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Region 9 Calendar of Events

Upcoming DEC Sponsored Events and Meetings in the WNY Area

We hope that you will join us for these upcoming events! For a detailed description of the event, just click on the event or scroll down the page. Hunting and fishing seasons are included in the calendar.

Upcoming Event Detailed Descriptions

Event Descriptions

Free Fishing Weekend

Each year, the last full weekend in June is designated as Free Fishing Days in New York State. During those two days, anyone can fish New York State waters, and no fishing license is required. This event started in 1991 to allow all people the opportunity to sample the incredible fishing New York State has to offer. Since no license is required, it is the perfect time to take a friend or relative fishing.

Free Fishing Clinics

You're invited to join DEC as it sponsors several free clinics to help teach fishing basics. Come learn about fish identification, fishing techniques and equipment, fisheries management, angling ethics and aquatic ecology. Participants will be supplied with necessary fishing equipment; no freshwater fishing license is required at these events. Pre-registration is appreciated. To register, please call (716) 851-7010 to register.

While a DEC Fishing license is not required for either the free fishing weekend or free fishing clinics, DEC's other fishing rules and regulations remain in effect. To learn more about New York's regulations, visit www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7917.html.

Public Meetings for Proposed Expanded Bear Hunting Range in WNY

Changes proposed will open new areas in the Southern Zone to black bear hunting beginning in fall 2008. DEC is proposing to expand the bear hunting seasons to 13 additional Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), which include parts of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming, Genesee, Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Yates, Steuben, Schuyler, Tompkins, Tioga, Cortland, Broome, Chenango, Madison, Onondaga, Oneida, and Otsego counties.

In the fall and winter of 2007-2008, DEC held a series of public meetings throughout upstate New York to provide an overview of the natural history and current status of black bears, including the recent range expansions, and to seek public input on future bear management efforts. Attendees at these meetings expressed interest in maintaining a healthy bear population and, where bears have a noticeable presence, supported management actions like expanded hunting opportunities to help control bear numbers and problems. The specific changes proposed for the Southern bear range would:

- Open WMUs 7M, 7R, 7S, 8H, 8J, 8M, 8N, 8P, 8R, 8S, 9G and 9H to black bear hunting for the archery, regular and muzzleloading seasons. This would include parts of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming, Genesee, Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Yates, Steuben, Schuyler, Tompkins, Tioga, Cortland, Broome, Chenango, Madison, Onondaga, and Oneida counties. Season dates for these units will be the same as those in place for adjacent units already open to bear hunting in the Allegany bear range.

- Open WMU 4N to black bear hunting for the archery, regular and muzzleloading seasons. This includes parts of Chenango and Otsego counties. The season dates for this unit will be the same as adjacent areas to the east (the firearms season for bear is the same as the firearms season for deer) in the Catskill bear range.

A map of DEC's Wildlife Management Unit locations can be found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8302.html . To see more detailed descriptions of the proposal, including instructions for providing comments, go to the DEC's home page - www.dec.ny.gov/ - and select "Proposed Regulations" from the left column. The proposed rulemaking can also be viewed in detail in the June 25, 2008 publication of the New York State Register, which will be posted at www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register/2008.htm .

DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposals until August 9, 2008. To send written comments on the proposals, go to http://www.dec.ny.gov/ and select "Proposed Regulations" from the left column, or mail to: Gordon Batcheller, NYSDEC, Bureau of Wildlife, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754.

Public Hearings and Information Sessions for Proposed Statewide Open Burning Regulations

Proposed regulations would ban most open burning statewide. Currently, it is only banned in cities, villages and in towns with population greater than 20,000. In addition, the revised rule will limit agricultural burning to naturally grown products such as vines, branches, leaves and stubble. It will also specifically allow such things as fire training, small cooking and camp fires, and ceremonial fires (e.g., proper disposal of U.S. flags by open burning).

DEC will conduct a public information session for one hour prior to each of the public hearings listed below. During these sessions, DEC staff will accept questions from the public concerning the proposed rulemaking. Each public information session will commence at 4 p.m. and end at 5 p.m. These sessions are intended to be informal and will not be part of the official hearing record. Any comments that the public wishes to be included in the record should be submitted during the official public hearing, or by email at 215fires@gw.dec.state.ny.us. Additional information is available online at http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/45045.html.

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