In this week's episode of We Love Outdoors with Rich Davenport, your humble host discusses some key milestone dates for hunters and anglers across NYS, with many seasons now open for business and the rut just getting into gear. A big change has occurred in Region 9 with the Allegany State Park allowing bear hunting for the first time in its 100 year history. Hunters must apply for and secure a special bear hunting permit, and must call 24 hours in advance of their intended bear hunt to make sure the quota on the harvest hasn't been reached. Once the desired number of bear are harvested, all remaining permits become immediate null and void.
October is Invasive Species Awareness month and the DEC has announced that on November 1, they will be releasing a documentary film entitled Uninvited: The Spread of Invasive Species. The trailer is available on vimeo.com, and DEC worked with NY Ag & Markets, NY Natural Heritage Program, PRISMs and NYISRI to put this film together, which was paid for out of the DEC's environmental protection fund. The film covers all invasvies, not just the high profile insects and such. Visit the DEC website for more infrormation, visit their invasive species education and outreach webpage.
Hunters are impatiently awaiting that first frost to end the continuing EHD outbreak, which persists in ENY and is showing up in other parts of NYS. Impacts of this year's outbreak will not be known until after the hunting season concludes.
Fallout continues in the wake of the veto of Erie County's youth hunting bill, and even the Buffalo News nas panned the CE's veto as the wrong decision, but they then go onto say it "wasn't a big deal" and the hunters and sporting community should "get over it". What we will do is remember this usurpation of parental rights and the fake facts and nonsensical rationale used to justify the veto.
Your humble host goes on top provide updated fishing reports as the fall feed is on for Lake Erie yellow perch and smallmouth bass, while walleye are still active as well. Lake Ontario sees increasing trout and salmon presence in the tributaries, and Chautauqua Lake is showing strong musky activity as October wears on, Key dates coming up provided, and a summary of the PWS Walleye Championship on Chautauqua Lake last week is provided.
NY has on the ballot this year 5 proposed NY Constitutional Amendments, and folks are advised to get familiar with these, including the Environmental Rights Amendment, which is vague and loosely worded. It is also ineffective as air and water knows no state boundaries, and we have no definition of what a "healthful environment" encompasses.
The rut also cometh, as does International Bat Week, Oct 24-31, which highlights the plight of our winged mammals, and the fact that Industrial Wind Turbines are now the top cause of premature bat death, supplanting white nose syndrome as the top cause. Number 3 is habitat loss. Protect our bats, our water and our air and our well-being. Say no to wind turbines in the Great Lakes. And vote NO on NY Proposal 2.
