Richard Atkinson of Niskayuna was named the winner of the New York State Council of Trout Unlimited 2021 Silver Trout Award.
The Council Silver trout award is the highest award NYSCTU can bestow upon a member or chapter. It is presented to an individual TU member or a New York State TU Chapter whose activities were judged to have been the most outstanding and to have had a major impact on cold-water fisheries in New York State.
Atkinson has been involved with the NYSCTU Trout Camp for the past 15 years. He has been a driver, fishing buddy, fly tying instructor and a fly fishing mentor to the campers. He was instrumental in obtaining Orvis fly fishing equipment for the program and purchased and donated rods, reels, and a myriad of fly tying materials and supplies.
As a member of the Albany area Clearwater Chapter, he recruited campers and often continued to mentor youngsters after the camp ended.
Atkinson will be presented the award at the NYSCTU mid-year meeting on Saturday at Tailwater Lodge in Altmar.
SLINGSHOT FISHING
That’s right. Not a rod but a slingshot shooting catapult bow and arrow.
Costs start at $30.08. Google Slingshot Shooting and you will see the variety available, some with a laser sight. It should be a challenge for garpike season.
DEC ANNOUNCES ‘MY FIRST’ PRINTABLE CERTIFICATE
If you or someone you know harvests their first deer or turkey, or their first muskrat or beaver this fall, you can remember that “first” with a printable personalized certificate available on DEC’s website.
“My First” certificates are currently available for deer, bear, turkey, waterfowl, pheasant, and furbearer. You can upload your own photo into a certificate, or use a certificate with a stock picture, enter the hunter or trapper’s name and method and date of harvest, then print the finished certificate on your home printer.
To get started, go to https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/92267.html and scroll down to section titled “My First Certificates.”
HIT MORE THAN YOU MISS WITH CASE’S SHOTGUN THEOREM
I came an interesting article across written by Larry Case called “The Trail Less Traveled.” Every gun writer likes to tell you how to hit more targets than you miss, but getting the right gun will go a long way in helping you hit the mark.
Missing is part of shooting, just as sure as death and taxes. Missing keeps shooting instructors and gun writers employed and ammunition companies in business. All of us like to go shooting and spend a day at the range, none of us likes to miss.
Like most shooters, each time I see an article “How to bag more ducks this fall?” or “How to break more clays at range?” I read it with great interest.
These articles will discuss most of the tried-and-true recommendations to shooters. Don’t look at the barrel, keep your cheek welded to the stock (don’t raise your head), keep both eyes open (then some will say to put tape on your glasses over your non-dominant eye) and, of course, move your body to the direction the bird is flying (while your feet are mired in a grouse thicket of pheasant bog).
The type of shotgun you shoot and how it fits you have as much to do with your success as anything. A gun that does not fit you, just doesn’t “feel right” or kicks you like a rented mule, is no fun and you will miss more than hit. Gun owners like myself like to go on about the “man with one gun” syndrome where you use the same shotgun for trap, skeet, ducks and keeping crows out of the garden. It’s a nice thought but in truth most of us need a different gun for different jobs.
“If you know how many shotguns you have, you don’t have enough.”
Now this theory is a proven scientific fact, so any wives, girlfriends, significant others that want to protest dragging another firearm in the house, don’t look at me, it’s science.
Contact Ed Noonan at [email protected].
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