New Land Protected

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Gene

At the March meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Supervisor, Andrew Madden, reported that MassWildlife recently acquired 70 acres of land in the town of Sheffield on Guilder Hollow Road. The property abuts the Dolomite Ledges Wildlife Management Area and contains open fields, steep cliff sides, and excellent habitat for deer, bear, turkey and other game species. Boundary marking and parking access will be completed this spring.
This and all other DFW wildlife management areas are open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping and other passive recreation such as bird watching, hiking, etc.

Black bears relocated from dangerous area

Well, we knew that sooner or later the black bear population would be spreading into eastern Massachusetts. To get there quicker, it appears that they are taking to the highways. Did you hear about the mama bear and her two cubs that denned up on a highway median strip along Route 2 in Templeton? The following information was obtained from the MassWildlife web site:

On the morning of March 14, MassWildlife, with the help of transportation and law enforcement officials, closed Rte. 2 in the Templeton area for a short period of time to successfully immobilize and relocate a GPS-collared female black bear with two cubs from a wintering den site in the highway median strip.
Based on the GPS-collar data, MassWildlife biologists know the adult female went into this den site for the winter in November. She gave birth to her cubs some time in mid to late January. MassWildlife officials chose to relocate the bear family to a safer and more suitable location in a nearby wooded area to reduce the risk of vehicle collision when the cubs grow large enough to travel with their mother. The exact relocation site is not being disclosed to protect the safety of the young cubs at this particularly vulnerable phase of their lives.
The adult female bear weighed 206 pounds; her two cubs (1 male and 1 female) each weighed a hefty 8+ pounds. The adult female is one of over thirty bears involved in a MassWildlife research project comparing differences between suburban-dwelling bears and bears residing in more rural areas. MassWildlife biologists are gathering data by collaring bears with radio telemetry and GPS-collars in the Berkshires, Connecticut River Valley, and Worcester County.
MassWildlife officials are reminding the public that March is the month when hungry bears emerge from their winter dens and seek out food. Natural foods such as acorns and other nuts are usually available on the ground, but last year’s fall hard mast crop was meager. Other seasonally available natural foods eaten by bears, such as skunk cabbage, are mostly ignored when there is an easy and more filling meal at backyard bird feeders, chicken coops, beehives, garbage cans, and dumpsters.

To prevent conflicts between people and bears, MassWildlife urges homeowners and food-related business in northern Middlesex County, Worcester County, western Massachusetts, or other areas where bears have been seen, to take down bird feeders and secure dumpsters and other waste containers. Beekeepers and poultry owners are advised to set up electric fencing as protection against marauding bears. For more information about black bears in Massachusetts and watch a video titled “Don’t Feed Bears, Keep Them Wild” visit mass.gov/bears.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

From time to time, I am asked why this column promotes the local annual Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) banquets. They note that we don’t have any elk around here, and there aren’t that many local sportsmen who go out west to hunt elk.

Well, there are a surprising number of elk hunters in our area, but let’s consider the following: Just in the year 2018, the RMEF carried out 179 habitat enhancement projects benefitting 134,699 acres in 27 states and permanently protected 13,431 acres in 8 states. Since inception in 1984, the RMEF protected or enhanced 7.4 million acres, roughly 3 ½ times the size of Yellowstone National Park.

During 2018 it opened/improved access to 26,566 acres in 5 states. Since inception, it opened or improved 1.2 million acres, roughly 2 ½ times the size of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

That same year volunteers in 500+ chapters across 49 states raised record revenue for local and nationwide conservation missions. (fence pulls, construction of wildlife water developments, are among a few). In just that year, it provided $715,617 in funding to assist with 39 elk research projects and studies in 14 states plus 7 projects with national implications.

Since inception the total value of its work is estimated to be $1.1 billion. It has assisted with successful elk reintroductions in Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Ontario, Canada.

The local RMEF banquets are always very well attended. I suspect that most people who attend them will never hunt elk, but never-the-less they do feel good about doing something to increase elk habitat and help assure their survival.

Remembering George “Gige” Darey

Well, it’s been about 3 months since George “Gige” Darey of Lenox passed away. Readers may recall that he served 38 years on the MA Fish & Wildlife Board, 35 of which as its chairman. I’m not sure that all the accolades bestowed onto him fully covered his accomplishments while serving on that board. So, let’s take a look back and consider some of what he accomplished while serving on that board as recapped by F&W Board Vice Chairman Mike Roche:
• In 1978, when Gige took his seat on the Board, there were 4,000 acres of land protected by DFW. Today there are over 200,000.
• The deer harvest was 3,107. Last year it was over 13,000.
• Wild turkey was an experiment in 1978. Now the kill is over 3,000 a year.
• There were no nesting bald eagles in 1978. Since then 702 eagles have fledged with 68 nesting pairs last year.
• The pheasant program got to a point where it became self-sustainable.
• Regulations requiring the switch from lead shot to steel shot for waterfowl hunters were implemented.
• The Piping Plover was an endangered species back then, but now MA has most of the east coast piping plover population.
• The National Heritage Program was transferred from the Department of Environmental Management to MassWildlife in 1990 and the non-game check-off on tax forms was implemented.
• Gige urged the implementation of the “Presumption of Openness”. Now all land purchased in the Commonwealth is presumed to be open to hunting and fishing.
• There has been no license fee increase in over 20 years.
• He was heavily involved in the establishment of the Mass Outdoor Heritage Foundation, a non-profit (501c3). Those funds are used for such projects as wild brook trout restoration, and other worthy projects.
• Unlike many other states that allows Sunday hunting, he was able to obtain compensatory hunting dates for migratory bird hunting in Massachusetts.
• The Deer Management Zone system was implemented to improve opportunity for sportsmen.
• The Wildlands Stamp was established where sportsmen self-imposed a $5 assessment to the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. These funds were to be dedicated exclusively to the protection of wildlife habitat open to hunting, fishing, and other wildlife related recreation and science-based management of wildlife and wildlife habitat.
• A financial partnership with Ducks Unlimited for conservation efforts in Canada was established.
• A Memorandum of Understanding with the Environmental Police was established to increase resources and improve the outdoor education programs.
• Gige promoted the Archery-in-the-Schools program.
• He was Board Chairman when construction of the new DFW headquarters took place– one of the world’s finest and most environmentally progressive buildings.
• He fought hard to keep the DFW Director’s position from becoming a political appointment and keeping it in the hands of fish and wildlife professionals.

And, if I may add a few more that Roche did not mention:
• He fought for and finally obtained the Trout Catch & Release Sections in the Housatonic River in Lee and Stockbridge, and while at it, got the trout stocking program established which enhanced it. He accomplished the same for the Millers River.
• He was heavily involved in the environmental battle with GE for clean-up of Housatonic River.
• Gige was heavily involved with the ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern) designation on the Housatonic River.
• Leveraging State and town funds, he played an important role with the Town of Lenox acquisition and conservation of the Post Farm, Parson’s Marsh and the Edith Wharton Park.

He accomplished a lot during that time period, ey?

Spring trout stocking begins soon

Posted on March 10, 2019 by Gene

Spring trout stocking begins soon

In its March, 2019 newsletter, MassWildlife reported that close to 500,000 brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout will be stocked this spring from its five hatcheries located in Sandwich, Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. These fish, coupled with the more than 65,000 fish stocked last fall, will provide some excellent fishing in the coming months.

Approximately 100,000 trout should be stocked in Western District waters.

The breakdown of the trout to be stocked are as follows:
• Most of the trout will be over 12 inches
• More than 45% of the trout will be over 14 inches
• More than 45,000 brook trout will be over 12 inches
• More than 50,000 brown trout will be over 12 inches
• More than 194,000 rainbow trout will be over 14 inches
• More than 800 brown trout will be over 18 inches
• 1,000 brook trout will be over 15 inches
• More than 2,500 tiger trout will be over 14 inches

Stocking was scheduled to begin in southeastern waters during the first full week of March with other regions of the state expected to follow soon after. The spring stocking is usually concluded sometime around Memorial Day.

Daily stocking updates are available at Mass.gov/Trout, or by contacting local district offices for the latest stocking information. I also plan to list the scheduled stocking locations in this column weekly.

Founding leader of MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program retires
After nearly 35 years of service, Dr. Tom French has retired from his position as Assistant Director of MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP). According to the above referenced MassWildlife March newsletter, Tom was hired in 1984 to lead the then newly-formed NHESP. With advanced degrees in zoology, ecology, and systematics, Tom was one of the first MassWildlife employees to not have a traditional game management background, and was the first employee hired to hold a PhD. Tom’s unique background and experience helped NHESP grow to what it is today, one of the strongest rare species programs in the country.
Beginning with just four staff, NHESP has since grown to twenty-nine as the Program’s responsibilities multiplied over time. Milestones along the way include the creation of the state’s first regulatory list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species (1985), passage of the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) in 1990, promulgation of MESA regulations (1992), publication of the first BioMap (2001), partnering with Mass DOT to create the Linking Landscapes Program (2009), publishing the 14th edition of the Priority Habitat Maps to aid in regulatory review for rare species (2017), and more. During these 35 years, bald eagles and peregrine falcons have returned to Massachusetts to nest and have flourished, populations of red-bellied cooters have expanded and stabilized, and northern right whales have become the center of extensive conservation attention. By all measures, Tom leaves behind an incredible legacy and leaves NHESP well positioned to tackle conservation challenges into the future.
Although in a managerial position, Tom didn’t just sit at a desk. He remained active in field work, especially when it came to scaling buildings, bridges, and cliffs to band peregrine falcons. He gave numerous talks and published countless articles on the conservation work of NHESP. He dissected prey item remains and prepared whale skeletons for museum collections throughout the country. Tom is a naturalist who is passionate about conservation and his active role in it.
MassWildlife noted that it is losing a great resource, friend, and advocate for the rare animals and plants of Massachusetts. However, it said, “NHESP will continue on, like the well-oiled machine that it is, because of Tom’s leadership and dedication in making the Program what it is today”.
Black bears are active and searching for food: take precautions
MassWildlife cautions us that black bears are now active and seeking food. If you live in northern Middlesex County, Worcester County, western MA, or other areas where bears have been spotted, it’s time to take down your bird feeders. Bears will often ignore natural foods including skunk cabbage in favor of an easy meal at a backyard bird feeder. Other species including wild turkeys and coyotes may also frequent bird feeders leading to a variety of nuisance issues. To avoid these problems, property owners are asked to be proactive by removing bird feeders and other potential food sources including garbage or open compost.
If you enjoy watching birds in your yard, MassWildlife suggests adding a water feature, growing native plants, shrubs, and trees to attract birds. It advises individuals to also secure bee hives, chickens, and livestock. Properly maintained electric fencing is the only way to protect chickens or bee hives from bears. Taking these actions may prevent the unnatural feeding of bears and other kinds of neighborhood wildlife.
Report winter fish kills
Again, from MassWildlife, it reminds us that during winter, thick ice and heavy snow cover can result in low dissolved oxygen levels in ponds. With increasing ice and snow packs, there is less light penetration through the water column. This alters chemical and biological processes, often resulting in a winter fish kill.
The vast majority of fish kills turn out to be caused by a natural event. However, it’s important for biologists to rule out other causes including pollution. Natural fish kills are generally the result of low dissolved oxygen levels (anoxia), spawning stress or fish diseases. Dissolved oxygen depletion is one of the most common causes of natural fish kills. Weedy ponds that are less than 15 feet deep are particularly vulnerable. This can be the case at any time of the year but generally occurs during severe winters or late spring/early summer.
Ice anglers may encounter signs of a low oxygen environment when they drill through the ice and notice the smell of rotten egg or observe sluggish or dying shiners. The odor is hydrogen sulfide gas which is a natural byproduct of low dissolved oxygen environments, and is not likely the result of pollution. Oxygen levels will be return to normal shortly after the ice melts in the spring.
If you observe dead fish, contact the Environmental Police’s 24-hour radio room at 1 (800) 632-8075. A MassWildlife biologist will review each situation to determine whether the kill is natural or requires a site investigation.

Basic Hunter Education courses being offered

The Lee Sportsmen’s Association will be conducting a 2-session Hunter Education Course at its clubhouse on 565 Fairview Street, Lee. The sessions will run from 6:00 to 9:00pm on Monday, March 25 and from 8:00am to 1:30pm on Saturday, April 13.

The Ashfield Rod & Gun Club will be conducting a 2-session course with Independent Study at 161 North Street, Plainfield. The sessions will run from 6:00 to 9:30 pm on Wednesday, March 27 and from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, April 13.

The East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club will be conducting a 6-session course at its clubhouse on 312 Henderson, Road, Williamstown. The sessions will run from 6:00 to 9:00pm on April 1, 5, 8, 12, 15 and 19.

The Worthington Rod & Gun Club will be conducting a 4-session course at 458 Dingle Road (Rte. 112), Worthington. The sessions will run from 5:30 to 9:00 pm on April 15, 16 and 19.

I am listing these courses well in advance so that you can enroll early. They fill up rapidly. For example, Basic Hunter Instructor Wayne McLain told me that there were over 50 students signed up for his class at the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club. To enroll in the courses, call (508) 389-7830. For more information, click onto http://www.mass.gov/service-details/basic-hunter-education-course-offerings.

Officers elected at Lenox Sportsmen’s Club

The following people were recently re-elected: President: Tom Ferguson, Vice President: Mark Jester, Secretary: Derek Dubin and Treasurer: Bernie Abramson, all of Pittsfield.

Readers may recall that in last week’s column, I noted that the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club takes archery seriously. This winter, they are having the biggest youth league that they have seen with more than 70 people taking part. Well, they are pretty serious about youth archery at the Lenox club, too. Instructor Mark Jester recently commented on Facebook that they also started off with more than 70 shooters in its youth archery league and most if not all of them are still sticking with it.

Small game hunting season closing for the year

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Gene

According to the MA fishing and hunting regulations, last Thursday, February 28, marked the end of cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare and fox hunting seasons until they reopen next fall. This week, March 8, the bobcat and coyote hunting seasons end.

You must report your fox and coyote harvest within 4 working days of the end of the season by reporting them at official check station or online. If you report your harvest online, write the confirmation number on a tag and attach the tag to the carcass or pelt. These confirmation numbers must stay attached to the pelt or carcass until that pelt or carcass is prepared for mounting or sold or tanned.

While we are on the subject of regulations, please be aware that there are several hunting season date errors in the printed version of the 2019 Guide to Freshwater Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Laws involving the bear, snowshoe hare, and furbearer seasons. While all digital versions of the Guide have been corrected, hard copy versions distributed at state offices, retailers, and other license vendors contain hunting season date errors. Click onto https://www.mass.gov/files/documents to find a 1-page hunting season summary with corrected season dates.

Jimmy Fund Ice Fishing Derby
The winners of the 33rd Annual Jimmy Fund Ice Fishing Derby which was held on February 10 were as follows:
Kids Division: 1st Place – Levi Starbird, a 9.25 lbs Pike; 2nd Place – Ricky Rando a 9.25 lbs Pike; 3rd Place – David Bonomi an 8.75lbs Pike.
Young Adults Division: 1st Place – James Lambert a 3.75lbs Brown Trout; 2nd Place – Andrew Clement a 2.75lbs Pickerel.
Adult Division: 1st Place – Ralph Wendling a 14.75lbs Pike; 2nd Place – Jake Burke a 12.25lbs Pike and 3rd Place – Jeff Kucka a 9.75lbs Pike.

Congratulations to all!

Public Meeting on the Conservation and Management of Hoosic River Fish

The Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA) will be having a State of the River Conference on March 11 at 6:00 PM on the campus of Williams College, Williamstown, MA. The event will be held in Room 3 of Griffin Hall. A campus map is available at: https://map.williams.edu.

This year’s conference will feature presentations from three state fisheries biologists from Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York. They will speak on the status and conservation of the fishery resources of the Hoosic River. Following their talks, HooRWA will moderate a panel discussion to enable in depth question and answer, and discussion.

The Hoosic River is known as an outstanding trout fishery through most of its passage from its headwaters in Massachusetts down river into New York. In the lower New York reaches, it also provides excellent smallmouth bass and panfish angling.

Yet the River has challenges, including long-term warming trends, disturbance to the banks of the River causing erosion and siltation, presence of harmful environmental contaminants, and on-going development pressures throughout the watershed.

The HooRWA, with the assistance of the Williams College Center for Environmental Studies, will provide the public an opportunity to ask fisheries experts about the status of the fishery and the current management challenges. By bringing together agency professionals from all three states, the HooRWA seeks to cultivate a tristate discussion that could lead to a greater level of collaboration and cooperation in efforts to monitor the status of the fishery resource, and to adopt appropriate conservation measures to ensure long term benefits for our citizens.

Light refreshments and snacks will be provided

Archery Tournament

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club will be having its Berkshire Championship Archery Tournament on March 16 and March 17. It is a 450-Round Archery Shoot for the benefit of its Scholarship Fund – Aim for Higher Education at the Buckhorn Archer’s Indoor Range, 24 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA. The classes of competition are: Adults: compound, freestyle men, compound freestyle women; Bow Hunter Compound Men (Release and Fingers combined); Bow Hunter Compound Women (Release and Fingers combined); Traditional Longbow or Recurve. Choose any one of 3 shooting times: Saturday March 16 at 4:00 pm, Sunday March 17, 9:00 am or 1:00 pm, Youth Shoot 11:00 am Sunday.

There will be a Chinese Raffle and Silent Auction.

Tickets Only – Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner Saturday at 6:00 pm – Adults $25 and 12 & Under $10. a Pancake Breakfast on Sunday 7:30 to 11:00am – Adults $8 and 12 & Under $5.
For tickets to dinner, preregister, directions or questions, contact John Mange (518)794-7868 or John Davis (413) 446-9062.

They really take archery seriously at the SSC. This winter, they are having the biggest youth league that they have seen with more than 70 people taking part. The shooting takes place on Saturday mornings.

Keeping with the SSC, congratulations go to Bob Cameron for winning the Red Nose Skeet Championship which was held on December 30. This win follows up his Club Championship last fall.

Its “Déjà Vu” for our Onota Lake Bald Eagles

A message from local wildlife photographer Mark Thorne is as follows: “Its that time of year again for the eagles to be setting up “house” in preparation for another (hopefully) successful year. Same pair as the past several years: female (blue band T98) now in her 17th year, and her mate (gold band WR8) now 13 years old. They have been a pair nesting here since 2014. The female has been at this lake for much longer. I’ve been photographing her since 2007, although I was only able to confirm her identity in 2011”.

“As always, the female is very tolerant of my presence; the male less so. If I pretend that I’m going about some activity he stays, but if I stop and look up at him, he bolts within a minute or two. She will sit watching me for hours without moving.”

“I never tire watching them every year”, Mark said.

Thank you, Mark, and we never get tired of admiring your outstanding photos.

Fly-fishing Film Festival

The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited invites you to enjoy its fly-fishing film festival at the
Chrissy Farm at the Barrington Brewery in Great Barrington on March 7 at 6:30 pm.
There are 9 award winning film shorts that take you to Alaska, French Polynesia, Yellowstone, the South Fork, and Australia to witness fly-fishing adventures in full color and sound. Trout, sharks, salmon and steelhead are found in some of their grandest habitats.

Taconic TU organizer Bill Travis encourages you to get there early and have a meal and/ or sample their on-location homemade beers. There will be an opportunity to enter a silent auction to win Costa sunglasses, Scientific Angler line, Simms Guide nippers, a Thomas and Thomas Avanti Rod, Yeti Roadie, Ross Reel and other items. (Ooh, bring some cash. This is high quality stuff!)

Tickets are $15 on-line and $20 at the door. On-line tickets are $15 and are available at: https://flyfilmtour.myeventscenter.com/event/Great-Barrington-Ma-31230.

Club Turkey Shoots

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club and Lee Sportsmen’s Association will be having turkey shoots at their respective clubhouses starting today and running every Sunday through March 31. The hours for the Lenox shoots are from noon to 3:00 pm and the Lee club shooting hours are from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Both clubs will be offering the winners NY strip steaks, turkeys, pork loins and spiral hams.

The “Greek” now fishes beyond the riverbend

John Kastrinakis, of Lenox, formerly of Lee, fondly referred to as “the Greek”, passed away this past week at the age of 84. A Taconic Chapter TU founding member and its treasurer for the first four or five years of existence, he was a long-time TU Board member. He was also a member of the Atlantic Salmon Federation and he took frequent salmon fishing trips to New Brunswick fishing for the “king of fish”. with friends from the Springfield area. He taught fly tying and fly fishing classes and developed his own well-known killer trout fly called the Greek Grabber. He was a recipient of Taconic TU’s prestigious Crooked Staff Award. He was a valued member of the ROMEOS (Retired Old Men Eating Out).

Our sincerest condolences go out to John’s wife Joyce and family who also recently lost a son/sibling Paul.

Four new members were inducted into the New England Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame

Posted on February 24, 2019 by Gene

On February 2, 2019 the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) held its New England Turkey Hunting Awards banquet at the Holiday Inn in Concord, N.H. Award recipients were: Stew Bristol, from Maine, Ed Cotter from New Hampshire and Ellie Horwitz and Joe Judd from Massachusetts. This column is about the Massachusetts recipients.

Joe Judd, a member of the MA State Board of Directors of NWTF said this about Ellie: “Ellie Horwitz served the MA DFW as the of Chief of Information and Education for 34 years until her retirement in June, 2011. She was a strong supporter of the NWTF and was a leading advocate behind the Becoming an Outdoors Women (BOW) movement in Massachusetts. Referred to as a “Renaissance Woman”, she held her own in a male dominated field by quickly establishing herself in a role where a woman in an authoritative position was almost unheard of. Her work with the Division was nothing less than remarkable and her teaching skills and innovative thought process brought much to sportsmen and women in MA.”

“In the very early years of turkey hunting in MA, she took to it quickly, realizing the opportunities it could offer to all who love the outdoors and hunting in our State. And she was comfortable and confident in any setting she found herself in whether it be attending the opera, turkey hunting, or in a tense meeting with unhappy sportsmen and other DFW officials.

Her determination to watch women carve out a niche in this great sport was accomplished through her hard work, knowledge, and ability to communicate the message of, “Becoming an Outdoor Women “, clearly and convincingly while offering every program she could find. Everything from bird watching to big game hunting to Dutch oven cooking! It was amazing to watch her work and see the fruits of her labor evolve into an inspirational journey that continues today, literally, throughout the country.

In 1985, she Introduced Project WILD, a national conservation education program for teachers in schools, educators at nature centers, parks and other educational venues. This program began in partnership with Mass Audubon for over 10 years due to their connections with educators across the state.

In 1990, she conceived an interstate watershed education project partnering with NH Fish and Game Department, Mass Audubon, UMass-Lowell and Merrimack Watershed Association, where middle and high school students learned about and conducted water quality tests on any stream, brook or river that eventually made its way to the Merrimack River.

In 1996, she began the Massachusetts BOW program with a weekend of outdoor skills sessions at Eastover Resort in Lenox. Some 68 participants, including many Berkshire outdoorswomen attended this first-time endeavor. Supporters of the program range from the Mass. Sportsmen’s Council, County Leagues, NWTF and many others. Weekend workshops were offered for several years, then some one day and overnight programs offered ranging from Shooting Sports, Winter Survival, Tracking in Winter, Coastal Fishing, Paddling, Becoming an Outdoors Family, to name a few.

In 1999, she initiated turkey hunting seminars and guided hunts for outdoorswomen at Fort Devens that began a partnership with the military that is still going strong today.

Her trusted colleague and longtime friend, Marion Larsen, MassWildlife’s current Chief of Information & Education, said this of Ellie: “In the work that we do, and so much of what Ellie taught me, PARTNERSHIP and COLLABORATION are a big part of how we, and how Ellie got things accomplished. We work in an environment that essentially runs on a shoe-string budget … and partners pooling resources can get things done. That’s what is so great about the partnerships Ellie had, and what we still have today, with groups like NWTF. Ellie realized this and had the vision to nurture these partnerships, thus accomplishing so much as an educator, wildlife biologist and friend. I owe you so much Ellie for helping me in learning to look at projects and programs from partnership perspectives — many hands make light work, which allows everyone to rise with the tide in the spirit, that Ellie taught us, of working together.”

I will leave you with this, said Joe Judd, “ Ellie Horwitz is a friend to all who love the outdoors, who love the land we all have use of, and who respect all God’s creatures, both great and small”.

Incidentally, she is an officer of the New England Outdoor Writer’s Association, serving as its Secretary for many years. She is quite an accomplished hunter not only for turkeys, but she has even successfully hunted big game in Africa.

On a personal note, I first met Ellie when the BOW program was being held here in the Berkshires. I taught fly tying classes for them for several years. Unfortunately, I had to stop as other commitments were taking my time on the same weekend in June.

One cold, stormy, wintery night, Ellie showed up at a Berkshire County League of Sportsmen meeting at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club in the foothills of Mount Greylock. She wasn’t listed on the program agenda and I wondered what on earth could bring her to the Berkshires on such a miserable night. It turned out that she drove all that way from Concord, MA to present me with a plaque of appreciation for teaching those fly-tying classes for the BOW Program. After she presented it, she drove back home that night. I will never forget that. That’s the kind of person Ellie is.

After presenting Ellie her plaque, Joe sat down, but not for long. Ron Gleason, another member of the MA State Board of Directors of NWTF, surprised Joe by calling him to the podium and presenting him with his own Hall of Fame plaque.

“Joe Judd is a great turkey hunter”, said Gleason, “who has hunted wild turkeys in 15 or more states, including New England, has been a spokesperson for the NWTF for decades, always doing the best possible job in supporting our message. His dedication to turkey hunting and the NWTF spans over 40 years, starting when he saw his first wild turkey in1976. It was love at first sight and his journey to start learning all he could about this bird, had begun. “Little did I know at the time how this bird would not only lead me into a unique hunting experience but also forever change my life in ways I would have never dreamed of!” said Joe.

Joe’s life as a hunter started at a very young age, but his wild turkey hunting career didn’t begin until 1978, on a hill in the Green Mountains, and from that moment on it just never stopped. Being an Independent Insurance Agent allowed him the independence needed to hone is hunting skills. And hone them he did! In 1979, he was asked to write an outdoor column for a small local newspaper, which was just starting up. Thus, a second career had begun and 40 years later his column “On the Ridge,” published in The Greenfield Recorder is being read in New England and beyond.

In 1980, a NWTF chapter was formed in Massachusetts and it wasn’t long before Joe became involved. “Those early years were filled with the “grassroots” of hard work, just trying to get a Chapter off to a good start, especially in a small state like Massachusetts, where a wild turkey was about as foreign to most, as you could imagine” said Joe.

It was during this time that he began to learn about the mission and message of the NWTF. He began working closely with other early committee members just trying to drum up interest and recruit other members. Since those humble beginnings Joe has shown his dedication to the NWTF in so many ways. For example:

In 1988, Joe worked with MA DFW Turkey Biologist Jim Cardoza to initiate funding to create and distribute the first Educational Information Boxes (Safety Leads to Success). He also worked with Jim and with other New England States, in the Live Trap and Transfer Programs.

In 1989, he joined the Quaker Boy Pro Staff which not only expanded his hunting expertise, but also allowed him to work with Dick Kirby, and so many others, producing turkey hunting videos all over the country. This also began his career as a seminar speaker doing over 275 seminars over the past 30 years throughout New England and the East Coast

During that same period Joe has been a Master of Ceremonies in nearly 100 NWTF sanctioned turkey-calling contest in New England and beyond. Prior to this, he served as a judge for many years.

He was chairperson of the first fund raising banquet that exceeded the $10,000 mark in Massachusetts. (Quite an accomplishment 30 years ago). He remained chairperson of the fund-raising banquet for the next three years.

He was also a Local Chapter President later becoming State Chapter President for 2 terms. While State Chapter President Joe spearheaded many projects, one of which was the designation of November 18 as “Eastern Wild Turkey Day”. Working closely with Governor William Weld, he led to the Wild Turkey being named as, “The State Game Bird of Massachusetts”. A special print, along with a Companion Box Call set, was commissioned and spearheaded by Joe twice, benefitting the chapter financially.

As State Chapter President Joe was on the Blue-Ribbon panel that the created the “Be Safe Stickers” which are still used today. Joe also worked with the State on turkey hunting season expansion and limit extensions.

He initiated the efforts to create the first Massachusetts State Chapter Scholarship which
continues today

He worked as a seminar speaker for the first ever Youth Turkey Hunting program in Massachusetts

In 2013 he received the Roger Latham Award which is the highest award given to an NWTF volunteer.

Joe is still working hard as a member of the State Board of Directors. He still does between 8-10 seminars a year and continues to work with the Massachusetts BOW Program. He still conducts seminars in many school districts talking about the State’s number one conservation success story, the re- introduction of the Eastern Wild Turkey.

Ron Gleason wrapped it up by saying, “Joe Judd is a great turkey hunter, sportsmen, and advocate for the sport of hunting. And I know of only a hand-full of people who have devoted more time, energy, and resources in promoting our message as a living, true ambassador of the sport of turkey hunting. He then quoted Joe’s words, “I continue to work for the good of this organization ensuring that the gobble of the Eastern Wild Turkey will never again fall silent in our beautiful New England Hills.”

Wow! A couple of very worthy award recipients, wouldn’t you say?

Berkshire Beagle Club, still flourishing after all these years

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Gene

In the fall of 1979, the late Ted Giddings wrote this headline in his Berkshire Eagle outdoor sports column entitled Our Berkshires, “Beagle Club flourishing”. He wrote that the club, which was formed in 1932, “had experienced ups and downs but was in better shape than ever with a closed membership of 55.” Well, in the 40 years that have since elapsed, the club has experienced more ups and downs, but today it still survives, has 55 members and there is still a waiting list to join. The feeling remains that restricting membership to 55 is in the best interest of the club. Too many hunters with beagles would stress the bunnies.

Its amazing that the little club has been able to survive some 87 years now. To be sure, there have been many changes over the years. In the earlier days, there was no internal organization and the only likely beaglers were a handful of small game hunters who sought a way to keep their hunting dogs in training during the months of the year when hunting seasons were closed.

In fact, the first formal meeting of 7 members took place in a funeral parlor. That’s according to Gary Menin who wrote an excellent article about the Berkshire Beagle Club in a 1998 issue of the Massachusetts Wildlife Magazine entitled The Berkshire Beagle Club. He is the son of the late Anthony “Bucky” Menin, a BBC member in the early 1950’s and one-time chairman of the licensed field trials.

According to Gary Menin, there were insufficient funds to purchase any substantial real estate and the earlier trials took place wherever the group was allowed (Lands in West Pittsfield, Lee, Windsor, etc).

The club formed a corporation in June 1951 with the principal officers being: Earl Holt, Karl D. Henry, Robert Minkler, Wellington Nadeau, Elmer Jones, H.C. Huddleston and Harry C Ward. Another founding member was Paul Husky. According to Gary Menin, the group began to grow and, the membership realized that the use of random acreage for training grounds wasn’t sensible. Bunnies leave areas whenever the food supply becomes depleted through forest succession. The members learned how to entice the bunnies by building them shelters (such as brush piles) from weather and predators. Cutting trees and brush to make shelters results in young sprouts, an attractive food for the bunnies. However, most landowners were not always fond of tree cutting on their properties and prohibited it.

Menin noted that the beaglers saved their money and in 1954 were able to purchase 90 + acres in Richmond, MA. According to former Club Secretary David Norton of Pittsfield, they purchased a piece of land and it came with a “19th century mansion. He remembers it having a giant circular staircase. The members converted it into a clubhouse, but it proved too expensive to maintain and it was sold. The house was moved to a place on Rte. 295 in Richmond near the Hillside Orchard and restored. They subsequently purchased a second parcel on the other side of Sleepy Hollow Road. The current clubhouse was built by members in 1961 for $6,000. Some 72 of the club’s 90 acres were enclosed by fencing.

During Norton’s time, he remembers members: Harry Ward, Manual Lester, Mr. Mancivielano, Steve Strauss, George Hamilton, Ken Huddleston, Lambert “Mickey” McGinty, Thomas Dellert, Bill Danford, George Huddleston, Bucky Menin, Syl Lanoe, Carl Henry, Bob Kingsley, George Ripulsa, Ken Hanson, Arthur Giftos, Paul Mangin, Pete Barzie, Lorenzo Briggs, Robert Haunch, Walter Snook, Ed Tierney, Bob Minkler, Al Mazzeo, and others. (Names from the past, ey?) He said that Bucky Menin did more work at the beagle club than any other man.
Over time the membership grew considerably and it was inducted as a member of the American Kennel Club and became subject to the rules and privileges of the AKC. They began having “field trials” (competitive events between members of the BBC and other clubs recognized by the AKC). These AKC Sanctioned field trials continue to this day with three of them being held in 2018.

In the 1980’s or1990’s about 22 acres of land along Dublin Road were sold to the gas company so now there are 35 acres of land which contains the clubhouse on one side of Sleepy Hollow Road and 33 acres on the other side.

In its earlier days, to raise funds, Sunday turkey shoots were conducted. Wives did a lot of work such as cooking and baking pies for turkey dinners. Deb Kuni, Dave Norton’s daughter, remembers going to the club house with her parents on weekends when the wives were cooking. She said that she would sometimes be allowed to help with small chores like setting the tables. The women were all baking and cooking in the big kitchen, laughing and talking.” It was always so warm in there and smelled so good!”, Deb said, and she was torn between wanting to be inside with her mom or outside running the dogs with her dad.

Some days when there weren’t trials going on, Dave would let her go with him to run their dogs. She would shag rabbits and help him keep track of where they went. He showed her how to help the dogs to pick up the trail when the rabbit jumped under a brush pile or went down a hole.

Tim Minkler, son of co-founder Robert Minkler, remembers his late father taking him and his sister to Shadowbrook for 5:00 am Mass, listening to the Seminarians sing, and rushing out to the Beagle Club in time to set up for a Beagle trials on Sunday morning. He remembers that in front of the Club house was a well with an old fashion handle that you had to pump to get the water to flow. “Great fun for kids that were 5 and 6 years old.” He also remembers those pies as being a “big deal”. “I never knew there were so many versions of apple pie.” he said.

On a personal note, although not members, our family benefitted greatly from the BBC. In the 1940-1950’s, my first cousin William Kincaid was a member and big into the field trials, winning some of them and judging others. He bred his own dogs and frequently he would end up having too many pups or perhaps having one that for one reason or another, didn’t meet AKC 13 or 15-inch size specifications (or perhaps he wanted a male and not a female and he would give us those dogs). I can’t remember a time growing up when we didn’t have 2 or 3 great hunting dogs. It was a natural progression for me to eventually take up rabbit hunting and ultimately join the club.

There have been changes over the years. They began raising their own snowshoe hares and cottontail rabbits, gradually released them on club property as needed- the cottontails on one side of Sleepy Hollow Road and the hares on the other. Those bunnies in the rearing pens are treated like royalty – fed, watered, medicated, protected from predators, etc. In addition to the annual dues ($200) and hosting field trials, the club began having bunny hunts in Januarys to help offset its expenses. (No hunting allowed on club property). Sadly, there are no baked pies and turkey dinners anymore, but John Demary, Teddy Billis and others make mean venison and bear meals. During the field trials they and other volunteers prepare the meals.
It was necessary to raise the fencing to 8 feet to prevent deer from jumping over it. (The last thing that a beagler wants is to have his dogs take up chasing deer). To prevent bears, fisher cats, bob cats and other unwanted critters from preying on the bunnies, it was also necessary to put an electric fence along the top of the fence to keep them out. Owls and other raptors started to take their toll on the bunnies and steps had to be taken to protect them. Some perching trees had to be cut, special night blinking lights were installed and screening or other preventative measures were placed atop the rearing pens.
These days, the leaders and heavy lifters of the BBC are: Robert Jones, Jeff St John, Richard Kalisz, John Demary, Rob Kane, Tom King, Pat Barry, Tim Cahoon, Rodney Hicks, Al Costa, Berny Drysgola, and Ray Meandro. (My apologies to anyone that I may have missed). The club is in good hands.
Unfortunately, the amount of local rabbit hunting habitat has severely declined due to development or lands prohibiting hunting. The Berkshire Beagle Club is the only beagle club in the Berkshires where one can unhitch his dog and let it do its thing without fear of being preyed upon, hit crossing a road or getting lost. All persons of good and reputable character, who are really interested in the future of the purebred beagle, are eligible for membership in the Berkshire Beagle Club. Each person applying for membership must complete a membership application and be sponsored by a current member of the Club. The prospective member must also agree to carry his/her share of the maintenance workload.

Many thanks to: Gary Menin, Don Puntin, Dave Norton, Deb Kuni, Dan Barry, and Tim Minkler for providing information for this article.
Gun Course
The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club has announced that the next Mass State Compliant LTC and UTAH gun course will be held on Sunday, February 17, from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm at its clubhouse off of New Lenox Road in Lenox. The price list is as follows: $70.00 MA, $125.00 UT, $125.00 AZ, $125.00 CT and $125.00 FL. Stand-alone prices listed, combine any two for $150.00 – any additional state above two is $50. You must pre-register. For more information, contact Tom Nadolny at (413) 822-6451 or tnadolny1@gmail.com.

Rescued attempt for deer has sad ending

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Gene

On Thursday morning, January 17, The Western District Office of MassWildlife was called upon to rescue a 180-190 lbs buck that was stuck on the ice on Pontoosuc Lake. According to DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden, the deer was splayed out on the ice, couldn’t get any grip and appeared to be injured. Although there was a lot of blood and the animal’s tail was missing, the DFW staff was hopeful that after assessing its injuries, perhaps they could treat and release it back into the wild.

They had to tranquilize it in order to free it from the ice. DFW Wildlife Biologist Nate Buckhout slowly and cautiously approached the deer with a tranquilizer gun. He tried not to startle the deer and keep it as stress-free as possible to avoid it from trying to get up and hurting itself more. The deer was alert and tried to get up but the ice was too slick

“Nate took a good shot getting the immobilizer into the deer. The drugs worked pretty quickly and all went pretty well,” Madden said. The buck was loaded onto a sled and dragged off by MassWildlife personnel to be assessed. At that time, it wasn’t known whether the deer would survive the wounds and traumatic event.

Thank goodness the ice was solid and they could get to the deer because, if not, they would have had to work with the fire departments on water rescue which can be risky.

After assessing the deer, MassWildlife personnel discovered more serious injuries and determined that they were far too serious for the deer to recover. Unfortunately, they had to euthanize it.

Madden felt that perhaps the deer was chased onto the ice by coyotes, fell down and couldn’t get up due to its being so slippery. On that day the ice was hard with no snow on which to grip.

Although it was not a happy ending, give credit to MassWildlife and all involved for their valiant efforts to try to save that deer.

Want to learn how to ice fish? Attend a Family Ice Fishing Festival
MassWildlife advises us to not let winter keep us indoors. Ice fishing provides anglers with the unique opportunity to fish on a lake or pond without a boat during the cold winter months. If you’re looking to learn how to ice fish, join MassWildlife’s Angler Education Program at an upcoming event this winter.
Two Family Ice Fishing Festivals are scheduled for the Western District this year. Both are free and open to the public with no pre-registration required.
February 2 in Pittsfield – A learn to ice fish event at Pontoosuc Lake (81 Narragansett Avenue) from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Park on the street around the park and walk onto the lake from there.)
February 9 in Chesterfield – A learn to ice fish event at Scout Pond – Tolgy Wood (the old Chesterfield Scout Reservation at Sugar Hill Road in Chesterfield) from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Bring your ice fishing equipment, or borrow theirs; equipment and bait will be available on a first come, first served basis. These events are in cooperation with the Western Massachusetts Boy Scout Council. For more information contact Jim Lagacy at jim.lagacy@mass.gov or (508) 389-6309. PLEASE NOTE: Less than 6″ of safe ice, rain, or heavy snow will cancel the events.
Basic Hunter Education courses being offered
By state law, if you are 18 years of age or older and you want to purchase your first-ever hunting license, you must complete a Basic Hunter Education course. Hunters 12 to 17 years of age must adhere to the regulations which are specific to their age. While minors are not mandated to complete a Basic Hunter Education, it is a prerequisite for certain youth programs and it allows minors 15 to 17 years of age to hunt without direct supervision.
In a Basic Hunter Education course, students receive instruction in the safe handling and storage of hunting arms and ammunition, hunting laws and ethics, care and handling of game, and wildlife conservation. Courses are typically 15 hours in length and are offered in different formats to meet the public’s needs. Students under the age of 18 will need a parent or legal guardian’s permission to attend this course. All courses are free of charge and open to the public.
The Cheshire Rod & Gun Club will be conducting a 6 session Hunter Education Course at its clubhouse on 310 Curran Road, Cheshire. The sessions will run from 6:00 to 9:00pm on February 18, 22, 2 and March 1, 4 and 8.
A similar 6 session course will be held at the Pittsfield High School, 300 East Street, Pittsfield. The sessions will also run from 6:00 to 9:00pm on March 5, 7, 12, 14, 19 and 21.
If these courses are not convenient for you, Basic Hunting Instructor Wayne McLain plans to teach a course at the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club in Williamstown sometime in April, but the dates have not been firmed up yet. As soon as the dates have been established, I’ll pass them on in this column.
To enroll in either course, call (508) 389-7830. Don’t wait! These courses fill up rapidly.
It may be more convenient for you to take the Basic Hunter Education course in another state. A government-issued Basic Hunter Education certificate from any U.S. State, Mexico, or Canada is accepted to meet the prerequisites for purchasing a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license. Many states near Massachusetts allow non-residents to attend their hunter education course offerings.
If you are using your certificate to becoming eligible for your first-ever hunting license and apply for a firearms license please be aware that your local police department will not accept an out-of-state certificate.
For more information, click onto http://www.mass.gov/service-details/basic-hunter-education-course-offerings.

On the Water TV show features Berkshire Waters

Rick O’Neill, of Pittsfield, was fortunate enough last May to get together with Chris Megan, Publisher of On the Water magazine/television show, and Dave Hadden of Old Town Kayaks to film a couple of days of smallmouth and trout fishing in the Southern Berkshires.

According to Rick, they had 2 tremendous days of fishing and filming that included drone and underwater footage. They caught tons of smallmouth bass ranging from 1 ½ lbs to 6 lbs on a pond in Great Barrington. Sorry, you will have to watch the program to see exactly where they caught them.

The show will be airing on Sunday, February 10 at 10:00 am on Channel 26 NBC Boston. While Rick hasn’t seen the final footage, he knows for a fact that they also took lots of film of local attractions and will be trying to promote all that we have to offer here in the Berkshires.

2018 black bear harvest was down 25% from previous year

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Gene

At the January Meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden presented the statewide 2018 preliminary black bear harvest report. He reported that during the three hunting seasons in 2018, a total of 201 bears were harvested. This represents a drop from the 270 bears taken in 2017 and the record 283 bears taken in 2016. A breakdown by season is as follows: First season (Sept. 4 – Sept. 22): 150 bears harvested, Second season (Nov. 5 – Nov. 24): 26, and the Shotgun season (Nov. 26 – Dec. 8): 25.
He reported that the September and November seasons were virtually identical in 2017 (151 and 26). The big decrease in harvest in 2018 was during the Shotgun season. He speculated that bears were active very late in 2017, resulting in a high Shotgun season harvest, 91 bears taken. The lack of hard mast in 2018 saw bears enter their dens early which resulted in a corresponding reduction in the Shotgun season harvest, with only 25 bears taken.
Although these were preliminary figures, Madden does not expect the total to change significantly. There are a lot of bears out there and he expects that the 2019 harvest will climb back to the 270 range.
Sportsmen’s Clubs archery/shooting leagues gearing up for the new year
The Lee Sportsmen’s Association (LSA) in-house Winter Pistol League will commence Tuesday, January 15 at 6:30pm and continue every Tuesday for 10 weeks. It will feature both rim fire and center fire pistol matches, and rim fire rifle competitions. There will be 4 events in all. The cost will be $40.00 for one event and $5.00 for each event after that.
They will start at 6:30pm shooting the rim fire rifle match. Each shooter will shoot 30 rounds at a 50 ft. small bore rifle target. Shooters may lean against the front of the port and rest their elbows on the top of the port. Rifles may be equipped with scopes.
At 7:00pm, they will shoot an NRA gallery rim fire bullseye pistol match. Each shooter will shoot 10 rounds at a standard 50 ft. slow fire target, 10 rounds at a standard 50 ft. timed fire target, and 10 rounds at a standard rapid-fire target. The NRA gallery match is shot one-handed; however, they do allow a two-handed class for their league for those who would rather shoot two-handed.
There will be a combat match when the NRA gallery match is finished. Shooters will fire 25 rounds into a silhouette target at three different positions. The ammunition used will be any 9mm or larger.
For more information, please contact Larry Curtin at (413) 822-3764 or clcurtin9@hotmail.com.

The LSA will be having a Youth Archery League on Saturday mornings beginning January 12 through March 16. It is advertised as a safe, fun, and educational experience, where children ages 6 to 17 can learn and practice archery skills. The club provides everything the student needs, but if you would like to bring your own, that is OK, too.

The cost is $20 per participant and includes: indoor archery range use, bows, arrows, targets, weekly snacks, and t-shirts for new students. Session 1 for Ages 6-12 are from 9:00am to 10:30am and Session 2 for Ages 13-17 are from 10:30am to 12:00pm. Call or text Coach Doug Frank at (413) 822-0720 for more information, or if you wish to discuss placing a student in a different session for any reason.

The LSA is also having a Thursday Night Archery League. It runs from January 17 through March 7 and begins at 6:00pm. You will be shooting at foam 2D targets. There is a $20 fee. Contact Todd Bush at (413) 441-2094 for more information.

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club (LSC) will be having its Bullseye League starting tomorrow night at 7:00pm and running 11 weeks until March 19. The shoots include .22 Caliber at 50 feet and Centerfire at 75 feet. The same Bullseye League also runs on Thursdays at 12:00 noon. That one started last Thursday.
The LSC Rifle League started this morning at 10:00 am with .22 Caliber rifle at 50 ft. & 75 ft
For more information contact Ray Scheufler- 413-443-3059 or E-mail rps94@msn.com.

The LSC Adult and Youth Archery Leagues start the first and second weeks in January. Its Youth Archery League started on January 12 from 9:00 to 10:30 am for youths 8 to 12 years old and from 10:30am to 12:00pm for 13 to 16-year olders. They are free and some equipment is available for beginners. Contact Mark Jester (413)499-8482. They also have a Club 3D Archery League on Mondays (contact Brian Vincent at (413)443-2098 for details) and a 2D Archery League on Wednesday – Friday and Saturdays (contact Jim Ferguson (413)499-0212.)
The LSC will be having a .22LR Rifle League this year. For those interested in participating, the league will run on Sundays starting at 10:00am. For more information contact Charles Kronick at 413-448-6065 or email chak219@yahoo.com.
The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club began its Youth Archery League yesterday. Although sign-up was yesterday you might still be able to enter it. The league will run for 10 Saturdays, starting on January 12. The club provides all equipment or you may bring your own. Non-members are welcome. You can download and mail a registration form along with a $40 fee. Anyone of interest and is able to assist should contact Mike Buffoni.

Coyote Derby
Dave’s Sporting Goods in Pittsfield is having its Coyote Derby again this year. It will run until the end of coyote hunting season which is March 8, 2019. Entrance fee is $10 and prizes will be awarded to the person who bags the most coyotes, the largest coyote and there will also be a random draw.
Marlborough FlyFishing Show

The 2019 Fly Fishing Show will take place from January 18 through 20 at the Royal Plaza Trade Center,181 Boston Post Road, West Marlborough, MA. The show’s newest edition features a tribute ceremony to the late fly-fishing icon Lefty Kreh on Saturday, plus more than 10 demonstrations or audio/visual presentations each hour together with wall-to-wall displays of the newest fly rods, reels, lines, boots, waders, clothing and flies during the three-day mid-winter run.
In addition to tackle, lodges and exotic destinations, show visitors can view continuous fly-tying demonstrations, how-to-do-it seminars and presentations ranging from the Rangeley Lakes in Western Maine to Surf Fishing for Striped Bass.
Seminars include Euro-nymphing, Tightline and Other Nymph Fishing Secret Weapons by Jason Randall to Catching Difficult Trout by Ed Engle. Casting demonstrations are scheduled by Gary Borger, George Daniel, Jeff Currier and Sheila Hassan among others.
Featured fly tiers include Borger, Alan Caolo, Tim Flagler, Joe Cordiero, Bob Clouser and Engle.
The northeastern premiere of the 2019 Fly Fishing Film Festival is Friday at 6:30. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
Scouts in uniform can earn credits toward a fly-fishing merit badge.
The FlyFishing Show® admission is $15 for one day, $25 for two days and $35 for three days. Children under age 5 are free as are Boy and Girl Scouts under 16 in uniform. Children under 12 are $5. Active military with an ID are $10.
For a complete list of fly-fishing films, classes, seminars, door prizes, demonstrations and the Scout Merit Badge program, visit flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/ or phone (814) 443-3638.

Armstrong youngsters have a great deer hunting season

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Gene

Readers may remember the December 2, 2018 column titled Lenox Youth’s arrow drops after-school buck. The article was about 17-year old Richard (Ricky) Armstrong and how he dropped a 10-point, 215lbs buck while archery hunting on November 19.
Well, on December 24, his 13-year old brother Brendan, while hunting with his father Richard, brother Ricky and uncle Harold Armstrong, dropped the pictured 8-point 190lbs buck, using a muzzleloader firearm. His older brother Ricky drove the deer into them and Brendan made a 100-yard shot.
“It was kind of crazy”, said Brendan, “The deer came running like wicked fast but my dad yelled at it three times and got it to stop and I put the scope on it. When I shot, I couldn’t tell if I hit it real good.” (The smoke from the black powder blocked his view). “It ran, and we couldn’t really see it. When we found it, it had only run about 75 yards. I was shocked!”.
His dad had previously told him if his brother Ricky pushes anything good into him, make sure to put the crosshairs on its chest. That’s just what Brendan did. Brendan’s dad said that it was a 100-yard shot and he couldn’t have hit it any better. It went about 60-75 yards after being hit.” There was some snow and they trailed it and found it about 75 yards away. It was a long drag, but Uncle Harold caught up with them and helped drag it out of the woods. The couple of inches of snow really helped them drag it out.
You weren’t shaking or anything were you? I asked him. “I really didn’t have time to shake”, he said, “it came so fast that I was kind of ready. After I shot it, I was shaking a little.” The antler “green score” was roughly around 136 or 137 inches, a little less than young Ricky’s 167 3/8inch score. They intend to get that deer mounted also, just like Ricky is having his mounted. Brendan and I discussed how cool it will be to have two large mounted deer heads on the wall. I asked him if he had a nice den wall to put them in and he said that they will be hung on the wall on each side of the TV.
Brendan took the hunter safety course and at age 13 could hunt with the close supervision of his father. Only one gun between them can be used. Richard made note of the fact that his sons worked hard to get these deer. “They just didn’t walk down the road and choose one”, he said.
Sensing a serious outflow of cash, Brendan’s mom, Pam, asked her hubby, “Do we have to have this one mounted, too?” Actually, the deer has such a beautiful rack it looks like it came out of a magazine. They really should get it mounted. Rick feels that February and March will be costly months, when he gets the bills for mounting those deer. (Will they also need a larger freezer?) While Richard and I were discussing the deer, we both agreed that these two deer were bigger than anything either one of us ever shot in our lifetimes, and here these youngsters getting deer like that, especially Brendan getting his in his first year of hunting.
But wait, there’s more! In between the two huge bucks that Ricky and Brendan got, Nathan, the 16-year old brother, dropped a nice spike horn buck. Even though it was shotgun season, Nathan opted to use his muzzleloader firearm. All three deer were taken at undisclosed areas in Lenox. It may be the smaller of the three deer, but the venison from his buck will probably be the most tender.
So how about that? Have you ever heard of 3 sibling teenagers taking three bucks during one year’s hunting seasons? I haven’t. This is quite a testament of the skills taught to the youngsters by their dad. He must be so, so proud of his three sons.
In my previous article about the Armstrongs, I mentioned that Ricky (and now Nathan and Brendan) are fourth generation deer hunters, following in the footsteps of their great grandfather, Richard, their grandfather Ricky and great uncle Billy, their father Richard and uncle Harold. Dare I suggest that they are a deer hunting dynasty?
Lest anyone think otherwise, deer hunting is not just a man’s sport any more. Some 19 women participated in the 2018 MassWildlife’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman Deer Hunt during shotgun deer hunting season. As noted on the MassWildlife facebook page, everyone had a great day in the field, especially the mother-daughter duo of Martha Hill and Liann Graf pictured herein.
Deer hunting seasons are over
Deer hunting in Massachusetts ended on December 31, 2018. It will be a while before all of the harvest figures are accumulated and reported, but, if you followed this column during the season, you already know that some large, older deer have been taken.
The only game hunting seasons still open are cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare hunting seasons which end on February 28, 2019. The furbearer hunting seasons end as follows: bobcat, coyote and fox on March 8; opossum and raccoon on January 31.
Wildlife Grants
The Baker-Polito Administration recently awarded over $300,000 to municipalities and organizations across the state for projects to improve wildlife habitat. The grants were provided through the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s (MassWildlife) Habitat Management Grant Program.
“Active habitat management is vitally important for many forms of wildlife, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians that often need less common habitats,” said DFG Commissioner Ron Amidon. “These grants will enhance habitat on municipal and privately-owned conservation land, and also improve recreational opportunities for sportsmen and women, birders, and other outdoor enthusiasts.”
Twelve wildlife habitat improvement projects, totaling 307 acres, will be funded. Western Massachusetts will receive 6 such grants as follows:
• Great Barrington – The Nature Conservancy has been awarded $39,325 to create and improve old field and shrubland habitats at the Schenob Brook Preserve.
• Lenox – The Berkshire Natural Resources Council will receive $34,100 to remove the invasive hardy kiwi plant at Parson Marsh Reserve.
• Plainfield – The Franklin Land Trust has been awarded $32,228 to increase young forest cover on Guyette Farm.
• South Lee – South Lee Associates will receive $12,350 to control invasive species on Housatonic River properties.
• Sheffield – The Sheffield Land Trust has been awarded $17,290 to improve the Ashley Falls Woods riparian corridor by conducting invasive species removal.
• Stockbridge – The Laurel Hill Association has been awarded $25,800 to treat invasive species at the Four Corners – Larrywaug Brook property.
“Preserving wildlife habitat and open spaces is vital to our environmental stewardship in the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Adam G. Hinds. “I am grateful these awards will sustain partnerships and projects across my district and will help residents and visitors in Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Plainfield, Sheffield and Stockbridge to enjoy these natural resources for generations to come.”
“Berkshire County is known for its accessibility to nature and the outdoors” said State Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli. “My district is home to a great number of sportsmen, fishermen, and hikers just to name a few, and the Habitat Management Grant Program allows locals and visitors to enjoy the outdoors while helping communities promote the wellbeing of local wildlife. As Dean of the Berkshire delegation and House Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, I’m very grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration and (Energy and Environmental Affairs) Secretary Matt Beaton for recognizing the responsibility we have to protect our natural habitats by making this funding available to our towns.”

Good bye Gige

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Gene

By now, I suspect the entire outdoor sports and conservation communities know that George ‘Gige’ Darey has passed at the age of 90. A lot has been written about Gige this past week and undoubtedly there will be more to come.
Gige’s many accomplishments did not go unnoticed and he was the recipient of more plaques and awards than you can shake a stick at. Here are just a few: the Francis Sargent Award, Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council (MSC) Special Recognition Awards in 1999 and 2000, he was inducted into the MSC Hall of Fame in 2001, was awarded the MSC Ray Gribbons Award in 2007, the MSC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, and he received the MSC Special Recognition award upon his retirement from the Mass Fish & Wildlife Board in 2017.
He was chosen the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen (BCLS) 1988 Sportsman of the Year. Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) George Wislocki and Tad Ames noted that Gige was one of the founders of Sportsmen for Land Preservation and helped raise over $300,000 over the period of 6 years, which was crucial for the survival of the BNRC. “He cemented a relationship of the BNRC with the sportsmen of Berkshire County”. In 1996, he was presented a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Stewardship Award. He was honored by the Fisheries and Wildlife Board in 2004 when the Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in Lenox was renamed the George Darey Wildlife Management Area. He received awards from the Lenox Land Trust.
Two benches were dedicated in his and George Wislocki’s honor recognizing their work in regard to the purchase and sale agreement of a 94.8 acre meadow abutting Stockbridge Bowl from the Gould Family to the Town of Stockbridge in 1981.
One doesn’t pile up that many awards and citations for doing nothing. His accomplishments were recently recounted by Fish & Wildlife Board Vice President Mike Roche who served with Gige for some 32 years. “I have been following conservation issues all my life and served on the F&W Board with Gige Darey since 1986,” said Roche “No individual I know has ever had a greater positive impact or contributed more to the natural resources of Massachusetts in so many critical ways.”
Former DFW Director Wayne MacCallum said that the Board sets policy, regulatory authority and has to approve the hiring of every person appointed to the DFW. “George was absolutely incredible in terms of requiring that all appointments were made with the most qualified people. He was a strong advocate in support of professional natural resource management. Not only in Massachusetts, he is legendary throughout the country for the programs the MA DFW has instituted He is a fierce fighter for the environment. Much of what you see here (open space in the Berkshires) has to do with George Darey. Under George’s leadership, the DFW went from a hooks and bullets agency to an integrated agency incorporating the protection of many different species”. During his tenure on the F&W Board, he was appointed by eight different governors and worked with four MassWildlife Directors.”

Let’s look at what he accomplished while serving on that F&W Board for 38 years, 35 of which as its Chairman:
• In 1978, when Gige took his seat on the Board, there were 4,000 acres of land protected by DFW. Today over there are over 200,000
• The deer harvest was 3,107, last year it was over 13,000
• Wild turkey was an experiment in 1978 and now the kill is over 3,000 a year
• There were no nesting bald eagles in 1978, since then 702 eagles have fledged and 68 nesting pairs last year.
• The pheasant program got to a point where it was sustainable
• Regulations required the switch from lead shot to steel shot for waterfowl were implemented
• The Piping Plover was an endangered species, now MA has most of the east coast piping plover population.
• Transferred the National Heritage Program from the DEM to MassWildlife in 1990 and implemented the non-game check-off on tax forms.
• Urged the implementation of the “Presumption of Openness”. Now all land purchased in the Commonwealth is presumed to be open to hunting and fishing
• There has been no license fee increase in over 20 years
• Heavily involved in the establishment of the Mass Outdoor Heritage Foundation, a non-profit (501c3). The funds are used for such projects as wild brook trout restoration, and other worthy projects.
• Unlike many other states that allows Sunday hunting, he was able to obtain compensatory hunting dates for migratory bird hunting in Massachusetts
• Established Deer Management Zones to improve opportunity for sportsmen
• Established the Wildlands Stamp where sportsmen self-imposed a $5 assessment to the sale of hunting and fishing licenses dedicated exclusively to the protection of wildlife habitat open to hunting, fishing, and other wildlife related recreation; and science-based management of wildlife and wildlife habitat.
• Established a financial partnership with Ducks Unlimited for conservation efforts in Canada
• Established a Memorandum of Understanding with Environmental Police to increase resources and improve the outdoor education programs
• Promoted the Archery-in-the-Schools program
• Construction of the new DFW headquarters – one of the world’s finest and most environmentally progressive buildings
• Fought hard to keep the DFW Director’s position from becoming a political appointment and also keeping it in the hands of a professional
And, if I may add a few more:
• He fought for and finally obtained the Trout Catch & Release Sections in the Housatonic River in Lee and Stockbridge, and while at it, got the trout stocking program which enhanced it. He accomplished the same for the Millers River.
• Conducted an Environmental battle with GE for clean-up of Housatonic River
• Was heavily involved with the ACEC designation on the Housatonic River
• Leveraging State and town funds, he was heavily involved with the Town of Lenox acquisition and conservation of the Post Farm, Parson’s Marsh and the Edith Wharton Park.
• He started the Outdoor Club at Wahconah School whereby allowing students to experience the wonders of the outdoors and outdoor sports.
I would say that qualified him for an award or two, ey?
He was a Board member of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Green Berkshires, Sportsmen for Land Preservation, a founding member of the Housatonic River Initiative, the Massachusetts Outdoor Heritage Foundation, the Lenox Land Trust, and was instrumental in forging forestland protection and management partnerships between MassWildlife and the Nature Conservancy, the Ruffed Grouse Society, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Green Berkshires and other conservation organizations. At one time, he was a Lenox Selectman and a member of the Lenox Conservation Commission.
Often referred to as the champion for all wildlife, from fish and big game, to the less heralded species greatly needing our understanding and protection, it is no wonder that the 818-acre Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management in Lenox bears his name.
In 2017 a party was held for Gige at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club celebrating his career and accomplishments. Governor Charlie Baker and Lt Governor Karen Polito attended along with a long list of notables. Lt Governor Polito commented on Gige’s long service and mentioned that his services were all for free. (Other than travel expense reimbursement, F&W Board members are not paid). She thanked Gige for sharing so much of his time, energy and love for this Commonwealth. “Having Gige on this Board for 38 years, chairing it for 35 years absolutely mattered here in the Commonwealth”, she said.

Gige took some razzing from MA Environmental Secretary Beaton and Governor Baker for missing 5 of those Board meetings out of 400 over the course of 38 years. Twice as a pall bearer, once caused by an ice storm which prevented him from getting there, a health issue and one day to go bird hunting.
Governor Baker said that “George is a hero, not just because of the time he spent on the Board but the good work that was done. We all benefit tremendously from the coalitions that he built. We live in a difficult age where people draw very bright lines and have trouble viewing any other point of view but their own and are really not that experienced in coalition and finding common ground. One of the truly great things is that he found common ground all of the time, and he had a core set of principles. He understood that he was one player among many and he never forgot that. “
“He worked extremely hard to figure out where the common ground was and where the opportunity was to support the stuff that he cared so much about. Along the way he created a bunch of public and private institutions that stood the test of time and will be here for a very long time. The legacy is not just the history but it is also what is going to happen going forward because those institutions are in place and will continue to perform long after the rest of us have gone on to do other things. You are such a son of Massachusetts”, Governor Baker said, “and you have meant so much to the Commonwealth and so much to the people of the Commonwealth”.
Gige often commented on how much his partner Ginny Akabane meant to him and how lucky he was. Referring to his service on the Board, he said, “The ride that I have been on, I would not change one bit”. He said that he has enjoyed working with the outdoor sportsmen and was very proud to represent them.

Mike Roche, Vice Chairman of the MA F&W Board announced that the Board created an award in Gige’s name. “From this time forward there will be a Gige Darey award to be presented to a MassWildlife staff member who exemplifies the values, work ethics and standards that George created”.
Gige was an avid grouse and woodcock hunter. One day his hunting dog unexpectedly died. He told one of his friend Scott MacWilliams that he not only lost a great companion but also a way of life, for he had been hunting dogs since he was a young teenager. Scotty relayed that message to Mike Roche. At a fundraiser at the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club for the Massachusetts Heritage Foundation on March 9, 2013, Roche took the floor and said that he goes back a long way with Gige and relayed a story of how, when he was 6 years old, his father and Gige took him hunting with them after school and how Darey carried him out of the woods sound asleep.

Upon receiving MacWilliams’s call, he searched across the nation for an “old man’s” dog. “I was selfish”, said Roche,” because my world depends upon Gige going bird hunting, and now we are going to do something about that”. When word got out about this plan and the need to raise $3,000 to buy and ship the dog, people rushed to make contributions. Roche found the 3-year old Brittany Spaniel, named Éclair, in South Dakota and, “ like Gige”, he said,” her mother came from Brittany, France”.

The dog was then brought in the room and presented to Gige. “George”, said Roche, “Meet Éclair”.

Not only did they collect enough donations to get the dog but there was also enough left over to make a $6,000 contribution to the Massachusetts Heritage Foundation, which Gige helped to create.

He was arguably one of the most admired and respected persons in the Commonwealth. His accomplishments will probably never be matched, certainly not in our lifetimes. When it came to protecting the environment and defending the rights of outdoor sportsmen, Gige backed down from no one. I suspect a few past governors, politicians and bureaucrats would agree with that.
Anyone who personally knew Gige knew that he could be a rascal at times. Conspiring with his friends, he helped create a fictitious town in Massachusetts to demonstrate and protest the ignorance of the State bureaucracy in Boston of the rural portions of the commonwealth. The town was named Ripton, MA. It had its own, town government which applied for various grants and other official assistance – and the town was allotted funds in the state budget. Several checks were issued, and deposited into an escrow account, before the hoax was uncovered, the funds returned and the matter dropped.
In 1985, Representatives of the town of Ripton contacted the US Air Force and invited them to situate antennas for a post-nuclear war communication system in their town. Robbins Phillips, chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Ripton, stated that the antennas would make good nesting places for eagles. Each year, Gige would distribute a new Ripton calendar which highlighted days which he deemed to be most important. It was hilarious!
Former BCLS President, Mark Jester, notified the outdoor sporting community by email of Gige’s passing. He ended his message by writing, “There is a light out in the town of Ripton tonight. Rest easy my friend, we’ll take it from here”.
I suspect the critters who reside in our woods and waters appreciated what he did for them also. In fact, a black bear stopped by and entered his house one day when he wasn’t home. Éclair had to shoo it off. After the incident made statewide newspapers, Gige was in for another razzing, but he took it well.
On a personal note, I had known Gige just about my whole life. Actually, I heard the voices of his hounds before I heard his. He used to run foxes near the Kimball horse trails out behind our house many years ago. Gige’s maternal ancestors came from the Brittany area of France while my paternal ancestors came from the Alsace-Lorraine area. Whenever we met, I would always ask him, “Comment ca va?” (How are you?) To which he would reply in Breton “Ca va bien, merci, mon ami, et toi”? (I am fine, thanks, my friend, and you?) Depending on my mood I would usually answer, “Très bien” or “Comme ci comme ça” (very good or so-so). Gige was a member of the ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out) and he would frequently join us for our weekly luncheons.
Al Joyner, one of Gige’s many friends in Lenox, commented that “If you were one of the lucky people to be invited to Gige’s man-cave, you were in for a treat as he was an excellent harvester and user of Nature’s Bounty, such as apples and dandelions. His cider and homemade wines were second to none.”

Gige believed that it is important to know when to walk away, and he stepped down from the Board in 2016. “The only thing that improves with age” said Gige, “is whiskey”.

Perhaps one of the greatest tributes to Gige came from an October 12, 2002 Berkshire Eagle editorial which read: “A hundred years from now, if fish still swim in our rivers and deer still prance through our fields, if we can recognize the view from atop our favorite Berkshire heights, we will in large measure have George L. “Gige” Darey of Lenox to thank. For nearly a quarter-century now as Chairman of the State Fish & Wildlife Board and at the center of a network of conservative groups, Mr. Darey has devoted his time, energy and powers of persuasion to making sure we and our children will have woods to walk in and game to shoot.”

Au revoir, mon ami.

River rafting to study fish

Posted on December 24, 2018 by Gene

A raft donated by a group of Trout Unlimited members is helping MassWildlife biologists study trout and other fish in previously inaccessible areas.

This generous donation came from a group of Trout Unlimited (TU) members who have been working with MassWildlife and other scientists on studies of brown trout reproduction on the Deerfield River. The whitewater river raft is outfitted with a standing platform, booms, droppers, generator equipment, and livewell. “You run a reach of river with two people, one rower to navigate the river, the other biologist to stun and net the fish,” explains Adam Kautza, MassWildlife’s Coldwater Fisheries Project Leader. “After passing through a particular reach, we pull off to the side of the river, measure, weigh and gather other data from the netted fish, release them back in the water and then move on to the next river segment.”
MassWildlife biologists primarily use two different types of equipment to conduct fisheries surveys. For lakes, ponds and large, deeper rivers, a motorboat outfitted with a generator, booms, and “droppers” is the standard. In brooks, streams, and smaller rivers, a team of biologists navigate the streambed on foot carrying backpack shockers and electrical wands to temporarily stun and collect fish. But in rock-strewn fast-moving rivers like the Millers, Deerfield, and others, neither a motorboat nor backpack shockers are practical. As a result, numerous reaches of rivers are inaccessible and go unsurveyed.
MassWildlife biologists are already using the raft as part of a brown trout study that will answer an important question: Are wild-hatched brown trout surviving and successfully reproducing in the Deerfield River? The study will also give biologists an understanding of the abundance, growth rates and other important biological information on brown trout in the Deerfield River system. Multiple survey trips will be necessary over a large area of the river and the raft makes that coverage possible. In the future, the raft will be pressed into fish survey service on other rocky rivers such as the Hoosic, Westfield, and Millers Rivers.
The donation of the 12-foot raft, frame, and equipment such as oars, seating, anchors, etc. was donated by former fishing guide Jim Dowd, of Ashfield. MA, who is a member of the Deerfield River Watershed Chapter (DRWTU) . These donated items have a price-tag of about $3800.

Last May, at the Indian Hollow Campground in Chesterfield, the MA/RI Council of Trout Unlimited (of which the local Taconic Chapter is part) voted to spend up to $3,900 to help equip the raft with necessary shocking equipment, such as booms, paddles and related circuitry. The Greater Boston TU Chapter (GBTU) picked up the tab for a portion of the cost for a new frame. The raft will be used to study cold-water fisheries on colder rivers throughout Massachusetts. The TU logo will be affixed to the raft.

A variety of people, businesses, and groups were thanked for their contributions to MassWildlife’s new river raft. The raft’s custom-built standing platform was manufactured by Don Barnes, a Millers River TU member and president of Regal Vise, a family-owned business producing fly tying vises. The DRWTU and the GBTU chapters contributed fish tags, which will be used in the Deerfield River Brown Trout study. Kevin Parsons, President of the DRWTU chapter, Bill Pastuzek, President of the GBTU, MA/RI Council President Paul Beaulieu, Council Secretary/Treasurer Mike Vito and Gary Crago of the TU National Council were thanked by MassWildlife for making a key contribution to conservation, providing MassWildlife with the means to further its understanding of some of our most pristine rivers and the fish communities inhabiting them.
TU is a national non-profit organization with about 300,000 members and supporters dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. It is made up of some 400 chapters and 38 state councils. The MA/RI Council of TU is the umbrella organization for the 14 chapters in Massachusetts and Rhode Island totaling about 4,000 members. Members from all of those chapters contributed in some way to the Deerfield River project, either by funding or volunteering on Deerfield River trout surveys.
Guess who was the winner of TU National’s 2019 Gold Trout Award? DRWTU, who else? It also recently received $6,000 from TU National’s Embrace-A-Stream Program. Now it is eligible to compete for additional dollars through an online challenge grant. TU National and Orvis have teamed up to offer an additional $50,000. DRWTU hopes to qualify for at least a piece of that additional money.
Incidentally, at its Annual Meeting on November 19, the GBTU Chapter honored MassWildlife’s Adam Kautza, with its Conservation Advocate Award. The award recognized Kautza’s contributions to the understanding and preservation of coldwater fishery resources in Massachusetts. He was lauded for his efforts in working not only with GBTU but with the MA/RI Trout Unlimited Council and other Massachusetts Trout Unlimited Chapters. “Adam provided valuable assistance with the TU Brown Trout Spawning Study on the Deerfield River and has offered presentations and stream walks on the tributaries of the Neponset and Charles River,” said GBTU President Bill Pastuszek. “Through his outreach efforts, he has built stronger ties with the angler and conservation communities.”

Taconic TU honors Fran Marzotto

In order to recognize its deserving members, the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited instituted its “Crooked Staff Award” about 35 years ago. Every year the Chapter selects one of its members to receive this coveted award. He or she is selected as the member who best represents the ideals of T.U. (conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds). This member holds the Crooked Staff for the following year when it is either passed on to another deserving member or is held, if none is deemed deserving.

On December 12, the Chapter honored Fran Marzotto of Pittsfield with this coveted award.

Fran grew up in West Stockbridge, spending his time in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and playing baseball and hockey. At an early age, Fran tagged along with his father as they hunted for deer. He also fished with his dad and as he grew older, continuing to enjoy outdoor sports.
Fran graduated from Purdue University in 1977 and began his career at General Electric. Being a sportsman, he settled in the Berkshires where he could enjoy the 4 seasons and the sport that each season brought.
Three years ago, when Fran retired, he returned to a sport he had enjoyed before…fly fishing. He is now totally absorbed in fly fishing along with tying his own flies, as they both bring serenity to his life. He has fly fished in 16 states including Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, New Brunswick, Montana, Newfoundland, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, and Wyoming, as well as all of the Northeast states and has a trip planned to the Bahamas to fly fish for bonefish. Fran practices “catch and release”.
Fran’s wife Kay said he doesn’t only enjoy the sport he is into, but “becomes” it. At present his life is centered around fly fishing; no matter where they travel, he is always on the lookout for fly fishing streams. Good thing Kay is patient.
In addition to serving on Taconic TU’s Board and as its Secretary, Fran’s other conservation activities include participation in this year’s stream assessment of the Konkapot River with the Housatonic Valley Association. He also is a past member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, serving on its Annual Fund-Raising Committee. Congratulations Fran!
George “Gige” Darey Passed
It is with a heavy heart that I report that “Gige” Darey passed beyond the ridge on Friday afternoon. I hope to devote the bulk of next week’s column to this extraordinary sportsman and his amazing career.
Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Berkshire Outdoorsman

Hunting and fishing in the Berkshires, MA

Category Archives: News

New Land Protected

Spring trout stocking begins soon

Small game hunting season closing for the year

Four new members were inducted into the New England Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame

Berkshire Beagle Club, still flourishing after all these years

Rescued attempt for deer has sad ending

2018 black bear harvest was down 25% from previous year

Armstrong youngsters have a great deer hunting season

Good bye Gige

River rafting to study fish