Category Archives: Duck Hunting

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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.

Junior Duck Stamp Program: Connecting youth with nature through science and art

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Since 1938, the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp or “Duck Stamp” has been required of anyone hunting ducks or geese, although anyone can purchase a duck stamp. The funds generated from these stamps have helped restore and improve important wetlands and the stamps have become collectors’ items. Duck stamps are one of the most successful wildlife restoration programs in the history of this nation.
Conservation through the arts: The Junior Duck Stamp Program (JDS), modeled after the Federal Duck Stamp, was launched in 1991 by the US Fish & Wildlife Service with the aim of increasing young people’s awareness of the importance of preserving wetland habitats and the delights of wildlife. In 1992, the US Fish and Wildlife Service printed the first ever Junior Duck Stamp with the funds used to provide awards, incentives, and scholarships to participating students, teachers, and schools.
This dynamic conservation program is designed to teach wetland habitat and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. Using scientific and wildlife observation principles, the program helps students communicate visually what they have learned by creating an entry for the Junior Duck Stamp Program art contest. The non-traditional pairing of subjects brings new interest to both science and the arts and teaches greater awareness of our natural resources. The art is judged in four age group categories in a statewide competition, and the entry judged Best of Show moves on to represent Massachusetts in the national JDS competition (which will be hosted by Massachusetts in 2020).
In Massachusetts the Junior Duck Stamp Program is sponsored by MassWildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Junior Duck Stamp educational curriculum: Created over two decades ago as an innovative way to teach youth about wetlands and waterfowl, nationally, the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program reaches more than 27,000 students each year, giving them the opportunity to learn scientific principles, connect with their natural world, and artistically express their knowledge of the beauty, diversity and interdependence of wildlife. A redesigned educational curriculum has been developed that will spark students’ interest in habitat conservation and careers in natural resources through science, art, math, and technology. The curriculum guides meet a number of national education standards, including the National Science Education Standards, North American Association for Environmental Education Standards and National Visual Arts Education Standards.
You can support JDS by purchasing a stamp: The overall national winner of the art contest graces that year’s JDS and is sold by the U.S. Postal Service (www.usps.com or 1-800-782-6724) and Amplex Corporation (www.duckstamp.com or 1-800-852-4897) for $5. All proceeds of the stamp are invested in the program to fund environmental education programs; award the students, teachers and schools that participate in the program; and to market the JDS program.
Artwork submissions must be postmarked by February 15 of each year. For complete JDS program details visit, mass.gov/dfw/jds or contact: Pam Landry, Wildlife Education Coordinator (508) 389-6310, pam.landry@mass.gov.
If you are a subscriber to Massachusetts Wildlife magazine, you are in for a real treat. In the most recent issue (No 3, 2019) there is a picture of artist Jenna Gormley when she was 5 years old and her Mallard artwork which was submitted to the JDS when she was 18 years old. Her article is entitled, “One Artist’s Journey with the Junior Duck Stamp Program”. When she was three years old, she was diagnosed with a receptive and expressive language disorder. She did not speak, so her form of communication was drawing pictures.
It is a very interesting and inspiring article, so be sure to read it. If you are not currently a subscriber, click onto the MassWildlife web page, click onto Massachusetts Wildlife Magazine and follow the instructions. A 2-year subscription (8 copies) only costs $10.
Primitive Firearms Deer Hunting Season opens tomorrow
Shotgun deer hunting ended yesterday. If you haven’t gotten your deer yet, (don’t feel bad, you are not alone), you still have an opportunity to get one during the Primitive Firearms Deer Hunting season. It opens tomorrow and runs through December 31. A Primitive Firearms stamp is required and there are special regulations governing this season listed in the Massachusetts Fishing & Hunting official laws. Archers can hunt during this season but must purchase the Primitive Firearms stamp. Here’s hoping you have an enjoyable, successful and safe hunt trudging through our winter wonderland. Be careful and keep your powder dry.

Licenses are on sale now
The 2020 Massachusetts Fishing, Hunting and Trapping licenses are on sale now. They can be purchased online through MassFishHunt, at a license vendor location, or at a MassWildlife office. Good news! No increase in the license fees again this year.
MassWildlife suggests you use care when purchasing licenses during December, as both the 2019 and 2020 licenses are available.

Important studies ongoing by DFW
MassWildlife and the UMass Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit are working together to conduct fish surveys in rivers at current and former dam locations. So far, nearly 50 rivers have been surveyed as part of a broader project to more fully understand the impacts of dams and dam removals on fish and aquatic invertebrates. Coldwater fish like native eastern brook trout are particularly dependent on upstream and downstream movements for reproduction and survival. Previous research suggests that abundances of coldwater and coolwater fish, including brook trout, longnose dace, and white suckers, increase following dam removals. Monitoring will continue for the next several years.
MassWildlife and US Fish and Wildlife Service have completed a third year of cooperatively monitoring juvenile American shad in the Connecticut River. Biologists capture shad at night during the summer and fall using an electrofishing boat. Abundance, length, and weight measurements are collected and used to assess the growth, survival, and productivity of the population. This study is designed to help determine the impacts of dams on juvenile shad. Shad populations have significantly declined as a result of 19th century dam construction, which prevent adults from migrating upriver to find spawning habitat. Shad are an abundant food source for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, perch, and northern pike. Shad also provide food for birds and terrestrial mammals, as well as marine fish including striped bass.
Don’t forget to submit your hunting logs
Massachusetts hunters spend a significant amount of time in the woods observing wildlife of all kinds. These observations can provide wildlife biologists with a tremendous amount of information to better understand wildlife distribution and abundance across the Commonwealth. If you are an archery deer hunter or a game bird hunter, perhaps you have been keeping a hunting log on all the days you hunted this season. These logs must be submitted before December 20, 2019 to be entered into a drawing. Prizes, donated by Cabela’s, include a Polar Cap Equalizer cooler (value $249.99) and two $25 Cabela’s/Bass Pro gift cards. Winners will be randomly selected and notified in late December. If you completed both types of logs, your name will be entered twice.
Gige has not been forgotten
Hard to believe but it has been a year since our old buddy George “Gige” Darey of Lenox passed away. As you may recall, he was the long time MA Fish & Wildlife Board Chairman (35 years), our greatest conservation champion and beloved by the outdoor sports community. He surely has not been forgotten. In fact, his partner, Ginny Acabane, noted that several people have recently approached her saying how much they still miss him.
Rumor has it that the Town of Ripton, MA will heretofore have a moment of silence in his memory each December 21.

Public Hearings coming up regarding Coyote and Wanton Waste regulations

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Two upcoming public hearings will be conducted by MassWildlife on proposed new regulations, summarized as follows:

It is proposing the prohibition of contests for the capture, take or waste of certain predator or furbearing animals, and a new section that would prohibit the “waste” of certain game animals and birds.

MassWildlife is also proposing an amendment to existing regulations that would change the time for checking harvested fox and coyote from four days from the end of the season to within forty-eight hours of harvest.

The first public hearing will be held this Tuesday at 7:00 pm, at the Lenox Town Hall, 6 Walker Street, Lenox. The second public hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 29, at 7:00 pm, at the Field Headquarters, Richard Cronin Building, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, off North Drive, Westborough.

The draft of MassWildlife regulations, as well a related summary and other explanatory information, are available for review by the public at https://www.mass.gov/servicedetails/fisheries-and-wildlife-board-public-hearings.

There is a 2-week public comment period after the public hearings. The Fish & Wildlife Board will then review the comments at a future meeting and decide on a path forward.

Preliminary bear harvest report
In his October report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden reported that during the September bear hunting season, licensed bear hunters reported a harvest of 137 bears; 55 reported as female, 82 as male.
This is down slightly from the 151 and 145 taken during the September season in 2017 and 2018. He felt that this may be partly due to the abundance of natural foods available this fall.
The Second Season opens on November 4 and runs through November 23.
Hopefully, if you harvested a black bear this season, you submitted a tooth and hair sample to MassWildlife. Teeth are used to find out a bear’s age, and hairs are used to study bear genetics. If you haven’t submitted the samples and wish to, MassWildlife has a video guide on how to properly extract the tooth and it is suggested that you watch it before attempting it yourself. There are also instructions as to which hairs should be sent.
They ask that you provide them with precise locations where the bears were harvested.
If you have any questions, contact MassWildilfe Black Bear & Furbearer Biologist, Dave Wattles at (508) 389-6359 or dave.wattles@mass.gov
You will receive a letter in June or July with the age of your bear.
Wild Turkey Hunting
The fall hunting season for wild turkey opens tomorrow and runs until November 2. As you may be aware, the Fisheries & Wildlife Board recently approved turkey hunting changes affecting bag limits, fall season dates, shot size, and the Youth Hunt.
NOTE: Regulation changes will NOT be effective until 2020. There are no changes to turkey hunting regulations in 2019.
Other hunting seasons open
On October 12, the hunting season for ducks and geese opened up here in the Berkshires. Be sure to familiarize yourselves with all of the regulations. You can find them at the MassWildlife web site by clicking onto Waterfowl.
There are new bag limits this year: The Mallard daily bag limit has been decreased to 2 birds (only 1 female), the Regular Goose daily bag limit for the Berkshire Zone has been decreased to 2 birds, and the Northern Pintail daily bag limit has been increased to 2 birds.
Yesterday, the hunting seasons opened for cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hare, pheasants and ruffed grouse.
Every year, MassWildlife stocks about 40,000 ring-necked pheasants statewide. These birds are stocked on public and private lands that are open to hunting. The Western District should be receiving about 10,000 of them for stocking. For a listing of local areas stocked and the frequency of stocking, click onto: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/pheasant-stocked-areas.
Incidentally, in Vermont, biologists hope a multistate research program will help them determine if West Nile virus could be responsible for a decline in the population of ruffed grouse across the Northeast and other parts of the country. Vermont is taking part in the project to determine the distribution, prevalence and potential effect of the virus on the bird and are asking hunters to help collect blood and feather samples from the birds they take this season and submit them to the state so they can be tested for the mosquito-borne illness.
The populations of the birds have been declining in several locations and biologists suspect West Nile, an illness that can also infect people, could be at least partially responsible.
Stresses are adding up because of a loss of suitable habitat, said Benjamin Jones, president and CEO of the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society. The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study is working with state biologists and veterinarians from the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Northeast to test blood samples from hunter-harvested ruffed grouse.
Its goal is to estimate West Nile infection rates in wild grouse. Once finalized, the data will be shared with the participating states.
Coyote hunting season opened on October 13. NOTE: The current, existing coyote regulations (as described in the 2019 abstracts) ARE STILL IN EFFECT. There are no changes to coyote hunting regulations in 2019.
Tomorrow the Archery Hunting Season opens in Zones 1 – 9. Don’t forget, an Archery Stamp is required.
Hunters would be wise to refamiliarize themselves with the various regulations which affect these hunting seasons.
Here’s wishing you an enjoyable and safe hunting season!
Be alert for moose and deer

Fall is moose breeding season, which means the animals are more active, and they sometimes follow waterways into urban areas, according to wildlife officials. Whether in a car or on foot, it’s best to keep your distance — moose are big, and they can get aggressive if they feel threatened.

Last month, two moose made it into Worcester, MA the same day but only one made it out alive. One was a 600 lbs moose roaming around St. John’s Cemetery which the Worcester police and DFW personnel tranquilized and relocated to a rural area.
But later that day, a second moose wasn’t so lucky. A young bull, thought to be about 3-1/2 years old was hit by two cars on Stafford Street, Worcester. The moose suffered compound fractures in its legs and had to be euthanized.
MassWildlife reminds motorists to be mindful of increased deer and moose activity, especially during early morning and evening hours. Moose, found in central and western parts of Massachusetts, breed in September and October. White-tailed deer breed from late October to early December.
To protect yourself, your vehicle and the deer and moose from physical damage, please slow it down a bit while driving through dark and remote areas at night.
Wildlife observations

If you are an archery deer hunter or a game bird hunter, consider keeping a hunting log on all the days you hunt this season. If you complete and submit either an archery deer hunting log or a game bird hunting log before the December 20 date, you will be entered into a drawing. Prizes, donated by Cabela’s, include 1 Polar Cap Equalizer cooler (value $249.99) and two $25 Cabela’s/Bass Pro gift cards. Winners will be randomly selected and notified in late December. If you complete both types of logs, your name will be entered twice.
Archery Deer Hunting Season Log: If you are an archery deer hunter in Massachusetts, keep a daily log of your hunting activities and observations of wildlife during the archery deer season. Because archery hunters are usually very stealthy and camouflaged, they are uniquely suited to record valuable observations of wildlife including deer, wild turkey, black bear, coyote, and other species not commonly observed.
Game Bird Hunting Season Log: If you are a game bird hunter in Massachusetts, keep a daily log of your hunting activities and observations of game birds while hunting bobwhite quail, pheasant, woodcock, or grouse. These observations will provide MassWildlife biologists with information on game bird populations across the state and allow them to evaluate hunter effort of various upland game bird species.
MassWildlife seeks to maintain healthy game bird populations while ensuring quality hunting experiences for both wild and stocked birds across the Commonwealth. Your input is essential and they need hunter participation in every Wildlife Management Zone.

Let’s go hunting!

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The Duck and Regular Canada Goose hunting seasons open tomorrow in the Berkshires. The daily bag limit for ducks is 6 with a possession limit of 18. For geese, the daily bag limit is 3 and possession limit is 9. (Remember, the 15 daily bag limit for geese only applies to the early goose hunting season which ended on September 21).

There is a myriad of regulations which apply to duck hunting. For example, note the daily bag limits: The daily bag may contain no more than 6 ducks, and no more than 4 of any species, not additionally restricted; only 2 black ducks, 4 mallards of which only 2 may be females, 3 wood ducks, etc. Waterfowl hunters need a HIP number, State and Federal stamps, must use non-toxic shot, etc., etc. Hunters really need to refer to the 2018-2019 Migratory Game Bird regulations.

The upland game (ring-necked pheasants, ruffed grouse and quail), cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare hunting seasons open next Saturday, October 13.

About 40,000 ring-necked pheasants will be stocked in the Commonwealth this fall and we can assume that about 8,000 of them will be stocked in the Western District. To get a complete listing of the stocking locations, click onto the MassWildlife web site and then onto “Pheasant Stocked Areas”. Not only are the stocking locations listed but also the frequency of stocking.”
Also, a couple hundred additional pheasants, which were raised by the Lee Sportsmen’s Association during the year, will be stocked onto certain public lands.
Really, upland game and rabbit hunting is all about the dogs. How they point, retrieve or hold the scent is a source of pride to the hunter. Now’s our chance to see if all of the training, veterinarian expenses, license fees, dog food expenses, etc. of our bird dogs and beagles will pay off. Hopefully, we have been able to get them into top physical shape, just like us.

If they don’t perform to our expectations, that’s ok. They will still be our lovable best friends who simply adore us.

Hunters should refer to the Massachusetts Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Trapping laws to determine season dates, daily bags, season limits, etc. I would like to reiterate one regulation: No person shall hunt during the pheasant or quail season on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) where pheasant or quail are stocked without wearing a blaze orange cap or hat except while night hunting for raccoons or opossums or while hunting waterfowl from within a blind.”
My recommendation is to wear blaze orange anywhere that you are hunting pheasants, grouse, woodcock or bunnies, not just on a WMA. Also, if hunting waterfowl from a blind, I would recommend wearing a blaze orange hat while going to or leaving the blinds.
I also recommend that non-hunters (hikers, bird watchers, mountain bikers, mushroom seekers, etc.) wear a blaze orange hat while on WMA lands and any forests or lands where hunting is permitted. Don’t forget that cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare hunters are out there, too, and many of them hunt in our state forests.
Incidentally, the coyote hunting season also opens on October 13.
Here’s hoping you have a safe and enjoyable hunting season, and be mindful of the deer ticks.
Help MassWildlife by recording your wildlife observations while hunting

Massachusetts hunters spend a significant amount of time in the woods observing wildlife of all kinds. These observations can provide wildlife biologists with a tremendous amount of information to better understand wildlife distribution and abundance across the Commonwealth. If you are an archery deer hunter or a game bird hunter, MassWildlife asks that you consider keeping a hunting log on all the days you hunt this season.
If you complete and submit either an archery deer hunting log or a game bird hunting log before December 14, you will be entered into a drawing. Prizes include 1 stainless steel tabletop gas grill, donated by Cabela’s, 10 blaze orange MassWildlife caps, and 10 one-year subscriptions to Massachusetts Wildlife magazine. Winners will be randomly selected and notified in late December. If you complete both types of logs, your name will be entered twice.
Archery Deer Hunting Season Log: If you are an archery deer hunter in Massachusetts, keep a daily log of your hunting activities and observations of wildlife during the archery deer season.. Because archery hunters are usually very stealthy and camouflaged, you are uniquely suited to record valuable observations of wildlife including deer, wild turkey, black bear, coyote, and other species not commonly observed.
Game Bird Hunting Season Log: If you are a game bird hunter in Massachusetts, keep a daily log of your hunting activities and observations of game birds while hunting bobwhite quail, pheasant, woodcock, or grouse. These observations will provide MassWildlife biologists with information on game bird populations across the state and allow them to evaluate hunter efforts of various upland game bird species. MassWildlife seeks to maintain healthy game bird populations while ensuring quality hunting experiences for both wild and stocked birds across the Commonwealth.
Log Results From 2017
Archery deer hunters submitted 171 hunting logs resulting in over 9,000 hours of hunting time logged. Logs were received from hunters in every Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ); however, zones 9, 10 and 11 accounted for the most logged hours. Turkey, deer, and coyote were the most common species observed statewide. Bucks and does were observed in every WMZ, while turkeys were observed in zones 1-11; black bears were observed in 7 of the 15 zones.
Hunting logs were received from 42 gamebird hunters in 2017 resulting in 975 hours of recorded game bird hunting. Submitted hunting logs were received from WMZs 2-12 and Nantucket (WMZ 14).
Fall trout stocking has begun
Mass DFW has already stocked several of our local waters. To find out when and where the stockings occurred and the kinds of trout stocked, click onto the MassWildlife web site (www.mass.gov/service-details/trout-stocking-report).
There was some conjecture as to whether the East Branch of the Westfield River will be stocked this fall. According to Andrew Madden, DFW Western District Supervisor, barring any unforeseen event such as flooding or accessibility issues, fall stocking of the East Branch is planned.
Happy 50th Birthday to the American Museum of Fly Fishing

The AMFF, which is dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of fly fishing was established in 1968 in Manchester, Vermont, by a group of passionate and enthusiastic anglers who believed that the history of angling was an important part of American culture and tradition. The Museum was created to serve as an institution to research, preserve, and interpret the treasures of angling history.

Today, the Museum serves as a repository for and conservator to the world’s largest collection of angling and angling-related items, numbering in the thousands. Its collections and exhibits thoroughly document the evolution of fly fishing as a sport, art form, craft, and industry in the United States and abroad, dating as far back as the sixteenth century. Rods, reels, flies, tackle, art, photographs, manuscripts, and books (including its 7,000 volume Gardner L. Grant Library) form the Museum’s permanent collection.

The museum, which is located next to Orvis in Manchester, VT is one of my favorite places to visit. I always look forward to receiving their quarterly journal, entitled The American Fly Fisher which is provided to its members. Check them out on www.amff.org.