Outdoors notebook: DSI helps track down wounded game
Published: November 21, 2009, 9:15 pm
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Ideally, hunters strive to make a clean, quick kill shot on all game. Big game animals offer bigger targets, but body positions, angle of terrain, cover, and movement sometimes results in hits that do not immediately result in a clean kill.
Since 1978, hunters in certain parts of upstate New York State have had the option to call Deer Search Inc. (DSI) when they have lost the trail of a wounded deer.
Recently, with northerly expansion of black bear populations, DSI volunteers have had to take their trained tracking dogs on treks to find bears as well as lost whitetail deer.
"We have to stress that our services are a last resort in finding lost game animals," said founding DSI member Gary Huber. Before calling for DSI assistance, hunters should make every effort to track the animal.
DSI officials recommend walking to the side of a blood trail and marking at eye level the last place where the trail was confirmed.
"We ask for the eye-level identification so that we can follow the trail after dark," Huber noted.
Gary Neal, new president of the Finger Lakes Chapter, pointed out, "Calls to our dispatch center so far this archery season exceeded 300 before the start of gun seasons."
Hunters must have permission from all landowners on which the DSI handler and dog must cross to trail the game animal.
Dispatch centers are set up for the entire big-game hunting season and will be in operation until 24 hours after the closing dates for game hunted. For searches in the Western New York area, call 648-4355; for the Finger Lakes region, call (585) 935-5220.
To assist in DSI programs, go to deersearch.org.
Excalibur excels
After a slow start to the boating season, Excalibur Leisure Skills Center's (ELSC) new vessel, the Richard A. Smith, set out in mid-July on its 25th anniversary year of transporting "differently abled and disadvantaged Western New York residents" on fishing and boat-ride tours out of Buffalo Small Boat Harbor.
Despite budget delays in Albany and required vessel modifications, the Richard A. Smith, with support of 25 volunteer captains and 135 program assistants, served 1,800 passengers during the 2009 boating season.
Kids and adults with handicapping conditions and impairing disabilities of all kinds were able to get out and catch everything from bass to round gobies in Buffalo-area waters.
Director Jim Catalano seeks competent anglers and captains to man the vessel and support to keep boating and fishing accessible to folks who could not get on the water by themselves. Check with Catalano at 831-3188 or go to excaliburls.org.
Women's workshop
Women interested in expanding their outdoors skills and awareness can sign up for a three-day workshop with about two dozen different classes devoted to useful outdoors activities.
The Second Annual winter "Becoming an Outdoors Woman" workshop will be held on the weekend of Jan. 29-31 at the Rensselaerville Meeting Center in Albany County.
Women ages 18 and older can select presentations on ice fishing, snowshoeing, winter camping, nature journaling, trail camera use, bicycle maintenance, winter survival, cross country skiing, fly tying, winter forest ecology, reading wildlife sign, and backcountry skiing, among other presentations. Women have the option of a biathlon-type class, which combines snowshoeing and target shooting with .22-caliber rifles.
An early-registration fee of $310 covers instruction in three classes, meals, two nights lodging, program materials, and use of needed equipment. To check out the program on line, go to: dec.ny.gov/education/68.html; call (518) 402-8862; or write: Becoming an Outdoorswoman, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, 122334754.
Statements on shale
The comment period on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation areas of New York State has been extended from Nov. 30 to Dec. 31.
Hearings will not be held in Western New York, but property owners and others interested in the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement draft, which will govern drilling activities, can submit input on the impact statement.
To read the entire draft, go to dec.ny.gov.energy/58440.html. To submit comments, go to dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/SGEISComments; e-mail: dmngeis@gw.dec.state.ny.us.; or write to: SGEIS Comments, Bureau of Oil & Gas Regulation, NYSDEC Div. of Mineral Resources, 625 Broadway, Third Floor, Albany, NY 12233-6500.
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