Category Archives: Conservation

Hungry bears are emerging

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MassWildlife officials are once again reminding the public that March is the month when hungry bears emerge from their winter dens and seek out food. If you live in Western Massachusetts, it’s time to take down your bird feeders. Natural foods such as acorns and other nuts are usually available on the ground, but last year’s fall hard mast crop was meager.

Bears will often ignore seasonally available natural foods including skunk cabbage in favor of an easy meal at a backyard bird feeder. Other species including wild turkeys and coyotes may also frequent bird feeders leading to a variety of nuisance issues.

MassWildlife advises property owners to avoid these problems by being proactive and remove bird feeders and other potential food sources including garbage or open compost. If you enjoy watching birds in your yard, MassWildlife suggests adding a water feature, growing native plants, shrubs, and trees to attract birds. Individuals should also secure bee hives, chickens, and livestock. Properly maintained electric fencing is the only way to protect chickens or bee hives from bears. Taking these actions may prevent the unnatural feeding of bears and other kinds of neighborhood wildlife.

There are at least 4,500 black bears in Massachusetts with approximately 2,000 of them living here in the Berkshires, and their range is expanding eastward. We must take action by educating ourselves and our neighbors about proactive measures to avoid conflicts with bears.

 

I should practice what I preach!  My wife Jan and I enjoy feeding and watching the many birds visiting our feeders, and have been hesitant in taking them down because of the crazy spring weather this year.  One day its springlike and the next day we are blasted with snowstorms and cold wintry weather.  To lessen the possibility of bears raiding and in many cases destroying our suet feeders and holders, we have been bringing them into the house every night and putting them back out early each morning.  Being retired and home a lot, we figured the bears wouldn’t dare bother our feeders in the daytime.

 

Well, one day last week, when Jan and I got home from a walk, we discovered our two suet bird feeders gone and a wrought iron holder was severely bent.  That bear knew we were gone and grabbed the feeders and ran off.  Normally, when our feeders are attacked, the bears just take them a short distance and clean them out, leaving the metal container for us to refill. This bear must have run off with both feeders in its mouth because we could not find them anywhere.  Now that must have been a sight.

 

While looking for the containers, we discovered older bear tracks in the snow which went past 4 of our ground-floor windows.  The foxy critter was casing the joint, waiting for the opportune time to rob us.

 

There was a nasty winter storm the next day and the poor birds looked hungry, so we decided to set out new feeders again, this time frequently checking on them. Sure enough, the bear came back and took one of the two suet feeders without us seeing it.  I figured it would come back after the other feeder so I put my bass boat air horn next to the door.  The loud, sharp, elephant-like sound should scare it away.

 

Sure enough, back again she came for the other feeder, in broad daylight, with two 1 1/2 year old cubs. When the sow was getting ready to climb the steps onto our deck close to our kitchen door,   I quickly opened the door, shouted and pressed the air horn.  The sound that came out was a hissy, soft squawk, no louder than a peep.  Face-to-fact, about 6 feet apart, the both of us were surprised.

3 bears at my house

 

The two young bears quickly ran off, but the sow just froze and looked up at me as if to say “That’s all you got?” It finally slowly meandered off only after Jan and I were shouting and waving our arms.

 

The following day, a fourth, larger bear (probably 2 ½ years old) showed up at our doorstep. As soon as we opened our door, it took off like a flash.  There was no need to make noise.

 

That’s it with bird feeders for us this year. We feel sorry for the birds, but actually we are kind of sad for the bears, too.  They are really hungry this time of year and are only trying to survive.

 

What is it with me and bears?  I have had at least 7 close encounters with them over the years.  If you have read this column for any length of time, you read about an encounter with a grizzly in Alberta and a black bear incident in upper Quebec.  Both times, fishing partner, Attorney Mike Shepard of Dalton was with me and kiddingly, I blamed him for attracting them with his curly white hair.

 

No, it must be me who is attracting them.  Maybe I smell like skunk cabbage or my deodorant is too musky.  I ‘ll buy new deodorant today, and oh yes, buy a new air horn, too.

 

Improving and protecting wildlife habitat in the Commonwealth

 

MassWildlife, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Massachusetts Forest Alliance have once again partnered to provide private landowners in Massachusetts technical and financial assistance offered through the Massachusetts Collaborative for Private Forestland – Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The RCPP is a partner-driven federal program that leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on private forest land with a specific focus on.

This collaboration furthers the goals and statutory responsibility of MassWildlife to conserve Massachusetts’ fish and wildlife and the habitats that sustains them. The RCPP will provide up to $1.5 million in NRCS funding through August 2023 to plan and enable practices that benefit rare and declining habitats on private lands that can help vulnerable species (like New England cottontail and eastern box turtle) and expand on existing habitat projects on public lands.

Eligible landowners must possess forestland in Massachusetts that is at least 10 acres in size. Applications will be ranked in accordance with the species to benefit, extent of habitat, and location as it relates to mapped habitat features as well as Environmental Justice communities. More information about this and other RCPPs, along with more detailed eligibility requirements can be found from the NRCS RCPP website.

The Collaborative RCPP complements other state and federal habitat management funding sources currently available in Massachusetts including: (1) MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program: Provides state funds to private and municipal landowners to support habitat management that benefits both game and non-game species while promoting public access for outdoor recreation and (2) NRCS Programs: Funding provided by the Environmental Quality Incentive Program and the Wetland Reserve Easement Program supports habitat management and protection throughout MA.

These programs also include funding dedicated to the New England Cottontail Conservation Initiative and the Northeast Turtle Project for private landowners within identified focal areas.

Over the past seven years these programs have provided a combined $5M to support habitat enhancement on more than 200 sites across the Commonwealth.

 

Conducting targeted management on private and municipal lands is an important element of habitat and wildlife conservation. Over 75% percent of all forestland in Massachusetts is privately owned; another 8% is held by municipalities. These lands are important for providing homes for rare and common wildlife as well as for providing outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, hiking, and birding.

 

BEAT Activities

 

Jane Winn, Executive Director of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) wishes to thank everyone who attended its March Pittsfield Green Drinks event, where Mass Audubon teacher naturalist Zach Adams talked about some of the great features you can find at Berkshire wildlife sanctuaries. If you missed it but would still like to see the presentation, the recording is posted on BEAT’s Youtube channel.

 

Incidentally, BEAT is starting again with its weekly invasive hardy kiwi cut and pull at Burbank Park in Pittsfield. If you’d like to volunteer to help them continue their efforts to eradicate this destructive and problematic vine, let them know. Everyone is welcome regardless of age or experience, and they always appreciate the help.

They call Bob Leverett “the old growth evangelist”

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In the January/ February 2022 issue of Smithsonian Magazine, there was a very interesting article by Jonny Diamond, editor-in-chief of LitHub.com, about old growth forests here in the Berkshires and Western Massachusetts and their advocate Bob Leverett.  It has long been believed that old growth forests around here are gone, having been cut down in the 17th century to be used as fuel, fields to farm and timber with which to build.

Bob and Monica Leverett sitting next to a Western Mass. old growth tree

But the loggers missed a few spots over the 300 years, such as areas in Ice Glen ravine in Stockbridge, Mohawk Trail State Forest in Charlemont, on Mount Greylock and other locations.

So, what exactly is an old growth forest?  Well, according to the Smithsonian article, there is no universally accepted definition.  The term came into use in the 1970’s to describe multi-species forests that have been left alone for at least 150 years.  Ice Glen, so-named for the deposits of ice that lived in its deep, rocky crevasses well into the summer months, has such biota. Two-hundred-year old hemlocks and other inhabitants of northern-hardwood forests still exist there.

According to the article, beginning in the 1980’s while Bob and his son Rob were doing their weekend hikes, he started to notice in hard-to-reach spots, hidden patches of forest that evoked the primeval woods of his childhood, the ancient hemlocks and towering white pines of the Great Smoky Mountains near where he was born and raised.  According to Bob, a lot of people, including forest ecologists, were skeptical, and he witnessed confusion among the experts about how to recognize and interpret old growth characteristics in the Berkshire forests.

Bob went public with his observations in the Spring of 1988 edition of the newsletter Woodland Steward, with an article about discovering old growth forest in the Deerfield River gorges of Massachusetts.  Harvard researcher Tad Zebryk tagged along with him one day on a hike near the NY/MA border near Sheffield, MA.  Zebryk brought along an increment borer (used for making estimates on the age of trees based upon its rings).  After boring and examining, the age of one tree there came out to be 330 years old!

Leverett began taking meticulous measurements of the height and circumference of old trees and came up with another startling revelation:  the heights of mature trees were commonly being mismeasured with the traditional tape and clinometer combination.

Using a surveyor’s transit, Bob and Jack Sobon, a specialist in timber-frame construction, would cross-triangulate the location of the top of a tree relative to its base, thereby significantly increasing accuracy. Measuring for height with the equipment of the day, no one apparently – not lumberjacks, foresters, or ecologists — typically allowed for the fact that the tops of most mature trees seldom stay vertically over their bases, invalidating the main premise of their measuring method. Bob, during the same period as ecologist Robert Van Pelt of University of Washington and big tree hunter Michael Taylor, developed a better way to accurately measure a tree’s height within inches.  Named by Leverett as the Sine Method, it employs a laser rangefinder (introduced in the 1990s) and an angle measurer.

Bob also developed superior ways to measure trunk, limb and crown volume. The results have contributed to his discoveries about heightened carbon-capture abilities. A recent study Leverett co-authored with climate scientist William Moomaw and Susan Masino, a professor of applied science at Trinity College, found that individual Eastern white pines capture more carbon between 100 and 150 years of age than they do in their first 50 years.  That study and others challenged the longstanding assumption that younger, faster growing forests sequester more carbon than mature forests. It bolsters the theory of “proforestation” as the simplest and most effective way to mitigate climate change through forests.  “If we simply left the world’s existing forests alone, by 2100 they’d have captured enough carbon to offset years’ worth of global fossil-fuel emissions, up to 120 billion metric tons”.

Trees can keep adding a lot of carbon at much older ages than thought previously, particularly for New England’s white pine, hemlock and sugar maples.  Bob Leverett literally wrote the book on how to measure a tree: American Forests Champion Trees Measuring Guidelines Handbook, co-authored with Don Bertolette, a veteran of the US Forest Service.

If the goal is to minimize global warning, cites Smithsonian, climate scientists often stress the importance of afforestation (planting new trees) and reforestation (regrowing forests). But according to climate scientist William Moomaw, there is a third approach to managing existing forests: proforestation (the preservation of older existing forests).  He provided hard data that older trees accumulate far more carbon later in their life cycles than many had realized: they can accumulate 75% of their total carbon after 50 years of age.

Leverett’s work has made him a legend among “big tree hunters.” They meticulously measure and record data – the height of a hemlock, the trunk diameter of an elm, the crown spread of a white oak – for inclusion in the open database maintained by the Native Tree Society, co-founded by Leverett.  To convince tree lovers and environmentalists, Bob started in the early 1990’s to write a series of articles for the quarterly journal Wild Earth to help spread his ideas about old growth.  He has led thousands of people on tours of old-growth forests for groups like Mass Audubon, Sierra Club, ecologists, activists, builders, backpackers, painters, poets and others.

His work, along with that of Dr. Anthony D’Amato (now of University of Vermont), has helped to ensure the protection of 1,200 acres of old growth in the Commonwealth’s Forest Reserves.  His message is “We have a duty to protect an old-growth forest, for both its beauty and its importance to the planet”.

“There’s a spiritual quality to being out here:  You walk silently through these woods, and there’s a spirit that comes out.  Other people are more eloquent in the way they describe the impact of the woodland on the human spirit.  I just feel it”.

I think many an outdoor enthusiast will agree with Bob.

Knowing that habitat managers for MassWildlife are high on early successional growth, (which provides food for birds and other wildlife), I posed this question to DFW and DCR officials.  Do you have old forest growth in your areas, and would you try to protect it?  The DFW answer was, “We don’t think there are any on our Wildlife Management Areas, but if we did find some, we definitely would not cut them down or otherwise harm them.  We have some large trees on our properties, but steer away from cutting them”.

DCR’s official response was that they manage approximately 500,000 acres of land across the Commonwealth, with a little more than a thousand acres of that land containing old growth forests.  While there are many contributing factors the agency utilizes to define an old growth forest, in general these types of forests are typically several hundred years old.

In order for a forest to reach full maturity and attain old growth status, it needs to avoid significant disturbances, such as wildland fires, invasive tree pests, diseases, high-impact storms, and human-caused activities.  Furthermore, most of the old growth forests in Massachusetts are located deep within parks, forests, and reservations, and are off trail. To help preserve these ancient forests, DCR refrains from publicizing their locations to better protect them and ensure they are less trafficked; however, most are located in the western part of the Commonwealth.  Additionally, old growth forests are protected natural lands, and DCR’s policy is to preserve them, while also allowing the forest to self-manage.

I contacted Bob to see if I could obtain a different picture of him that was not copyrighted by Smithsonian.  He said yes, but I had to go through his photographer who has the copyright.  He introduced me to David Degner online who he thought was in Germany.  When I contacted David, he was actually in Tunisia and agreed to send a picture.  He normally collects a fee for a picture but asked only if I would credit him for the picture and give his email address.

Thanks to David, Bob and all involved who helped with this article.

Actually, one could say that this was truly an international effort to bring you this picture.

Questions/comments:  Berkwoodsandwaters@gmail.com.   Phone: (413) 637-1818.

Joshua Christman, Angler of the Year – again

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Each year, MassWildlife recognizes anglers who catch exceptional freshwater fish in waters open to the public.

Joshua Christman of Pittsfield, has been named 2021 Catch & Keep Angler of the Year by MassWildlife. This is his third win in the last five years, having won that award in 2016, 2020 and 2021.  Last year’s award was for catching the following gold pin fish in the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program:  A 29 lbs. 13 oz carp out of Laurel Lake in Lee, and a 7 lbs. 8 oz largemouth bass out of Onota Lake in Pittsfield.  I’m sure he was awarded many bronze pins also.

 

In the Youth Catch & Keep Category, Philip Prieur of South Hamilton was named Angler of the Year.  He caught the following gold pin fish: A 6 lbs. 6 oz bowfin out of the Taunton River in Taunton, a 6 lbs. 12 oz channel catfish out of the Westfield River in Agawam, a 2 lbs. crappie out of the Merrimack River in Lawrence, a 6 lbs. 4 oz white catfish out of the Charles River in Cambridge and a 3 lbs. 10 oz shad also out of the Merrimack River.

The Catch & Keep Angler of the Year Award is given to the person who weighs in the largest number of species that meet the minimum weight requirements for the previous calendar year.

I should mention that Gabriel Christman (Joshua’s son) caught the following gold pin fish in the Youth Catch & Keep Category:  A 3 lbs. brook trout, a 10 lbs. brown trout, a 7 lbs. 13 oz largemouth bass and a 4 lbs. 6 oz smallmouth bass all out of Onota Lake in Pittsfield.  He also caught a 14 oz sunfish out of Richmond Pond in Pittsfield and a 1 lbs. 11 oz white perch out of Pontoosuc Lake in Lanesborough.

Gabriel’s 10 lbs brown trout caught out of Onota Lake

In the Catch & Release Category, David Desimone of Amherst caught the following gold pin fish:  A 32 inch bowfin out of Oxbow Pond in Easthampton, a 20.75 inch brook trout out of the Swift River in Belchertown, a 28 inch brown trout out of the Deerfield River in Charlemont, a 27.25 inch rainbow trout out of the Swift River in Belchertown, a 25.50 inch tiger trout out of Ashfield Pond in Ashfield, and a 24 inch white catfish out of the Charles River in Cambridge.

The Catch & Release Angler of the Year Award is awarded to the person who submits the largest number of species that meet the minimum length requirements for the previous calendar year. Nearly 1,000 pins are awarded annually.

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

In the Adult Catch & Keep Category:  A 15 lbs. 13 oz brown trout caught out of Stockbridge Bowl by James Pollard of Hinsdale and a 23 lbs. 8 oz northern pike caught out of Onota Lake by Jeffrey Klammer of Adams,

In the Youth Catch & Keep category gold pins were awarded for the following Berkshire catches:  2 lbs. bullhead caught out of Otis Reservoir by Colten Andras of Westfield, a 5 lbs. 10 oz chain pickerel caught out of Stockbridge Bowl by Cooper Shepardson of Lenoxdale and a 16 lbs.5 oz northern pike caught out of Pontoosuc Lake by Caesen Kendall of Pittsfield.

In the Catch & Release Category, a gold pin was awarded for a 45.50 inch northern pike caught out of Onota Lake by Craig Strong of Springfield.

Angler of the Year recipients and gold pin winners are honored each year at a MassWildlife awards event where they will get a gold pin and a plaque. The date and location TBA.

I have only listed the names of the gold pin winners. There is another pin awarded and that is the bronze pin.  If you submit a fish that meets the minimum weight or minimum length requirements for an eligible species, you’ll get a bronze pin from MassWildlife for that species.

There were 9 new state records all in the Catch & Release Category:  DeSimone’s previously mentioned 32 inch bowfin, 20.75 inch brook trout, 27.25 inch rainbow trout, and a 25.50 inch tiger trout;  a 21.50 inch bullhead caught out of Stiles Pond in Boxford by Roger Aziz, Jr. of Methuen, a 44 inch carp caught out of the Connecticut River in South Hadley by Kenneth Langdon of South Deerfield, Craig Strong’s 45.50 inch northern pike out of Onota Lake, a 13 inch sunfish caught out of Wright’s Reservoir in Westminister by Griffin Sabolevski of Winchendon, and a 40.40 inch tiger muskellunge caught out of Spy Pond in Arlington by Jacoby Chalmers of Arlington.

Congratulations to all the 2021 winners!

Ice fishing derbies

Next Saturday, February 26, the Ashfield Rod & Gun Club has scheduled an Ice Fishing Derby which will run from 8:00 am to noon.  Registration will take place at the Ashfield Lake House Beach.  Participants can park at either the Ashfield Lake House or the Town Beach.      Bring your own equipment, but some holes will be drilled.  A warming fire and refreshments will be provided.  Awards will take place at 12:00 noon.  For more information, contact ARGC president Jack Shea at 413 522 6150.

The Tom Wren Memorial Derby is scheduled for February 26 from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm on Pontoosuc Lake.  Sign in at the camper near the Narragansett Park.  Entry fee is $10, all cash paid out 1st, 2nd and 3rd heaviest fish.  There may be something for kids, too.

The 38th Annual Springfield Sportsmen’s Show

 

Billed as the largest pure hunting and fishing show in the Northeast, it is filled with hundreds of booths, seminars and action areas. The show is filled with an outdoorsman’s dream of fishing and hunting gear, outfitters, charter boats and adventure destinations, along with great deals on fishing boats, ATV’s and UTV’s. There will be great attractions and displays such as The Northeast Big Buck Club, Trout Pond, and more.

The Outdoor Sports Expo Group brings together just the right mix of hunting and fishing celebrities, industry experts, and entertainment features to produce a sporting and outdoor show that is educational, entertaining, and fun.

Each year, the show draws exhibitors from all over the Northeast who are eager to present their products and services to outdoor sporting enthusiasts throughout the greater New England area.  Returning and all new fishing tackle vendors will exhibit and sell fishing reels and rods, hard and soft plastic baits, fishing kayaks with accessories, boats of all types, etc.

The show take place at the Eastern States Exposition (Big E) 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA on February 25 through 27.   The show hours are Friday from noon to 8 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM.  Admission:  Adults – $15, kids 6 to 12 – $5 and under 6 free.

MassWildlife winter chores

 

In the February Berkshire County League of Sportsmen meeting, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden reported the following less newsworthy but important projects were completed:

  • Wood Duck Boxes– The Western District has completed its winter wood duck box checks. They checked 130 boxes. Hooded Mergansers attempted nests in 47 of the boxes, most of which were successful to hatch. Wood Ducks used 9 boxes, most of which were successful to hatch. Some 41 boxes were unusable because of damage from wind, weather, flooding, age or other damage. The remaining boxes (33) were not used by any duck species.
  • Apple Orchard Restoration Efforts – We are fortunate in the Western District to have extensive remnant apple orchards. Each winter they spend time recovering some of these sites to increase soft mast for wildlife. So far through January they have daylighted and pruned more than 40 apple trees on the Chalet Wildlife Management Area in the towns of Cheshire, Dalton, Lanesborough and Windsor.

Endangered Wildlife Conservation

MassWildlife reminds us that tax season is here, meaning it’s a great time to help keep Massachusetts wild. One easy way to help endangered animals and plants is by donating on your state tax return. Simply fill in the amount you would like to donate on Line 33A for Endangered Wildlife Conservation.

Such donations go to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund, a fund dedicated specifically to the conservation of rare species. It supports MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, responsible for the hundreds of species that are listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern in Massachusetts.

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Conservationists unite to help MassWildlife

Recently a letter was sent to the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture by Linda Orel, Policy Director of the Trustees of Reservations.  The letter speaks for itself:

“Our organizations respectfully offer testimony in support of S.546, An Act to Reimburse the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund, sponsored by Senator Anne Gobi. We are united by a commitment to conserve and restore the Commonwealth’s most critical natural resources, and we regularly work closely with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) to protect and restore rare, threatened, and endangered species across Massachusetts.

MassWildlife is primarily funded through the sale of hunting, freshwater fishing, and trapping licenses, permits, and stamps, as well as dedicated federal funds from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program. A small remainder of MassWildlife’s annual budget comes from bond-funded initiatives, donations, and funds from the state’s annual operating budget. Unlike other state agencies, MassWildlife receives only a small percentage of its operational budget from general funds. All funds from freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses and dedicated federal funds go directly into the Inland Fish and Game Fund (hereafter, the Fund), which can only be used for administering programs by MassWildlife.

Despite a variety of funding sources that support MassWildlife’s work, the agency is chronically underfunded. Wildlife and habitat have always faced threats from development, fragmentation, pollution, and invasive species, and now climate change is heavily impacting ecosystems and natural areas, making MassWildlife’s work more important than ever.

Currently, the state reimburses the Fund for the loss in revenue from discounted hunting and fishing licenses offered to residents ages 65-69.2 However, the state does not reimburse the loss of revenue associated with free licenses offered to residents over age 70, which was approximately $1 million per year prior to the fee increase approved in 2021. Between 2022 and 2026, license fees will essentially double, meaning that by 2026, MassWildlife could be losing nearly $2 million in annual revenue if the status quo is to continue.

S.546 would annually reimburse the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund for all loss of revenue for any fishing or hunting license provided at a discount and for any license provided free of charge. This language would create consistency and require the state to reimburse MassWildlife for loss in revenue resulting from issuing free and reduced licenses – helping to restore taxpayer-supported funds to conserve and manage critical fish and wildlife habitat and plant species. Reimbursing these funds, as well as a more generous allocation from the General Fund, is part of the broader need to diversify funding for MassWildlife programs, which has been identified through MassWildlife’s assessment of fee increases.

We are grateful to the Legislature for adopting Senator Gobi’s amendment to the FY22 Operating Budget to reimburse the Fund for lost revenue attributed to the issuance of discounted or free hunting and fishing licenses. However, this language is included in a line item (2300-0100), rather than amending Section 11 of Chapter 131 of the Massachusetts General Laws, which governs the licenses and fees associated with the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund. We respectfully request that the Legislature make permanent the forward-thinking reimbursement they included in the FY22 budget by passing S.546, and therefore, updating Chapter 131.

The work of MassWildlife benefits all citizens of Massachusetts. MassWildlife’s Wildlife Management Areas and Wildlife Conservation Easements provide places for recreation and meditation; healthy ecosystems that ensure we have clean air and water and that sequester and store carbon; well-managed habitats that support our most imperiled species; and educational programs that inspire residents of all ages. The challenges of climate change and habitat degradation have made the work of MassWildlife critically urgent.”

The following were signers of that letter:  Trustees of Reservations, The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, Appalachian Mountain Club, Mass Association of Conservation Commissions, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Mass Conservation Alliance, Mass Audubon, Worcester County League of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Mass Land Trust Coalition, Mass Rivers Alliance and Massachusetts Council of Trout Unlimited.

Incidentally, the late George “Gige” Darey, Lenox resident and long-time Chairman of the MA Fish & Wildlife Board, spent many years working on forming a coalition of organizations such as those above.   He knew that each one had its own set of priorities and many times they conflicted.  But there were some things upon which they all agreed, such as open space and endangered species preservation.  In those cases, it made perfect sense to join forces and establish a coalition.  He called it his “Guns and Roses Coalition”.  I’d bet he would be tickled pink to see all the signers of this letter.

Junior Duck Stamp art contest

There is still time to enter the Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) contest. Students from kindergarten through grade 12 can submit original artwork to participate in this fun and educational competition. The entry deadline is February 15, 2022. The process of creating these works of art allows students to appreciate the importance of preserving wetland habitats and the delights and diversity of wildlife. Even if students do not enter the competition, science and art teachers will value the JDS curriculum as a useful resource, advises MassWildlife’s Wildlife Education Coordinator, Pam Landry.

The JDS program links the study of wetlands and waterfowl conservation with the creation of original artwork. Students learn about the habitat requirements of various kinds of ducks and geese and then express their knowledge of the beauty, diversity, and interdependence of these species artistically, by creating a drawing or painting which can be submitted to the JDS art contest. The art is judged in four age group categories in a statewide competition; the entry judged Best of Show moves on to represent Massachusetts in the national JDS competition. Art teachers, science teachers, and parents who home-school can visit the MassWildlife website for an information packet and entry information.

For more information contact Pam Landry at pam.landry@mass.gov.

If there are any local winners, I will gladly include their duck stamp pictures in this column.

 

Upcoming Ice fishing derbies

 

The Coles Memorial Hard Water Fishing Derby is scheduled to take place on Goose Pond on Sunday, January 30 from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Tickets are available on the ice near the boat ramp or in the office at Dresser Hull during normal business hours and must be purchased by 10:00 am in order to fish. Tickets cost $10.00 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.  There will be cash prizes for adults.  All proceeds will go towards a memorial donation to the boat ramp in Evan Colbert’s name.  Prizes and raffles will be held near the boat ramp at 2:00pm.

Event updates and more information can be found on Facebook at the Cole’s Memorial Hard Water Fishing Derby page.

 

The  Lanesborough Fire Department will be sponsoring an ice fishing derby on Pontoosuc Lake on January 29 from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm.  It will be held behind the park on Narragansett Avenue.  The cost is $15 entry fee for adults, kids 12 and under free.  Entry fee includes a chance at the door prize (Weber Grill), trophies for kids, refreshments and a raffle ticket drawing after the derby.

It might be wise to check on Friday to see if these derbies are still on.

 

Flyfishing Show Cancelled

Hopefully, fly fishing enthusiasts got the word of the cancellation and rescheduling of the Flyfishing Show in Marlborough, MA.   Originally scheduled for this weekend, it has been rescheduled to April 22 -24. Unfortunately, the announcement of the rescheduling came out too late for me to include it in last week’s column.

Donated lands

Recently, I have been receiving a number of requests to comment on a proposed bike track complex in a local municipal park.   I decline to do so because I don’t believe it belongs in this column.  That matter should be addressed and, if necessary, voted upon by an informed citizenry.

Generally speaking, my feeling is this: Unless there is a dire emergency or a public safety issue, I believe that when parcels of lands are donated and accepted with management stipulations, those stipulations should be adhered to.   To do otherwise, (regardless of the passage of time), means the agreement has been reneged upon and could be considered a double cross to the donors and their surviving families.

Cotton bleaching company fined for acid spill that killed more than 270,000 fish in nearby river

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Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Baker-Polito Administration announced recently that Barnhardt Manufacturing Company, a North-Carolina-based cotton bleaching company, has agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million to settle allegations that it spilled dozens of gallons of concentrated sulfuric acid from its Colrain, MA facility into the North River, killing more than 270,000 fish, including thousands of state-listed rare species. Colrain is located in nearby Franklyn County.

 

“The sulfuric acid spill caused by this company was devastating for the Colrain community and left long-lasting damage to the North River,” AG Healey said. “(The) settlements will hold Barnhardt accountable for harming this rich ecosystem and will provide significant funding to restore nearby natural resources and fisheries.”

 

Between approximately 53 and 60 gallons of concentrated sulfuric acid were allegedly sprayed out of an outdoor above-ground storage tank at Barnhardt’s Colrain facility directly onto the ground. The AG’s Office alleges that Barnhardt knew the storage tank had a leak and neglected to repair it. Dozens of gallons of acid allegedly flowed into a nearby brook and down a three mile stretch of the North River, a pristine river and popular recreational fishery that feeds into the Deerfield River. Apparently, the acid dissolved nearly everything in its path, killing more than 270,000 fish and damaging more than 14 acres of protected wetland resource areas and over 12 acres of designated habitat of two state-listed rare species—the Longnose Sucker fish and the Ocellated Darner dragonfly.

 

Barnhardt also allegedly discharged wastewater from its facility in excess of permitted limits on numerous occasions, improperly operated and maintained its wastewater treatment facility, and mismanaged hazardous waste oil. EPA’s administrative settlement alleges, among other things, that the company failed to maintain its sulfuric acid tank in violation of the General Duty Clause of the Clean Air Act, which requires users of extremely hazardous substances to take steps to prevent and mitigate accidental releases

 

Under the terms of the settlement with the AG’s Office, Barnhardt is required to comply with state regulations to protect water quality and natural resources at and around its facility and undertake additional training, planning, and operations to prevent future releases. Barnhardt will also pay up to $500,000 in penalties, including $200,000 to the Commonwealth’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund. Barnhardt will also fund the replacement and/or enhancement of one or more culverts located in the Deerfield River watershed in Colrain, at a cost of $300,000. Additionally, Barnhardt will pay the state more than $360,000 to fund environmental restoration projects in the Colrain area, to compensate for the harm to natural resources and fisheries, and to reimburse the costs of assessing natural resource damages.

 

EPA’s settlement requires a civil penalty payment of approximately $305,000 to the U.S. Treasury and work to ensure that chemical hazards at the plant are identified and addressed.

 

 

“This appalling situation was entirely preventable, and we trust that the settlement and improvements at the facility will prevent similar events in the future while helping to restore these local fisheries and natural resources.” said MA Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides.

 

MA Dept of Fish & Game Commissioner Ron Amidon thanked the Deerfield River Chapter of Trout Unlimited, local anglers, and the many fishing guides who serve as ‘eyes and ears’ on the river and first reported the fish kill that led to this action,”  “We are very pleased that the Attorney General’s Office negotiated a settlement that provides $292,000 to the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife for fisheries and rare species restoration, and $300,000 to the Town of Colrain for culvert improvements that will further benefit cold water fish and native wildlife. We look forward to working with the local partners on efforts that will benefit trout and other wildlife in the North River and greater Deerfield River watershed.”

 

“EPA’s case complements the Commonwealth’s by addressing the root cause of the spill,” says EPA Acting Regional Administrator Deb Szaro. “It’s critical that companies handling hazardous chemicals identify hazards and ensure that their facilities are designed and maintained safely. Carefully following the Clean Air Act’s chemical accident prevention provisions helps prevent releases from occurring in the first place.”

 

Ice thickness

 

Around this time of year, when ice is starting to form on our lakes, the urge to get out and do some ice fishing or skating is strong.  Patience, my friends, patience. We shouldn’t think about going out onto the ice until there is at least 4 inches of new, strong ice.  The MassWildlife web site (https://www.mass.gov/service-details/ice-strength-and-safety) lists everything you need to know about ice thickness and strength.

 

Rarely discussed but equally dangerous are the mud flats which are exposed when the lakes are severely lowered in the fall.  Walking in some exposed shallow coves and mud flats could cause you to sink in the mud so deeply that is nearly impossible to pull yourself out.

 

In a recent Berkshire County League of Sportsmen meeting, local angler Dan Miraglia related how he was fortunate enough to be nearby to pull someone out of the mud using sticks and branches a couple of years back.  He believes that the woman would never have gotten out on her own.  Her boots are still stuck in the mud there

 

He strongly suggests that municipalities should post warning signs advising the public to stay out of them.  At this time of year they may be frozen a little on the surface, but once you break through and sink into the mud, you are in trouble.

 

Certified gun safety course

 

Pete’s Gun Shop in Adams is holding a one day all inclusive, live fire class on Sunday, January 16, 2022, at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club at 8:30 AM. It is an NRA and Massachusetts State Police Certified License-To-Carry (LTC) Safety Course. It consists of classroom instruction followed by live firing.

 

It is a hands-on live fire class where you spend time at the range and get to shoot. You are also given an NRA Basic Pistol Safety Textbook which is included in the class cost.

 

It will qualify MA residents and non-residents alike for the MA LTC or FID Card.  You will receive a $10 gift certificate to Pete’s Gun Shop in appreciation for taking the course. The cost is $100 and covers use of the range, firearms, ammo, safety gear, class materials, certificates, and the NRA Safety Textbook.

 

Interested parties should pre-register by calling or stopping in at Pete’s Gun Shop at 413-743-0780 ASAP, as space is limited and it fills up very quickly.   A non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your seat at the time of registration. They do accept credit cards in person or by phone.

 

Bunnies want your used Christmas trees

Photo by Mark Thorne

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.  In case it’s not there 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.  The bunnies have a tendency to eat them and can die from their ingestion.  And please no plastic or metal trees.

 

No shotgun deer harvest figures available yet

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So far, there have been no figures released by MassWildlife regarding the statewide or district harvests totals.  Those figures have been transferred to MassWildlife’s new system and more than likely we will have to wait a while.  The new system undoubtedly will have a few bugs to be ironed out.

 

Readers may recall that the new licensing system was started on December 1. In his December report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden said the roll out was not without problems and complications, but much of them had been worked out pretty quickly. He advises us to be patient with it.  If we have some kind of emergency situation and can’t report a harvest, or if we need to print something and can’t, call his office and his staff will do its best to help.  Madden believes it will be a really good product once they get the glitches worked out.

 

As for local deer harvest numbers, his general impression was the numbers were pretty good at most of the WD check stations compared to past year.

 

Madden noted that MassWildlife did some Covid-19 sampling tests at the various stations, per request of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).  He will try to stay on top of it and let us know the results when made available.

 

A fight to the death

So far, this Primitive Firearms deer hunting season has been rather comfortable, weather wise.  Not like some years with cold winds blowing snow or sleet in my face, down my boots and plugging up the scope on my gun. This year has been downright pleasurable.

Sometimes, while sitting on my deer stand (a stump) for long periods of time without any deer even thinking of coming my way, my mind tends to wander.  Let me tell you about my most recent wandering.

I vividly remember an occurrence while deer hunting on Beartown Mountain about 40 years ago.  I was walking down a logging road to where my truck was parked after a long unsuccessful day of hunting.  From where I was walking, I could look across a ravine and brook and see Beartown Mountain Road.  There, I could see a hunter using a drag rope, dragging a deer down that road to his vehicle which was parked next to mine.  As I followed the wood road down and got closer to the other hunter, something just didn’t seem right.  Yes, he was dragging a deer alright, for I could see the large antlers – but something wasn’t right.

It wasn’t until I reached the road and we both converged that I could see what was awry.  He was dragging the heads of two huge bucks with intertwined antlers.  He came across the two dead bucks in the woods and decided to remove their heads in order to mount them.  What an interesting mount that would be.

It was evident that one of the bucks was dead longer than the other for the flesh was not as red.    I can’t remember the number of points on each deer, but the sizes and thickness of the broad beams and antlers were tremendous.  They had to be the two largest bucks on that mountain, and they fought to their deaths for the right to breed with the does.  I couldn’t help but think how long the one deer lived after the other one died, and how they both must have suffered.  Probably some puny little 6 pointer got to breed all those does. Sometimes the old adage of “survival of the fittest” doesn’t always hold true.

I didn’t get the other hunter’s name but wish I had.  I would love to see how that mount came out.

I have never forgotten that sight after all these years, and probably never will.

Nice BNRC articles

The Berkshire Natural Resource Council’s (BNRC) mission is to protect and preserve the natural beauty and ecological integrity of the Berkshires for public benefit and enjoyment. They preserve or keep land so we can all have access to it, enjoy it, find peace and serenity in it. They keep land so we can all experience the beauty that the Berkshire mountains have to offer.”

If you are a donor to the BNRC, you probably look forward to reading their periodic report entitled the Land keeper’s Report.  In this fall’s issue, there are two especially nice articles.  One is an article entitled “Hunting, Land Protection, and the Berkshires.”

 

In bold letters it begins the article thusly: “For nearly a century, hunters have had an enormous role in North American conservation – and the formation and support of BNRC.  The article highlights Rich Montone, a bowhunter and BNRC’s Development Director. “There’s no healthier meat than venison, says Rich, “high in protein, low in fat, obviously free of preservatives or growth hormones.  Two deer will feed my family for half a year or more and it’s a good way to help conserve what’s special about this region.”

 

MassWildlife relies on conservation funding created by the sale of hunting, freshwater fishing, and trapping licenses – and the sale of related permits – to conserve land in the Berkshires and throughout the Commonwealth.  Such funding has enabled BNRC and MassWildlife to collaborate on many Berkshire conservation projects, such as Alford Springs in Alford and Steadman Pond in Monterey/Tyringham.

 

The article then went on and explained the training and licensing process to legally hunt in Massachusetts.

 

“Some hikers worry about being in the woods during hunting season.” wrote DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden. “Hunting is a very safe activity and accidents are extremely rare.  Even so, it is a good idea to wear blaze orange during hunting seasons, and to have your dogs in blaze orange, too.”

 

The article ends in these words: “The conservation ethic of hunters, and the funds created through legal hunting, have made an enormous difference for BNRC’s ability to protect the natural beauty and ecological integrity of the Berkshires.  We wish hunters an enjoyable, safe and fruitful hunt this fall, and thank them for their part in making the Berkshires outdoors free for everybody to enjoy.”

 

It’s no secret that hunters rarely have anything positive written about them. What a nice change to read this article, ey?  Thank you for that BNRC.

 

The other article was the announcement of the BNRC’s acquisition and protection of some 360 acres of forest and waterfront on Round Pond (Housatonic) from the Long Pond Road Nominee Trust. That property complements the recent transactions on Tom Ball Mountain in West Stockbridge and weave together over 1,000 acres of conservation land.

 

To complete this project, BNRC partnered with the MA Department of Fish & Game who purchased a conservation restriction over the acreage. These steadfast partnerships allow BNRC to leverage their donations and secure tracts of land that might otherwise be out of reach.

 

We are asked to be patient until BNRC can open the reserve, have off-street parking and marked trails.

 

And now, comes yet more good news. In last Tuesday’s, (December 14)  Eagle “Big slice of Monterey now preserved”  by Heather Bellow, it mentioned that 180 or so acres surrounding the Bidwell House  are about to be protected from development after the non-profit gave the land to the Monterey Preservation Land Trust and the BNRC to be jointly held.   According to the article, the land is close to the Appalachian Trail Corridor and more than 12,000 acres at Beartown State Forest. The Bidwell land also connects to 797 acres of other conservation property held by the Monterey Trust and BNRC.

 

It would not have been possible without the donation of $300,000 to the Monterey Land Trust by Louis and Joyce Scheffey, in an effort to preserve the Bidwell property. Be sure to read that Berkshire Eagle article.

 

Long time, and now retired, BNRC Director George Wislocki, once described what they do as “God’s Work”.   No argument here.

 

If you happen to have a few extra bucks lying around, that is a good place to donate it.  Who knows, maybe you’ll earn some extra points at the Pearly Gate.

Shotgun Deer Hunting Season ends today

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 The season started with a nice coating of snow which made locating and tracking deer much easier.  Local hunters took advantage of the snow and checked in nearly 500 deer after the first week of hunting.

 

Some 119 deer were checked in at the DFW Western District Headquarters in Dalton, 45 at B & D Variety in Huntington, 121 at Ernie’s Auto Sales in North Adams, 60 at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association, 122 at the Mill River General Store and 32 at Papa’s Healthy Food in Otis.

 

Michael Winters of Cheshire got a 6-point buck in Egremont which weighed 201 lbs.  Eli Pease, DFW Technician, said that it had 4 points on the left side of his head and 2 on the right.  He said that it was an old buck, perhaps 6 ½ to 7 years old. Steve Ray of Pittsfield got a nice 189 lbs, 9-point buck in Pittsfield.  Dan Kruszyna of Cheshire got an 8-point 190 lbs buck in Cheshire.

 

The beginning of the second week of shotgun deer hunting started off with rain.  During that week, hunters are not required to physically check their deer at a checking station, but have the option of checking them in on-line through MassFishHunt. Therefore, unless hunters chose to physically check in locally, I have no way of finding out about them, not until the figures are released by MassWildlife in Westborough.

 

As of last Saturday, District Supervisor Andrew Madden felt that the deer tally was comparable with other recent years. Last year, close to 1,000 deer were harvested in the two-week shotgun season for Zones 1 through 4.

Bear hunting tally

The last of the three seasons of bear hunting also ends today.  Bear hunters were not required to physically check in their bears at checking stations, but could do so on-line.  Some lucky hunters chose to physically check them in and as of last Saturday, 5 bears were recorded with 3 of them being checked in at the Mill River General Store and 2 of them checked in at Papa’s in Otis.  Nate Buckhout, DFW Western District biologist, weighed in one in Mill River that tipped the scales at 400 lbs.

We will have to wait for the final bear harvest figures to be released by MassWildlife.

Primitive Firearms deer hunting season opens Monday

 Hunters who didn’t get their deer during the Archery or Shotgun seasons have one more chance to connect.  Starting this Monday, the Primitive Firearms, (a/k/a Black Powder or Muzzleloader) deer hunting season begins and runs through December 31.  Deer may only be taken by a muzzleloader firearm or by bow and arrow.  A stamp is required to hunt this season.

Here’s hoping you have an enjoyable, successful and safe muzzleloader hunt.  Let people know where you are hunting, be careful, stay hydrated and keep your powder dry.

Other hunting seasons still open

Rabbit, hare, squirrel, coyote and fox hunting seasons resume this Monday.  In our zones, duck hunting resumed on December 6 and runs until December 25.

2022 Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Laws

Commonly called “the abstracts”, they are out and available in the usual places. The booklet has a cover picture of a big old gobbler.

New for 2022:

  • License/Stamp/Permit Fee Increases.  I frequently covered the fee increase matter during this past year and you are encouraged to check the details on page 8 of these abstracts.
  • New Pheasant/Quail Permit.  A permit is now required for any person 15 years or older who hunts, takes, or possesses pheasants or bobwhite quail, unless they were harvested on a licensed commercial shooting preserve. (page 6 of the abstracts).
  • Seasonal bag limits for pheasant and quail have been eliminated.  Daily and possession bag limits have not changed (page 34 of abstracts).
  • Hunting hen pheasants will now be allowed statewide
  • Controlled Hunts were eliminated on the Martin Burns Wildlife Management Area in Newbury, MA.

Be sure to read DFW Director Mark S. Tisa’s comments on the future of conservation.  Perhaps in the future, I can print his comments verbatim in this column.

2022 Licenses

The 2022 hunting, fishing and sporting licenses, permits and stamps are now available.  Most of them can be bought online at mass.gov/massfishhunt with a computer, tablet or smartphone.  To purchase them in person, use mass.gov/fishhuntlicensemap to find a license vendor near you.  Of course, you can always buy them at our DFW District Headquarters in Dalton.

MassWildlife advises you to use care when purchasing them during December, as both 2020 and 2021 products are available.

Water chestnut pulling campaign

At the November meeting of the MA F&W Board, Western District Fisheries Biologist Leanda Fontaine Gagnon gave an excellent presentation about this past summer’s efforts on controlling water chestnuts on Three Mile Pond Wildlife Management Area (WMA)  in Sheffield.  The WMA has over 1,000 acres and the pond is within its boundaries. It is a 155-acre enhanced and enlarged great pond with a maximum depth is approximately 10 to 15 feet.  It is nutrient rich with a floating island possibly with endangered species.

 

Water chestnut, an invasive plant native to Asia and parts of Europe, was introduced to North America in the late 1800’s and spread to several states and to Canada.

Because it’s floating rosettes can be up to 2 feet in diameter, it can shade out the native plants.  Its 12 to 15 feet root system roots into shallow, nutrient rich lakes with muddy bottoms.  Each plant produces a round and spikey fruit.  When they drop off and float, they are spread by unsuspecting boaters and waterfowl.  And they spread from water body to water body.  Despite their being an annual plant, they do spread easily because of this fruit.  Each fruit is viable for up to 12 years. Requiring a long-term management project, it can be controlled if caught early.

It was first discovered at Three Mile Pond in 2011.  Some brief efforts at removal occurred in 2013, but upon revisiting the site in 2017 it was noticed that it had proliferated to another area of the pond. Extremely dense cover and large patches were noticed in the northwestern cove as well as in the northern cove near a brook inlet.

District personnel began hand pulling in late August and early Sept of 2017 and a more intensive effort was started in 2018 and continued annually.

They learned that pulling in late summer was too late.  Most of the plants had already matured fruit and started to drop off and move around in the water body. Green fruit are viable, the black ones typically don’t germinate.  They began plucking the plant in the first week of July, where the majority of the fruit had already emerged but the fruit had not matured enough to start dropping.

They hesitated doing drawdowns in Three Mile Pond due to the floating island and endangered species on it.  Seeds can be in the mud for 7 years, and could be viable for up to 12 years.  Also, they can exist in deeper sediment.

Crews of kayaks paddled out to infected areas, hand pulled and loaded them onto other water-craft which brought them to the boat ramp.  There they were offloaded onto pickup trucks which took them to a dump site about ¼ mile away (but still within the WMA) and where no hikers, animals or water sources would bring them back to the pond.

In 2017, with assistance from WD staff, Field Headquarters and Natural Heritage, they removed about 10 truckloads and spent 25 cumulative hours in this removal effort. Each year when they return, they discover less and less plants from the previous year. As early as 2019 there had been significant reduction and native vegetation really started to pop up.

They will continue annual monitoring and removal as they find them, knowing full well that the plants will continue through 2027.  Starting in 2028 they intend to start bi-annual harvesting.  They hope to implement this removal effort onto other MassWildlife properties such as Mill Pond/Smiley’s Pond in Egremont.   That water body also is nutrient rich and deemed to have a considerable water chestnut population, too. They hope to reach out for volunteers to help.

 

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Fall hunting seasons about to start

 

Massachusetts sportsmen and women are heading into the woods for the fall 2021 hunting season.

The Early Canada Goose hunting season (statewide) began last Wednesday and runs through September 24.  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.  The reason for this early season and the large numbers of geese allowed to be taken is to reduce the large local resident population that is befouling our lawns and beaches.  The regular goose hunting season in the Berkshires opens on October 11 and runs through November 13.

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

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 US 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

Waterfowl stamps are required for most hunters who hunt any ducks (including sea ducks), geese, and brant. Two statewide Active Military & Veteran Waterfowl Hunt season dates (September 25 and October 9, 2021), concurrent with the Youth Waterfowl Hunt days, are open for waterfowl hunting by veterans and current members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty (other than for training). The term “veteran,” is defined, per section 101 of title 38, United States Code, as a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. Proof of eligibility is required and must be carried on person while hunting. All regular season waterfowl regulations and bag limits apply

The early Black Bear hunting season opens statewide on September 7 and runs through September 25, 2021

 

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.

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.

No hunting is allowed on Sundays.

 

Land Acquisitions

According to MA DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden, MassWildlife and the Department of Fish and Game once again had an excellent year for land conservation in the Western District. “Land Protection is one of the most important conservation actions and ensures that wildlife habitats and public access to wildlife lands will be protected in perpetuity. All the MassWildlife Western District acquisitions are open to passive recreation including hunting, fishing and trapping. Land protection in the Western District is a multi-person effort led by Land Agent Peter Milanesi.” said Madden.

Maps of MassWildlife lands are best viewed on the land viewer at https://www.mass.gov/how-to/masswildlife-lands-viewer.

The following is a list of Western District lands protected in Massachusetts Fiscal Year 2021 (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021). Some have already been mentioned in prior columns:

  • Worthington – 1-acre gift parcel along the Little River in Worthington.
  • Windsor – 13-acre gift abutting the Chalet Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The property contains part of the Tyler Brook wetlands and expands the portion of Chalet WMA accessible from North Street.
  • Lanesborough – 159-acre gift of Wildlife Conservation Easement (WCE) in cooperation with Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC). The area known as Widow White Peak WCE includes steep hillsides and the high point of Potter Mountain. It can be accessed from Silver Street.
  • Williamstown – 6-acre gift adding on to Misery Mountain WMA
  • Dalton – 9-acre gift of WCE in partnership with BNRC. The parcel abuts existing BNRC land with a MassWildlife Conservation Easement. Addition of this parcel improves access the existing protected property.
  • West Stockbridge – Two parcels totaling 44-acres between the Williams River and Route 41 abutting the Maple Hill WMA. Parking is unavailable at this time.
  • Otis – 55-acres abutting the Long Mountain WMA. This property includes road frontage on Giles and Stebbins Road and improves access to the WMA
  • West Stockbridge -260-acres of WCE with BNRC at the northern end of Tom Ball Mountain.
  • Rowe – 39-acres abutting the Maxwell Brook WMA. This property expands on the existing WMA and abuts town conservation land
  • Peru – 130-acres abutting the Peru WMA. This property is a combination hardwood and spruce forest with road frontage on August Smith Road, East Windsor Road and Frary Road.
  • Egremont -Two parcels totaling 114-acres near the Karner Brook (Jug End Fen WMA) section of Egremont. The property includes the well-known Smiley Pond (a/k/a Mill Pond) which is visible from the intersection of Route 23/Route 41 and Mt Washington Road. The pond is an important stopover for migratory waterfowl and is home to several sensitive habitats.
  • Great Barrington – 360 acres of WCE in cooperation with BNRC. The property encompasses much of the western shore of Round Pond and the eastern slopes of Tom Ball Mountain. Access to the area is limited by lack of parking, but improvements are being developed.

Fishing Derby

All good things must end.  The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is scheduled to have its last Youth Fishing Derby of this year next Saturday, September 11, from 9:00 to 10:30 am at its Lower Pond at the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery, 240 Hatchery Road, Hartsville, MA.  Children aged 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.    The following of any State guidelines regarding social distancing, face masks etc., is required.

 

Please be more considerate

Recently, I received an email from a full-time resident on Goose Pond in Tyringham who has lived there since 1972.   (I am keeping his name anonymous). Over the past few years, he claims the bass fishermen routinely cast their lures and hooks near the docks.  Last fall when he went to take out his dock, he noticed something shiny on the anchor rope.  It was a huge hook and spinner stuck in the rope.  If he had reached down to pull up the anchor, the hook would have become embedded in his hand. Most recently, he found a hook and rubber worm stuck on the tie-down point on his boat.

“It is very disrespectful to all of us who live on the lake”, he wrote.  He asked me to put this blurb into the column and to remind/ask these anglers to be more considerate.  (Not only on Goose Pond, but on all lakes).

Happy Labor Day.

 

Don’t feed any wild duck, unless its Raymour

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For various valid reasons, we are discouraged by Mass Audubon and MassWildlife from feeding wild ducks and geese.   Here are some reasons given:   

  • Feeding attracts large concentrations of waterfowl to areas that can’t naturally support such numbers. Left on their own, ducks and geese will occupy areas that provide sufficient natural food. As they deplete food in one location, they fly to new feeding areas, often miles away.
  • Artificial feeding encourages unnaturally large flocks to gather in one place where the competition for food can cause unnecessary stress. This may weaken the birds and make them more susceptible to disease.
  • Artificial feeding may allow frail birds to survive, reproduce, and diminish the species as a whole. Mortality is normally high in bird populations—it’s a natural mechanism, important in maintaining populations that the environment can support.
  • Feeding may encourage species of waterfowl not normally found in the area to concentrate. This can lead to an increased incidence of hybridization, which can eventually weaken the gene pool in certain species. This is a rising problem in Mallard and Black Duck populations in Massachusetts.
  • Deposits of fecal matter can affect water quality and compromise human health. Children can also come into contact with droppings left on the surrounding landscape. Also, birds crowded into these areas are often defecating in the same location where they’re feeding.
  • Ducks and geese are well suited to survive New England winters. Their feathers provide air pockets that stabilize body temperature and control heat loss. When birds fluff their feathers, they are merely increasing the air space and insulation. Waterfowl sitting with puffed feathers on a frozen pond are perfectly fine and do not need our help.

Ron Smith, a well-known area outdoor sportsman, knows this. He and his wife Jan live on the shores of Onota Lake in Pittsfield and have close encounters with ducks and geese daily. He made one exception to the “no feeding” rule.

Two summers ago, a male mallard duck (drake) came up on their shore.  Ron noticed something wrong with that duck and thought it had a broken beak and had trouble moving its mouth. There was a mass of something sticking out on the side of his mouth (turned out it was his shriveled-up tongue).  He tried to eat but had difficulty. Not only that, the other ducks picked on him and chased him away. Ron suspected that the damage could have been caused by being hooked in the mouth with a fishing lure and perhaps damaged himself trying to flee. Perhaps a turtle did the damage.

Ron took pity on the poor quacker and tried feeding him dried whole kernel, whole wheat bread and “quack snacks”, but he had trouble sucking food up, he could only scoop things up, one kernel at a time with difficulty.  To Ron’s amazement, the duck let him put food in his mouth, especially when he soaked the bread in water first.  According to Ron, that’s his favorite.  Now, when the duck sees Ron, he runs up to him wanting food, and of course Ron accommodates him.  Since last summer and all through the winter, he has been feeding it this way.

Ron guesses that he is probably 3 years old now.  He and his wife Jan named him “Raymour”.  He can fly, but he spent last winter there on Onota Lake.  He would waddle up from the lake twice a day for Ron to feed him.  He would even come up when the snow was chest deep for him. The Smiths have a fairly long, steep lawn sloping to the lake.  “You should see that duck, in the winter pushing snow with its breast to get up to their house.” said Ron.

Raymour can’t quack but he does make a clicking sound, which Ron has mastered, and the duck responds to him.  (New research suggests that some birds may know who their human friends are, as they are able to recognize people’s faces and differentiate between human voices).  Beside the clicking sound, he has a funny habit of fluffing up and shaking his wings when he sees Ron (like a baby bird would do).

Lately, there has been a female Mallard that must have watched Raymour and now comes running up to Ron to get a handout. But he’s trying to discourage her because he doesn’t want her to lose her fear of humans (and to rely on handouts rather than to find her own food in the wild).

 

“I can justify my feeding the damaged Drake, he would have died without my help.” said Ron.

I say Kudos to Ron.    It just seems that was the right thing to do.

TU Chapter honored the reopening of the Bridge of Flowers with donated stone benches

 

Recently, in an on-site ceremony, Deerfield River Watershed Trout Unlimited (DRWTU) unveiled new stone benches in downtown Shelburne Falls, to help celebrate the re-opening of the Bridge of Flowers, after being closed due to Covid-19, and to highlight the importance of the Deerfield River.

 

DRWTU’s mission is to conserve, protect, and enhance the Deerfield River Watershed and its cold-water fisheries. “This is a great opportunity to let visitors know how important the Deerfield River is to this region and to welcome them to the historic Bridge of Flowers,” said Kevin Parsons, past president of DRWTU who spearheaded the effort.

Visitors to Shelburne Falls will now have a new place to sit and rest after a busy shopping, sightseeing, floating and fishing day, with the benches located appropriately near the Bridge of Flowers, just behind State Street’s West End Pub. The Bridge of Flowers welcomes more than 60,000 visitors per year, according to Bridge of Flowers Committee Chair Annette Szpila.

 

The benches would not be possible without the generosity of Ashfield Stone Company of Shelburne Falls that produced and largely donated them. JS Rae, also of Shelburne Falls, delivered and placed the benches in their current location behind West End Pub, at 16 State Street.

 

Although not located in the Berkshires, events dealing with the Deerfield River are usually carried in this column.  There are lots of people from the Berkshires, especially northern Berkshires, who travel over the mountain to flyfish and float this exceptional river.

 

Want to experience a quiet, peaceful lake?  Get up and out early.

 

There’s something about being on a lake at the crack of dawn on a warm summer morning.  The lake is usually calm as a mirror and there’s no telling what you might encounter on it.

 

I was out trolling for crappie on Ashmere Lake last Sunday using an electric motor to propel my old rowboat.  Around 5:30 am, out of the morning fog appeared the two young ladies (pictured) paddling their canoe., and they appeared to be having a ball.   I asked them what time they started paddling and they said around 5:15 am.  They allowed me to take a picture of them for this column and we exchanged email addresses so that I could send the picture to them and perhaps get their names.  Well, don’t you know, their email address accidentally got deleted from my cell phone. So, ladies, if you contact me at the address below, I will gladly send you the pictures. 

 

Later, around 7:00 am two young fellas trolled past me in a pram.  They had a boom box in their boat and as they were fishing, they were singing along with the music and having a grand old time.   The music wasn’t loud or offensive at all, and it was kind of nice to see.  A little later, some serious bass fishermen arrived and steered their bass boats into the various coves.

 

That morning, I saw two bald eagles, (one adult and one premature,) a blue heron, many ducks and geese and from afar (probably Cleveland Reservoir), I heard that unmistakable call of loons.  I trolled past three separate snapping turtles; with one being quite large.  I had to pull my lure out of the water when I approached them because they wanted to eat it.  Last thing I want is an encounter with one of them.

 

After catching a sufficient number of crappies for a fish fry I headed back to shore.  Ah, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Trout study launched on the Swift River

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The Swift River is one of the most unique and popular trout fishing destinations in Massachusetts. In addition to the wild brook trout found in the Swift, MassWildlife also stocks rainbow and brown trout from its McLaughlin Hatchery. Many anglers travel for miles to fish the cold, clear waters of the Swift in the hopes of landing a big trout. But what exactly happens to the hatchery trout once they are released into the river? This spring, MassWildlife launched a study to get a better understanding of the survival and movement of stocked trout from month to month and from year to year.

The Swift is bounded by the Quabbin Reservoir’s Winsor Dam to the north and by the Bondsville Dam about 5 ½ miles downstream. So, while some fish enter the reach from Quabbin or from the adjacent McLaughlin Hatchery and some escape over the Bondsville Dam, the study area is a mostly closed system. This means that biologists can estimate population size and learn about fish survival by conducting a series of mark-recapture surveys. MassWildlife biologists will mark every fish stocked into the Swift and then periodically sample the stream and record information on the fish they catch. This type of survey allows biologists to estimate fish populations throughout the year in an area where it is impractical or impossible to count each individual fish.

The fish will be marked in two ways. Biologists will use Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE)—a dye injected just below the skin—to tag trout and indicate the month in which they were stocked. For 2021, all VIE tags will be placed just behind the left eye and different colors will indicate the month the fish was stocked. Additionally, the adipose fins of fish stocked upstream of Route 9 will be clipped; fish stocked elsewhere will not be clipped. The adipose fin is a small fatty fin on the dorsal surface (back) of the fish. MassWildlife staff will use electrofishing equipment to sample the river about once a month for most of the year. This method briefly stuns fish so they can be easily netted, inspected, and then quickly released. By looking at the combination of markings, biologists can learn when and where a trout was stocked in the river compared to when and where it was re-captured.

Anglers will also be able to use the marking to learn about the fish they catch. A website has been launched with details about this ongoing project. Anglers and interested individuals can visit mass.gov/swift-trout to get a list of VIE tag and fin clip combinations that shows release dates and release location. A schedule of electrofishing sampling dates will also be available on the website.

In time, study results will also be posted to mass.gov/swift-trout. Results from this study will provide valuable details about the short- and long-term survival of stocked brown and rainbow trout.

Trout stocking

 

Last week, subject to last minute change, the following local waters were scheduled to be stocked by Massachusetts DFW:  South River in Ashfield, Swift River in Ashfield, Goshen and Cummington, Stones Brook in Goshen, Hoosic River (North Branch) in Clarksburg and North Adams, Green River (North) in Williamstown and New Ashfield, Mill Brook in Cummington and Plainfield, Westfield Brook in Windsor and Cummington, Housatonic River (Southwest Branch) in Pittsfield, Upper Highland Lake in Goshen, Ashfield Pond in Ashfield, Littleville Reservoir in Chester and Huntington, Laurel Lake, Lake Buel, Lake Garfield, Otis Reservoir, Onota Lake, Richmond Pond and Stockbridge Bowl.

 

Heritage Hub

MassWildlife recently launched a new online portal called “Heritage Hub” which allows users to report observations of animals and plants, natural communities, and vernal pools. The system can be used to report any species and they are especially interested in reports of animals and plants listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. The Heritage Hub is replacing the Vernal Pool & Rare Species Reporting System (VPRS) and makes electronic reporting easier than ever. MassWildlife is grateful for the many citizen scientists, consultants, and researchers who have contributed 21,537 observations to VPRS over the years and they are looking forward to the launch of the new platform. Visit mass.gov/heritagehub to learn more and register for an account.

The Heritage Hub is a more user-friendly application, improving the functionality from VPRS and offering several new features, including: Updated plant, animal, and vernal pool observation reporting; a natural community form; enhanced user interface via a new mobile-responsive platform; streamlined account creation, electronic signature capture, and many other features.  Reports made through Heritage Hub help MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program protect rare animals and plants across Massachusetts. The Heritage Hub was built in collaboration with the Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs IT Department.

Drivers:  Watch out for turtles

The following is a message from MassWildlife:  From mid-May to early July, thousands of turtles throughout Massachusetts travel to new areas to find food and nest. You may find turtles on roadways, in your backyard, or other unexpected locations as they move across the landscape to find resources they need to survive. Turtles have a keen sense of direction and may be on their way to wetlands or open, upland sites such as lawns, gravel pits, or roadsides for nesting. If you find a turtle, do not move it far away.

“Adult turtles can live past 80 years. Young turtles and eggs, on the other hand, have a variety of predators and a low chance of reaching adulthood,” says Dr. Mike Jones, MassWildlife State Herpetologist. “This is why it’s especially important to protect older adult turtles from cars, especially during this time of year when turtles are crossing roads more frequently.” Losing any adult turtles, particularly adult females, is a serious problem that can lead to the eventual local extinction of a population.

Be safe. Do not risk getting hurt or causing harm to others by unsafely pulling off the road or trying to dodge traffic. If the opportunity to safely move a turtle from the road occurs, move it in the direction it was heading and off the edge of the road. The turtle is trying to get to habitats and resources it needs and knows. Do not take turtles home or move them to a “better” location; turtles should not be moved more than 100 yards from where they are found.  Most turtles should be grasped gently along the shell edge near the mid-point of the body. However, snapping turtles are fast and have very powerful jaws that can inflict a bad bite. A snapping turtle can reach your hands if you lift it by the sides of its shell. If you must move a snapping turtle, use a broom to coax it into a plastic tub or box. Never lift a snapping turtle only by the tail; this can injure its spine.

Slow down. Watch for turtles on roadways bordered by wetlands on both sides. These areas are commonly used as crossing points. Also, remember areas where you’ve seen turtles crossing in the past. Turtles are animals of repetition and chances are, more turtles will likely cross there or somewhere close by.

Report them to MassWildlife. Information that you provide on the Linking Landscapes online portal helps MassWildlife and MassDOT prioritize transportation projects to help turtles and other wildlife safely cross roads and keep drivers safe. Just as importantly, contact your town Conservation Commission and local conservation partners to evaluate resources within your town to help turtles. Signage, barrier fencing, or seasonal speed bumps help reduce roadkill.

Massachusetts is home to ten native species of terrestrial and aquatic turtles. Six of the ten species are protected under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Learn more in MassWildlife’s Guide to Turtles of Massachusetts.

Fishing Derby

The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation in Hartsville-New Marlborough is scheduled to have a youth fishing derby next Saturday, May 8 from 9:00 to 10:30 am at its Lower Pond at the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery, 240 Hatchery Road, Hartsville, MA.  Children aged 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.   These fishing derbies will run once a month through September.  Following State guidelines, masks are required as is 6 feet social distancing.