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JANUARY 2004
WESTERN
NEW YORK ENVIRONMENTAL FEDERATION MEETING MINUTES
Location/Date: Gander
Mountain, 1 p.m., Sunday, January 18, 2004
ATTENDANCE: DEC - Wildlife, Russ Biss; Fisheries, Paul
McKeown, and Lt.
Thomas Scott. CFAB John Long. County Affiliates: Erie
- Robert Church,
Joe Fischer, Bob Fuller, Chuck Godfrey, Tony and Val Gonnello,
Earl
Hochdanner, and Dan Tone; Chautauqua Leo Cook, Harry Probst
(with a right
arm cast); Cattaraugus - Al Commerford, Tom Vanderbosch;
Allegany - Derwood
Say; Niagara - Gerald Bennett, Dale Dunkelburger, Mark
Richardson, and Greg
Tessman; and Wyoming John Good. (and a couple names Jim
and Ron I
couldn't read)
Chairman Gerald Bennett called meeting to order at 1 p.m.
DEC REPORT:
Wildlife (Director Russ Biss): Total deer harvest should be down
about 20
percent. Final figures sometime in late Feb. Region 9 survey
numbers about
the same as deer checked last season, 3,100 down to 3,000 in
2003. Great
bear take in the Allegany Region (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chemung
and Steuben
Counties: archery, 49; muzzleloader, 6; and shotgun. (95 total).
Jerry Farrell
and Don Bronson were chosen to serve on the regional Waterfowl
Season Task
Force.
Fisheries (Supervisor Paul McKeown): Proposed fishing
regulations can be
viewed and input can be given on the DEC Web site. Brown trout
stocking will
be reduced by 100,000 throughout the state in 2004. Chautauqua
walleyes
down; stocked 75,000 in 2003 and plan to stock 50,000 in 2004
and 2005. Lake
Erie's walleye and yellow perch hatch was great in 2003 lake
wide. Sale of
lead sinkers ½-ounce or less will be banned in New York State
beginning May
7, 2004.
Lt. Scott An Orchard Park hunter had taken too many
deer when harvesting a
big buck: 11-point, 235-pound, 25-inch spread. Details of this
arrest will
be released after prosecution. Current academy has 28 of 35
starters. If all
complete this academy, DEC will be down seven officers
statewide. Two
snowmobile fatalities in Region 9 so far this season. Hunter
Related
Shooting Incidents in Region 9: No fatalities, 2 serious
injuries.
NYS CONSERVATION COUNCIL (Dan Tone) NYSCC added a
part-time office
assistant. The Spring Meeting will be on April 24 at Herkimer
College.
Resolutions must be submitted by Feb. 1.
NYSCC Small Game Committee (Dan Tone): An Alaskan
snowshoe rabbit rearing
program may generate results helpful for snowshoe stocking in
Western New
York.
Waterfowl (Ken Zolnowski): In WNY, 2003 goose hunting was
excellent, but
duck numbers were down. Finger Lakes numbers down because of
warm December
weather.
Bear Task Force (Derwood Say): Two meetings held; no
conclusions yet.
Looking for greater hunting opportunities as populations
increase.
Hunter Education (Dale Dunkelburger): Refresher
course being set up for
region 9 instructors.
CFAB (John Long): Big game license fees down about one
million dollars.
Available money not yet released for seasonal help. We need a
Region 9
position on a "Visible Fishing License" bill proposal.
Seen as a problem
especially in Regions 5 and 6, this bill might reduce numbers of
anglers
fishing without a license.
HONORED GUESTS (NYSCC President Howard Cushing and
Legislative Vice
President Wally John. NYSCC will hold its March on Albany on
March 16 this
year. We need a schedule of who will see whom during this March.
Looking at
opening bear season in Allegany State Park; some opposition from
a deputy
commissioner. Finances: budget about $175,000 with shortfall of
about
$25,000. Freedom to Fish bill didn't pass. Legislators,
including Dick Smith
and Dale Volker among 17, forming a Sportsmen's Caucus as a
bipartisan body
to represent sportsmen.
County Affiliate Reports: Allegany, Youth Shoot on Aug.
21; Cattaraugus,
none; Erie, Erie affiliates concerned about the Friends of the
Buffalo
River's take on a walleye stocking project; Niagara, Niagara
County funding
restored; Wyoming, none; and Chautauqua, none.
Meeting ended at 3:45 p.m.
Next Meeting: Dick's Sporting Goods, McKinley Mall, 1 p.m.,
Sunday, April
18.
Will Elliott, Secretary
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