoots: Otisco Lake Feb 20; Camillus Sportsmen's Feb 27.
Kozlowski, a local sportsman who is the president of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association, is The Citizen's outdoors columnist. He can be reached at alkoz@baldcom.net
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