Outdoor Journal: Conservation officers charge pair of black bear hunters

On Sept. 11, the opening day of early black bear hunting season, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officer Adam Johnson came across a hunting camp baited for bear in the town of Wawarsing.

Early that morning, Johnson observed one individual bowhunting in a tree stand over a large pile of corn and a mineral block. After approaching the bowhunter, Johnson spotted a second gun-hunter in another tree stand baited with corn and molasses. The officer cited both hunters for multiple violations, including hunting black bear with the aid of bait, placing a mineral lick on land inhabited by deer/bear, and additional lesser charges. In addition, the hunters were not wearing fluorescent pink or orange, which is now required.

FISHING VIOLATION
On Sept. 7, Johnson and Jon Walraven conducted a boat patrol along the Hudson River for marine fishing violations. While on patrol, the officers observed a 100-gallon propane tank floating in the middle of the river, posing a safety risk to boaters. The ECOs secured the tank and brought it ashore with assistance from West Point Military Police. Once on shore, the West Point Fire Department safely removed the tank from the property.

Johnson and Walraven continued south along the Hudson River to Piermont Pier, where they observed an individual throwing a cast net from the bow of a boat. The two fishermen on the boat possessed two young striped bass caught with the cast net. Striped bass can only be legally caught by angling. The ECOs released the fish back into the water and issued the two individuals tickets for taking striped bass by illegal means and fishing without a marine fishing license.

PHEASANT RELEASE SITES
About 30,000 adult pheasants are raised annually on the Richard E. Reynolds game farm in Ithaca and released just prior to and during the fall pheasant hunting season. Releases occur across New York on both state lands and private lands open to public hunting.

Youth-only pheasant hunt offers specially designated youth only pheasant hunting seasons. Pheasant hunting was one of the first hunting experiences for many of today’s adult hunters, and this two-day hunt will help maintain the introduction to hunting.

Consult the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide for the applicable dates in your area. Sites designated “RS” are locations where birds will be released for the Regular Season.

For further information on release sites in Region 4 (Capital District/Northern Catskills), contact the Bureau of Wildlife Schenectady office at 518-357-2355 or the Stamford office at 518-652-7367. For Region 5 (Eastern Adirondacks/Lake Champlain), contact the Raybrook office 518-897-1291 or the Warrensburg office at 518-623-1240.

Contact Ed Noonan at [email protected]