Category Archives: Turkey Hunting

A look back at 2023 Berkshire Woods and Waters columns

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The year 2023 is now history.  So, what were some of the major articles this column covered last year?

Well, things started off on a sad note.  In January we learned that local flyfishing legend Fred Moran of Adams passed beyond the riverbend.

More than 700 lbs of venison were distributed and provided meals for people throughout the state in 2022.

A total of 223 black bears were taken during the combined 2022 bear hunting seasons. This was the second highest in the last 5 years and the 6th highest overall. Some 79 bears were taken in Berkshire County. The 2022 deer harvest set a record at 5,853 deer. That harvest highlighted the growing deer abundance statewide and increased access to permits. Some 3,067 turkeys were harvested statewide in 2022, 2,837 in the spring hunt and 230 in the fall hunt.

There was a 3-way tie in the MassWildlife Youth Catch & Keep Angler of the Year 2022, Carter Flagg of Gill, and Logan Middlebrook and Gabriel Christman of Pittsfield. Logan caught the gold pin brown trout weighing 3 lbs. 6 oz out of Onota Lake and Gabriel caught the gold pin 3 lbs. 5 oz rainbow trout out of Stockbridge Bowl.  Gabriel also caught a gold pin white perch weighing 1 lb. 4 oz out of Pontoosuc Lake.

Other gold pin fish that were caught out of Berkshire waters last year were:

  • Adult Catch & Keep Category – A 3 lbs. 5 oz brook trout was caught out of Goose Pond by Allan Armstrong of Lee.
  • Catch & Release Category – Two 44-inch northern pike were caught out of Onota Lake.  One was caught by Seth Davis of Oxbridge and one caught by Jake Burke of Pittsfield. Another gold pin fish caught out of Onota was a 23.25- inch white catfish which was caught by Jason Wingrove of Bernardston.

 

Four area outdoor sportspeople/conservationists received prestigious awards at the Silvio O. Conte Awards Banquet which was sponsored by the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLA):

  • Stephen Sears of Dalton received the Sportsman of the Year Award.
  • The late Fred Moran received the Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously.
  • Joel Miraglia of Ashfield received the Sportsmen’s Appreciation Award.
  • Eric Dupont of Lee received the John Zuber Award for all that he does for the youth programs at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association.

 

MassWildlife submitted comments to the Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental and Energy Affairs and MA Environmental Policy Act Office regarding a proposed Pontoosuc Lake drawdown.  MassWildlife’s position is that it alters and causes harm to biological resources without substantive justification or full consideration of alternative approaches with less impact to the biological resources.

Governor Maura Healey made a campaign promise to pause logging on state-owned forest land

 

In March 23, Dan Aitken of Pittsfield caught a 16 lbs 14 oz tiger muskie that measured 45 inches.  Unbelievably, Dan had caught an even heavier fish, a Northern Pike, out of Onota Lake just the week before on March 17. That fish weighed 22 lbs 5 oz and measured 43 inches long.

Local fly fisherman Marc Hoechstetter wrote an article about his experiences fishing the Hideaway Pool on the Deerfield River.

 

Beginning in 2023 two new fish species (Fallfish and White Sucker) were included in the MA Freshwater Sportfish Awards Program.

In May we documented the tale of two youth turkey hunters 13-year old Hunter Lawson of Williamstown and 17-year old Matthew Melito, of Adams.  Both got two turkeys on their first day ever of turkey hunting.

 

In May, Tom O’Shea was appointed Commissioner of the MA Department of Fish & Game replacing outgoing Commissioner Ron Amidon.

MassWildlife added 125 acres in Cummington adjacent to Route 9.  They also partnered with Berkshire Natural Resource Council, DCR, and the Department of Conservation Services to protect more than 750 acres in the towns of Tyringham and Monterey.

A Commemorative plaque was dedicated…. after 49 years.  Appreciation was shown for a land donation which was made to the Town of Lenox in 1974 by the late Robert and Olga Weiss of Lenox

 

Governor Healey’s office announced $500,000 state grants to five coalitions and four individual non-profit watershed organizations across the state to support monitoring water quality. Three local organizations received them, The Housatonic Valley Association – $48,605, The Deerfield River Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited – $26,007 and The Farmington River Watershed Association – $13,378.

 “An unforgettable Opening Day on the River.” Bill Hollister, formerly of Pittsfield, narrated how he helped save a man from drowning in the West Branch of the Housatonic River in 1950.

 

MassWildlife led a cleanup of the George Darey Wildlife Management Area as well as certain areas along Roaring Brook Road in Lenox.

Based on studies, we learned that most brown trout in the Deerfield River are wild, not stocked

 

Changes in goose hunting season, one being the extension of its season date which would run from January 1 through February 15.

 

In June, the Pediatric Palliative Care Program, part of Hospice Care in the Berkshire, enjoyed the BCLS sponsored Youth Outreach Derby on Reynolds Pond in Cheshire.

The 2023 Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby drew about 300 fishermen and raised over $10,000 for the fight against cancer.

 

In June there was an article about Paul Knauth (Hinsdale) and me chronicling a wonderful flyfishing trip to the Catskills and epic battles fought with large trout. None were landed.

 

Naturewatch columnist Thom Smith retired.

 

Wildlife officials wondered whether we could reverse the trend of dwindling hunting and fishing participants.

 

In recognition of his 35 years of dedicated and effective conservation work, an asteroid was named after Dr. Thomas W. French, the founding leader and former Assistant Director of MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP).

Local recipients of the Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grant Program were: Egremont: $48,811 for Karner Brook Culvert Replacement, Richmond:  $55,200 for Sleepy Hollow Road Culvert Replacement, Great Barrington:  $55,933 for Housatonic River Tributary Culvert Replacement, Berkshire Clean, Cold, Connected Restoration Partnership, Housatonic Valley Association, awarded $199,899.

Environmental Police Officer Lt. Tara Carlow received the Outstanding Officer of The Year Award in Conservation Law Enforcement and Public Safety.

 

New proposed gun control law (HD.4420) drew fire from hunters and legal shooting enthusiasts.

 

Alice Christman of Pittsfield caught a 42 1/2 inch pike weighing just short of 14lbs.

 

It was a great hunting year for young Hunter Lawson.  In addition to the two turkeys that he got earlier in the year, he also got a black bear

 

In October a column heading was “Back to Battle on flyfishing trip to the Catskill.  This scribe’s attempt to catch a big brown trout that defeated him in June.  After it cleaned my clock again, it took on the name of Iron Mike. (Named after Heavyweight Champion boxer Mike Tyson who trained in the Catskills).

In October we learned about local MassWildlife firefighter Jacob Morris-Siegel’s trip to Montana to fight the wildfires.

 

here was an article about a new turkey license plate that is on the horizon.

Sportsmen and women were recognized by New England governors as America’s true conservationists.

 

The 2023 MA paraplegic hunt harvested 10 deer, only 1 in the Berkshires

 

In November, four instructors from MassWildlife conducted a Field Day for its Basic Hunter Education Course at the Stationery Factory in Dalton.  49 students passed the course.

In November over 30 individuals participated in a fly tying/fly fishing event at the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery

picture provided by Peter Paulson

In December, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced an investment of $25 million to remove eight aging dams in Central and Western Massachusetts, including the abandoned high-hazard Bel Air Dam in Pittsfield

Charles Wohl of Lenox was

Charles Wohl photo provided by Gene Chague

awarded Trout Unlimited Crooked Staff Award.

In December, local photographer Mark Thorne reported that T98, the 21 ½ year old female bald eagle, went missing.

Many thanks for reading this column last year.  I look forward to continuing writing about our woods and waters in the new year.

Most brown trout in the Deerfield River are wild, not stocked

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For the past four years, MassWildlife has been conducting extensive mark-recapture electrofishing surveys on the Deerfield River to assess the brown trout population. The surveys were focused on the upper section of the river from the Fife Brook Dam to the Route 2 bridge crossing in Charlemont. Results from this work show that over 80% of the brown trout in this section of the Deerfield River are wild. These wild trout were born in the Deerfield or a nearby tributary, not stocked as adults from the hatchery. Based on these findings, MassWildlife has decided that brown trout stocking is no longer necessary in this section of the river since there are many wild fish present.

“Fishing in the Deerfield River is better than ever, and anglers will not notice much of a change from the stocking adjustments,” says Adam Kautza, MassWildlife’s Coldwater Fishery Resource Project Leader. “We will continue to stock rainbow trout in this section of the river. Also, the typical allotment of hatchery-raised brown trout usually stocked upstream of the Route 2 bridge will still be stocked further downstream.” The combination of stocked trout and wild brown trout along with two catch-and-release only areas make the Deerfield a premier destination for all kinds of anglers.

Consistent with the last four years of the survey, MassWildlife biologists will continue to clip the adipose fin of all hatchery-raised brown trout released into the lower section of the Deerfield. “This will enable us to continue monitoring this area and we will know if any hatchery trout make the trip upstream,” says Kautza. “We will continue to monitor the trout population and reassess as needed.”

This survey, along with other fisheries research, allows MassWildlife to manage fish populations more effectively and to provide a variety of fishing opportunities to the public. This project was made possible by ongoing support from the Deerfield River Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Greater Boston Chapter of Trout Unlimited. These groups were instrumental in getting this project started and provided physical and financial assistance along the way. “We commend MassWildlife for taking this huge step toward protecting and expanding the wild brown trout population in the upper Deerfield,” says Eric Halloran, president of the Deerfield River Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited. “We have known for years that this part of the Deerfield has a significant population of wild brown trout. We hope that through our working relationship with MassWildlife the wild trout population in the Deerfield Watershed will continue to expand.”

Proposed change in goose hunting season

A couple of months ago, it was mentioned in this column that certain waterfowl regulation changes were going to be recommended at a public hearing on April 26.  One of the proposed changes would have affected the goose hunters by listing the Berkshire Late Goose season from December 15 to January 30.  However; based upon the minutes of the April 2023 Fish & Game Board, they approved a different proposed season which would run from January 1 through February 15.

In response to my inquiry for reasons for the change, MassWildlife answered that they did so in response to public comments from hunters, both written and in person at the hearing, Hunters commented that the February portion of the season provides an important opportunity to hunt at a time, and in places, where there is little other activity or conflict with other users. Basically, the Board approved the dates that they felt gave the best opportunity for Berkshire goose hunters.

Ice fishermen expect cold temperatures at that time of year.  They need plenty of ice for safety reasons.  To counter the cold, they can walk around, chase the tip-ups, cook some warm grub on a hibachi, socialize with other ice fishermen, etc.

But hunkering down and staying still in a small goose blind in February? No, no, not for me.

Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club youth fishing event

The PSC is sponsoring a kid’s fishing event at Reynolds Pond in Cheshire on Saturday June 17 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. It is for kids 12 and under and their parents don’t have to be club members.

There will be snacks for the kids and 5 prizes for kids who catch a tagged trout.

For more information, contact Sandra and Ed Bushey at (413) 443-9371.

Mass Firearm Law Seminar

 

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club (LSC) is hosting an educational seminar for both License to Carry Firearms (LTC) holders and non-holders.  The Massachusetts Firearm Law Seminar is being held Tuesday, June 13 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 am at the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club, 258 New Lenox Road, Lenox, MA.

Taught by Jon Green, Director of Education & Training for the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League (GOAL), this 3-hour long seminar reviews and explains both state and federal laws and regulations in simple-to-understand language. The seminar will clarify applicable Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) and Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR) regarding;

  • Firearm definitions
  • Firearm purchase and sale
  • Proper and legal firearm and ammunition possession, transport, and storage
  • Record-keeping requirements
  • Recommended best practices for firearm owners

The cost is $15.00 per person for Lenox Sportsmen’s Club members and their guests and $20.00 for non-members.

Light snacks and soft drinks will be provided. Every attendee will receive a complimentary copy of the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League firearms law booklet.  A License to Carry Firearms (LTC) is not required to attend this seminar.

Pre-Registration is required for this event. People can register on the LSC website.

Hunter education course

Basic hunter education is mandatory for all first-time adult hunters. The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club has scheduled a Hunter Education course at its clubhouse with MassWildlife on August 20. These classes fill up quickly, so if you are interested in taking it, call MassWildlife at (508) 389-7830.

Summer wild turkey survey

Help MassWildlife with its annual summer wild turkey count. Every year from June 1 to August 31, wild turkey reports from the public help their biologists determine productivity, compare long-term reproductive success, and estimate fall harvest potential. Reports are welcome from all regions of Massachusetts, from the most rural communities to more densely-populated areas. The summer wild turkey survey is a fun way for people to connect with nature while contributing valuable data to MassWildlife biologists.

 

You are encouraged to report wild turkey sightings in your area.  Contribute to the annual wild turkey survey by reporting observations of hens (female turkeys), poults (newly-hatched turkeys), jakes (juvenile males), and toms (adult males). Click onto the MassWildlife web page to learn how to tell the difference between male and female turkeys.

Turkey sightings can now be submitted online using a form which can be downloaded.   The form has been updated for the 2023 to include a map that allows collection of more accurate location information. Users have the option to zoom to their location on the map or type in an address.

Carp Palooza

This year’s Carp Palooza event will take place on Onota Lake in Pittsfield on June 24. There will be cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, pending the number of entries.  Sign-up will take place at the boat ramp between 1:00 and 3:00 pm.  Fishing ends at 12:00 am.

 

Two person teams, $50 per team.  Awards will be given for the best combined weight, 2 carp.  Lunker Pool optional at $20 per team.  Championship belts will be awarded to the first-place team.  There will also be a 50/50 raffle.

 

For information on the event, contact Joshua Christman at (413) 770-7111.

 

 

A note from the Environmental Police

According to Lieutenant Tara Carlow of the Massachusetts Environmental Police, officers are patrolling by boat and ATV for violations as well as increasing their presence in the DCR parks as their campgrounds and day use areas become busier.  They can always reach out to us for violations or to chat.

Recently they were out with the trout stocking trucks on a couple of occasions and one officer was at the youth stocking event which was recently held at Onota Lake.

So, boaters and anglers take note.

Projects in which the DFW Western District is involved

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It’s possible that a lot of people don’t know what the folks at the DFW Western District Office in Dalton do.  Oh sure, we know that they weigh in deer during hunting season and stock trout in the spring and fall, but what else?

 

Well, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden and Aquatic Biologist Leanda Fontaine-Gagnon made a presentation providing some information at a recent monthly meeting of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited.  The presentation, which was held at the Pleasant and Main Café & General Store in Housatonic, MA was basically an overview of the district’s activities.

 

Andrew Madden started the presentation by providing an overview of non-fish related programs.  He mentioned that the mission of the MassWildlife is protecting the biodiversity in the state.  Some highlights included:

  • Counties covered by the Western District include Berkshire and western towns of Hampton, Hampshire and Franklin Counties.  With a small staff of 10 employees, they manage and focus on land protection including managing over 67,000 acres in Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Wildlife Conservation Easements (WCE).
  • They manage 500 acres of fields (e.g. mowing).
  • They stock 72 waters.
  • They stock 23 pheasant areas.
  • They band Bald Eagles.
  • They monitor 10 collared bears.
  • They have a focus on Outreach to colleges
  • Conduct Paraplegic Deer hunts.

 

A list of Projects includes the following:

  • Loons – they established the first nesting pair in Berkshire County.
  • Bats – many are endangered due to White Nose disease.
  • Bears – a current challenge is to establish bi-laws to prevent intentional bear feeding.
  • Large Animal Response – capture and relocate large animals as necessary.

 

Leanda Fontaine Gagnon followed up by presenting an overview of aquatic-related project, including:

Trout Stocking – is a renewable resource that improves angling opportunities.  The stocking program occurs over an average of 10 weeks in the spring through around Memorial Day.

  • Includes Brook, Brown, Rainbow and Tiger trout
  • Approximately 400,000-450,000 pounds of trout are stocked statewide of which the Western District receives about 20% of them.
  • Approximately 10,000 Landlocked salmon smolts from the Palmer Hatchery are stocked in the Quabbin Reservoir.
  • There are four hatcheries in Western Mass: Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. The fifth hatchery is in Sandwich.
  • MassWildlife posts a stocking schedule and report at the following address: Mass.gov

 

Angling Education Program – learn to fish for the general public.  It is a free program including use of equipment.

Fishery Conservation – the main watersheds include the Hoosic River, Deerfield River, Farmington River, and Westfield River.

Fish Sampling – there have been a total of 11,500 surveys statewide over the years and over 6,400 since 1998.  The types of surveys include:

  • Electrofishing (shocking) – including wading rivers streams with shock backpacks as well as using barges and boats outfitted with shocking equipment for lakes and ponds.
  • Netting, including gillnets and traps.  Additionally, this netting often occurs when lakes and ponds are iced over in the winter.
  • Angling Creel Surveys.

Data gathered from surveys provide information about fish communities in the water to compare the fish species over the years.  It can tell you things like water quality, as well as the amount and location of wild trout populations.  It can also lend help in monitoring changes in habitat, water temperature, water quality, and river/stream connectivity.

Cold Water Resources – There are over 1,200 Cold Water Resources (CWR) in Western Mass.  There are many threats that can negatively impact CFRs including:

  • Impervious Surfaces – such as paved roads and parking lots which impact drainage and warm the water.
  • Surrounding Landowners.
  • Loss of Riparian Buffer Zones – such as mowing and cutting of brush and cover down to the water’s edge.
  • Inadequate connectivity of rivers and streams caused by damaged culverts, dams, etc.

 

Freshwater Mussel Surveys:

  • Mussel populations are great indicators of fish health.
  • They are great water filtration systems for our water.
  • MassWildlife Western District staff actually don scuba gear to survey local waters for mussels to determine size, species, and the type of substrate they live in.
  • Mussels and fish live symbiotically, where the fish provide a reproduction vehicle when the mussels temporarily lay minute mussels in the fish’s mouth.  These tiny mussels will live in the fish’s mouth until it is large enough to drop to the water body substrate and live on its own. The fish are not impacted.

Aquatic Invasive Plant Removal – Hand-pulling Water Chestnut plants from lakes and ponds.

 

Becoming an Outdoorswoman (BOW) program

The BOW Program offers shooting skills workshops, hunting seminars, fly tying and other classes and activities designed for adult women.

These are just some of the things with which the staff is involved. Things like weighing in deer and bear, youth fish stocking days, helping people obtain required licensing, answering a myriad of fish and wildlife questions, presentations at various sportsmen’s groups, etc.  They are a pretty busy bunch, wouldn’t you say?

 

Trout Stocking

 

Subject to change, the following waters were scheduled to be stocked with trout last week:

Ashfield Pond in Ashfield, Deerfield River (Upper section only) in Charlemont and Florida, Littleville Reservoir in Chester and Huntington, Westfield River (East Branch) in Chesterfield, Cummington and Huntington; Konkapot River in Monterey and New Marlborough, Pontoosuc Lake, Laurel Lake, Greenwater Pond, Goose Pond, Lake Buel, Lake Garfield, Big Pond, Otis Reservoir and Windsor Pond in Windsor.

Celebrate the Housatonic River Valley

 

The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) invites people of all ages to celebrate the Housatonic River Watershed from May 26 until July 4.  It is a free event that helps protect waterways and lands across the nearly 2,000 square mile watershed.

 

People can share photos and updates from their adventures and activities or attend an HVA-led event like a hike along the Appalachian Trail, river day for kids at Troutbeck or a hands-on session about HVA’s Follow the Forest initiative.

Participants can also join friendly competitions either solo or with a team such as most miles hiked or biked or best team photo and compete for exciting prizes like a guided river rafting trip for four, REI daypacks, Patagonia prize pack, Helinox Chair Ones and more.

“This event is all about bringing people together to explore and celebrate the Housatonic River Valley from the Berkshires and eastern New York through western Connecticut to Long Island Sound,” said Lynn Werner, HVA Executive Director. “By getting out there and sharing your experiences online, whether it’s paddling your favorite stream or hiking a local land trust trail or photographing wildlife, you’ll be raising awareness about how special this area is and why we’re all working so hard to protect it.”

Additional information and registration may be found at www.hvatoday.org.

Spring turkey hunting ends today

Sorry, if you haven’t bagged a wild turkey yet, then you will have to wait until the fall turkey hunting season to get another chance. The fall season opens on October 16 in our zone.

From what I hear, it was a very good spring turkey hunting season.  Lots of birds were taken.

Incidentally, there was a nice group of women who participated in the BOW Turkey Hunting event.   This program is designed for adult women (18 and older) who are new to turkey hunting and includes an in-person seminar and a mentored hunt.

The hunters and their mentors gathered on opening morning at Devens RFTA to put their skills to the test. (The Devens Reserve Force Training Area is located in Middlesex and Worcester counties).

Most of the women were surrounded by turkeys at one time or another, but they wouldn’t get close enough for a shot.  Kelly Swart Blanchard lucked out though and she bagged a 14.75 lbs. jake.

A tale of two youth turkey hunters

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On opening morning of the Youth Turkey Hunt Day, thirteen-year-old Hunter Lawson and his mentor and dad Dan Lawson of Williamstown were hunting on public land

They woke up at 4:00 am and left the house at 4:30 am. They had previously scouted a few areas and knew there were birds in one area. They snuck into their spots a little after 5:00 am, and got their decoys set up and then waited for light. Hunter said that it wasn’t great weather, as it was a bit windy and cool, but soon they had turkeys gobbling nearby.

 

After some “tree talking” and “fly down cackle”, the turkeys were very excited, as were Hunter and Dan. Unfortunately, the toms had hens with them and didn’t want to leave them.

 

Things quieted down for the next 3 hours, and Hunter was getting a little discouraged. Around 9:00 am they called again and had an answer.  Hunter was excited!  After 15 minutes or so, they saw the turkeys heading their way, and they knew they had a good chance.

 

Hunter had his gun already up and ready as there were 5 jakes coming in. Hunter had already decided he would shoot a jake as this was his first turkey hunt ever and wasn’t going to be picky. At about 35-40 yards Dan whispered he could shoot the one on the right. Within seconds, he shot, and it went right down.

 

The other four jakes then proceeded to attack the dead one. Dan told Hunter he could shoot another one if he wanted. He was already sighting on another and shot it.

 

“The look on Hunter’s face was amazing!” said Dan.  “I’m not sure who was happier, him or me.”

 

Hunter was using a Mossberg SA-20-gauge shotgun with TSS turkey loads. He had patterned the gun at the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club and knew what it could do.

 

The turkeys each weighed 15 pounds. After checking the birds in online, Dan showed Hunter how to dress the birds out. They saved the beards, fan, and a wing.

 

Dan’s father had taught him how to hunt turkeys in Vermont back in the 70’s, and then in Massachusetts when they started turkey hunts. Hunter’s other grandfather, Bob McCarthy of Williamstown taught all his kids how to hunt and appreciate the outdoors, and to see his grandkids follow in those same footprints is priceless.

 

To say Hunter is hooked on turkey hunting is an understatement.

 

That evening, Hunter accompanied his dad and granddad to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen’s Silvio O. Conte Memorial Banquet which was held at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club.  While there, emcee Mark Jester spoke about the Youth Turkey Hunt and Hunter’s success that day and had him stand up to quite an ovation. Later that evening, Hunter won award winner Joe Miraglia’s donated wing bone turkey call in the silent auction.  Joe immediately helped teach him how to use it. Hunter had a big smile on his face all night. He said it was almost as much fun as the hunt.

 

Seventeen-year-old Matthew Melito, of Adams, also went hunting that day with his mentor Conner Tworig of Cheshire. They arrived in the woods right before first light and waited at a spot where they thought they were going to see some turkeys. Two nights prior to the hunt, Matt had heard them nearby. After not having any luck there, they walked around the area looking and listening for turkeys that might be in the woods. The weather was a little rainy but mostly comfortable. Walking around between spots was enough to keep them warm for the time being, but when they were sitting and waiting for the turkeys Matt started getting a little cold. Not panning out in their favor, they decided to walk back to the truck and head to another spot Conner knew there were turkeys.

 

Conner was able to call in some birds. Matt said that he is incredibly talented with a diaphragm and slate call and was able to play both at the same time to imitate two hens fighting.  A hen walked by the decoys first and then shortly after, around 9:00 am, the two toms came in to check them out.

 

Using his 20-gauge shotgun with 3.5-inch, #5 birdshot, Matt dropped both toms at a distance of 15 yards.   One tom was 22 pounds, 3oz and the other was 18 and a half pounds.  The hunters were both very excited when Matt shot the birds and they both jumped up and pretty much ran over to them as soon as they both were down.

 

Matt is going to save the fan, spurs, and beards. Conner showed Matt how to dress the birds and Matt even got to attempt to breast one of them, but Conner was kind enough to do it for him.

 

Matt’s family was very proud of him. They’re not really hunters, but they all enjoyed the turkey they ate from last year’s hunt. Conner was mighty proud of Matt, too.

 

Last year, Matt and Conner went turkey hunting in Ashfield and were so successful it was like they were being handed turkeys. This year was a little different. Conner made Matt work for his birds and he is very grateful for that, because” that’s how it actually is and I’m glad I got to experience that so I know what to really expect next year.”

 

While Matt is one in the picture and the one who shot the turkeys, he insists that he cannot take all the credit. “Without Conner I wouldn’t be out there turkey hunting, mainly because I wouldn’t know how to be successful in it. He’s also the one who did the hard part, which was calling them in. I wouldn’t have been able to shoot them if we weren’t there in the first place.  He has done a lot for other people, too, getting them into turkey hunting and helping them fill their tags. He absolutely deserves recognition for that too.”

 

“Overall, I’ve had a lot of fun the couple times I went, and this isn’t the last time you’ll see me on Facebook with a turkey or two.”

 

Trout Stocking

The following local waters were scheduled to be stocked last week, subject to change: Hoosic River (South Branch) in Cheshire and Adams, Hoosic River (North Branch) in Clarksburg and North Adams, Green River (north) in New Ashfield and Williamstown, Green River (South) in Alford and Egremont, Clesson Brook in Buckland and Ashfield,  Upper Clesson Brook and Ashfield Pond in Ashfield, Westfield River (West Branch) in Becket, Chesterfield and Huntington; Cold River in Charlemont, Chickley River in Hawley and Charlemont, Pelham Brook in Rowe and Charlemont, Housatonic River (East Branch) in Hinsdale and Dalton, Housatonic River (South West Branch) in Pittsfield, Hudson Brook in Clarksburg and North Adams, Hubbard River in Granville, North Pond in Florida, Upper Highland Lake in Goshen, Berry Pond in Hancock, Dunbar Brook in Monroe, Pelham Lake in Rowe, Buck and Clam Rivers in Sandisfield, Windsor Lake in North Adams, Hemlock Brook in Williamstown, Lake Buel, Goose Pond, Otis Reservoir and Stockbridge Bowl.

Kids Fishing Derbies beginning at the Hatchery

On the second Saturday of each month beginning in April and running through September the Friends of the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery put on a kid’s fishing derby. They start at 9:00 and run to 10:30 am.  No child goes away empty handed.

The next derby will be next Saturday, May 13 at the Hatchery’s Lower Pool at 240 Hatchery Road, New Marlborough.

1,000th column

If you have been reading this column since its beginning, you are now reading the 1,000th column. Can you believe it? Yep, it’s true. Can’t believe it myself.   Never thought I could put out 10 columns, much less 1,000.

It started in March, 2004, just a couple of months after the “Magnificent Scribbler,” Ted Giddings, retired after 55 years of writing his Our Berkshires outdoor sports column.

Ted joined the Berkshire Eagle in 1928 serving as a reporter until 1937 and as city editor from 1938 to 1971. He was best known for his popular outdoors column, “Our Berkshires,” which he began writing in 1948.

Don’t look for me to challenge Ted’s remarkable run of 2,860 columns.

A look back at 2022 Woods and Waters columns

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At the end of last year, I highlighted the more informative and interesting articles that were included in this column during the year.  Because of positive comments received, I am doing the same for the year 2022.

In January we reported that seventeen women deer hunters participated in MassWildlife’s 2021 Becoming-an-Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Deer Hunt Program. Nearly all the women saw deer and all participants enjoyed their hunt. Two women harvested their first deer ever.  We also mentioned a lost Steller’s Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus), which is native to Asia. Somehow it found its way to the Taunton River in Massachusetts.

In March there was an article about Bob Leverett “the old growth evangelist”.  He informed us that there were indeed old growth forests in Massachusetts. He developed ways for measuring and aging them and their ability to capture carbon.  His work, along with that of Dr. Anthony D’Amato (of University of Vermont), have helped to ensure the protection of 1,200 acres of old growth in the Commonwealth’s Forest Reserves.  His message is “We have a duty to protect an old-growth forest, for both its beauty and its importance to the planet”. We learned of the death of Leo M Daley who spent some 42 years with the DFW.  He had held the titles of Aquatic Biologist, Fisheries Manager, and interim District Manager. In the 30 years spent in our district, he stocked over 1.5 million trout in Western Massachusetts waters.

In March and April there were articles about hungry black bears emerging from their dens and the problems they cause by raiding our bird feeders.  In the Berkshires there are about 2,000 of them and readers were advised on how to avoid conflicts with them.  MassWildlife Black Bear and Furbearer Biologist Dave Wattles’ study showed that female bears that they study in more suburban areas are very large, with weights averaging more than 250 pounds, compared to bears in more rural, forested areas averaging closer to 150 pounds.  A second big takeaway was how close to people bears will den. They had bear dens 10 yards off the back parking lot of a fire department, under a building on piling foundations, on the edge of a backyard, and in the middle of a construction yard. These bears had plenty of options to den in more remote locations but chose not to, indicating bears are finding supplemental food sources in suburban areas, such as unsecured garbage, bird feeders, and open compost. Biologists warn that human food sources are harmful to bears’ natural diets and put communities at added risk of unwanted conflicts.

picture taken and provided by Gene Chague. Bears heading for Gene’s deck.

In April we learned about the numbers and types of wildlife violations that our Massachusetts Environmental Police are dealing with.  A pitch was made for Massachusetts to join the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, a network that seeks to reduce wildlife poaching through information sharing across state lines and reciprocal recognition of license suspensions and revocations for fishing, hunting, and trapping. The legislation, co-sponsored by Berkshire State Representatives Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Paul Mark, would update the Commonwealth’s outdated penalties for illegal hunting, some of which have not been updated in a century and currently amount to little more than a slap on the hand.  The bill passed later this year.

In April we reported that the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza was detected in wild birds in multiple locations in Massachusetts. Avian flu, also known as bird flu, is a common influenza strain that can spread from birds to humans through saliva, naval secretion and feces. The avian flu is not common among humans, but is very contagious among birds.  We reported the Preliminary 2021 deer harvest figures verses last year figures:

  • Youth Deer/Paraplegic Hunt Days: 86 vs 131 last year
  • Archery Season: 5,894 vs 6655 last year
  • Shotgun Season: 5,008 vs 5138 last year
  • Primitive Firearms Season: 2,375 vs 2842 last year

 

Although Western Zone harvests were not mentioned, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden said that they were consistent with 2020 (which was a record year).

In May, 5 individuals received Silvio O. Conte sportsmen awards:  The late Chris Puntin, formerly of Pittsfield, received the Sportsman of the Year Award posthumously; Meredyth Babcock of Becket received the Outstanding Achievement Award; Stephanie Dupont of Pittsfield received the Sportsmen’s Appreciation Award; Donald E. Girard of Adams received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Gregg Armstrong, of North Adams, received the John Zuber Award.  We also reported that after 38 years of state service, Marion E. Larson retired in early March from her position as Chief of MassWildlife’s Information and Education (I&E) Section.  Joshua Christman of Pittsfield, who had been named Massachusetts Angler of the Year (Adult Catch and Keep Category) in 2016, 2020 and 2021 by MassWildlife and a frequent multi-gold pin awardee, was off to another good start this year.  He caught a large rainbow trout out of Berkshire waters which measured 24 inches long and weighed 4 lbs.

In June Berkshire Environmental Action Team Executive Director Jane Winn announced that BEAT was awarded $200,000 from the Cultural Facilities Fund of the Massachusetts Cultural Council to renovate their new Environmental Leadership & Education Center.  Thirteen-year old Logan Middlebrook of Pittsfield landed a carp out of Pontoosuc Lake which weighed in at 13.3 lbs. and was over 30 inches long.   While fighting it he had to cross 2 house lots, a couple of bridges and over people’s docks.

Picture provided by Middlebrook family

James McGrath, Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager, City of Pittsfield announced that the Mill Street dam was successfully removed along with over 8,000 tons of contaminated sediments.   Lee Sportsmen’s Association Higher Education Scholarship was awarded to Brianna Kelly.   The Bateman Jimmy Fund fishing derby was the greatest with over 355 people in attendance and over $10,000 raised.

In July, Joshua Christman, organizer of Carp Palooza, announced that it was a great event with 39 teams participating.   Steve Sears of Dalton was elected Acting Chairman of the MA Fish & Wildlife Board. We featured an article about a Picnic Table Boat.  It is powered by an electric motor, and if you run out of power, it has a solar panel on the top of the umbrella which recharges the battery.  The battery has a USB port into which they plug in lights, a speaker, an iPad, cooler, etc.

In August we covered the 75th anniversary of the Stockbridge Bowl Association.  Feature speaker was the old growth evangelist Bob Leverett. We covered successful flyfishing trips to Labrador and Yellowstone National Park made by local anglers.  Eight-year-old Michael (Mikey) Hubbard of Pittsfield successfully landed a 21-inch, 4.4lbs largemouth bass.

 

In September, Travis Bailey of Lee harvested a bear weighing 620 lbs. field dressed.  After it was skinned out, it measured 7 feet from nose to tail, with a space between its ears of 10 inches. Rachel Kanter of Lenox landed a monster 35-inch pike.

In October we reported that It was a good year for MassWildlife/ Department of Fish & Game land acquisitions and conservation completing 11 projects and protecting 937 acres. Great Barrington approved a new ordinance to help curb problem bears.

 

In November Paraplegic hunters took four deer in the Berkshires, seven statewide. The Youth pheasant hunt produced happy hunters. Some $483,922 was awarded in state grant funds to improve wildlife habitat on 514 acres of land within the Commonwealth.

 

In December we did an article about MassWildlife’s controlled burns. National Geographic wrote an article titled, ‘This Trail May Be the Best Way to See New England’s Fall Colors”. The specific Berkshires trail mentioned was BNRC’s High Road. The town of Nahant hired sharpshooters to eliminate its coyote problem. DFW Western District Supervisor had a great article in Massachusetts Wildlife about feeding bears.

 

During the year, we reviewed three books, two by local authors. The Richmond Pond Association and the Richmond Historical Commission produced a book entitled, The Gem of Richmond:  A History of Richmond Pond. The editor was Ken Kelly, of Lenox and Richmond. Paul C. Carter of Dalton came out with a new deer hunting book entitled, More Deer Hunts, through a Tracker’s Eyes.  Author Robert (Bob) Romano came out with a wonderful book entitled River Flowers.  All were still highly recommended.

Thanks for taking the time to read the columns this past year and hopefully you’ll stay with us next year.

Happy New Year!

What do you do if you find a fawn?

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MassWildlife says, leave it alone. The animal may be motionless and seem vulnerable, but this is the normal behavior. Even if you see a fawn alone for several days, leave it alone. The mother is probably feeding or bedded nearby. Does visit their fawns to nurse very infrequently, a behavior that helps fawns avoid detection by predators. It is not uncommon for fawns to be left alone for 6-8 hours at a time. Young fawns are usually quite safe when left alone because their color pattern and lack of scent help them to remain undetected.

A couple of years ago, I wrote about a doe that gave birth on an island in Lake Ashmere, probably to get away from people and predators.  While fishing one early morning, the doe swam past me and went up on the island.  A few minutes later, there they were mother and a tiny happy fawn splashing along its shoreline.

If you have taken a fawn into your care, you should immediately return it to where you found it, or to safer cover nearby (within 200 yards). Then, quickly leave the area to ensure the fawn doesn’t follow you and so the mother feels safe enough to return. The mother will soon return to nurse the fawn, even after it has been handled by humans. Don’t try and feed fawns as they have sensitive stomachs.

If a fawn is visibly injured, call MassWildlife at 508-389-6300. Fawns cannot be cared for by wildlife rehabilitators.

e facts from MassWildlife

  • A fawn that is still and unresponsive. Fawns view humans as predators and will drop their head and freeze to avoid detection.
  • A fawn that is crying. Fawns can bleat (vocalize) in a way that sounds like crying if they are disturbed or are trying to locate their mother.
  • A fawn that is in your yard. Fawns are commonly found bedded in brushy areas with vegetative cover or even in some grassy areas – even in suburban areas close to homes or near roadways. Their mother felt this was a safe place for the fawn. On occasion, a fawn that has been disturbed may wander into a dangerous area or an area where the mother may not feel comfortable going (e.g., onto a road, near people, into a garage, etc.). Only if a fawn is in real danger should you interfere by moving the fawn to nearby forested or shrubby area where there is thick cover. Then leave quickly, so the fawn does not follow, and don’t linger. The mother will not come if you are nearby.
  • A fawn alone for long periods of time. Young fawns remain bedded, alone for most of the day and night. The mother will return several times to nurse briefly. She will not approach if people are nearby.
  • A fawn that looks skinny and weak. All fawns appear skinny, but it’s not an indication that they are abandoned or starving. If disturbed, they may also look like they are weak or having trouble walking. Never feed a fawn; their stomachs are sensitive and the food or milk you give them can be very harmful.

These are all normal things for fawns, and while they may be alarming, you do more harm than good attempting to care for a fawn.

At the June meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, MEP Lt. Tara Carlow commented on this subject.  To date, the MEP took only one fawn to a rehabber and that was because the fawn’s mother was dead and the fawn would not leave her.  She noted that in the entire state, there is only one fawn rehabber.

Habitat management grant application opens mid-July

Private and municipal landowners of conserved lands can apply for grant funding to support active habitat management projects that benefit wildlife and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP) provides financial assistance for projects that:

  1. improve habitat for game species
  2. manage for State Wildlife Action Plan species, with an emphasis on State Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern species, and
  3. enhance habitat in ecological communities disproportionally susceptible to climate change.

Although MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made unprecedented investments in land acquisition in Massachusetts, acquisition alone is not enough to guarantee the persistence of biological diversity. Investment in habitat restoration and management is urgently needed on public and private lands across the state. To address this need, MassWildlife and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs have substantially increased their investment in habitat management on state wildlife lands and are committed to working with partners to promote these efforts on conserved lands across the state. Over the past 7 years, the MHMGP has awarded over $2.4M in funding to 35 different organizations and individuals for 92 habitat improvement projects.

MassWildlife is offering technical assistance to landowners who want to apply to the MHMGP from now until July 15. If you are interested in speaking to a MassWildlife Habitat Biologist about habitat management on your property or your eligibility for the MHMGP, contact James Burnham, Program Coordinator.

If your project site is within priority habitat, a pre-review of the project is highly encouraged. Email Emily Holt, Senior Endangered Species Review Biologist with a site map and description of the project to begin the pre-review process.  Requests for pre-reviews should be made at least 3 weeks before the MHMGP application deadline.

Grant applications will be accepted starting July 15, 2022 and are due by August 31, 2022. Technical assistance on potential grant application projects needs to be completed by the opening of the application period. Visit the MHMGP webpage at any time to learn more about the application process and to see examples of funded projects. For general questions about the grant program, contact James Burnham, Program Coordinator.

Report wild turkey sightings

MassWildlife encourages all wildlife enthusiasts to contribute to our state’s annual Wild Turkey Brood Survey.

Record and report observations of hens (female turkeys), poults (newly-hatched turkeys), jakes (juvenile males) and toms (adult males). Be especially careful when counting broods, because small poults can be tough to see in tall grass or brush.

Every year from June 1 to August 31, your wild turkey reports help state biologists determine productivity, compare long-term reproductive success, and estimate fall harvest potential. Reports come from all regions of the state, from our most rural communities to our most densely-populated areas. Citizen support for the brood survey is a cost-effective way to gather valuable data. It’s also an additional fun way for people to connect with nature. Please note that turkey nesting success can vary annually in response to weather conditions, predation and predator populations, and habitat characteristics.

The easiest method for reporting your wild turkey observations is online. If you prefer to report on paper, you can download and print a Turkey Brood Survey form, complete it over the summer, and mail it to, MassWildlife Field Headquarters, Attn: Brood Survey,1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.

Another nice field trial held at the Berkshire Beagle Club

 

According to Berkshire Beagle Club (BBC) Board Member, Jeffrey St John and Club Secretary Pat Barry, they had a good turnout at its Derby Trial last Saturday.  A Derby Trial is for dogs 6 months old, up to the day they turn 2 years old.  The club ran the trial by AKC SPO (Small Pack Option) rules.   There were 25 entries which far exceeded their expectations. The beagles were classified as either 13-inch or 15-inch males and females combined.

The winner of the 13-inch class was Butlers Bilbo owned by BBC member Kate Butler of East Chatham, NY.  The winner of the 15-inch class was OT’s Finnegan Fluffy Cakes owned by Emmelia Elizabeth May and handled by Scott Harrington, both of Cambridge, NY.  BBC President Al Costa’s dog, Timberswamp Miss Lulu, took the Next Best Qualifier (NBQ) honors in the 15-inch class.

 

According to St John, Club members Sal Dabbraceio, Filipe Ribeiro and John Morris put on a delicious feast, with rabbit, pork and turkey in various entrees along with potato salad and beverage.

Darn!  I was unable to attend the trials.  I especially wanted to try Filipe’s rabbit meal of which I heard many positive comments.

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Conte banquet honors five

Over 160 people attended the Silvio O. Conte Awards Banquet at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club last Saturday night to honor the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLS) 2019 award winners.  Past BCLS President, Mark Jester, did his usual yeoman’s job as emcee.

 

As listed in my column of January 12, 2020, five people were selected to receive awards.  Then came covid and there was no Conte Banquet in that year nor in 2021.  After it was decided to finally hold the Conte Banquet this year, I reminded everyone by listing the 5 recipients and their accomplishments in the column of February 26.

 

Before the awards ceremony, MA Fish & Game Commissioner Ron Amidon gave a very interesting talk which space does not allow me to relate at this time.  I will circle back to that talk in a future column.

 

The late Chris Puntin, formerly of Pittsfield, received the Sportsman of the Year Award posthumously.  Unfortunately, Chris lost his life in a hunting accident in 2020 while helping out at the Youth Turkey Hunt Day.  He was the local chairman of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and served on the Massachusetts State Board.   For many years he was a mentor for the youth turkey hunts and was a key organizer at the NWTF fund raisers.

In honoring Puntin, Joe Judd, Massachusetts Chapter NWTF Board Member and Sports Columnist for the Greenfield Recorder, made it abundantly clear that not only the local sportsmen suffered a great loss with Joe’s passing, but the State as well.  “We (the Board) knew early on that Chris was special and we saw it from the very beginning” he said, “He loved young people and lit up just watching a youth learning to use a turkey call for the first time.  He had the skill to help them in a way that what they learned from him they would retain, and if they didn’t, Chris would give more.  We knew that he was the guy that was going to lead us in that area in the future.  We are very proud to have known him and worked with him and we are all happy to be here tonight to thank him”.

The plaque was accepted by Chris’s son Nick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meredyth Babcock of Becket received the Outstanding Achievement Award.  Meredyth is the Volunteer and Projects Coordinator for the Wild and Scenic (W/S) Westfield River Committee.  As Coordinator, she partners with communities, municipal officials, conservation organizations and Federal and State agencies to manage the Westfield River and maintain the health of the entire watershed for nearby and downstream communities.

She is also helping out with the Highlands Foot Passage and is slowly working toward improving the East Branch Trail.

 

The Becket-Washington School did 5 years of a Stream Explorer Program where for 6 weeks Meredyth came after school and basically walked the river, called the “Walking the River Roads.”  They also did “Teen River Clean” where the W&S Committee hired teenagers to go to areas where they had seen garbage and they cleaned it up.  The Committee didn’t pay them but rather granted scholarships for helping out.

Stephanie Dupont of Pittsfield received the Sportsmen’s Appreciation Award – Since joining the Lee Sportsmen’s Association (LSA) in 2015, Stephanie and her husband Eric have made sure that their children have been pre-eminent members of the Air2Spare Jr. Air Pistol Team as well as the youth shotgun and archery programs.  She made sure that they also participated in the LSA’s fishing derbies, clean-up days, fund raisers and hunts.  Stephanie has become a vital part of the day-to-day operations of the club as a Board Member, member of the Fundraising Committee, a member of the Youth Programs Committee and grant writer.   She is Assistant Coach of the High Caliber 22 Bullseye Pistol Team, started the Summers Ladies Night Fun Shoot Program, and wrote a bi-weekly column for the Berkshire Record.

Donald E. Girard of Adams received the Lifetime Achievement Award – Don, who has been a scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop #38 in Adams, has been instrumental in leading the youth in appreciation and preservation of our environment. With the involvement of several assistant leaders Don saw the advancement of over 75 youths to Eagle Scout.  The troop planted numerous trees on Pfizer property and Florida Mountain property to enhance and preserve the forest, and planted Christmas trees as a sustainable fund-raising project for the Troop.  They also cleared and maintained many hiking trails including land abutting Windsor Lake in North Adams and Camp Holy Cross in Goshen.  Don taught gun safety and marksmanship at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club and at summer camps at Goshen and also helped out in the Cub Scout fishing derbies.

Gregg Armstrong, of North Adams, received the John Zuber Award.  Gregg has been a member of the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club (EMSC) for over 50 years and an avid sportsman for over 60 years.  He is part of the EMSC youth mentoring program and has been a Mass Hunter Education Instructor for over 30 years. For over 25 years as a member of the EMSC he was instrumental in helping them put on the first youth pheasant hunt in MA.   He was a Boy Scout leader, an avid diver and a Navy vet.

 

 

 

 

 

Trout stocking

The following waters, which were subject to change, were scheduled to be stocked last week:  Green River (South) Alford and Egremont, Upper Clesson Brook in Ashfield and Buckland, South River in Ashfield, Swift River in Ashfield, Cummington and Goshen; West Branch of the Westfield River in Becket, Middlefield, Chester and Huntington; Deerfield River in Florida, Buckland and Charlemont; Yokum Brook in Becket, Chickley River in Hawley and Charlemont, Pelham Brook in Charlemont, West Branch Brook in Worthington and Chesterfield, Mill Brook in Cummington and Plainfield, Westfield Brook in Windsor and Cummington, Stones Brook in Goshen, Housatonic River (C&R) in Lee and Stockbridge, Factory Brook in Middlefield, Dunbar Brook in Monroe, Depot Brook in Washington, Bronson Brook in Worthington, Greenwater Pond in Becket, North Pond in Florida, Garfield Lake in Monterey, York Lake in New Marlborough, Otis Reservoir in Otis and Tolland, Big Pond in Otis and Pelham Lake in Rowe.

Initial Swift River study complete

The Swift River, located about 30 minutes from Springfield and 45 minutes from Worcester, is one of the most unique and popular trout fishing destinations in Massachusetts. Many anglers fish these cold, clear waters year-round thanks to the constant outflow from Quabbin Reservoir. The Swift tailwater is home to many wild brook trout which can grow to trophy size. In addition, anglers target stocked rainbow trout and stocked brown trout, which can sometimes reach massive size as holdovers from previous stocking seasons. For all its popularity, the dynamics of this exceptional fishery have not been well studied or understood. But that’s changing. After several years of observation, monitoring, and preliminary investigation, MassWildlife fisheries biologists have completed the first phase of research to learn about this unique stretch of river.

Based on feedback from anglers, the abundance of stocked trout in the river was not always meeting expectations relative to the quantity of trout being stocked there. In March 2021, MassWildlife launched a “mark-recapture” study to track the survival and movement of stocked trout over time. They were marked with small elastomer marks (tiny permanent hardened dye, similar to a tattoo) near their eye, with a color that corresponded to the month of their stocking. Adipose fins were clipped on fish stocked above Route 9; fins were left intact on trout stocked downstream. Each stocking group was surveyed with electrofishing gear one week, one month, and three months after stocking. The number and location of each marked fish was recorded.

The study was completed early this year and the results and future plans will be discussed by DFW Aquatic Biologists Brian Keleher and Adam Kautza at the May 5 meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association at 565 Fairview St, Lee.  Starting at 7:00 pm, this discussion should be of special interest to local anglers.  The public is invited to sit in on the presentation and to meet our Berkshire County League delegates, our District Fish &Game Board member Stephen Sears, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden and of course our guest speakers.

SPRING TURKEY HUNTING SEASON OPENS ON APRIL 26

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Paul and Homer OuelletteBut some youths, 12 to 17 years of age, are out hunting already because today is the special one-day Youth Turkey Hunting Day. Hopefully they met the eligibility requirements (basic hunter education and the mandatory youth turkey program),  have a mentor and are having a great first day of turkey hunting.  Maybe they have bagged a bird already, but if not, they have until 5:00 p.m. today to bag one.  Hopefully, they will check themselves for ticks as soon as possible afterwards.

Upon harvesting a turkey, the mentor must immediately fill out and attach the paper tag from the permit to the carcass. The bird must remain intact (other than field dressing), with the harvest tag attached until it is reported. After it is reported, the tag can be removed when it is prepared for food or taxidermy purposes.

On this upcoming Monday, April 26, the regular spring turkey hunting begins and runs until May 22. Massachusetts residents must have a Hunting or Sporting License, Turkey permit and a Safety sticker.  Non-residents must have a Big Game License, Turkey permit and Safety sticker. Stickers are required if hunting turkey with a shotgun or muzzleloader.  In the spring season, the bag limit is 2 bearded birds (2 birds may be harvested on the same day).  Hunting on Sundays is not allowed.

Spring season hunting implements allowed:

  • Shotgun: No larger than 10 gauge. No larger than #4 size shot.
  • Muzzleloader: No larger than .775 caliber smoothbore muzzle loading shotgun. No larger than #4 shot.
  • Archery equipment: All bows must have a draw weight of at least 40lbs at 28 inches or at peak draw. Arrows must have a well sharpened steel broadhead blades not less than 7/8 inches in width. Expanding broadheads and mechanical releases are legal. Crossbows may be used by certain permitted disabled hunters. Airbows are prohibited.

The wearing of blaze orange is not required during the spring hunting season.  It is now unlawful for hunters to intentionally or knowingly leave a wounded or dead game animal in the field or the forest without making a reasonable effort to retrieve and use it.

 

Tagging, transporting, and reporting requirements:

  • You must report your game within 48 hours of harvest.
  • Fill out and attach the paper tag from your permit on the carcass immediately after harvesting a turkey.
  • The game must remain intact, with the tag attached, until reported and prepared for food or taxidermy purposes.
  • You can report your harvest at an official check station or online.

Here’s hoping you have a safe and enjoyable spring turkey hunting season.

 

Trout stocking

 

Last week, subject to last minute change, the following local waters were scheduled to be stocked by Massachusetts DFW: Clesson Brook in Ashfield and Buckland,  Chickley River in Hawley and Charlemont, Green River (South) in Alford, Egremont and Great Barrington; Deerfield River in Buckland, Charlemont and Florida; Westfield River (Mainstem) in Huntington, Montgomery and Russell; Greenwater Pond in Becket, North Pond in Florida, Mansfield Pond in Great Barrington, Goose Pond in Lee and Tyringham, Lake Garfield in Monterey, Plunkett Lake in Hinsdale, York Lake in New Marlborough, Windsor Lake in North Adams and Windsor Pond in Windsor.

 

Ducks Unlimited reaches major conservation milestone

In a recent meeting of DU’s Board of Directors it was announced that more than 15 million acres (or more than 23,000 square miles) of habitat has been restored or protected in North America since its inception.  In Fiscal Year 2020 alone, DU’s on-the-ground work protected or restored more than 600,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands. Conservation staff worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, sleeping in repurposed ice fishing houses, campers and even tents to ensure their work never stopped. In fact, they’re accelerating their efforts to ensure they reach 16 million acres in record time.

“Ducks Unlimited’s mission of wetlands conservation has always been driven by science to deliver the best possible outcomes for waterfowl, wildlife and people,” said DU President Doug Schoenrock. “This was a true Team DU effort, and we’re proud of what we have accomplished. While this is a historic milestone, we will not stop working toward our vision of skies filled with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.”

Ducks Unlimited and its conservation partners provide on-the-ground solutions that benefit waterfowl populations and maximize water resources through the dynamic natural functions of wetlands. In addition to providing habitat for waterfowl, wetlands slow and store water to help recharge watersheds and aquifers, improve water quality and provide important wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.

Paul Ouellette passed beyond the riverbend

 

Recently, Paul Ouellette of Lanesborough passed away at age 97.  He was an ardent fly fisherman, perch fisherman and deer hunter.  I should mention from the start that the comments about Paul also applied to his younger brother the late Homer Ouellette of Pittsfield who has been fishing beyond the riverbend since 2016.    They were inseparable and when you saw one in the outdoors, you inevitably saw the other.

Paul and Homer Ouellette

Paul was a charter member of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited (established in 1974) who eventually became an officer and a director.  He was an early recipient of Taconic TU’s highest award, the Crooked Staff Award.   He was a volunteer in the Atlantic Salmon restoration program, stocking salmon fry in the Westfield River.   He helped to establish the Friends of the Williams River group and conducted river surveys for them.   He was an excellent fly tyer and fly fisherman and helped teach it at Berkshire Community College in the 1970’s.  In fact, that is where I first met him over 40 years ago while taking that course.  He was such a colorful and knowledgeable fly tyer/fisherman/sportsman that I immediately joined TU because of him.

 

What wonderful memories of him flyfishing the Westfield River at Indian Hollow Campground and those times when we flyfishermen sat around the evening campfire after a day of fishing.  We enjoyed the soft music which emanated from Homer’s harmonica, accompanied by Paul’s jaws harp.  Oh, how we enjoyed his flyfishing and deer hunting stories.  It was from him that I first heard the term “passing beyond the river bend”, a term used when a fly fisherman passed away.

 

Paul first brought to our attention a poem that the famous poet Joyce Kilmer had once written about a “shiftless and good for nothing” angler named Dave Lilly who was deceased but when he was alive frequently fished a brook near Williamstown. According to the poem, Dave Lilly’s ghost still fished that brook and he caught “ghostly trout” years after his passing.   Paul located the poem in the North Adams library, brought it to a TU meeting and it immediately became very popular with the members, many citing parts of it by memory. (Google Joyce Kilmer/Dave Lilly poem).  I could go on and on with wonderful stories about Paul.  I tried to emulate him as much as I could, even to the point of buying a jaws harp of my own.  (I put it to good use one time – another story, another time).

 

He was also a member of the tongue-in-cheek organization known as Perch Unlimited or “PU!”  While staying at their cottage in Vermont (the Owl’s Nest), Homer and Paul would often ice fish for perch on Lake Champlain and they certainly caught their share of them.  They did a lot of deer hunting out of that camp, also.  (You may recall a couple of articles that I wrote about the camp in October 2015.)

 

Paul was an excellent bowhunter and for many years he and Homer taught the bowhunting course for the Mass DFW.  They both received the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award.  To quote the plaque citation, “They have devoted countless hours to stream improvement, salmon fry stocking and bowhunting safety instruction courses.  They have been instrumental in instructing thousands of archers in dozens of courses they have hosted as Bowhunting Education Instructors.  Every sportsman can think of one or two people who helped spark their passion for the outdoors.  Homer and Paul Ouellette have touched many sportsmen’s lives.”

 

Paul Ouellette will be fondly remembered and sorely missed, but take heart, he is now probably out fishing with Homer…..somewhere beyond the riverbend

Half a million trout being stocked this spring

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MassWildLife reports that approximately 500,000 brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout will be stocked this spring from its five hatcheries located in Sandwich, Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. The Western District, which should receive about 20% of them, is scheduled to begin stocking anytime now and should continue stocking to around Memorial Day. 

2020 spring trout stocking stats:
• • Most of the trout will be over 12 inches
• • More than 45% of the trout will be over 14 inches
• • More than 48,000 brook trout will be over 12 inches
• • More than 48,000 brown trout will be over 12 inches
• • More than 200,000 rainbow trout will be over 14 inches
• • More than 600 brown trout and 500 brook trout will be over 18 inches
• • 1,000 brook trout will be over 15 inches
• • More than 2,500 tiger trout will be over 14 inches

Wondering which waters are stocked near you? Click onto https://www.mass.gov/service-details/trout-stocking-report. When ponds and streams are stocked, MassWildlife will mark its map with a black pushpin. Locations marked with a red diamond represent spots that will be stocked at some point this spring. Also, anglers can get daily stocking updates at Mass.gov/Trout, or by contacting local district offices for the latest stocking information. I hope to list the weekly stockings in this column, too.

Life Jackets
We may have an early spring this year and the lakes will soon be clear of ice which means that anglers and kayakers will be out soon. Just a reminder, in Massachusetts, life jackets must be worn by canoeists and kayakers from September 15 through May 15. Youth under 12 years old, personal watercraft users, waterskiers and stand-up paddleboard users must wear them all the time.

One would be wise to abide by this regulation and avoid being cited by the Environmental Police. As noted below, they are busy enough as it is.

Boat Safety Course1506974599te Boating Law Administrators.
Boat Massachusetts is a recognized safety course that meets the National Boating Education Standards and is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). Its standards are intended to prescribe the minimum body of knowledge necessary to effect safe, legal, and enjoyable boating. The course runs 10-12 hours in length and the normal format is 5 to 6 two-hour classes, though this may vary. All classes are free of charge. Classes are for adults and youth 12 years of age and older. Family participation is encouraged and has proven to be very rewarding.

All graduates in the 12 through 15-year old age group will be issued a safety certificate allowing them to operate a motorboat without adult supervision, as required by state law. The same is true for 16 and 17-year old youth who wish to operate a personal watercraft
Now should be a good time to take a boat safety course. The Cheshire Rod & Gun Club had one scheduled for mid-March, but it has been cancelled by the Commonwealth due to the coronavirus state of emergency.
Click onto https://www.mass.gov/forms/mep-boating-safety-course to find out when the courses will be resumed.

Boat ID decals
The Office of Fishing and Boating Access is encouraging canoe, kayak, and rowboat owners to obtain vessel ID decals. These self-adhesive decals are to be placed on the inside of a vessel which when filled out by the owner will allow for ease of identification of lost or errand paddle craft.
These decals are available from the Environmental Police Boating Safety Bureau. You can reach the Environmental Police Boating Safety Bureau by calling 508 564-4961 or by emailing boatsafetycourse@mass.gov.

2020 Youth Turkey Hunt

If you have youths who wants to learn how to turkey hunt and participate in the Youth Turkey Hunting Day (April 25, 2020), you should get them enrolled in the Massachusetts Youth Turkey Hunt Program soon. New participants need to register and must complete the Youth Turkey seminar. As of last Wednesday, Lee Sportsmen’s Association, 565 Fairview St, Lee, MA is the only Berkshire participating club in the mandatory youth hunt seminar. It will be held on April 11 from 9 am to 2 pm. Be sure to check the MassWildlife web site periodically to see if any other local clubs will participate.
The program is designed to provide hunters aged 12–17 with an opportunity to:
• Participate in a field workshop that provides specialized training in turkey hunting and safety, including firearms instruction and practice.
• Hunt wild turkey under the supervision and guidance of a safe, experienced, adult hunter serving as a mentor on the special day set aside just for young adults.

Returning participants ages 12–14 must add a Youth Turkey Permit to their customer profile in MassFishHunt. Returning participants ages 15–17 must add the Youth Turkey Authorization 15–17 to their permit.

New for 2020 – Youth Day Hunting Hours begin ½ hour before sunrise and end at 5:00 PM.
Environmental Police were kept busy in 2019

Thanks to Fish & Wildlife Board Member Stephen Sears, who was able to get and share a copy of the 2019 EPA Statewide Call Report. It allows us to get a glimpse of what occupies our EPO’s. Space doesn’t allow listing all of the incident categories so I’ll mention a few of the more interesting ones: Animal nuisance calls -306 bear, 229 coyote and 303 deer; Freshwater Fishing Inspections – 1,233 with 241 violations, Hunter inspections – 961 with 382 violations, Hunter Harassments – 45, Hunting Accidents – 15, Deer Road Kills – 208, ATV Complaints – 935, ATV Accidents – 73, ATV Violations – 391, Non-powered Boat Accidents – 30, Motorboat Accidents – 110, Snowmobile Accidents – 11, Personal Water Craft (PWC) Accidents 16, PWC violations 210, Pheasant Hunter Inspections 199 with 16 violations.

In 2019, some 82 officers were able to handle 14,190 calls. Let’s keep that in mind when they are not able to respond to our calls as quickly as we wish.

New Outdoor Sporting Store
Travis Delratez of Lanesboro and Jammie Sears of Pittsfield are partners in a new outdoor sporting goods store in Cheshire, MA. Named Cheshire Sporting Goods, it is located at 50 Church Street in a building owned by the Reynolds family.
As you drive down Church Street, you can’t miss the place because in the two large display windows are mounted animals. The left window has a shoulder mount of an elk and a couple of turkeys and the right window has a full bear mount. With the overhead lighting, they are something to see.
Boy, does the inside of the store have atmosphere. The shop has old wooden floor boards and the walls and cabinets are adorned with various mounted game: deer, elk, bear, mountain ram, wild boar, wild turkey, coyote, king salmon, bass and probably more critters. It surely will become a place where sports folks congregate. The only thing missing is a pot belly stove. (There was one there in days gone by).
The hours of the store are 4:00 to 9:00 pm on week-days (closed on Mondays) and 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Travis’s wife Bonnie will help out in the store as will Mike Schnopp from Clarksburg. He was doing some work on a compound bow when I was there.
The partners decided to open the store because they believed that there was a need for such a store, what with Dick’s discontinuing the sale of certain guns. They plan to sell hunting and fishing equipment, including compound bows, crossbows, primitive firearms, and their accessories, fishing equipment, clothes and fishing licenses. They hope to become a deer checking station. When I was there, they were awaiting their Federal Firearms sale permit. Eventually, they plan to sell ice fishing equipment, too.
They had a soft opening on Saturday, March 7 and reportedly had a lot of traffic. I suspect one can get expert hunting and fishing advice there as Travis shot or caught most of the mounts. He is a former president of the Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club (PSC), and what he doesn’t know, his father-in-law, Fran Tremblay, current president of the PSC, probably does.
Please note:
Berkshire County League of Sportsmen President and Basic Youth Hunting Education Instructor Wayne McLain reports that due to the coronavirus state of emergency in Massachusetts, the Commonwealth has canceled all hunter education classes until April 20. Other courses may be cancelled later.

New Turkey Hunting regulations to take effect in 2020

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The Fisheries and Wildlife Board recently voted to approve changes to turkey hunting regulations affecting bag limits, fall season dates, shot size, and the Youth Hunt. These regulation changes will take effect with the 2020 season. There are no changes to the 2019 fall turkey hunting season.
The summary below provides an overview of the changes.
Increase the annual limit to three birds (2 bearded turkeys in the spring and 1 of either sex in the fall). Currently, hunters may harvest either two bearded birds in the spring with no fall birds or one bearded bird in the spring and one bird of either sex in the fall, for an annual limit of two birds. The change allows all hunters to take two bearded birds in the spring and an additional turkey of either sex in the fall, increasing the annual bag limit to three birds.
Increase the daily bag limit to two per day during the spring season. Currently, turkey hunters may harvest one turkey per day during the spring season. Increasing the daily bag limit to two allows hunters to take their spring season limit in a more efficient manner.
Expand the fall season (ARCHERY ONLY) to coincide with the archery deer season. Currently, the fall turkey hunting season begins the second to last Monday in October and ends the second Saturday thereafter, during which hunters may use a shotgun, muzzleloader, or archery equipment. This change allows turkey hunters to harvest turkeys with archery equipment during the entire duration of the archery deer season (6–8 weeks depending on zone). Turkey hunters would continue to be permitted to use shotgun, muzzleloader, or archery equipment during the traditional 2-week season from the second to last Monday in October through the second Saturday thereafter.
Allow no larger than #4 shot size. Currently, turkey hunters may only use #4–#7 size shot for turkey hunting. The change removes the minimum shot size restriction. Due to advancements in ammunition technology, there are now shotshells available that are made of lead alternatives like tungsten which are denser than lead. These alternatives can utilize small shot sizes (#7 or #9) while still maintaining lethal ballistics down range to effectively and humanely harvest a wild turkey at common hunting ranges. These types of ammunition allow hunters greater flexibility when choosing ammunition/shotgun combinations for turkey hunting, including the use of smaller gauge shotguns that may be easier or more convenient for hunters to carry and shoot.
Expand Youth Day turkey hunting hours to ½ hour before sunrise until 5 p.m. The Youth Turkey Hunt Day occurs on only a single day the Saturday before the last Monday in April; approximately 250–285 young adults ages 12–17 participate each spring. This change provides young hunters the opportunity to hunt on a special day before the start of the regular spring hunting season. The expansion of the hunting hours will greatly increase the total time available for hunting.
Allow Youth Turkey permits issued to youth aged 12–14 for use in the fall turkey hunting seasons. At this time, youth 12–14 years old who successfully complete the mandatory training program for the Youth Day are issued a free Youth Turkey Permit with two turkey tags and must always hunt with a licensed adult mentor hunter. These tags are currently only valid on the Youth Day and the remainder of the regular spring turkey hunting season. When hunting turkeys in the fall, these young hunters must currently use their accompanying mentor’s turkey tags and license. Because young adults who complete the mandatory training workshop for the Youth Day demonstrate significant initiative to earn the Youth Turkey Permit and must always hunt with a mentor, it is unnecessary to restrict the use of their tags to the spring season only.

This change provides additional opportunity for young hunters with the Youth Turkey Permit to use their own tag during the fall season by providing them with 2 spring tags and 1 fall tag. (Note: Under current regulations, youth aged 15–17 are required to have their own hunting license and turkey permit, which allows them to hunt in the spring or fall seasons.)

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The Quabbin Controlled Deer Hunt
The Quabbin Controlled Deer Hunt is an annual event conducted on Quabbin Reservoir watershed lands, implemented as part of the management program to maintain a balance between deer herd densities and forest regeneration. Participants are selected from an applicant pool in a special lottery in early September. Since 2016, all applications must be submitted online; the application must be filled out and submitted from the DCR Deer Hunt web page between July 1 and August 31. Hunters can get assistance completing the online application at the Quabbin Visitor Center on Saturdays (9 a.m. to noon) and Wednesdays (noon to 3 p.m.) during the application period.
Once selected, all successful applicants will receive written notification by early October.
Organization of the Hunt
During 2019, hunting will occur at Petersham between Gates 38 and 40. This area will have one, two-day segment, December 12 and 13.
Access will be restricted to designated gates. Hunters must check in and out by posted times on each day they hunt and obey all regulations and directions of DCR and law enforcement personnel.
Hunters will be assigned to a specific access zone where they must check in and out each day. There will be a limited number of Antlerless Deer Permits available to participating hunters, so unlike in past years, not all hunters are able to purchase an Antlerless Permit.
Since 2007, hunters have been able to use muzzleloaders for the Quabbin Deer Hunt. However, all hunters must possess a valid FID Card in order to participate in the hunt.
The hunt may be cancelled due to severe weather conditions or security situations.
Application Process
The application must be filled out and submitted online through the DCR Deer Hunt web page. There is no application fee. To minimize vehicular traffic and increase efficiency, hunters may apply in groups of up to six with a MINIMUM of two. Hunters may only apply on one application. There are several required fields on the application which must be completed before it can successfully be submitted, including a valid email address for Hunter #1. This hunter will receive an email message confirming successful submission of the application.
Once selected, hunters will be assigned to a specific access zone where they must check in and out each day.
This is the application for the Petersham hunt only. There are plans to hunt other areas of Quabbin in 2019. Details will be posted on the web page when available.
Hunter Selection Process
The drawing to select hunters will be based on the last digits of your MassWildlife Customer ID Number. All eligible Customer ID numbers listed on the application will be included in the lottery.
Selected hunters will be required to complete an orientation session prior to the 2019 Quabbin deer hunt except for those who completed an orientation session in 2018, 2017, or 2016. DCR has developed an online orientation session option for returning hunters who have not completed an orientation session in 2018, 2017, or 2016 but have attended an orientation session at some point in the past. New Quabbin hunters will still be required to attend an in-person orientation session.

For more information, go to https://www.mass.gov/service-details/wild-turkey-hunting-regulations

All about rivers program
On Wednesday, July 24 from 5:30 to 6:30pm the Housatonic Valley Association is having a free community program all about rivers. This is an opportunity to meet river critters, learn about our river ecosystem and our current river issues. You will be able to take home tips for protecting our rivers’ health. If interested, meet at the Stearns Elementary School parking area, 75 Lebanon Avenue, Pittsfield. Heavy rain or thunder cancels. Call 413-298-7024 for more information.