Thick and brushy places – perfect for ruffed grouse

A recent news release from MassWildlife discussed what makes up good grouse habitat.  Here are some excerpts from that release:

“Grouse thrive in areas with a patchwork of young forest habitat of varying ages, overgrown fields, and mature woods. In Massachusetts, the ideal habitat mix can be hard to come by, but MassWildlife’s Habitat Program is working to change that on state lands. 

Above picture provided by MassWildlife

Cover for grouse has been described by hunters as areas “that are hard to swing a gun and challenge the toughest dog,” but it’s much more. Grouse need a variety of young forests between 1 and 40 years old in patches ranging from 10 to 40 acres with mature forest and grassy openings nearby. Dense young forests of sapling trees ranging in size from the width of a pencil to as wide as your forearm provide the safety grouse need from predators like hawks. Downed logs or stone walls provide critical drumming sites for male grouse to announce their courtship ritual in spring.  

In addition to cover, good grouse habitat provides nutritious food—especially during the winter months. A large part of a grouse’s diet comes from the buds and catkins of aspen, birch, alder, and cherry saplings. Grouse also rely on food from soft mast-producing trees and shrubs like apple, blueberry, grape, high bush cranberry, and hawthorn along with hard mast like acorns, hazelnuts, and beech nuts. Overgrown, brushy fields provide an abundance of protein-rich insects in the summer for developing grouse chicks. 

The combination of habitat types needed for quality grouse habitat has become more and more scarce in Massachusetts over the decades due to development and other land use changes. With the goal of reversing these declines, The MassWildlife Habitat Program actively manages and promotes patchy young forest habitat on some of its Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) that grouse—and many other declining wildlife species—depend on. Through limited and strategic timber harvests, MassWildlife emulates the conditions of natural disturbance events usually caused by wind, ice, and fire. These operations remove tall trees from an area but leave oaks and cherries that are important to wildlife. Some logs are left on the ground for grouse drumming logs. Because this habitat is only beneficial to grouse for a short time (20–40 years), periodic timber harvesting is conducted on WMAs to create new patches of young forest. MassWildlife also uses prescribed fire as a tool to promote the growth of aspen and to create and maintain the shrubland habitat that provides cover and valuable food for grouse. These practices have been extremely successful in maintaining healthy grouse populations where habitat management has occurred”.  

I’d be willing to bet that anyone who grew up small game hunting in the 1940’s and 1950’s totally agrees with MassWildlife’s Wildlife Habitat Program. During that era, many of our local dairy farms were going out of business.  As a result, the farmlands and pastures were not kept down by grazing cows or were no longer mowed for hay.  They turned into young forests where grouse (I still prefer to call them partridges) were abundant, especially near abandoned apple orchards and grape vines

Probably the best partridge hunting I ever experienced in my life was when I first started hunting at the age of 16. With shotgun slung over my shoulder and dog on leash, I would walk down our road to the Cranwell Golf Course.  Maintenance of the part of the course behind Blantyre had been discontinued some time by the Jesuits and allowed to grow wild.  I well remember the berry patches, brush and small trees growing out of what once were fairways and greens. The place was loaded with partridge and their unexpected heart-stopping explosions when they flushed startled me.  With the help of the dog, I got pretty good at shooting partridges and frequently walked home with a couple of them.  I didn’t know it at the time but I was hunting an early successional growth area. A few years later, Cranwell started reopening that portion of the golf course and the heyday was over. 

Of course, there were other reasons for the grouse’s demise – new predators and habitat destruction being two of them.

I’m glad that MassWildlife included these words in its release by Aldo Leopold in A Sand County Almanac: “Everybody knows that the autumn landscape in the northwoods is the land, plus a red maple, plus a ruffed grouse. In terms of conventional physics, the grouse represents only a millionth of either mass or the energy of an acre. Yet, subtract the grouse and the whole thing is dead”.  Aldo Leopold, considered the father of wildlife management, recognized the importance of the ruffed grouse as an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. 

Second season of bear hunting opening tomorrow

The second of the three black bear hunting seasons begins tomorrow morning and runs through November 21.  In this season, hunting implements allowable are:  rifle chambered (.23 caliber or larger), muzzleloader and archery.  No handguns or shotguns are allowed. Readers may recall from my October 11, 2020 column that the first season produced a harvest of 233 statewide, shattering the old record.  Obviously, that harvest record will continue to grow.

Be alert while driving at night

Readers may also recall from that same column a cautionary advisement from MassWildlife to watch out for moose while driving, especially at night due to difficulty in seeing them. Now comes another MassWildlife advisement for motorists to also watch out for deer especially at night.

Mary Mcguire, Director of Public and Legislative affairs for AAA Northeast cautions motorists to be vigilant and expect deer to be crossing roads and to anticipate deer darting into the roadway, especially at night. She said that in 2019, there were 1,557 deer-related crashes in Massachusetts from October through December and that 81% of them occurred outside of daylight hours. 

Marion Larson, Chief Information and Education for MassWildlife said that fatalities from deer collisions are relatively rare.  Nationwide it is estimated there are 200 fatalities a year.  There have been two in MA – one in Beverly and one in Weston.  State Farm Insurance estimates 7,000 to 10,000 deer-vehicle collisions take place each year in Massachusetts.  Larson said that deer populations are growing in our state, especially around Interstate 495, where there are more communities with firearms or hunting restrictions.

 2020 International Fly-Fishing Film Festival

On Thursday evening, November 5, the International Fly-Fishing Film Festival, featuring world-wide angling adventures, is coming virtually to Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and a few other states at 7:00 p.m.  It will feature 10 films, 6- to 16-minutes in length, from all corners of the globe showcasing the passion, lifestyle and culture of fly fishing.

Admission to the Fly-Fishing Film Festival, viewable throughout the state, is $15 and may be accessed at https://watch.eventive.org/if4us/play/5f4d3bfc2f75db00851f30f3 .  Viewers may log on to the site anytime within 48 hours of the showing.  Tickets will be active for seven days.

One attendee will be selected to win the 2020 Grand Prize drawing consisting of thousands of dollars of fly-fishing gear provided by International Fly-Fishing Film Festival sponsors. In addition to the films, there will be fly fishing product give-aways and other promotions at the event. 

It is hosted by The Fly- Fishing Show.

Among the films to be screened are:

• Particles and Droplets, by Gilbert Rowley, a look at the world from a different perspective with fly fishing the catalyst.  
• Aurora Fontinalis, by Intents Media. An adventurous trip after giant brook trout in the far north.   
• Iqaluk, by Hooké.  A far northern fly-fishing adventure to Nunavik in search of Arctic Char.
• The Mend, by Broc Isabelle.  A father-son relationship complicated by career and responsibilities all set to a fly-fishing background. 
• Nine Foot Rod, by Dana Lattery.  Four fly-fishing guides embark on a trip to Oman in search of giant trevally and Indo-Pacific Permit.       

Others include:  AK 30, seeking a 30-inch trout in Alaska’s Naknek River; The Bull Run, looking for a bull trout north of the 49^th parallel in the Rockies; and Poetry in Motion, the story of Maxine McCormack’s journey to become world fly-fishing champion.

Trailers for all films can be seen online at flyfilmfest.com.

For information, contact https://www.flyfilmfest.com. 

It’s time to have your say

This Tuesday is election day. Get out and vote if you can.

The Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) restores rivers, wetlands, and watersheds for the benefit of people and the environment. Its projects improve public safety and help people and nature adapt to climate change. Restoration creates jobs, too, with 12.5 jobs created or maintained for every $1 million invested in restoration projects. Demand for restoration assistance continues to grow across the Commonwealth, even during the last six months of the pandemic.

In its most recent report, Ebb & Flow, DER Director Beth Lambert shared updates on river and wetland restoration projects that recently began or will soon begin construction in our area. “Many of our restoration projects result in new open space or improved trails, where residents of the Commonwealth can witness the resilience of nature for themselves. Watching a river or wetland recover from past damage brings hope and optimism. Spending time in nature brings solace. This is more important to us now than ever before.” wrote Lambert.  The report went on and listed some recently completed or on-going projects:

Kinne Brook Restoration- DER and partners replaced an undersized and failing culvert with a larger, safer structure that allows full upstream and downstream movement of aquatic species and reduces the risk of road damage and failure in flood conditions. As a high-quality cold-water tributary to the Middle Branch of the Westfield River near Chester, MA, this work also benefits trout and other cold-water-dependent species in a 10-mile-long reach of Kinne Brook. This project was completed this past June. 

West Branch of the Housatonic River Restoration-DER, the City of Pittsfield, and other partners removed the obsolete and hazardous Tel-Electric (or Mill Street) Dam, located on the West Branch of the Housatonic River. The removal of this dam has strengthened community resilience to the impacts of climate change, restored natural river processes, and improved the ecological health of the river. This project was completed this past June.

River Road Culvert Replacement-DER is working with the Town of Windsor to replace an undersized and deteriorated culvert on a tributary to the East Branch of the Westfield River with a larger, safer structure that meets road‐stream crossing standards. The upper Westfield River and its tributaries provide some of the best cold-water and riverine fish communities in the Commonwealth and the new culvert will enable fish and wildlife to access these high‐quality habitats, as well as enhancing public safety, storm resiliency, and general ecological conditions. Construction should be under way now.

West Road Culvert-DER provided grant funding this past year to the Town of Clarksburg to conduct field data collection and analysis, design and engineering, and permitting for a culvert replacement on Bear Swamp Brook. Upgrading the culvert allows cold-water species to access critical cold-water streams, particularly important as the climate warms and stream temperature increases. The road also serves a primary emergency access route

River Road Culvert-DER provided grant funding this past year to the Town of Windsor to replace a perched, undersized and deteriorated culvert on a tributary to the East Branch of the Westfield River with a larger, safer structure that meets road‐stream crossing standards. The upper Westfield River and tributaries provide some of the best cold-water and fluvial fish communities in the Commonwealth. The new culvert will enable fish and wildlife to access these high‐quality habitats. Upgrading this culvert enhances public safety, storm resiliency and ecological conditions. The grant will fund construction work.

Pecks Brook at Valentine Road (Pittsfield) -The Housatonic watershed has many recreational lakes that are managed to control invasive species and protect infrastructure. These management practices, which include drawdown of lakes in the fall and refill in the spring, can yield unnatural downstream flow patterns that disrupt the lifecycle of resident aquatic organisms and alter the health of the ecosystem. The goal of this project is to improve downstream flows while also achieving lake management goals by improving dam operation.

Becker Pond Dam-The Schenob Brook Restoration in Sheffield seeks to remove the Becker (neé Dombrowski) Pond Dam, located along an unnamed tributary to Shenob Brook. This project, being completed in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, will restore natural riverine processes, benefitting wild Eastern brook trout and other cold-water dependent species within Sages Ravine and the Shenob Brook Area of Critical Environmental Concern.

Columbia Mill Dam-The Columbia Mill Dam Removal project in Lee involves the removal of the Columbia Mill Dam, located on the Housatonic River. Removal of the structure, and potential remediation of impounded sediments, will help to improve water quality, restore upstream fish passage, address risks posed by aging infrastructure, and improve local recreational opportunities.

Not included in the latest Ebb & Flow is the Modernizing the Hoosic River flood control system. The newly- elected Co-Presidents of The Hoosic River Revival (HRR), Judy Grinnell and Richard Tavelli, recently announced that HRR and the City of North Adams are together aggressively pursuing federal funding to modernize the city’s aging, 70+ year-old Hoosic River flood control system.

Working with the offices of Congressman Richard Neal and Senators Markey and Warren, along with the state legislative delegation from the Northern Berkshires, HRR and the City seek funding from Congress through multi-million-dollar infrastructure/climate resilience bills or pandemic-related stimulus packages.  The goal is to fund and build a modern flood control system that is safe, accessible, healthy, and attractive.

To support these efforts, the MA DER will fund a consultant to advise HRR and the City on ways to strengthen and develop a more robust local management entity to guide the entire flood control project.  The need for this was highlighted when the City recently listed flooding in the Municipal Vulnerability Plan as its number one risk concern. 

Persistence pays off for lady bowhunter

Harvesting a deer with a bow and arrow has been a goal of Sandy Bushey of Lanesborough for some 15 years.  On October 9, at 7:57 am while hunting out of a tree stand in Old Chatham, NY she accomplished that goal.  At a distance of 15 yards, she dropped an 8-point buck.  She climbed out of her tree stand and tracked it solo for 100 yards. After finding it, she called family members for assistance to get it out of the woods.  The buck weighed 170 lbs (before being field dressed). She used a Browning compound bow with a lighted nock on the arrow and a 42-pound draw weight.

Sandy is no novice to deer hunting for she has taken a total of 67 bucks and does over the span of 35 years of deer hunting. Up until this year, she has taken them using shotgun, rifles and muzzleloaders.  This was the first buck she ever harvested with a bow.

Over the years she has hunted in Massachusetts, New York State and Canada.  Deer from NY and Canada must be processed and deboned before bringing them into MA. Once done, she can add the meat from her deer to the meat from a 6-point buck that her husband Ed took on opening day in New York State.

Sandy plans on hunting with her camera during archery seasons now that she has accomplished getting a buck with a bow.  

Incidentally, Ed and Sandy have been directors of the Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club for many years.

Freshwater Jellyfish in our lakes?

In his October report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, District Supervisor Andrew Madden mentioned that freshwater jellyfish have been discovered in Ashmere Lake in Hinsdale.  He said that they are not considered invasive, but they only pop up in local lakes in certain years.  You might not see them in ponds for 10 years. Something about temperature, water conditions or whatever causes them to show up in some years.  They have a clear or translucent white bell-shaped body about the size of a dime or nickel. They can be seen floating or swimming gently just below the surface of the water, but unlike some marine jellyfish it does not pose a hazard to swimmers.

They also exist in West Lake and Upper Spectacle Pond in Sandisfield, Center Pond in Becket and other local waters.  There is a video circulating on Facebook which clearly shows them on Ashmere Lake.

In Wildlife Management Zones 1 through 9, the fall wild turkey hunting season opens on Monday, October 19 and thanks to a new regulation change, has been extended through November 28.  There are other regulation changes of which hunters must be aware.   From October 19 through October 31, shotguns, muzzleloading shotguns and archery equipment may be used.  From November 2 through November 28 only archery equipment may be used. Another new regulation is that no larger than #4 shot may be used. Only one turkey of either sex may be taken in the fall turkey hunting season.

If you are hunting turkey with a shotgun or muzzleloader, an official safety sticker must be placed on the gun. The sticker must be visible when sighting down the barrel. For a new or replacement sticker, visit any MassWildlife office or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to
MassWildlife.

Incidentally, the year 2020 marks the 40^th anniversary of wild turkey hunting in Massachusetts (modern era).

Also, on October 19 the Archery Deer Hunting season opens and runs through November 28 in zones 1 through 9.

With the turkey season extension now in effect, archery deer hunters have a new opportunity to hunt both deer and turkey during the entire archery deer season. As MassWildlife puts it, this expansion allows regular archery deer hunters a chance to harvest a turkey (one of either sex) that may wander past their tree stand. Who wouldn’t want to take a turkey just before Thanksgiving without sacrificing time in their deer stand?

In addition to a MA hunting license, an Archery Season Stamp is required to hunt deer during the archery deer season and a Turkey Permit is required to hunt wild turkey.

Pursuing turkeys from a tree stand is quite different from traditional hunting methods, but very practical for an enterprising archery deer hunter. MassWildlife recommends that you keep the following tips in mind while hunting from a stand in the fall.

• Be still in the stand, don’t get busted! Turkeys have some of the best vision of any animal in the woods. They see the full color spectrum, have a nearly 300-degree field of vision, and are always alert for threats. During the fall they are almost always in a flock, which means that dozens of sharp eyes will be watching for danger. Use extreme caution with your movements when turkeys are near—even reaching for your bow can alert turkeys of your presence and cause them to move off. If you are still enough (and lucky enough) for a flock to come within your effective archery range, it is then extremely difficult to draw your bow without being detected. Pick a time to draw when the flock is not alarmed and when your movements will be obstructed by vegetation or other landscape features. Hold your draw until a lethal shot opportunity presents itself. You can increase your chances for success by practicing at home and modifying your draw weight. Draw and hold your bow for increasingly longer intervals while maintaining accuracy.
• Never shoot a walking turkey! Turkeys have extremely small vital areas, so shot placement and accuracy are everything. Unfortunately, turkeys rarely stay still for more than a few seconds when they are feeding and traveling. Make your shot when the bird pauses for a moment. Again, practice holding your draw at home before the season—the longer you can hold your bow back the better.
• Practice with the gear you hunt with! Practice with the arrow/broadhead combination that you’ll hunt with before heading into the field. Sometimes broadheads will fly differently than field points so it’s critical to know where your arrows will hit when hunting. A broadhead used for deer will also be lethal on turkeys; the difference is that the vital area on a turkey is much smaller. Consider practicing from an elevated position (for both deer and turkey) to simulate the angles that you will encounter when hunting from a tree stand.

Archery hunters, if you are hunting turkey and deer at the same time, MassWildlife invites you to fill out and submit a daily log of your archery hunting activity and wildlife observations. Your log will provide useful information on wildlife across the state. Download an Archery Deer Hunting Season Log from mass.gov/dfw/citizen-science.

There’s lots of information about these hunting seasons in the MA Fishing & Hunting Guide (abstracts) dealing with hunting hours, the wearing of blaze orange, legal hunting methods, tagging, transportation and more.  Be sure to familiarize yourself with them before heading for the woods and fields.

Remember to stay safe.  I am aware of one fellow having fallen from a tree stand already and he sustained a broken back.

Here’s hoping you have an enjoyable and safe hunting season.

While we are on the subject of turkey hunting, readers may remember an article I ran on May 23, 2020 about Bill Hollister of Valatie, NY and his rare feat of bagging a tom turkey in New York State in 2018 with rare triple spurs. A bird with triple spurs is almost unheard of, as there are only two reports of birds with triple spurs – one of which is from Mississippi and the other is Hollister’s.

Since that article, I found out a little more about Bill.  He is in the record book again, in particular the Massachusetts DFW record book.  He shot the first turkey in Massachusetts during the modern MA turkey hunting era. The first year that turkey hunting was allowed (after 20 years of trying to get them reestablished) was 1980. He shot his tom in Pittsfield at 5:25 am on opening.  Field dressed it weighed 17 lbs. and was acknowledged by MA DFW as the first turkey bagged in Massachusetts in 130 years.   If you can get a copy, read about it in the 1981 July-August edition of Turkey Call magazine.  The article, which was written by Bill, told how he and his close friend the late Bob Fitch of Pittsfield planned and scouted the Berkshires in preparation for opening day of turkey season.

It is an interesting read and I especially liked the heading “Return of the Natives. It was not only about the return of one native, the wild turkey, but also of Bill.  Bill was born and raised in Pittsfield and had moved to Valatie, NY years ago.  He had not hunted in his home state in 20 years, but the call of the wild turkey brought him back.     He made no secret of the fact that he would like to take the first wild turkey in MA, and by golly, he did.

Only those who held special permits (1,000 hunters) could hunt and they took 72 gobblers that first year.  The largest bird reported that year was one weighing 21.3 lbs. and that was taken by Ray Barnes of Pittsfield.

Lee Sportsmen’s Association Practical Shooting Event

Tomorrow, October 18, the Lee Sportsmen’s Association will be having a United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) 3 stages and 2 classifier stages of shooting.  The Round Count is 117, starting time is 10:00 am and safety briefing at 9:45.  Cold Range Rules apply. The cost is $20.00 and you must bring exact payment as there will be no change made.  Sign up for match at Practiscore.com.

Paraplegic deer hunt

MassWildlife holds a special three-day deer hunting season for paraplegic hunters.   It is a special opportunity for them to spend time outdoors while hunting. Staff and volunteers place hunters in safe areas at several hunt locations in the state. Many hunters are able to see deer and several get the opportunity to harvest one.  Bottom of Form

When a hunter shoots a deer, volunteers assist the hunter by retrieving the deer, field dressing it, and getting it checked in on site.  This year the season dates are October 29 through October 31.

Due to Coronid-19, the number of statewide hunting sites has been reduced from five sites to four.  The Southern Berkshires hunt will still take place. 

Paraplegic sportsmen and women interested in taking part in the hunt should contact Susan McCarthy at (508) 389-6326.

In his October1 report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLS) DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden reported that the preliminary harvest figure for the September Bear Hunting Season which ended on September 26, was approximately 233 bears.  There may be a few more bears checked in as some check-in stations had not reported their figures yet.  This breaks the old September harvest of 203.  “We have already taken more bears in 2020 than the entirety of the season in 2019 (207) and 2018 (204)”, said Madden. 

This year there was the highest bear count east of the Connecticut River with 24.  No doubt, the population is expanding to the east.  According to Fisheries and Wildlife Board Member Ernest W. Foster of Scituate, no bears have been sighted in the Southeast Wildlife District yet.  They’re   coming Ernie, they’re coming.

Madden reported that a large bear weighing 499 lbs. (not field dressed) was weighed in at the District Headquarters on opening day.  It was taken in the Town of Lenox by Robert Stevens of Pittsfield.   (Unfortunately, that is not the bear that has been visiting my garden). 

There still are two more bear hunting seasons this year.  The second season runs from November 2 through November 21, and the shotgun season runs from November 30 through December 12.

Fall trout stocking

At that BCLS meeting, Madden reported that after the serious rainfall a couple of weeks ago, the river levels came up and they did stock the East Branch of the Westfield River in Chesterfield as well as the Deerfield River.  The following lakes/ponds were scheduled to be stocked by now:  Onota Lake, Pontoosuc Lake, Laurel Lake, Stockbridge Bowl, Goose Pond, Richmond Pond, Lake Buel, Big Pond, Otis Reservoir, Windsor Lake, Windsor Pond, Ashfield Pond, Littleville Lake, North Pond, Upper Highland Lake and Norwich Lake.

Small game/waterfowl hunting seasons are upon us

The woodcock hunting season opened on October 1 and runs through November 21.  Because the woodcock is classified as a migratory game bird but not a waterfowl, lead shot may be used.  However, a Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration is required to hunt them as well as ducks, geese and other waterfowl. Two special waterfowl hunt days have been added for active military and veterans.

Tomorrow morning marks the opening of duck and Canada Goose hunting season in the Berkshire Zone. Duck hunting runs through November 28, closes for shotgun deer hunting season, reopens on December 7 and runs through December 26.  Goose season runs through November 14.   Check the regulations regarding any changes this year and daily harvests for the various ducks, geese and woodcock.

The pheasant and ruffed grouse hunting seasons open next Saturday and runs through November 28.  According to Madden, some 40,000 birds will be stocked statewide and about 12,000 of them are scheduled to be stocked in our area.  The daily limit for pheasants is 2, and for grouse it is 3.   If hunting a Wildlife Management Area for pheasants or grouse and other small game, you must wear a hunter orange cap.  The exceptions are if you are hunting waterfowl from within a blind or boat or if you are hunting raccoons or opossums at night.

Cottontail rabbit hunting seasons open next Saturday in Zones 1 – 12.   and runs through February 27, 2021.  Snowshoe hare season also opens next Saturday and runs through February 27 in Zones 1-4 only.  (The other zones have differing seasons).  The daily limit is 5 cottontails and 2 hare. 

The gray squirrel season, which opened on September 14 in our zone is ongoing and ends on January 2, 2021.  The daily limit is 5.  Rabbit, hare and squirrel hunting seasons are closed during shotgun deer hunting season.

Next Saturday, the coyote hunting season opens and runs through March 8, 2021. There is no daily limit on them but they must be checked in at an official check station or online with MassWildlife.

Remember the new regulation this year:

Wanton waste is now prohibited for game taken during hunting and trapping seasons; hunting contests for furbearers and predators is now prohibited and coyote and fox must now be reported within 48 hours of harvest.

It is important that hunters check the Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife Guide for a listing of all of the hunting regulations and remember that hunting on Sundays is prohibited.

Housatonic River Walk

You are invited to enjoy a virtual tour of Housatonic River Walk with Russ Cohen, author of Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten. Russ will focus on native plants with ecological value to birds and pollinators that people can nibble on too.  Russ has been eating wild plants for a long time and he is still around.  So, he must know what he is talking about.  The parts are:

Part 1 Hazelnut, Linden Tree (Basswood) and Common Elderberry

Part 2 Spice Bush, Flowering Raspberry & Ostrich Fern

Part 3 Staghorn Sumac, Black Birch, Chokecherry & Hawthorn trees

Part 4 Knotweed & Dame’s Rocket – Invasive Plants That People Can Nibble On

Part 5 Hackberry, Wild Mint, Black Walnut, Butternut & Pineapple Weed

This was a project Meredyth Babcock of the Wild and Scenic Westfield River did with the Housatonic River walk collaboration. All five 10 – 20 minute segments can be viewed on website https://gbriverwalk.org/ and also on http://www.westfieldriverwildscenic.org.  The virtual tour is hosted by Housatonic River Walk, a project of Great Barrington Land Conservancy.  It is sponsored by Wild and Scenic Westfield River, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance and Great Barrington Land Conservancy.  It is funded in part by Housatonic Heritage

Incidentally, if Meredyth Babcock’s name sounds familiar, she was scheduled to receive the 2019 BCLS Lifetime Achievement Award last spring for all of the work that she has done on the Westfield River.  Unfortunately, Covid-19 prevented the League from having the banquet and her award and other awards will be presented hopefully next spring. That’s assuming everyone practices social distancing, wears masks, frequently wash their hands and stay away from crowds.

License-to-Carry Course

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club will be hosting a LTC and UTAH Firearm Certificate Course next Sunday, October 17 from 1:30pm to 5:00 pm at its clubhouse.  This course is Mass State Police Compliant.  The cost for MA certification is $80, other states cost $125 and a combination of any two states cost $150. Space is limited due to Covid-19 guidelines so you must pre-register.  Contact Tom Nadolny at 413-822-6451 or tnadolny1@gmail.com for more information or to pre-register.

Watch out for moose

MassWildlife urges drivers to use caution because it’s mating season for moose.  During September and October, moose become more active and cross roads more frequently.   Moose eyes rarely shine because their eyes are above headlight level and their dark color makes them very difficult to spot at night. Don’t just look for them in remote areas. In the October 6 issue of the Berkshire Eagle, under the heading Moose spotted trotting along Elm Street, it was reported that Pittsfield Police received two reports about a moose, in the neighborhood including one from a resident who said the animal had made its way into a backyard.

Correction

In last week’s column, I mentioned that Bob Gale of Cheshire caught a 33 lbs. 14 oz King Salmon out of Lake Ontario while fishing out of the Trout One Charters (captained by Jim Carpenter of Adams).  I goofed.  I assumed that Jim Carpenter still owned that Charter.  You know what happens when you assume anything.  Seven years ago, after mating for Jim for 19 years, Bryan Kopala of Windsor bought the business. It operates out of Mexico Point, NY.  After mentioning the fish and lucky angler in two columns now, I thought you would like to see them. The male salmon was 42″ long and had a girth of 26 1/2″.   Northeast Taxidermy of Middleton, CT will be doing a replica of it.

Recently, fishing buddy Paul Knauth of Hinsdale and I took a 3-day fall flyfishing trip to the Ausable River in Wilmington, NY (near Lake Placid).  We planned to fish the traditional fall trout flies such as the Isonychia (slate gray drake), Serratella ignita (blue winged olive), etc. We rented a two-person cabin at the Wilderness Inn in Wilmington.

We both brought our old Orvis Battenkill bamboo rods.  Mine was built in 1967.  Interestingly, a fellow had parked his old Ford Mustang along the road near where we were fishing one evening.  It also was built in 1967.  He was as proud and careful with his car as I was with my rod. I only planned to fish with that rod for a couple of hours and then switch back to a modern Orvis graphite because I was afraid of damaging that 53-year old rod. I did have a scare when I took a spill while walking the banks.  It was a soft landing on land, not in the river, and neither I nor the rod sustained any damages.  Right after that I cased the rod and put it away for the rest of the trip. 

Paul’s rod was made in 1974.  Although he brought it with him on the trip, he opted not to fish these waters with it. Instead, he fished the Farmington River in CT after we returned and caught a nice trout on it there.  There is something special in fishing with handmade split bamboo rods.  They are like finely tuned machines and usually come with histories of who made them, when they were made and sometimes the previous owners of them. They are direct links to the fly fishermen of yesteryear.

I’ll tell you right off the bat the fishing was lousy.  Excuses?  Pick the one: 

#1 -The river was quite low as they had a drought of their own there.  It was the first time in my 40+ years fishing there that one could literally wade across the river at any location (except the Flume, and High Falls Gorge….., you don’t want to go near them).

#2 – There were hardly any aquatic insects to be found.  Over that 3-day period, we could count on one hand the number of insects we saw flying around.  The rocks along the river, which are usually covered with the shucks of the insects that crawled onto them to hatch out were bare. Obviously, without insects hatching, no fish were rising.

#3 – Both of the local fly shops were closed due to Covid-19, so we couldn’t seek their advice as to which flies we should use.

#4 – Silt.  We were surprised at how much silt had settled into the traditionally productive stretches where we have had good luck in the past, especially along River Road in North Elba. (Silt has a negative effect in the areas were most aquatic insects hatch out).  We asked a local long-time resident who lived near the river if there was some kind of development upstream which caused the silt and she said that it all began when Hurricane Irene devastated the area nine years ago.  It tore up the banks and exposed the sand beneath them. Now, each time it storms, there is more exposed silt washed into the river. 

#5 – Pesticides spraying.  She also told us that they were spraying this year near the river to control the blackflies and mosquitoes. Could the pesticides also be killing the aquatic insects?

#6 – Equipment failure.  Paul’s brand-new Hardy graphite fly rod broke in his hands while he was assembling it so he couldn’t fish with his best rod.  One felt sole on my waders became unglued and fell off, restricting where I could fish.  The Ausable River is very slippery and dangerous unless your boots have felt bottoms. 

#7-We are lousy fishermen who should go back to fishing school….nah.

#8 – The sky. Apparently, the smoke from the fires out west reached our area in the upper atmosphere.  The sky had a milky color most of the time and the sunrises and sunsets were of an eerie orange-red color. (I bet no one ever used that excuse before).

Never-the-less we had an enjoyable trip.  You know the old saying, “A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work”. Paul prepared our delicious meals at home and froze them, so there was no need to eat out.  We couldn’t spend money if we wanted to as the fly shops were closed due to the virus.  Once again, we were cheap dates.  The whole 3-day trip cost around $200 per person which included our cabin, meals, and gas. 

Most of the time, it felt like we were fishing over fishless waters, although we did manage to find a couple of fish here and there.

On the last day, we fished a beautiful pool which stretched 70 or 80 feet and was probably over 5 feet deep in some spots.  Around noon a large trout started to feed.  We couldn’t see any flies on which it fed, but like clockwork, it would porpoise or do a belly flop every 15 minutes or so.  It was no more than 20 feet away from us. Paul fished for that trout, so I fished downstream from the pool.

After 2 ½ hours, I fished my way back to the pool and found Paul still after that trout.  He would time his casts every 15 minutes or so to try to catch that fish when it made its scheduled rise. (It only rose in a slot of about 5 feet wide and 10 feet long).  Sometimes, the fish would make a scary splash only inches from his fly and one would naturally think that the fish bit his fly, but it didn’t. 

Paul sat down on the bank and let me try for it. Right after my fly hit the water, BANG!  A big splash near where the fly landed, and I thought I hooked him.  Nope, it rose right next to the fly. Later on, I fished the river above the pool while Paul stayed there determined to catch that large trout.  From upstream, I could see it tormenting Paul, every 15 minutes or so.

The day was getting late and when I returned to the pool, Paul had had enough, having tried for that fish nearly 5 hours.  Before leaving, I gave it one last shot as the fish was due to rise again.  Twenty, twenty-five, thirty minutes passed but the fish didn’t rise.

Last cast! I shouted to Paul and made a halfway decent cast right about where that fish should rise. And then?  And then?  Nothing!  The fish quit rising.  It was either full from eating something all day or tired from harassing us and wanted us to go home. The fish won!  We left the river befuddled and scratching our heads wondering what the fish was eating.  Oh well, it was fun fishing for it and kept our interest at a time when there was no other fish or mayfly activity.

A week or so after Paul and I returned home, he sent me an Ausable River Association website that he discovered (https://www.ausableriver.org/blog/form-function-fish).  On it was information which confirmed our theory about the siltation problem and their multi-year efforts to rectify it.

Maybe we should have fished the Salmon River in Pulaski, NY for King Salmon like Ron Wojcik of Windsor did. Those big fish travel up the river in the fall from Lake Ontario to spawn.  This year it is very difficult for the fish to travel upriver because of a drought there also. Ron feels that the big fish are getting worn out and he is not sure how they are ever going to be able to spawn in the shallow creeks.

Ron was able to land the pictured 23lbs. King Salmon on a fly rod.  You probably know the fellow to his right, WTEN weatherman Steve Caporizzo.  Ron also caught one bigger than that, almost 25lbs. His buddy Bob Gale caught one weighing 33lbs 14oz while fishing the lake on Trout One Charters (captained by Jim Carpenter of Adams).  It may very well be the largest salmon caught up there this year. 

This year, the Massachusetts Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) hired a new Director, Deb Markowitz. She was the former Secretary of the Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources (a position similar to MA’s Secretary of EOEEA). I had the opportunity to interview her and find out more about her and the MA TNC.

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Founded at its grassroots in the United States in 1951, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of its diverse staff and more than 400 scientists, it impacts conservation in 79 countries and territories across six continents.

Deb Markowitz loves nature and the outdoors. What she really loves about TNC is that they think globally, but act locally, using state of the art science to address some of the world’s most difficult challenges.  For this reason, Markowitz believes TNC is one of the most effective environmental organizations in the world.  TNC has been in MA for about 60 years and has had a significant impact in the Berkshires and beyond.  The chapter started in the Berkshires by conserving very important pieces of property.

Using science, TNC helped develop a state grant program called the Municipal Vulnerabilities Program where every town can apply for funding to assess their vulnerabilities to climate change and natural disasters such as flooding. This program has put millions of dollars in the hands of communities to use nature-based solutions and other approaches to make the town more resilient.

“There are many local land trusts in MA, in the Berkshires in particular, and that is wonderful.  TNC plays an important role, particularly when there is a really complex project. As a global organization, TNC can help with lawyers, provide scientific expertise and, when appropriate, connect landowners to local conservation organizations.  We don’t have to keep every piece of property we help to conserve. In many cases, it’s much better if they are managed locally.  TNC has a lot of really good projects, but at the end of the day it’s the local land trusts who are the closest to the community,” said Markowitz.

Over the past 20 years TNC protected about 26,000 acres in MA.  In Western Massachusetts, there are more than 15,000 acres of protected land.  Just in the Berkshires alone there are 8 properties that are protected by TNC.  Some are owned by TNC and some are lands owned by others, but TNC has purchased conservation restrictions. TNC has 8,000 acres in fee and conservation easement lands in Western Massachusetts and 10,000 statewide.  The largest preserve is the Schenob Brook area in Sheffield (2,100 acres), Mt Plantain in Mt Washington (over 1,600 acres) is the second largest and Colebrook in Becket and Washington is the 3rd largest (over 1,500 acres).

I asked Deb if they allowed hunting on TNC lands.  It depends, she said.  They have to abide by donor intent.  In most cases hunting is allowed by permission.  In that way, they can ensure that there are not too many hunters at one time for safety reasons (Contact TNC in Massachusetts at massachusetts@tnc.org for more information).

According to Markowitz, “TNC is interested in ecosystem health and if you don’t allow hunting, you are going to be out of balance and the deer can be pretty destructive of new growth trees.” 

TNC is also working to restore the bog turtle population, with focus in the Berkshires. In partnership with the MassWildlife Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program they are managing rare species and restoring natural habitat.  They do a lot of other things like dealing with the fisheries, oceans, and policy work in the statehouse on the environment and climate change.

TNC has also a multi-state program that is looking at how to make sure that there is ecological connection between the Green Mountains in Vermont and the mountains of the Berkshires.  They are trying to help the migration of species by learning how they move across the landscape.  With climate change, species are going to be pushed farther north or further south, depending on the species. TNC wants to make sure they can survive. Through the Berkshire Wildlife Linkage Project, TNC scientists have mapped the lands to identify critical areas for conservation to ensure that wildlife can continue to move.  They are well aware that because of new development, the land is broken into smaller and smaller pieces as people put in houses, roads and highways.  For this reason, TNC has been working with the highway departments and the state governments when new roads, culverts, etc., are planned.  They also work with local land trusts and the Berkshire Natural Resources Council to take care of critical parcels that should be preserved if we are going to maintain these linkages.

TNC is starting to think deeply about forests and how to help owners manage their lands for carbon and get paid for it.  There are great carbon stocks in our forests which are of tremendous value for climate change and meeting our climate goals.   Keeping hard forests and managing them to store and pull out carbon from the atmosphere is very important.  Because of this, TNC is thinking deeply on how to work with local landowners as well as the State so that is a financially viable option for landowners. 

When asked if they are butting heads with MassWildlife and its programs of encouraging early successional growth, Deb felt that there is room for everything on our landscape.  They know that some wildlife does better with early successional forests.

Markowitz said, “There are a lot of forests in MA with much of it in private ownership.  Many people own the land because they love it, not because they want to make money off of it necessarily.  So, let’s think about how to help private landowners with their forests and provide environmental and carbon benefits while finding a way to make that financially viable as an option.”

When asked if TNC is having any problems with their lands regarding Covid-19, Deb said “this has not been an issue for us because most of our preserves are pretty remote, unlike state parks and other land that is primarily managed for public access.” 

Deb’s message to us: “It is a real pleasure being in MA and getting to know the people and landscape.  This is a difficult and challenging time and it is also a time for counting our blessings.  We are blessed in MA, especially in Western MA, to have such great access to the natural world.  Nature is really healing, so get out as much as you can and enjoy what nature has to offer.”

“One of the things happening because of Covid-19 is that there is more and more interest in building in some of these special places in MA, and so now, more than ever, we need to rededicate ourselves to land conservation and to make sure that these special places are there for our kids and grandkids.”

I was really impressed with Deb and what she is doing, I also like the fact that she is a deer and turkey hunter and an avid lady flyfisher.

DFW Western District Fiscal Year 2020 Land Acquisitions

While we are on the subject of land conservation, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden recently reported that last year the Division conserved nearly 900 acres in the Western District as follows:

Monterey – 7.7 Acre Conservation Easement along Tyringham Road

Cummington – 2.1 Acres along the Swift River near Route 9 Dalton – 5 Acres near East Street

Cummington/Plainfield – 50 Acres along Meadow Brook

Windsor – 177 Acres on the West side of North Street

Windsor/Savoy – 102 Acres off Cheshire Road

Plainfield – 20 Acres off Pleasant Street

Heath – 154 Acre Conservation Easement along the West Branch of the North River

Rowe – 92 Acres near Maxwell Brook

Worthington – 281 Acres along Bronson Brook

Hunting, fishing, birdwatching and other passive recreation is allowed on all of those properties which can be viewed on the MassWildlife Land Viewer https://www.mass.gov/howto/masswildlife–lands–viewer

Recently, I received an interesting story from a superb, well-known local fly fisherman, retired physician Dr. Charles Wohl.    He wanted my opinion of it.  Charles has fished for trout and other game fish all over this country, Canada, Europe, South and Central America, the Bahamas, Iceland and New Zealand.  However, he claims his favorite fishing experiences have happened while fishing in such local rivers as the Deerfield, where the events depicted in this story occurred.

God and the Fish

By Charles I. Wohl

“A couple of days ago, I decided to fish the Deerfield River where it courses through a fairly remote area of northwestern Massachusetts.  The flow of that part of the river is controlled by a hydroelectric dam owned by Pacific Gas & Electric, the folks who brought you the deadly Northern California forest fires of 2017 and 2018.  The normal flow at which the river is fishable is about 130 cubic feet per second (cfs).  When PG&E needs to generate electricity, the flow is ramped up so that the river rises from one 130 cfs to about 850 cfs in a matter of a few minutes.  When that happens, an angler wading in the river should get out quickly or risk drowning. If he or she is on the other side of the river from the access road, they will be stranded and face a long trek in waders through deep woods to get to the nearest bridge.   A loud warning siren at the dam that can be heard for a few hundred yards goes off when the flow is about to increase.  The company also obligingly posts its daily schedule of dam releases on its website.  Before I left to go fishing, I checked the website and noted that the flow rate would be at 130 cfs from 3 PM until midnight, so that I would have several hours of fishing.

I got there just before 6 PM and planned to fish until dark.  About an hour later, I was casting flies to a rising trout about 200 yards below the dam when the siren sounded, some five hours before the scheduled release time on the website.  Perhaps, on that warm day, extra power was needed to run the air conditioners of suburban Boston.

 I quickly got out of the water and decided to drive to a good fishing spot two or three miles downstream where I could fish for an hour or so before the high water reached that point.  On the way, I spotted another angler fishing on the other side of the river.  I knew he would not have heard the siren that far below the dam so, even though it would cut into my fishing time, I knew I had to warn him.  I pulled off the road, walked down the trail to the river and started screaming at him to come back across the river.  When he reached my side, I told him (from a safe distance in view of the pandemic) about the imminent rise of the river, and he thanked me profusely.  I continued my drive down the river in the hopes that the spot I hoped to fish, which was quite popular, was not already occupied by another fisherman, which it often was.  Perhaps, I thought, God will reward me for warning the angler by leaving the good fishing spot vacant for me.

Indeed, there was no one else around when I got to the stretch of river I wanted to fish.  I thought, God has rewarded me for my deed.  Dayenu*.   I sat down on a rock by the river and waited for a fish to rise.  Perhaps God will reward me further by having a trout rise to insects floating down the river.  Wouldn’t you know it – about five minutes later, a trout rose about twenty-five feet in front of me.  Dayenu.  Maybe God would think I deserved yet a further reward and prevail upon the trout to take my fly.  After all, if it weren’t for my warning, that angler upstream would have been stranded on the other side of the river and would have faced an hour or so schlep through dense forest before being able to cross.  

I cast my fly, and – bingo – the fish rose and ate my fly.  Dayenu, and game on!  The reel screamed as the great fish shot across the river and treated me to several magnificent leaps.  After an arduous struggle, I gained enough line so that the fish was about twenty feet from me and seemed to be tiring.  I was definitely tiring.  In the gin clear water, I got a good look at the fish – maybe twenty inches or so of gleaming rainbow trout – obviously, the best rainbow of this season and possibly several seasons.  I began to lose muscle tone, allowed myself to think that perhaps, as a final reward for my wondrous act of kindness, God will let me draw the behemoth into my landing net, admire it, and then, of course, let it go.  The fish had other ideas.  He looked at me, shook his head, and the hook popped free. 

I said a very bad word, and sat on my rock, head between my knees.  I thought, “Was God teasing me by connecting me to such a great fish only to lose it?  Had I done something wrong? Or, maybe, for some reason, God hates me.”  Or, more charitably I supposed that God would never want to micromanage an event that, in the enormity of time and space, was rather insignificant, although you couldn’t have convinced me of that.  I did recall how silly I felt as a child after praying for God to give me an “A” on my history final, as if that were all she had to think about. Of course, if God were the theological equivalent of the laws of nature, as folks like Spinoza believe, then it was clear that, according to the laws of physics, the fish got off because it wasn’t well hooked.  It wouldn’t have mattered what I thought I deserved for warning the guy.    I finally settled on the explanation that perhaps God, whether the same as the laws of nature or not, felt it sufficient to give me the opportunity to catch the fish and then to get out of the way while I either landed or lost the fish.  Dayenu.

As I mulled over these possibilities, I heard someone coming down the path behind me and turned to see another fisherman.  He – again at an epidemiological safe distance – greeted me and said that he was the angler that I had warned about the rising water.  He told me that about fifteen minutes after crossing to the road side of the river, the water came up and he would have been stuck on the other side.  He said he stopped just to thank me again.  Then the river where we were started rising, and we both left. 

On the way home, it came to me:  Yes, I had taken the trouble and delayed my fishing to warn the guy; but it wasn’t much trouble, and it was a relatively brief delay.  I hadn’t done anything miraculous or dangerous or heroic.  It couldn’t touch what thousands of healthcare workers and other frontline personnel were doing every day during the pandemic. I had done nothing more than what any other normal human being would have done in similar circumstances.    It was incredible chutzpah for me to think that God should have rewarded me by making sure that no one else was fishing where I wanted to, that a gorgeous trout would be rising, and that the fish would take my fly, whether I landed it or not.

It should have been – and was – enough that the man I warned took the trouble to stop and thank me again.  Dayenu.”

*Dayenu is the Hebrew word meaning, approximately, “it would have been enough.”  It is also the name of a song sung at the seder of the Jewish holiday of Passover. 

Charles, thank you for that great story. I think the readers will agree that it was Oysgetsaykhnt! **

** Oysgetsaykhnt is Yiddish for excellent.

In July, I had an opportunity to listen in on the MA Fish & Wildlife Board meeting by Zoom. At each monthly meeting an officer from the MA Environmental Police makes a report of their activities to the Board

In the July meeting they reported that they had a huge increase in calls for service this year.  As of July14 they had over 20,000 calls.  They don’t normally reach that level until sometime in September. The calls ranged from fresh water fish complaints, marine fisheries complaints, and requests for assistance from other agencies because of the Covid-19  state of emergency.  They still have to patrol fish and wildlife properties, state forest land and other public property. 

Some examples reported in July were: There was a deer case where an individual from Springfield, MA went to a farm in NY, shot 2 deer (fauns with spots) and brought them back to MA (in violation of regulations established to prevent the introduction of Chronic Wasting Disease into our state).  The perpetrator was caught  with the cooperation of NY and USFWS agents.  They sent blood and hair samples to a USFWS facilities in Oregon for analysis and the firearm believed to have been used was currently being tested to make sure they recovered the right firearm involved.

They had a moose in Savoy State Forest that ran into a gate and had fatal injuries.  It was chased by a dog owned by a local resident who was walking it in the State Forest.  The dog chased the moose into a fence.  She was issued a citation for not having a dog on a leash on State Forest Land.

They had a bear relocation incident with Connecticut Valley District personnel near I-91 in Holyoke.  They successfully immobilized and relocated it. They had a boat fire on the Connecticut River where officers were able to take 6 people off of that boat.  Luckily, they were in the right place at the right time,

In some areas, they are having a huge increase in animal nuisance calls, – bear, coyotes and smaller animals.  They assisted in a Bald Eagle rehabilitation and release with MassWildlife. 

There has been an increase in fishing violations in the Wachusett and Merrimac areas and had directed some patrols in those areas to help combat fishing complaints. 

They continue to do off road vehicle patrols on Masswildlife, DCR and private lands.  Recently a patrol in the Winchendon/Ashburnham area resulted in some $4,700 in fines and several vehicles towed. There were trapping violations in East Brookfield and citations issued, and they had an ongoing investigation in Douglas involving the illegal use of conibear and foothold traps. 

That was just the July Environmental Police report!

Covid-19 indirectly causing the Environmental Police headaches

In August, they were plagued with boating and boat ramp violations.

By way of background, please know that according to MA Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Ron Amidon, boat sales this year are up between 300% and 400%.  He felt that it was indirectly the result of Covid-19 where people have more time on their hands and are taking to our water bodies more frequently.  Because of that, the State’s 306 boat ramps are experiencing heavy traffic.  Added to that, according to Amidon, people new to boating are not familiar with boating regulations and as a result, there have been accidents and some inappropriate usage.

A new problem which has surfaced this year is boaters “wrapping” their boats by tying them together while out on the water.  According to Amidon, social distancing is being tossed right out of the window.

Social distancing is also becoming a problem on the crowded boat ramps with non-boaters using them to fish off of, sun bathe, swim, walk their dogs or just park their vehicles taking up all the space from boaters. According to Amidon, some municipalities are talking about closing the boat ramps, but the Secretary of Environmental Affairs, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor do not support that action. Instead, they are supporting the enforcement of the boat ramp regulations. 

Commissioner Amidon’s Office and the Office of Boating Access are currently in the process of developing a task force to address this problem. 

Amidon thanked the Environmental Police for helping to keep the boat ramps open.  Fortunately, the boat ramp problem does not appear to be a problem in our area.

Gun course filled up

Last week I mentioned in this column that the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club would be holding a Ladies Only –LTC and UTAH gun course today.  Well, the course filled up.  They are rescheduling another one for September 26.   According to its news release, American women are the fastest-growing group of gun owners.  Whether it’s for self-protection, hunting, or target shooting, women are expressing more interest than ever to own a firearm and are taking steps to train and educate themselves – more importantly, getting involved. Women aren’t just going with a trend, they’re proving to be an important and vital part of the shooting community.  Gun Sales are up around the country and people are looking for LTC classes, the news release states.

New State Record

A tip of the hat to Andrew Langley of Peabody. MA.  He caught a 9 lb. 10 oz. bowfin out of the Taunton River on August 31. It measured 29 ¼ inch long with a 15 1/8 inch girth.  It is a new Massachusetts state record for a bowfin.There was music in the air

Something nice happened on Ashmere Lake last Sunday evening. Across the cove from our cottage, cottage owners Amy and Bart Collins hired a singer, Melissa Brinton. Everyone on the lake was invited to come hear her sing.

Around 6 pm, the waterfront entertainment began and shortly thereafter people began showing up as did all kinds of boats in the cove in front of their cottage:  pontoon boats, speed boats, bass boats, kayaks, jet skis, paddle boats, etc. and parked there.  Everyone socially distanced.  Other than the beautiful music, you could hear a pin (or a bass plug) drop.  I have never heard our cove so quiet.  The only sound coming from the boats were rounds of applause after each song.  Every time there was applause, our beagle Jacques would give a howl of approval also.

The sound of Melissa’s voice drifted across the cove to us on the opposite side.  That’s how quiet the cove had become.  There was no loud back-up band blaring the music but just Melissa and her guitar.   She had a sweet voice, reminding me a bit like Judy Collins.  At times she sang folk songs from the 60’s and 70’s which brought back memories of another turbulent time in our country.

More than 20 boats drifted into our cove and stopped to hear the music. Others, like my wife Jan and I sat on our decks/docks and enjoyed the music.  With all that our country has been through this year, it was a pleasant respite seeing people getting together albeit on their own boats.  We deserved something like this to settle our nerves, to sing along and to laugh again. 

She sang on into the darkness and when the Collins’ lit their torches, it just added to the ambience. At one time, Jan took Jacques for a walk and I was sitting on our dock alone in the darkness. When Melissa sang Sunday Morning Coming Down, I couldn’t help but sing along with her.  Fortunately, it was dark and nobody knew who that lousy male singer was.

The evening and entertainment were very pleasant, but if that wasn’t enough, Melissa closed out her performance with the song Ave Maria.

It was quite an evening.  The best way I can describe it is, “darned nice”.

I’m sure I represent everyone who attended that evening when I write, Thank you Bart and Amy Collins.  You made our day.

The return of cooler weather means many Massachusetts sportsmen and women will head into the woods for the fall 2020 hunting season. The Early goose hunting season and the early black bear hunting seasons begin this upcoming week.

The Early Canada goose hunting season (statewide) begins this Tuesday and runs through September 25.  For Early Canada Goose season only, hunting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.  The daily bag limit is 15 and the possession limit is 45.  I suspect the reason for this early season and the large numbers of geese allowed to be taken has to do with cutting down the large local resident population that is befouling our lawns and beaches.  The regular goose hunting season in the Berkshires starts on October 12 and runs through November 14.

Waterfowl hunters aged 12–14 do not need stamps (or a license). Waterfowl hunters aged 15 or older must possess a MA waterfowl stamp which is valid from Jan 1 through Dec 31 and may be obtained online at mass.gov/massfishhunt or wherever hunting licenses are sold. Waterfowl hunters aged 16 and older are required to possess a federal waterfowl stamp which is valid from July 1 through June 30.

Waterfowl stamps are required for most hunters who hunt any ducks (including sea ducks), geese, and brant.

Federal eDuck stamps may be obtained online at mass.gov/massfishhunt or wherever MA hunting licenses are sold.  They are temporary stamps expiring 45 days from the date of purchase. Before the eDuck expires, a physical Federal Duck Stamp will be sent to customers via U.S. mail. Upon receipt, it must be signed across the face in ink and carried while waterfowl hunting. If a physical Duck Stamp does not arrive after a few weeks, contact Amplex at duckstamp@amplex.com or (800) 852-4897. Physical federal waterfowl stamps are also available at all National Wildlife Refuges and select post offices

New this year, there will be two special waterfowl hunt days for veterans, but they are only applicable during the regular goose and duck hunting seasons in October. (More to come on this in a later column).

The early Black bear hunting season opens statewide on September 8 and runs through September 26.

There are no blaze orange requirements during this season.  Hunting implements allowed during this season are rifles, revolvers, muzzleloaders and archery equipment.  Be sure to check the regulation abstracts dealing with caliber size, draw weights, etc. Shotguns are not allowed during this season. If you are a Massachusetts resident bear hunter, you must have a hunting or sporting license and a bear permit.  If you are a non-resident, you must have a big game license and a bear permit.

Hunting hours begin ½ hour before sunrise and end ½ hour after sunset.  

It is illegal to use dogs for bear hunting and to bait bear. This includes the use of lure, scents or any other substance as a bear attractant.

Successful hunters are asked to submit a tooth and hair sample to MassWildlife. Teeth are used to determine a bear’s age, and hairs are used to study bear genetics. You can learn how to collect and submit them by clicking onto the MassWildlife web page.

As of 7/20/20, it is 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. Each retrieved animal shall be retained or transferred to another until processed or used for food, pelt, feathers, or taxidermy. This does not apply to animals unfit for consumption or use—animals and their parts that are damaged, destroyed, decayed, rotting, diseased, or infected.

Non-hunters, please know that many public lands are open to hunting including Wildlife Management Areas, most state parks, and many town-owned lands. Research the property you plan to visit to learn if hunting is allowed.

MassWildlife notes that hunting is a safe activity and non-hunters should feel comfortable using the woods at any time of year. Although hunting accidents are extremely rare, wearing blaze orange will help minimize your chances of being mistaken for game animals during the hunting season. While hunters are required to wear blaze orange during certain seasons, all outdoor users who are in the woods during hunting seasons should wear a blaze orange hat or vest as a precaution.

MassWildlife recommends the following:

• Be safe, be seen. A brightly colored orange vest or hat will help you stay visible. Avoid wearing any earth-toned or animal-colored clothing. Remember, hunters are often active during the early morning and late afternoon when animals are most active. Be especially aware of your own visibility during these times when light is dim.
• Keep pets leashed and visible. Place a blaze orange vest or bandana on your pet to keep it visible. 
• Know when and where hunting is allowed. Get information about hunting regulations and season dates from the MassWildlife website.  Wildlife Management Areas, Wildlife Conservation Easements, and Access Areas are open to hunting. Most state parks and forests are open to hunting, and many towns allow hunting on municipal lands.  Research the property you plan to visit to learn if hunting is allowed. If being in the woods during hunting season makes you uneasy, find a location where hunting is not allowed or plan your outing for a Sunday or another day outside of hunting season. Hunting on Sunday is not permitted in Massachusetts. 
• Make your presence known. Talk loudly or whistle to identify yourself as a person. You may also consider wearing a bell. If you see someone hunting or hear shots, call out to them to identify your location. 
• Be courteous. Once you’ve made your presence known, don’t make unnecessary noise to disturb wildlife or hunting. Hunter harassment is against state law. Avoid confrontations with hunters. If you think you’ve witnessed a fish or wildlife violation, report it to the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 1-800-632-8075. 
•  

Be tick free

Here are some safety tips for non-hunters passed onto us by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation

• Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
• Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots, and shirt into pants.

• Consider using insect repellent on your clothing. 
• Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Walk in the center of trails. Avoid dense woods and bushy areas.
• Keep long hair tied back.
• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
• Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.

Fall trout stocking about to begin

Four thousand brown trout over 9 inches long, 33,000 rainbow trout over 12 inches long, and 27,000 rainbow trout over 14 inches long will be stocked across Massachusetts this fall. Fall stocking season will begin around mid-September depending on water temperatures and wrap up around mid-October.

To avoid crowding at stocking locations, the Mass.gov/Trout stocking report will be updated on a weekly basis this fall. 

Remember to practice social distancing while you’re on the water, on the trail or in your duck blind and enjoy the great outdoor sports the Commonwealth has to offer in the fall.

License-to-Carry Course

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club will be hosting a Ladies Only –LTC and UTAH Course next Sunday, September 13 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at its clubhouse.  This course is Mass State Police Compliant.  The cost for MA certification is $70, other states cost $125 and a combination of any two states cost $150. You must pre-register.  Contact Tom Nadolny at  413-822-6451 or tnadolny1@gmail.com for more information or to pre-register.

Continuing the Trump Administrations efforts to increase recreational access to public lands, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt recently announced the historic opening and expansion of over 850 hunting and fishing opportunities across more than 2.3 million acres at 147 national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries. This is reputed to be the single largest expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in history.

“On the heels of President Trump signing the most significant conservation and recreation funding in US history, (see my August 16 column) providing nearly $20 billion over the next 10 years to fix and conserve the American people’s public lands, the Trump Administration has now made an additional 2.3 million acres accessible to new hunting and fishing opportunities,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “We continue to take significant actions to further conservation initiatives and support sportsmen and women who are America’s true conservationists.”

On top of last year’s expansion of 1.4 million acres for new or expanded hunting and fishing opportunities, this proposal would bring the Trump Administration’s total expansion to over 4 million acres nationwide.

In Massachusetts, the following would be affected:

• Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge (Hudson):  Open duck, geese, coot, bear, coyote and fox on new acres and acres already open to other hunting, and expand existing big game hunting to new acres. 
• Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge (Located in several towns 40 miles west of Boston): Open coyote, fox and bear hunting on new acres and acres already open to other hunting, and expand existing migratory bird, upland game, and big game hunting to new acres and expand method of take for existing upland game and big game hunting to further align with state regulations.
• Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (Located in several towns 20 miles west of Boston):  Open wild turkey, coyote and bear hunting on new acres and acres already open to other hunting, and expand existing migratory bird and big game hunting to new acres. 

• Berkshire National Fish Hatchery (located in New Marlborough): Open the hatchery lands to sport fishing.

I attempted to get clarification of exactly where anglers can fish on the hatchery lands from the Hatchery Manager but to date no response has been received.  Surely, fishing in the hatchery itself will not be allowed, except for the special youth fishing derbies held by the Friends of the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery group in its lower pool.   My guess is it allows fishing on a nearby stretch of the Konkapot River which the hatchery owns.  I’ll keep trying to get that information for you. As of this writing, there have been no public announcements concerning these recreational accesses by the Baker/Polito Administration.

According to Secretary Bernhardt, the rule also continues the effort from last year’s rule toward revising refuge hunting and fishing regulations, so they more closely match state regulations where the refuge is located. Whenever refuge regulations depart from state regulations for safety or conservation compatibility reasons, these extra regulations are as consistent as possible across all refuges in a given state. Interior Dept. worked closely with the states during the rule making process.

Now, if we can get President Trump to not support the proposed Pebble Mine, a massive mineral extraction mining development in Alaska’s Bristol Bay, it would be wonderful. Bristol Bay is home to one of the most important wild salmon fisheries on Earth. Annual sockeye salmon returns there top 60 million fish, feeding a wide variety of wildlife and human communities, from grizzly bears to Alaska Native families to a globally important commercial fishery.

If constructed, Pebble would be one of the world’s largest open pit copper/gold/molybdenum mines, with an earthen dam 60-stories tall that would ultimately hold up to 10 billion tons of toxic tailings and contaminated water — forever. The mine and tailings lake would sit just north of Iliamna Lake, the largest lake in Alaska and one of the most important sockeye salmon nurseries in the world.

Hanging in the balance is a $1.5 billion-a-year salmon fishing economy and an important subsistence food source for Bristol Bay communities. Commercial salmon fishing in Bristol Bay employs more than 14,000 people every year, from seasoned boat captains to young deckhands paying their way through college to workers in processing facilities.  Sportfishing tourism brings in at least $75 million a year to the local economy and draws fishermen and women from around the world.  Subsistence salmon fishing for 31 federally recognized Alaska Native tribes in Bristol Bay continues a tradition several thousand years old. Salmon is a critical food source — up to 65% of protein consumed in rural Alaska communities comes from salmon.

According to a recent news release by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the Army Corps of Engineers has decided Pebble Mine can’t be permitted as proposed. Pebble Limited Partnership, the mine’s developer, must now outline how it will address the proposed mine’s damage to nearby wetlands and waterways. Within 90 days, the company must show how it will compensate for harming more than 2,800 acres of wetlands, 130 miles of streams and more than 130 acres of open water within Alaska’s Koktuli River Watershed.

The Army Corps’ decision is a pivotal moment in the fight against the Pebble Mine,” said Chad Tokowicz, ASA’s Inland Fisheries Policy manager. “By denying the current proposal, the Army Corp has acknowledged what ASA and many other outdoor recreation groups have been saying for years: Pebble Mine is simply the wrong mine in the wrong place. While the fight isn’t completely over, we’re glad that the Army Corps has brought to light the insurmountable risks the mine poses, creating a significant barrier to the project moving forward.”

Trout Unlimited President Chris Wood called it, “ A day to celebrate”: “We look forward to moving the Bristol Bay conversation beyond Pebble and toward permanent protections that ensure this special place, and all the communities, people, and fisheries that depend on it, can continue to thrive”.

“For more than 15 years, Trout Unlimited has helped to connect local people, commercial fishermen and women who rely on the region’s salmon fisheries, as well as anglers and hunters across America, to protect Bristol Bay. We applied the best of what TU has to offer: organizing tools, science-backed policy expertise, a nationwide grassroots network, and legal acumen.”

Big brown trout caught on fly out of Deerfield River

Congratulations to Deerfield River guide Chris Jackson for catching a 34-inch brown trout last Monday evening out of the Deerfield River.  The fish weighed approximately 18 lbs on a digital scale, (subtracting the weight of the net). Using a 5-weight Sage One switch flyrod with a RIO 5-weight switch line, Nautilus reel and 2x tippet, he was fishing at night dead drifting and slow swinging his version of a Flaggs Smelt fly. 

Chris is a Deerfield River guide (https://chrisjacksonflyfishing.com/) as is fellow guide Brian Lynch (of Pheasant Tail Tours – https://www.pheasanttailtours.com/) who netted the fish for him. According to Brian, they were “putting in a night shift” after a long day of guiding.  They said the fish was released and is swimming in the upper Deerfield River today. It’s the biggest fly-caught trout anyone has ever heard of from the Deerfield, possibly the biggest fly-caught brown trout ever taken in New England.

Jackson is a Deerfield River Watershed Trout Unlimited (DRWTU) board member who showed off what years of experience on the Deerfield River can produce. His years of dedicated advocacy and conservation work to improve the Deerfield’s wild trout fishery is certainly paying off.  So, if you are thinking about hiring a guide to drift fish the Deerfield………..

Many thanks to Michael Vito, President of the Deerfield River Watershed Chapter of TU for sharing the enclosed photo and story with us.