Twin Tiers Outdoors

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ELLICOTTVILLE • ALLEGANY • OLEAN • BRADFORD • SALAMANCA

WILDERNESS ACT & NORTH COUNTY TRAIL ANNIVERSARY 6

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WILD LEEKS 8

14 GOBBLER SEASON

CUBA LAKE’S YACHT CLUB 10

18 DEER HARVEST REPORT

trout HeaVen 12

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16 COYOTE CONFLICTS

20 THE PROBLEM HUNTING FACES 22 Hot SHotS

Letter from the Editor

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he Twin Tiers of New York and Pennsylvania is a resource for outdoor recreation that is second to none. Whether one is a ďŹ sherman, hunter, hiker, photographer - or someone who simply enjoys taking nice weekend drives through wonderful scenery - there is plenty to see and do in the area.

Twin Tiers Outdoors is a new effort by the staffs at the Olean Times Herald, The Bradford Era and The Salamanca Press to showcase the many activities and features of outdoor recreation that make the area such a great place in which to live - or to visit. Certainly, the sporting culture of hunting and ďŹ shing, which has long been

embedded in the Twin Tiers, will be featured on these pages. But we will also endeavor to highlight other aspects of outdoor recreation and living - from season to season - that are enjoyed in the area.

We hope you enjoy the colorful pages in Twin Tiers Outdoors, and that you will look for subsequent, quarterly editions.

Jim Eckstrom Executive Editor Bradford Publishing Co.

50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act and the North Country Trail J

By Kirk Johnson

ust over fifty years ago, in September of 1964, the U.S. Congress passed the Wilderness Act into law, establishing America’s National Wilderness Preservation System for present and future generations to use and enjoy. Under this historic statute, Congress extended the strongest possible protection to the wildest and most natural portions of our national forests and other federal public lands.

Designated wilderness areas are not just sanctuaries for wildlife, but sanctuaries for people too. In areas permanently protected as wilderness, people will always be able to bring their children to hear the birds, the wind in the trees, and the crunch of the snow underfoot without the hustle and bustle of motors and machinery, and other man-made distractions. These are places to remember that we, too, came from the Earth and are wise to remember our dependence upon it. The Wilderness

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System has grown from nine million acres with the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964 to 110 million acres today. Nearly every session of Congress since 1964 has added new wilderness to the system, and every president since Lyndon Johnson has signed wilderness legislation into law.

Here in Pennsylvania we have a special place in this history and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, for it was a native of the Keystone State who conceived, wrote, and lobbied the Act into law in his capacity as director of The Wilderness Society from 1945-1964.

Howard Zahniser was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania and raised in Tionesta, on the banks of the Allegheny River not far from the route of today’s North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) through the Allegheny National Forest (ANF).

He played and hiked in the ANF during the formative years of his

youth, and canoed frequently on the Allegheny River into adulthood, even camping on Thompson’s Island that is part of the Allegheny Islands Wilderness.

The NCT was created by the U.S. Congress in 1980 26 years after the Wilderness Act became law in the tradition of the Appalachian Trail and other National Scenic Trails, and is the longest such backpacking trail in America at more than 4,600 miles. The NCT passes through seven northern states from North Dakota to New York, and also traverses 12 national forests along its length, including 95 miles through the 513,300-acre ANF. Among other National Scenic Trails, the Appalachian Trail passes through 26 federal wilderness areas, the Continental Divide Trail passes through 20, and the Pacific Crest Trail passes through 48. However, so far the NCT only has five federal wilderness areas along its length: the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness in Minnesota, the Rainbow Lake and Porcupine Lake Wilderness Areas in Wisconsin, and the McCormick and Beaver Basin Wilderness Areas in Michigan.

(Kirk Johnson, an NCTA member since 2000, is executive director for Friends of Allegheny Wilderness www.pawild.org in Warren, Pennsylvania. He joined the NCTA board of directors in December of 2014.)

Canfield’s Outdoor Power Equipment, Inc. serves community for over 35 years

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e are a family owned and operated business with over 35 years of experience. If your equipment has a spark plug in it, we’ll work on it!

We have pick-up and delivery services available at your convenience.

In addition to being your local Husqvarna dealer for over 30 years, we are now a DR Power Equipment dealer to help you with those heavy duty jobs. For a full list of equipment we sell or service, visit our website at www.canfildsoutdoor.com.

What’s that smell?

Wild leeks should be in abundance this year despite hard winter

By Alex Davis

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D

espite deep snow and freezing temperatures that battered the four-county region this winter, area residents will likely not have a problem finding the long-awaited wild leek — a forest vegetable resembling a mix between onion and garlic.

In fact, the wild leek is quite hardy and will survive harsh weather patterns, Penn State Extension area commercial horticulture educator Thomas G. Ford said.

“It should be a good year because the snow cover provided good insulation for them from the biting cold,” Ford said.

Ford said the wild leeks can be harvested in March through April, and they naturally grow in higher elevations from Georgia to Canada.

Resembling large scallions, leeks, also known as ramps, have slightly enlarged lower stems and upright leaves that are flat and thick.

“Expect a good year except where they have been harvested too heavily ... most rural residents take pride in their ramp patch and our good stewards,” said Ford, who works out of the Cambria County office.

Leeks can be home grown as well.

Master gardener Mary Ann Miller explained on the Penn State Extension’s website that leeks should be planted in April, when the soil has dried and warmed.

The leek likes to be planted in the full sun, as well as in slightly acidic soil (pH of 5.5 to 7.0) that is welldrained and rich in organic matter, according to Miller.

“Because the white portion of the stem is what is used in cooking, leeks should be planted deeply to promote blanching,” she said. “Soil can also be ‘hilled’ around the lower portion of leeks as they grow to shield the stem from becoming green, which occurs

when it is exposed to the sun. Some gardeners plant leeks in a trench and then add soil as the leeks grow to ensure a longer white stem.”

Miller said she is always scouting out ways to make gardening easier and has found a fast, less labor-intensive way to plant leeks in her raised beds.

“After preparing the soil, I mark off rows about a foot apart,” she said.

“I then use a garden fork to carefully create deep holes along the row. I then put the leeks in alternate holes to allow sufficient space (about 4 inches) between plants, leaving just the very top portion of the leaves above ground to blanch the lower stem.”

Individuals should monitor the leek bed to make sure there is enough moisture during the growing season.

“Watering at soil level with a soaker hose is preferable to overhead watering, which can promote fungal disease. Add mulch to retain

“If you like leeks, growing your own will provide a bountiful harvest of quality vegetables at minimal cost,” soil moisture and control weeds,” Miller said. “Leeks are susceptible to the same diseases as onions. Use a preventive fungicide if you have experienced problems growing onions in your garden. They should also be monitored for onion pests such as

leaf miners and thrips. A three- to four-year crop rotation schedule will help to control disease and insect problems.”

Leeks can be harvested once the stem is one inch in diameter or somewhat larger, she said.

“When harvesting, do not attempt to simply pull out the deeply planted leeks or they may break off. Instead, insert a digging fork and lift them out, being careful not to damage the leeks as you dig,” Miller said.

As is often the case, people consume the white part of the stem.

Leeks can be added to soups, stews, stuffing, gratins and casseroles and sautéed with other vegetables such as carrots. However, the greens are also edible in a pesto or stir-fry dish.

“If you like leeks, growing your own will provide a bountiful harvest of quality vegetables at minimal cost,” Miller said.

(Contact reporter Alex Davis at a.davis@bradfordera.com)

Cuba Lake’s Yacht Club sets a new course

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ompetitive sailing on Cuba Lake began sixty-five summers ago in 1950, and from then until recently the focus of the Cuba Lake Yacht Club has been on racing and conducting races for its members.

Lois Fahrner started a junior sailing program in the 1950’s but it disappeared in the 1990s. When she died in 2006, she left a small bequest to the club to be used to teach sailing to the children of the area. In 2009 her money went to buy five small boats.

When eleven youngsters entered the program, the Pirates of the Cubarrean Pirate Academy was born.

Last year, more than 50 “Pirates” took to the water in more than twenty boats. The success of the program has led the club to completely rethink its purpose. The decision: dedicate the club to teaching the virtues of good sportsmanship, hard work and perseverance in an outdoor setting, and to provide the opportunity for families to bond and grow though a common sporting activity. A new organization is being organized that will become the successor to the yacht club, dedicated to this new mission.

In pursuit of this new goal, this summer a special emphasis will be placed on sailing for adults and families. To make that possible, the staff of the Pirate Academy is expanding.

Phil Adams, seen below with his family, active with both the junior and adult sailing programs at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club in Miami, will be on site with his family from mid-

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July to the middle of August to teach adults and young sailors “the ropes.”

Emily McGrath and Rose Lynch, licensed sailing instructors with the Irish Sailing Association, will be flying over from Dublin for the first two weeks of July to teach some of our younger Pirates how they make sailboats go on the other side of “the pond.”

Portville science teacher Joe Pleakis will offer a STEP course, combining sailing with the science underlying it. Helping at the academy will be some Pirates who started in 2009 or 2010, including Tommy Williams, Sean Hollowell and Courtney Wilday from Cuba, and Rae Fitzsimmons from Portville. Todd Perrigo, Mike Kane and Skip Wilday will be sharing their extensive sailing expertise.

The club has a new 420 Team for high school students that will travel to Rochester for the Sailing Junior Olympics. (420s are the boat sailed by college teams). An Optimist racing program will be available for the younger sailors wanting to go to Rochester. Some O’Pen Bic sailors may have the opportunity to travel to Rochester and to the Buffalo Canoe Club for an overnight in mid-July.

There will also be two regatta weekends at the lake. Everyone interested in becoming part of this great new program should check the club’s website, www.SailCubaLake.com for more details on how to join or enroll. Space is limited both by the number of boats and instructors, so early enrollment is encouraged. You can also e-mail “Captain” George at CaptainCubarrean@gmail.com.

TROUT HEAVEN In Olean Area

By Wade Robertson

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an, I am ready to get out of the house and go fishing.

The crisp, invigorating air, the singing of the exuberant birds, the waiting buds on the trees, combined with the warming weather have given me a trout fishing temperature of 104. Doctor, doctor, I need a prescription for some stream time, an injection of trout adrenalin.

We have a problem here in the Olean area. There are so many trout streams within easy driving distance it’s difficult to pick one. This is not a bad problem, far from it, just a bit puzzling deciding where to go. With such a bonanza of excellent fishing opportunities around us, let’s look at several choices.

Allegheny State Park provides a wealth of fishing choices. Red House Lake and Quaker Lake both hold trout. Of the two lakes, Quaker is stocked more often and is probably the better year-round trout fishery, though Red House is good very early in the season.

There are several native streams if you care to hike a bit on Quaker and Red House Runs. Both streams are stocked three times a year.

There are many other streams in the Salamanca, Olean, and Hinsdale area which offer great fishing. The Genesee River has provided me with excellent fishing over the years and I have caught many big brown trout from it.

The Ischua Creek is well stocked and its deeper, slower stretches have been known to harbor some very large holdover browns over 24 inches in length.

12 Many other smaller streams are also stocked in the immediate area as well.

No matter what the stream or lake, trout still offer us the challenge only they can present. Some of the following strategies have brought me success over the years and I hope they do the same for you.

If you are a catch-and-release fisherman, it’s a good idea to squeeze your barb down. That little barb has a tremendous amount of holding power and can be very difficult to remove from the tough cartilage in a fish’s mouth. Eliminating the barb makes hook removal easy, resulting in minimal damage to the fish, especially if the

barb is down near the gills.

This precaution can be a matter of life and death for the fish.

The goes same for lures. You can always replace the hooks if needed.

To prepare for your days fishing it is always wise to research the stocking schedule, locating streams which are stocked and when. The longer it has been since the fish were stocked the further they will be scattered up and down the stream. If the water has been high and fast, the trout can be scattered long distances, even miles. However, bigger, deeper holes with a nice, slow eddy can fill up with fish as they wash

downstream. I call these “We have a problem “honey holes.” here in the Olean Like people, trout don’t wish to work area. There are so any harder than they many trout streams absolutely have to and deeper, slower holes get within easy driving them out of the ceasedistance it’s difficult less current.

Keeping one eye on to pick one.” the stocking schedule and the other on the weather is always a smart thing to do.

When the streams are high and cloudy, look for a recently stocked stream with a nice, deep honey hole for the fish to congregate in. Only experience and some knowledge of the stream will enable you do this. Once you have this figured out, though, good times await.

Heavy rains and high water can determine your chances of success.

Perhaps you want to fish further upstream where the creek is smaller, the water lower and less rapid. If the stream is dangerously high and dirty, do I need to switch streams altogether or fish a lake instead? All these are important decisions and keeping an eye on the weather and stream conditions can determine whether or not you are going to catch a single trout before you ever leave the house.

Low water presents its own challenges. The fish will be concentrated in deeper holes and very aware of the fact they are vulnerable to birds of prey and other predators.

They are on high alert and spook at your sight or even the tiny splash of bait or a sloppily cast fly.

In these cases, you may wish to fish a larger stream where the trout have more room, so to speak, and will be less cagey and more likely to hit as the pressure eases off later in the day. On smaller streams, you will have to crawl around and hide constantly to avoid spooking your quarry.

Scouting your stream or streams isn’t a bad idea. Streams which rise quickly experience violent water surge during heavy rains and can change physically very rapidly. What once was a beautiful hole last year may be completely changed the next year or even the next heavy rain. Streams which rise slower after a rain, with less vertical drop, change at a slower rate but still differ from year to year.

Fishing for trout is usually a finesse sport. The thinner your line, the lighter your rod, the smaller your sinkers, hooks, lures or flies the better your success rate is. There are times when trout are easy to catch, but once they have wised up, look out.

So, pick up a stocking schedule and map showing our area’s streams and plan your trout fishing outing. Whether on a small creek, large stream or lake, we have some great fishing opportunities surrounding us. We really are fortunate to live where we do.

(Contact Wade Robertson at wj.robertson@netzero.net)

T

he black hilltops were just becoming visible against the eastern sky when the familiar dirt road appeared in my headlights.

I braked, turned and drove slowly up the lane until I came to the grassy pull-off I was searching for. I parked and leaned back in my seat with a groan. My whole being yearned, begged for sleep, I had been chasing gobblers for two solid weeks now and everyday I hoped I had learned enough from my previous experiences to finally be in the right place at the right time.

Ignoring the clamors of my sleep-starved body I opened the door, stepping out into the cool morning air. Then I hiked up and over a large pasture into the woods.

Rain had fallen during the night, quieting the noisy leaves and covering the grass with a gray mist that seemed to glow faintly in the growing light.

At the top corner of the field I took a chance and moved even closer to the trees I expected the gobbler to be roosted in and sat down.

It began raining again and then the wind picked up. The forest lightened, birds sang and landed all around me, brightening the day with their chatter and busy antics.

It wasn’t until 6:15 a.m. that the crows finally began to caw, 45 minutes later than usual. Still, the turkeys remained silent.

At 6:30 a.m., I heard a single gobble. Not close in front of me as I had expected, but clear across the valley.

Great, fooled again.

This bird had no discernible pattern at all,

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Spring Gobbler Season

By Wade Robertson

moving from side hill to side hill seemingly at a whim. It was maddening.

Frustrated, I walked back to the car and had actually unlocked the door when the gobbler where I had just been began going crazy. He gobbled, then double gobbled almost non-stop.

Another truck was parked up the road

and I waited in suspense for the inevitable shot that would announce the demise of my hard-sought after quarry.

Suddenly the turkey shut up and never made another sound.

What had happen? Did the other hunter spook the bird, did the gobbler call in a real hen or perhaps a coyote or bobcat came on the scene? I guess I will never know.

Puzzled, I climbed back into my car, checking every valley that held a turkey I knew of and never heard another gobble.

It was late in the morning by now and I headed back to town to get some gas. I was running on fumes. As I drove abreast of a large, bright green field just outside town, I saw three gobblers, the biggest in full strut some 500 yards away. I‘d chased these birds already this year with no success. In fact, there was a path to the field made by other hunters trying for these same birds.

I slowed down and suddenly my heart raced. The single hen that always accompanied the toms had moved some 400 yards downhill from them and was slowly feeding even further away.

This was the first time she had been separated from her boyfriends, presenting a golden opportunity to call in the boss gobbler.

The trick was to get between them before the gobblers followed, but it would take quite a hike to do so.

I drove out of sight and took off as fast as my tired legs would carry me. Across the valley, well below the field, then upstream until I could just see the green of the pasture. Turning up the side hill, I climbed high until I could parallel the field without

See

GOBBLER Page 22

coyote coNFLIctS DEC warns to avoid coyote population

By Rick Miller

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he New York state Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an alert to residents to avoid potential conflicts with the region’s coyote population.

Biologist Kenneth Baginski, who oversees fur-bearing animals for DEC Region 9 out of the Allegany office, said the office usually gets a handful of coyote complaints a year across the Southern Tier and a couple in Erie County.

“Normally, rural residents don’t get too excited about seeing a coyote,” Baginski said. “If you see one in your backyard, it’s probably just passing through, looking for food or setting up a new territory.”

The best way to keep coyotes from coming into your yard is not to leave pet food outside for dogs or cats. Birdseed left on the ground attracts squirrels, rabbits and mice, which attract coyotes, Baginski said.

“If you are not attracting these coyotes with food sources, then you need to do something to negatively condition the animals,” Baginski said.

This can include everything from

making a lot of noise and waving one’s arms to throwing sticks and stones at them to let coyotes know they are not wanted. They have a natural fear of humans, and people should not encourage them to come around by feeding them, either directly or indirectly, Baginski said.

Also, making sure outside garbage is secure helps.

At this time of year, female coyotes have just had their litter of six or so pups, Baginski said.

“They are constantly looking for food for the pups, and they are protecting their territory,” he said. “If they see a dog, they will protect their territory.”

They are likely to be out at all times of the day and night. Other times, the coyote may be looking to make a meal out of a small dog or a cat, and a baby should never be left unattended, the biologist said.

“May seems to be the peak month for people calling with reports of

sightings or other interactions with coyotes,” Baginski said.

Olean residents report seeing them along the dikes and in some city neighborhoods, often crossing the frozen Allegheny River in winter months.

Coyotes have been in New York

“May seems to be the peak month for people calling with reports of sightings or other interactions with coyotes,” since the 1930s, moving in after people killed off all the wolves.

Coyote populations are established throughout much of the state.

Western New York’s coyote population has stabilized, Baginski said, because the region has a strong tradition of trapping. “They are a protected wildlife,” he said.

Trapping season closed March 29 due to the breeding season, and it

See COYOTE Page 21

Deer harvest decreased statewide in 2014-15

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he Pennsylvania Game Commission recently reported that, in the state’s 2014-15 seasons, hunters harvested an estimated 303,973 deer — a decrease of about 14 percent compared to the 2013-14 harvest of 352,920.

Hunters took 119,260 antlered deer in the 2014-15 seasons — a decrease of about 11 percent compared to the previous license year, when an estimated 134,280 bucks were taken. Also, hunters harvested an estimated 184,713 antler-less deer in 2014-15, which represents an about 16 percent decrease compared to the 218,640 antler-less deer taken in 2013-14.

“We put these numbers out each year and, whether there’s an increase or decrease in the harvest, people want to know why,” said Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough.

“While it’s impossible to provide explanations with certainty, there were a couple of factors over the 2014-15 deer seasons that seem to have contributed to a decreased harvest.”

Some of the decrease is by design, Hough said.

The Game Commission last year reduced the number of antler-less licenses available for sale. Fewer licenses were allocated in nearly every Wildlife Management Unit (WMU), and statewide 59,500 fewer antler-less licenses were issued.

“When the weather is warmer, hunters tend to sit tight longer, and the deer tend to move less, as well...”

Reducing the allocation within a Wildlife Management Unit allows deer numbers to grow there. Records show it takes an allocation of about four antler-less licenses to harvest one antler-less deer, so a reduced antler-less harvest was anticipated due to a reduced allocation.

Additionally, the weather during the two-week firearms deer season was less than ideal in much of the state. Some parts of the state saw unusually high temperatures on the 18 season’s opening day. And depending on where you hunted, conditions on the first Saturday might have included steady

rain, snow or dense fog.

“When the weather is warmer, hunters tend to sit tight longer, and the deer tend to move less, as well,” said David Putnam, the president of the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners.

“Meanwhile, adverse weather can be just about un-huntable and the deer seek cover, too, which decreases hunter success rates.”

Harvest estimates are based on more than 24,000 deer checked by Game Commission personnel and more than 100,000 harvest reports submitted by successful hunters. Because some harvests go unreported, estimates provide a more accurate picture of hunter success. However, in 2014-15 the rate at which successful hunters reported their harvests increased slightly.

For additional information on Pennsylvania’s 2014-15 deer harvest, go to the agency’s website at www.pgc.state. pa.us and and click on “White-Tailed Deer” on the homepage, and then select 2014-15 Deer Harvest Estimates under “Deer Management.”

DEC studying ongoing Salmon River Steelhead disorder A dult steelhead (a strain of rainbow trout) returning from Lake Ontario to the Salmon River in Oswego County are exhibiting signs of stress and elevated mortality rates due to an apparent thiamine (vitamin B) deficiency, New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced.

DEC scientists enlisted the help of fish health experts in other agencies and academia to determine the cause of this disorder. DEC staff submitted moribund Salmon River steelhead to the Cornell University Aquatic Animal Health Program for testing. Results indicate that fish pathogens are not responsible for the abnormal behavior and mortality.

DEC also sent steelhead samples to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory for further lab testing. Results strongly indicate a severe thiamine (vitamin

B) deficiency, which means it is likely contributing to the steelhead mortality.

“Steelhead provide high-quality sport fisheries in the open lake and are especially sought after by anglers who fish in tributaries from fall through spring. DEC staff will continue to work closely with federal agencies, Cornell University and other stakeholders to identify the cause of the current situation and strategies to ensure a

robust steelhead population,” he said.

In mid-November, DEC fisheries staff began to receive reports of steelhead swimming erratically in the Salmon River and higher mortality of the species. More recent reports indicate similar behavior in steelhead in other Lake Ontario tributaries.

Steelhead are an important component of Lake Ontario’s sport fishery, which a Cornell University study valued at over $112 million in angler expenditures in New York annually.

DEC is taking steps to meet its spring 2015 steelhead egg-take targets at Salmon River Hatchery, and will work with Great Lakes agency partners to provide assistance in meeting egg take quotas, if needed.

DEC staff will continue to collaborate with experts to further understand the circumstances leading to this year’s mortality.

For more info, contact DEC’s Bureau of Fisheries at Cape Vincent Fisheries Station at (315) 654-2147.

L

ast September I traded books with a very successful writer who lives in Oregon. It was the only time I met him, and out of the blue he called me last week. He told me he hunted a little when he was a kid in Texas, but until he read my book, “Growing Up With Guns,” he never realized how important hunters are to sustainable wildlife populations in North America.

He told me my book has an important message that everyone needs to read. Comments like that make a writer feel good, but good feelings do nothing to solve the problem hunting faces.

On the surface, hunting is thriving. Collect all the deer hunters in the five top states for resident hunting license sales — Texas, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio — and you have the largest army of gun-toters in the world, 3.8 million strong. In the whole nation we have 13.7 million hunters, and I have yet to hear of a single hunting fatality in the most recent season.

That’s an impressive and enviable safety record for any sport. I won’t deny that our sport

many states, the number of hunters is declining.

Some states are working to reverse that trend.

Pennsylvania has the Go Hunt PA program, which seeks to reactivate lapsed hunters. New York is closely watching that recruitment effort. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has a Hunting Works for America program that has been adopted by 10 states, and more will be jumping on board.

So with all that good news — 13.7 million hunters, the huge economic force hunting represents, the excellent safety record and more — what’s the problem hunting faces?

It’s not that we get bad publicity where we deserve good publicity. It’s that we’re getting old.

Yes, the average age of hunters is increasing.

As their physical abilities decline hunters leave the sport, and fewer young people are entering our ranks. Lots of demographics come into play, so it’s not just video games, athletics and overprotective parents. Where families once had four or five kids, they now have two. Where most people once lived in rural areas, most now live in cities.

tHe PRoBLeM HUNtING FAceS

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has a few bad One more positive point needs to be made. apples, but the No other group matches our passion for our sport. overall record of That’s partly what drives the dollars in the indushunters in general is try. But the hidden downside is that without a fresh overwhelmingly positive. influx of young, dedicated hunters our dollars will Whether you agree or disagree, I’m not writ- soon begin to decline, and our political influence ing today to debate that point. I’m writing to say will follow. Soon, the money supporting the whole that hunting is in trouble. model of North American wildlife management But first, a small glimpse into hunting’s won’t be available, and wildlife itself will be at upside. The National Shooting Sports Foundarisk. tion says America’s 13.7 million hunters spend a Life has many ironies, and one of them is that lot of money on hunting — $38.3 billion the more hunters we have the more wildlife annually. That injection of money into we have. I convinced my Oregon friend of the economy produces 680,300 jobs and that. And if we lose wildlife in this country, $26.4 billion in salaries and benefits for it won’t be because hunters are killing off families, averaging out to almost $39,000 the animals. It will be because we have per job. The government benefits, too, to fewer hunters. When we lack enough huntthe tune of $11.8 billion in federal and ers to drive the best wildlife conservation state tax revenue. All those numbers are record in the world, wildlife will be the big on the increase, except one. losers.

BY STEVE SORENSEN Put those numbers on a graph and I repeat: If we lose wildlife in this every line will show a steady upswing, country, it won’t be due to hunters. Wildbut the line representing the 13.7 million huntlife in North America has always thrived under ers has been virtually flat for the last 20 years. In legal, regulated hunting. Wildlife needs hunters.

coyote

C ontinued F rom P age 17

won’t reopen until October.

“It’s a long season,” Baginski said. “One of our longest.”

Trappers tend to take the most coyotes, typically selling the fur for between $20 and $60 or more, depending on the size and color. However, most coyote pelts brought only about $20 each this year, according to Baginski.

“It’s the trappers who are utilizing the resource,” Baginski said.

“In New York state as a whole, and especially in Western New York and the Southern Tier, we’ve got a decent-sized and very active trapping community. They target them for their pelts as a valuable fur-bearer.”

There are an estimated 30,000 trappers statewide.

Deer and turkey hunters see the coyotes as varmints, concerned over their killing fawns and young turkeys they prefer to hunt.

“Deer and turkey hunters are not fond of them at all,” Baginski said. “They kill them as a nuisance and varmints.”

Baginski said that if residents see aggressive behavior from a coyote after they have removed food sources from their yards, they should contact the Department of Environmental Conservation at 372-0645.

(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com)

HOT SHOTS

Patience pays off for Fillmore hunter

B

ow season was slow for young hunter Alex Mackowski — that is, according to his father. He passed on many deer that other hunters probably would have taken.

But things heated up pretty quickly the morning of the gun season, with Alex dropping a huge 13-pointer — his first buck — at about 7:45 a.m.

Alex’s father, Dave, said his son, a 17-year-old at Fillmore Central School, used a Remington 700 in .30-06 to take the buck, which appeared on a well-used game trail between a small swamp and a cornfield.

Mackowski said his son made about a 100-yard, offhand shot when the buck stopped between two apple trees.

The 13-point dropped in his tracks.

“While Alex isn’t one to talk much, he couldn’t hide his excitement,” the father said. “This last year, we lost my grandfather, Ted Mackowski. Over the years, it’s been a tradition to go down to the house with your trophy and share with Gramps. This year, my Uncle Mike and Aunt Nancy took on that role. Being able to share such an amazing moment between family and friends will instill a memory time can’t take away.”

Mackowski added, “As always, a big thanks to my wife, Olivia, who’s always ready with her camera. Maybe one year we can get her hunting.” In addition to hunt22 ing, Alex plays baseball and soccer and, according to his dad, “loves just about anything with an engine.”

Gobbler

C ontinued F rom P age 14

being seen. My legs were quivering like jelly. Why hadn’t I eaten some breakfast?

A bold and loud-mouthed crow started calling his heart out and the gobbler answered him. This was very fortunate, for I could pinpoint the gobbler’s exact location without risking being seen. The toms had moved up the field to the very edge of the woods. Dropping down to the ravine paralleling the field edge, now deep enough to shield me, I closed the distance to 200 yards.

The ravine disappeared here so I eased up to the field’s edge for a peek. Unfortunately, the multi-flora rose bushes were so thick the field was practically invisible through them.

What to do?

Perhaps a purr and cluck on my mouth call would draw an answer. The calls were hardly out of my mouth when the tom gobbled loudly, then a few seconds later gobbled again much closer. Surrounded by hooked thorns and brush, I could only stand there and curse myself for not finding a spot where it’d been possible to see clearly into the field before I’d called. What a dummy.

Staring into the pasture, I was horrified to see the gobbler run up within 15 yards of me and stop, staring intently in my direction. The brush was so thick I could barely see him. Frantically, I looked for any type of clearing in the mass of branches and could find none. The big tom walking slowly to my right, stopped and then returned to his original position, acting more nervous every second. He wasn’t going to stay put long.

I slowly raised the shotgun, but the gobbler spotted the movement, putted and started to run.

The true-glow front sight swung through his red head and I instantly fired, the 835 belting me back as only it can, but not before I saw the brush disintegrate and the turkey crash into the ground. Wow, what a gun. It just ate all that brush up like it was nothing. Unbelievable.

I finally found a way through the thorn and brambles and, bleeding from hands and face, made my way to a beautiful gobbler with 1 and 1/8 inch spurs and a 9-inch beard.

As always, I said a little prayer of thanks before tagging the tom and lugging him back to the car.

Back at the vehicle, I was almost in shock. The seemingly impossible happening, actually filling my tag and shooting a magnificent gobbler.

Maybe I’d take a day or two off. This hunter badly needed some sleep.

(Contact Wade Robertson at wj.robertson@netzero.net)