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Youth Big Game Hunting Weekend starts Saturday

Sportsman’s Journal

OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek. These anglers were trying their fly fishing skill on Cattaraugus Creek on Saturday afternoon.

You may have to wear a jacket, but that is a small price to pay for fall adventures. Archers have been heading afield and have been rewarded with an array of colors, smells and sounds that the fall season brings. Most of the deer movement is early in the morning and late in the evening, but the action will pick up when the temperature continues to drop.

Rick Miller in Irving reports that the walleye and perch fishing continues to be decent out of the mouth of the Cattaraugus Creek. Yellow perch anglers have been connecting with ring backs usually in 50 feet of water lately. Walleye anglers report that the pike are still biting anywhere from 50 feet out to 90 feet. Anglers trying their luck at the rock piles at the mouth of the “Cat” report hooking up with walleye instead of trout. Trout anglers report having better luck with trout further upstream, than close to the mouth. Go figure.

On the plus side, those anglers hooking up with walleye at the rock piles report that the walleye are on the larger size. All that information coincides with what Department of Environmental Conservation biologist Jim Markham had to say about the recent field trips the DEC were on. Lots of yellow perch available, in the 50 foot range, by Sturgeon Point and the “Cat,” and lots of walleye, especially off Brocton in the 65 foot range. The DEC receiver tagged walleye program indicates that a lot of the walleye that migrate from the Western Basin will remain in our area, especially closer to shore, well into November. Keep and eye on the sky and enjoy.

Skip Bianco at Hogan’s Hut/Stow reports that the walleye catching has improved. The fish have been moving a lot lately. The DEC was reportedly doing a nocturnal electroshocking study and lots of bass and walleye were still in the 5 foot range near shore line structure like docks and pilings. Lately the anglers have been marking these fish moving into the deeper holes on occasion. Yellow perch have been active over most of Chautauqua Lake, but expect lots of smaller sized fish. Some bigger fish have been reported taken from the west side of the bridge, and off Chenneys Point. Small Mouth bass fishing has also improved.

Calendar: Oct. 1 – Nov. 15 is the Southern Zone Early Big Game Bowhunting Season.

This weekend, Oct. 12-14 is the New York State Youth Big Game Hunting Weekend.

Duck Season in our area (Western Zone) is a split season, from Oct. 19 – Nov. 10, then re-opening Nov. 30 until Jan. 5. Canada Goose season for our area, which is considered the south, is from Oct. 26 to Jan. 13, with a daily bag limit of five geese per day.

The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club Ladies Auxiliary will be having their Fall Chicken Barbecue on Sunday from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Nov. 11 is NYS Free Fishing Day to celebrate Veteran’s Day.

A gun show in Lander, PA is on Oct. 19-20. Times are from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the 19th, and 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the 20th. The proceeds will benefit the Lander Volunteer Fire Department.

Other upcoming gun shows include: Oct. 26-27 at the Ashtabula County Fair Grounds (Ashtabula County Expo Building) located at 127 North Elm Street Jefferson, OH, 44047; Nov. 16-17 Hickory Post VFW 5550 East State Street US Route 62, East of PA. 18 – West of Mercer on 62, Hermitage PA, 16148; and Dec. 14-15 at the Harbor Creek Fire Dept Social Hall located at 7275 Buffalo Road – US Route 20 (located between North East, PA and Harborcreek, PA. All three shows are from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Adults are $5 and children under the age of 12 are free. For more information contact Larry Spicer at (716) 792-9972 or go to LRgunshows@gmail.com or website LRsportingevents.com.

Children of the Stream will present weekly free fly-tying classes every Tuesday from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the Costello Room in the Rockefeller Art Center at the State University of New York Fredonia, starting Aug. 27. Children ages 12 and up, including adults are welcome and encouraged to attend. All tools and material will be provided for free.

If your club or organization is holding a hunter safety training/trapping course or a turkey shoot or any other outdoors event, and would like to see it posted in the calendar, send information to the OBSERVER, 10 East Second Street, Dunkirk, NY 14048, or call the sports department at 366-3000 ext. 5 after 6 p.m.

Note: If you have a big game fishing or trapping success story you would like to share, call 366-1772, or 467-2079 and leave a name, phone number and a time you can be reached. You can also call 366-3000, ext. 5, after 6 p.m. or email sports@observertoday.com.

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