The Shotgun Deer Hunting season ended yesterday but hunters still have an opportunity to get a deer during the Primitive Firearms Deer Hunting season.  Ironically, this season has 3 names, primitive firearms, black powder and muzzleloader.  Pick your favorite.  It opens Monday 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 regulations.  Archers can hunt during this season but they also must purchase the Primitive Firearms Stamp. 

Remember, an Antlerless Deer Permit is required to hunt any deer without antlers or have antlers less than 3 inches in length. So, if a buck sheds its antlers late in December, which is not uncommon, you cannot shoot it unless you have an antlerless permit.  That’s one reason to get out muzzleloader hunting early in the season.  The other may be the warmer temperatures and less snow.

MassWildlife has some suggestions to help us achieve success this muzzleloader season:

Find the food source –With cold weather setting in and the rut ending, focusing on food sources is the best approach to encounter deer. Hunters should concentrate on areas where acorns and beech nuts remain on the ground, apple orchards, fields planted with winter rye, or other natural food sources. In addition, shrubby thickets and young forest areas that regenerate following timber harvests can also draw deer in to browse during the winter months. 

MassWildlife tip: White oak acorns are preferred by deer but are also eaten by other wildlife and can disappear pretty quickly. At this point, deer will move onto acorns from red oaks and other oak species. If you find a patch of white or red oak acorns, this is a good place to direct your efforts.

Keep your powder dry –When hunting with a muzzleloader, you generally only get one shot to harvest a deer and a misfire can rob you of any chance of success. Misfires can be caused by wet black powder or black powder substitute. To keep powder dry, store it in the original container until you’re ready to put it into your barrel or into a “speed load,” which is watertight. Once the powder is in your barrel, place a small balloon or piece of tape over the end to keep water, snow, and debris from getting in. (There are other things that one can use too, ask an ex-GI).  Don’t worry, it won’t affect the accuracy of your muzzleloader. Also, be careful to keep percussion caps or 209 primers dry.

Tip: Several different brands of black powder substitute are available for use in many modern muzzleloaders. Consult the manufacturer’s manual of your muzzleloader to see if using black powder substitute is an option. These black powder substitutes have the advantage over traditional black powder in that they cause less fouling in your barrel, are easier to store and clean properly, and in some cases offer enhanced resistance to moisture.

Keep yourself warm–If you’re comfortable and warm, you will be able to sit still longer and be ready if you get the opportunity to take a shot. During this late season in Massachusetts, staying warm can be a challenge. Dress in layers with moisture wicking material close to your body. Remember that cotton has little insulating ability when dry and zero insulating ability when wet, so avoid cotton clothes for your hunt at all costs. To keep your core warm, select a performance base layer, and insulating middle layer, and make sure to include a windproof fabric in one of your outer layers—and don’t forget the hand warmers.  In extreme cold, it’s also important to insulate yourself from the ground and from your treestand. Without extra insulation, the metal platform of a treestand can quickly pull heat from the bottom of your feet even if you are wearing the best winter boots. Carry an insulated seat cushion to sit on and some type of insulating material, like a piece of a foam sleeping pad used for camping, to stand on to keep your whole body warmer.

Tip: Dressing in all your layers for the walk to a treestand often results in sweating. This extra moisture can make you cold and ruin your hunt. Carry heavy outer layers with you in a backpack and put them on once you arrive at your stand.

Bowhunting in the cold– Bowhunters face an extra challenge when hunting this late season as they must balance the need to keep warm with the need to draw a bow. Quality clothing and careful layering are needed to minimize bulkiness that can make it difficult to draw or interfere with your bowstring when you release. Be sure to practice shooting your bow while wearing all the layers, you may find it necessary to adjust the draw weight of your bow down a little. You’re free to bulk up with warm clothing from the waist down so choose warm and windproof layers for your legs. Keep your feet warm with well-insulated boots and consider using disposable foot warmers or rechargeable heated insoles.

Tip:  Wearing a glove under your release and on your bow hand can change your anchor point and therefore affect your accuracy. Practice shooting with the gloves you hunt with or wear a thin glove and use handwarmers to keep your hands warm. You can find a wide variety of reusable and disposable hand and body warmers, including adhesive handwarmers.

Thank you MassWildlife for the cold weather hunting advice and tips.  Here’s one more tip from the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department: 

Don’t rely on cellphone mapping apps

The NHF&G is warning hikers (and hunters) not to rely on cellphone mapping apps for wilderness navigation after two individuals got lost in the woods up there.  According to the Department, a mother and daughter from Massachusetts were hiking in the mountains near Tamworth last Saturday when they became lost.  They had been using a mapping application on their cellphone.  After calling for assistance officials were able to help them find the trail.

While the incident ended safely, authorities said they’ve seen an increase in the number of hikers who get lost while using their smartphones to navigate.  In a statement, the Department warned that map apps often contain errors and won’t work in areas with poor cell service.  They advise hikers heading into the wilderness to bring a paper map, a handheld GPS unit and a compass.

We have our share of fairly remote areas here in the Berkshires, too where there is little or no cell service.  Bring that trusty old compass and maps along, just in case.

Of the three deer hunting seasons (archery, shotgun, muzzleloader), I like the muzzleloader the best even though I’ve never gotten a deer during that season.  There is something about strapping on a pair of snowshoes and heading out into our beautiful winter wonderland to do some hunting in the falling snow (with some snow falling off of the trees and down our necks).  There is solitude and stark beauty when the forest floor is blanketed with snow.  Even though the leaves are gone leaving only dull grayish tree barks and evergreens, the forests take on their own beauty at this time of year.  The footprints in the snow of various critters always gets my attention, be it bobcat, coyote, deer, mink, or whatever. 

I remember one day, over 30 years ago, when several of us snowshoe hunted up in Middlefield with snow up to our thighs.  Sometimes we would slip out of a snowshoe harness and would sink almost up to our waists.  We were much younger then and it didn’t bother us at all.  We never got cold for the strenuous exercise used in mogging through the snow kept us warm.  It wasn’t until the end of the day when our pants and gloves were frozen stiff that we realized that it was pretty cold out. Ah, those were the days, unfortunately some of us are too old to do that now.  Doesn’t matter anyway, for we hardly have winters like that anymore.

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

In his November report to the MA Fisheries & Wildlife Board, Fish & Game Commissioner Ron Amidon expressed pleasure with the results of FY2021 budget for Land Acquisition and Stewardship.  Last week the Executive Office for Energy and Environmental Affairs announced that the FY2021 Capital for land acquisition was set at $3,500,000 an $850,000 increase over last years budget of 2,650,000.  The Governor’s office also agreed to approve an additional $825,000 in 2021 capital funding to be used in five specific FY2020 acquisition projects that they were not able to complete by the June 30 deadline because of Covid-19.  (No specifics were given).

The Land Stewardship and Habitat Management and Restoration Budget was set at $1,364,000 which is level funded and which Amidon considered very good news. On top of that, they approved an additional $67,000 to be used for one specific habitat restoration project that could not be completed by the June 30 deadline also due to the Covid related delays.  “So, given all of the numerous issues and problems and conditions that Covid created, we have to be very happy with those budgets”, said Amidon They are looking forward to working with the Fish & Wildlife Board to “get out there and chase down some more land and continue to grow what we already manage”.

Wet first day shotgun deer hunting. 

As of this column’s deadline date, not too many deer were checked into the local stores and shops, probably because hunters heeded the advice of MassWildlife and checked them in online.  Perhaps the rainy opening day had something to do with the low harvest count.  Pete’s Gun Shop checked in only one deer, none were checked in at Dave’s Sporting, two were checked in at Avid Sports and figures were not available from the Cheshire Sporting Goods.  The Mill River General Store bucked the trend and checked in nine on Monday and two on Tuesday.

Personally, I could only get out on opening day and the only thing I got was a wet you-know-what.

2021 hunting, fishing trapping licenses are available

MassWildlife has begun selling the 2021 licenses.  Good news!  There has been no fee increase.  They do advise you to use care when purchasing them during December, as both 2020 and 2021 products are available. 

Sadly, there were a couple noted outdoor sports folks who passed away this month, one local and one from the eastern part of the Commonwealth

2021 Lou Etman

Local outdoor sportsman Lou Etman, of North Adams, passed away on November 23 at the age of 87.   He was a well- known regional archer who was formerly the President of the Tri-State Archer’s Association, a member of the Stockbridge Sportsman Club, the Catamount Archers, and the Mount Greylock Archers. He was a Life Member of the NRA.  He served in various capacities for regional organizations.  If my memory serves me right, just last year he volunteered to conduct a guided bear hunt for the Whitetails Unlimited in its fundraising banquet.

Nominated by the Tri-State Archers and the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club, he and his wife Dottie received the 1996 Berkshire County League of Sportsmen’s Outstanding Achievement Award.

Nancy Begin

Noted wildlife artist and life-long Topsfield resident, Nancy Eleanor Killam Begin passed away on November 9 at the age of 95. Born and raised in Topsfield, she inherited her family’s traditions of farming, hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation. She was a sportswoman and dedicated community leader who spent her life advocating for fish and wildlife conservation in the Commonwealth.

She was the first woman appointed to the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a position she held for 27 years. During her time on the Board, she worked to establish MassWildlife’s Wildlands Stamp Program that supports land acquisition and was active in promulgating endangered species regulations. She was also heavily involved with the state waterfowl stamp contest. 

Nancy was the first woman voted Sportswoman of the Year by the Essex County Sportsman League. She was also the recipient of the Francis W. Sargent Conservation Award in recognition of her significant contributions to the conservation of natural resources in the Commonwealth. In 2011, in recognition to her years of service to MassWildlife, the Nancy E. Begin Newbury Marsh Overlook at the William Forward Wildlife Management Area (Hay Street in Newbury) was dedicated in her honor.

MassWildlife had some pretty important retirements to report also: 

Lynn Harper

Lynn Harper, the longtime Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Habitat Protection Specialist, retired from state service at the end of October.  She had acted as staff to the Lands Committee; responded to municipal and nonprofit requests for land-protection and species information.  She had organized and coordinated two SWAPs (State Wildlife Action Plan) to completion for MassWildlife, resulting in significant federal aid for state species of conservation concern.  She worked with other staff on the BioMap and BioMap2 products.  She established the agency’s iNaturalist profile with multiple ‘projects’ in Wildlife Management Areas across the state, among many other projects and initiatives during her tenure.

Deputy DFG Commissioner Mary Lee King

After over 40 years of state government, Mary Lee announced her retirement at the November 24 Fish & Wildlife Board Meeting.

“I am very proud of the work we have done together and I now feel ready and at ease with my decision to retire from the Department of Fish & Game and the Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. I will miss working for conservation and improved opportunity for hunters, fishermen and anyone who likes the great outdoors. I wish more than anything that Gige (Darey) was here to say goodbye.” she said. 

Before working for the Department of Fish and Game, she had worked as Chief Policy Advisor in the Weld Administration and Chief of Staff for State Senator Paul Cellucci, prior to his becoming governor.  In addition to the many fine words said about her by Commissioner Amidon, Former State Representative, EEOC Secretary and current fellow Board Member Bob Durand said: “We are losing a really great, dedicated public servant whose institutional memory alone was worth a lot to of us. Your contacts with the legislators will be really missed.”

Mike Roche, Vice Chair of the Fish & Wildlife Board said the following, “I don’t believe that most people know over the last 20+ years what a difference you have made, and I know your relationship with Gige.  I know how many things happened under the radar screen that you made possible and I can’t thank you enough for your ongoing contributions, never looking for any recognitions but getting things done.  For that, I will always remember you.”

DFW Director Mark Tisa said: “Not only were you a friend of the Agency but you actually worked to help it.  Always quietly and effectively working behind the scenes on behalf of the Division, never getting recognition nor notoriety but because of the way you worked you got things done for the Agency.  You didn’t just talk the talk but also walked the walk for Fisheries and Wildlife.”

January 2 will be her last day of work.

We sometimes don’t recognize the important roles that women play in safeguarding our precious outdoor activities.

The Woodmen Life Community Awards

They are given to individuals who directly impact their communities by showing outstanding efforts in conserving natural resources on a wide scale and also for the individuals who have devoted their time and effort to cleaning up the environment on a volunteer basis.  Recently the awards were held in Moss Point, Mississippi.  Congratulations to former Richmond, MA native Douglas Chapman for receiving the Woodman Life Achievement Award.  He received the award for his working with the environment and educating children about marshland restoration projects on site including making bat houses that are used to attract bats.

Although now a permanent resident in Florida (spending his winters in Florida and summers in Richmond), he still is an active volunteer for the Berkshire Natural Resources Council by continuing to assist the BNRC with various carpentry projects when he returns.  Thanks to Fran Marzotto of Pittsfield for passing this information on to us. 

Well, here we go again.  Another sleepless night, tossing and turning in anticipation of Monday’s hunt. I don’t even know why I go to bed, I never get any sleep.

It looks like we may have a rainy opening day, but Tuesday may bring snow which will aid us in tracking them.  Remember there are new regulations that prohibit the wanton waste of game animals taken during the regulated hunting and trapping seasons. It is unlawful for hunters to intentionally or knowingly leave a wounded or dead game animal (such as a coyote) without making a reasonable effort to retrieve and use it. Each animal must be retained 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. 

Marion Larson, MassWildlife Chief of Information & Education, wrote the following in a special alert: “We’ve recently heard that despite emails to hunters, social media announcements and newsletter announcements that have gone out throughout the fall, there are shotgun deer hunters who are unaware that this year, due to COVID 19 restrictions, deer taken in the first week of shotgun season do NOT have to be taken to a physical check station for harvest reporting and biological data collection. Hunters are strongly encouraged to report their harvest through the MassFishHunt system.  MassWildlife will not be operating check stations at their offices. Hunters are welcome to call the DFW Western District Office (413-684-1646) if they are unable to check online and they can figure out a way to get their animal checked in.  Also, the following local shops will be able to accommodate you:  Pete’s Gun Shop, 9 Grove St., Adams, (413-743-0780); Cheshire Sporting Goods, 50 Church Street, Cheshire, (413-776-7216);  Dave’s Sporting Goods, 1164 North St., Pittsfield, (413-442-2960);  Avid Sports, 1201 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield,( 413-997-3600) and the Mill River General Store, 10 Great Barrington Mill River Rd., New Marlborough, (413-229-2663). 

It is important that you call ahead to see if they are open because some are open on various days and closed on others. 

Good luck and have a safe and enjoyable shotgun hunting season.

This year, instead of writing about my personal opening day experiences as I usually do, I decided to write about something my father (also named Gene) experienced and related to me and my sibs many times. The following in no way encourages nor sanctions deer jacking which is illegal and always has been.

I’m not totally sure when the event occurred but my, and my older brother Jim’s best guess is sometime between 1920 and 1925.  At that time, my father was a local deputy game warden in his late 20’s who reported to the legendary local game warden, William Sargood.  (If that name vaguely rings a bell, it may be because Officer Sargood was the person after whom the famous bull moose “Old Bill’ from October Mountain was named.  (Perhaps another article, at another time).

One day sometime before deer hunting season opened, Officer Sargood was tipped off about a deer jacking incident.  The perpetrator lived on the outskirts of a Southern Berkshire town.  So, Officer Sargood and my father drove to the house of the alleged perpetrator one early evening.

Upon driving up the dirt driveway to the house, they discovered that the perpetrator lived in a shack, not much larger or better constructed than a chicken coop. Officer Sargood told my father to wait outside by the car and keep an eye out for any trouble or someone fleeing the premises.  Officer Sargood knocked on the door and was let in.

A little while later, Officer Sargood and a man carrying a kerosine lantern walked out the door and went to a shed behind the house. There were a couple of youngsters accompanying them, presumably the man’s children.  While my father was waiting, he noticed a couple of other smaller children peeking out from under the house window curtain.  Actually, the curtain was nothing more than material from a burlap bag.  Being in the early 1920’s, they probably had never seen an automobile before, especially at their house.

A little while later, Officer Sargood returned to the car and told my father, “Let’s go”.  While driving away from the house, my father asked if there was a deer hanging in the shed and Sargood said yes. After a minute or so of silence, my father then asked why he didn’t arrest the guy.

“Well, Gene”, Sargood said, “A man’s got to do what he’s got to do, to feed his family.”

End of discussion.

Don’t feed the deer

Recently, a woman who lives on Connecticut Avenue in Pittsfield sent me an email regarding people feeding the deer near there and asked me to rerun an article which came out last year regarding that very subject.  Rather than run the entire column, I am listing here the reasons why we should not feed the deer; reasons provided by MassWildlife in its news release of January 2, 2020.

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.

Providing wildlife with food at any time of year teaches them to rely on humans for food, which puts them at a disadvantage for survival and can lead to human/wildlife conflicts. Once habituated behavior is established, it can be very difficult or impossible to change.

 A sad farewell

For the second time in the nearly 17 years that I have been writing this column, my wife Jan and I have had to say goodbye to a lovable beagle.  The first time was in 2007 when we said goodbye to Jackson.  He was a wonderful dog that had to be put down due to a serious illness.  That was one awfully sad day. 

Last week we had to say goodbye to Jacques.   For nearly 13 years he was our constant companion from the first thing in the morning to the last thing at night, rarely letting us out of his sight.  He was there with us as we fished for stripers on Cape Cod, was there sitting on a rock in the Ausable River in NY watching us fly fish; was there with us as we hiked wilderness trails in the Adirondacks and there as we bass fished lakes in New Hampshire and MA.  He even accompanied us on trips as far as Illinois. When we camped in our pop-up camper, he had his own bed.   He always sat in the front of our bass boat and he rode shotgun in our paddleboat with Jan. He was a pretty well- known dog up on Ashmere Lake in Hinsdale. He was a superb rabbit hunter.  He took us on walks every day, shared our meals, and he slept on the floor right next to us in our bedroom every night.    He was my ice fishing companion.  His picture was in this column at least twice.

He was a shelter dog when we obtained him at 9 months old after two previous owners.  He lived the life of Riley until this year, which was a pretty tough one. Even so, he was a good dog who always seemed to be smiling and wagging his white tipped tail. We refused to let him go until the very end, when it was the only humane thing to do. Saying good bye to him was one of the most difficult things that we have ever had to do.  No, this parting was not a sweet sorrow for we will never see him again………only in our memories.  Rest in peace little Jacques, and many thanks for the wonderful memories.

Russell Belanger, a tournament bass angler from Great Barrington, will be participating in the B.A.S.S. Nation Regional Championships in 2021. He will be part of 10 qualifying anglers from Massachusetts.  He and local co-angler Asher Hotson of Lenox recently participated in the B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship tournament which was held on October 3 – 4 on the Oxbow Section of the Connecticut River near Northampton. Russell came in 2^nd place as a pro, and Asher came in 3^rd in the Co-Angler Division.  Normally, the 2-Day State Championship is held out of state, but this year, being unique because of Covid-19, the Championship was held in smaller local waters. Belanger had a 2-day weight total of 17 lbs. of Smallmouth Bass, including day 2 Lunker Smallmouth in the Pro Division. Asher Hotson managed the day 2 Largemouth Lunker in the Co-Angler Division. When I Asked Russell about what he thought of the Tournament on the Oxbow he said, “It’s known for being the best Largemouth fishing section of the Connecticut River. The fishing was tough on the anglers who targeted Largemouth that weekend. There were plenty of guys that came to the scales empty handed on day 1. Most guys who fish this event simply want to finish in the top 6 and make the State Team. That was my goal.”

By virtue of finishing in the top of the field, Belanger and Hotson qualified for the Regional Championships in 2021.   The Regional Championships will be comprised of 10 boaters and 10 co-anglers from Massachusetts. They will compete against the top Pros and Co-Anglers from all states of the entire eastern seaboard. (15 states represented by 150 boats), it’s a big deal. I asked Russell if he knows where the 2021 Regional Championship will be held. “There’s talk it will be on Lake Erie. Anywhere with Smallies is fine with me,” he said. 

What were his secrets for success? Belanger said, “When Asher and I were pre-fishing for the tournament, we noticed how difficult it was to get Largemouth bites. I got the sense that the tournament weights were going to be much lower than normal. A 5 fish (Smallmouth) limit each day of the event was better than grinding all day for one Largemouth bite. This is what shifted my decision to stay on the main river and go for Smallmouth. It didn’t take long before I realized that not only could we catch quantity Smallmouths, but I was really impressed by the size we were getting. I’ve fished inside the Oxbow before, but this is the only section of the Connecticut River that I have never fished before the week of the tournament. It’s a dangerous section to navigate, but we spent almost an entire day just mapping safe routes and marking hazards. The water level was low(and) a lot of the marker buoys were already pulled out for the season. I believe this extra time is what separated me from the rest of the field and helped me find better spots that I could have to myself. I also fished a technique that I learned from hundreds of hours fishing in the current on the St. Lawrence River over the past few seasons. I was drifting my bait in the current instead of casting. This style of Smallmouth fishing requires some practice and patience. It proved to be extremely effective on the Connecticut River as well.”

“I don’t think a lot of people in the Berkshires understand there is something like B.A.S.S. Nation,” says Belanger. “The B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship is a cool story but the important part is the opportunity to fish the regional (tournament) as a member of the MA State Fishing Team. It’s the first step for a tournament angler like myself, to potentially qualify for National Championship or hopefully the Bassmaster Classic.”

Based upon the pictures of the large bass that he has sent me he appears to be quite an exceptional fisherman. Check out some of them and find out about him on his Instagram @RussBelangerFishing or his Bass Fishing Guide page @HiddenGemBassGuide_NE. He runs a guide service that will take you out on some local spots, or do trips to bigger regional lakes. Belanger and Hotson will be seeking local sponsorship to help with the expenses of traveling to the Regional/National Championships next year. You can find them both on Facebook or Instagram.

B.A.S.S. Nation is advertised as a “grass roots” organization that exists in part by and for many men and women who live for and love the sport of bass fishing. Their fishermen represent and serve several communities in Massachusetts alone, the organization as a whole is nationwide and helps preserve the bass fishing world anglers have grown to love and respect.  Its goal is to promote the sport of bass fishing as well as maintain a respectable image in the local communities. Part of its focus is to work with the youth in assisting them in understanding the sport of bass fishing as well as maintaining a respectable image as a “good sport” fisherman. Additionally, they like to instill the value of respecting conservation preservation with respect to the rivers and bodies of water upon which they compete.  Conservation is a very big part of B.A.S.S. Nation across the U.S.  Many organizations are set up specifically for this mission, which is why this organization as a whole, focuses on such a crucial element to the future sport of bass fishing.  Without conservation and clean water, we would have nothing. For more information on B.A.S.S. Nation click onto www.bassmaster.com/join

Lake Trout monitoring

Each fall, MassWildlife samples the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs to monitor lake trout populations and examine population characteristics. Lake trout typically spawn in late October and November when the surface water temperatures are around or below 50°F. The spawning grounds are typically shallow, rocky waters on windy shores of the Reservoirs; spawning occurs mostly after dusk. Night sampling on big waters can be cold and icy in November, but the information it provides biologists is well worth the effort. 

To capture lake trout, field crews set nets on spawning areas starting at sunset and check them about every 20 minutes. Captured fish are removed from the nets and placed in a live well. Next, biologists record length, weight, and sex and implant a small Passive Integrated Tag (PIT) in the fish. Prior to release, the adipose fin is clipped to provide an external mark indicating that the fish has been captured before. Data collected provide biologists with an understanding of the current condition of lake trout populations. If fish are recaptured from previous tagging efforts, biologists can calculate individual growth rates. Lake trout are long lived and slow growing and it is not uncommon for a tagged fish to be recaptured 10 years later. In fact, the longest recapture interval recorded was 24 years! When other species like landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, rock bass, and white perch are captured, biologists record information including length, weight, and sex but do not implant PIT tags. Sampling efforts like this are just one way that MassWildlife monitors the health of the fish resources of the Commonwealth.

Look at the 17.7 lb. beauty measuring 37.2″ they took out of Wachusett last week!

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Readers may be wondering why I am featuring two fish articles in November, the middle of hunting season.  Well, thanks to Covid-19, the DFW District offices are closed and hunters have been encouraged to check in their deer/bear on-line rather than at the DFW Regional Headquarters in Dalton. This year hunters may report online during BOTH weeks of shotgun season

Long story short, I am unable to get the usual local information such as the deer sizes, number of points, hunters’ names, town of the harvest, etc., from the DFW Field Headquarters in Westborough. It’s a bummer.

I guess we will have to wait until the Division gets around to reporting them in a press release.

Second Black Bear Hunting Season ending

Bear hunters have until the end of today to harvest a bear during the 2020 Second Bear Hunting Season.  But don’t worry, there is the Shotgun Bear Hunting season which coincides with the Shotgun Deer Hunting season coming up from November 30 until December 13.  

Just when things were starting to get back to normal, Covid-19 reared its ugly head and is on a rampage again.  Sporting clubs which were starting to get back to normal while abiding by mandated safety procedures are receiving another setback.  Not the least was the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLS).  After its second consecutive monthly meeting which was held in November, it was announced by its Executive Committee that until further notice, its monthly meetings have been once again cancelled.  That means that there is a strong possibility that the annual Silvio O. Conte Sportsmen’s Recognition Banquet and awards normally held in April may once again have to be postponed.  Individuals who were scheduled to receive awards last April will not be forgotten and will be awarded as soon we are past this plague.

In the meantime, Wayne McLain, current president of the BCLS announced that if sportsmen have urgent business which must be brought to the attention of the League, they should contact any member of its Executive Committee.  That committee can address the issues by live streaming with one another from their homes.  You can e-mail the members of the committee as follows:  Wayne McLain, President at wmclainhunt@gmail.com, Robert McCarthy, VP at REMcCarthyJr@gmail.com, Dan Kruszyna, Treasurer at krusdan@aol.com and me Secretary at Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com.

Also, in a news release Ben Furimsky, President and CEO of The Fly Fishing Show, recently wrote that (fly fishermen) are no doubt painfully aware of the ongoing medical battle with COVID-19 mixed with local and state show attendance regulations, including numbers of attendees allowed, has severely impacted the fly fishing industry with dramatic changes for the 2021 Fly Fishing Show.    After seemingly endless negotiations with show sites, hotels, and government health agencies, the Fly Fishing Show was reluctantly forced to make changes to its 2021 schedule.  As a result, the Marlborough (MA) and Edison (NJ) Fly Fishing shows are postponed until year 2022. The shows in Lancaster, PA currently scheduled for March 6 and 7, Atlanta, GA scheduled for Feb. 5 and 6 and Pleasanton, CA scheduled for Feb 19, 20, 21 are still on.   Announcement of any changes to the three final show sites and dates will be made when confirmed.

“Changes in the Fly Fishing Show schedule due to the coronavirus have impacted the lives and businesses of hundreds of exhibitors including guide services, international tackle manufacturers, specialized travel booking agencies, artists and retailers plus hundreds of personalities, seminar leaders, fly tiers and other experts with scheduled presentations at each show. The Fly Fishing Shows are some of the most anticipated gatherings annually because they are when our community can see what’s new, test products, make purchases, book travel, renew friendships and reignite the fire that drives us all to carry on the traditions of fly fishing. It’s the experience of being with other people that generates the excitement and motivation for the upcoming season and we look forward to this as soon as we can operate safely.”

“This pandemic has been a financial disaster for communities, show facilities and hotels that rely on the thousands of Fly Fishing Show visitors annually. We have worked extremely hard in an effort to not give up on those who depend on our events, so it is with a heavy heart that we are forced to make these changes. Safety is our number one priority and with that in place, our goal will be a successful event.  It will be more important than ever to come support your favorite vendors.” said Furimsky.

What a shame.  The annual Fly Fishing Show which is held in Marlborough each January is without a doubt the best one in New England.  People flock to it each year from all over the Northeast and there is a healthy number of local anglers attending from the Berkshires, too.  The show has fly-casting and tying demonstrations, manufacturer and retail store displays of the newest rods, reels, lines, boots, waders, clothing, flies and books during the three-day run.  Anglers frequently book flyfishing trips to Labrador, Iceland and other exotic places. The show usually has about 10 seminars, demonstrations and Destination Theater presentations each hour including Labrador’s Monster Brookies, Fly Fishing Martha’s Vineyard, the Upper Connecticut River, and Fly-Fishing Western Maine.  After returning home from those shows, many fly fishermen are hyped up and head straight for their fly tying vices to make flies for the spring trout fishing season – right after they hide that new rod or reel purchase.

Sporting clubs that rely on their dinners, banquets, turkey shoots, field trials and other events are also hurting because of the pandemic.  They rely on funds derived from them to pay their real estate taxes, utilities, postage, etc. 

It is a real pain, but if everyone does their part by wearing masks, socially distancing, avoiding crowds, washing their hands, etc., we will get through it sooner.  Hang in there my friends.

Current/Recent MassWildlife Activities

Getting back to the BCLS, at the last meeting, Andrew Madden, Supervisor of the DFW Western District gave the delegates some updates of their activities which included:

• The MA DFW Pheasant Stocking has been going well and they intend to stock pheasants up through thanksgiving week. He noted that MassWildlife has a map of stocked areas available on its website. It contains information about stocking frequency and parking locations and can be accessed at   https://www.mass.gov/info-details/find-a-pheasant-stocked-area

• The Paraplegic Deer hunt went well with 18 hunters participating across 4 sites. The weather was poor and the Covid-19 requirements were challenging but the hunt went well. DFW thanks the volunteers and hunters for their cooperation.

• MassWildlife has been hosting a series of livestream events on Facebook. These cover topics from hunting tips to fishing to biology of the State’s resources. DFW encourage sportsmen and women as well as any member of the public to participate. Some require registration but all are available for viewing shortly after running.

• MassWildlife Deer biologist David Stainbrook has moved on so the Division will be looking for a new biologist in that position.

• MassWildlife continues to develop habitat projects in the Western District. It has projects in development for Ashfield-Hawley Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Fox Den WMA, and Farmington River WMA.

• MassWildlife’s R3 plan, not reading, writing and ‘rithmetic but rather Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation of outdoor sportsmen and women has been presented to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board. Members of the BCLS will get more information soon on this subject. This column will do extensive coverage of the R3 plan in the near future.

TU Elections

The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the only Berkshire County chapter with some 170 or so members, recently held its elections for its officer positions.  The new slate of officers are:  President: John Burns of Cummington, VP: Henry Sweren of Lanesborough, Secretary: Fran Marzotto of Pittsfield and Treasurer: Bill Travis of Pittsfield.  The chapter is also affected by Covid-19 as it had to cancel its 2020 Christmas Party, an event which is always well attended with great opportunities to acquire some incredible deals on flyfishing stuff.

A reputable fly rod maker

Readers may recall a column which was written in September, 2020 wherein I wrote about a fishing trip to the AuSable River in and around Wilmington and Lake Placid, NY.  You may recall that my fishing buddy Paul Knauth of Hinsdale and I got skunked on that trip.  We never caught a fish and in addition to that we simply had bad luck.  In that trip, I wrote about Paul’s brand-new Hardy 10- foot flyrod which he had received as a retirement gift from Crane Paper.  Although it is considered one of the best flyrods in the world, it broke while he was joining the sections together on our first morning of that trip.  It was just another stroke of bad luck on that trip.  Since then, some readers have inquired as to whether the Hardy Company of England made it good and replaced that rod.  Yes, they did.  Last week, Paul received the completely repaired rod and was never charged a cent.  Good rod makers are like that – they stand behind their products.

Cold, snowy and rainy weather made for a rough paraplegic hunt

Each year, about 25–30 paraplegic hunters sign up for the special paraplegic hunt. For many, it’s the only opportunity they have to hunt. The hunt is typically held at 5 sites, but this year there was no hunt in the Northern Berkshire site.

This year the hunt took place from Thursday, October 29 through Saturday October 31.  Only two paraplegic hunters were able to get out hunting this year in the Berkshires and they hunted out of the Southern Berkshires area.     They were Vyto Sablevicius of Norwich, MA, and Greg Baumli of New Lebanon, NY. 

I visited the Southern Berkshire Mount Everett site on Thursday, the first day of the hunt and it was a raw and rainy day. Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 virus, the DCR Headquarters at Mount Washington State Forest was locked shut and no one could gain access to get out of the elements or gain access to the bathrooms.    No cooking or dining was allowed inside.   

Otto Maier, owner of O’s Hillside Diner in Hillsdale, heard of their plight and donated free meals to the hunters and volunteer for the 3-day period although I am not sure if anyone took advantage of the offer. Craig Willis of White Wolf Construction donated a porta-potty, Chuck Pickert, who normally provides meals using his portable smoker was not allowed to prepare any of his outstanding meals as he has done in the past. A volunteer did bring a gas grill and they cooked pork chops, others brought a couple of tarps to cover them from the rain.  I didn’t stay long on that day and was unable to make it there on Friday or Saturday. 

Friday morning was cold with a heavy frost and later on it snowed some 6 inches on Mount Washington that day.  Saturday was a better day, but quite windy. 

No one bagged a deer over the 3-day period, although they did see a deer.  Perhaps most deer just hunkered down during the nasty weather.

A tip of the hat to volunteers:  Sean Smith (43 years of volunteering), Marc Portieri (31), Greg Arienti (25), Fred Lampro (11), Tom Dean (11), Matt Roach (8), DFW Biologist Nate Buckhout (3) and new this year was DFW’s Eli Pease, the new Western District Wildlife Technician. 

In addition to the Southern Berkshires, hunts were conducted at the Quabbin Reservation, Devens Reserve Forces Training Area in Lancaster and Otis Edwards Reservation in Falmouth. Some eighteen hunters participated state-wide with two deer being taken, one in the Quabbin Reservation and the other at the Devens Reserve.

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

2020 Youth Deer Hunt Day

MassWildlife created Youth Deer Hunt Day to allow young hunters to hunt deer with their own permit. The hunt occurs on a special one-day season before the state’s annual deer hunting seasons. Shotgun deer season regulations applied during the hunt.  Licensed hunters who hunt other animals on this date must follow special restrictions.

This year 1,071 young adults participated in the Youth Deer Hunt Day which was held on October 3. The preliminary harvest total was 120 deer reported through the online MassFishHunt system.  The number of hunters appears to be holding around 1,000 each year. The harvest totals for the previous five years were as follows from year 2015 through 2019:  146, 131, 118, 138, and 89.

MESA is 30 years old

Throughout 2020, MassWildlife has been celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA). As part of this celebration, they excitedly announced that the latest edition of Massachusetts Wildlife magazine is a special issue devoted entirely to endangered species conservation. Articles and images showcase a variety of rare plants and animals and the conservation work that MassWildlife staff and partners are conducting to protect these species and habitats.

If you aren’t familiar with Massachusetts Wildlife, it is a great magazine for people with a wide variety of interests in nature, outdoor recreation, and conservation. You can get all the inside information on wildlife and fisheries management, endangered species restoration programs, critical habitat protection, outdoor recreation, and the exceptional people who are working to conserve our outdoor resources in Massachusetts.

I received my copy last week and, after reading it, I was going to give a brief synopsis of the issue in this column.  But, whoa Nelly!  That issue is so packed with important information, much of it historical, that I’m afraid I may screw some of it up by condensing it in some way.  Get yourself a copy because it is a classic that you may want to keep on hand for future references.

Interested readers may: 

• Sign up for a 1-year subscription (4 issues for $6) or a 2-year subscription (8 issues for $10). You can sign up for a subscription online or by mail. 
• Order the special issue (1 issue for $3). If ordering a single issue, send order requests to: Magazine Subscription, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA 02114. Include the name and mailing address of the subscriber, the special issue you are requesting, and a check payable to “Massachusetts WildlifeMagazine

Nice striper hauled in by James Fortin

 Before Striped Bass (Striper) fishing is over on the Massachusetts coast, I would like to relate a fish story that I received via e-mail about James Fortin of Ipswich, MA.  James, who has local ties to the Berkshires, advises us that back in July he was at Crane Beach in Ipswich on Cape Ann in sight of the Littleneck Area hoping to catch a few small striped bass (called schoolies).  As James relates the story, he “was using a twenty-pound braided test line and a number six octopus hook.  He had spotted small schools moving with the tide approximately twenty feet off shore but was having no luck catching one.  He was down to his last piece of clam which he was using for bait.  Following his cast, something struck the line and immediately proceeded to run out approximately half of the line on his reel.  Not realizing what it was, but knowing that the line would probably break if it encountered any resistance, he began running along the shore line at the beach in a southerly direction to try to keep the tension off the line.  At one point he had to call out to a woman in the water ahead of him so that she would not be inconvenienced by the line as it and he passed by her.  She realized what was happening at the last instant and obliged by moving backward.  After about perhaps one hundred fifty to two hundred yards the fish tired and he was able to reel it into shallow water.  It turned out to be a large striped bass.  As James is a “catch and release man” he knew he had to act quickly.  He removed the hook, posed for the picture above and returned the fish to the water all in less than sixty seconds.  According to James, within the next minute the fish responded to the water and swam away.  He estimates the fish to have weighed between forty and fifty pounds. Well, based upon the length of the fish, several veteran striper fishermen think it might be 48 inches and closer to 35 lbs.   Still, it was a very respectable fish.

Currently, James is a junior at Williams College and a member of its Fishing Club. One of his favorite fishing spots in the Berkshires is the crossroad near the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail at Cheshire Lake where he had caught his first fish there as a young boy.  Thanks to John and Mary Ellen Donna for passing the story onto us about their 21-year old grandson James.

Thank you, vets

If you happen to be out and about enjoying your favorite outdoor sport on Veteran’s Day, you might want to take a moment or two to remember and thank the veterans who sacrificed so much for our country.  Shamefully, someone referred to them as suckers and losers. Well, some of us suckers took great offense at those words, and did not forget them when we stepped up to the voting booths last week.

Thick and brushy places – perfect for ruffed grouse

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

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

Above picture provided by MassWildlife

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second season of bear hunting opening tomorrow

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

Be alert while driving at night

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

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

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

 2020 International Fly-Fishing Film Festival

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

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

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

It is hosted by The Fly- Fishing Show.

Among the films to be screened are:

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

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

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

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

It’s time to have your say

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Persistence pays off for lady bowhunter

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

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

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

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

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

Freshwater Jellyfish in our lakes?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lee Sportsmen’s Association Practical Shooting Event

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

Paraplegic deer hunt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fall trout stocking

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

Small game/waterfowl hunting seasons are upon us

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remember the new regulation this year:

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

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

Housatonic River Walk

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

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

Part 2 Spice Bush, Flowering Raspberry & Ostrich Fern

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

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

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

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

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

License-to-Carry Course

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

Watch out for moose

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

Correction

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