Category Archives: Deer Hunting
DFW announces 2015 deer harvest numbers
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) reported that the statewide preliminary deer harvest for 2015 (excluding special hunts and any data not yet received) was 10,042. The harvest figures for the previous four years beginning with year 2011 were as follows: 11,081, 10,938, 11,413 and 11,165. In the Western District (WD), which includes all areas west of the Connecticut River (Zones 1 – 4), some 1,887 were taken. For the previous four years beginning with year 2011 the figures were 3,417, 1,626, 1,664 and 1,737. Zones 10 and 11 in eastern Massachusetts yielded 4,061 deer in 2015.
The statewide preliminary archery season harvest was 4,188. Harvest figures for the previous 4 years beginning with year 2011 were as follows: 3,765, 3903, 4,474 and 4,456. In the WD, 511 were taken with the bow in 2015. The WD archery harvests for the previous four years, beginning with year 2011, were as follows: 522, 453, 577 and 505. Zones 10 and 11 yielded 2,108 in 2015.
The statewide preliminary shotgun season harvest was 4,123. For the previous 4 years beginning with year 2011 the harvests were as follows: 5,349, 4,950, 4,625 and 4,742. The WD shotgunners checked in 898 in 2015, which compares with the previous 4 years: 904, 842, 739 and 888. Zones 10 and 11 yielded 1,324 in 2015. Note – 784 more deer were taken with the bow out there than with shotgun.
The statewide preliminary primitive season harvest was 1,599. The previous 4 years beginning with year 2011 were: 1,959, 1,958, 2,314 and 1967. In the WD, muzzleloaders checked in 320 in 2015, which compares with the previous 4 years as follows: 251, 301, 350 and 344. Zones 10 and 11 muzzleloaders checked in 629 deer in 2015.
The first statewide preliminary youth hunt harvest was 132. In the WD youths checked in 58 of them.
The total harvested deer by all methods in the WD were as follows: Zone 1 – 293, Zone 2 – 462, Zone 3 – 486, Zone 4N – 436 and Zone 4S – 210.
While total harvest by zone can be informative, it doesn’t provide the complete picture for monitoring trends in deer density because total harvest is influenced by antlerless deer permit allocations in each zone, as well as annual changes in hunter effort data, weather, etc. The MassWildlife Deer Project Leader analyzes harvest, biological, and hunter effort data, along with hunter success rates, female versus male harvest, and other factors to manage deer populations in each zone. An analysis of this information is now underway for the annual spring deer management review. A complete harvest summary will be posted on the DFW website shortly after the annual deer review, so check back in May or June.
Hunters should also keep an eye on their email inbox for the annual hunter survey. All hunters who included a valid email address in their MassFishHunt profile will receive a hunter survey by email in February or March. *****
As you are well aware, this winter has been an unusually warm one. Maybe we will get some winter weather yet, but so far winter sports such as skiing, snow shoeing and skating have been dismal. The same holds true with ice fishing. But, as the saying goes, hope springs eternal and some sportsmen’s clubs and organizations are still planning ice fishing derbies. As of this writing I have information on only one derby.
On February 14, the Lee Sportsmen’s Association will have its ice fishing derby at Goose Pond from 6AM to 2PM. The awards and spaghetti and meatball dinner will take place at the LSA Clubhouse after the derby. The cost for derby and dinner is $15 for adults and $6 for kids.
There will be no Locker Room Ice Fishing Derby on Sunday, February 21 due to ice conditions but they will still have a pasta dinner and raffle prizes at the Locker Room from 1 to 4 PM. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students. Proceeds will benefit: the Lee Youth Football program.
The Lenox and Cheshire sportsmen’s clubs as well as the Jimmy Fund derbies have been cancelled due to ice conditions. May I suggest that if any derby is still scheduled, be sure to check with the derby organizers in advance. Also, satisfy yourself that there is sufficient ice! *****
Next Sunday at 1:00 PM the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club will be holding a multi-state firearms course. It includes firearm laws covering licensing, storage, transportation, operation and safe handling of firearms, shooting fundamentals, etc. Participants will receive a course certificate which will allow them to apply for licenses in Massachusetts, Utah, New Hampshire and Maine. A Utah firearm permit is honored in 30 states. The fee for the entire 5 hour course is $140 or one can take just the Massachusetts or Utah segments for $100. Preregistration is required. Call or e-mail Robert J. McDermott at (413)232-7700 or robmcdermott@verizon. *****
On Monday, February 15, the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club will hold its 33rd annual Presidents Day Rabbit Hunt. Registration fee is $10 with weigh in at 4:00 PM. Prizes awarded for heaviest hare and cottontail. A venison dinner will follow which is included in the registration fee. Pre-register with Ron Carr @ 413-442-5122 or sign up at the club. *****
Steps taken to control burgeoning deer population near Boston
If you have been following the news releases by MassWildlife about the troublesome deer densities in the eastern part of the Commonwealth, you know they are having a devil of a time getting the numbers to a more manageable and safe level. For years, they have been issuing tens of thousands of doe or antlerless permits annually. The female segment of the deer population is used for population management since with each female deer harvested, not only is the individual removed from the population but so too is that deer’s future reproductive potential.
The hunters are doing their part. Just in the years 2013 and 2014, they have harvested nearly 10,000 deer out of Wildlife Management Zones (WMZ) 10 and 11 alone. But the densities continued to increase. Part of the problem is that the towns are thickly settled where it would be dangerous to shoot guns. Some of the towns have banned hunting within their confines. The result being an ever increasing herd which is causing many automobile accidents, high incidences of deer tick borne illnesses, destruction of residential ornamental shrubbery and a serious threat to the state forests and woodlands there. The deer are eating everything that is green and actually curtailing new growth and regeneration of the forests.
Well, this year the first ever deer hunt at the State’s Blue Hills Reservation in Milton and Quincy (just outside of Boston) took place. According to a recent MassWildlife news release the special hunt resulted in a total of 64 deer being taken, an encouraging start to a plan for addressing deer overpopulation at the Reservation. As part of a long term deer population management program designed to contend with negative impacts on the Reservation’s forest by high deer populations, the hunt was conducted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) with assistance from MassWildlife, the Environmental Police, and State Police. Hunting took place on 4.5 square miles of the 10-square mile property over 4 days in early December.
Due to the densely populated area surrounding the Reservation, public safety was a major concern and the controlled hunt was conservative and carefully designed with staffing at trail heads, signage, low hunter densities, and just four days of firearms hunting. According to MassWildlife, there were no injuries or other public safety issues during the hunt, demonstrating that a controlled hunt could be safely conducted in a suburban/urban setting.
“Overall, given the conservative framework design for this first year of the hunt, the preliminary 2015 harvest results are very positive,” said David Stainbrook, MassWildlife Deer Project Leader. “The 64 deer taken represents a reduction of approximately 14 deer per square mile from the hunted areas of the reservation. A more significant figure is that 47 deer taken were females, which equates to at least 120 fewer deer in next spring’s population.” A 2013 deer abundance survey conducted by MassWildlife and DCR revealed an estimated average of 85 deer per square mile of forest in and around the Reservation, a figure significantly above the MassWildlife’s desired management range of 6-18 deer per square mile of forest. In accordance with the Blue Hills Deer Management Plan, DCR and MassWildlife will be reviewing this first hunt to assess any needs for potential changes or modifications to the deer reduction phase of the plan. *****
The Berkshire Beagle Club, on Sleepy Hollow Road in Richmond, will be holding its Annual Rabbit Hunt next Saturday, January 16. Entrance fee is $10 per person and that includes a dinner. Weigh-in by 3:00 PM. Contact John Demary at 413-441-2253 if you wish to enter and/or donate some raffle prizes. Prizes go for the largest cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare. No hunting is allowed on the Beagle Club grounds. *****
For the second week in a row, local sportsmen received bad news of the loss of one of their own. Last week it was the late Chris Porter. This week it was the loss of Charles “Chuck” Jones of Dalton. A very active member of the NRA and Board of Directors of the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club, Chuck was instrumental in starting a Youth Rifle League. He coached the first competitive women’s pistol team in Berkshire County known as the “Hot Shots” since its inception. In 2004, he was awarded the very prestigious Berkshire County League of Sportsmen Silvio O. Conte Sportsman of the Year Award. Our condolences go out to his wife Evelyn (“Hot Shot” member) and his family. He also will be sorely missed by local sportsmen and shooters.
Well, we didn’t get it for Christmas, but we got it for New Years. The Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) recently announced that its December fund drive realized the final $115,000 needed to buy a conservation restriction (C/R) on the 83 acre Undermountain Farm in Lenox. (Some $335,000 was previously raised by the BNRC). The Berkshire Eagle’s Clarence Fanto did a dandy job of spreading the good news (“Deal would preserve 83 acres”, January 5, 2016). Many thanks to the Sprague family for selling the C/R for half of its appraised value, to the 225 donors who really dug deep into their pockets to preserve this land and to the Lenox Land Trust which for years doggedly pursued its conservation.
Although there is no general public right of access to the property, there will be public access to two designated trails to be constructed by the BNRC which will allow the right to walk, cross-country ski or snowshoe on them.
Next up is the 63 acre abutting southern parcel which is part of Parson’s Marsh. The BNRC will be asking us to come up with another $180,000 to purchase and conserve that land. Hey! We’re on a roll. Let’s do it!
Questions/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com. Phone/fax: (413) 637-1818
Winter feeding of wildlife can be counterproductive
Canale Deer
The 2015 deer harvest figures have not yet been released by MassWildlife, so today I am switching gears and writing about deer survival during winter.
So far it has been a warm, snowless winter here in the Berkshires and hopefully, our deer and turkey populations are enjoying it. They should be able to have easy access to nuts, apples, browse, etc without having to scrape through feet of frozen hard snow like they had to do last year. Without deep snow, they should be able to flee from predators, too. Perhaps we will have one of those rare open winters or perhaps Mother Nature will make us pay for our current moderate weather later this winter.
When we have a rough winter like we had last year, it is natural for us to pity the poor deer that somehow have to scrounge up food in order to survive. We have a natural inclination to help them out by putting corn, hay or other food out for them. Well, MassWildlife strongly discourages feeding of deer and other wildlife. Supplemental feed sites congregate wildlife into unnaturally high densities, which can:
- Attract predators and increase risk of death by wild predators or domestic pets
- Spread diseases among wildlife or cause other health issues (e.g. Rumen acidosis in deer, Aflatoxicosis in turkeys)
- Cause aggression and competition over food, wasting vital energy reserves and potentially leading to injury or death
- Reduce fat reserves, as wild animals use energy traveling to and from the feeding site
- Cause wildlife to cross roads more frequently, therefore increasing vehicle collisions
- Negatively impact vegetation and habitat in areas where feeding congregates animals.
The most critical time for winter deer survival is March. Deer have a limited supply of fat reserves to carry them through winter. Research has shown that a healthy doe begins winter with a 90-day fat supply. This ticking clock begins winding down in March and is the reason why weather patterns in that month often play the biggest role in deer mortality.
If January and February are brutal but relief comes on time with warming temperatures in March, most deer will sail through with no trouble. If January and February are mild but winter lingers until the end of March, or brutal cold and snow hit late, deer mortality rises.
If you are one of those who simply cannot allow that to happen, the best option is to give them more of the winter foods they are already adapted to eating: winter browse. This includes buds and twigs of woody plants. Introducing new foods in the middle of winter, especially in high quantities all of a sudden, can actually be more harmful to deer than not feeding them at all.
As an example of how deadly it can be, please consider the following: On March 20, 2015, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department reported that twelve deer were discovered dead in South Hampton, N.H, most likely the victims of well-intentioned, but tragically fatal, supplemental feeding by local residents.
Studies show that a deer has to eat a new food for one to two weeks before it can start pulling in nutrients from that food. This is because it takes time for the micro-flora – the bacteria that live in the deer’s gut and help with digestion – to adjust and become capable of dealing with the new food source. If you haven’t already been providing supplemental feed, don’t introduce it suddenly in large amounts in late winter.
If you can’t supply woody browse, and you feel you have no other option but to provide a new food source, introduce it slowly, in tiny amounts, at multiple sites scattered across the landscape. Give deer time to adjust over a period of two or more weeks before providing unlimited amounts of feed for deer to consume. It comes down to how poor their condition is when they are exposed to the new food and how much of that food they get. The worse shape they are in when they receive the food, the more likely they are to die from it.
If you do provide supplemental feed, provide it at as many locations as possible rather than at one or two sites to avoid creating concentration points where predators, like coyotes, will use to their advantage. Deer are in their poorest condition in March, and they are easier prey for coyotes. In nearby New Hampshire, they often found increased coyote predation around feeding sites. These sites were funneling a lot of deer into a small area and making them easier for coyotes to kill.
If you’re concerned about deer survival in tough winter conditions, the best thing you can do to help them get through the critical last days of March is break out the chainsaw and provide some woody browse. (The bunnies will love you for that, too.) If you grow fruit trees or maybe ornamentals in your yard that require pruning, leave the pruned limbs where deer can reach them
Much of the information used in this article came from MassWildlife, New Hampshire Fish & Game, University of New Hampshire and the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), a non-profit conservation organization working to ensure the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. *****
The Berkshire County League of Sportsmen held officer elections recently and the following individuals were returned to office: Mark Jester of Pittsfield – President, Mike Kruszyna, Cheshire – VP, Dan Kruszyna, Cheshire – Treasurer and me as Secretary.
The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited elected the following people: Allen Gray of Pittsfield – President, John Burns, Plainfield – VP, Richard Bordeau, Pittsfield – Treasurer and Paul Knauth, Hinsdale – Secretary.
Happy New Year!
Preliminary results of new bear hunting season are in
This year is the first year that black bear could be hunted during the two week shotgun deer hunting season which ran from November 30 to December 12. This is in addition to the two other bear hunting seasons; the first season ran from September 8 to September 26 and the second from November 2 through November 21. The additional hunting season is the latest tool that the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife (DFW) has employed to try to manage the rapidly growing bear population statewide.
In his December 10 report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden reported that preliminary harvest numbers of black bear taken during the two week shotgun deer hunting season statewide should be about 45. They may still have some check stations that haven’t reported in yet, but he doubts that the number is likely to change by more than a few bears. He predicts that the final number will probably be between 45 and 50.
We probably shouldn’t expect such high numbers every year. This year’s warm weather was undoubtedly a factor in the harvest totals. The bears were probably still actively foraging for food and had not yet settled into their dens for their long winter sleeps.
The final numbers for the September and November bear hunting seasons have not yet been released by DFW for either the state or western district. The total statewide bear harvest for 2014 was 240 with 78 of them coming from Berkshire County. *****
In his report, Madden also stated that a preliminary look at Western District check stations indicated a good first week of shotgun deer season with numbers up slightly from last year and good quality deer being checked. This is in spite of the lack of snow which usually affords better tracking conditions.
The following are some of the larger deer taken in the Western District. Included are the hunters’ last names, dressed out deer weights and towns where the bucks were taken: Wright – 196 lbs, Cheshire; Salvatore – 187 lbs, West Stockbridge; Majchrowski – 182 lbs, Dalton; Turner – 190 lbs, Hancock; Voudren – 190 lbs, Russell; Thomas – 194 lbs, Blandford and Gaudette – 202 lbs, Sandisfield. Gaudette’s deer was a 10 pointer.
The live weights of all of the above deer were undoubtedly over 200 lbs. Although not a true scientific measurement, if you apply the formula of field dressed weight x 1.25 you should come up with an approximate live weight of a deer. If one applies that formula to Gaudette’s deer, then the live weight was probably about 250 lbs.
While we are on the subject of deer weights, let’s carry it a step further and try to figure out the realistic venison yield. How many times have we heard of people accuse the deer processor of not giving back all the meat. Well, consider the following.
One adult bucks weighing over 160 lbs, one must deduct 9% of its weight which represents the hide; 11.7% is bone and some percentage representing the blood. Then one must consider the part of the meat that has been damaged by the bullet or improper field dressing. A neck shot has very little ideal meat ruined, whereas a deer shot in the loin or hind quarter area has more of the ideal meat ruined.
According to University of Wisconsin research, a mature buck weighing 165 pounds field-dressed would ideally yield 83.08 pounds of boneless meat and realistically yield about 58 pounds of good meat. Information came from http://www.butcher– packer.com and http://askthemeatman.com websites.. *****
Looking for a new project for your man cave this winter? Have you thought about taking up fly tying but didn’t know where to start? Well the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is once again hosting a fly-tying event this afternoon. The event is free and open to all TU members and their friends. It will be an informal gathering with members bringing in their own vises and tying materials. They expect to have a few extra sets available for those just curious about tying. This is a great opportunity to learn about fly tying and to exchange patterns and ideas. They will gather in the lounge at the Wahconah Country Club on 20 Orchard Road, Dalton from 2:00 to 6:00 PM. Refreshments can be purchased at the Club. If interested contact Henry Sweren at hsweren8@aol.com. *****
The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club will have youth archery sign ups Saturday, January 2, 2016 in the archery range from 8:00 to 10:00 AM. You can also download applications from their website www.stockbridgesportsmansclub.org. The cost is $40 per child and you do not have to be a member of the club. They will shoot the following 10 Saturday mornings. For more information, call Mike Buffoni at 413-323-7703. *****
On Sunday, January 17, Avid Sport on 1201 West Housatonic Street, Pittsfield will be holding a Firearms Safety Course which allows you to apply for your FID card or Pistol Permit. The class is usually limited to 9 and you are required to prepay to lock in a seat. The cost is $100. For more information, call 413-997-3600.
If you live in Northern Berkshires, there is another firearms safety course on the same day in North Adams. Dan Peck, NRA and Massachusetts State Police Certified Instructor will be teaching that course. For location, hours and more information, call 413-663-4896. *****
The DFW Western District office has a new biologist. His name is Nate Buckhout from East Hampton, MA. An Air Force veteran, Nate received his BA from the United States Air Force Academy and his Masters degree in Wildlife Conservation from UMASS Amherst. He filled Tony Gola’s position who retired earlier this year.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
Questions/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com. Phone/fax: (413) 637-1818
Big black bear shot by Richard (Dick) Superneau
Dick Superneau’s Bear
Dick Superneau of Clarksburg will be munching on bear meat for the foreseeable future. Using a .308 Remington bolt action rifle, he shot a male bear (boar) in Pownal, Vermont which weighed 450 lbs live weight and 375 lbs field dressed. It was approximately 4 feet tall when walking on all fours and measured 6 feet from nose to tail. Even with the help of 5 Vermont hunters, they couldn’t drag it more than 3 feet at a time. It took 7 or 8 hunters 3 hours to drag it 150 yards to the truck. It was so large that Dick said he couldn’t shut the tail gate on his truck without scrunching it up.
A very large bear had been recently spotted in the Massachusetts Avenue section of North Adams, Massachusetts, and he wonders if that isn’t the same bear that perhaps wandered over the state line into Pownal.
Dick is having a shoulder mount made of the bear at LaBlue’s Taxidermy in Adams. He intends to have the skull scored by Boone & Crockett but has to wait several months for it to dry out. *****
I had the good fortune of attending the Onota Fishing Club’s 21st annual game dinner last Sunday at the ITAM in Pittsfield. It was filled to capacity and what a spread they put out. There were fish cakes, fish chowder, marinated and grilled venison and bear and bear chili and those were only the appetizers. For the main buffet dinner, they had Brunswick stew, sweet and hot bear sausages, garlick and cheese bear sausage, sweet and hot venison sausages, rabbit, polenta, roast venison, roast bear, wild turkey, freshwater perch and crappie, saltwater cod, haddock and pollock, dessert, and more. I tested all of the excellent food and boy was I stuffed. There were several women who tried the bear meat and venison for the first time and they were pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. After everyone had their fill, the excess food was donated to Soldier On.
Some $750 of the raffle proceeds were donated to the Eagle Santa Toy Fund. The late John Drury was remembered and honored for his many years of service to the club.
Many folks donated the meat including: Liam McCluskey, Bob Stevens, Joe Trybus, Dan Gaylord, Tom Dwayne, Ed Blake, Chuck Lennon, John Kelly, Shane Rogers, Ed and Bob Dufur, Chris Porter and Jim Keyes. (Jim’s donation was made possible thanks to his dented truck bumper). My apologies for any omissions or name misspellings. Several local businesses also made contributions, including PortSmitts, Maces Marina and Johnny’s Variety.
Special compliments go to chef, Chris Porter, and to the many Onota Fishing Club members who worked so hard preparing the food, serving it, selling tickets, soliciting prizes, etc., to make the dinner such a huge success. ****
Readers may recall last week’s column wherein I mentioned the Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) and its conservation of a 685 acre tract of undeveloped land located in parts of Dalton, Lanesborough and Pittsfield which was one of the largest parcels ever received by the BNRC. Well, what I failed to mention was that the BNRC also recently conserved 218 acres in Great Barrington on beautiful Three Mile Hill. Two great places to snowshoe, ski or hunt.
Well, the good news keeps coming. Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game Commissioner George Peterson recently announced that three Berkshire County towns will share $1,147,000 to protect key watershed habitat. The funds are part of a settlement with General Electric (Housatonic River Natural Resources Damages Fund) to protect or restore natural resources damaged by PCB which were released into the Housatonic River.
Great Barrington won a total of $869,500 which allows the BNRC to acquire a conservation restriction on 218 acres along Thomas and Palmer Brooks, tributaries to the Housatonic River in that town. In Egremont, a $187,000 grant will preserve 23 acres of river, woodland and flood plain along the Green River. It includes about 2,500 feet of riverfront habitat. Lastly, Hinsdale was awarded $90,000 to preserve 90 acres in the Hinsdale Flats Watershed Area of Critical Environmental Concern. All of these properties are preserved at no cost to the taxpayers. *****
For those who have not yet harvested a deer, there is one more chance this year and that is during the primitive firearms season. It starts tomorrow morning and runs through December 31, excluding Sundays. A primitive Firearms Stamp is required. Archers may hunt during this season but they also must purchase a Primitive Firearms Stamp. During this season, successful hunters must fill out and detach the permit/license and may check it either online or at an official check station.
Hunters are advised to check the regulations governing this season on pages 37 -38 of the Fish and Wildlife Guide.
If you plan to hunt the primitive firearms season and don’t have an antlerless permit, may I suggest that you get out hunting in the earlier part of the season. It is not uncommon for bucks to shed their antlers before year-end, and then an antlerless permit is required to harvest them.
Good luck and keep your powder dry.
Shotgun deer hunting starts tomorrow, hope its not foggy
Here we go again. Another sleepless night caused by the anticipation of opening day of shotgun deer hunting tomorrow morning. I don’t know why I even go to bed, with memories of bygone opening days haunting me and preventing sleep.
How well I remember one opening day in the late 1970’s or 1980’s. Back then I hunted Beartown Mountain a lot with Bob Stanard and his brother Rick from Lee. These guys grew up on Beartown Mountain and knew it like the back of their hands. We had good luck hunting there.
On this day, we were going to hunt the mountain in back of Rick’s house. The three of us along with a fellow named Jack headed into the woods while it was still dark and very foggy. Flashlights did no good because the rays reflected back off of the fog, actually making things worse. After following a logging road through a valley, I cut off to the left and followed a ravine to a ridge where I had good luck in the past. Bob, Rick and Jack continued straight heading for stands further in. We were scheduled to meet around noon for lunch.
The fog was so thick that the only guide was the sound of an intermittent brook nearby. After climbing a distance which should put me near my fallen tree stand, I couldn’t find it. The arrival of daybreak was no help, for one couldn’t see more than 20 feet. Orientation was impossible because the land contours, trees and other landmarks were invisible. I started roaming around looking for the stand. The fog showed no signs of burning off and by 7 AM, I knew I was in trouble – not lost, just “turned around”. The thought of staying put until the fog cleared occurred, but what if it didn’t. I didn’t want to be fumbling around in the afternoon as darkness was approaching.
I decided to go back the way I came along that brook, but it was impossible to find due to the lack of snow (no tracks) and thick fog. Then and there I decided to get off that mountain by heading east toward Beartown Mountain Road. I should come across one of the logging roads, follow it out to the paved road, go back to Rick’s house and try it again. After blindly traipsing around, I finally found one and followed it. But according to my compass, it was heading north, not east. Must be something wrong with the compass, I thought. After following it for a long time, the road finally turned east. The only trouble was that it still didn’t look familiar. All of a sudden, I was startled when out of the fog came a truck which crossed only a few feet ahead of me. After taking a few more steps I stumbled onto Beartown Mountain Road near a water troth a half mile or so downhill from Rick’s place. Without knowing it I had been walking the Burgoyne Trail, which was some distance from where we were hunting. Somehow I had crossed the saddle between the two major ridges without knowing it.
I trudged back up the road to Rick’s place, re-entered the woods, hiked along the logging road into the previously mentioned valley to where I had earlier branched off and took a stand there for the rest of the day. There was no chance of a repeat performance. It was around 11:00 AM and the thick fog still showed no sign of burning off.
Around 3:30 PM, Bob and Rick’s voices could be heard as they were coming off the mountain. The fog was still so thick that in spite of our florescent red clothes, we couldn’t see one another until close range. They were wondering where I was for lunchtime. Being so familiar with it, they had no trouble walking around that mountain and probably could navigate it blindfolded.
“Where’s Jack?” they asked, thinking that he was with me. We started calling for him but there was no response. It was getting dark so we decided to fire three shots (distress signal). We heard him fire three shots way up in the mountain. After some time, we fired again and so did he. We then called and he answered much closer. Then, out of the fog and darkness, he showed up. The only trouble, he wasn’t Jack. He was another panic stricken hunter who also got turned around and was separated from his hunting party. He was mighty grateful for our help.
Now we had a real problem. Jack was nowhere to be found and darkness had settled in. Bob and I kept calling for him while Rick hiked back to his house to call Bob’s wife Pat to see if Jack had returned for his car which was left there. He had, and then went home. We later found out that he also got turned around and walked out of the woods on the other side of the mountain, near Ice Glen in Stockbridge, and bummed a ride to his car.
None of us had any luck that day or so I thought. Recently, I bumped into Bob’s nephew Bill Stanard from Sheffield and he remembered that day well. While hunting a nearby ridge he just barely made out a doe in the fog and shot it. Upon nearing it, he was surprised to see that it was a nice 8 point buck. He never saw the antlers in that dense fog.
Well, all’s well that ends well. One thing for certain, when fog begins rolling in, I’m out of there. It was a lesson never to be forgotten.
There will be more access to our state forests
In case you haven’t notice, it has become more and more difficult for hunters and other users to gain access into our local state forests. Our aging population of deer hunters who, in prior years were able to drive up into the mountains and state forests, are being shut out from them and are forced to hike great distances to hunt. Roads are being gated with no parking allowed near them and some of the roads are in serious states of disrepair. The exclusion of hunters is counterproductive to the Fisheries and Wildlife efforts to properly manage the deer herd.
After several years of prodding by Fish & Wildlife Board Chairman George “Gige” Darey and Berkshire County League of Sportsmen President Mark Jester, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Deputy Commissioner Matt Sisk visited the Berkshires to see first-hand what the problems were and whether they could be rectified.
In the September Fish & Wildlife Board meeting in Tyringham, Sisk reported the following changes:
Beartown Mountain: At the main road that goes through the park, DCR will install 4 gates. They will leave the main gates open in the north and south ends of the park until January 1, harsh winter weather permitting. Four gates to dirt side roads will be strategically placed around the two look roads that join Benedict Pond Road. These areas are where you can park. DCR is also trying to get a place to park other than along the main road. The gates will be up and running for this year’s deer hunting season. The south end of the park has the most treacherous road due to the hills and road conditions and DCR is going to put an additional gate there. In the event of serious weather, DCR will close the gate to the southern access but leave the north gate open.
October Mountain: Schermerhorn Road, which accesses the mountain from behind Woods Pond, has long been closed due to its condition so DCR will do two things: Patch the road well enough so that the gate can be open for this fall. It still will not be in great shape. The second, long term project is to get enough money to actually redo the road.
Pittsfield State Forest: The West Street gate still remains a problem and there are some historical and neighborhood issues there. This upcoming season, the gate will continue to be where it is and closed. Opening that gate and placing another gate further up may cause heavy illegal use that would put a strain on police forces. There is also a question as to who owns the road – Pittsfield, Hancock or the Commonwealth. Depending on how much they own there DCR is looking to expand the road, improve the culvert for drainage and possibly add some more room for parking that won’t restrict the gate. Parking is prohibited in front of the gate because the rangers, EPO’s and state police need to access it during emergencies. They hope to expand the shoulders and possibly get a few cars in there.
Ten yards up from the gate on Brickyard Road (which goes into NY and back into MA), there was grass up to one’s waist. This gate has traditionally been open but access to the parking lot was terrible because there was no defined area. The grass has since been mowed opening up a wide area which has been laid down with gravel. This access point is better and more vehicles are now able to get in there in a safer way. DCR will leave that gate open as long as possible. They will leave the entire loop and main gates open and ask hunters to park on the left hand side of the road, leaving the snowmobile trail open.
Greylock Mountain: The gate in Lanesboro will be opened up as far as Jone’s Nose during deer hunting season. Regarding the other gate off Rte 2 to Jones Nose, it was determined that it is too steep and there is no good place to put another gate.
DCR is not going to close the parks during hunting season but they do want to give people a greater sense of awareness. There will be some signage at all the main gates informing people that the roads during snowfall are treacherous. It is hoped that such signage will increase awareness to non- hunters that DCR will not maintain these roads as well as they do during peak season, and that 4WD vehicles are needed.
There is no policy as to when to close the roads due to the heights of snow. DCR feels that the additional signage will warn people about the roads and by doing so will enable them to keep the gates open longer.
Both Darey’s and Jester’s efforts have paid off and they are very thankful for Sisk’s assistance. Although not perfect, the situation is better than it was. They urge users “not to be stupid when you are up in these places. DCR Deputy Commissioner Sisk really stuck his neck out for the sportsmen”. *****
The Onota Fishing Club will be having its annual game dinner on Sunday, December 6 at the ITAM Lodge in Pittsfield. On the menu is roast venison, bear, turkey, rabbit, fresh and salt water fish, homemade sausages, chowder and chili. Appetizers will start at 1:00 PM and dinner at 2:00 PM. Partial proceeds from this year’s dinner will be donated to The Eagle Santa Toy Fund. Tickets are $25.00 each and are available at PortSmitt’s Lakeway Restaurant or by contacting Ray Westerman at 413-464-1853. If anyone is interested in donating venison or bear meat in exchange for dinner tickets, contact Chris Porter at 413-496-0105.
Paraplegic Deer Hunt deemed a success
That’s according to Trina Moruzzi, Division of Fisheries & Wildlife State Coordinator. Twenty five hunters participated statewide in the 3 day paraplegic deer hunt which took place from October 29 through October 31. A total of three deer, 2 bucks and a doe, were harvested. This translates to a 12% success rate for this year’s hunt, verses last year’s 26% success ratio. In the past five years, these hunters have averaged greater than a 25% success rate. “Many hunters saw deer, contributing to a successful hunt experience,” she said.
Here in the Berkshires, 9 hunters participated – 5 in the southern and 4 in the northern Berkshires sites.
The southern Berkshires folks hunted in the Mount Washington area and was coordinated out of the DCR Headquarters there. The hunters were: Sidney Eichstedt of Lee, Greg Baumli of New Lebanon, NY, Steve Gladding of Westfield, Dick Lockwood of Springfield and Vyto Sablevicius of Norwood. Eichstedt shot a 4 point buck and Sablevicius got a doe.
Helpers included: Shaun Smith, Brian Ingerson, Marc Portieri, Greg Arienti, Rick Thelig, Tom Dean, Matt Roach, Paul Antonozzi, Jimmy Thomas and Chuck Pickard, all from the Berkshires or northern Connecticut. DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden helped out, too.
Chuck Pickard brought his trailer-mounted smoker/grill and a lot of friends, who own restaurants and businesses, donated food and condiments. Other individuals also prepared food needed for the three day event.
On the day that I was there, the lunch menu was: homemade clam chowder, smoked roast beef, smoked Vidalia onion gravy, smoked baked beans, and potato salad. Chuck did the smoking and roasting while Patricia Vollmer made the chowder and potato salad. There were also several home-made deserts baked by supporters.
The 4 hunters at the Northern Berkshires site were: Shawn Mei of Baldwinville, Michael Noiseux of Berkley, Dale Bailey of Clarksburg, and David Alderman of Petersburgh, NY. According to Moruzzi, no deer were taken on the Northern hunt, however most hunters saw deer.
Since 1972, this hunt has provided thousands of hours of recreational opportunities for paraplegic sportsmen and women and I am proud to be part of it.” said Moruzzi. She noted that volunteers are integral to the program and thanked them for their enthusiasm and commitment. Next year’s hunt will be held November 3 – 5, 2016. If you are a paraplegic sportsman or sportswoman interested in participating in the 2016 hunt, contact Trina Moruzzi at trina.moruzzi@state.ma.us or call (508) 389-6318 for more information. *****
Staying with the subject of deer hunting, readers may recall an article I wrote about the new Youth Deer Hunt Day which took place on September 26. In that article, I mentioned the local youths who successfully harvested deer. Well, there is one more to add to that list and that is 13-year old Hunter Connelly of Hinsdale. Hunting with his dad Rick Connelly in Windsor, he dropped an 8 point buck which weighed 182 lbs dressed. He shot the deer with a 20 gauge shotgun at about 30 yards. An hour earlier, he let a doe with a fawn go by. Needless to say, his dad, mom Heather and sister, Hannah are quite proud of his accomplishment. Hunter is having quite a first year of hunting. Earlier this year he bagged his first wild turkey during the Youth Turkey Hunt Day. Good mentoring dad. *****
Recently, the Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA) held its 17th annual State of the River Conference. Williams College Chemical Professor David Richardson and student Matthew Gross presented their work on PCB accumulation in crayfish and brown trout. Some 50 crayfish were analyzed and it was determined that the bio accumulation averaged about .245 parts per million (PPM) which is well below the EPA limit of 2 PPM .
Of the brown trout tested this year, the largest one, measuring approximately 17 inches, had PCB levels under 2 PPM. This preliminary result was good news as a fish that size certainly lived in the river for years, had eaten lots of crayfish and other micro-invertebrates and might have had higher concentrations of PCB’s built up in its systems. Only 4 trout have been tested, thus far with another 8 trout tests nearing completion. Those results will be reported at a later date.
Tests of the other trout, a brown trout of about 8 ¼ inches and a brook trout about 9 ½ inches had levels significantly below the 2 PPM threshold, with levels under of .30 PPM. A hatchery raised rainbow trout was caught out of the Green River tributary and that had extremely low, barely measurable levels of PCBs. They stressed that the results on the fish tests are preliminary; but their methods for measuring PCB’s is similar to that used by the EPA. Professor Jay Thoman believes that no one has found organisms anywhere in the world that don’t contain some PCBs.
In the future they are requesting more assistance from fishermen in supplying them with more trout so that they can be sampled. They don’t want a huge backlog of them because, unfortunately, there is no way of sampling the fish without killing them.
Their conclusions were: (1) There are no significant PCB levels in nearly all crayfish taken at the Cole Field site, (2) They have a high level of confidence in their crayfish measurements, (3) They are close to developing satisfactory trout analysis protocols and (4) They have preliminary values in trout and the tests will be continued in the future.
“Things are getting better, at lease biologically” said HooWRA Director Lauren Stevens. Fish advisories still remain on the Hoosic downstream from the former Sprague property. It remains to be seen if the fish advisories will be removed if these results hold up and/or improve.