New York Mixed Bag: Busy sport show season continues throughout March

Hamburg, N.Y. — Outdoor sport and gun shows continue to take place across New York this month and New York Outdoor News will be represented at several of them.

This includes the 2026 WNY Sport & Travel Expo at the Erie County Fairgrounds, in Hamburg, March 6-8 where Outdoor News Multimedia Marketing Consultant Gary Sajdak will be at the helm. Also on March 7, NYON Editor Dan Ladd will be a seminar speaker at the Adirondack Sportsman’s Dinner, in Wells, Hamilton County. And in Oneonta, that same day, the Midstate Arms Collectors, Oneonta Saturday Gun Show takes place at the Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center.

On Saturday, March 14, retired NYON Editor Steve Piatt will man the NYON booth at the CNY Sportsman Show at the Verona Volunteer Fire Dept., in Verona.

More information on these and other events can be found in the events calendar.

Licensed Guide Exam Being Offered At NYSOGA Annual Rendezvous

Altmar, N.Y. — The New York State Outdoor Guides Association is holding its 43rd Annual Winter Rendezvous in Altmar, Oswego County March 26-29.

At the Rendezvous, aspiring outdoor guides will have the opportunity to take their NYS Licensed Guide Exam, as well as take part in the organization’s workshops and access professional development resources in one four-day program. The program also allows attendees to take certification classes in First Aid, CPR and Water Safety for Guides.

Other programs will include topics help guides establish and grow guide business, expanding expertise and networking with New York’s guide community Founded in 1891 and reorganized in 1981, the New York State Outdoor Guides Association is the oldest professional guiding association in the state. It represents licensed outdoor guides from every region of New York.

Registration is now open for the Rendezvous at https://nysoga.org/2026-winter-rendezvous.

Also, DEC will continue to offer the NYS Licensed Guide Exam on a monthly basis through October. Learn more at NYS Licensed Guide Online Exam. Info: https://nysoga.org/become-a-guide.

DEC Offering Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Online Exams

Albany — DEC recently announced a new online exam for people seeking to become licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators (NWCOs). A NWCO is a person at least 18 years of age who is authorized to take/trap, transport, and release wildlife whenever an animal becomes a nuisance, destroys property, or threatens public safety. Licensed individuals can conduct these activities for commercial purposes or as an employee of a municipality.

DEC is offering these examinations online and free of charge.

The two-hour exam can be completed any time between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. on the following dates: March 13, April 17, May 15, June 26, July 17, Aug. 14, Nov. 6 and Dec. 11. The registration deadline is the day prior to the exam. Upon successful completion of the exam, applicants will receive information on applying for the license, including an application form.

All exams will be online. More information, including registration instructions and a NWCO training manual, can be found on DEC’s Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator web page. Questions can also be sent via email to: SpecialLicenses@dec.ny.gov or by calling 518-402-8985.

Scale Of Change Atlantic Salmon Film Series To Be Shown At SUNY Plattsburgh March 7

Plattsburgh, N.Y. — The Lake Champlain Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the HOOK’E Company and the Atlantic Salmon Federation will present the Scale of Change film series: Four short movies that deal with the plight of Atlantic salmon, at SUNY Plattsburgh’s Hawkens Hall on Saturday, March 7 at 1 p.m. The event is free.

The short films explore dam removal, river restoration, and the return of wild Atlantic salmon, subjects relative to the Plattsburgh region, the Saranac River and the Imperial Dam. The Scale of Change Film Tour is an international conservation-driven film tour featuring stories from rivers around the world. The films highlight how reconnecting rivers can lead to healthier fish populations and stronger river ecosystems. Plattsburgh is the only U.S. stop on the tour.

For more information, visit the Lake Champlain Trout Unlimited chapter Facebook page.

Sign Up Deadline For Cornell Lab Young Birder Programs Is March 8

Ithaca, N.Y. — The deadline is approaching for young birders to sign up for the Cornell Lab at Cornell University’s annual Young Birders Event being held June 25-28 in Ithaca.

The event is geared toward high school students interested in pursuing a career that connects with birds. The four-day event is held at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which is staffed by a variety of professionals who all work with birds in different ways: As bird biologists, ecologists, artists, communicators, educators, audio specialists, computer scientists, app designers, and more.

All high school-aged birders are invited to apply, but students must be at least 14 years old and about to enter grades 10, 11, or 12 at the time of the event in June. The application deadline is March 8.