SEPTEMBER 2003

SOUTH SHORE WATERFOWLERS ASSOCIATION

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Mount Sinai Update

In April I was asked to attend a meeting with Brookhaven Town Supervisor John LaValle. Also representing the waterfowling community were Craig Kessler, Ed Hessler, and George Dubotto. The purpose of the meeting was to come up with a solution to the hunting problem in Mt. Sinai Harbor. After many thoughts and concerns were raised by both sides, we came to an agreement: a line of buoys would be placed at the east end of the harbor. The line would be placed approximately 250 yards from the homes of the people that were complaining about the hunters. Unfortunately they didn't like this idea, saying the Town of Brookhaven has a "No discharge of firearms law" and there should be no hunting in the harbor.


So in early August, SSWA officials contacted both the New York State DEC and the Town of Brookhaven because of the upcoming hunting seasons. The DEC was hoping that the law would be amended by the September goose season. The Town told us that they were trying to get guidelines from the State Attorney General's Office. Then on August 25, News Channel 12 ran a story on the hunting in Mt. Sinai Harbor. It didn't show hunting in a good light. It talked about house and car windows being shot out. Hunters in people's backyards chasing down crippled birds and spent shotgun shells on the

  beach. They ended the story by saying the Town of Brookhaven has a "No discharge of firearms law that carries a fine of up to ten days in jailor a $2,500 fine." They tried to contact Supt. LaValle but he was in meetings. One of his aides said he was working on some legislation concerning the hunting in the Town of Brookhaven. The broadcast was totally one-sided. There has not been one complaint filed with any police department about windows being shot out. The town is setting up a line of buoys or stakes showing areas not to be hunted (see map). We need to start policing ourselves. Don't set up too close to houses or buildings. Pick up your empty shells and take better shots so a crippled bird will not land on someone's property. Let's work together to keep our sport alive and try to eliminate some of the hassles that have been plaguing our sport lately. Let's think before we shoot.

Bill Hartman


South Shore Waterfowlers ADOPT

That's right! The SSWA is now the proud sponsor of a prairie pothole. At our April 2003 meeting, we agreed to participate in the Defta Waterfowl "Adopt a Pothole Program." Our pothole is located in the province of Manitoba, on the farm of Margaret Hayward, Box 24, Sinclair, MB R0M 2A0.

Because of the hard work of our membership over the years to raise funds, we have been able to make donations to many fine organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited, N.Y. & N.J. Fish & Wildlife, New York Conservation Council, and now Delta Waterfowl. We look forward to working with all these groups in the future, to conserve wetlands, and to promote the sport of waterfowling.

Now back to our pothole. At the April meeting we decided the pothole would be dedicated to the memory of Harry Ike. Harry was the chairman of our feed program for many years, and also one of our hardest working members.

So in closing, I would like to say, if this pothole is as productive for the ducks as Harry was for the SSWA, it should be a big success.

Bill Hartman
 
   
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