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Bill Hilts Jr.

A year in review: 2023 was a pretty good year in New York’s outdoors

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York, Opinion /

As 2023 draws to a close and we ready ourselves for another year, it’s time to review how the last 12 months treated us in the great outdoors. For the most part, it was a good to very good year – depending on your focus and outdoor pastimes.
New York’s portions of the Great Lakes of Erie and Ontario enjoyed some outstanding fishing once again and the future continues to appear bright.

A year in review: 2023 was a pretty good year in New York’s outdoors Read More »

Here’s some Christmas gift ideas for those who love New York’s outdoors

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, Hunting, National Fishing, National Hunting, New York, Opinion /

Every year, I know people who struggle to find that “perfect” Christmas gift to put into a stocking or under a tree. Now that I am officially old (collecting Social Security) here are some ideas that could help, especially as we look to the future.

Here’s some Christmas gift ideas for those who love New York’s outdoors Read More »

New York’s Niagara River facing another threat with proposed hydrokinetic turbine

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, New York, Opinion /

The awesome Niagara River, connecting Lake Erie with Lake Ontario, is one of my favorite bodies of water to fish. The lower Niagara River is the stretch from the Cataracts of Niagara to Fort Niagara, offering one of the most diverse selections of warm and cold water fish species on the planet. 
The upper Niagara River, from Buffalo to Niagara Falls, is an entirely different fishery, but every bit as productive.

New York’s Niagara River facing another threat with proposed hydrokinetic turbine Read More »

It’s time to make 12- and 13-year-old big game hunting law permanent in New York

Blogs, Featured, Hunting, New York, Opinion /

In 2021, a new section was added to New York’s Environmental Conservation Law that authorized 12- and 13-year-old junior hunters to hunt deer with firearms or crossbows. However, it was only approved as a three-year pilot program. This is the third and final year.

It’s time to make 12- and 13-year-old big game hunting law permanent in New York Read More »

New York’s Oneida Lake delivers at kayak bass invitational

Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York, News /

Bailey Eigbrett, 25, of Buffalo, led a field of 64 kayak anglers from across the state as the inaugural New York Invitational was held on Oneida Lake Oct. 7. Eigbrett’s best five bass, based on length using the Tourney X smart phone app, was 93.5 inches. 
There are six kayak bass fishing circuits in the Empire State and the top team for the tournament was the Slay Nation of Upstate NY group. Each circuit was invited to bring its top 10 anglers for the first-time event, and the top 25 bass caught by those 10 anglers for the day became the team’s score.

New York’s Oneida Lake delivers at kayak bass invitational Read More »

Resurrecting a salmon fishery in New York’s Niagara River

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York, Opinion /

When the days in New York begin to shorten and the colors of autumn slowly take hold of the landscape, Chinook salmon begin the process of returning to the rivers and streams that they have come to understand as home – whether real or perceived.
Approximately 50% of those fish in the lake are stocked, held in pens to trick them into thinking where home is or slowly released from the Salmon River Fish Hatchery. By the middle of September, in the Niagara River anyway, the first significant wave of kings arrives in the Niagara Gorge – high rock walls carved out by the mighty power of Niagara Falls over thousands of years.

Resurrecting a salmon fishery in New York’s Niagara River Read More »

New study shows fishing impact is huge and growing in New York’s Niagara County

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York, News, Opinion /

New York’s Niagara County knows the impact that fishing and the outdoors have on the local economy. In 2009 and 2010, two separate economic impact studies were conducted through Niagara University.
A dozen years later, it was time to update the economic impact study. Capt. Frank Campbell, Outdoor Promotions Director with Destination Niagara USA worked closely with John Percy, president and CEO of Destination Niagara USA, to find a new company for the study. Young Strategies out of North Carolina was hired to perform the work. After a year of collecting data and collecting over 1,000 surveys in 2022, the results are finally in.

New study shows fishing impact is huge and growing in New York’s Niagara County Read More »

Leashed dog tracking organization in New York responds to criticism, prepares for upcoming season

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, National News, New York, News /

Deer Search, a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to helping fellow hunters out by tracking injured big game, is receiving some unjust criticism and the group says it’s time to set the record straight. 
Formed in the 1980s in the Empire State, the group worked with the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation to create a Leashed Tracking Dog license. The license authorizes a person to use a properly licensed trained dog to locate dead or wounded deer or bear. Remember that definition.

Leashed dog tracking organization in New York responds to criticism, prepares for upcoming season Read More »

Better walleye fishing on New York’s lower Niagara River the result of a ‘long game’ regulation?

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York, Opinion /

It’s been a good year walleye fishing in New York’s lower Niagara River. On a recent trip to Devil’s Hole (mid-September), the plan was to start out casting stickbaits for walleyes. I was with my brother-in-law, Tom Calvert of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston.
Calvert, originally from Niagara County, had never caught a walleye before. This was going to be a new experience for both of us. For me, I have trolled, drop-shotted, bottom-bounced, and jigged for walleyes. Never have I cast out stickbaits to target them before.

Better walleye fishing on New York’s lower Niagara River the result of a ‘long game’ regulation? Read More »

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