{"id":316,"date":"2021-08-25T12:47:46","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T12:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/?p=316"},"modified":"2021-09-02T18:54:14","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T18:54:14","slug":"joe_ognibene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/joe_ognibene\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Ognibene"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n“Niagara’s
\nPremier Outdoors Website”<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b> <\/b>“Most
\ninformative and up to date outdoors website on the planet”<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n

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\n<\/span>Outdoors Niagara Exclusive<\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

<\/a>OU<\/span><\/b>TDOOR
\nSCENE<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene
\nJoe Ognibene is a local sportsman who has been
\ncovering the outdoor scene since 1957. <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Ognibene’s column is syndicated and
\nappears every week in the Niagara Sunday Gazette,
\nLockport Union Sun & Journal,\u00a0Tonawanda News, and the Medina
\nJournal.
\n<\/span><\/i><\/b>The Niagara
\nGazette is the area’s leading
\noutdoors sports information newspaper.<\/span><\/u><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n


\nMake sure you read the story of <\/a>
\n“OLD PANTS” Here, before you leave.<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/span><\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1925 – 2009<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
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Below is Ognibene’s final column 09\/28\/08
\n<\/span>Go to the story\/interview by
\nGazette sports editor Tim Schmitt HERE<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0“Niagara’s
\nPremier outdoors
\nWebsite”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/a><\/span><\/b>Visit
\nthe Niagara River fishing opportunities on this website!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

Joe Ognibene’s “Outdoor
\nScene” column is celebrating it’s 51st<\/span><\/u>
\nyear in 2008.
\nThink about it. 51 years! Congratulations Joe ~
\nSpectacular, and Thank You<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Crossbow Hunting in New
\nYork State<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

NEW! GREATEST LAKE ERIE WALLEYE STORY EVER TOLD
\nHOT SPOTS AND FISHING TIPS TO BETTER YOUR WALLEYE CATCH HERE<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

2008 Derby\/Tournament Dates ~ Greater Niagara GO HERE<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Go to our home page and look at the deformed
\nRainbow Picture 06\/24\/07<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

NEW QUESTION ON OUR MINI-POLL <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

NEW QUESTION<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

VOTE<\/span><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

To read lots more crossbow information on Outdoors Niagara
\nincluding Bill Connors column and a recent column by Daniel James Hendricks,
\nCrossbow Advocate go here: Crossbows In New York
\nState<\/a>\u00a0 Outdoors Niagara Exclusive!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Help support Outdoors Niagara! Show your peers
\nthat you care!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

NEW!!!!!\u00a0 Drop Shotting the Niagara
\nRiver and Lakes! <\/span><\/b>HERE<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n


\n
\nWALLEYE CLASSIC Information\u00a0 <\/span>
\n
\nHERE!<\/span><\/a><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday September 28\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Ognibene’s Final Column – 51+ year career comes to
\nan end.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

It
\nhas been said that all things must end and that includes outdoor columns<\/b>,
\nnamely this one, which ends with today\u2019s publication. I did not come to
\nthis conclusion lightly. Let me explain why it is time for me to bow
\nout. My right knee, which I have used, misused and abused over the
\nyears, needs replacing. Later this week that will be done and then I
\nenter a period of rehabilitation during which time we will be teaching
\nthe new knee how to walk. This means I will be on the shelf, so to
\nspeak, and unable to be out and about to gather information to write an
\ninformative column.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Another reason
\nis now that Mary is gone<\/b> I don\u2019t want to spend the winter rattling
\naround by myself in this big, lonely house. There are too many memories
\nin every room. I have decided as soon as I am allowed to drive the
\nfishing rods will be packed and I will be heading south to chase
\nlarge-mouth bass. If the sports department wants I can send back
\nperiodic reports from Florida and maybe mention any Niagara Falls
\nsnowbirds I run across.<\/p>\n

Leaving something that
\nhas been a very important part of my life for the past 51-plus years is
\nnot the easiest thing I have ever done<\/b>, but I look back with pride
\nand satisfaction knowing I did my best. Not everyone agreed with some of
\nthe stances I took and that is understandable, but I like to think I
\ntold it like it is. The New York Bowhunters will not be inviting me to
\ntheir social functions and will no doubt be happy to see me fade away.
\nThis column may fade away but the drive to legalize the crossbow will
\nnot and sooner or later it will come about. Their argument against the
\ncrossbow is the same argument presented by longbow and re-curve
\nenthusiasts when the compound was introduced. I enjoyed writing articles
\nthat exposed PETA for the bunch of hypocrites and weirdoes they are.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Another thing
\nthat I am quite proud of is my plunking down $5 to become the first
\ncharter member of Niagara River Anglers Association <\/b>when Mark and
\nJoan Daul told me about it. This is an organization that did what many
\nsaid could not be done, restocking the Niagara River with walleye that
\nmany are catching today. Thanks to the late John Long who donated land
\nfor rearing ponds NRAA became the model for other clubs throughout the
\nstate to do the same. Now the club has fallen victim to the curse that
\nhas befallen other organizations, cliques have formed and dissension is
\nrampant within the group. We can only hope that common sense among the
\nmembers eventually prevails and NRAA once again becomes the grand and
\nproud organization it once was.<\/p>\n

\u00a0It has long been
\nmy belief an outdoor column should do more than tell readers how to
\ncatch a fish or bag a deer.<\/b> There are too many problems involving
\nhunting, fishing, trapping and, most important, gun ownership that must
\nbe brought out into the open. I have tried to alert my readers when
\nlegislation needed either support or opposition on subjects involving
\nour outdoor activities. I make no apologies for the political toes I
\nstepped on over the years. They needed stepping on. The column fulfilled
\nits obligation when it drew attention to the sad shape some area launch
\nramps were in. A few were repaired and others replaced. If this column
\nwere to continue it would still thump the drum for blaze orange for all
\ndeer hunters. No, I do not advocate mandatory wearing of blaze orange,
\nbut I sure do recommend it. Movement not blaze orange is what spooks
\ndeer. Now that rifles are allowed in our Southern Tier someone wearing
\ncamo and crawling through the brush could be spotted over the sights of
\na 30:06 and that might not turn out well.
\nThe column sometimes sounded like the town scold when telling everyone
\nto be careful of guns, ladder stands, wading unfamiliar streams,
\nclimbing over fences, careless use of a bow and any other blockhead
\nstunts many of us have all pulled at one time or another. It is
\nheartening to see other have taken up the cry for signs to be erected in
\nthe lower Niagara River Gorge warning everyone of the deadly danger that
\nrushing water presents. The average tourist has probably never seen
\nwater raging as it does in the gorge and the temptation to get close can
\nbe tragic.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This column joined many
\nothers in calling for adoption of the Great Lakes Compact <\/b>by our
\nfederal government to assure the waters of our Great Lakes are not
\nexploited and sold to the highest bidder. Earlier last week the U. S.
\nCongress voted to approve the compact and was given assurance the
\npresident would sign it. The Great Lakes are now safe from diversion but
\nstill need protecting from our own stupidity by ignoring conservation
\nefforts and not halting pollution. In the years to come there is no
\ndoubt efforts will be made to undo the compact and vigilance is needed
\nby all the states bordering the Great Lakes as well as Canada
\n.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There are many problems in our
\noutdoor world at present and in the future<\/b> that calls for a voice
\nthat refuses to be stilled. Let\u2019s hope someone comes along with a \u201cfire
\nin their belly\u201d to point out what needs attention, correction or
\nelimination and screams to high heaven about it. That\u2019s what I think
\nI\u2019ll miss most, no longer rocking the boat. To all my readers, Thank
\nYou, it was one \u201chelluva ride.\u201d
\nJoe Ognibene\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark Daul’s Note:<\/b> We will all miss
\nyour column Joe. Your weekly column has been an inspiration to young and
\nold for generations and has always been something to look forward to
\neach week and at one period in time, twice a week. You are right Joe,
\nit’s been one “helluva ride” for all of us. Thank you so much for
\neverything on behalf of all of us.<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday September 21\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The all terrain vehicle is one of the most versatile machines that an
\noutdoorsman could ask for. You can use it to haul equipment to a cabin,
\ndrag a few deer out of the woods, run hunters up the hill in less time
\nthan it takes to think about and save old legs from complete collapse.
\nIt can also kill you.<\/p>\n

Lately there have
\nbeen a slew of ATV accidents and most should not have happened. In the
\npast few weeks eight accidents involving ATVs have been reported, two of
\nwhich were fatalities. Cited as major causes of accidents are speed,
\ninexperienced drivers and alcohol. There have been reports of children
\nas young as eight-years-old driving full size ATVs with tragic
\nconsequences. There is no eight-year-old who knows what to do in an
\nemergency situation on a speeding powerful machine. Three-wheeled ATVs
\nare no longer sold in this country and it is feared the four-wheelers
\nhave given drivers a false sense of security. Coupled with driving
\nwithout a helmet and a few beers under his or her belt some drivers
\nthink nothing of going upwards of fifty miles per hour on barely marked
\ntrail. Most accidents happen on little used country roads where traffic
\nis light. This is when caution is tossed to the winds and chances are
\ntaken. When three or four men, young or old, gather with a powerful
\nmachine under them testosterone takes over and challenges are issued.
\nWhy we men brag about a machine someone else made and we foolishly drive
\nlike it\u2019s Saturday night at the stock car races is beyond me. The only
\nthing we prove is that we had the down payment. Any father or mother who
\nwould allow their young children to drive an ATV should be charged with
\nendangering the welfare of a child. Snow-mobiles have their share of
\naccidents too, but being thrown into a snow drift is much easier to take
\nthan a concrete road surface. If you or any of your party will be using
\nan ATV this deer season caution should be observed at all times.
\nWhatever you do don\u2019t carry a loaded shotgun or rifle as an ATV is
\ntreated the same as any moving vehicle. Treat it with respect and care
\nand an ATV can be a valuable tool. Treat it carelessly and you could end
\nyour deer hunting trip as a patient in a hospital, or worse.<\/p>\n

With any luck at all the
\nGreat Lakes Compact will be ratified by the U.S. House of
\nRepresentatives later this month followed by the president\u2019s signature.
\nThere is some concern about allowing water to be taken from the Great
\nLakes to be bottled for sale in five-gallon containers. The language of
\nthe agreement between Great Lakes states and Canada might allow such a
\nthing to happen. The effort to contain Great Lakes water within the
\nGreat Lakes basin has taken 10 years to get to this point and it would
\nbe a catastrophe and might never come about if this became a sticking
\npoint. Let us hope this is not a ploy to allow final decisions to be
\nmade after the fall elections in the hope that south-western states gain
\ncontrol of congress. New Mexico is already on record calling for a
\nnational water policy. That means, tap into the Great Lakes and send the
\nwater out west.
\nNo one knows why sales of licenses, hunting, fishing and trapping, are
\nup this year about 75,000 over last. It could be that many deer hunters
\nare planning on putting venison in the freezer for winter. Add a few
\ngeese and ducks along with a rabbit or two and the grocery bill could be
\ndramatically reduced.
\nThe fall pheasant season doesn\u2019t open until October 18 in Western New
\nYork but if you want to hunt for them in Joseph Davis State Park on
\nSaturday Oct. 25 and November 1, you will need a special permit. You can
\nget the permit by mailing a post card to: Mary Kay Dugan, Niagara
\nFrontier State Parks, Regional Operations Office, P O Box 1132, Niagara
\nFalls, NY 14303. On the post card put your name, address, phone number,
\nback tag number and the date you wish to hunt. Forget about sending more
\nthan one card as all cards will be entered in a computer to avoid
\nduplication. There will be 126 birds released in the park.<\/p>\n

Zebra and quagga mussels continue
\ntheir relentless march across the country and have now been reported in
\nUtah. Most of the states now report the presence of the tiny zebra
\nmussel shells that clog water intake pipes and threaten the bottom rungs
\nof the aquatic food chain. It is unlikely the spread of either mussel,
\nbrought to this country in the holds of ships from the Caspian Sea, can
\nbe stopped.
\nThis coming weekend the Hew York Power Vista will be the location for
\none of the finest wildlife festivals in the state. There will be
\nhundreds of various animal exhibits, most alive, numerous hands-on
\ndisplays, talks by experts, a fishing pond stocked with live trout,
\nfishing tackle furnished, and the whole show and parking are free. Hours
\nare 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. both days at the New York Power Vista, Lewiston
\nRoad, next door to Niagara University. It\u2019s a show not only will you
\nenjoy but is something your youngsters will be talking about all winter.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From The
\nField”<\/a>
\n<\/span>Learn from experts Bill
\nJoseph and Dave Elliott<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

“Be an Outdoors Niagara
\nBooster”<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday September 13\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

We aren\u2019t too far
\nfrom the bow-hunting season and it would be a good idea to check things
\nout now to be ready on opening morning. The season opens for bow hunters
\nis October 18 and indications point to what could be a successful season
\nfor most hunters. It will be a success only if what they do before
\nopening day what needs to be done.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to believe that many
\nhunters, both bow and gun, still use homemade ladders consisting of a
\nfew boards nailed into a tree to get onto a platform they call a stand.
\nThe boards nailed in last season are not to be trusted this year due to
\nthe tree\u2019s growth that probably loosened the nails and deteriorated the
\nwood. Screw-in tree steps are inexpensive and a lot safer than a
\nnailed-in board, but a ladder stand is best. Sending an arrow towards a
\ndeer calls for an unrestricted path and a small twig or leaves can send
\nthe arrow in a different direction than aimed. If the hunter has his
\ntree stand established and has decided on which direction might be
\ncoming from then a shooting lane should be made. That means twigs,
\nbranches or leaves that might interfere with the arrow\u2019s flight have be
\nremoved. Bowstrings don\u2019t last forever and it is not pleasant when one
\nsnaps at full draw so have yours checked by an expert and replace if
\nrecommended.<\/p>\n

Now is the time to do a little
\npracticing to not only sharpen your shooting eye, but to also limber
\nmuscles that might have gone a little flabby. The advice given by most
\nprofessional trainers is to start out slowly and gradually increase the
\nnumber of pulls and length of your draw. If you haven\u2019t done any
\nshooting since last season you will be surprised on how difficult it
\nwill be to pull at full draw until you limber up those unused muscles.
\nIt would be wise to change positions and distances while target
\npracticing unless you have a guarantee a deer is going to do exactly
\nwhat you want it to do. If this will be your first year hunting with a
\nbow it would be a good idea to talk with someone who has \u201cbeen there,
\ndone that\u201d to keep your mistakes at a minimum. Be more than careful
\nwhile carrying broadhead hunting arrows, they are sharp and unforgiving.
\nSporting goods stores and catalogs are filled with the whistles and
\nbells you can outfit a bow with, but not all are needed or necessary.<\/p>\n

Fall salmon fishing has gotten
\noff to a slow start but should pick up soon. Chinook and coho are
\nbeginning to head into all the creeks along Lake Ontario and around here
\nthe two top streams are the lower Niagara River and 18-Mile Creek. The
\nother creeks on the lake, 10-Mile, Four-Mile, Keg and Johnson\u2019s will all
\ngive you some great salmon and trout fishing. Brown trout along with
\nrainbows will be chasing salmon to gobble their eggs when they spawn
\nout. The more rain we have the better as it will keep the creeks filed
\nwith water giving the fish a better chance of going far inland. An
\nexciting spot to take a youngster would be keg Creek on Route 18, east
\nof Olcott three miles. There is a large pool alongside the road where
\nsome huge salmon have been taken. During the fall run usually a large
\nnumber of brown and rainbow trout are also taken from the pool. There is
\na riffle at the downstream end of the pool and the kids will be
\nfascinated to watch salmon wiggle over wet rocks into deeper water.<\/p>\n

The most popular stream, lower
\nNiagara River, has many spots to try. Park at Artpark, walk down the
\nsteps and head upstream to a large culvert that descends from the top of
\nthe escarpment. It has always been a productive spot and there is no
\nreason why it shouldn\u2019t still be. Devil\u2019s Hole is where most fishermen
\nhead for or the fishing platform at the base of the Robert Moses Power
\nPlant. If you fish the platform you can drive your car down, unload your
\nbuddies and tackle and someone has to drive the car back up to the
\nparking lot. If you fish in the Devil\u2019s Hole be aware the water rises
\nquickly once the intake gates on the upper Niagara are closed and more
\nwater allowed to flow over the Falls filling the river. Don\u2019t be stupid
\nand try wading out to gain an advantage, unless you have a death wish.
\nBoaters will be fishing close to shore and their lines and shore
\nfishermen\u2019s are going to tangle. Be patient and cussing out the other
\nfellow isn\u2019t going to solve a thing.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, September 20, a
\none-day Walleye Classic will be held and you can sign up either at A-1
\nBait, Grauer Road, or at
\nwww.Ourdoorsniagara.com<\/a>\u00a0 where you can get all the details. The
\nclassic will be held at the same time as Fish Odyssey.<\/p>\n

Reserve the 27th and 28th of
\nthis month for the Wildlife Festival to be held at the Niagara Power
\nProject\u2019s Power Vista. There is no charge and parking is free. Hours
\nboth days will be 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. There will be plenty of wildlife,
\nsuch as Golden Eagles, capuchin monkey, owls, hawks, pheasants white
\ndeer and much more. The youngsters in the family will be fascinate by
\nMike Randall, well-known weatherman from WKBW, who won\u2019t be talking
\nabout weather, but will show his talents as a magician, puppeteer and
\nstory teller. The Niagara River Anglers will once again feature their
\nfishing pond loaded with trout youngsters can try for with furnished
\nrods and bait. It will take most of the day to take in all the sights
\nand exhibits and you can get something to eat along with soft drinks
\nwhile there. This is a premier event and it\u2019s something you or your
\nchildren shouldn\u2019t miss.<\/p>\n

The \u201crecord\u201d Coho salmon many
\noutdoor writers reported on last week turned out to be incorrect. One of
\nthe fish was eventually identified as a Chinook, the other, a, whoops,
\nCoho-Chinook hybrid. That means a world record Coho is still swimming in
\nLake Ontario.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From The
\nField”<\/a>
\n<\/span>Learn from experts Bill
\nJoseph and Dave Elliott<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

“Be an Outdoors Niagara
\nBooster”<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday September 7\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

It hardly seems possible that we are well into September and still
\nhaven\u2019t fulfilled all our summer plans. Maybe next year we can get an
\nearlier start, but for now let\u2019s think fall salmon. By now you have
\nprobably heard about a possible world record Coho salmon\u00a0 caught in Lake
\nOntario, not the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A Pennsylvania fisherman caught the
\n33-pound, seven ounce fish while onboard a charter boat out of Oswego.
\nOn the same day another Coho weighed in at 32-pounds, nine ounces was
\nrecorded from the same area. The weight of the potential world record
\nCoho exceeds the present record holder by three ounces and has captured
\nthe New York record, but will take a few months before world record
\nstatus is verified. It hasn\u2019t been all that many years since Coho and
\nChinook salmon were introduced into Lake Ontario and we now hold the
\nworld\u2019s record. The fish was caught on a flasher and cut bait trolled 43
\nfeet deep over 73 feet of water.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Not only will the lucky fisherman
\nreceive the accolades of the fishing fraternity but manufacturers of the
\nrod, reel, line, lure and whatever else they can think of will beat a
\npath to his door with fistfuls of cash. Look for pictures of the fish
\nand fisherman in next year\u2019s fishing catalogs. The charter boat captain
\nwill make out pretty well too. After all, future customers will hope
\nlightning will strike again if they get on the lucky boat. It would have
\nbeen even nicer to report the fish had been taken in Niagara County
\nwaters on board a local charter captain\u2019s boat. It\u2019s still possible as
\nfish continue to grow throughout their lifetime and there could be a
\nfuture world record Chinook or Coho in Lake Ontario that is gorging
\nitself and will eventually be taken from the lake or Devil\u2019s Hole.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With heavy salmon action almost on us
\nit would be wise to put some new line on your reels and check out the
\nguides on your rods. After a summer of casting one or more of the guide
\nliners could have popped out or had grooves worn in them and should be
\nreplaced. If you know how to rewind guides take the old one for
\ncomparison so you get the exact size replacement. Otherwise, have an
\nexpert do it for you. Replacing line is a no-brainer and you don\u2019t need
\nan expensive line winder to do the job. Thread the line through the
\nguides and onto the reel with a bit of sticky tape and simply toss the
\nspool into a pail of water. The idea of the tape is so that if the fish
\ntakes the reel-full of line let him have it rather than chancing a
\nsnapped rod. The reason for the pail of water is so the line un-spools
\ncorrectly and goes on the reel arbor in the same direction as it came
\noff. Use your thumb and a finger to put some tension on the line as you
\ncrank, you don\u2019t need much.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tackle stores are filled with various
\ntypes of lines and for the most part they will all do the job, but for
\nheavy duty fishing braided line is superior. Braided line has little, if
\nany, stretch and is more sensitive than monofilament. When setting the
\nhook the less stretch the better. It is thinner than monofilament, size
\nfor size, and will last much longer.\u00a0 It is more expensive than
\nmonofilament but in the long run worth the extra cost. In the
\nmonofilament category you\u2019re going to find a bewildering array of
\nchoices. Buy the best you can afford, as the differences aren\u2019t all the
\ngreat despite claims of the manufacturers. When salmon are on a spawning
\nrun I doubt very much they pay much attention to the color of the line
\nso discount color as a factor in your choice. Color could be a factor
\nwhen fishing for easily spooked trout in a small stream, but it takes
\nmore than color to spook a salmon in the Niagara River. Always remember
\nthat when fishing Devil\u2019s Hole or any stretch of the lower Niagara River
\nyour lure and line will come in contact with sharp rocks that could
\nknick the line. A knick means whatever the line test was it is now
\nlessened a great deal. A 20-pound test line with a knick in it could be
\nreduced to less than 5-pound test. You increase your chances of a
\nsuccessful trip if you check the first 20 or more feet or line before
\ncasting. Simply run the line through your fingers and if you feel a
\nknick cut the line to eliminate that end.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t be surprised if while on the
\nlower Niagara River you\u2019re stopped by Canadian authorities and checked
\nout. Mike Fox and I were pulled over and when Fox questioned why, as his
\nGPS indicated we were in U.S. water, we were told his GPS must not be
\naccurate and the one in the Canadian boat would be the one used. Words
\nwere exchanged, tempers flared and that didn\u2019t help matters. From that
\npoint the officer called for every bit of identification and safety item
\nhe could think of. He three shot shell like flares to fit the flare gun
\non Fox\u2019s boat were not acceptable in Canada, something about meters or
\ncentimeters. To be legal you must have six of those shot shell sized
\nflares or three regular marine flares. Then the officer asked to see
\nMike\u2019s flashlight. That\u2019s when I asked why a flashlight is needed on a
\nbright, sunny day. The officer said it could be used to alert anyone on
\nshore if help is needed. There was no sense in arguing over such
\nridiculous reasoning, after all, he was wearing the badge and who needs
\nan international incident. The only bright spot of the trip was the more
\nthan 15-pound catfish Fox caught.<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From The
\nField”<\/a>
\n<\/span>Learn from experts Bill
\nJoseph and Dave Elliott<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

“Be an Outdoors Niagara
\nBooster”<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday August 31\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0On Monday morning
\nthe special goose hunting season kicks off<\/b> and until it ends on
\nSeptember 25 hunters will be allowed eight birds a day. The regular
\nCanada goose hunting season opens on October 25 and the limit drops to
\nfive a day, but not everywhere throughout the state. Rather than go
\nthrough a long explanation of where you can take five migratory geese
\nand where only three a day are allowed go to www.dec.ny.gov and get a
\ncopy of the regulations or from a license issuing agency, if they have
\nany.<\/p>\n

In the 2008-2009 Hunting and
\nTrapping guide on pages 72-73 you will find a map <\/b>of Wildlife
\nManagement Units that will help you to find boundaries between areas
\nwhere bag limits differ. Changes have been made and you should be aware
\nof where the new boundaries are. The DEC web site will tell you which
\nWMUs allow which limits. It can be a bit confusing so take your time and
\nstudy the boundaries carefully. Most of Western New York is included in
\nthe five a day limit on Canada geese when the regular season opens on
\nOct. 25. The reason for the increase in the bag limit during the regular
\nseason is because it is known migratory and resident geese sometimes
\nmingle for a while before the migrants head south. Whether they are
\nvisiting with long lost relatives or not is unknown, but it is
\nimpossible to tell a migrating goose from a resident one. The
\nduck-hunting season will also open on the 25th of October. Your current
\nhunting license, HIP number and migratory bird stamp are valid until
\nOctober 1 when you must renew everything.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Many of us are still
\nwondering why some Canada geese<\/b> decided to stop migrating and stay
\nin the north. We still have large numbers of migrating geese that stop
\nin our area, namely at the Tonawanda-Iroquois Wildlife swamp east of
\nLockport, rest for a short time before continuing south for the winter.
\nThe same happens in the spring when the migrants stop in the swamp to
\nrest and then head for northern Canada to breed. It seems strange but
\nthe migrants keep going and it is unlikely many of our resident geese
\njoin them. Along about the second week of October the migrants begin
\nappearing and unlike our resident geese migrants fly higher and in a
\nmore organized manner. Their precise \u201cvee\u201d formation seems to be more
\norderly and their haunting call as they fly overhead reminds us frail
\nhumans summer has passed and we should prepare for winter\u2019s onslaught.<\/p>\n

The law requires a
\nshotgun that can hold only three shells<\/b>, one in the chamber and two
\nin the magazine, and most autoloaders come with a wooden plug so you
\ncan\u2019t overload. Don\u2019t do what some hunters who should know better do and
\nuse shot shells of smaller caliber to act as a plug. I know for a fact
\nthat 20guage shells being used as a plug in a 12guage gun can detonate
\nwhen the gun is fired. Luckily the fellow who stupidly did such a thing
\nhad facial bruises and a ruined, brand new A5 Browning shotgun. A simple
\nwooden dowel or stout twig cut to the proper length to fit the tube will
\nwork just fine.<\/p>\n

A lame duck
\nadministration that is partial <\/b>to big business could wreak havoc on
\nour environment if allowed to go through with what is proposed. The Bush
\nadministration wants to give power to governmental agencies to decide if
\nprojects they wish to build or issue permits for will endanger any
\nplants, animals or part of our environment. This means the Fish and
\nWildlife Agency would be ignored and bypassed. Can you imagine how the
\nstrip mine industry would react if given the opportunity to walk away
\nfrom land stripped when the coal runs out by declaring the affect
\n\u201cmarginal.\u201d Each agency would be allowed on their own to declare what is
\nor is not a marginal threat to wildlife, plants or environment. Put
\nenough marginal affects together and it could spell disaster for a large
\npart of the country. With all the hot air coming from both candidates
\nfor president it\u2019s strange nothing such as this is ever mentioned.<\/p>\n

An archery shoot will
\nbe held at the Wilson Conservation Club, <\/b>Route 425, on Sunday
\nmornings starting at 9a.m. The shoots will be held September 14, 21, 28
\nand October 5.They will be McKenzie target shoots, 20 of them, and cost
\nis $5 for members and $8 for non-members. Children under 12 are free.
\nFood and drinks will be available. The shoots are open to the public.
\nShow up with your bow and target arrows and sharpen your shooting eye
\nfor the upcoming season.<\/p>\n

Salmon are beginning to show
\nup in the lower Niagara River<\/b> and the fishing platform at the base
\nof the Robert Moses Power Plant is as good a spot as any to try. During
\nearly morning hours they can be seen rolling on the surface in Devil\u2019s
\nHole. With salmon nearing spawning time it won\u2019t be long before the
\nlower gorge becomes the hottest place in town for fishermen. Remember
\nthat the level of the river changes rapidly once the intake gates on the
\nupper river are closed. Forget wading out for your fish, the current is
\nswift and ever changing.<\/p>\n

Last week\u2019s bass fishing
\ntrip on Lake Erie was slow <\/b>due to the east wind that was blowing. It
\nmust be that the old saying, \u201cfishing is least when wind in the east\u201d is
\ntrue. Four hours of trying netted two piddling smallmouth, four gobies
\nand a lumpy boat ride. I shoulda stood in bed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From The
\nField”<\/a>
\n<\/span>Learn from experts Bill
\nJoseph and Dave Elliott<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

“Be an Outdoors Niagara
\nBooster”<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday August 24\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The
\nrecent tragic incident of a young girl from the New York City<\/b> area
\nwho slipped into the raging water of the lower Niagara Gorge should
\nserve as a reminder to all those who will soon be fishing the gorge for
\nsalmon that this is a very dangerous place to be in. Witnesses said the
\nyoungster ventured onto a sloping rock to cool her feet at the outfall
\nof the Whirlpool, slid on the slippery rock and was swept away by the
\nrushing water. It\u2019s a tragedy that should not have happened.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 It is unlikely the girl had
\never seen water as turbulent as in the Niagara River Gorge <\/b>and did
\nnot realize the danger it presented. We all like to get close to the
\nwater\u2019s edge it\u2019s a human trait that can have disastrous and deadly
\nconsequences. Those of us who have fished the gorge for salmon have seen
\nfishermen who have taken unnecessary and foolhardy chances with their
\nlives trying to gain an advantage in their attempt to catch a fish. The
\ntrail is narrow with broken rock underfoot. It can be extremely slippery
\nand many times fallen trees have to be gone around. Walking the trail
\nwhile carrying fishing rods, net and a tackle box makes the walk all the
\nmore difficult. From Devil\u2019s Hole upstream to the Whirlpool the bank
\ndrops away and the trail is perilously close to the edge. Slip and you
\ncan almost guarantee you will not be coming back. Fishing from a wet
\nrock at the Whirlpool is not the wisest thing a fisherman can do. The
\nrocks are constantly being doused with the spray from the turbulence and
\nin the excitement of battling a salmon you could take that step that
\ncould end your life. Besides, if you do hook a salmon in the Whirlpool
\nchances are you will not be able to land it. The fish will immediately
\nhead downstream and you will not, believe me, be able to turn him as the
\nstrength of the fish and the speed of the current will beat you every
\ntime.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Most sensible
\nfishermen fish Devil\u2019s Hole<\/b> where they have a reasonable chance of
\ntaking their fish. Even there some fishermen do some stupid things, such
\nas wading out into the water at the head of the hole and standing on
\nrocks 50 or 60 feet from dry land. They may not know it but those rocks
\nwill be covered with about five feet of water in a short time once the
\nintake gates on the upper Niagara are closed and more water flows over
\nthe falls. Crawling onto abutments at the downstream end of the Robert
\nMoses Power Plant is not the wisest thing they could do either. The
\nlower Niagara River Gorge is no place to be wading as you would the
\nWiscoy or any of our Southern Tier streams.
\nNo one knows how many tourists wander into the gorge from either Devil\u2019s
\nHole or Whirlpool State Park not knowing of the dangers that are at the
\nbottom. It is my feeling large signs should be erected warning of the
\npotential dangers not only at the top of the gorge, but also along the
\ntrail. If the state would allow it erecting signs warning of the danger
\ncould be a worthwhile project for the Niagara River Anglers to
\nundertake. It would be impossible to make the trail safe as winter\u2019s
\nsnow and ice causes rock erosion and mudslides that constantly change
\nthe profile of the trail. If this season will be your first time fishing
\nin the gorge remember it a dangerous and unforgiving area and everything
\nis stacked against you if you take chances. The fish hasn\u2019t been born
\nyet, and never will be, that\u2019s worth risking your life over
\nIn case you hadn\u2019t heard yet licenses for 2008-2009 have been on sale
\nsince August 18. You can purchase your Deer Management Permit at the
\nsame time as you do your new licenses. Approximately 530,000 permits
\nwill be available for this upcoming season. Your current license expires
\non October 1. If you have reached the age of 65 you qualify for a senior
\nsportsman\u2019s license that includes fishing, small game and big game
\nhunting privileges for $5 per year. Also for those 65 or older a
\nlifetime license is available that includes hunting, fishing, big game
\nand turkey for $50. This means you can move to anywhere you want and
\nstill receive your lifetime New York license to use whenever you return
\nto the state. The license will be mailed to you yearly.<\/p>\n

Selling black
\ncrappie could be costly for two Rochester brothers,<\/b> Alex and Robert
\nDoughty, and fish market operator Sungkyo Choi, all face hefty fines and
\npossible prison time. They were caught with more than 1,000 of the small
\nfish. Possession of undersized fish and illegal buying and selling
\nprotected fish are charges lodged against the three men. Value of the
\nfish was estimated at more than $1,500. Most of us have caught crappies
\nfrom Lakes Chautauqua or Black and though they can be fun to catch in
\nearly spring they are a nuisance to clean and not all that great in the
\neating department.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 Expect to be given a \u201conce
\nover\u201d if you\u2019re out on either of our lakes by various law enforcement
\nagencies.<\/b> The Border Patrol, sheriff\u2019s department, U. S. Coast
\nGuard, DEC Patrol along with Canadian boats are cruising the lakes
\nlooking for suspicious activities. The stops are random and take only a
\nfew minutes if you have your licenses in order and the boat has all the
\nrequired equipment. Check yourself out before leaving the dock and you
\nhave nothing to worry about.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From The
\nField”<\/a>
\n<\/span>Learn from experts Bill
\nJoseph and Dave Elliott<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

“Be an Outdoors Niagara
\nBooster”<\/b><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday August 10\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

With salmon fishing
\nlooming <\/b>on the not to distant horizon the wise fisherman will begin
\nchecking his equipment so that when the day comes he or she will be ready.
\nRods, reels and line require attention and repair or replacement if
\nneeded. The rods and reels will probably not need replacing, but there is
\na good chance the line does.<\/p>\n

Go into any tackle store<\/b>
\nand the choice of lines can be bewildering. It seems everybody and his
\nuncle makes fishing line and each and every one will claim to be the best
\nmoney can buy. Let me tell you a little secret. Much of the fishing line
\non the market today is made by a very small number of manufacturers. The
\nOkey Doakey line company might make a clear monofilament line today and
\npackage it for Whoosis Tackle Company and tomorrow package it for
\nWhatisname Company. They might change the color, but that\u2019s about all. The
\nsame is true for fly-fishing line as only a few companies make their own
\nfly line.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 To cut through the
\nconfusion <\/b>about fishing line it would be safe to say there are limited
\ntypes of fishing line to consider, monofilament and fluorocarbon of which
\nthere are many varieties, and braided, made of man made, cloth like
\nfibers. Monofilament comes in a wide variety of sizes and strengths. Each
\nline company will assure you theirs is the best and will help you catch
\nthe most and heaviest of fish. You can choose between monofilament,
\nfluorocarbon, fluorocarbon and nylon, copolymer and a few others. Straight
\nmono and fluorocarbon are most popular. You can buy either in colors that
\ndisappear in the water, very fine diameter, low stretch, abrasion
\nresistant, high impact strength and whatever other superlatives the sales
\nforce can come up with. So far as testimonials by fishing tournament
\nwinners is concerned, they are being paid to extol the virtues of a
\nparticular line, so take it with a grain of salt. T o be on the safe side
\nbuy the best you can afford, as the name brands are all pretty much the
\nsame. They may brag about low visibility in the water or low stretching,
\nbut when it comes right down to it, it\u2019s doubtful if seeing a fishing line
\nwill spook a hungry bass. About the only time a fishing line might spook a
\nfish is when you\u2019re fly-fishing. Regardless of the pound test a mono line
\nit is going to stretch some, especially when you set the hook. The heavier
\ntests won\u2019t stretch as much, but they will stretch some and that\u2019s why
\nserious salmon fishermen choose a braided line. Braided line is made of
\nmanmade fibers and has practically no stretch at all.<\/p>\n

The diameter
\nof braided line is much smaller<\/b> than the same pound test in mono or
\nfluorocarbon, which means more can be stored on a reel. It casts well and
\nis not affected by sunlight as mono or fluorocarbon is. When using braded
\nline you must be careful making knots as it is so slick a normal knot can
\neasily slip apart. The Palomar knot is your best bet. Also be very careful
\nwhen knotting as you could cut a finger when tightening. When a fish hits
\na simple flick of the tip is enough to set the kook. Braided line is more
\nexpensive than mono, about double, but well worth the added expense in a
\nlonger life.<\/p>\n

Either mono or
\nbraided will work for you,<\/b> but if you\u2019re going after large fish,
\nsalmon, muskies or walleye, I would recommend braided line. Color is not
\nimportant because it eventually washes off. Follow manufacturers
\ndirections on knotting leaders made of mono to braided line, it can be
\ntricky.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to
\nRon Mrzygut,<\/b> winner of last week\u2019s Big Bass Contest sponsored by A-1
\nBait and OutdoorsNiagara.com\u00a0 Mrzygut entered two bass that weighed
\nin at 7 lbs, 9 oz. Paul Brown<\/b> placed second with 7 lbs, 4 oz. and
\nRich Domin <\/b>came in third with two fish weighing 7 lbs, 3 oz.
\nConsidering this was the first of what is hoped to be many more Big Bass
\nContests 62 entries were received. Judges said many fish that weighed
\nthree or more pounds were entered. A-1 and Outdoors Niagara are planning a
\nFall Walleye Classic<\/b> to coincide with Niagara County Derby on
\nSaturday, September 20. More details as they become available.<\/p>\n

Another invasive threat
\nto <\/b>our fishery is being fought in the eastern end of the state in the
\nhope that it can be eradicated before it spreads. Northern snakeheads, a
\npredatory invasive fish has been found in wetlands near Slate Hill, in
\neastern New York. DEC officials are using Rotenone, a pesticide that kills
\nfish, in a nearby lake and streams to kill off the snakeheads. Fish from
\nRidgeway Lake were netted prior to the application of rotenone and stored
\nin a holding tank until the effects of the poison wears off. Snakeheads
\nare an Asian import and threaten the majority of native fishes as they eat
\nwhatever they can catch. They can lay up to 50,000 eggs at a time and can
\nlay up to five times a year. The effect of rotenone breaks down within two
\ndays and is not considered harmful to humans of any animals that might eat
\nfish carcasses. If the snakeheads are not eradicated they could migrate
\ninto the Hudson River and from there into the interior of the state and
\nthen just about anyplace in the country. That\u2019s all we need, another
\nunwanted Asian pest in our waters. <\/b><\/p>\n

See a video on these Northern
\nSnakeheads HERE<\/span><\/a><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From The
\nField”<\/a>
\n<\/span>Learn from experts Bill
\nJoseph and Dave Elliott<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

“Be an Outdoors Niagara
\nBooster”<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday May 25\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW QUESTION!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

A bill
\nauthorized by Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte <\/b>(D-Lewiston), which
\nprohibits the sale of fish taken by sport fishermen has passed the Assembly.
\nAt present the law allows the sale of fishes that are not subject to
\nstatewide minimum size limits or seasonal restrictions. DelMonte said,
\n\u201cCurrently the state does not do enough to protect our commercial fishermen.\u201d
\nThis means when and if the bill becomes law fishermen can no longer sell bull
\nheads, yellow perch, American shad, sun fish, blue gills and any other fish
\nthat has a size limit to it or is seasonal. It is not uncommon to read about
\nunscrupulous sport fishermen catching large numbers of the aforementioned
\nfish and selling them to restaurants, especially yellow perch, shad and
\nbullheads. The practice is carried on mostly in the larger cities throughout
\nthe state with New York City the most notorious. A fishing license is issued
\nso the bearer can enjoy fishing, not a shortcut to making a couple bucks.<\/p>\n

If you are a senior
\ncitizen<\/b> you can launch free of charge at any of the local state launch
\nramps during weeks days only. On Sundays and holidays you pay the same as
\nanyone else. Simply show your driver\u2019s license or birth certificate to the
\nattendant on duty.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From The
\nField”<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/b>Learn from experts Bill
\nJoseph and Dave Elliott<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday May 11\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW QUESTION!<\/b><\/span>
\nThis May 11 column condensed on May 18th and
\nsaved because of it’s contents.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The firearms industry heaved<\/b> a
\ncollective sigh or relief recently when a federal appeals court dismissed an
\neight-year old lawsuit against the industry. The lawsuit, filed in 2000 by
\nthen-mayor Rudy Guliani, tried to hold gun makers liable for criminal misuse
\nof their product. The court decided Congress \u201cintended to protect from
\nvicarious liability members of the firearms industry who engage in the
\n\u2018lawful design, manufacture, marketing, distribution, importation or sale\u2019 of
\nfirearms.\u201d The court stated that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms
\nAct, enacted in 2005 is constitutional and the lawsuit should have been
\ndismissed sooner.<\/p>\n

Suing gun makers for
\ncriminal actions by someone who misuses a gun would be t<\/b>he same as suing
\nany of the automobile manufacturers for auto accidents the kill or injure
\nsomeone. How anyone can lay blame on the manufacturer for misuse of a product
\nis hard to fathom. It\u2019s one thing to blame the maker of a defective or shoddy
\nproduct, but blaming the maker for stupid, careless or criminal actions of
\nanyone using the product is ridiculous. Speaking of shoddy products, the
\nfollowing might be of interest.<\/p>\n

A hearty
\n\u201cattaboy\u201d to fellow outdoor writer, Bill Hilts Jr<\/b>., on being elected to
\nthe board of directors of Outdoor Writers Association of America. It is an
\nhonor well deserved and Bill is ideal for the job. The only problem with such
\nan honor is you have to go to all those meetings instead of going fishing.<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u00a0On Outdoors Niagara! OUTDOOR CALENDAR<\/a> \/ <\/span><\/b>Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE
\n<\/span><\/b><\/a>Be
\nan OUTDOORS NIAGARA Booster!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Post your Comments &
\nQuestions on:\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors Niagara Message
\nBoard & Forum<\/b> \u00a0 <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Go To Straight Talk “Straight From
\nThe Field”<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/b>Learn from experts
\nBill Joseph and Dave Elliott<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

OUTDOOR
\nSCENE –\u00a0<\/span><\/b> “A CLASSIC” <\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday March 30\u00a02008\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW QUESTION!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/a>“OLD PANTS”<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0About 25
\nyears ago I<\/b> wrote a column about an old pair of hunting pants that for
\nyears had hung on a nail in the cellar. I mentioned how they had served me
\nwell until the waistline had shrunk a bit and the rips let in the cold and
\nthe stains got worse. That\u2019s when I hung them on a nail in the cellar and
\nforgot about them for years. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0It was about five years later<\/b> that I noticed them hanging there
\nall dusty, covered with sawdust and mold on what used to be leather patches
\non the knees and seat. I got to thinking, \u201cthose pants served me well and
\nshouldn\u2019t be just hanging on a nail.\u201d I found a respectable hanger, brushed
\nthe dust and sawdust off, turned the worst stains to the wall and re-hung
\nthem near some deer racks taken while wearing the old pants. I wrote a column
\nabout those old pants in 1982 that the late John Long said he very much enjoyed
\nreading about \u201cOld Pants.\u201d I ran across \u201cOld Pants\u201d the other day while in
\nthe cellar and was surprised when he greeted me, \u201cHey, you old geezer, I see
\nyou\u2019re still on the right side of the grass.\u201d I had to smile and then said,
\n\u201cI see you\u2019re holding your own and don\u2019t look a day older than back in \u201982.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s
\nwhen I really looked <\/b>Old Pants over and got to remembering. Remembering
\ndays gone by when the whole world of hunting and fishing stretched out in
\nfront of me like a never-ending highway. Back when working the second shift,
\ngrabbing a couple hours of sleep and heading out to a goose blind by 4:00
\na.m. was not unusual. Back when I insisted on driving deer so the \u201colder
\nguys\u201d could sit on a watch. Wading an ice cold Wiscoy was not a problem,
\nafternoon naps unheard of, no hill too difficult to climb and snow, ice, rain
\nand wind were minor things taken in stride. Those were what I called my
\nhalcyon days and I thought they would never end, as many of us thought the
\nsame. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nBack then Old Pants had a waistline <\/b>of 30 inches and wasn\u2019t a bit
\nsnug, His knees and seat were double with a leather covering to turn away
\nthorns, thistles and briars. I crawled on my belly after geese, waded icy
\ncreeks to retrieve downed ducks and bulled through briars without a thought
\nto what was happening to Old Pants. They were my favorite pants and I wore
\nthem constantly. Ideal for helping dig a flower garden, change oil in the
\ndriveway, shoveling snow, shingling a roof or gutting out a deer. That\u2019s
\nwhere the first serious stain came from, an eight-pointer taken when Old
\nPants was almost new. Then oil changes in the driveway added a few more and
\nthe first rip came when my north end was too high while wriggling under a
\nbarbed wire fence. I figured the bloodstain could be called a badge of
\naccomplishment so I never did bother to try clean it. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nAs the years rolled by the rips became more frequent<\/b> and I noticed Old
\nPants was beginning to show his age. It seemed to me that his waist had shrunk
\nand the many rips I had tried to sew were letting in the cold chilling legs
\nthat weren\u2019t getting any younger. That\u2019s when I replaced Old Pants and
\nrelegated him to the cellar. I mentioned some of the things we had done
\ntogether to Old Pants, heard him sigh and then he said. \u201cWell, we both had us
\na time didn\u2019t we?\u201d \u201cNow that we\u2019re octogenarians is as good a time as ever to
\nlook back with a smile or two. Think back to those great days on the top of
\nCameron Hill, the farm in Lyndonville chasing wild geese with \u201cBud\u201d McCabe,
\nthe poker games at the Gasport Conservation Club meetings and getting lost in
\na briar patch outside Arcade.\u201d \u201cYep,\u201d he said, \u201cthose were good days and I
\ntold you then you would never have a pair of hunting pants that could
\nreplaced me.\u201d Old pants was right, I never have found any that fit as well,
\ncould take the punishment Old Pants did and feel as though they were a part
\nof me. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Old
\nPants told me one of the things <\/b>about getting older is that your memories
\nof things that happened grow fonder. Thinking back now the Wiscoy was cold,
\ndamnably cold, and wriggling on my belly to shoot a goose couldn\u2019t have been
\nfun. Getting hooked on barbed wire meant a trip to the emergency room for a
\ntetanus shot and slopping hot oil on my legs while under a car meant a rap on
\nthe head when backing away. That\u2019s when Old Pants said, \u201c I see you\u2019ve got
\nmore than 50-years of writing in back of you now, but then, you always were
\nlong winded.\u201d He said, \u201cI told you back then Father Time was creeping up on
\nus and he\u2019s going to be the winner.\u201d I thought then of the fellows I hunted
\nwith on the top of Cameron Hill, Al, George, Bernie, Woody, \u201cButch\u201d Ramming
\nand a few others whose names escape me. My long time deer hunting partner,
\nHarold Rhinehart, is gone along with Leonard \u201cBud\u201d McCabe and many of us
\nstill miss John Long and his crinkly smile. Most of all, I miss Mary, my wife
\nof 35 years and the joy of being married to her and the fun times we had. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nShe repaired Old Pants many times <\/b>after some of my escapades. We
\ntramped all over the country together, climbed mountains in Montana, fished
\nthe Bow River in British Columbia, tented in the bush in northern Ontario,
\ncaught sockeye salmon in Alaska, ate Mexican food in Albuquerque, fished the
\nsurf at Cape Hatteras and generally raised hell from one end of the country
\nto the other. Now I\u2019m glad I was a photographer and have photos galore of our
\nlife together along with some of the fellows who were also a part of my life.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Old
\nPants then said,<\/b> \u201cWith any luck at all we\u2019ll both last a few more years
\nand our memories with only get better and more treasured.\u201d I told him that I
\nsuppose that\u2019s some consolation, but it sure would be nice if we could start
\nall over again. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE
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\nQuestions on:\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors Niagara Message
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 <\/p>\n

OUTDOOR
\nSCENE<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday March 23 2008<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span><\/b>Be sure to vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW
\nQUESTION!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n


\nNow we wait. <\/b>Wait for a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on what the
\ncountry\u2019s founders meant when they wrote the Second Amendment to the U.S.
\nConstitution. The amendment states, \u201cA well regulated militia, being
\nnecessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep
\nand bear arms shall not be infringed.\u201d I think the first argument about the
\nmeaning of the amendment started the day after it was written and hasn\u2019t
\nstopped yet. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0For
\nmany of us<\/b> who enjoy hunting or target shooting we feel it means we have
\nthe constitutional right to own guns. For others it means only those who
\nserve in some form of militia should be allowed to have guns. The case argued
\nbefore the court earlier this week was to decide if the ban on handguns in
\nthe District of Columbia is a violation of the Constitution\u2019s Second
\nAmendment. The ban was struck down earlier this year and the appeal of that
\ndecision is now being decided. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0We
\nare all familiar<\/b> with the arguments against anyone owning handguns, rifle
\nor shotguns. The books are filled with laws and restrictions that hinder
\nlaw-abiding citizens, but are ignored by persons intent on criminal
\nactivities. In this state a permit is required to buy or carry a handgun and
\ngetting the permit is not easy. In New York City it is next to impossible to
\nacquire a handgun permit. The law in New York is so stringent that police
\nofficers from elsewhere are not allowed to carry their service handguns while
\nin the city. Another example of a gun restriction that works against the law
\nabiding is one in Los Angeles that allows owning and possessing a shotgun in
\nyour home just as long as it is unloaded and locked with a trigger guard.
\nThat gun would be little, if any, help against someone trying to enter your
\nhome through a window in the middle of the night. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nThe hue and cry about the number of gun deaths<\/b> in this country is
\nnever ending. Deplorable as senseless gun deaths are, the numbers pale when
\ncompared to deaths allegedly caused by hospital mistakes in this country. It
\nhas been reported that in an average year almost 100,000 deaths are caused by
\nerrors within hospitals. It has only been in the past few weeks the public
\nhas been made aware of the problem. As far back as 1999 it was reported that
\nabout 12,000 people die annually from unnecessary surgery. Why has it taken
\nthis long for this to become public knowledge and where was the media all
\nthis time? Most were practicing \u201cband wagon\u201d journalism and joining the crowd
\nin condemning guns and gun ownership because it was an easy story to cover.
\nMost had never hunted, handled or fired a gun and were concerned only with a
\nsensational \u201cbyline\u201d story about guns and the havoc they can cause. Those of
\nus who own guns deplore senseless killings and don\u2019t want guns in the hands
\nof irresponsible or mentally unfit persons, but we don\u2019t always know who
\nmight fit into those categories or how to make the decision. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0I feel the court\u2019s decision<\/b> will uphold the overturning of the
\nD.C. ban and could have repercussions across the country. Gun laws throughout
\nthe country are a Hodge pot of conflicting and ambiguous regulations that can
\ndiffer from town to town within a state or county. A ruling by the court
\ncould help decipher many of those confusing regulations. A ruling should come
\ndown sometime in mid-summer and some of us will be pleased while others will
\nwonder where this country is headed for. Whichever way the ruling comes down
\nthose bent on criminal activities will not be affected. Only law-abiding
\ncitizens will feel the impact, one way or the other. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nOne of the first acts by Governor David A. Paterson<\/b> was to sign the
\nGreat Lakes Compact, which many have been calling for. We now wait for four
\nother states that border the Great Lakes to sign on and that will then make
\nit more difficult for water-hungry states to take our water. The eight states
\nthat border the Great Lakes are at odds with the Bush administration over
\ndeep cuts dealing with Great Lakes water quality and other environmental
\nissues in the 2009 budget. About 16 percent, or roughly $56 million was
\neliminated from the budget that called for $354 million. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nWe must not relax in our efforts to keep Great Lakes water <\/b>right where
\nit\u2019s at and safe from exploitation. Don\u2019t for one moment think it could not
\nbe moved south or west because it could be done very easily. If we can move
\noil from Texas to New York via pipelines sending water the same way would not
\nbe a problem. Already southwestern states are hoping New York loses enough in
\npopulation to lose seats in federal government. Then it would an easy matter
\nto defeat any proposals to keep Great Lakes water within the confines of the
\neight states that border them. Of course, before any other state can siphon
\nour water they will have to contend with Canada, which borders the lakes. I
\ndoubt if our Canadian neighbors will appreciate seeing Great Lakes water
\nbeing shipped out with the possibility of lowering levels of the lakes to the
\ndetriment of shippers and fishermen, commercial and sporting. <\/span><\/p>\n


\nEnvious eyes are looking at <\/b>our Great Lakes because there is money to
\nbe made by selling or shipping water and that\u2019s as good a reason as any why
\nwe can\u2019t let our guard down.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

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\nan OUTDOORS NIAGARA Booster!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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\nQuestions on:\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors Niagara Message
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\nAN OUTDOORS NIAGARA BOOSTER!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

OUTDOOR
\nSCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 51 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday January 27\u00a02007\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW QUESTION!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

NRAA in danger of destruction<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I am sure most of you know
\nwhy<\/b> I stopped writing the column at the end of December. Since mid
\nOctober I was more concerned with caring for and helping Mary, my wife of
\nmore than 35 years, in her battle with colon and liver cancer. She lost the
\nbattle earlier this month.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 Mary and I spent much of the
\npast 35 years<\/b> enjoying traveling, hunting and fishing, fixing up the
\nhouse, tolerating and loving three cats, two dogs all the kids and generally
\nenjoying our lives together. Her version of fishing was to dangle a hook with
\na bit of worm on it in shallow water and catching rock bass. If a larger fish
\ncame along she would jerk the bait away from it. When she did hook a fish it
\nwas my job to unhook it and put it back and was always told, \u201cdon\u2019t hurt it.\u201d
\nHunting meant kicking dry leaves and admiring wild flowers. We never got much
\ngame when hunting together, but we did enjoy each other\u2019s company.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m told the emptiness
\nand heartache lessens in time<\/b>. I hope so. Meanwhile, I will try to get
\nback into the swing of things and put meaning back into the column. My
\ndeepest thanks to all those who sent cards, visited the funeral parlor or
\ncalled. Your support meant more than you know. Lest I forget, my everlasting
\ngratitude to the staff and attendants at Lockport\u2019s Hospice House who made
\nMary\u2019s final days as comfortable and pain free as possible. They helped her
\nto leave with dignity for which I am grateful.<\/p>\n

For the past year I
\nhave tried to avoid <\/b>mentioning a subject that most members of the Niagara
\nRiver Anglers Association are aware of, but have done little to rectify. I
\nrefer to the rift within the club that if allowed to continue will surely
\ndestroy what has grown to be one of the finest fishing clubs in the state.
\nBluntly put, there are two factions warring within the club, one group
\nsupporting NRAA founder Mark Daul and the other club president Paul Jackson.
\nThe rift showed itself markedly at the recent 25 Anniversary Dinner where I
\nwas told I was the only charter member there. I expected to see many of those
\nwho in the early days of the club were instrumental in forming, guiding and
\nworking to make NRAA what it is today, but they weren\u2019t there. The dinner was
\nnot a victory dinner for the Jackson followers it was a celebration of
\naccomplishments over a quarter century by all members. More members,
\nespecially charter members, should have been there. Of the slightly more100
\npeople at the dinner I\u2019m told only 40 were club members.<\/p>\n

It is not the intention
\nof this column to side <\/b>with either group in the dangerous splitting of
\nmembers at the expense of the club\u2019s well being. There has seldom been any
\norganization in history that was free from internal dissension. Our first
\npresident, George Washington was castigated by Thomas Jefferson his one-time
\nloyal supporter. France\u2019s Louis 16th was condemned to the guillotine by
\nformer loyal supporters. Catherine the Great of Russia was betrayed by those
\nshe had placed in power and Abraham Lincoln was derided and ridiculed by
\nmembers of his own cabinet. The NRAA joins an illustrious group battling
\ndissension and discontent within itself. I don\u2019t advocate kiss and makeup, it
\nwill never happen. What I am saying is the welfare of NRAA takes precedent
\nover personal feelings. Dislike each other all you want, but keep NRAA out of
\nit. This is too fine an organization to be ripped apart by petty personal
\nfeelings. NRAA has lasted this long and should last many more years and will
\nif members remember the club is not about individuals, it is about
\nindividuals working together towards a common goal, making NRAA the top club
\nin the state.<\/p>\n

It appears by month\u2019s
\nend you <\/b>will be required to carry governmental approved identification to
\nre-enter this country after a trip out of it. This means on your return from
\na quick visit Aunt Matilda in Niagara Falls, Ontario, you had better have
\nproper identification or you might not be allowed back into the country. The
\nblockheads in Washington have been more concerned on how to keep us out of
\nour country than what happens when someone doesn\u2019t have the identification
\nBig brother says we must have. From everything I have read about the upcoming
\nidentification requirement not one word has been mentioned about those
\nuniformed about it. There will be no problem leaving the country, just
\ngetting back in. I can see it now, the rejects at our border huddling
\ntogether in the middle of the Rainbow Bridge, or the traffic jam at any of
\nthe bridges as cars filled with tourists coming back from a visit to Canada
\nare refused entry. Your boat could be stopped in either lake if you are
\nspotted approaching the U.S. side of the border and be asked for \u201cyour
\npapers, please,\u201d by an overzealous border guard. How about fishing around
\nOntario\u2019s Navy Island and then coming back to the launch at Big Six Creek? I
\npredict what could be the biggest border tie-up in history this summer if
\nWashington is allowed to carry out their hair-brained scheme.<\/p>\n

Your non-resident, Ontario,
\nCanada, Conservation Fishing License<\/b> has gone up in price. It now will
\ncost you $41.17 for the one-year license. Call 1-800-667-1940 and have your
\ncredit card handy. It takes about three weeks before it\u2019s delivered by mail.
\nAvoid any possible hassles this spring by sending for it now.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u00a0On Outdoors Niagara! OUTDOOR CALENDAR<\/a> \/ <\/span><\/b>Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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\nQuestions on:\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors Niagara Message
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\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR
\nSCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 50 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday December 9\u00a02007\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW QUESTION!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The Great Lakes Compact Revisited<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Hardly a day goes by that a
\nnews <\/b>article about the Great Lakes and
\nthe problems they face does not appear in the news. The greatest problem
\nfacing our lakes is the possibility that one day other states will run pipes
\nup to one or more of them and siphon our water away. If oil can be piped from
\nTexas to
\nnorthern refineries water can be sent to other states the same way.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 This column has been clamoring
\nfor years<\/b> that the Great Lakes Compact must be ratified by congress so
\nthat other states can\u2019t take our water. The compact has the approval of most
\nof the Great Lakes governors and the
\nquestion is why aren\u2019t they all on board. New
\nYork is one of the states that has not yet signed the
\ncompact although public sentiment is all for it. The present laws are
\ninadequate to protect our water and keep it here at home where it belongs.
\nSchemes to load tankers with our fresh water for<\/p>\n

\u00a0 Arabian countries<\/b> have been
\nnipped in the bud both in this country and in Canada
\n. The compact must be ratified before the census in 2010
\ncould see a congressional shift with 25 House seats taken from Great
\nLakes states and given to states from drier parts of the country.
\nThat would be like giving a thief a license to steal and then we can kiss the
\nGreat Lakes goodbye. Governor Bill
\nRichardson of New Mexico
\n, one of many running for the presidency, would be delighted if
\nthe compact were not signed. He has suggested a \u201cnational water policy,\u201d
\nclaiming \u201c Wisconsin is
\nawash in water.\u201d He and governors from the South and Southwest are drooling
\nover our Great Lakes waters and will do
\ntheir utmost to have it diverted to them.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 It has been estimated that<\/b>
\nthe water level in Lake
\nOntario will fall
\nalmost 14-inches by 2030. Lake Erie it is
\nestimated will fall almost four feet in that period. If other states were
\nallowed to draw water from any of the Great Lakes
\nit influences the levels of all of them. Can you imagine Lake
\nOntario with almost 14
\ninches of water gone? Or Erie
\nalmost four feet lower than it is now. Reefs that are now under
\nwater would be readily seen and a lot of
\n<\/span>props and boats will be scraping bottom. The shoreline of both lakes
\nwould not be the same as today. Boat docks would be high and dry and look
\nlike photos of some southern lakes that are almost bone dry.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 The lower water levels <\/b>would
\ninterfere with fish spawning and our walleye fishery now making a dramatic
\ncomeback in Lake
\nOntario could be wiped
\nout. The lower levels would be conducive to rapid warming which would be
\nideal for largemouth bass but not for walleye. The more that 140 exotic
\nspecies that were brought to this country in ballast water would more than
\nthrive and competition for remaining forage would be fierce with our game
\nfish coming out second best. We have time to save our waters if everyone
\nmakes an effort to have the Great Lakes Compact ratified by the state and
\nCongress. Let your conservation club know you want them to work towards that
\ngoal. Call you local representatives and ask them what they are doing about
\nit. I have the feeling some politicians are dragging their feet on this in
\nthe hopes that by protecting entities that want to ship our water to some
\nother state they will land a cushy lobbying job one day. I have heard that
\nthis is done in political circles. If any of you have the opportunity, ask
\nany of the hopefuls running for the presidency if they are for or against the
\nGreat Lakes Compact, if they know anything about it. Expect a lot of double
\ntalk, hemming and hawing, but not a straight answer.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 Our salmon season is winding down
\nrapidly<\/b> and from now until the flowers bloom in spring trout will be the
\ntargeted fish. All trout with the exception of lake trout are fair game all
\nwinter. Lakers will open on New Years Day. You are limited to three trout or
\nsalmon a day in any combination. The combo may not include more than two lake
\ntrout of which only one may be between 25 and 30 inches. The other one can be
\nany length. Only one Atlantic salmon included in the three fish limit and
\nrainbows must be a minimum of 21 inches.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u00a0On Outdoors Niagara! OUTDOOR CALENDAR<\/a> \/ <\/span><\/b>Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Post your Comments &
\nQuestions on:\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors Niagara Message
\nBoard & Forum<\/b> <\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 50 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday December 1\u00a02007\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW QUESTION!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0It could be mid-summer
\nof 2008 <\/b>before the U. S. Supreme Court hands down its verdict on whether
\nan individual has the constitutional right to own a firearm. Last March the
\nU. S. Court of Appeals found that a Washington, D. C., law prohibiting anyone
\nfrom having a handgun in their home violated the Second Amendment of the U.
\nS. Constitution. The Second Amendment assures an individual the right to
\n\u201ckeep and bear arms\u201d. Almost since the amendment was written arguments have
\nbroken out about whether it meant individuals in a \u201cwell regulated militia\u201d
\nor simply someone who wanted to own a firearm. The anti-gun crowd leans
\ntowards the \u201cwell regulated militia\u201d position while the rest of us oppose
\nthat thinking.<\/p>\n

\u00a0In 1939 the Supreme
\nCourt ruled against <\/b>an individual owning a sawed-off shotgun. Since then
\nmany state courts have also ruled against anyone owning a handgun unless they
\nhave a permit or are licensed. Some states do not require either. When the
\nfinal decision is handed down next summer it could mean the end to
\nrestrictive gun laws throughout the country or it could mean tighter and more
\nstringent ones. We who enjoy hunting and shooting fervently wish the ruling
\ngoes our way and the Constitution is once adhered to and we will have no
\nworries about handing in our guns. As we all know if the time ever comes when
\nall guns must be surrendered to law enforcement agencies only the law abiding
\nwill do so, the unlawful will be delighted to know they will have easy
\npickings as there is no chance they will surrender their guns.<\/p>\n

At present
\nmany hoodlums are concerned<\/b> whether the home they are thinking of
\nburglarizing might have a homeowner with a loaded 12-guage shotgun or .357
\ncaliber handgun nearby. There are those who ask if every teenager stealing a
\nstereo should be shot. That teenager could easily be carrying a knife or gun
\nand if caught burglarizing a home might use it with tragic results. Later he
\nmight stand weeping before a judge saying he didn\u2019t mean to hurt anyone, he
\njust wanted the stereo. Guns laws have proven to be unworkable and Ontario,
\nCanada, is an example. In Ontario the law required every long gun owner to
\nregister it with law enforcement officials. Earlier this fall the province
\nrepealed the law saying it was a bureaucratic nightmare, was prohibitively
\nexpensive and did nothing to curb crime. In Mississippi the requirement that
\ncitizens must retreat from an intruder before they can use deadly force was
\nthrown out and replaced with the \u201cCastle Doctrine\u201d law. The same law has been
\nenacted in 19 other states. Simply put, \u201cCastle Doctrine\u201d means if you are an
\nintruder in someone\u2019s home in the middle of the night you stand a good chance
\nof being shot before anyone asks what you are doing there. In Jackson,
\nMississippi, in one week shots were fired at burglars with three being
\nkilled, one injured and one escaping. Watch for burglaries in Mississippi
\ntaking a dramatic downswing. There is nothing like someone taking a shot at
\nyou to convince you to find another line of work.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We see<\/b> PETA, (People for the
\nEthical Treatment of Animals) is in the news again with their claim the
\nBuffalo zoo is responsible for the deaths of three polar bears. Autopsies
\nhave shown the bears died of natural causes and diseases, not from any
\nneglect on the part of the zoo attendants. Once again PETA sends out a loud
\nclamor in the hopes of adding members and more money into their coffers. This
\nis the outfit that claims to protect and love animals but the Center for
\nConsumer Freedom says PETA has killed more than 14,000 dogs at its animal
\nshelters.<\/p>\n

Not long ago cats and dogs <\/b>picked
\nup by PETA workers for placement in good homes were killed in the back of a
\nvan and tossed into dumpsters. A condemnation of dedicated zoo workers from
\nan out fit that is headed by a woman, Ingrid Newkirk, who claims eating meat
\nis the No. 1 cause of global warming, according to Ducks Unlimited. She says
\nthe cattle we raise for human consumption spew out methane gas and is a
\nbigger problem than CO2 \u2018because the cattle are belching and doing other
\nthings that sends methane into the atmosphere.\u201d Who can take seriously
\nanything the head of an organization who wants her body parts, not cremated
\nashes, scattered from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada,
\nIndia and France. The officials at PETA must know the Buffalo zoo, and most
\nother zoos in the country are in need of money but I haven\u2019t heard of them
\ngiving any to any deserving zoo. I wonder if any of the gullible people who
\ndonate money to this bunch of exhibitionists know where the money really
\ngoes. I\u2019ll bet the head honchos of PETA dread that question.<\/p>\n

Much of the fault of <\/b>animals
\nin zoos dying is due to the actions of the idiot fringe among the general
\npublic. There are people who think it funny to throw garbage into animal
\ncages that could include cans, bottles, half eaten hot dogs and even lit
\nfirecrackers. Children\u2019s toys have been found in stomachs of animals that
\nhave needed emergency surgery simply because parents did not keep close watch
\nover their little darling. The majority of zoos in this country, Buffalo zoo
\nincluded, are well run by conscientious professionals on shoestring budgets.
\nIf PETA wants to do something about zoos they can stop their nonsense and stupid
\nunfounded accusations and help the zoos pay their bills.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 50 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday November 25\u00a0 2007\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW QUESTION!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 In our
\nneighboring state to the south, <\/b>Pennsylvania, their governor suffered a
\nsetback in the rejection of two gun control measures he was touting. Despite
\na personal appeal from Governor Rendell the state House Judiciary Committee
\nrejected bills that would have limited handgun buys to one per month and the
\nother would have empowered local governments to enact their own gun control
\nlaws. How did the Pennsylvania hunters ever elect Rendell? Can you imagine
\nthe chaos throughout the New York if each city, town or village was allowed
\nto make gun laws? You could go to jail just by driving through a town with
\nrestrictive gun laws. Here is another example why we should keep a critical
\neye on elected representatives and get rid of the ones who want to run things
\nin ways that are contrary to what the public wants.<\/p>\n

We will have more to say about upcoming <\/b>Supreme Court hearings on gun
\nlaws and the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in a following column.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 50 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday October 7\u00a0 2007\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0NEW
\nQUESTION!<\/b><\/p>\n

On Saturday the archery
\ndeer season opened and<\/b>, sad to say, we still are not allowed the use of a
\ncrossbow to take deer. For many who at one time enjoyed waiting in a tree
\nstand for a deer to come by day has lost all meaning because the ravages of
\ntime or infirmity has robbed them of the ability to pull a bowstring.
\nRecently Bill Conners, outdoor columnist for the Poughkeepsie Journal, wrote
\nthat the \u201cturf war over crossbows is just plain silly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0 Most outdoor writers, and he
\ntoo<\/b>, mention that those who can no longer pull a bowstring are forced out
\nof bow hunting because a \u201csmall but vocal group of bow hunters refuses to get
\nout of the way and let the Legislature legalize the crossbow.\u201d That small but
\nvocal group Conners refers to is New York Bowhunters. Whenever it appears
\nlegalization of the crossbow might come about they organize a flurry of
\ntelephone calls to Senator Carl Marcellino, the one holding up voting on
\nlegalization by not allowing it to come to a vote. It is obvious NYB is well
\norganized and proves Adolph Hitler was right when he wrote, \u201ca well organized
\nminority will always defeat the disorganized majority.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this ongoing fight over
\nlegalizing the crossbow<\/b> the disorganized majority must realize the most
\nimportant issue is the right to choose what you want to use to hunt deer and
\nthen demand it. I like using a 12-gauge, semi-automatic shot gun for deer
\nhunting. That does not give me the right to deny you using a pump 16-gauge
\nshotgun simply because I like the 12-gauge semi-autoloader. Conners goes on
\nto write, \u201cthey, NYB, do not want the numbers of hunters in the woods during
\narchery season to grow.\u201d \u201cThat having someone hunting a few hundred feet or a
\nfew hundred yards from you using a crossbow will somehow impact the quality
\nof your hunt is absurd. If two hunters are more than a few yards away from
\neach other, they probably wouldn\u2019t know that the other fellow has even
\nreleased an arrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his column Conners
\nmentions <\/b>what this column has many times, that a modern compound bow is a
\nnot a \u201ctraditional\u201d bow. It never has been or ever will be. The same is true
\nof the crossbow. The hue and cry against the crossbow is the same that was
\nheard back in the mid 60s when compound bow first arrived on the scene. When
\nthe crossbow is legalized, and it will be, many thousands disabled or elderly
\nformer archers will gladly pick one up and rejoin the sport. When that time
\ncomes, and it will, members of NYB might have to have counseling to get over
\nthe shock of having to hunt at the same time with those who disagree with
\ntheir selfishness.<\/p>\n

To read lots more crossbow information on Outdoors Niagara
\nincluding Bill Connors column and a recent column by Daniel James Hendricks,
\nCrossbow Advocate go here: Crossbows In New York
\nState<\/a>\u00a0 Outdoors Niagara Exclusive!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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\nQuestions on:\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors Niagara Message
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\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 50 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday September 2
\n2007\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Yesterday John Long Sr. was buried
\nand the many of us who mourn his passing will long remember<\/b> him as a
\nsportsman, hunter, fisherman, gentleman and basically one of the nicest human
\nbeing you could ask to know. One of the traits that immediately struck people
\nmeeting John for the first time was how his eyes would seem to squint and
\nsparkle when he smiled. And he smiled a lot. I always enjoyed his greeting,
\n\u201cHey, old man, how ya\u2019 doing?\u201d His handshake was firm and you knew he was
\nsincere when he said, \u201cIt\u2019s been a while, it\u2019s good to see you.\u201d He was one
\nof those few people who had charm to spare. Many times I heard him say,
\n\u201cYou\u2019ll never guess who I ran into the other day,\u201d then mention a mutual
\nfriend we both had lost track off.<\/p>\n

The list of organizations and endeavors
\nhe headed are too numerous to list here<\/b>. Suffice to say, whatever task he
\ntook on he not only did it well but he became its leader. It was John Long
\nwho made available the land the Niagara River Anglers use for their walleye
\nrearing program. I never hunted with John in his Quebec hunting camp although
\nI fished with him on fly-in trips to Northern Ontario and Quebec and joined
\nhim and his longtime friend the late Senator John Daly fishing for salmon on
\nLake Ontario. Both were easy to get along with in the confines of a boat.<\/p>\n

John suffered a stroke recently and was
\nhospitalized briefly before being sent to Lockport\u2019s Niagara Hospice.<\/b> He
\nwill be sorely missed and I am sure wherever Niagara sportsmen gather John
\nLong stories will be swapped with fondness, smiles and joy for many years to
\ncome. It has been said for as long as a man\u2019s name is remembered he will
\nnever be forgotten. Rest easy, John, it was a pleasure and a privilege to
\nhave known you.<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\n\n\n
\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 50 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday April 29 2007\u00a0 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Back in spring of
\n1983 a few members of the Niagara River Anglers Association met at the Sand
\nDocks in Lewiston after dark to dip for smelt they had decided to eat minutes
\nafter catching. That was the beginning of what is shaping up to be a
\ncommunity event that is growing with each passing year. That\u2019s when the word
\ngot out that fresh dipped smelt are delicious.<\/p>\n

In \u201983 Mark Daul,
\nclub president John DeLorenzo and vice president Jim DeLorenzo, Don Phillips
\nand his wife, Rich Rotella, Mike George, Harold Edwards and a few other cub
\nmembers arrived at the Sand Docks shortly after dark and began dipping. Some
\nyears there were ice floes to be pushed aside and care had to be taken that a
\nlarger floe didn\u2019t knock a dipper into the frigid water. Usually George or
\nDaul tended a Coleman gas stove on the dock and smelt right out of the river were
\nslit up the belly, cleaned and tossed into a frying pan of hot oil. After the
\nfirst year or two more and more visitors showed at the docks to see what was
\ngoing on. They were invited to partake of the tasty fish and after they told
\nfriends in the ensuing years the crowd got larger.<\/p>\n

The original intent
\nof the smelt fry was to entice new members and the event was mentioned
\nprominently in this and other local outdoor columns. We got new members along
\nwith volunteers to dip and cook. It\u2019s long been my belief that cooking smelt
\nis how Mike George got the title of NRAA Chief Cook. There are stories galore
\nthat can be told of the years of dipping and one of the funniest was the year
\nthe wind was howling. Trying to keep the stoves going was difficult until
\nMark Daul got the bright idea of putting the stove in his van. It worked out
\nfine and batches of smelt were cooked and everyone enjoyed the feast. What
\nDaul didn\u2019t realize was while the fish were frying grease was spattering the
\ninside of his van. He said the van stunk of fried fish for about two weeks.
\nOver the years the crowds got to be too large for the amount of smelt dippers
\ncould provide and some were bought locally, some were provided by members who
\nwent to Lake Simcoe in Canada to bring back buckets of them and other members
\ndipped in the river for a couple of days before the event.<\/p>\n

Now the Lower
\nNiagara Region Chamber of Commerce, NRAA, Village and Town of Lewiston and
\nSilo Restaurant are official hosts. Lewiston mayor Richard Soluri came up
\nwith the idea of letting everyone know of the world class smelt dipping in
\nLewiston. The festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. and everyone is invited.
\nThere is no charge. NRAA club members and volunteers will be dipping smelt as
\nsoon as it\u2019s determined the evening run has started. The Silo Restaurant will
\noffer additional food and beverages and there will be musical entertainment
\nby \u201cBarbed Wired\u201d at Waterfront Park. Beginning on Monday other restaurants
\nin Lewiston will offer smelt on their menus. Look for the fish flag outside
\nparticipating restaurants.<\/p>\n

For those who would
\nrather dip for smelt away from the crowds just about any location along the
\nlower river will have smelt cruising by. You don\u2019t have to go far out into
\nthe river as the fish are very close to shore. Most streams that empty into
\nLake Ontario will have smelt in them. Wait until dark to begin dipping and as
\nthe night lengthens the dipping gets better. Check your nets carefully as you
\ncould net trout or other game fish. Put them back carefully. Most tackle
\nstores have smelt dipping nets that meet legal requirement of less than 14
\ninches in diameter. There could be some ice flowing, but the larger floes
\nseem to have broken up. The water will be cold so dress accordingly and be extra
\ncautious, you don\u2019t want to slip into the Niagara River at this time of year.<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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\n

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\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Be sure
\nto vote in our NEW Mini-Poll<\/span><\/b> HERE<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

OUTDOOR SCENE
\n<\/span><\/b>By Joe Ognibene: 50 year veteran
\noutdoor writer<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday April 9 2007\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Despite the disappointing change
\nin weather <\/b>conditions many of us are chomping at the bit to get the boat
\nin the water or start wading a favorite stream. There is still a lot of ice
\nin Lake Erie to melt away before the ice boom at the head of the Niagara
\nRiver is removed to open the river for fishing. Then all that ice has to
\ntravel down the river, over the Falls, through Devil\u2019s Hole and the length of
\nthe lower Niagara into Lake Ontario before things can get started.<\/p>\n

In case you haven\u2019t yet heard, <\/b>the
\nlower Niagara River at the mouth as it empties into Lake Ontario has once
\nagain become a walleye hotspot. In years past the sand bar in front of Fort
\nNiagara is where most headed to catch blue pike, one of the tastiest fishes
\nthat you could catch. Back then, the late 30s and early 40s, the yellow pike,
\nwhat we called walleyes back then, was sometimes tossed back in preference of
\nthe blue pike<\/a>. The blue is now considered
\nextinct, although every now and then claims are made of one being caught, but
\nnot much comes of it.<\/p>\n

Go to the Blue Pike pages for history on
\nthe Blues on this website HERE!<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

The rule of thumb back then was, <\/b>if
\nyou wanted to catch lots of blues<\/a> you fished
\nthe sand bar. If you wanted big yellows you headed up river and fished the
\nshoreline from just below Lewiston down to Peggy\u2019s Eddy, site of Joseph Davis
\nState Park. Some of the boaters who have been out for trout during the past
\nwinter have caught walleye, but have been quiet about it. You are allowed one
\nwalleye from the lower Niagara, 18 inches or more, until the first Saturday
\nin May when the limit rises to 3 a day.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Another top walleye spot in <\/b>where
\nthe river empties into the lake. Follow the bottom as it rises from the
\ndepths of the river onto the sand bar. Walleye are hanging on the edge
\nwaiting for whatever drifts down to waiting mouths. Planer boards come in
\nhandy at this time of year when walleye are chasing minnows close to shore. A
\nshallow running Rapala or similar lure works wonders on the south shore of Lake
\nErie, it should do the same on Lake Ontario. Walleye could be chasing minnows
\nin water too shallow for your boat\u2019s prop, but a planer board would do the
\ntrick. Outside of Four Mile Creek could be a hot spot.<\/p>\n

A favorite tool <\/b>of drifting
\nwalleye fishermen has long been the drifting iron. A drifting iron is simply
\na rod of brass about 18 inches in length with a weight attached to take it
\ndown. A clevis is located close to the top and from there a baited leader is
\ntied. The idea is to let the tip of the brass rod touch bottom now and then
\nallowing the bait to travel just off bottom where most fish find their food.
\nFew of us make drifting irons any longer, but you can buy them for a few
\ndollars at most tackle stores. The advantage of a drifting iron over a
\ndragged pencil lead is, that the slender brass rod rarely gets hung up in
\nrocks. If we get better weather and the ground warms gathering a few night
\ncrawler worms is probably the best bait you could use. We hesitate to
\nrecommend minnows due to all the restrictions because of the risk of
\nspreading VHS, a disease affecting fish that is rampant throughout the Great
\nLakes. Any lure with lots of wiggle to it colored with some red and silver
\nshould work just fine.<\/p>\n

We can fish for bass all year now<\/b>,
\ncatch and release, but Ontario still has a closed season on small and large
\nmouth bass with an exception starting this year. In Ontario during the closed
\nseason you are not allowed to target bass. In that province the season on
\nlarge and small mouth bass will open on the fourth Saturday in June instead
\nof the last Saturday. This gives fishing Ontario water for bass an extra week
\nthis year. If you received your Ontario fishing license by mail and noticed
\nthe Fishing Regulations booklet is dated 2005-2006 don\u2019t be upset. This
\nbooklet applies to 2007 until the 2008 booklets come out next year.<\/p>\n

Heartiest congratulations t<\/b>o
\nfellow writer Bill Hilts Jr. and long-time friend John Long<\/b>, who have
\nboth been inducted into the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame. Hilts,
\noutdoors specialist with Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation, is a
\npast president of New York State Outdoor Writers and done an exemplary job of
\nadvertising Niagara area as one of the top fishing spots in the country.
\nLong, who has spent a lifetime working for the benefit of Niagara\u2019s sportsmen
\nis also a past president of New York Outdoor Writers. He has served on many
\ncommittees and boards that have the state\u2019s environment and sportsmen in
\nmind. Long, years ago, made his land available to the Niagara River Anglers
\nAssociation to build their walleye rearing ponds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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\n

OUTDOOR
\nSCENE\u00a0\u00a0WEEKLY <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday January 7
\n2007\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

By Joe Ognibene<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

ABOUT OGNIBENE’S FIRST 50 YEARS!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It seems like only a
\nshort time<\/b> has passed since this column began and it\u2019s hard to believe it
\nis now in its 50th year of publication. A great many things have changed in
\nour outdoor world since the day in 1957 when Bob Lowe, sports writer at the
\nGazette, asked how things were in the hunting and fishing world. At that time
\nI was the only one on the editorial staff who did either. I began telling him
\nand he cut me short and said, \u201cWrite it down for me.\u201d I did, and that\u2019s how
\nit started.<\/p>\n

Lowe used my written
\naccount in his Sunday column <\/b>and words can\u2019t describe the thrill of
\nseeing what I wrote in print. It was exciting to write of the fishing and
\nhunting we had, which was not anywhere near what we have now. We did have
\nsome pheasant hunting, although it had been declining and in 1957 was
\ndeclining faster. Our fishing left much to be desired and the once plentiful
\nblue pike were non-existent in Lake Ontario with walleyes almost gone. Perch
\nfishing had fallen off, bass seemed to have left the area and bullheads we
\ncaught had ugly looking ulcers on their heads. A few short years after the
\ncolumn began stories about pollution began appearing in news stories. We who
\nfished the Lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario knew something was
\ndrastically wrong when we noticed dead fish and how murky the water was and
\nhow badly it smelled.<\/p>\n

At that time I was a photographer
\nat the Gazette<\/b> and took a picture from the top of Burt Dam of the pool
\nbelow. It was covered with detergent foam and you could not see water.
\nAnother photo I took was at Olcott along the beach where the U.S. Army had
\nerected signs putting the bathing beach off limits to military personnel and
\ntheir dependents. At the time Fort Niagara was a working army installation
\nand an outbreak of hepatitis was noticed among the soldiers and their
\nfamilies. The source was traced to raw sewage that entered from 18-Mile
\nCreek. Toilets that were flushed on either side of the creek in Olcott
\ndrained directly into the creek with no treatment whatsoever.<\/p>\n

On our hunting scene by the
\nend of the 60s <\/b>and into the early 70s pheasants were becoming a fond
\nmemory. Deer hunting was fair in the southern Tier, but in Niagara County
\ndeer were few and far between. Wild turkeys were a bird of Pennsylvania and
\nother states. Canada geese were hunted in November when migratory flocks
\npassed through on their way to milder regions. Then we heard of fantastic
\nfishing in Michigan where pacific Chinook salmon had been stocked and many of
\nus headed there to see for ourselves. The monsters we caught and brought back
\nsent others to Michigan and salmon fever swept the area. In a few years we
\nhad our own stockings of salmon and you know the rest of the story.<\/p>\n

It was in the
\n70s when I drove to Kent<\/b>, near Rochester, to photograph the release of 12
\nwild turkeys. I had the thrill of holding one in my arms just before release.
\nThat was one of the first stockings in these parts and it would be an
\nunderstatement to say the stocking program is a success. We now have wild
\nturkeys in every corner of Niagara County and also in some of our residential
\nareas. Matt Duffy, of Lewiston, was visiting Grandpa Frank Mirabelli who
\nlives on the escarpment when he called grandpa to look out the kitchen
\nwindow. Four turkeys were strutting around the Mirabelli backyard, the first
\nDuffy had ever seen.<\/p>\n

A modern sewage
\nsystem <\/b>was installed that cleared up the sewage problem in Olcott,
\nfoaming detergents have been banned and now 18-Mile Creek is known as one of
\nthe country\u2019s finest trout and salmon streams. With abatement programs in
\nforce industries have been forced to drastically reduce polluting our land
\nand water and things are much cleaner than in the past. Mike Brown, a
\nreporter at the Gazette, broke the story of Love Canal and a cleaner
\nenvironment was suddenly on the mind of the nation.<\/p>\n

The future is not all
\nrosy however, <\/b>new curses has befallen us with zebra mussel, spiny water
\nflea and other exotics imported to this country in ballast water in ships
\nfrom Europe. The latest blow that will be devastating to our Great Lakes is
\nthe tremendous population growth of Asian carp that threatens to decimate the
\nfishery. These are some of the reasons why this columnist feels the greatest
\nresponsibility to my readers is to report of the many things that need
\ncorrecting. It would be nice to write of only great fishing trips, trophy
\nbucks, clean up of polluted streams, sudden demise of Zebra mussel, Asian
\ncarp and the other exotic pests along with abatement of global warming. I\u2019m
\nafraid it isn\u2019t going to happen in my lifetime or yours, if it ever does.<\/p>\n

In summation I
\ncan say the past 50 years have seen more changes<\/b> than I can recount here.
\nMany Canada geese throughout the northeast have decided not to bother
\nmigrating and stay around all year. Their numbers are so high a special early
\nfall season calls for a limit of eight a day! The Niagara River Anglers
\nAssociation has brought the walleye fishing back to the lower Niagara River
\nand the re-establishment of the wild turkey in Niagara County is almost
\nunbelievable. If the weather for the rest of winter continues as it has so
\nfar wild turkeys could be as plentiful as ring-neck pheasants once were.<\/p>\n

Some of my readers
\nhave told me their grandfathers used to read the column.<\/b> Maybe, with
\nluck, in time some will say their great-grandfathers used to read it. I look
\nforward to the next 50 years.<\/p>\n

Thank you Joe! Splendid
\njob through all the years I have been reading you and that probably spans 45
\nof those 50 years! You forgot to mention all the non-fisher people and
\nhunters and housewives that read you every week. It’s like something they
\nlook forward to in the Sunday papers.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I’m looking forward to the
\nnext fifty years too!<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Mark Daul<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\ntop of page<\/a>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

Post your Comments &
\nQuestions on:\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors Niagara Message
\nBoard & Forum<\/b> <\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OLD NEWS:<\/span>
\n[October 2006] By this time you have probably received your copy of the
\nNiagara River Anglers Association\u2019s News and Views and have read the notice
\non the inside facing page from President Paul, who writes of the retirement
\nof Mark Daul, founder of NRAA, long time editor of News and Views and creator
\nand administrator of the club\u2019s web site. Daul takes exception to the
\nannouncement claiming he did not retire, but outright quit. He also claims
\nthe notice he wrote for inclusion in News and Views was not included in the
\nlatest issue. Daul explains his position and gripe with the club\u2019s president
\non web site
\nwhere his letter can be read.
\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.www.outdoorsniagara.com\/sosmart.htm<\/a> <\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

top of page<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors
\nNiagara Message Board & Forum<\/b> <\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Post your
\nthoughts & Questions!”<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

NOTE: This
\nstory is left here on this website because of the lesson taught by this
\ntragic incident. Our sympathies are with the families of Captain Steve White
\nand Lauren Barsamian. Please read this story and let it be an enlightenment
\nto anyone venturing into the Devil’s Hole area of the Niagara River.
\n<\/span><\/b>
\nSunday October 16 2005
\n<\/span><\/b>Joe Ognibene<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Devil’s Hole lesson taught ~ With tragedy
\n<\/span><\/b>This story is left
\nhere for all to learn from others tragedies.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Of the
\nmany boats<\/b> that have ventured into Devil\u2019s Hole during the fall salmon
\nruns over the years the inevitable happened recently when a boat capsized and
\ntwo people were declared missing and presumed drowned. Charter Captain Steve
\nWhite and one of two passengers, Lauren Barsamian of New York City, were
\nswept away by the turbulent current of the water between the power plants on
\nboth sides of the lower Niagara River. Charter Captain, Joseph V. Marra Jr.,
\nsaid he heard cries for help and maneuvered his boat to rescue John Rice, of
\nNew Jersey, Ms. Barasmian\u2019s companion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marra
\ntold authorities <\/b>he almost grabbed onto the woman, but she was pulled
\nunder by the strong whirlpools that abound in the area. Would-be rescuers
\nlost sight of White as he too was swept under. Coast Guard officials said
\nWhite was a licensed charter captain. The boat he was operating was a 19-foot
\nStarcraft. The location where the trouble occurred was the area between the
\npower plants where deep whirlpools are not uncommon. Those of us who have
\nfished Devil\u2019s Hole many times know the stretch well and do our best to avoid
\na particularly large whirlpool that constantly appears in the center of the
\nriver. The stretch between the power plants is not where fishing is done, but
\nif a fisherman has a large salmon on the line many times the boat will drift
\ninto the danger zone while the fight is on, sometimes with the engine not
\noperating.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nIt\u2019s tragic the<\/b> incident happened, but maybe some good can come of it. It
\nwould be a wise idea for anyone venturing into Devil\u2019s Hole to wear a life
\npreserver. They\u2019re uncomfortable, but could keep you afloat until someone
\ncomes to your rescue. Being a strong swimmer does you no good in the currents
\nfound in and below Devil\u2019s Hole. Boat size and configuration are also
\nimportant considerations. It would not be advisable to head into Devil\u2019s Hole
\nin a boat any shorter than a 17-footer with a deep-V hull and a wide beam.
\nAny outboard engine less than 50-horsepower would not be advised. The usual
\npractice when fishing Devil\u2019s Hole is to drift through the hole, but start
\nthe engine as soon as you come to the upstream end of the Robert Moses Power
\nPlant and head back into the hole. When leaving the hole you should be under
\npower strong enough to allow you to steer around whirlpools you will see in
\nyour path. You won\u2019t need full throttle power, slightly more than
\nhalf-throttle should do. The current usually calms by the time you get to
\nArtpark. A bass boat with its almost flat bottom is definitely not the type
\nof boat to take into Devil\u2019s Hole. We can only hope that such an accident
\nnever happens again.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u00a0<\/b>Outdoors
\nNiagara Message Board & Forum<\/b> <\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

top of page<\/a><\/p>\n

GO
\nHERE<\/a> TO VOTE IN OUR MINI-POLL\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

Mr. Ognibene’s column is
\nsyndicated and appears every week in the Niagara Sunday Gazette,
\nTonawanda News, Lockport Union Sun & Journal and the Medina Journal.
\nThe Niagara Gazette is the area’s leading outdoors sports information
\nnewspaper.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>“Most
\ninformative and up to date outdoors website on the planet”<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Go to Hilts
\nWeekend Fish Locator<\/b><\/a> \/ Find out where they are!
\nGo to Bill Hilts Outdoors Weekly
\nColumn<\/a> \/
\nGo to Joe Ognibene’s “Outdoor Scene”<\/a>\/
\nBob Confer’s Outdoors<\/a>
\nGo to Will Elliott’s “Fishing
\nLine”<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\/
\nNiagara River Diver Duck Information<\/a>
\n\/
\nBack To Main Fish reports Page<\/b><\/a>\/
\n<\/b>Fishing Tips Page<\/a> ~ <\/b><\/p>\n

Back to main index\/contents<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/span>
\nGO
\nHERE<\/span><\/a> TO VOTE IN OUR MINI-POLL\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Niagara River Diver Duck Story
\n<\/span>GO
\nHERE\u00a0<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/b>
\n<\/span><\/b>
\n
\n<\/a><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 HOME<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Niagara’s Premier Outdoors Website” \u00a0 “Most informative and up to date outdoors website on the planet” Outdoors Niagara Exclusive OUTDOOR SCENE By Joe Ognibene Joe Ognibene is a local sportsman who has been covering the outdoor scene since 1957. Ognibene’s column is syndicated and appears every week in the Niagara Sunday Gazette, Lockport Union Sun … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nJoe Ognibene - OutdoorsNiagara<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/joe_ognibene\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Joe Ognibene - OutdoorsNiagara\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"“Niagara’s Premier Outdoors Website” \u00a0 “Most informative and up to date outdoors website on the planet” Outdoors Niagara Exclusive OUTDOOR SCENE By Joe Ognibene Joe Ognibene is a local sportsman who has been covering the outdoor scene since 1957. 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