I hope you have had a chance this winter to get out and check out some of them.  My wife Jan and I visited two of them this past month, both owned/managed by the BNRC.

The Clam River property in Sandisfield is where visitors can explore 1.5 miles along this wild river and see evidence of a time when the stream and its surrounding area were not so wild: traces of a dam, extensive stone walls, and an intact house foundation. The 550-acre property offers three connected trails of 4.3 miles with moderate change in elevation.

Old Mill Trail in Hinsdale /Dalton.   Crane and Company conserved the 127-acre piece of land with MassWildlife and collaborated with the Housatonic Valley Association to build the trail.  The trail follows the clean and fast flowing East Branch of the Housatonic River along Rte 8 as it descends from Hinsdale. This accessible trail is a treat for trail users of all abilities. If you travel past the end of the accessible section and cross Route 8, there is a pathway right at, and even in, the water’s edge.

You probably noted the commonality – both properties contain beautiful rivers which contain trout – a natural draw to me and other anglers. We loved both places and plan to frequently revisit them.

The part of the Old Mill Trail where we were last week was the Accessible Section which is 0.7 miles one way. The trail is beautifully crafted with periodic viewing stations and maintained by the Housatonic River Watershed Association and its partners.

In addition to the river, there was another beautiful sight, at least in my eyes.  It is the BNRC poster.  As you can see, it informs the public that hunting is allowed, recommends that visitors wear hunter orange outerwear, stay on the trails and keep their dogs under immediate control.    It also lists the various hunting season dates (bear, deer and turkey).  Local hunters surely appreciate the efforts that the BNRC and partners have made to conserve the land and make it available to the public while still accommodating the hunters.  Needless to say, the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen enthusiastically supports the BNRC and donates as much funds as its treasury allows each year.  I encourage you to visit the trail and to bring your spikes.  Lots of people are visiting their popular trails and the paths are being packed down and could become icy and slippery.

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Wildlife Habitat Management Grants

The Baker-Polito Administration recently awarded $307,631 to individuals, municipalities and organizations across the state for projects to improve habitat for native Massachusetts wildlife. The grants are provided through the Wildlife Habitat Management Grant Program, administered by the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), and will support ten wildlife habitat improvement projects totaling 308 acres in nine Massachusetts communities.

“Our administration is making smart investments in wildlife habitat management to ensure protected lands throughout the Commonwealth are ecologically healthy and well-managed,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These important local projects will result in valuable ecological and

The MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program provides financial assistance to private and municipal landowners of conserved lands to improve and manage habitat for wildlife deemed in greatest conservation need and for certain game species. The projects are also designed to complement ongoing habitat management efforts on state lands and promote opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and other outdoor recreation.

“Conservation science has shown that periodic active habitat management for both common and rare wildlife and plants is necessary to maintain ecological resiliency and diversity, making these projects critical to the preservation of the Commonwealth’s natural resources and their resiliency to climate change,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “Through this grant program, we’re able to partner with property owners, municipalities and organizations to improve the environment and quality of life throughout Massachusetts.”

Of the ten statewide projects, South Lee Associates, in conjunction with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council was chosen to receive one.  It will receive $14,887 for work to control invasive species and improve floodplain forest habitats on multiple Housatonic River properties.

No deer hunting fatalities this year

Lieutenant Colonel David Loos of the MA Environmental Police reported that fact to the MA Fish & Wildlife Board meeting on January 14.  That was certainly good news. Following that, he mentioned he had some bittersweet news; there had been a moose road kill recently in our state.  That was bad news, but there was some good news.  The moose meat was delivered to the Wampanoag Tribe on Martha’s Vineyard which greatly appreciated the gift.  Loos said that they have an ongoing positive relationship with the tribe.

So, doesn’t the US Fish & Wildlife Service.  A few years ago, the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery in Hartsville supplied the Micmac tribe with 800 lbs. of lake trout that had to be culled due to space restrictions.  They drove down from Maine with ice boxes and processed the fish onsite.  They then took their 800 lbs. bounty to the elders of the tribe where they ceremoniously reminded their people of the heritage and diet habits of their ancestors.

Remembering Raymond “Skip” Whalen

 Local outdoor sportsmen suffered a serious loss on January 12 with the passing of Skip Whalen at the age of 80.  His obituary, which was noted in the January 16 – 17 Berkshire Eagle listed his many achievements.  In this column, I will focus on his achievements and contributions to the outdoor sportsmen of Berkshire County.  Perhaps there is no better source than the write-up about him when he received the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen’s 2004 Sportsmen of the Year Award.  He was nominated for the award by the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club (SSC), Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Adams Outdoor for Youth, an indication of the respect he received county wide. A founding father of the current SSC, he was a long-time supporter of sportsmen’s issues.  He chaired a family-oriented ice-fishing derby for over 35 years and ensured that every child who entered the derby received a nice prize to take home.  The derby was subsequently renamed the “Skip Whalen Echo Lake Ice Fishing Derby”.  He worked with Special Olympics, played a key role in getting the SSC parking lot over 500 tons of recycled blacktop, managed the SSC banquet hall for many years, helped with the youth archery program in the club, (often purchasing equipment for the kids with his own money), setting and baiting fish hooks for the fishing derbies and much, much, more.  Our condolences go out to his wife Myra and family.

Where’s the ice?

 Gosh its been a difficult year for local ice fishermen so far.  Our winter just has not been cold enough to make safe ice on which to fish. There was a time not too long ago when our lakes would be covered with ice fishermen on New Year’s Day.  For some it was a tradition.  By this time of year, one could expect to see two feet of ice.  After nearly a month, we waited anxiously for the “January Thaws” so that we could get a reprieve from the frigid weather.  Not anymore.  Never thought I would say this, but I am eagerly awaiting the “January Freezes”.

I have been checking Laurel Lake and Stockbridge Bowl almost daily, and as of this writing, (January 20) it didn’t look safe. The ice that I saw was not that new “clear/blue, hard ice” but the white/snow type, the type that MassWildlife warns us to be careful of or to stay off altogether.