The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released the Hunting Safety Statistics for 2011 and revealed that this past year tied with the safest hunting year ever in New York State.
Here is how the DEC breaks down that statement: In a 10-year period (2002 to present) the DEC has kept track of all hunting-related incidents reported in the state. Included in the facts are hunting-related shooting accidents, including big and other game hunting.
In the last 10 years, 2002 saw the highest amount of incidents with 61 recorded. That number dropped significantly over the next three years, until 2007, which saw a total of 37 incidents. In 2009, there were 26 total hunting-related incidents in the state and 2011 tied that number.
There were four fatalities in 2011, which is troubling anywhere and even more so when one occurs in your own community. All four fatalities occurred during deer season, and three out of four involved two parties. One was self inflicted. Shotguns accounted for 13 of the incidents statewide (one fatality) while rifles accounted for 11 - with two fatalities. Muzzleloaders accounted for two incidents.
Deer season is the most popular hunting sport in the state and would therefore attract the most hunters. When you consider the hundreds of thousands of hunters across the state, pursuing everything from bear to squirrels, it is astounding there were only 26 shooting incidents. The reason for that unbelievable safe statistic is because of the efforts of over 3,000 volunteer Sportsman Education Instructors, who donated their time and efforts over the past 60 years. In the 1960s the incident average was about 137 per year. That rate has continued to fall every decade until now, as the number is less than 30 statewide. Safety-conscious hunters, instructors and law enforcement will strive to lower that statistic annually.
In summation for 2011, 14 incidents occurred during deer season, four during spring turkey season, two while coyote/fox hunting, and one each in pursuit of rabbits, raccoon, upland game birds and woodchuck. Two were listed as other. No accidents or incidents were recorded using handguns, air guns, crossbows or bows and none were recorded while in pursuit of waterfowl, bear, turkey during the fall season, or squirrels.
In closing, note that many, if not all of the shooting incidents, could have been prevented by following the hunter safety rules: Treat every gun as if it were loaded, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, identify your target and what is beyond, keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire and wear hunter orange.
Looking for something to do now that Monday Night Football is over and the Sabres are just painful to watch? Consider stopping off at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club located at the foot of Mullet Street in Dunkirk (take Route 5, head west past the city of Dunkirk pier, and turn north at Country Fair). Enter the club through the front door starting at 7 p.m.
Kenny Hollander and Willie Fedrick have recently acquired thousands of dollars of donated fly-tying material and vises, and are offering FREE fly-tying courses on Monday nights. There will be one-on-one instruction, no pressure, no hidden charges and you get to keep the flies. I tried my hand with Hollander last week, attempting a framus, wooly bugger and a maribou jig. It was fun and I have a lot of room for improvement. Again, the course is open to the public, Monday nights from 7-9 p.m. and instruction and all materials are provided free!
Calendar:
The Lakeshore Longbeards, our local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation,membership drive/annual banquet will be Feb. 18. Call Bob & Judi Turk at 934-4538 for tickets and information.
Free Fly tying classes have resumed at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club on Monday evenings. The class starts at 7 p.m., with Willie Fedrick and Kenny Hollander as the primary instructors with guest appearances occasionally from the Kids on the Fly mentors.
Chautauqua County Sportsmans' Gun Show will be held today at the Westfield VFD Exempts Building, located on 75 Bourne St., in Westfield. from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
The Hindsdale Fire Dept. Gun show will be Feb. 11, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Feb. 12 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is $4. Kids under 12-years-of-age will be admitted free of charge. For information, call K. Martin at 417-9932 or S. Myszka at 307- 2161.
Upcoming outdoor shows include The Greater Olean Area Outdoor Rec. and Sports Show, in Allegany, Jan. 28-29. Log onto oleanny.com; Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, in Harrisburg, Pa., Feb. 4-12. Log on easternsportshow.com; Cattaraugus County Sportsmens Show , Salamanca , Feb 18-19. Log on senecaalleganycasino.com; Rochester Sportsmans Expo, Dome Center, March 2-4 . Log on rochestersportsmansexpo.com.
Ray Marks, an accredited fly fishing/fly tying instructor, will be presenting "Fly Tying 101," a complete fly fishing course at the J.T. Waugh school in the Village of Angola on Wednesday evenings over the course of eight weeks, beginning on Jan. 25. The classes will run from 6:30-9 p.m. There is a $60 tuition for this course, plus a $10 lab fee payable at the first class. All equipment is provided for casting and fly-tying instruction. Contact Marks at 549-1977 for more information.
The Jamestown Rifle Club located at 2882 Busti-Stillwater Road (Route 380), in Jamestown, will be holding pistol classes for those interested in receiving their New York State Pistol permits. There is a $40 fee per person for these courses. All classes begin at 1 p.m., and will last approximately four hours. Course dates will be on Jan. 29, Feb. 26, March 25, April 29, Aug. 26, Sept. 30, or Oct. 28. Contact Pat Hayes at 484-9301 to pre-register.
If your club is hosting an event which pertains to the outdoors (classes, courses, turkey shoots, etc.) and you would like to pass along the information, or your favorite hunter/fisherperson has a good story to share, contact the OBSERVER at 366-3000, ext. 5 after 5 p.m.
Gene Pauszek is an OBSERVER outdoors columnist. Send comments to sports@observertoday.com.
