In this week's episode of We Love Outdoors with Rich Davenport, your humble host brings you up to date with the busy big game hunting seasons going on, with Northern Zone now in the final week, and Southern Zone still having a couple weeks to go before the extended archery and muzzleloading seasons kick off. PA also saw its regular firearms deer season open on Nov 27, which runs through Dec 11. Western zone of NY's 2nd duck season also kicked off on Nov 27.
The EHD outbreak in NY is over, but 30 counties in NY had confirmed EHD cases, marking the most severe event for EHD in NY yet. It also appears some deer may have survived this typically fatal virus, showing the signs of the ravages of this disease in cracked and sloughing hooves, and appearing to be lame. Still, antibody detection in these animals has wildlife veterinarians hopeful these animals will have some protection against future EHD outbreaks.
The current harvest in NY's southern zone appears to be running ahead of last year's success, but the season is still open and estimates still have a long ways to go before final numbers tell the full tale. Still, with favorable weather this year it appears the hunters are having more success than years past, which is good news for wildlife managers seeking to stabilize or slightly lower deer numbers in any given WMU.
NY has sadly recorded its first fatal HRSI, a hunter on hunter shooting event in Ontario County on Thanksgiving Day. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have yet been brought on the 61 year old hunter that took a shot at movement, as the 28 year old victim, who the shooter was hunting with, was in all camo and not wearing the required hunters orange or pink. Nevertheless, it is the one who takes the shot to identify the target and what is beyond, and that appears to not have happened, rather, see no orange, take the shot.
Many activities for winter are being announced, including Reinstein Woods and their winter programs, which start December 2021. If you are an archer, Allied Sportsmen, in Marilla, NY, has announced an indoor 3D archery league begins Dec 2, with a SPOT league starting up on Friday, Dec 3.
With winter coming, your humble host also delves into ice fishing and safety, as first ice always brings eager and anxious anglers and thin ice conditions. Safety tips may keep you on top of the ice! Some ice fishing derbies and tournaments will also begin in January, with info on some of these opportunities provided. But ice fishing isn't the only winter activity to look forward to, and with the number of state parks and other lands that offer public use, now is the time to start planning that cross country skiing trip, or hope for that snowshoeing weekend. Many activities may even be combined, like snowshoeing and small game hunting. Winter is a wonderful time of year!
Meanwhile, the Greenies and embraced a new slogan, we must destroy the ecosystems to save the planet! As crazy as it sounds, that is exactly their position, and new studies concerning health impacts of low frequency noise on people living near wind factories shows this wind turbine syndrome is a real thing, with cardiovascular problems really taking center stage. The latest lie coming from these zealots is electricity prices will be lowered. Scarcity of fuel and resulting energy always drives prices up. What these folks are smoking is beyond me, but their lies are as predictable as the sunrise. And still no environmental impact studies are being done concerning LFN impacts on fish and wildlife, although some studies are being commissioned to study the physical changes in oceans. Expect the lies to grow larger, the tales to become taller, and the folly to get weirder as the truth about the impacts these foolish plans truly deliver. Count on it!
