choo-choo

I have checked with the DEC. Albany and Stamford NY . They suggest discarding any fish with tumors , warts , lesions or abnormal conditions of the fish's skin, meat or internal organs. Also on page 70 of the 2017/2018 NYS Freshwater Fishing Regulations.

Those lamprey give me the creeps...we have giant lampreys that come up and lay eggs here on the Delaware...nasty. I have caught quite a few walleyes on Oneida that have warts and tumors on them...2 in one day once. I put them in a bag on my boat, regardless of their size, and they go in the dumpster when I get home. At least DEC does not count those legal size fish with tumors and warts as part of your daily limit.

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere here... I just got a flier mailed to me about a lecture by Dr. John Farrell , Professor of Aquatic and Fisheries Science at ESF, and Director of the College of Science and Forestry's Thousand Island Biological Station. (TIBS ) Wed. March 21 Gateway Center , ESF 7:30 p.m. Lecture titled "Big Fish in the Balance: Research and Conservation in a changing Environment " Check out the TIBS website , and click on photo gallery to see awesome Musky photos www.esf.edu/tibs

The NYS DEC suggests that you DISCARD any diseased fish "marked by tumors,,lesions,or other abnormal conditions of the skin, meat, or internal organs"..because the health implications of eating deformed or abnormal fish are unknown.. Do not release the fish, or eat the fish , is what they recommend.

Hi Sk8man.... My neighbors and I have had robins winter here in Delaware County, NY . I read where other parts of new York are seeing more and more robins spend the winter too. They eat berries and dried up fruit when they can't get worms.....if they have enough berries and worms to eat some will stay, if not they head south to where they can find enough food.

Thanks Kevin...You should have heard him tell the story of our hunt to his mom , dad and big sister when we got home. The excitement in his voice as he described the pounding of his heart as he tried to steady the gun was priceless. The ""rush" he got watching that big tom strut and hearing it gobble at us up close, will be with him for a long, long time. A special memorable day for both of us.

I got to take my grandson out 2 mornings last week on a youth turkey hunt down in North Carolina. It is a great way to get kids interested in the outdoors and hunting, before the regular season opens for all hunters. Good luck to all the kids participating in this years youth spring turkey hunt. I posted last weeks 2 day hunting story with a couple of pictures of my grandson in Kevin J Leggs "Scouting Turkey's" thread. Hope to hear some more youth turkey hunt stories in a few weeks.

Your spots are looking good Kevin...scouting is a big key to success. I took my 8 year old grandson out 2 mornings last week end in North Carolina for a youth turkey hunt down there. They allow 8 year olds to hunt turkeys with an adult, which is really great because that is all he's been talking about, and he was just itching to get out there and hunt turkeys. The first morning we called and called, set up in several spots, and never did hear a tom, but we did see 3 hens and 3 deer up close which really got him pumped up. We were not able to roost any birds that evening, but I had a good hunch where to set up the second morning after seeing those hens and lot's of fresh turkey sign. The second morning we got set up in the dark, a cool 28 degrees, with a Barred Owl hooting just behind us, as the sky began to brighten into a gorgeous sunrise. I began calling, no answers but a little while later I spotted a hen feeding way down on the other side of the meadow....then another. A minute or so later, my grandson said "there is a third one coming out". I put the glasses on it and it was a big tom ! We watched him Strut with those hens for over an hour and he basically ignored my calls, only answered me twice. I decided to go into plan B,...we left our decoy and stool, backed out quietly, and skirted the meadow to get closer to where he was strutting with those hens. As we got close to their location I gave out some yelps and he answered with a gobble immediately, and headed our way! I got my grandson comfortable and ready as I made another call...he screamed out another gobble ....another call another gobble...closer and closer and went into full strut at 30 yards! Another soft call he came in to 20 yards all fanned out as my grandson went into full panic-buck fever-breathing hard mode. He was trying real hard to keep that 410 shotgun bead on that monster Tom. I gave 1 more soft yelp, the tom Gobbled right at us as I whispered "shoot him".....well he shot and missed...the turkey took off...and it was over. But it was still a great hunt and an awesome morning for both of us. Here he is the first morning when we saw the hens Here he is shortly after he missed the big gobbler on the second morning

The New York Outdoor News printed a photo I took this winter of a Ruffed Grouse in full display and strutting in the current issue. They are really neat and beautiful little gamebirds and super explosive on the flush.

I was out front solo in front of Mexico yesterday too in my drift boat Giz. Electric trolling motor battery seemed a little weak, so I was rowing a lot of the time. With the off shore breeze (s-sw), I did not want to stray too far . It felt really great to be out on Ontario open water nice and early in March. I fished from about 9 am to a little after noon and caught 2 and lost 1 brown. A 4lb. male and a little smaller female went in the cooler, and I grilled up a nice fillet last night. Not the greatest day, but it is a start. I did hear fishing was better in a few other areas.. Good luck to you next time out.

I vote Coho.... for all above coho reasons and.lot's of scales came off with apparent minimal handling.

Awesome UNREEL. I've been watching (with binoculars) a pair of Bald Eagles working on a nest way up on the hillside across from my house. .I saw one struggling with a certain stick he was trying to lift down by the river, but it the end was frozen in the ice and he couldn't lift it . He tried 3 or 4 times to free it but just couldn't free it. A day later I saw him take off with stick from my yard, I followed him up to the nest with the binoculars and watched his head bobbing up and down as he worked on it's placement. I set out some more sticks for them of similar size and I've been watching to see if they come back for more sticks here. They are amazing birds and I love watching them. Thanks for sharing this link