Juliann Lawson and her father Dan with her first deer
Category Archives: Hunting
Small game hunting season is upon us
The woodcock hunting season opened last Wednesday and runs through October 29. It reopens on October 31 and runs through November 19. 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.
Tomorrow morning marks the opening of duck and Canada goose hunting season in the Berkshire Zone and runs through November 26. Duck hunting season reopens on December 5 and runs through December 24. Goose season reopens on December 5 and runs through December 13. (Although referred to as the Berkshire Zone, its eastern boundary is I-91, Rte 10 and Rte 202.) Check the regulations regarding daily harvests for the various ducks, geese and woodcock.
The pheasant and ruffed grouse hunting seasons open next Saturday and runs through November 26. 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 season opens next Saturday in Zones 1 – 12 and runs through February 28, 2017. Snowshoe hare season opens next Saturday and runs through February 28 in Zones 1-4. The other zones have differing seasons. The daily limit is 5 cottontails and 2 hares.
The gray squirrel season, which opened on September 12 in our zone is ongoing and ends on January 2, 2017. 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, 2017. There is no daily limit on them but they must be checked in at an official check station or online with MassWildlife.
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.
Brake for moose
As you may be aware, there have been at least two moose/auto accidents in the Berkshires recently. The Berkshire Eagle has covered them and as a public service, cautioned drivers to be on the lookout for them especially while driving at night. This is important and bears repeating.
Hitting a moose with a car is dangerous and the results can be tragic. In September and October, cows come into their breeding cycles and they become reckless and travel into residential areas or across major highways.
Because they have no predators, moose can be oblivious to the potential dangers posed by automobiles and most people are unaware of the number of moose in our midst.
Be particularly alert, especially at night during the fall breeding season. Moose will step out onto a roadway without showing the slightest concern for oncoming traffic. With their long legs, a vehicle hitting a moose take the legs out from under them, flipping their bodies onto the car’s windshield or roof. The dark body is difficult to see and its eyes are much higher in the air than the level of a pair of white tail deer eyes. Always use your bright lights when traveling at night when there is no oncoming traffic.
Youth deer hunt
MassWildlife reports that statewide there were 1,236 youth deer permits issued this year for the special Youth Deer Hunt Day which was on October 1. Of that total, 698 permits went to youths aged 12 to14 year olds and 538 permits went to those aged 15 to 17. Last year, the first year of the youth hunt, 1,339 youths participated.
As of this writing, there were 118 deer reported online. MassWildlife did not yet have the season total as there are some physical check stations that are not online. It is expected that the final number could reach between 120 and 125. Last year 146 deer were harvested during the Youth Deer Hunt Day.
The accompanying picture is of 12- years old Juliann Lawson with her proud dad, Dan, and her first deer. She harvested the adult doe in Williamstown where her grandfather, Bob McCarthy, let her hunt at his favorite stand. According to Dan, it took about an hour to see the deer, and she didn’t miss.
Incidentally, Dan Lawson is an avid sportsman and valued delegate of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLS), representing the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club. Juliann’s grandpa Bob McCarthy is also a well known local sportsman and delegate to the League. He was named the 1987 BCLS Sportsman of the Year. With mentors like that, how could she not succeed in bagging her deer. It is great to see the hunting tradition passed on from generation to generation.
I hope to have the names of other successful youth deer hunters next week.
Fall trout stocking
Andrew Madden, DFW Western District Manager recently reported that they will not be stocking the East Branch of the Westfield River this fall due to low water conditions. They do intend to stock the Deerfield River as well as the following lakes/ponds: 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.
Over 60,000 trout to be stocked statewide this fall
In his most recent report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden reported that fall trout stocking season should be beginning this week and be completed by the second week of October depending on water conditions. This fall more than 60,000 rainbow trout that are 12 inches or longer will be stocked in Massachusetts water bodies.
According to MassWildlife’s Chief of Hatcheries, Ken Simmons, the ongoing drought should not have a major impact on fall stocking even if it persists through the fall season. “Drought conditions will likely result in the curtailment of some river and stream stocking due to low flows but we do not anticipate there will be much of an impact on lake and pond stocking,” Simmons said. There are more than 90 lakes and ponds on the fall stocking list and only 14 rivers and streams. MassWildlife fisheries biologists will assess the condition of each waterbody before making a final decision about stocking.
The two rivers in our area that are usually stocked in the fall are the Deerfield River and the East Branch of the Westfield River. According to Madden, stocking in the Westfield River could be iffy unless water conditions greatly improve.
Simmons noted that the drought has made operations at MassWildlife’s five hatcheries more challenging but has not affected the number of fish available for this fall’s stocking. In fact the 60,000 rainbow trout that will be stocked is 10,000 more fish than the original fall goal.
As was the case with the 2016 spring season, anglers will be able to view daily stocking reports this fall by visiting Mass.gov/Trout. They can search for a specific waterbody or town using the sortable list, or explore new fishing spots by using the map feature.
Airboat crew banding waterfowl
During dark nights of late summer and early fall, MassWildlife biologists take to the marshes and rivers in an airboat to capture ducks for banding. This technique, called night-lighting, allows biologist to sample ducks all over the state. Unlike traditional bait trapping, which limits sampling to a few sites, night-lighting with the airboat allows biologists to capture ducks in the Berkshires one night, on the Cape the next night, and in Worcester County the night after that.
Ducks are placed into crates according to their size, then banded and released. Banding records are submitted to the Bird Banding Lab of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The data then become available to state and federal biologists who assess the status of waterfowl populations. It can also be used to monitor movements, wintering areas, and longevity of various species.
The airboat is used to navigate shallow marshes where ducks roost among vegetation at night. The loud noise generated by the 350 horsepower engine and the spotlights onboard confuse the ducks and allows biologist to get close enough to net them. Because of the noise, most sites are visited only once per season and boating rarely goes beyond 11 pm. Successful night-lighting requires a dark sky, so trips are shorter early in the season due to the late sunset. Moonlight is also a factor; airboat trips must be planned to avoid the brightest phases of the moon.
This year, some sampling sites may not be available due to the ongoing drought. While the airboat doesn’t need much water to get around, it needs some. Night-lighting concludes at the end of September but in the meantime, if you hear what sounds like an airplane stuck in a swamp, it just might be the MassWildlife airboat.
Boat safely
Paddlers in kayaks and canoes must wear life jackets from September 15 to May 15 every year. According to the Massachusetts Environmental Police, most boating fatalities in the Commonwealth result when boaters fail to wear life jackets while in small craft in cold water or cold weather. Waterfowl hunters using canoes or kayaks are reminded that this law also applies to them.
Youth Deer Hunt is October 1
It is not too late to get your child enrolled into the Youth Deer Hunt program. The Youth Deer Hunt Day provides young adults aged 12–17 with an opportunity to hunt deer with their own deer tags during a special single-day season that precedes the Commonwealth’s annual archery, shotgun, and muzzleloader seasons. Hunters are reminded that all shotgun deer season regulations apply on the Youth Deer Hunt day. Youth Deer Hunt Permits are free, but must be obtained at a license vendor or MassWildlife office. The permits and tags are only valid for the Youth Deer Hunt day and cannot be used in later seasons. All youth hunters and any accompanying adults must wear a minimum of 500 square inches of blaze orange on their chest, back, and head.
Whitetails Unlimited Banquet
The Berkshire County Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited will be holding a banquet on Saturday, October 1 at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club, Route 102, in Stockbridge. Social hour begins at 5pm and buffet dinner at 6:30 pm. There will be games and raffles. For tickets or information, contact Keith O Neil at (413)717-1945 or buy online at www.whitetailsunlimited.com.
Free fly tying classes
The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation is exploring the possibility of conducting free fly tying classes at the Berkshire Hatchery in Hartsville/New Marlborough, MA. Depending on interest, it will be conducted on Wednesday evenings beginning October 12 at 6 pm. Initially, the class size will be limited to six. Tools and materials will be provided. If interested in enrolling or if you have questions contact Will Regan at willregan3@gmail.com or me at the below address. I will report in a future column if there is enough interest to hold the classes.
“doubles” caught by Ron Amidon and Gary Hebert in Labrado
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Black bear/early goose hunting seasons open this Tuesday.
This Tuesday morning the first of three black bear hunting seasons begins. Hunters are reminded that last year there were some changes to the bear hunting seasons. The first season runs from Tuesday September 6 through Saturday, September 24. The second season runs from Monday, November 7 through Saturday, November 26. The third season takes place during shotgun deer hunting season, November 28 through December 10. The regulations are complicated when it comes to determining which hunting implement is legal in which season, so I have once again included a grid which was furnished by MassWildlife and may be of some help.
**Except on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) stocked with pheasant or quail during the pheasant or quail season.
Hunters are still advised to review page 33 of the 2015 Fish & Wildlife Guide to find out how and when to report the harvest and other important information. Remember, a permit is required to hunt black bears.
Also on Tuesday, September 6, the Early Canada Goose hunting season opens statewide and runs through Friday, September 23. The bag limit is 7 and possession limit is 21. The hunting hours are from 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset (except on WMAs stocked with pheasant or quail during the pheasant or quail seasons when hunting hours begin at sunrise and end at sunset).
They may be hunted with shotguns no larger than 10 gauge. Shotguns capable of holding more than 3 shells may not be used unless plugged with a one-piece filler.
Each waterfowl hunter 16 years or older must carry on his person a valid federal waterfowl stamp and each hunter 15 years or older must purchase a Massachusetts waterfowl stamp. Stamps are required for hunting ducks and geese but not for hunting woodcock. Non-toxic shot is required for all waterfowl hunting; no lead shot can be in your possession.
Migratory game bird hunters must complete an online Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey each calendar year. If you have not completed the HIP survey, visit a local license vendor, MassWildlife office, or go to www.mass.gov/massfishhunt to be sure you have completed the survey.
This year the Youth Waterfowl Hunt for youths aged 12 to15 takes place on Saturdays September 24 and October 8. Check the 2016-2017 Migratory Game Bird Regulations for all of the regulations dealing with the youth hunt.
Steak & Lobster dinner dance
The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club will be having a steak and lobster dinner dance on Saturday, September 17 at its clubhouse off of New Lenox Road, Lenox. Dinner will be at 6:00 p.m., followed by dancing to music provided by DJ Russ Davi. B.Y.O.B. The ticket cost is $25.00 pp and can be ordered by e-mailing the club at info@lenoxsportsmensclub.com
Their turkey Shoots are scheduled to start Sunday September 18 and will run every week until Sunday Nov 18.
Kids Fishing Derby
The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation is holding a free kid’s fishing derby at their lower pond in Hartsville next Saturday, from 9 to 10:30 AM.
Homer Ouellette
Recently, Homer Ouellette of Pittsfield passed beyond the river bend at age 90. He was an ardent fly fisherman, perch fisherman and deer hunter. I should mention from the start that the comments about Homer also apply to his older brother Paul Ouellette of Lanesborough, who still fishes with us. They were inseparable and when you saw one in an outdoor event, you saw the other.
Homer was a charter member of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited who eventually became its president and a director. He was an early recipient of Taconic TU’s highest award, the Crooked Staff Award. He was a volunteer in the Atlantic Salmon restoration program, stocking salmon fry in the Westfield River. He helped establish the Friends of the Williams River group by conducting river surveys. He was an excellent fly tyer and fisherman and helped teach it at BCC in the 1970’s/1980’s. In fact, that is where I first met him. He was such a cool and knowledgeable fly tyer/fisherman that I immediately joined TU because of him. I wanted to be just like him.
I treasure the memories of him flyfishing the Westfield River at Indian Hollow and those times when we flyfishermen sat around the evening campfire after a day of fishing. We, listened to the soft music which emanated from his harmonica and enjoyed his stories of flyfishing in the past. It was from him that I first heard the term “fishing beyond the river bend”, when a fly fisherman passed away.
He was also a member of the tongue-in-cheek organization known as Perch Unlimited or PU! While staying at their cottage in Vermont (the Owl’s Nest), they would often ice fish for perch on Lake Champlain and caught many of them. Homer did his share of deer hunting out of that camp, also. (You may recall a couple of articles that I wrote about that camp last fall.)
He was an excellent bowhunter and for many years taught the bowhunting course for the Mass DFW. He, along with his brother Paul, received the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award. To quote the citation, “they have devoted countless hours to stream improvement, salmon fry stocking and bowhunting safety instruction courses. They have been instrumental in instructing thousands of archers in dozens of courses they have hosted as Bowhunting Education Instructors. Every sportsman can think of one or two people who helped spark their passion for the outdoors. Homer and Paul Ouellette have touched many sportsmen’s lives.”
A reminder that hunting seasons are coming up and the club is always looking for game for our dinners. If you want to donate your harvest, please contact the club at info@lenoxsportsmensclub.
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second amendment rlly in Pittsfield, MA
New gun enforcement order prompts gun owners to rally
I had been hearing a lot of negativity about new gun restrictions that were implemented by Massachusetts Attorney General Healey recently. I attended the rally opposing those restrictions which was held at Park Square in Pittsfield on Friday, August 6. Over 160 people attended that rally bearing flags and placards.
I sought out GOAL Executive Director James Wallace seeking answers to two questions: What exactly does the new enforcement order say and what are the gun owners’ objections.
When I posed the first question to Jim, his answer was, “That’s the problem, no one understands it.” He claims that AG Healey found two little words in the so called assault weapons law – “copies” and “duplicates”. He explained that since 1994, when the Federal law was in effect, and then in 1998 when the state adopted the law and then in 2004 when the Federal law was sunsetting, the State acted in emergency legislation to permanently adopt the Federal definitions to the Mass law. So from 1994 on, everybody understood the rules. Everybody knew exactly what gun makers could manufacture, what dealers could sell and what the public could buy and register.
“Twenty-two years later”, Wallace said, “She takes the initiative on those two words to redefine what an assault weapon is. There is no clarity in what she did, nobody understands it and if they say so they are lying. In its broadest interpretation it could include virtually every semi-automatic gun out there, not just AR’s or AK’s”. It is Wallace’s belief that AG Healey doesn’t want clarification.
According to Wallace, when AG Healey held a press conference on July 20, she accused the industry of making up its own rules. “So recently, media has been approaching her about clarifying this and she said that she put out the enforcement letters and now it up to the industry to figure out how to comply”. She just accused them of doing that and now she is changing the rules about clarifying it and saying it is still up to the industry to figure that out. This affects hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts families, this isn’t just a few people who bought a gun they weren’t supposed to have”.
“The other thing to remember”, Wallace said, “since the 1994, 1998 and 2004 laws took effect, for 22 years, manufacturers have been making these compliant guns, retailers have been selling them, people have been buying and registering them. Every single transaction that has taken place since 1994 had to be registered through the State. So they have had 22 years to say we’ve got a problem with what you guys are buying, selling, manufacturing”.
When I mentioned that AG Healey said they are not going to take the guns away from legal owners and gun dealers that have them already, he said, “ What people really need to pay attention to is the fine print. The very last line of that enforcement letter says that The Attorney General’s Office reserves the right to alter or amend this guidance. So even though she promised not to prosecute at this time, it doesn’t stop someone else from doing it in the future. What’s to stop an aggressive DA or police chief the next time you go to renew say that they checked your records, you bought two of these guns, that’s felony. You are now an unsuitable person and you have got to turn in your guns and license. She made hundreds of thousands of felons over night”, he said.
GOAL has learned that the AG Healey is currently seeking information from the firearms industry regarding customer lists, manufacturing dates and serial numbers for guns, even hand guns and .22s. He believes that this is just her first move and that she is trying to put the firearm industry out of Massachusetts. According to Wallace, there are already over 100 state legislators who opposed her actions.
So what does the order specifically state? The AGO referred me to its web site that has the information, so I gleaned information from the July 20 order: “…We are sending a directive to all gun manufacturers and dealers that makes clear that the sale of these copycat assault weapons is illegal in Massachusetts. With this directive, we will ensure we get the full protection intended when lawmakers enacted our assault weapons ban, not the watered-down version of those protections offered by gun manufacturers.
The directive specifically outlines two tests to determine what constitutes a “copy” or “duplicate” of a prohibited weapon. If a gun’s operating system is essentially the same as that of a banned weapon, or if the gun has components that are interchangeable with those of a banned weapon, it’s a “copy” or “duplicate,” and it is illegal. Assault weapons prohibited under our laws cannot be altered in any way to make their sale or possession legal in Massachusetts.
We recognize that most residents who purchased these guns in the past believed they were doing so legally, so this directive will not apply to possession of guns purchased before Wednesday (July 20)”.
In later remarks, she said that dealers who currently have these weapons on hand are not permitted to sell them to Massachusetts buyers. They may transfer them out-of-state to jurisdictions where sales of these weapons are legal.
Perhaps you are like me, not owning or desiring to own one of those guns, and not giving this matter much attention. After all, they say that they are not going after our 3 or 5 shot semi-automatic hunting guns. Well, how many politicians do you believe these days? Maybe we should pay closer attention to this matter.
2016 spring turkey harvest totals are tabulated
MassWildlife’s Wild Turkey Project Leader David Scarpitti reported that preliminary harvest figures indicate 3,054 wild turkeys were taken by licensed hunters during the 2016 spring hunting season. According to Scarpitti, this represents the second highest spring season wild turkey harvest since turkey hunting began in the Commonwealth in 1980. The highest spring season harvest occurred in 2009 when 3,085 turkeys were harvested. This year, 83 turkeys were reported during the one-day youth season, and 2,971 turkeys were reported during the regular four-week season. Some 346 were harvested in Berkshire County and 577 in the Western District.
Above average brood production in 2015 was likely the biggest factor influencing the near record harvest. In addition, winter conditions in 2015-2016 were quite moderate compared to the previous two winters, which likely further enhanced juvenile turkey survival and recruitment.
The 2016 fall turkey season is October 24 through November 5 statewide (except Nantucket) and open to all hunters possessing a valid hunting or sporting license and a wild turkey hunting permit, provided they didn’t harvest their season limit of two in the spring. More turkey hunting information and regulations are posted on the Wild Turkey Hunting page.
August is the last month to participate in the Wild Turkey Brood Survey where all turkey sightings are listed, including jakes and toms. After August 31, completed forms should to be mailed to: Brood Survey, MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t see many birds in June, but lately they came on like gangbusters and I am seeing large broods everywhere, some with very small poults for this time of year.
Antlerless Deer Hunting Permits
Hunters who applied for an Antlerless Deer Permit by the July 16 deadline must return to the MassFishHunt licensing system to try to win a permit. The Instant Award Period began on August 1 and continues through December 31. This is NOT a first-come first-served system.
Finding out if you won one is a bit complicated:
Log into the MassFishHunt system with your last name and customer ID, click the Enter Sales button, then click Accept in the Customer Electronic Signature dialog box, then choose Hunting Permits and Stamps from the main menu, then choose Add next to Antlerless Deer Permit, the zone for which you previously applied will appear on the next screen, then click Select to check whether you won a permit.
One of two messages will appear, either “Congratulations! You have been awarded an Antlerless Deer Permit and click check out to purchase it”, OR “Unfortunately you did not win”.
If you won, an Antlerless Deer Permit will be placed in the shopping cart, and you may proceed to check out to complete the $5.00 purchase. These permits will remain in your shopping cart until purchased or expired. Winners should print their permits upon completion of the transaction. All permits expire on December 31.
If you don’t have a computer, visit a MassWildlife office, or a license agent location. Staff at these locations will help you.
Forest Tours
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) foresters will be leading pre-harvest forest tours of prepared timber sale areas, discussing forest management techniques, providing a view of the trees designated for harvest, and explaining how harvest operations will take place. A detailed silviculture prescription for each harvesting operation will be provided to attendees. These tours culminate a public process that included public meetings and a written comment period on each project.
The tours will be conducted rain or shine as indicated below. Attendees are encouraged to dress for the weather and to wear sturdy shoes. For additional information about the tours and DCR forest management on State Forests, Parks, and Reservations, please contact William Hill, Management Forestry Program Supervisor, at 413-545-3891.
Two tours are scheduled for the Berkshires as follows:
Pittsfield State Forest, August 16 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. DCR Forester Kevin Podkowka will lead a tour of the 97 acre planned timber sale in a northern hardwood forest. Meet at the parking area in front of the gate, 1 mile south of Rt. 43 on Potter Mountain Road. Potter Mountain Road is accessed by taking Rt. 20 west past Hancock Shaker Village to Lebanon Springs, NY. From Rt. 20 in Lebanon Springs turn right and take Rt. 22 north to Stephentown, NY. From Rt. 22 in Stephentown turn right and take Rt.43 east for approximately 2.8 miles and Potter Mountain Road will be on the right. Follow Potter Mountain Road for approximately 1 mile south and the parking area will be on the left.
Sandisfield State Forest, August 17 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. DCR Forester Jeff Martin will lead a tour of the 75 acre planned timber sale in a northern red oak forest type. Meet at the York Lake Day Use Area, from where tour attendees will carpool to the site. The Day Use Area is .3 miles east from the intersection of Route 183, New Marlborough-Sandisfield Road and East Hill Road in New Marlborough. The tour of the timber sale will require an approximate 20 minute non strenuous walk to reach the project area.
Basic Hunting Course
All first-time hunters who wish to purchase a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license must complete a Basic Hunter Education course. A course will be taught at the Becket Town Hall, at 557 Main Street, on September 12 and 14 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, and on September 17 from 7:00am to 5:00pm. Attendance is required at all classes.
Questions/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com. Phone: (413) 637-1818.