I handed the rod to Wayne Brewer and stated, “It’s your turn to reel. We have been flat-lining off the end of Montauk and catching a mess of stripers. I’m uninterested in catching all of the fish.” as I remember, he jumped to the strict of the constitution boat and, with an awful lot of enthusiasm, introduced in a pleasing striper.
That specific ride was a spontaneous adventure that turned into being organized in a hotel parking lot. Wayne Brewer and I have had some spur-of-the-second get-togethers.
The Montauk adventure all began at a New York State Outdoor Writers Association convention held in Auburn 10 years ago. Three or 4 people had been announcing goodbye after the activities were over whilst Joel Lucks from Long Island advised we fish for blues and striped bass at Montauk. Brewer and I, without delay, raised our fingers — and the trip was booked. We stated yes earlier than we even packed our vehicles for the journey home.
That turned into my first ride with Wayne. It would now not be my closing. We have fished together on Seneca and Cayuga lakes and trolled for trout and salmon on Lake Ontario.
Our final day out collectively was on Cayuga Lake final June, where four outside writers reeled in fish at the same time as remembering all our past adventures. We have been fishing with charter captain Jim Morgan. We all shared inside the good times that day … and fish. The laughs had been genuine and abundant.
Donald “Wayne” Brewer, sixty-nine, passed away unexpectedly, however peacefully, on Tuesday (February 12, 2019), at Geneva General Hospital. For those of you who missed the obituary that appeared in this newspaper a week in the past, here is a part of it:
“The own family will get hold of pals from four to 7 p.M. On Thursday (March 7) at Covert Funeral Home, 7199 South Main Street in Ovid. A Memorial Service may be held at Ovid Federated Church at 10 a.M. On Friday (March 8) with a reception straight away following at the South Seneca Sportsman’s Club. A private interment may be held at Ovid Union Cemetery at the convenience of the own family.
“Wayne is survived by using his wife of forty years, Linda, and his children Christie Marie Brewer of Hayes Corners, Donald T. Brewer of Fairfield County and Douglas W. Brewer of Seneca Falls; his siblings Roger (Kathy) Brewer of Romulus, Pam Armitage of Hayes Corners and Martin (Lisa) Brewer of Ovid; and his nieces and nephews Billy, Donna, Scott, Kelly, Kerry, Sarah, Matthew, and the cherished family canine, ‘Mia.’
“From a young age, Wayne and his circle of relatives were deeply worried in four-H. The childhood lessons he learned as a member of 4-H had an enduring impact on his life and career. Instead of plant life, kindly recollect a donation in Wayne’s memory to Seneca County four-H, placed at 308 Main Street Shop Centre in Waterloo.
“Wayne was born in Geneva, New York, on September 4, 1949, the eldest toddler of the late Donald J. And Rose M. (Travis) Brewer. He becomes a small-metropolis farm boy from Ovid, New York. His dad and mom had been second-generation farmers who instilled a sturdy paintings ethic and excessive moral person in their four children. These center values inspired Wayne’s considerable academic and professional achievements. Upon graduation from Interlaken High School, he earned his A.A.S. Degree in Natural Resources from SUNY Morrisville, later winning alumni of the yr in 1997. He then entered Cornell University, in which he earned a B.S. In Wildlife Science. He eventually enrolled within the University of Connecticut and earned an M.S. In Zoology. In 1994, Wayne attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, graduating with a perfect grade point average.
“It was all through his childhood that Wayne evolved a deep love for the outdoors, wildlife and nature. He became the happiest taking walks via the woods, figuring out and following animal tracks, scoping out ‘that elusive massive buck,’ or fishing within the Finger Lakes Region. His love for the outdoors and ardor for a natural world turned into contagious and knowledgeable his environmental profession picks. Early on, he recognized he might want to make good-sized contributions to the protection and upkeep of wildlife and herbal habitats by turning into an Environmental Conservation Officer. At the time, the physical requirements for an ECO covered a minimal height of five toes 9 inches. Wayne becomes undeterred, and for two months, he engaged in a regimented plan to stretch his body via placing the wrong way up each day. He added a one-region inch to his peak, and in September of 1973, he changed into reinstated and appointed to the placement of ECO of Seneca County. He becomes hired as an ECO on June 28, 1973, and then relieved of duty five days later because he becomes one-sector-inch too quick. Little did anybody understand at the time how that quarter-inch of the top might outline Wayne’s career. He rapidly ascended the ranks at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and, at the age of 31, has become the youngest person promoted to Captain in the corporation’s records. When he retired after 25 years of public service, Wayne had done the rank of Colonel. He served as the Director of the NYS Environmental Conservation Police, supervising a body of workers of 340 environmental regulation enforcement professionals across DEC’s nine regions.”
After he retired, Wayne again to his beloved Seneca County, pleasurable a promise he made to come back domestic and serve his network. He labored as a Seneca County welfare fraud investigator and part-time deputy for several years before serving for 12 months as a Seneca County undersheriff. Writing and teaching had been the defining characteristics of his 2nd career, though.
He was a prolific freelance outdoor writer with limitless articles posted in the neighborhood and local newspapers, statewide and countrywide environmental magazines, and change journals.
Wayne became a proud member of the NYSOWA and became serving as the organization’s past president. He also became a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America and Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. Outdoor author Bill Hilts Jr. Remembered Wayne fondly.
“Wayne Brewer changed into an amusing-loving guy that you can depend on,” Hilts stated. “As a regulation enforcement officer, he changed into the consummate ECO for DEC. Quickly rising via the ranks together with his passion, choice, and work ethic, he subsequently has become the ‘top cop’ in New York.
“He added that equal mindset to the NYSOWA. Whether it becomes his work as president (his period ended final yr) or serving on one of the organization’s committees, he became a take-rate form of a man with the best high-quality intentions. Ethically, there wasn’t a higher guy. This isn’t always to mention he didn’t enjoy existence and the outdoors to its fullest.
“His sense of humor became infectious, and he loved to stir the pot among his friends. He may also take a funny story with the pleasant of them. His writing turned into something that he labored tough at, doing his excellent to enhance his craft. To see how a long way he had traveled in his writing journey … he currently received a prestigious NYSOWA Excellence in Craft Award (what insiders talk to as a ‘Donald,’ a wonderfully carved decoy through expert carver Bill Suitor of Youngstown, N.Y.
“Most of all, Wayne turned into a terrific pal and a laugh to be round. I turned into lucky to fish several times with him, and it was usually a pride to the percentage a ship and lots of snickers. We will simply miss him.” Leo Maloney, every other outdoor writing colleague, echoed a lot of those sentiments.
“When a person first met Wayne Brewer, they had been normally struck through his pleasant nature and humorousness,” Maloney stated. “That influence might no longer be incorrect due to the fact he had an exquisite humorousness, loved lifestyles and shared an endless delivery of stories on the lighter aspect. Quite frequently, the shaggy dog story of the memories changed into on him. Wayne became an exquisite storyteller and kept an audience entertained for hours with memories of his young people and his DEC career adventures. A forged of colorful characters he associated with.
“But underlying his fun-loving nature became a serious, dedicated expert who cared deeply about the outside, his profession in regulation enforcement, and the project of the DEC Environmental Conservation Officers. He worked difficult to carry out this position and set up an awesome code of ethics for outside sports and the natural world. This equal dedication carried over to his writing profession and commitment to doing the nice activity possible in his newspaper or magazine articles. He served NYS Outdoor Writers’ Association with the same experience of hard paintings and best attempt as his roles within the DEC Law Enforcement.
Whether it was an insight into operations of DEC or humorous incidents within the sporting global, he ought to make long hours around the fire or at the fishing boat skip quickly.”
Youth turkey hunts in Finger Lakes
The everyday season for turkey hunting in our location is May 1. However, children 12-15 years vintage will once more have the possibility to take part in children turkey-looking weekend. This year’s children’s event is April 20-21. Three kids’ turkey hunts had been scheduled in our place.
Yates County
The 10th annual event typically fills up fast, so it’s exceptional to sign on as quickly as feasible. Eligible kids hunters consist of every person 12-15 years antique at the time of the search that has not harvested a turkey in New York before. A youth hunter can also take part in the Yates County hunt for 12 months best.
This is a free event, and there may be no expectation for the dad and mom to donate. These easy policies have been put in the region to offer a high-quality hunting possibility to as many youths as viable.
