Madison boys move on in Class D tournament

The Madison boys basketball team defeated Oriskany on Tuesday night to keep its undefeated season alive but other Dispatch-area teams didn’t fare quite as well in their quarterfinal games.

MADISON 66, ORISKANY 60 » Sam Matteson scored 21 points – including 11 in the fourth quarter – to lead the No. 1 seed Blue Devils to the victory and back to the Section III Class D boys basketball semifinals on Tuesday. Spencer Haviland chipped in with 12 points and Colton Stone added 11 in the victory. MCGRAW 64, STOCKBRIDGE VALLEY 56 » The Cougars kept the game close in the first half, entering the break tied 28-28 before the Eagles began to pull away in the third. Stockbridge Valley’s Jordan Jacobs led all scorerswith 29 points in the Section III Class D quarterfinal game while teammate Andrew Renner netted 11 and Dylan Anderson added 10. SKANEATELES 60, CAZENOVIA 45 » No. 13 seed Skaneateles pulled away by outscoring No. 5 Cazenovia 18-8 in the fourth quarter of the Section III Class B quarterfinal victory. Thomas Bragg scored 12 points in the loss.

Girls Basketball

WATERTOWN IMMACULATE HEARTCENTRAL52, MADISON 33 » KaylaUsborne scored 17 to lead the Blue Devils, who were eliinated fromThe Section III ClassDplayoffswith the loss. SOUTH JEFFERSON 43, CAZENOVIA 32 » Danielle Tedesco scored 13 points for the Lakers in the Section III Class B quarterfinal defeat. rectly to express your support. The more letters submitted, the better the chances of having these bills acted upon this legislative session.

Inclusion of the crossbow as a fully recognized instrument of hunting faces three main obstacles: apathy of sportsmen, indifference of the legislators, and the opposition of the New York Bowhunters organization.

Just because you are not a crossbow owner or planning on hunting with them does not mean that you should not care about the issue. Revenue for the Conservation Fund through increased license sales, the active enrollment of more people in hunting, and a chance to show solidarity with fellow sportsmen are all reasons the average sportsman should be involved. Certainly the concern for your fellow sportsmen who are no longer able to draw and hold a compound or longbow should spur you to action.

Similar bills have been introduced before but for some reason they were never acted upon in committee. Most legislators are oblivious to the concerns of sportsmen or have misinformation about crossbows. There needs to be a groundswell of popular support to get them to move and take action.

It is obvious that some have been influenced by the propaganda and lobbying efforts of New York Bowhunters, Inc. (NYB) who oppose the use of a crossbow during “their season.” These same zealots in the leadership of NYB base part of their opposition on the claim that it is a “superior weapon.” Yes, a crossbow is easier to cock and does not require the strength to hold the draw that a longbow or compound bow does. But you cannot look at the modern compound bows with all the bells and whistles and say honestly that this is not a “superior weapon” compared with the traditional longbow. It is also ironic that bowhunters faced this same opposition a few decades ago and it took a united effort of sportsmen through the NYS Conservation Council and elsewhere to get them the separate season that they now enjoy and claim as their birthright!

The year 2017 is shaping to be a big year for crossbow inclusion in Albany and Crossbow Coalition needs the membership numbers behind them and the financial resources to be prepared for what lies ahead in the coming months. They are pleased to say their membership numbers continue to grow. If you are not a full member, please consider joining NYCC today. See their website www.crossbowcoalition.com or contact Rick McDermott - NYCC, PO Box 316, Pulaski, NY. If you are not sure if your membership is current, please drop them a note at info@nycrossbowcoalition.com and they will let you know your membership status.

SHORT CASTS

Youth Turkey Hunt: The Oneida County Sportsmen’s Federation and the Madison County NWTF are teaming up with the assistance of Environmental Conservation Officers from Region 6 and other sportsmen and women to give youngsters a great experience during the Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend, April 2223. Youngsters eligible for the youth hunt and who do not have the opportunity to learn from or hunt with a family member or an adult mentor will have the opportunity to go turkey hunting with a mentor.

On April 15, prior to the hunt, youngsters will learn from experienced mentors the basics of turkey hunting and practice their marksmanship at a shooting range under the supervision of certified instructors.

You can sign up or get the application for the hunt at their web site www.cnymyhunts.org. You must sign up by April 1. You can email the application to sfcf@tds.net or by mail to the address: Youth Turkey Hunt, C/O Mr. Scott Faulkner, 3720 Gifford Rd, Vernon Center, NY 13477. If you have questions call 315-2250192.

Annual Women’s Tur- key Hunt: The Oneida County Sportsmen’s Mentor Program, with the assistance of the Madison County NWTF, will be holding a women’s hunt during the regular turkey season. This year’s date will be May 20. Women who sign up will have the opportunity to go turkey hunting with a mentor. Some women may want to learn or participate in turkey hunting but do not have family members or someone who are experienced turkey hunters to assist them. The Oneida County Sportsmen’s Mentors Program will provide this opportunity.

During the weekend of April 15, prior to the hunt women will learn from experienced mentors the basics of turkey hunting and practice their marksmanship at a shooting range under the supervision of certified instructors.

Women who are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity will need to have completed their hunter safety course by that date. You can sign up or get the application for the hunt at their web site www.cnymyhunts.org. You must sign up by April 1. You can email the application to sfcf@tds.net or by mail to the address: Women’s Turkey Hunt, C/O Mr. Scott Faulkner, 3720 Gifford Rd., Vernon Center, NY 13477. If you have any questions please call 315-225-0192.

State of Lake Ontario Meetings: The public will have the opportunity to learn about the state of Lake Ontario fisheries at a public meeting on Monday, March 13 6:30-9 p.m. at the Pulaski High School auditorium, 4624 Salina St., Pulaski, Oswego County. In the event of heavy lake-effect snow, the meeting will be held at the same time and location on March 14.

Staff from DEC, the United States Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will share presentations, including updates on the status of trout and salmon fisheries in the lake and its tributaries, forage fish, and stocking programs. The meetings will provide ample time at the end of the scheduled program for the audience to interact with the presenters.

Steelhead Report: Fishing for steelhead on the Salmon River has been unpredictable this winter. Some days there are decent numbers of fish, then there may be days where they all are in the upper areas and no fresh fish can be found. Guides like Wayne Weber (315529-3886) and Chris Mulpagano (315-387-2623) will give honest answers when you check on conditions and give every effort to put you onto fish when you go with them. Hopefully we will have more consistent reports of action in the next week or two.