Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs annual family event provided the public opportunities to learn about Onondaga Lake habitat restoration plans
More than 3,500 people attended this weekend’s Honeywell Sportsmen’s Days at Carpenter’s Brook. This annual family festival is the area’s local celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day, which recognizes leadership in fish and wildlife conservation. The event offered hands-on learning and opportunities to explore outdoor recreation activities.
“Sportsmen’s Days provides families and individuals a unique opportunity to understand the importance of fish and wildlife conservation along with outdoor recreation,” said Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe. “The volunteers who make this event one of the largest celebrations of its kind in New York should be commended for their dedication to habitat conservation and their commitment to pass their knowledge on to younger generations.”
During Sportsmen’s Days, local participants experienced a variety of activities and learned about Honeywell’s plans for habitat restoration in and around Onondaga Lake. Honeywell, in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, organized a habitat working group to incorporate community input into plans for rich new wetlands, diverse habitat and increased public access as part of the restoration of the lake.
Outdoor activities included: skeet shooting, waterfowl calling, turkey calling, archery, 3-D laser big game hunting, retriever dog demonstrations, crossbow, fly fishing, fly tying, jig tying, canoeing, muzzle loading and trout fishing. There were demonstrations by woodsmen, local wildlife artists and authors. Conservation Officers, Forest Rangers and Smokey the Bear also made appearances.
“Partnering with Honeywell has provided our Federation a better understanding of the path to conserving and restoring the habitat around Onondaga Lake. We are excited to be able to work with Honeywell and offer a sportsman’s perspective on this process,” said Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs President Stephen Wowelko. “Honeywell supports core values of sportsmen. Onondaga Lake is becoming a great recreation resource again after years of underutilization.”
National Hunting and Fishing Day traces its roots to former President Theodore Roosevelt who fought for the creation of hunting and fishing licenses and revenue streams to support state conservation agencies.
The weekend festivities included a lively volunteer dinner Saturday evening and two full days of outdoor sports and activities.
For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, please visit:
www.onondaga-lake-initiatives.com