Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - Kids Fishing Derby Marred by Misguided Enforcement

Nobody has more esteem than I for the dedicated men and women who work hard at DEC. All too often, although it may not have been my original intention, I find I’m writing articles critical of DEC’s policies. For this week, I had planned to write an optimistic column about the coming of spring and trout season. That unfortunately got derailed when I learned of an unpleasant incident in Schoharie County.   

 The Schoharie County Conservation Alliance (SCCA) held a kid’s ice fishing derby a few weeks back on the Franklinton Vly off Route 145 in Livingstonville. The sportsmen and women-volunteers were teaching kids to fish, connecting them to nature and a healthy outdoor activity, while promoting sportsmanship and perhaps more importantly, what becomes possible when community volunteers get together to give back. Sounds idyllic, and it was. That is, until the arrival of NYS DEC Forest Ranger Aaron France, who brought with him not a single measure of support, but did bring a healthy dose of aggressive government overreach. Ranger France immediately confronted sportsmen-volunteer and SCCA President, Greg Warner, stating he was in violation for having driven his ATV across state lands to get onto the ice. Greg told Ranger France he did not cross any state lands as he and the other operators of ATVs on the ice had accessed the pond going solely over private land which is not a violation of any law. 

 The Ranger summarily dismissed his explanation, then issued three tickets to Gregg and two other volunteer-sportsmen for operating ATVs on state lands. During the encounter, the Schoharie County president reports the Ranger was quite rude and intimated he might have shut the whole kid’s derby down because of the alleged violations. Exasperated at the statement, the Schoharie County Sportsmen’s Alliance president asked why he would do such a thing to a kid’s fishing derby? Ranger France reportedly replied, “Because I can.” 

 That ludicrous sequence of events begs the question, why Forest Rangers are even on the ice checking fishermen? It’s the mission of ECOs to enforce fish and game laws pertaining to ice fishing and the like, while Rangers are experts in search and rescue, forest protection, and combating wildfires. 

 Kids learning to fish through the ice are typically greeted by ECOs who assist and educate them. The same ice fishers can then be subjected to Rangers checking them with an eye to writing tickets, or as in this case, issue erroneous tickets for violations that do not exist. The regulations prohibiting access to the Vly using ATVs and snowmobiles are circumspect at best and should be considered for amendment or repeal as there is no demonstrable environmental benefit to the resource. The president of SCCA stated, “You got people in charge making up these rules that don’t care about the public.” 

 Upon a request for their view of the information surrounding this incident, DEC spokesman, Jeff Wernick, responded with the following statement: “Three adults were issued tickets for operating ATVS on a Wildlife Management Area. After further evaluation of the evidence, the tickets were dismissed.”

 The tickets were dismissed by the Town of Broome Court because there was absolutely no reason for their issuance, just as SCCA President, Greg Warner had explained to the Ranger at the onset of their encounter. 

SCCA is a highly respected and responsible charitable organization. They had obtained a permit from DEC for the event in question which allowed one fully registered snowmobile to cross a portion of the state land to transport elderly volunteers, heavy supplies, BBQ’s etc, necessary to feed a hot lunch to the many kids and volunteers in attendance. It takes a lot of help to put on such a wonderful free kid’s fishing event. Volunteers include many very senior members of the community as well as a cadre of SUNY Cobleskill students who help support the kids by providing live bait.