The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) joined by the U.S. Department of the

Interior, through the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture through

the Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Department of

Defense through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program and

Native Americans in Philanthropy announced 74 new grants totaling $141.3 million

through the 2023 America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC). The 74 awards leveraged more

than $12.1 million in matching funds from grantees, providing a total conservation impact greater than $153.4 million.

 

The ATBC encourages applicants to develop diverse landscape-level projects that address

priority conservation and restoration needs, showcase cumulative benefits to fish and

wildlife, enhance carbon sequestration and storage, engage with and benefit underserved

communities, connect people with nature, and help safeguard ecosystems and communities

through resilience-focused and nature-based solutions.

 

Specifically, the ATBC funds projects within one or more of the following overarching themes:

• Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands and watersheds
• Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks
• Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds and seascapes
• Improving ecosystem and community resilience to flooding, drought and other climate-

related threats

• Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities

 

Of the $141.3 million, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) will receive $3,500,000 and when added to $388,900 matching state funds the total amount totals $3,888,900.  The funds will be used for aquatic connectivity for imperiled species in Massachusetts.  They will be used to restore floodplains benches, riparian forests and aquatic connectivity within three river basins in the Appalachian Highlands in Massachusetts. The project will improve habitat and corridors from the southern Berkshires to the Connecticut River Valley, enhance critical connections between two key tributaries and provide critical habitat for numerous imperiled species, including the dwarf wedgemussel and shortnose sturgeon.

 

Could deer hunting in January be the solution?

 

Its no secret that the eastern part of Massachusetts has way too many deer for its own good. According to MassWildlife the ideal number of deer per square mile is 12 to 18.  However; in some areas in the eastern part of Massachusetts and on the islands, the count is around 30 to 50.  Even though they are issuing unlimited antlerless deer permits in zones 10, 11, 13 and 14 not enough deer are being removed from the population to stabilize or reduce deer numbers.

To quote MassWildlife, “When deer numbers exceed human tolerance, they are often viewed as pests and can cause public safety issues and property damage. Additionally, when deer numbers exceed what the habitat can support, forest health can be severely degraded and negatively impact other animals and plants.”

The number of deer/vehicle accidents there must be much higher than around here in the Berkshires as well as the incidences of deer tick related illnesses.  In southeast Massachusetts, farmer’s crops are prime targets and they are petitioning the Fish & Wildlife Board as well as the State Legislators to do something about it such as allowing more deer to be harvested on their lands.

Much of this problem is brought on by the fact that towns are prohibiting hunting which is perhaps MassWildlife’s main tool to control deer numbers. There have been attempts to allow hunting on Sundays to help control the numbers, but so far, the Legislature has failed to act upon them.  Massachusetts and Maine are the only two states which have not repealed the archaic blue laws and still don’t allow Sunday hunting.

One thing which MassWildlife may want to consider is to do what NY is doing.  In Suffolk County (Long Island) they allow firearm and archery deer hunting from Sunday, January 7 through January 31, 2024 including the weekends.  It is applicable only on lands with at least 10 acres in size, with a signed landowner’s endorsement and a town permit where required.  Deer may only be taken with a shotgun using a single slug, a muzzleloading rifle or pistol shooting a single projectile or by archery.

All hunters are required to have a Department of Environmental Conservation-Managed Lands Access Permit to hunt on those properties.

In Tompkins County (near Ithica, NY), they have a  Deer Management Focus Area  (DMFA) season which allows hunters to hunt antlerless deer only (limit 2 per day) during that season from January 13-31, 2024. During the DMFA season, a hunter may use any hunting implement that is lawful during any other deer season in that area.

Perhaps a new hunting season such as this might be something the MA Fish & Wildlife Board and our legislators may want to consider as a way to help get a handle on the serious deer overpopulation in the previously mentioned eastern zones.

Onota Lake female bald eagle disappeared

Local outdoor photographer Mark Thorne of Pittsfield emailed me that “The long reigning queen of the nest, seems to have been “replaced” by a new, younger female.”  Wearing band #T98, she had been here since 2007 and is believed to be 21 ½ years old.   Mark has no idea how it happened and what T98’s status is.  The resident male, wearing gold band  #WR8, that battled for this nest in 2012, is still around and seems to have bonded with the new female.  He is 17-1/2 years old this year. Since the new female is not banded there’s no way to know her age”.

 

Debbie Storie from Lanesboro, who also monitors and photographs these birds, notified Mark around Thanksgiving.  She sent her photos to him and he went this past week and verified it. “We knew it would happen someday, but we may never know what exactly happened to T98 unless someone sees her flying around, or finds her body and reports the band number.” said Mark.

What a legacy she left though.   Mark recorded at least 14 confirmed chicks fledged from this single nest during her tenure from 2007 to 2023, and he’s sure there were more that he missed because his photo records were not reliable for 2008-10 and 2016).

Thank you, Mark Thorne, for sharing the above information.

According to DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden, she was banded as a chick in Dutchess County, NY in 2002.

So long #T98, and thanks for the memories.

Preliminary bear harvest numbers

 

According to bear harvest figures provided by Andrew Madden, the preliminary results of the black bear hunting season show that 245 bears were harvested statewide by hunters in 2023; verses 223 last year.

 

Some 118 of them were taken in the September season which was the 2^nd lowest in the last decade for that season. Madden suggests that this was probably due to heat and rainy weekends during that season.

 

In the November season, 50 bears were harvested, which was the second highest for that season. The shogun deer season yielded 77 bears taken which was also the second highest for that season.

 

Overall, 2023 yielded the 4^th highest total harvest (combining all seasons). The county breakdown was as follows: Berkshire 80, Franklin 54, Hampden 44, Hampshire 49, Worcester 14, Middlesex 3, Plymouth 1.

 

Madden emphasized that these results are preliminary and there could be several reported at off-line check stations that have not been taken into account.

 

Bunnies want your used Christmas trees

The Berkshire Beagle Club will once again be accepting used and unsold Christmas trees at its club at 380 Sleepy Hollow Road, Richmond.  There should be an A frame sign by the drop spot, or just put them to the right of the driveway as you pull in. The bunnies nibble on the branches and use them to provide cover from predator raptors.  Please make sure to remove all tinsel, angle hair and other decorations and ornaments because the bunnies have a tendency to eat them and can die from their ingestion. And please no plastic or metal trees.

2024 hunting and fishing licenses are available

Normally, at this time of year I remind sportsmen and sportswomen to get their new fishing or sporting licenses before going out on their traditional New Year’s Day ice fishing trip. Well, with the climate change going on, it appears those days may be over.  Instead, I guess you could go bunny hunting provided you purchased your hunting or sporting license.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!