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An online space for outdoorsmen from CNY and beyond. Tell us about the one you caught or the one that got away.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Super recipes for your Super Bowl party

The cold and windy weather has frequently curtailed many outdoor activities. And this weekend is the biggest party day of the year. Even if you are not a football fan, the Super Bowl is a great excuse for a party. What better way to prepare for the “Big Game” than to use some wild game recipes. Show off your skill in hunting and fishing, along with being a cook and a host with the following recipes.
Turkey Poppers: Try jalapeno turkey poppers for snacks as well as cleaning out the sinuses. If you don’t want smoke coming from the nostrils of your guests, substitute yellow banana peppers.
Cut off the ends of the peppers and hollow them out with a thin knife. Chop up turkey into small pieces and mix with cream cheese, onion powder and Mozzarella cheese. Stuff the hollow peppers with the mixture and bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Wait before serving because cream cheese mix will be very hot.
Grilled Venison Cubes: Take four pounds of venison cut into small cubes. Mix the following ingredients and marinate for 24 hours – 1/3 cup cooking oil, ½ cup vinegar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 tablespoon parsley flakes, 1 tablespoon crushed rosemary, 1 bay leaf. While meat is being grilled, baste frequently with tomato juice mixed with Tabasco sauce to taste. Serve with hot Italian bread.
Salmon Appetizer: 12 ounces beer, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon paprika, skinned salmon fillets cut into chunks. Mix batter ingredients together, dip bite sized chunks in batter and drain. In deep fry pan heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry the chunks five or six at a time, until golden brown. Test to see that they are moist and flake easily. Serve with lemon slices and hot mustard.
Poor Man’s Shrimp: Place skinless perch fillets in a saucepan of water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for about four minutes. Drain the meat and add cold water to cover the fish. As water warms, change to fresh cold water and place in refrigerator to cool. Drain the pieces of fish and dip in cocktail sauce. A variation called Poor Man’s Lobster is to steam the perch fillets or nuggets in melted butter and serve hot.
Duck Roll-Ups: Four large duck breast fillets, one each red and green bell pepper, one large shitake mushroom, one sweet onion, lemon pepper mix, wild game marinade. Cut breast fillets lengthwise into ½ inch strips and marinate for at least three hours. Cut bell peppers, mushroom, and onion lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips. Place strip each of duck fillet, onion, mushroom, and each pepper color and bacon together and dust them with lemon pepper mix. Roll them all up with over-lapping wraps of bacon so that entire kabob is covered. Hold bacon in place with toothpicks. Cook over grill at medium heat until bacon is fully cooked (20 – 25 minutes). Serve as a hot appetizer.
Teriyaki Venison Burger “Sliders”: Use ground venison to make mini burgers or “sliders.” Make Teriyaki burgers to add variation to this popular appetizer.
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground venison, 1/4 cup sautéed and diced onions, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, one egg.
Preparation: Combine and mix all dry ingredients, combine egg and soy sauce, mixing thoroughly. Combine all the ingredients and meat and mix thoroughly. Press meat into slider sized patties. Place on a hot grill turning over once while cooking. Cook until thoroughly cooked and serve on miniature buns or slices of French bread.
SHORT CASTS
Great American Outdoor Show – Harrisburg: The Chittenango Rod & Gun Club invites area sportsmen to join them on a bus trip to the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA on Saturday, February 8. They will leave Shoppingtown Mall, Dewitt at 5 a.m. in a luxury coach and return to the mall around 10 p.m.
Cost per person is $60 and includes admission to the show. Cal Bruce Berean at 315-439-0260 or email bbcaddy@aol.com to reserve your seat.
Crossbow Update: Most people are aware that Governor Cuomo included a key provision in his budget bill that would establish the crossbow as a legal hunting implement and give the DEC authority to regulate it. If you want to see a crossbow season in New York, now is the time to act. You can bet that the opponents of crossbow season are busy working on legislators and thinking of strategies to alter or water down the provision.
If you are in favor of legalizing the crossbow, then you should write to key legislators such as Sheldon Silver, Dean Skelos and your local legislators. Keep the letter simple and ask them to support the Governor’s budget bill with the provision to allow crossbows and give the DEC the authority to regulate the crossbow as a legal hunting implement.
Mention the fact that it would have a positive economic impact and would allow many more sportsmen to participate. Don’t add your personal views about how you can no longer pull a compound bow, etc. This will only confuse the legislators and perhaps cause some to try and add amendments to the bill.
I do have the addresses of legislative leaders and some sample letters provided by the New York Sportsmans Advisory Council if you need these. But the important things are to use your own words, keep it simple and act now.
Hinckley Reservoir: Today is the final day to urge the DEC to hold public hearings on the proposed increased water withdrawals from Hinckley Reservoir. Submit your comments by e-mail at r6dep@gw.dec.state.ny.us or call 793-2555 and ask that a public hearing be held before this potentially damaging action is approved.
Central New York Sportsmans Show: Save the date of February 8 for the always popular CNY Sportsmans Show. There will be the usual mix of tackle vendors, conservation groups guides, and exhibitors. You will have the chance to meet and talk with expert deer and turkey hunters, as well as various anglers. There will be new attractions as well as the return of the popular ones such as the Salerno Brothers, Trout Unlimited, NYS Big Buck scorers and Fish Creek Atlantic Salmon Club. The new lineup of attractions and seminars will be publicized in the next few weeks. Meanwhile don’t forget to submit your nominations for Sportsman of the Year.
Great Backyard Bird Count: This year’s Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by Cornell University Lab of Ornithology will be February 14 – 17. It is easy to participate; all you have to do is count the different species of birds in your backyard or other area on a given day and report it to the Cornell website. It can be a fun, family friendly way to discover and help the birds in your community. Visit the website www.birdcount.org to learn more about this event.
DEC Summer Camp Program: The NYS DEC will be accepting online applications for its 67th Annual Summer Camp Program starting January 22. The 2014 camp season begins June 29.
Parents may register campers beginning January 22 at 10 a.m. only through DEC’s convenient, online registration system and pay by credit card, e-check or with a sponsor code. Fees for the 2014 camp season remain $350 per one-week session per camper. Camp dates and a link to the online registration system are posted on DEC’s website: www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html. Families without internet access should call the camp office at 518-402-8014 for information on how to register for camp alternatively.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

New York Sportsman’s Expo opens this weekend in Syracuse


The weather this week has been brutal, or even dangerously cold. Certainly unnecessary outdoor activities were curtailed. Fortunately there will be a return to more normal seasonal temperatures this weekend just in time for the opening of the New York Sportsman’s Expo at the State Fairgrounds.
This is the third year of the Expo, not to be confused with the old Northeast Sports Show, which used to be held in the Center of Progress Building. The Expo is run by Wight-Ox Productions which stepped in when the Northeast Show folded. The Expo is a first class operation and a pure outdoor show.
When they opened in 2012 they resised the temptation to sell booth space to insurance companies, replacement windows, kitchen gadgets, etc.that plaque many so-called outdoor shows. Biting the bullet paid off in 2013 with a large number of vendors and exhibits and a big crowd of visitors. The reputation has grown rapidly and the Exhibition Hall is filled for this year with a waiting list of vendors and exhibits.
There will be a wide variety of vendors and outfitters. Guides and lodges from all over will be represented for those interested in booking a trip. Vendors include a wide range of sporting goods, usually offering show specials. Tourism agencies from various parts of New York and the Northeast will help you plan your summer or fall outings. Sporting and conservation organizations including Deer Search, Advanced Strategies, Independent Fur Harvesters of CNY and CNY Wildfowlers, and more will be represented.
There will be a wide range of seminars by experts in the field. Special guests will include TV personalities and various experts. Check the web site www.newyorksportsmansexpo.com for more information.
The show will run Friday, January 24 through Sunday, January 26. Show hours are Friday noon to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
SHORT CASTS
Bouf’s Bait & Tackle: One of the area’s newest bait and tackle shops is open and ready to serve sportsmen. Dave Malbouf, owner of “Bouf’s Bait & Tackle Shop” in Sylvan Beach is open 7 days a week from 5 a.m. until 5 p.m.
He is located at Sylvan Beach just south of the Barge Canal Bridge on the west side of Rte. 13. When I spoke to Dave earlier this week he said that in the summer he will be open until 9 p.m. Right now he is selling live bait as well as the popular lures to serve ice fishermen. He is also a prime source of information for ice fishing conditions.
Sportsman of the year Nominations: The Central New York Sportsmans Show is again seeking nominations for the CNY Sportsman of the Year. The person selected will be announced at the conclusion of the CNY Sportsman Show in Oneida on February 8. The person selected will be honored will be featured in various media and awarded prizes of merchandise and gift certificates.
Nominations may be sent by February 1, 2014 to Teri Maciag at Holy Cross Academy. For questions or more information call Holy Cross Academy at 363-1669.
The person nominated should be a well-rounded person who has given much back to the environment, the sporting community or the enhancement of the various sports. The award is not based on catching the most fish, shooting the biggest deer, etc. but on people who have done much to enable others to do it. This man or woman should be distinguished not by taking the grandkids fishing (which they should anyway) but by volunteer efforts that benefitted many others.
Past recipients of this award have set the bar high, but we know that there are many other deserving individuals out there. Take a few minutes and nominate them to be recognized for their efforts.
Save the date for the bigger and better CNY Sportsman’s Show on Saturday, February 8 at the Kallet Civic Center.
Staying Warm in Winter: Temperatures in New York this week were considerably colder than in Fairbanks, Alaska! This not only made it unpleasant to be outside, it was even dangerous if you weren’t prepared.
One of the considerations when the temperature gets this cold is always the danger of frostbite. Exposed flesh can suffer frostbite, or at least frostnip, when the temperature drops this low. Even other extremities such as hands and feet are in danger because the body constricts it circulation when it gets this cold so make sure they are warm as well as covered.
The old saying “if your hands and feet are cold, put on your hat” is still as valid as ever. Up to one half of the body’s heat can be lost through the top of the head so wearing a hat is important in winter. Since the bodily extremities like hands and feet are the first to feel the cold (due to body constricting blood vessels to conserve the heat) they need to be protected.
Wearing good gloves or mittens and footgear is vital in winter. The newer synthetics like thinsulate gloves also come in gore-tex or similar breathable fabrics that allow moisture to escape. Mittens are even warmer than gloves. Inserting hand or foot warmers can be helpful in frigid weather.
Footgear is vital since it not only keeps you comfortable, but prevents serious problems like frostbite. Make sure your boots have felt liners or synthetic insulation. Wearing too many socks can be dangerous because that can restrict the circulation and cause heat loss.
Dressing warm means starting with clothing that provides warmth and wicks away moisture from the body since damp clothing will rob the body of heat. Synthetics such as Under Armor fits snugly for warmth yet keep you dry even if you are engaged in strenuous physical activity. Adding layers of wool, fleece or insulated garments will help preserve the temperature of the core of your body.
Coffee isn’t really goof for winter warm ups, although it may feel good going down. Caffeine constricts the blood vessels making it more difficult for your body to keep the circulation going. It also is a diuretic, which may leave you thirsty and slightly dehydrated also having a negative effect on circulation. You should drink lots of water, since dehydration and lower blood volume will impair your body’s ability to circulate blood and heat.
SHOT Show: Last week I had the opportunity to attend the annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Sports Trade Show featured over 1600 exhibits. It involved a lot of walking, carefully selecting the exhibits you wanted to see, and trying to keep the overwhelming amount of information straight. In the coming weeks we will share some of the new and different products with you.
Bear Management Plan: The DEC released a draft management plan for black bears and will be accepting public comments through January 31, 2014.
The draft Black Bear Management Plan for New York State, 2014-2024 is available on the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7215.html. Black bears are a very popular wildlife species among the general public, but can cause problems when the bears become too abundant or are acting boldly in populated areas.
The plan includes proposals to expand bear hunting opportunities in many wildlife management units, especially in the Catskills and western Hudson Valley where in recent years human-bear conflicts have become more common and pose a serious threat to human safety and property.
Comments on the draft bear plan may be submitted in writing through January 31, 2014 to: NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife, Bear Management Plan, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754 or by e-mail to fwwildlf@gw.dec.state.ny.us (please type “Bear Plan” in the subject line).

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Snow provides opportunity for Adirondack winter sports

The past three weeks have seen a wide variety of extreme weather, especially in the north county. The week before Christmas was marked by a crippling ice storm in the northern Adirondacks and St. Lawrence valley. Rains took away much of the snow in many Adirondack and Tug Hill areas, followed by more snow. The frigid arctic air blast with dangerous wind chill conditions also saw several feet of lake effect snow dumped on the snow belt areas. Last week, many areas in the Central Adirondacks had 18 to 20 inches of new snow.
Recent snowstorms provided great conditions for winter outdoor recreation in the Tug Hill or Adirondack backcountry, the NYS DEC reported recently. Backcountry visitors should be prepared with proper clothing and equipment for snow, ice and cold to ensure a safe and enjoyable winter experience.
Visitors exploring the backcountry should dress for cold weather and use snowshoes and skis to navigate trails. The deepest snows are in the western and southwestern Adirondacks and the thinner depths in the northeastern section. Snow depths are deeper in the higher elevations like the High Peaks and other mountains over 3,000 feet.
DEC reports that the roadways on the Essex Chain Lakes Tract in the towns of Newcomb and Minerva in Essex County provide new excellent cross-country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities. The Town of Newcomb will plow the Goodnow Road and parking areas along the road near the access points to the Essex Chain Tract. This is the first time the public will be able to access these lands in the winter in more than 100 years.
Visitors to the Eastern High Peaks are required to use snowshoes or cross-country skis for their safety and the safety of other backcountry users. It is strongly recommended that visitors to other parts of the Adirondacks do the same. Snowshoes or skis ease travel on snow and prevent “post holing,” which can cause sudden falls and result in injuries. Ice crampons should be carried for use on icy mountaintops and other exposed areas.
Backcountry visitors should follow these safety guidelines: Dress properly with layers of wool and fleece (NOT COTTON!) clothing: a wool or fleece hat, gloves or mittens, wind/rain resistant outer wear and winter boots. Carry a day pack with the following contents: Ice axe, plenty of food and water, extra clothing, map and compass, first-aid kit, flashlight/headlamp, sun glasses, sun-block protection, ensolite pads, stove and extra fuel and bivy sack or space blankets.
Eat, drink and rest often. Being tired, hungry or dehydrated makes you more susceptible to hypothermia. Be aware of weather conditions at all times; if the weather worsens, head out of the woods. Know the terrain and your physical capabilities – it takes more time and energy to travel through snow. Never travel alone and always inform someone of your intended route and return time.
Even though the frigid weather caused thick ice to form on many waters, be careful in crossing ice. In some cases the water level may have dropped and left air space under the ice. Warmer weather and rains can cause ice to become seriously weaker. Avoid crossing ice whenever possible or proceed with extreme caution. Call the DEC Forest Ranger Emergency Dispatch at 518-891-0235 to report lost or injured people or other backcountry emergencies.
For snow conditions in the Central Adirondacks (Inlet-Old Forge area) check their websites www.inletny.com or www.oldforgeny.com. You can also check the web cams on McCauley Mountain ski area or other locations.
For information on snowmobiling, downhill skiing, cross country skiing or snowshoeing in the Adirondacks check out the current issue of “Adirondack Outdoors.” You can pick up free copies at several area locations including Sweet Temptations Café, Hanifin Tires, Philipsons or Corner Diner in Sherrill. A digital edition is available online at www.adirondackoutdoorsmagazine.com
The DEC Adirondack Trail Information web page (www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7865.html) provides current trail condition information and links to current weather, snow cover and other important information to help ensure a safe and enjoyable Adirondack backcountry winter experience.
SHORT CASTS
New York Sportsman’s Expo: The NY Sportsman’s Expo returns to the State Fairgrounds on Jan. 25–27 with double the size of last year’s successful show. The commitment of Wight-Ox productions to a pure outdoor show has paid off with an increased lineup of vendors and exhibitors. A wide variety of fishing charters, outfitters, manufacturers, sportsmen’s organizations and retailers will be on hand. There will be a full schedule of seminars, exhibits to appeal to every type of outdoorsmen and special attractions such as the Realtree Reunion of outdoor TV personalities, calling contests, casting pools, and the popular dock dogs. Hours are Friday from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check out www.newyorksportsmansexpo.com for more details.
Great Backyard Bird Count: This year’s Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by Cornell University Lab of Ornithology will be Feb. 14-17. It is easy to participate; all you have to do is count the different species of birds in your backyard or other area on a given day and report it to the Cornell website. It can be a fun, family friendly way to discover and help the birds in your community. Visit the website www.birdcount.org to learn more about this event.
DEC Proposes Regulatory Changes at Boat Launches: The NYS DEC is proposing new regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) at DEC boat launches. The proposed regulatory changes require boaters to remove all visible plants and animals from boats, trailers and associated equipment and to drain boats before launching at or leaving a DEC boat launch access. DEC will accept public comments on the proposal through Feb. 24, 2014. The full text of the proposed regulation can be found on DEC’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html. Boats, trailers and the equipment can spread aquatic invasive species from waterbody to waterbody and significantly harm recreational and commercial use of a waterbody while having a detrimental effect on native fish, wildlife and plants. This regulation is an important component of DEC’s efforts to help ensure AIS-free waters remain free and additional AIS are not introduced to other waters. Boaters are advised to carefully check their boats, trailers and equipment for any plant or animal material that may be clinging to it and remove it if found. Nuisance Invasive Species Disposal Stations are provided at many DEC boat launches for this purpose. The boat should also be completely drained, including live wells, bait wells and bilge tanks, and dried before it is used in another waterbody. Comments on the proposed regulations can be sent via e-mail to fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us, or mailed to Edward Woltmann, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753. Hard copies of the full text may also be requested from Mr. Woltmann at the above address.
Crossbow News: Governor Cuomo announced his support for a crossbow season regulated by the DEC in his recent State of the State speech. This was encouraging to proponents of a crossbow season, but there are a lot of hurdles remaining. Any bill must pass the legislature and for two years in a row, Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney, chairman of he Conservation Committee refused to allow this to happen. If you are in favor of this, you had better start writing all of your legislators because you know that NY Bowhunters, Inc. is already gearing up its campaign against it.