In this week's episode of We Love Outdoors with Rich Davenport, your humble host reminds hunters that today marks the start of the supplemental DMP issuance for WMUs that have not met their target tag issuance level. Available on a first come, first served basis, hunters must head to a license agent to secure up to two (2) additional DMPs. Once the tags are gone, WMUs are removed from the list until all DMPs are issued. The rut is hitting full swing, with bucks now actively chasing and soon to be tending the does. Leaf activity is past peak now in NY as well, which means the leaves will be dropping quickly now.
Saturday also marks the start of crossbow use in early archery in the Southern Zone, and your humble host goes through some crossbow handling do's and don'ts with safety at the forefront.
In other news, DEC has released their proposed regulatory changes for panfish (sunfish and crapppie) with a 45 day public comment period now open through 12/26/2021. This proposal has been pared back from the originally released draft "management plan", now encompassing only 3 changes - lowering the daily creel limit for sunfish from 50 per day to 25. Increasing the keeper size statewide for crappie from 9" to 10", and establishing special regulations for a handful of waters for sunfish, where setting a minimum size of 8" and a daily creel limit of 15, in an effort to see larger sunfish from these specific waters. All regions except region 2 has a water body or two selected for these special regs. Comments may be emailed to regulations.fish@dec.ny.com, subject of Sunfish and Crappie Regulations, or mailed to Inland Fisheries Section, NYSDEC 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.
Also, starting today, November 1, boaters are reminded you must wear your PFD full time when on board a vessel less that 21 feet in length. This includes motor boats, kayaks, canoes, row boats and sail boats. This requirement remains in place through May 1.
Election Day is tomorrow, November 2, and although this year is a local election only, 5 proposed NYS Constitutional Amendments are on the table. My own personal recommendation is to vote NO on all proposals, especially the first 4. Proposal 2 is the Environmental Rights Amendment, and the wording is so vague it would relegate environmental protection to vigilante lawsuit justice. Air and water cross state and international borders, and really is best handled by the Federal Government anyhow.
Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed by several towns and organizations against ORES and their ignoring of SEQR laws, filed in June 2021, has been thrown out by State Supreme Court Justice Peter Lynch, citing the lack of a project being the subject of the suit, and therefore no foundation for the suit exists. The chance for appeals remain, as well as the ability to file Article 78 actions against specific projects if environmental protections and studies are ignored. This was disappointing but not unexpected.
While this lawsuit aimed to protect NY's ecosystems from harm caused by wind and solar projects, firearms owners and safety advocates are incensed by the tragic event on the set of the movie Rust, when actor and movie producer Alec Baldwin fired a live 45 Long Colt cartridge during a rehearsal from a firearm that was claimed to be empty, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Every firearms safety rule was violated, but unknown whether criminal charges will be lodged, and against whom. Basic firearms safety places responsibility on the one that did the shooting. It would have taken just 5 seconds to check the firearm to confirm it was unloaded - something that no one did, including Baldwin, who cocked the hammer, aimed at people, and squeezed the trigger.
