In this week's episode of We Love Outdoors with Rich Davenport, your humble host reviews initial observations reported by DEC on the 2021 big game harvest for both deer and bear. Although reporting is down vs. December 29, 2020, this may not mean the actual harvest declines, we must wait for the estimates to be released. However, bear harvest does appear to show a downward trend, but still is higher than the 5 year average currently used to gauge current years' success. PA has reported that their 2021 black bear season was a success, and showed the 5th largest bear harvest in history!
DEC has released 2 Access and Public Use Plans, or APUPs, for Canadaway Creek and Hanging Bog WMAs in Region 9. Comment period continues through March 2, 2022, and comments may be submitted by email or snail mail. I encourage everyone to visit the DEC website and participate in this process, as that is the only way to assure the best possible regulatory outcomes and realities.
DEC has also released their prosed updates to the 10-year State Forests Management plan, with that comment period ending on March 4, 2022.
And in Maine, officials have designated February as browntail moth awareness month, as this pest is causing headaches for people with their poisonous hairs causing rashes in humans. Winter is the best time to exercise control over these pests, and workshops on how to identify wintering browntail moths and eradication are being held in February and March 2022.
The ice is nice across NYS, and even Lake Erie is now showing ice cover, and with the groundhog predicting 6 more weeks of winter, we may get on the Big E after all this year. Be advised that some open water exists near Canada, and if you do plan on venturing out, make sure you know the wind speed and direction, as in the western basin some unlucky anglers had to be rescued via helicopter when winds broke an ice floe off near Catawba Island.
The Chautauqua Lake Ice Derby is in full swing and anglers can still enter this derby through Feb 12, 2022 at Chautauqua Reel Outdoors & Tackle. Leader board and photo gallery is now active on WeLoveOutdoors.org, look under events. The photo gallery is attached to the actual event detail page. Leader board is a separate page under events! Meanwhile Feb 19 and 20 are the free fishing weekend days in NY and the derby ends Feb 27, 2022.
DEC has announced special license exams for falconry, wildlife rehabilitators and leashed tracking dog handlers are slated for April 1, 2022 - deadline to register is March 25, 2022.
Your humble host gives you updates to an avalanche advisory posted for the ADK high peaks, and law enforcement efforts from the DEC ECOs during the hunting season, as updates are given at the close of deer season in NY, which ended Jan 31 for the special Long Island seasons. And in Colorado, a bill seeking to ban big cat hunting met its timely demise in the Colorado Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources committee when that deliberative body rejected the bill 4-1.
Meanwhile the cost of renewable energy is raising eyebrows, especially in light of the high costs for little return as 63 renewable energy projects have been transferred from the old Article X process to the new ORES and 94c process, representing 9,902 MW of installed capacity, carrying an aggregate cost of nearly $17 BIL based on overnight kw capital expense. However, based on capacity factor, or what will likely be produced, these projects will add a measly 1500 MW to the grid itself, making the cost per megawatt produced in the tens of millions. Where is the sanity?
