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Post by dinorocks on May 27, 2020 15:05:00 GMT -5
I hope everyone is doing well! I'm on several NYSDEC email distributions...if you haven't seen these notices yet (one on additional Fisher studies, and the other on proposed changes to the trapping seasons), I posted them below.
Proposed Trapping Season Changes DEC is proposing changes to the current beaver, mink and muskrat trapping seasons. The proposed changes would expand beaver trapping opportunities in central and western New York and would align the start dates of mink and muskrat trapping seasons with beaver trapping seasons throughout the state. Specifically, this proposed rulemaking would modify 6 NYCRR Parts 6.1 and 6.2 to: • Move the start date of the beaver season in western New York from November 25 to November 10, providing two additional weeks of trapping opportunity; • Extend the closing date of beaver trapping in central and western NY to April 7th, providing additional trapping opportunity after ice out and aligning the end date with the rest of the Southern Zone and with trapper season date preferences; • Shift the start date for mink and muskrat trapping in the Northern Zone from October 25 to November 1 to better align with trapper season date preferences and to align Northern Zone mink and muskrat trapping with the beaver season; • Shift the start date for mink and muskrat in central and western NY from November 25 to November 10. This will align the start date of the season throughout the Southern Zone and with the start of beaver trapping season. Modifying the season dates for these species will allow DEC to improve management of species like beaver and to better address our goal of meeting the public desire for sustainable use of these resources. With the number of nuisance beaver complaints received by DEC increasing steadily each year, particularly in central and western New York, the proposed changes will allow DEC to minimize the damage and other problems caused by beavers. In addition, the proposed changes will better align trapping seasons with preferred season dates as indicated by a survey of licensed trappers. To view the proposed rulemaking and/or provide comment, please visit DEC's website.
What Drives Changes in the Fisher Populations in the Northern Zone? DEC staff, in partnership with researchers from SUNY ESF, are conducting a study to better understand what drives changes in fisher populations in the Central Adirondacks specifically, and more widely across the Northern Zone. With the help of a number of trappers, fishers are live-captured during the winter and adult females fitted with GPS collars to locate and monitor dens and kit production. The combination of real-time GPS location data, as well as trail cameras deployed at maternal den sites, help estimate kit production and survival. Ultimately, DEC will use data on the reproductive potential of Northern Zone fisher populations and gain a better understanding of population dynamics to inform season setting and ensure sustainable harvest opportunities for this important furbearer resource. For more information on fisher and their management in New York, visit DEC’s website
Take care, Dino
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paintedpaw
Retired NYSDEC Lake George Ranger
Posts: 688
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Post by paintedpaw on May 27, 2020 17:03:37 GMT -5
Talk about closing the barn door after the horse got out! How much more of these fisher studies must we endure? How many more track boards, fur samples,trail cameras,skulls,log books, special licenses, animal collars do they need? How many many more studies can they dream up? How many more scientific papers need to be written? How much more of this before a proper management plan with proper seasons be established? How much of this is dragged out to protect their jobs? Think I'm the old grouch, always complaining? Just look at the years and studies and secret agreements on otters, and still no plan.I attended the initial otter reintroduction planning meetings in Oneida county.When they fed restocking otters contaminated Great Lakes fish and they came up with the trigger regulations I got my eyes opened! Give me strength Lord!
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paintedpaw
Retired NYSDEC Lake George Ranger
Posts: 688
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Post by paintedpaw on May 27, 2020 17:24:11 GMT -5
DEC partners with some strange bed fellows. Wasn't SUNY ESF where the failed lynx introduction originated, by some "expert" professor and his grad student? How many of our biologists are Cornell grads? I remember from my college days, the old saying; "Far above Cayuga's waters there's an awful smell. Its an old abandoned outhouse called Cornell".
Just sayin.
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Post by walleyed on May 27, 2020 20:27:49 GMT -5
I looked on the NYS DEC website and could find no place to specifically comment on the proposed trapping regulation for changing the season opening dates for mink, muskrat, and beaver.
w
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Post by nyredfox on May 28, 2020 6:11:03 GMT -5
An earlier water season in Western NY will be outstanding.. We may get to enjoy some open water trapping finally!
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Post by walleyed on May 28, 2020 6:47:03 GMT -5
An earlier water season in Western NY will be outstanding.. We may get to enjoy some open water trapping finally! Agreed, Southern & western zones have been getting short changed for years with Muskrat & mink trapping. Not real crazy about the Northern Zone losing a weeks worth of Muskrat trapping on the front end of the season just so DEC can align Beaver Trapping with Rat Season. DEC is NOT going to increase the harvest of Beaver in the northern zone by shortening the mink & rat season just so everything starts on the same day. If anything, since beaver are nearly worthless, I would be even less likely to target them at all in order to focus more on Rats before the bad weather shuts us down for the year. The Week's lag time currently available to trappers allows us to focus on mink/rats first, and then add beaver trapping later when we have more time to devote to trapping them. If They start everything on November 1st, The beaver harvest will actually go down rather than increase. Bad Idea IMHO. w
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Zagman
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,186
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Post by Zagman on May 28, 2020 6:55:13 GMT -5
I thought I'd heard the rat and mink season down here was going to go into April as well....or at least longer than the Feb 15th closing. I don't believe I see that in there though.....
MZ
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Post by trappermac on May 28, 2020 7:31:32 GMT -5
I like the proposed changes down here for opening muskrat earlier and extending the beaver season both at the beginning and end. I also see Bob's point for the northern zone, seems like a convenient season start as it currently is.
Still was hoping for a spring rat season down here, or at least into March vs the current Feb 14 closure.
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Zagman
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,186
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Post by Zagman on May 28, 2020 9:00:37 GMT -5
I like the proposed changes down here for opening muskrat earlier and extending the beaver season both at the beginning and end. I also see Bob's point for the northern zone, seems like a convenient season start as it currently is. Still was hoping for a spring rat season down here, or at least into March vs the current Feb 14 closure. Man, can you just imagine how many rats Austin WON'T catch with the longer season? I joke.....I kid, Austin! Reeeee-Laxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx! I DO like the earlier rat-mink season and, as mentioned hope they give it to us on the back end as well.....(well, that sounded weird!) When I used to be on the waterfowl-season task for for NY, I learned that it is impossible to make everyone happy. Never agreed with the Oct 25th opener for trapping vs. "The Third Saturday in October" like they do with deer season. We want to get kids into trapping but season opens on a Tuesday during school? If 10 billion deer hunters can plan their vacation around the "third Saturday in November" I'd bet a few thousand NY trappers could do the same. If 100 trillion Catholics worldwide can accept Easter being on a different date, we NY trappers should be able to accept a different opening date each year as well! LOL MZ
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Post by walleyed on May 28, 2020 12:05:33 GMT -5
Man, can you just imagine how many rats Austin WON'T catch with the longer season? LOL Can you imagine how many chest freezers A.P. won't need to freeze his massive muskrat catch whole till he can find someone to skin them for him, and put them up ? The non-possibilities are endless !!! w
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Post by joemarshditchrat on May 28, 2020 13:22:51 GMT -5
Don't forget the "freeze and Thaw" issues that will be a factor also.
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Post by Dave Morse on May 30, 2020 21:20:51 GMT -5
Always fun trapping blue muskrats in the open water , another head in arse idea. If trappers had the idea DEC would never go for it.
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Post by markg on May 31, 2020 7:55:38 GMT -5
If they are going to extend the water seasons I would much prefer they add it at the end not the beginning. I am getting somewhat fed up with the increase in trapping opportunities when the fur of the animals is not at its best. Why keep pushing BMP’s for traps but pay absolutely no attention to having seasons when the fur is prime. (Fisher & Bobcat) Heck down here along the south shores of the lake very little fur (land or water) is prime till middle of November. Just my $.02
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Post by walleyed on Jun 9, 2020 14:38:29 GMT -5
Hey all,
DEC has published their intended Rat/mink season changes in the NYS Register for June 3rd, 2020.
After a 60 day comment period, the new regs will become law and they have no hearing scheduled.
The Amendment is: I.D. No ENV-22-20-0004-P
Google NYS Register for June 3rd, 2020 with that I.D. number and you can read the text of the amendment.
I'd suggest if you Muskrat trap The Northern Zone in WMU 6G or 7A along Coastal Lake Ontario or The Saint Lawrence River you better comment against parts of the proposed amendment or you shall be losing a weeks worth of rat trapping on the front end.
they want to start Rat season on November 1st along with beaver instead of the traditional October 25th date we've had for a generation.
E-mail your comments to: wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov
We can't afford to lose a weeks worth of Muskrat trapping opportunity in the northern zone.
w
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Post by whartonrattrapper on Jun 10, 2020 6:25:10 GMT -5
Hey all, . E-mail your comments to: wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov We can't afford to lose a weeks worth of Muskrat trapping opportunity in the northern zone. w I agree, one week or in my case two weeks, makes a huge difference this time of year with open water opportunities. Many times I've made plans to trap in a currently closed until Nov. 25th season, only to have them dashed at the last-minute due to a couple feet of shelf ice on the edges of local rivers. This change should solve that issue for me, but will be at the expense of some northern guys. I hope you don't lose any of your season at the expense of having a common opener.
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Post by whartonrattrapper on Jun 10, 2020 6:39:15 GMT -5
If they are going to extend the water seasons I would much prefer they add it at the end not the beginning. I am getting somewhat fed up with the increase in trapping opportunities when the fur of the animals is not at its best. Why keep pushing BMP’s for traps but pay absolutely no attention to having seasons when the fur is prime. (Fisher & Bobcat) Heck down here along the south shores of the lake very little fur (land or water) is prime till middle of November. Just my $.02 Mark, while I'm not familiar with trapping on the southern end of the lake, in my area the rats are while not prime certainly not blue this time of year. and, two weeks on the backend does me no good either. With the north/south running narrow valleys here, we freeze up quick and there's no thaw till usually the middle of March at the earliest.
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Post by walleyed on Jul 16, 2020 13:43:12 GMT -5
TTT,
Northern Zone rat trappers.
Be sure and get your comments in regarding the loss of a week's worth of Muskrat trapping opportunity that we will never get back.
Especially if you trap Rats along the Lakeshore Marshes at Eastern Lake Ontario Wildlife Management Units (WMU'S) 7A and 6G.
We have always had a traditional early opener because bad weather shuts us down along the lake shore earlier than other parts of the Northern zone.
This is a week of Rat trapping that you will NEVER get back. That's less trapping opportunity, not more, and for no legitimate reason.
Comment period is open until August 3rd, 2020.
Defend it, or lose it forever, boys.
w
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austin
test results are back... I am joerat's daddy
Posts: 483
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Post by austin on Jul 16, 2020 13:59:02 GMT -5
An earlier water season in Western NY will be outstanding.. We may get to enjoy some open water trapping finally! my guy, x2! see you down there on the big marsh again, next time it's stacked with rat houses
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austin
test results are back... I am joerat's daddy
Posts: 483
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Post by austin on Jul 16, 2020 14:04:51 GMT -5
Man, can you just imagine how many rats Austin WON'T catch with the longer season? I joke.....I kid, Austin! Reeeee-Laxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx! I DO like the earlier rat-mink season and, as mentioned hope they give it to us on the back end as well.....(well, that sounded weird!) When I used to be on the waterfowl-season task for for NY, I learned that it is impossible to make everyone happy. Never agreed with the Oct 25th opener for trapping vs. "The Third Saturday in October" like they do with deer season. We want to get kids into trapping but season opens on a Tuesday during school? If 10 billion deer hunters can plan their vacation around the "third Saturday in November" I'd bet a few thousand NY trappers could do the same. If 100 trillion Catholics worldwide can accept Easter being on a different date, we NY trappers should be able to accept a different opening date each year as well! LOL MZ
pfft... in order for us to water trap in the southern zone, first we must have water. Several units on the vaunted Montezuma muskrat mecca are currently bone dry. You could fit and plant food plots in the middle of them right now. Here in the Genesee River valley, I saw ditch networks today that for the first time in my recollection are mere center line trickles of water too thin for covering a #110. Resident rats I saw paddling around there in March are gone. Gone like a freight train... like a civil war soldier, bang-bang
I'd be fine with water season openers as last Sat in October northern zone, 2nd Sat Nov southern zone. Just open all water furs together, so trappers can comb the same flows once and catch whatever mix they desire.
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Zagman
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,186
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Post by Zagman on Jul 16, 2020 16:01:19 GMT -5
Well, with the dry June and July so far, the turkeys should do well.....about the only good thing I can think of out of this drought!
MZ
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austin
test results are back... I am joerat's daddy
Posts: 483
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Post by austin on Jul 16, 2020 17:10:39 GMT -5
Well, with the dry June and July so far, the turkeys should do well.....about the only good thing I can think of out of this drought! MZ where I hunted birds up north, reports are numerous poult sightings from locals there. But around me here, it was a cold & wet May. Most hens lost first nests and second nests got hammered by alfalfa cutting as usual. I've seen a few mature hens out in cut fields this summer, zero poults with any hens. Same reports from my local bird fanatic friends. If life stays on the rails I'll have a camp up north before then anyway, also have friends with space on Chaumont. Tossing the towel on turkey hunting here. World-class hay season so far, and most crops are decent. Respectable bucks starting to show up at last light in beanfields too
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Post by walleyed on Jul 28, 2020 10:04:08 GMT -5
Hey all, DEC has published their intended Rat/mink season changes in the NYS Register for June 3rd, 2020. After a 60 day comment period, the new regs will become law and they have no hearing scheduled. The Amendment is: I.D. No ENV-22-20-0004-P Google NYS Register for June 3rd, 2020 with that I.D. number and you can read the text of the amendment. I'd suggest if you Muskrat trap The Northern Zone in WMU 6G or 7A along Coastal Lake Ontario or The Saint Lawrence River you better comment against parts of the proposed amendment or you shall be losing a weeks worth of rat trapping on the front end. they want to start Rat season on November 1st along with beaver instead of the traditional October 25th date we've had for a generation. E-mail your comments to: wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov We can't afford to lose a weeks worth of Muskrat trapping opportunity in the northern zone. w Hey all, Just six days left to comment on the Rat season rule change where we LOSE a week's worth of Northern Zone Muskrat trapping on the front end that we will NEVER GET BACK. Why would any trapper give up a week of his trapping season for any reason if he knew it was gone forever ? Speak now or lose it forever. We lost the spring muskrat season in 1976 in the southern zone forever when it was supposed to be a temporary closure. We lost the Mohawk Valley Otter season when It was supposed to be a temporary closure. Remember the past or you are condemned to repeat it. Please Comment at wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov walleyed
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Post by walleyed on Jul 28, 2020 12:30:30 GMT -5
Just got off the phone with staffers for Senator Pattie Richie at her Watertown, N.Y. office to ask her to intercede with DEC, Bureau of Wildlife regarding the Rule change to Take away 1 week of Rat trapping in WMU 6G and 7A.
If you want to make a call today to lobby against the rule change Call (315) 782-3418
Give them the date of the rule change in the NYS Register: June 3rd, 2020 I.D. No. ENV-22-20-0004-P Amendments to New York State mink, muskrat, beaver trapping season.
Let them know you oppose losing a week of the season.
w
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austin
test results are back... I am joerat's daddy
Posts: 483
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Post by austin on Jul 29, 2020 10:44:10 GMT -5
on behalf of our pending season 2020/21 canoes-regatta partnership in the northern zone water trapping season, I fired off this quick email just for you, Bobby...
Greetings,
As a lifelong outdoorsman, sportsman and NYS recreational license holder for the past four-plus decades I would like to voice my opposition to the proposed northern-zone season date change from historical 10/25 opener to 11/01 opener pending. The loss of opportunity afield for trappers outweighs any assumed benefits that changing said date might affect.
If anything, strongly consider moving the northern-zone fall season opener for beaver & otter from historical 11/01 to 10/25 that would align all water trapping season dates to avoid conflicts and confusion.
Thank you for your time and attention with this matter
Cordially, Austin T Passamonte NYS Lic #134259397651
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Post by walleyed on Aug 3, 2020 13:39:29 GMT -5
Update for fellow Northern Zone trappers.
walleyed just got off the phone with Assemblymen Mark Walczak; Republican from Watertown, N.Y.
I filled Mark in on the pending rule change where we trappers lose a week of muskrat trapping opportunity and He agreed to go to bat for us with the DEC, Bureau of Wildlife.
He agreed that any benefits derived from the rule change to align the beaver & muskrat seasons were not worth the loss of the 1st week of muskrat season.
Today is the last day to comment on the rule change as the comment period closes today.
Last chance to help save our 1st week of muskrat trapping in the northern zone.
comment at: wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov
thanks for looking.
walleyed
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