Botchalism

[flybuster]

Not exactly sure how it will effect us all but while scouting today I ended up at fort niagara walking the shoreline- long story short I ran into a dec officer with a couple kids who were searching this end of the lake for dead birds, apparently there's been a Botchalism outbreak on the eastern end of the lake leaving many early migratory and loon dead on the water. You guys no anything about this

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[dukhnter8]

Botchilism has been around for many years, I was a wildlife tech for DEC and we would walk ontario and erie's shore every week to look for dead birds (mostly loons, longtailed ducks and some gulls). I would have to look up the health advisories on eating longtails (thought it might be none or one per month) but not sure. Seems like some years and times of year it was more prevalent.

[ray koziatek]

Usually happens bout the time the lake and bays reach peak temps so i understand..not uncommon trollin and find a "scumline" " inversoin" offshore with many dead gulls and some fish....{bait size) floating belly up..the loons,comorants might have lead poisening.......................BOOM! BOOM!

[flybuster]

Thanks for the clarity guys, I had no idea-guess its just one of those things you don't hear about every day.

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[Gill-T]

Usually happens on Erie. It has been a problem made worse by the ecosystem becoming more benthic (near the bottom) because of the zebra mussel. Usually occurs after a sustained east wind on Erie causes an upwelling bringing the bad bottom stuff up to the upper foodchain. Fish get it.....birds get it, and even huge mudpuppies wash up on shore. If you are worried about waterfowl.....if the bird flew into your spread....it probably is not sick. Make sure the meat is cooked thru and you will be fine eventhough duck tastes better undercooked If I saw waterfowl swimming around, I would not shoot it off the water as you can't determine the fitness of the bird.