Minutes from Schoharie County Conservation Association Meeting held at the West Fulton Firehouse On January 22, 2003

*Fellow Sportsmen & Sportswomen- *Attendance is needed from each club For their input on club activities* Meeting was held in the Conesville Firehouse starting at 7:25. There were 23 members present. Discussed the Canoe raffle and the Fair display. Ed Zamjohn took some pictures of the fair display and passed them around. The minutes from the July meeting were presented. A motion to accept them as written was made and passed. The treasurer’s reports for July was read and accepted by Dewey Irving, seconded by Ed Zamjohn. New York State Conservation Council: Discussion was held on the fall meeting. Approved sending Ray Zeh and Ed Zamjohn, paying for their expenses. This meeting was held near Utica on September 17,18 & 19. The council is looking for members to serve on the various committees which include Anti-Sportsmen Activities, Conservation Education, Energy & Natural Resources, Firearms & Ammunition, Forest Preserve & Public Lands, Big Game, Habitat/Access, Public Relations, Waterfowl, Archery & Bow hunting, Convention & Women Program, Environment, Fish, Fur Resources, Small Game, Hunter Education, Law Enforcement, Marine District, Resolutions and Women, Youth & Families. If you are interested in serving contact Ray or Ed and they will give you an application. Canoe Raffle Ed Becker chose to take the $500.00 so we have to discuss what to do with the canoe. Do we raffle off the canoe to Association members or do we save the canoe for next years fair raffle. The 2nd prizewinner asked if SCCA would give him $100 instead of the Black Powder Rifle, which we did. We are currently selling 100 squares for $5 each. The other prizes were mailed to the prospective winners. PHEASANT RELEASE 9/28/04 12:30 PM Meet at Taylor's Mobil Station across from Bellevue Builders RT 7 Richmondville. 24 Boxes of birds 1st of 3 releases Total Birds for Region 4 is 2,805. 65 less than last year, wet season, but 71 more cocks . NYS Hunting Licenses: Went on sale 08/16/04 Monday 9:00AM EDT - Don’t forget to buy a Habitat /Access Stamp ($5 Donation to the New York State Conservation Council) used for the building of parking lots for fishing & hunting access, opening up hiking trails, installing boat launches. NYSCC Legislative Information: September 15, 2004 Governor Pataki has VETOED A10052/S6878 the Blazed Orange Bill. VETO MESSAGE - No. 221 TO THE SENATE: I am returning herewith, without my approval, the following bill: Senate Bill Number 6878-B, entitled: "AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law in relation to requiring certain persons hunting for big game to wear fluorescent orange outer garments" NOT APPROVED This bill would amend the Environmental Conservation Law to require every person hunting for big game (deer and bears) with a rifle, shot-gun, pistol or revolver to wear a minimum of 400 square inches of Fluorescent orange material above the waist or a hat or cap of such material. The bill would establish a civil penalty of not less than $10 nor more than $50 for violation of the requirement. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) would be required to provide notice of the requirement in the State Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide that is provided to hunters when they receive their hunting licenses. The bill would take effect on January 1, 2005. Although the sponsors' objective of promoting hunting safety is laudable, I have not been persuaded that the bill would achieve that objective.While I fully support and encourage DEC's continuing efforts to educate hunters and promote the voluntary wearing of blaze orange, the key to hunting safety is for hunters to know their target and what lies beyond. A wide variety of non-hunters, such as hikers, birders, campers, loggers, horseback riders and Environmental Conservation Officers, share our State's natural environment with hunters and generally do not wear blaze orange. Thus, while it is inappropriate and dangerous for hunters to assume that they are clear to shoot in the absence of seeing blaze orange, I am concerned that the bill's statutory mandate could unfortunately lead less careful hunters to make that erroneous assumption. Moreover, based on the empirical data presented on hunting safety in our neighboring Northeast states -- some of which mandate the wearing of blaze orange and others of which encourage it -- it does not appear that mandating blaze orange will, by itself, increase hunting safety. Based on the foregoing, I am constrained to disapprove the bill. The bill is disapproved.(signed) GEORGE E. PATAKI Clinton GUN Ban: September 13 The hated ban on semi-automatic firearms and magazines have now expired. This misguided law, which had no effect on the actions of criminals, but penalized law-abiding citizens, was built on a campaign of lies. It was ended through a campaign of education, facts, and grassroots activism. The sunset of this ban was only made possible through the tireless efforts of millions of NRA members and tens of millions of American gun owners over the past 10 years. Rest assured that while this misguided law has been stricken from the books, this issue is not going to go away. In fact, just this week, anti-gun lawmakers in Washington, D.C. introduced new legislation to reinstate the ban. Correspondence: 1. Received a check from Schoharie County Treasurer, William Cherry, in the amount of $1000 to help offset our postage, mailing, copying, envelopes for our monthly newsletter and other operating expenses. 2. Received a report from the Board of Directors for the NYS Conservation Council, Inc. Some of the motions made and passed were: Only recording devices used at Board meetings shall be by the Secretary unless special permission is granted to others. Re-affirm Dan Tone’s authorization to pursue agreements with other states & publications to promote and publicize club insurance program. Accept financial report. Increase monthly Grassroots copy allocation. Institute pilot fundraiser of shirts at annual meeting. Develop merchandising plan and promote same on Council website. Open/close exective session. Accept job descriptions for office personnel. Accept Erie County Conservation Society as affiliate member. 3. Received cancellation notice on the meeting on Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium September 11, 2004 10AM – 4:30PM, Wyndham Hotel 6302 Rte 298 East Syracuse, N.Y. Current Events: &Mac183; Ray Zeh& daughter Elizabeth, Rudy Moentmann, Neal Bauman and Doug Handy set up a SCCA display for the Festival Farmers Market located at Rua & Sons Parking Lot Rt.7E Cobleskill September 11th (Patriots Day). &Mac183; BG Wildlife Management Task Force meet at the NYSPA on August 27 at 10:00 AM – Discussed archery deer permits, wildlife management projects, Wet land documentation, Future projects for SUNY Cobleskill students, LEM (Life Extension of Machines – Major rebuild program - replacing the four turbines –upper reservoir must be drawn down 300 acres to 100 acres starting Fall of 2006 may need volunteers to help save fish during drawing down of upper reservoir), handicapped access for upper & lower reservoirs, boat launch opening Labor Day weekend – 115 request with 60 returned – 33 issued, information on Tiger Trout and Long Path issues - more off road. Next meeting will be November 5, 2004 10:00 AM. &Mac183; Region 4 issues: We need people to write letters. We need to send a letter to FERC regarding NYPA relicensing telling them the issues we have regarding access to the natural resources at NYPA and our position regarding their use. &Mac183; FWMA: They meet the 4th Wednesday of the month, 5 times a year. The next meeting will take place 7:00PM Sept 22, 2004 at the Middleburgh Diner. &Mac183; 19th Annual Wildlife Festival will take place 10AM –4:00PM September 25 at the New York Power Authority –Blenheim Visitors Center. SCCA is planning on having a display this day. Volunteers are needed. Please contact Mike Zeh 266-5581 Middleburgh Rod & Gun Club: – 37 new hunters certified September 16. Discussed a break in the club’s trap house. Broke up two cases of clay birds. Youth Archery Program - summer league – 27 kids received trophies. Will hold Youth Archery again this coming January beginning 2nd Saturday. Black Powder will start 1st Sunday in January. Coby Fish & Game Club: Gun Hunter Safety Course Contact Joe Moore 234-2891 8:00AM – 5:00 PM for registration. Oct 1 6 PM –10 PM and Oct 2 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the VFW located in Cobleskill. Richmondville Fish and Game Club: Club was started in 1932. Meetings are held 1st Monday each month at either Richmondville Municipal Building or High View Camp site. Biggest involvement is fish & pheasant stocking, monitoring legislative activity and working with the SCCA. Past projects include surveying Cobleskill Creek & planting willows to improve the creek banks, maintaining access to Fancher’s Pond and the stocking of trout & pheasants. West Fulton Rod & Gun: Plans are under way to sponsor the Tim Murphy 10K Run again this year. Date is October 9. POC is Robert Roney. Will get commitment from NYSPA and Middleburgh Telephone Co. Did hold a club picnic 9/18/04 on the Hamm Farm. About 60 people showed up despite bad weather. No fish caught water too high. Problems between Fire Board of Commissioners and local volunteer firemen have been resolved! Conesville Rod & Gun: Had diner August 14 with 50 member & families. New pheasant hover building 8X8 Coop was completed. Excellent job hosting SCCA meeting. Ice cream sundays, cookies, brownies, cake and coffee. Long Path North Hiking Club: Have several hikes planned - Sept 22, Oct 9, Nov 6, Dec 21 Whitetails Unlimited: Whitetails Unlimited Schoharie County Chapter will hold their Annual Banquet at the Best Western located in Cobleskill on September 26, 2004 1:00PM – 5:00PM. Adults $15 Tickets & Kids $8.00 Tickets must be purchased in advance. POC: John Bloomer 875-6288 or Mike Zeh 266-5581. Raffles & Live/Silent Auctions. Raymond Lawyer was the lucky winner of the Turkey Gun Raffle. Whitetails Unlimited has purchased two digital cameras to donate to NYS DEC. This was through a request from Eric Haslun, our local DEC officer and Lt. Gerry Desko, Eric’s boss. Strutten Hens: NWTF Stickers Help Hunters be More Safe. In continued support of hunting safety, the National Wild Turkey Federation is making its Hunt Safely stickers available free of charge to hunters across the country. The safety stickers are neon green and designed to be placed on firearms to remind hunters to hunt safely as they take aim on their targets. "It's helpful to every hunter to have a quick safety reminder right before squeezing the trigger," said Tom Hughes, NWTF biologist and hunter safety coordinator. "It reminds the hunter to be sure of the target and what's behind the target." The stickers are part of the NWTF's hunter safety promotion, which includes hunter safety tips, defensive hunting tactics and the NWTF's turkey hunter's code of conduct. "The Federation has gone to great lengths to inform and educate the public about safety strategies while turkey hunting," Hughes said. "The results have been that turkey hunting is one of the safest types of hunting." With more than 20 million participants per year, hunting is a safe outdoor sport, and turkey hunting is one of the safest types of hunting. In fact, according to the National Sports Council, you're more likely to have to go to the hospital for swimming laps in a pool or playing a few sets of tennis than turkey hunting. In fact, you are four times more likely to be injured playing ping-pong than turkey hunting, and you are 50 times more likely to take a trip to the emergency room if you play golf. The stickers are available to NWTF chapters as part of the NWTF's seminar packs, as well as hunting safety instructors and anyone wanting to promote safe hunting. The first 150 stickers are free, but more can be ordered at a nominal fee. While only limited quantities of the stickers are currently available, more will become available soon. For more information about the NWTF and its turkey hunting safety tactics call 803-637-3106, or go online at www.nwtf.org. Meeting held 2nd Tuesday in September 14th to make plans for Fall & Winter activities. POC is Liz Rhinehart (518-673-3965) or e-mail donzil@telenet.net Summit Sno Riders: Welcome back Thanks to the efforts of our Board Member Booth Pendell, we voted to renew our club's membership in the SCCA. Friends of the NRA: NRA Banquet at the Johnstown Holiday Inn October 6th 2004. (POC: Charlie Olsen 284-2609 Central Bridge Fish & Game Club: Trap shoot on Monday nights 6:30 PM, Wednesday nights at 5:30 PM and Skeet on Sunday mornings starting at 9:00 sharp. Shopeg, our local TV Station is airing our SUNY COLBY Students presentations on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 6:00PM. The next meeting will be held at the Cobleskill College - September 23rd at 7:00.

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