New law mandates use of PFDs
A new personal flotation device law went into effect today. All occupants of pleasure vessels of less than 21 feet must wear a PFD while that vessel is in operation or under way. This new New York State regulation applies to rowboats, canoes and kayaks.
The regulation requires wearing a securely fastened U.S. Coast Guard-approved wearable PFD of an appropriate size between Nov. 1 and May 1 at all times a vessel is under way.
For boaters, especially fishing the lower Niagara River, the regulation follows a "Chapman Piloting" definition of under way as a boat drifting, moving or not. A PFD is not required to be worn when the vessel is at anchor or made fast to the shore.
Big Little Valley show
The Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds showroom area will be taken up with the Little Valley Volunteer Fire Department's Sportsmen's Show Saturday (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m.-3 p.m.).
"All 150 exhibitor tables have been sold out for more than a week," show coordinator Jim Miller said. Miller notes that along with viewing a solid complement of guns and shooting accessories, visitors can chat with a taxidermist, a Lake Ontario charter captain, gun-safe experts, and many other sporting-related accessory dealers.
A National Instant Criminal background check must be completed before firearms sales are completed. Cattaraugus County residents will have a county pistol permit clerk on hand throughout the show to help complete pistol-purchase procedures. For more details, check with Miller at 938-6928.
This harvest not a hoax
That unidentified monster buck shown as a bow kill in the Town of Boston keeps circulating as a hoax. But Nicholas Welsh, 43, of Lackawanna, has a series of photographic proofs of his Town of Boston trophy buck.
Welsh got his buck Oct. 18; it sported a non-typical rack of 16-19 points, depending on antler measuring for a count. He went out with a used PSE bow he purchased earlier this fall.
"A friend said he saw this big buck out there on a trail camera. I'd been gun hunting for decades but this was my first time archery hunting, and my first shot at a deer," he said of his heart shot made at 30 yards.
Outdoors scholar search
Applications are being accepted for Janice and Paul Keesler Scholarships. Students pursuing studies in the field of wildlife management can apply for grant awards.
Students must be New York State residents accepted into an accredited institution of higher learning and working toward a degree. Keesler Scholarship Awards will be announced and distributed in January 2010. Completed applications must be in by Dec. 31.
For an application form, send a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to: The Janice & Paul Keesler Scholarship Fund, c/o Bridget Keesler, P.O. Box 485, Newport, NY 13409.
Deer permit redraw
Hunters denied Deer Management Permits when purchasing a big-game license this season will have a chance at another DMP or two. Previously denied applicants will be issued DMPs and remaining permits will be offered at license-sales outlets beginning today.
Wildlife Management Units open in Western New York will be for 8A, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F. Sales will be first-come until the WMU is sold out.
DEC officials encourage hunters to obtain extra DMPs for areas they hunt and donate deer taken on additional permits to the Venison Donation program. For details on this program, go to venisondonation.com.
Women's program call
Erie County Conservation Society has been the site of a Women in the Outdoors gathering for the past 10 years. Springville Strutters Chapter of National Wild Turkey Federation sponsors this all-day event, which has grown from 17 women four years ago to 61 participants on June 13 this year.
Becky Werchowski and Linda Offhaus have chaired events for the past four years. The event has earned seven NWTF state awards in previous years. Werchowski and Offhaus are stepping down from the program and seek interested, involved women volunteers to check out this program for the coming year.
Both are willing to help organizers along the way, but new leaders could bring even more energy to this popular program. For more details, e-mail: viewofcountry@yahoo.com or lindaoffhaus@aol.com.
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