DEC’s Hurst to speak at LOTSA meeting
The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association will again host its annual Christmas meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 8 in the North Amherst Fire Hall, 2200 Tonawanda Creek Road, Amherst. Guest speaker will be Steve Hurst, the Department of Environmental Conservation’s chief of the Bureau of Fisheries. He is making the trek from Albany to hear what area anglers have to say about the state’s outstanding fishing resources and answer any questions, especially relating to Lake Ontario and the Niagara River. Of course, a slice or two of Western New York pizza might have entered into his decision to visit the area. There will be pizza and beverages for all in attendance.
This also will be a good time to sign up as a LOTSA member. Membership is $10. If you want to sign up for the Salmon School that is held annually at the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo (Feb. 16-19), you must do so on the club’s website at lotsa1.org. A schedule for 2023 events will be handed out at the meeting.
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The Niagara County Fisheries Development Board will be meeting the same night at the same location from 6 to 7 p.m.
Final BOW Registration for Allegany is Dec. 4
Sunday is the final day for the registration lottery to be able to attend the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) in the Snow at Camp Allegany in Allegany State Park Feb. 3-5. Once registration is closed, participants will be chosen through a random lottery. If selected, cost to attend is $295. The announcement will take place Dec. 9 and payment must be made within 48 hours.
The weekend workshop will give women an opportunity to take courses on cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, intro to Falconry, K-9 first aid, ice fishing, food preservation, knot tying, waterfowl identification, firearm handling and safety, and more. A course schedule and registration details can be found at survey.alchemer.com/s3/6637580/BOW-in-the-SNOW-Registration-2022. You must be at least 18 years of age to attend.
Niagara Co. Conservation awards nominations open
The Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs is accepting nominations for its 2022 Conservation Awards. The deadline is Feb. 28. Final details on when and where the awards banquet will be held will be announced soon. Awards consist of club of the year, sportsperson/conservationist of the year, youth of the year, dedication to Great Lakes fisheries, hunter safety training educator of the year for firearms and archery, legislator of the year, lifetime achievement award and business of the year. A nomination should be through a Federation club. For a nominations form, contact President Chris Schotz at longbarrel50@hotmail.com.
In addition to these awards, nominations are also being accepted for the Don Bronson Memorial Conservation Wall of Fame, located at Cornell Cooperative Extension Niagara, 4487 Lake Ave., Lockport. Deadline to be considered is Jan. 31. Submit your nomination to Larry Koch at mzload@yahoo.com.
Reporting big game harvest is mandatory
New York’s big game hunters are reminded that if you are successful in tagging a white-tailed deer or black bear, you are required to report your harvest to the DEC within seven days. Failure to report your harvest could result in a fine of up to $250.
Three methods can be used: Online at dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8316.html; by phone at 1-866-426-3778 (GAME RPT); or on your smartphone by downloading the HuntFishNY app.
You will be able to download all your license documents to this app. It will also allow you to report your deer, bear or turkey immediately while afield. If you have any questions on your license documents, call the sporting license hotline at 1-866-472-4332.
Fly fisherman Dave Whitlock dies at 88
Legendary fly fisherman Dave Whitlock of Oklahoma died on Thanksgiving at the age of 88 following a stroke. His contributions to the fly-fishing community were many. He was recently inducted into the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame in 2020, completing an incredible list of acknowledgements that included his induction into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, the Trout Hall of Fame and the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum Hall of Fame, among other accolades.
As a communicator, he was the author of numerous books, including the “L.L. Bean Fly Fishing Handbook”; the “L.L. Bean Bass Fly Fishing Handbook”; “Dave Whitlock’s Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods”; and “Artful Profiles of Trout, Char, and Salmon and the Classic Flies that Catch Them.” He also wrote articles for many magazines and websites on fly fishing. He was also a very successful lecturer on the subject.
In addition to writing, he was also known for his art as a talented painter and innovative fly tying. His contributions to fly fishing and all angling in general have been huge and he will be missed deeply by the fishing community.
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