Category Archives: News

Steps taken to control burgeoning deer population near Boston

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If you have been following the news releases by MassWildlife about the troublesome deer densities in the eastern part of the Commonwealth, you know they are having a devil of a time getting the numbers to a more manageable and safe level.  For years, they have been issuing tens of thousands of doe or antlerless permits annually.  The female segment of the deer population is used for population management since with each female deer harvested, not only is the individual removed from the population but so too is that deer’s future reproductive potential.

The hunters are doing their part.  Just in the years 2013 and 2014, they have harvested nearly 10,000 deer out of Wildlife Management Zones (WMZ) 10 and 11 alone.  But the densities continued to increase.  Part of the problem is that the towns are thickly settled where it would be dangerous to shoot guns.  Some of the towns have banned hunting within their confines.  The result being an ever increasing herd which is causing many automobile accidents, high incidences of deer tick borne illnesses, destruction of residential ornamental shrubbery and a serious threat to the state forests and woodlands there.  The deer are eating everything that is green and actually curtailing new growth and regeneration of the forests.

Well, this year the first ever deer hunt at the State’s Blue Hills Reservation in Milton and Quincy (just outside of Boston) took place. According to a recent MassWildlife news release the special hunt resulted in a total of 64 deer being taken, an encouraging start to a plan for addressing deer overpopulation at the Reservation. As part of a long term deer population management program designed to contend with negative impacts on the Reservation’s forest by high deer populations, the hunt was conducted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) with assistance from MassWildlife, the Environmental Police, and State Police. Hunting took place on 4.5 square miles of the 10-square mile property over 4 days in early December.

Due to the densely populated area surrounding the Reservation, public safety was a major concern and the controlled hunt was conservative and carefully designed with staffing at trail heads, signage, low hunter densities, and just four days of firearms hunting. According to MassWildlife, there were no injuries or other public safety issues during the hunt, demonstrating that a controlled hunt could be safely conducted in a suburban/urban setting.

“Overall, given the conservative framework design for this first year of the hunt, the preliminary 2015 harvest results are very positive,” said David Stainbrook, MassWildlife Deer Project Leader. “The 64 deer taken represents a reduction of approximately 14 deer per square mile from the hunted areas of the reservation. A more significant figure is that 47 deer taken were females, which equates to at least 120 fewer deer in next spring’s population.” A 2013 deer abundance survey conducted by MassWildlife and DCR revealed an estimated average of 85 deer per square mile of forest in and around the Reservation, a figure significantly above the MassWildlife’s desired management range of 6-18 deer per square mile of forest. In accordance with the Blue Hills Deer Management Plan, DCR and MassWildlife will be reviewing this first hunt to assess any needs for potential changes or modifications to the deer reduction phase of the plan. *****

The Berkshire Beagle Club, on Sleepy Hollow Road in Richmond, will be holding its Annual Rabbit Hunt next Saturday, January 16.  Entrance fee is $10 per person and that includes a dinner.  Weigh-in by 3:00 PM.  Contact John Demary at 413-441-2253 if you wish to enter and/or donate some raffle prizes. Prizes go for the largest cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare.  No hunting is allowed on the Beagle Club grounds. *****

For the second week in a row, local sportsmen received bad news of the loss of one of their own.  Last week it was the late Chris Porter.  This week it was the loss of Charles “Chuck” Jones of Dalton.  A very active member of the NRA and Board of Directors of the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club, Chuck was instrumental in starting a Youth Rifle League.  He coached the first competitive women’s pistol team in Berkshire County known as the “Hot Shots” since its inception.  In 2004, he was awarded the very prestigious Berkshire County League of Sportsmen Silvio O. Conte Sportsman of the Year Award.  Our condolences go out to his wife Evelyn (“Hot Shot” member) and his family.  He also will be sorely missed by local sportsmen and shooters.

Well, we didn’t get it for Christmas, but we got it for New Years.  The Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) recently announced that its December fund drive realized the final $115,000 needed to buy a conservation restriction (C/R) on the 83 acre Undermountain Farm in Lenox.  (Some $335,000 was previously raised by the BNRC).  The Berkshire Eagle’s Clarence Fanto did a dandy job of spreading the good news (“Deal would preserve 83 acres”, January 5, 2016). Many thanks to the Sprague family for selling the C/R for half of its appraised value, to the 225 donors who really dug deep into their pockets to preserve this land and to the Lenox Land Trust which for years doggedly pursued its conservation.

Although there is no general public right of access to the property, there will be public access to two designated trails to be constructed by the BNRC which will allow the right to walk, cross-country ski or snowshoe on them.

Next up is the 63 acre abutting southern parcel which is part of Parson’s Marsh.  The BNRC will be asking us to come up with another $180,000 to purchase and conserve that land.  Hey!  We’re on a roll.  Let’s do it!

Questions/comments:  Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com.   Phone/fax:  (413) 637-1818

 

Winter feeding of wildlife can be counterproductive

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Canale Deer

The 2015 deer harvest figures have not yet been released by MassWildlife, so today I am switching gears and writing about deer survival during winter.

So far it has been a warm, snowless winter here in the Berkshires and hopefully, our deer and turkey populations are enjoying it.  They should be able to have easy access to nuts, apples, browse, etc without having to scrape through feet of frozen hard snow like they had to do last year. Without deep snow, they should be able to flee from predators, too.  Perhaps we will have one of those rare open winters or perhaps Mother Nature will make us pay for our current moderate weather later this winter.

When we have a rough winter like we had last year, it is natural for us to pity the poor deer that somehow have to scrounge up food in order to survive.  We have a natural inclination to help them out by putting corn, hay or other food out for them.  Well, MassWildlife strongly discourages feeding of deer and other wildlife.  Supplemental feed sites congregate wildlife into unnaturally high densities, which can:

  • Attract predators and increase risk of death by wild predators or domestic pets
  • Spread diseases among wildlife or cause other health issues (e.g. Rumen acidosis in deer, Aflatoxicosis in turkeys)
  • Cause aggression and competition over food, wasting vital energy reserves and potentially leading to injury or death
  • Reduce fat reserves, as wild animals use energy traveling to and from the feeding site
  • Cause wildlife to cross roads more frequently, therefore increasing vehicle collisions
  • Negatively impact vegetation and habitat in areas where feeding congregates animals.

The most critical time for winter deer survival is March.  Deer have a limited supply of fat reserves to carry them through winter.  Research has shown that a healthy doe begins winter with a 90-day fat supply. This ticking clock begins winding down in March and is the reason why weather patterns in that month often play the biggest role in deer mortality.

If January and February are brutal but relief comes on time with warming temperatures in March, most deer will sail through with no trouble. If January and February are mild but winter lingers until the end of March, or brutal cold and snow hit late, deer mortality rises.

If you are one of those who simply cannot allow that to happen, the best option is to give them more of the winter foods they are already adapted to eating: winter browse. This includes buds and twigs of woody plants.  Introducing new foods in the middle of winter, especially in high quantities all of a sudden, can actually be more harmful to deer than not feeding them at all.

As an example of how deadly it can be, please consider the following:  On March 20, 2015,  the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department reported that twelve deer were discovered dead in South Hampton, N.H, most likely the victims of well-intentioned, but tragically fatal, supplemental feeding by local residents.

 

Studies show that a deer has to eat a new food for one to two weeks before it can start pulling in nutrients from that food. This is because it takes time for the micro-flora – the bacteria that live in the deer’s gut and help with digestion – to adjust and become capable of dealing with the new food source.  If you haven’t already been providing supplemental feed, don’t introduce it suddenly in large amounts in late winter.

If you can’t supply woody browse, and you feel you have no other option but to provide a new food source, introduce it slowly, in tiny amounts, at multiple sites scattered across the landscape. Give deer time to adjust over a period of two or more weeks before providing unlimited amounts of feed for deer to consume.  It comes down to how poor their condition is when they are exposed to the new food and how much of that food they get. The worse shape they are in when they receive the food, the more likely they are to die from it.

If you do provide supplemental feed, provide it at as many locations as possible rather than at one or two sites to avoid creating concentration points where predators, like coyotes, will use to their advantage.  Deer are in their poorest condition in March, and they are easier prey for coyotes.  In nearby New Hampshire, they often found increased coyote predation around feeding sites.  These sites were funneling a lot of deer into a small area and making them easier for coyotes to kill.

If you’re concerned about deer survival in tough winter conditions, the best thing you can do to help them get through the critical last days of March is break out the chainsaw and provide some woody browse.  (The bunnies will love you for that, too.)  If you grow fruit trees or maybe ornamentals in your yard that require pruning, leave the pruned limbs where deer can reach them

Much of the information used in this article came from MassWildlife, New Hampshire Fish & Game, University of New Hampshire and the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), a non-profit conservation organization working to ensure the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. *****

The Berkshire County League of Sportsmen held officer elections recently and the following individuals were returned to office:  Mark Jester of Pittsfield – President, Mike Kruszyna, Cheshire  – VP, Dan Kruszyna, Cheshire – Treasurer and me as Secretary.

The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited elected the following people:  Allen Gray of Pittsfield – President, John Burns, Plainfield – VP, Richard Bordeau, Pittsfield – Treasurer and Paul Knauth, Hinsdale – Secretary.

Happy New Year!

Preliminary results of new bear hunting season are in

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This year is the first year that black bear could be hunted during the two week shotgun deer hunting season which ran from November 30 to December 12.  This is in addition to the two other bear hunting seasons; the first season ran from September 8 to September 26 and the second from November 2 through November 21.  The additional hunting season is the latest tool that the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife (DFW) has employed to try to manage the rapidly growing bear population statewide.

In his December 10 report to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden reported that preliminary harvest numbers of black bear taken during the two week shotgun deer hunting season statewide should be about 45.   They may still have some check stations that haven’t reported in yet, but he doubts that the number is likely to change by more than a few bears.  He predicts that the final number will probably be between 45 and 50.

We probably shouldn’t expect such high numbers every year.  This year’s warm weather was undoubtedly a factor in the harvest totals.  The bears were probably still actively foraging for food and had not yet settled into their dens for their long winter sleeps.

The final numbers for the September and November bear hunting seasons have not yet been released by DFW for either the state or western district.  The total statewide bear harvest for 2014 was 240 with 78 of them coming from Berkshire County. *****

In his report, Madden also stated that a preliminary look at Western District check stations indicated a good first week of shotgun deer season with numbers up slightly from last year and good quality deer being checked.  This is in spite of the lack of snow which usually affords better tracking conditions.

The following are some of the larger deer taken in the Western District.  Included are  the hunters’ last names, dressed out deer weights and towns where the bucks were taken:  Wright – 196 lbs, Cheshire; Salvatore – 187 lbs, West Stockbridge; Majchrowski – 182 lbs, Dalton; Turner – 190 lbs, Hancock; Voudren – 190 lbs, Russell; Thomas – 194 lbs, Blandford and Gaudette – 202 lbs, Sandisfield.  Gaudette’s deer was a 10 pointer.

The live weights of all of the above deer were undoubtedly over 200 lbs.  Although not a true scientific measurement, if you apply the formula of field dressed weight x 1.25 you should come up with an approximate live weight of a deer.  If one applies that formula to Gaudette’s deer, then the live weight was probably about 250 lbs.

While we are on the subject of deer weights, let’s carry it a step further and try to figure out the realistic venison yield.  How many times have we heard of people accuse the deer processor of not giving back all the meat.  Well, consider the following.

One adult bucks weighing over 160 lbs, one must deduct 9% of its weight which represents the hide; 11.7% is bone and some percentage representing the blood. Then one must consider the part of the meat that has been damaged by the bullet or improper field dressing.  A neck shot has very little ideal meat ruined, whereas a deer shot in the loin or hind quarter area has more of the ideal meat ruined.

According to University of Wisconsin research, a mature buck weighing 165 pounds field-dressed would ideally yield 83.08 pounds of boneless meat and realistically yield about 58 pounds of good meat.  Information came from http://www.butcher– packer.com and http://askthemeatman.com websites.. *****

Looking for a new project for your man cave this winter?  Have you thought about taking up fly tying but didn’t know where to start?  Well the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is once again hosting a fly-tying event this afternoon.  The event is free and open to all TU members and their friends.  It will be an informal gathering with members bringing in their own vises and tying materials. They expect to have a few extra sets available for those just curious about tying. This is a great opportunity to learn about fly tying and to exchange patterns and ideas.  They will gather in the lounge at the Wahconah Country Club on 20 Orchard Road, Dalton from 2:00 to 6:00 PM.  Refreshments can be purchased at the Club.   If interested contact Henry Sweren at hsweren8@aol.com. *****

 

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club will have youth archery sign ups Saturday, January 2, 2016 in the archery range from 8:00 to 10:00 AM.   You can also download applications from their website www.stockbridgesportsmansclub.org. The cost is $40 per child and you do not have to be a member of the club.  They will shoot the following 10 Saturday mornings.  For more information, call Mike Buffoni at 413-323-7703. *****

On Sunday, January 17, Avid Sport on 1201 West Housatonic Street, Pittsfield will be holding a Firearms Safety Course which allows you to apply for your FID card or Pistol Permit.   The class is usually limited to 9 and you are required to prepay to lock in a seat.  The cost is $100.  For more information, call 413-997-3600.

If you live in Northern Berkshires, there is another firearms safety course on the same day in North Adams.  Dan Peck, NRA and Massachusetts State Police Certified Instructor will be teaching that course.  For location, hours and more information, call 413-663-4896. *****

The DFW Western District office has a new biologist.  His name is Nate Buckhout from East Hampton, MA.   An Air Force veteran, Nate received his BA from the United States Air Force Academy and his Masters degree in Wildlife Conservation from UMASS Amherst.  He filled Tony Gola’s position who retired earlier this year.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Questions/comments:  Berkwoodsandwaters@roadrunner.com.   Phone/fax:  (413) 637-1818

Big black bear shot by Richard (Dick) Superneau

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Dick Superneau’s Bear

Dick Superneau of Clarksburg will be munching on bear meat for the foreseeable future. Using a .308 Remington bolt action rifle, he shot a male bear (boar) in Pownal, Vermont which weighed 450 lbs live weight and 375 lbs field dressed.  It was approximately 4 feet tall when walking on all fours and measured 6 feet from nose to tail.  Even with the help of 5 Vermont hunters, they couldn’t drag it more than 3 feet at a time.  It took 7 or 8 hunters 3 hours to drag it 150 yards to the truck.    It was so large that Dick said he couldn’t shut the tail gate on his truck without scrunching it up.

 

A very large bear had been recently spotted in the Massachusetts Avenue section of North Adams, Massachusetts, and he wonders if that isn’t the same bear that perhaps wandered over the state line into Pownal.

 

Dick is having a shoulder mount made of the bear at LaBlue’s Taxidermy in Adams. He intends to have the skull scored by Boone & Crockett but has to wait several months for it to dry out.  *****

 

I had the good fortune of attending the Onota Fishing Club’s 21st annual game dinner last Sunday at the ITAM in Pittsfield.  It was filled to capacity and what a spread they put out. There were fish cakes, fish chowder, marinated and grilled venison and bear and bear chili and those were only the appetizers.  For the main buffet dinner, they had Brunswick stew, sweet and hot bear sausages, garlick and cheese bear sausage, sweet and hot venison sausages, rabbit, polenta, roast venison, roast bear, wild turkey, freshwater perch and crappie, saltwater cod, haddock and pollock, dessert, and more.  I tested all of the excellent food and boy was I stuffed.  There were several women who tried the bear meat and venison for the first time and they were pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. After everyone had their fill, the excess food was donated to Soldier On.

 

Some $750 of the raffle proceeds were donated to the Eagle Santa Toy Fund.   The late John Drury was remembered and honored for his many years of service to the club.

 

Many folks donated the meat including:  Liam McCluskey, Bob Stevens, Joe Trybus, Dan Gaylord, Tom Dwayne, Ed Blake, Chuck Lennon, John Kelly, Shane Rogers, Ed and Bob Dufur, Chris Porter and  Jim Keyes. (Jim’s donation was made possible thanks to his dented truck bumper).  My apologies for any omissions or name misspellings.  Several local businesses also made contributions, including PortSmitts, Maces Marina and Johnny’s Variety.

 

Special compliments go to chef, Chris Porter, and to the many Onota Fishing Club members who worked so hard preparing the food, serving it, selling tickets, soliciting prizes, etc., to make the dinner such a huge success.  ****

 

Readers may recall last week’s column wherein I mentioned the Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) and its conservation of a 685 acre tract of undeveloped land located in parts of Dalton, Lanesborough and Pittsfield which was one of the largest parcels ever received by the BNRC.   Well, what I failed to mention was that the BNRC also recently conserved 218 acres in Great Barrington on beautiful Three Mile Hill.  Two great places to snowshoe, ski or hunt.

 

Well, the good news keeps coming.  Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game Commissioner George Peterson recently announced that three Berkshire County towns will share $1,147,000 to protect key watershed habitat.  The funds are part of a settlement with General Electric (Housatonic River Natural Resources Damages Fund) to protect or restore natural resources damaged by PCB which were released into the Housatonic River.

 

Great Barrington won a total of $869,500 which allows the BNRC to acquire a conservation restriction on 218 acres along Thomas and Palmer Brooks, tributaries to the Housatonic River in that town.  In Egremont, a $187,000 grant will preserve 23 acres of river, woodland and flood plain along the Green River.  It includes about 2,500 feet of riverfront habitat.  Lastly, Hinsdale was awarded $90,000 to preserve 90 acres in the Hinsdale Flats Watershed Area of Critical Environmental Concern.   All of these properties are preserved at no cost to the taxpayers. *****

 

For those who have not yet harvested a deer, there is one more chance this year and that is during the primitive firearms season.  It starts tomorrow morning and runs through December 31, excluding Sundays.  A primitive Firearms Stamp is required.  Archers may hunt during this season but they also must purchase a Primitive Firearms Stamp.  During this season, successful hunters must fill out and detach the permit/license and may check it either online or at an official check station.

 

Hunters are advised to check the regulations governing this season on pages 37 -38 of the Fish and Wildlife Guide.

 

If you plan to hunt the primitive firearms season and don’t have an antlerless permit, may I suggest that you get out hunting in the earlier part of the season.  It is not uncommon for bucks to shed their antlers before year-end, and then an antlerless permit is required to harvest them.

 

Good luck and keep your powder dry.

Tiger Muskies were stocked again in Pontoosuc Lake

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Record Tiger\Muskie 

This fall, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) was able to receive 1,800 tiger muskies (Tiger Muskellunge) to stock in Massachusetts waters from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery, as part of a cooperative exchange program. That program allows MassWildlife to exchange landlocked salmon from its Palmer Hatchery for Northern Pike and Tiger Muskellunge from NJ.

This year the first 900 tiger muskies, averaging 13 inches long and weighing about a half-pound apiece were stocked in waters in the eastern part of Massachusetts.   The second 900 were stocked in western Massachusetts waters with Hampton Ponds in Westfield/Southwick receiving 300 and Pontoosuc Lake receiving 600. It will take 3 to 5 years for these fish to reach the 28-inch minimum size limit.  All tiger muskies caught shorter than that must be released unharmed.

Tiger Muskellunge are sterile hybrids created by crossing muskellunge, Esox masquinongy, largest of all the esocids, with Northern Pike, Esox lucius. The first stocking of Tiger Muskellunge took place in 1980 when MassWildlife personnel stocked 5,000 tiger muskies from the Pleasant Mount Hatchery in Pennsylvania. The Massachusetts record for Tiger Muskellunge was set in 2001 by the late James Lambert of Pittsfield (pictured above) with a 27 lb. 0 oz. tiger muskie caught out of Pontoosuc Lake. *****

The 2016 hunting, sporting, fishing, and trapping licenses are available for purchase through MassFishHunt, at a license vendor location, or at a DFW office. Anyone 15 or older needs a license in order to fish in freshwater or to hunt. During December, it is possible to purchase either a 2015 or a 2016 license; therefore, license buyers should use care when selecting the year when making a purchase. Minors 15-17 years of age may not purchase hunting or sporting licenses online and must have certain documentation in their possession when making a license purchase at a MassWildlife District office or other license vendor locations.  Freshwater fishing licenses for minors 15-17 are free and can be obtained online. *****

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, 2016.  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.

 

Incidentally, last year some 430 coyotes were harvested statewide and of that total, about 75 to 80 were harvested in Berkshire County.  *****

 

The folks at Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) have been quite busy these days.  You surely have heard about the recent Crane donation of the Boulders to them.  It is a 685 acre tract of undeveloped land located in parts of Dalton, Lanesborough and Pittsfield which is one of the largest parcels ever received by the BNRC.   It also transfers part of the conservation restriction (C/R) Crane had with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to the BNRC.  What a wonderful thing for Crane to do.  The BNRC must have been kept busy facilitating that deal.

 

No wonder they received the coveted Francis Sargent Conservation Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts earlier this year.

 

But the BNRC is not done yet.  They are not giving up on permanently protecting the 146 acre Undermountain Farm in Lenox.  A C/R deal was imminent earlier this year with the help of Lenox Community Preservation Act funding, but it fell apart.  Now in a renewed effort, the BNRC is hoping to purchase a C/R on 83 acres of that farm without using taxpayer funds in early 2016.  Considerable funds have been raised so far for the project but to close the deal they still need another $115,000 in donations by New Year’s Eve.

 

Ever wanted to just go out and buy a nice Christmas present for yourself?  Here’s your chance.  By helping the BNRC raise the $115,000, you will assure that the farm will remain productive and provide you with sweeping views over the open fields.  Your gift will also secure a permanent walking trail across the farm.

 

Still unresolved is the 63 acres at the south end of the farm which includes parts of Parson’s Marsh and an open water pond.  BNRC hopes to raise another 180,000 to protect that in 2016.

 

But first things first.  Let’s see if we can help them protect the 83 acres now.  Please remember BNRC Executive Director Tad Ames’ words first uttered when the Council received the prestigious Francis Sargent Conservation Award from the Massachusetts DFW earlier this year:

“We do not conserve land so that we can put it in a glass case and observe how wonderful it is and pat ourselves on our backs for having set it aside.  We work together to conserve land so that people can feel the touch of bark under their hands, so that they can be startled when a grouse explodes from the brush, so that they can taste the sweet corn or the venison stew, so that they can see the wind in the canopy.   If we can’t get people out on the land and enjoying it and becoming richer for the experience, then we have not accomplished our whole job”.

 

A protected Undermountain Farm, now wouldn’t that be a wonderful Christmas present.

There will be more access to our state forests

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In case you haven’t notice, it has become more and more difficult for hunters and other users to gain access into our local state forests.   Our aging population of deer hunters who, in prior years were able to drive up into the mountains and state forests, are being shut out from them and are forced to hike great distances to hunt.   Roads are being gated with no parking allowed near them and some of the roads are in serious states of disrepair.  The exclusion of hunters is counterproductive to the Fisheries and Wildlife efforts to properly manage the deer herd.

 

After several years of prodding by Fish & Wildlife Board Chairman George “Gige” Darey and Berkshire County League of Sportsmen President Mark Jester, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Deputy Commissioner Matt Sisk visited the Berkshires to see first-hand what the problems were and whether they could be rectified.

 

In the September Fish & Wildlife Board meeting in Tyringham, Sisk reported the following changes:

 

Beartown Mountain:    At the main road that goes through the park, DCR will install 4 gates.    They will leave the main gates open in the north and south ends of the park until January 1, harsh winter weather permitting.  Four gates to dirt side roads will be strategically placed around the two look roads that join Benedict Pond Road.  These areas are where you can park.  DCR is also trying to get a place to park other than along the main road.   The gates will be up and running for this year’s deer hunting season.  The south end of the park has the most treacherous road due to the hills and road conditions and DCR is going to put an additional gate there.  In the event of serious weather, DCR will close the gate to the southern access but leave the north gate open.

 

October Mountain:  Schermerhorn Road, which accesses the mountain from behind Woods Pond, has long been closed due to its condition so DCR will do two things:  Patch the road well enough so that the gate can be open for this fall.  It still will not be in great shape.  The second, long term project is to get enough money to actually redo the road.

 

Pittsfield State Forest:     The West Street gate still remains a problem and there are some historical and neighborhood issues there.   This upcoming season, the gate will continue to be where it is and closed.    Opening that gate and placing another gate further up may cause heavy illegal use that would put a strain on police forces.    There is also a question as to who owns the road –  Pittsfield,  Hancock or the Commonwealth.  Depending on how much they own there DCR is looking to expand the road, improve the culvert for drainage and possibly add some more room for parking that won’t restrict the gate.   Parking is prohibited in front of the gate because the rangers, EPO’s and state police need to access it during emergencies.  They hope to expand the shoulders and possibly get a few cars in there.

 

Ten yards up from the gate on Brickyard Road (which goes into NY and back into MA), there was grass up to one’s waist.  This gate has traditionally been open but access to the parking lot was terrible because there was no defined area.  The grass has since been mowed opening up a wide area which has been laid down with gravel.  This access point is better and more vehicles are now able to get in there in a safer way.   DCR will leave that gate open as long as possible.  They will leave the entire loop and main gates open and ask hunters to park on the left hand side of the road, leaving the snowmobile trail open.

 

Greylock Mountain:   The gate in Lanesboro will be opened up as far as Jone’s Nose during deer hunting season.   Regarding the other gate off Rte 2 to Jones Nose, it was determined that it is too steep and there is no good place to put another gate.

 

DCR is not going to close the parks during hunting season but they do want to give people a greater sense of awareness.  There will be some signage at all the main gates informing people that the roads during snowfall are treacherous.  It is hoped that such signage will increase awareness to non- hunters that DCR will not maintain these roads as well as they do during peak season, and that 4WD vehicles are needed.

 

There is no policy as to when to close the roads due to the heights of snow.  DCR feels that the additional signage will warn people about the roads and by doing so will enable them to keep the gates open longer.

 

Both Darey’s and Jester’s efforts have paid off and they are very thankful for Sisk’s assistance.   Although not perfect, the situation is better than it was.  They urge users “not to be stupid when you are up in these places.   DCR Deputy Commissioner Sisk really stuck his neck out for the sportsmen”. *****

 

The Onota Fishing Club will be having its annual game dinner on Sunday, December 6 at the ITAM Lodge in Pittsfield.  On the menu is roast venison, bear, turkey, rabbit, fresh and salt water fish, homemade sausages, chowder and chili.  Appetizers will start at 1:00 PM and dinner at 2:00 PM.  Partial proceeds from this year’s dinner will be donated to The Eagle Santa Toy Fund.  Tickets are $25.00 each and are available at PortSmitt’s Lakeway Restaurant or by contacting Ray Westerman at 413-464-1853.  If anyone is interested in donating venison or bear meat in exchange for dinner tickets, contact Chris Porter at 413-496-0105.

Our wild turkey population is pretty good

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At a recent monthly meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, David Scarpitti,

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) Turkey, Upland Game and New England Cottontail Project Leader gave the following report on our wild turkeys:

 

  • Turkeys are the second most popular game species behind deer. Although hunted mostly in the spring, there is a fall season.  About 21,000 turkey hunters across the state buy a spring turkey permit.
  • He believes our turkey population looks “pretty good”.   On average during the spring season some 2,500 to 2,600 birds are harvested per year.  During the peak years of 2008 and 2009 between 2,800 and 2,900 were harvested.  The harvest declined slightly and stabilized at 2,600 to 2,700 birds and he feels that is good.  Roughly 175 to 180 birds are harvested each fall.
  • Following turkey restorations (around 40 years ago), our flock experienced a tremendous population increase. Over time, it peaked and then declined slightly and they hope that it will stabilize somewhere near the peak.  Other states like NY, CT and  RI are seeing more significant declines but Massachusetts has not seen such declines yet.
  • DFW analyzes the spring harvests, the brood surveys and fall harvests county by county. Using this information they piece together assessments of the population.  Population is one part of it and hunters are the other part.  It used to be that the turkeys existed only in the Berkshire and Franklin Counties.  Consequently, all of the turkey hunters came here.  But over time as turkeys became more common in eastern Massachusetts, less people needed to travel out here.  Some of the declining harvests seen in the Berkshires are a consequence of that shift in hunters.   Overall, he believes the turkeys are doing fine.
  • Another thing to consider is that habitat has changed. There are fewer dairy farms and the forests are changing.  Although turkeys are very adaptable and can survive in those conditions, he believes forest thinnings would help.   DFW is working on that in terms of its management of state lands and is also working with private landowners to manage their lands better. Harvests and predations don’t really affect turkey population.  “First and foremost, the way to manage the turkey population is through habitat”, he said.
  • He wants to hear more from local hunters. Do we see more turkeys or about the same?  He gets mixed reactions.  Some think there are not as many turkeys as there used to be while others think it is just as good but there are fewer hunters.
  • There are a couple of diseases that are present in wild turkey populations. Avian pox is the primary one that most people can see.  The other one is LPVD, a relatively new type of virus that affects turkeys.   Some are concerned that these diseases are causing some of the declines that other states are experiencing, particularly in NY.  There has been a lot of research on this and he believes the diseases are not the “smoking gun”.  Research has shown that a high percentage of turkeys may carry these diseases but they are not dying in mass quantities from them.  There will be some individual mortality but overall they don’t believe there is a direct link to any significant mortality.   It is not something that is terribly concerning at this point.   “If our harvest was declining dramatically or our hunter success rates were going down dramatically, then they would be concerned.” They have looked at it but it hasn’t borne any substance to warrant further examination at this point.  Incidentally, the viruses are avian specific and have no known consequence or danger to humans.    If you shoot a turkey that looks weird when gutting it out, use your judgment.
  • DFW sends out e-mail hunter surveys on turkeys, deer, bears, etc every year. It is their general game take survey.  There are questions about turkeys, how they hunt them, how much time spent hunting them, etc.
  • “Things are pretty good. We have a 2 bird bag limit per year, the fall turkey season was recently expanded from one week to two and it was expanded statewide.” he said.  The fall harvest did not show a tremendous increase because of these changes.    There does seem to be an increase in turkey hunting and harvests in the fall mainly by deer hunters using a bow.
  • Yearly turkey brood surveys assess poult production and they get that information from all sorts of people. He gets more results from people in eastern Massachusetts with turkeys in their back yards than from more rural areas.  The surveys are getting a little more biased on backyard birds, verses huntable birds.   Data are collected in June, July and August, but August is the important month.  Brood numbers are highest in the spring and they get whittled down over time.  The important numbers are how many poults exist at the end of August.  By that time predation dwindles and they are much less susceptible to predators.
  • There is coyote, fox and fisher predation when the poults are in production in the spring and when hens are sitting on nests. Outside of that there is not much predation on adult turkeys. Predators are not a controlling mechanism on turkeys.    *****

Next Sunday, the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is hosting a fly-tying afternoon at the Wahconah Country Club in Dalton from 2:00 to 5:30 PM.   The event, which is free and open to the public, will be an informal gathering with members bringing in their own vises and tying materials along with a few extra sets available for those curious about tying.  A great opportunity to learn about tying.  If interested contact Henry Sweren at hsweren8@aol.com

Paraplegic Deer Hunt deemed a success

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That’s according to Trina Moruzzi, Division of Fisheries & Wildlife State Coordinator. Twenty five hunters participated statewide in the 3 day paraplegic deer hunt which took place from October 29 through October 31.  A total of three deer, 2 bucks and a doe, were harvested. This translates to a 12% success rate for this year’s hunt, verses last year’s 26% success ratio.  In the past five years, these hunters have averaged greater than a 25% success rate. “Many hunters saw deer, contributing to a successful hunt experience,” she said.

Here in the Berkshires, 9 hunters participated – 5 in the southern and 4 in the northern Berkshires sites.

The southern Berkshires folks hunted in the Mount Washington area and was coordinated out of the DCR Headquarters there.  The hunters were:  Sidney Eichstedt of Lee, Greg Baumli of New Lebanon, NY, Steve Gladding of Westfield, Dick Lockwood of Springfield and Vyto Sablevicius of Norwood. Eichstedt shot a 4 point buck and Sablevicius got a doe.

Helpers included:  Shaun Smith, Brian Ingerson, Marc Portieri, Greg Arienti,  Rick Thelig, Tom Dean, Matt Roach, Paul Antonozzi, Jimmy Thomas and Chuck Pickard, all from the Berkshires or northern Connecticut.   DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden helped out, too.

 

Chuck Pickard brought his trailer-mounted smoker/grill and a lot of friends, who own restaurants and businesses, donated food and condiments.  Other individuals also prepared food needed for the three day event.

 

On the day that I was there, the lunch menu was:  homemade clam chowder, smoked roast beef, smoked Vidalia onion gravy, smoked baked beans, and potato salad.  Chuck did the smoking and roasting while Patricia Vollmer made the chowder and potato salad.  There were also several home-made deserts baked by supporters.

 

The 4 hunters at the Northern Berkshires site were: Shawn Mei of Baldwinville, Michael Noiseux of Berkley, Dale Bailey of Clarksburg, and David Alderman of Petersburgh, NY.   According to Moruzzi, no deer were taken on the Northern hunt, however most hunters saw deer.

 

Since 1972, this hunt has provided thousands of hours of recreational opportunities for paraplegic sportsmen and women and I am proud to be part of it.” said Moruzzi.  She noted that volunteers are integral to the program and thanked them for their enthusiasm and commitment. Next year’s hunt will be held November 3 – 5, 2016. If you are a paraplegic sportsman or sportswoman interested in participating in the 2016 hunt, contact Trina Moruzzi at trina.moruzzi@state.ma.us or call (508) 389-6318 for more information. *****

 

Staying with the subject of deer hunting, readers may recall an article I wrote about the new Youth Deer Hunt Day which took place on September 26.  In that article, I mentioned the local youths who successfully harvested deer.  Well, there is one more to add to that list and that is 13-year old Hunter Connelly of Hinsdale.  Hunting with his dad Rick Connelly in Windsor, he dropped an 8 point buck which weighed 182 lbs dressed.  He shot the deer with a 20 gauge shotgun at about 30 yards.  An hour earlier, he let a doe with a fawn go by.  Needless to say, his dad, mom Heather and sister, Hannah are quite proud of his accomplishment.  Hunter is having quite a first year of hunting.  Earlier this year he bagged his first wild turkey during the Youth Turkey Hunt Day.  Good mentoring dad. *****

 

Recently, the Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA) held its 17th annual State of the River Conference.  Williams College Chemical Professor David Richardson and student Matthew Gross presented their work on PCB accumulation in crayfish and brown trout.  Some 50 crayfish were analyzed and it was determined that the bio accumulation averaged about .245 parts per million (PPM) which is well below the EPA limit of 2 PPM .

 

Of the brown trout tested this year, the largest one, measuring approximately 17 inches, had PCB levels under 2 PPM.  This preliminary result was good news as a fish that size certainly lived in the river for years, had eaten lots of crayfish and other micro-invertebrates and might have had higher concentrations of PCB’s built up in its systems.  Only 4 trout have been tested, thus far with another 8 trout tests nearing completion.  Those results will be reported at a later date.

 

Tests of the other trout, a brown trout of about 8 ¼ inches and a brook trout about 9 ½ inches had levels significantly below the 2 PPM threshold, with levels under of .30 PPM.  A hatchery raised rainbow trout was caught out of the Green River tributary and that had extremely low, barely measurable levels of PCBs. They stressed that the results on the fish tests are preliminary; but their methods for measuring PCB’s is similar to that used by the EPA.  Professor Jay Thoman believes that no one has found organisms anywhere in the world that don’t contain some PCBs.

 

In the future they are requesting more assistance from fishermen in supplying them with more trout so that they can be sampled.  They don’t want a huge backlog of them because, unfortunately, there is no way of sampling the fish without killing them.

 

Their conclusions were:  (1) There are no significant PCB levels in nearly all crayfish taken at the Cole Field site, (2) They have a high level of confidence in their crayfish measurements, (3) They are close to developing satisfactory trout analysis protocols and (4) They have preliminary values in trout and the tests will be continued in the future.

 

“Things are getting better, at lease biologically” said HooWRA Director Lauren Stevens.  Fish advisories still remain on the Hoosic downstream from the former Sprague property.  It remains to be seen if the fish advisories will be removed if these results hold up and/or improve.

A visit to the Owl’s Nest Part II

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Readers may recall that last month, I mentioned that I had been invited up to the Owl’s Nest in the Green Mountains.  Also scheduled to be there were:  Homer Ouellette of Pittsfield, Paul Ouellette of Lanesboro, Doug Edwards and his son Blake Edwards of Windsor,  Navy Lt. Commander (Ret) Fred Biegner and his son-in-law chef Craig Mitchell of North Kingston, RI, Bob Lamb of Cheshire and Ken Jardin (Homer’s son-in-law) of Hebron, CT.  This will have been my 4th time there, the last time being around 1988.

 

The meals were listed in the invitation with everyone, except me, were assigned cooking duties.  That is probably because I messed up a breakfast there back in the early 1980’s, when I had flipped the pancakes more than once.  Apparently, that’s a no-no.

 

Owl’s Nest co-owner Bob Lamb towed a trailer with his 4 wheeler so that provisions could be hauled up to the cabin.  Paul, who is 92 years old and is having leg problems these days, required a ride up in the trailer.  His 89 year old brother Homer kept him company on the ride.  The rest of us hiked.

 

Also towed up was an outdoor shower system that Bob owns.  This amazing invention is comprised of a small pump which is placed in the nearby brook and powered by a car battery .  A hose goes to an outdoor shower system near the cabin.  This system is heated by propane and provides instant hot water for showering and cooking.

 

The cabin, which can sleep 9, is loaded with memorabilia, and each piece has its own story.  There is a pulley system that is used to hoist wet clothing up near the rafters above the stove to dry over night

 

It was off season, with no deer hunting yet and trout fishing was winding down.   It was too early for perch fishing on Lake Champlain which they usually do during ice fishing season.  Incidentally, the organization Perch Unlimited (PU!) originated at this cabin.

 

So what goes on in a camp during off season?  WORK! Preparations have to be made for the upcoming hunting/ice fishing seasons – wood has to be stacked in or near the cabin, coal has to be wheel barreled to the coal bin near the front deck, the stool shed/shed house has to be cleaned and dirt which had worked its way downhill and settled under the cabin over the years had to be removed to afford good ventilation.

 

After a hard day’s work, a couple of drinks, a spaghetti dinner and a good cigar, it was decided to build a bon fire and burn the “owl cat”.  In the past, someone used a chain saw to carve a 3+ foot owl out of a large stump near the cabin.  It was not liked (looked too much like a cat) and it was decided to saw it down and burn it up that evening.  It was propped upright, and when it was burning, presented an eerie sight.  As the flames licked all around it, the head and eyes appeared to be looking at us.

 

The next day, after breakfast, a morning of hard work and a delicious lunch, an accustomed game of show and tell took place.  Each person brought some gadget and asked others to guess what it was.  For example, Bob brought a devise for setting a beaver trap, Paul brought old pictures, Blake brought pictures from Alaska, Homer brought an old camera, etc.  Perhaps the most interesting item was a home made little vehicle that Doug made and which was powered by a mouse trap.

 

Later on in the afternoon, Blake did some metal detecting while Bob started heating the oil for an oil-cooked turkey which we were having for dinner.  We were expecting guests that evening for dinner.  In addition to the 9 of us, two neighbors Nancy Kolesnik, who is an abutter at the foot of the mountain, and a friend were coming.

 

What a sight as they hiked up the trail to the cabin, Nancy with a covered basket of freshly baked rolls and her friend with a couple of bottles of his homemade elderberry wine.  Her black lab Shooter accompanied them.  Also arriving later that evening were Maureen Soules from Lee and her friend Gordy Merrill from Hancock, VT. Maureen is the daughter of the late Bill Brighenti, one of the original builders/owners of the Owl’s nest.  She is now a part owner of the Owl’s Nest through inheritance.

 

That evening, we sat around adjoining tables enjoying a delicious meal of roast ham, oil-fried turkey, stuffing, squash, potatoes, etc.  Picture it – lit by propane lanterns, 13 people and a dog enjoying a delicious meal and wonderful company in a warm, rustic cabin up in the Green Mountains.   It was like celebrating Thanksgiving.  Now that I think about it, the guests did come over the river and thru the woods.

 

The next morning, after breakfast and work assignments, Doug and son Brady instructed some guys on how to build their own mouse trap powered vehicles.  Afterward, they had racing contests with the winners receiving prizes.

 

Soon it was time to leave.  After loading everything into the wagon, Paul included, we headed back down the mountain.  I had to chuckle at the sight of Paul being driven down the mountain like General George Patton.  All he needed was an ivory handled pistol.  Lt Commander Biegner must have thought likewise for as they passed him on the trail, he stopped, turned and saluted.

 

What a unique and enjoyable weekend, one that I shall never forget.

Youth Deer Hunt was a success

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According to figures released by The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife ), some 1,339 youths participated in the first ever Youth Deer Hunt which was held on October 3.

MassWildlife created this special season to provide young people an opportunity to hunt deer with their own permit during a special one-day hunt that precedes the Commonwealth’s annual deer hunting seasons.  Youths as young as 12 years old can hunt, provided they were accompanied by a duly licensed adult and they obtained a Youth Deer Permit.  Youths 15-17 years old had to have a Massachusetts Minor Hunting License and a Youth Deer Permit.

Preliminary harvest reports show that 143 deer were harvested by the youths on that day.  The nicest deer that I know of was taken by 12 year old Willem Magnifico from Middleton, MA.  Hunting with his father Mark, he shot the pictured 10 point buck which dressed out at 180 lbs.  The deer, which was shot in Middleton, was immediately dropped at 100 yards with a 12 gauge bolt action shotgun.   It was also a great opportunity for Mark to teach his son Willem how to field dress a deer.

 

His mom, Karen, and dad are extremely proud of their son’s feat.   They plan to have the deer’s head mounted.

 

Figures were not yet available as to how many local youths participated in the hunt and how many deer were harvested.   We know that 14 year old Tanner Hill, of Dalton, shot a nice 4 point buck in Dalton, which dressed out at 110 lbs.  Mentored by his dad Michael, he dropped the deer at 75 yards with a 12 gauge shotgun.

 

Cliff Briggs, of Great Barrington, reported on four father/son teams in southern Berkshire County.  Matt Driscoll of Lee hunted with his dad Richard and got a button buck in Becket. It was also a great opportunity for Richard to show Matt how to track a wounded deer until found.

 

Other father/son teams included Hunter Briggs of Lee who hunted with his dad Robert, Chip Consolati of Lee hunted with his dad Tony, and Liam Shields of Lee was mentored by Matt Ranzoni.   The group saw 4 deer, but no bucks other than the button bucks.  After the hunt, Mike Scolforo of Lee invited them up to his hunting camp in Sandisfield and cooked them a couple of burgers and stuff.

 

My apologies to any other hunters/mentors who may have participated during the Youth Deer Hunt Day of which I was unaware *****

There will be a NRA Basic Pistol Course at the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club on Saturday, November 7, from 8 AM to 6 PM. There will be a break for lunch. You are requested to bring a sandwich or snacks, as well as a pen and paper for notes. The course costs$70 and it includes a one year membership at the LSC.

Candidates will learn gun operation and components, ammo functions and the shooting fundamentals.  There is no live ammo in the classroom.  After handling empty guns and dry firing, the candidates will be required to shoot 50 rounds of .22 ammo at the range to complete the course.  They are required to review the MA. State gun laws for possession and storage. Successful completion of this course allows the candidate to apply for a MA LTC Class A. Check the Gun Owners Action League website for disqualifications for the course.

Call Vicki or Cliff White at (413)442-8107 or email them at cliffxring@gmail.com to sign up. *****

The inaugural Berkshire Natural History Conference, which will feature presentations by local and regional naturalists as well as acclaimed authors, will take place on Sun., Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.at the Bellas/Dixon Math and Science Center at The Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass.

 

“This annual event will bring natural history home to the Berkshires,” notes Berkshire Community College Professor of Environmental Science Tom Tyning, the lead organizer of the event.  “We are really excited to gather programs and like-minded people together to help understand and appreciate the deep natural heritage that surrounds us all in the Berkshires.”

The Conference will feature authors and international nature guides, Peter Alden and Brian Cassie.

 

Alden, author of 15 books on North American and African wildlife, is an acclaimed international natural history tour leader traveling to such places as Antarctica, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, South America, the Amazon, Lesser Antilles, Panama Canal, Central America, Pacific Mexico, Alaska, British Columbia and Africa.

 

Cassie, a dedicated naturalist, conservationist, and teacher, has led nature tours in Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, Venezuela and Jamaica as well as closer to home in Maine and Massachusetts. He has worked with the Audubon Society and “Butterflies through Binoculars Tours,” and is president of both the Nuttall Ornithological Club at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Butterfly Club.

 

Other programs on the agenda include:

  • Rene Wendell’s introduction to S. Waldo Bailey, original warden at Bartholomew’s  Cobble.
  • Insect Biodiversity — Tom Murray
  • Our Local Rattlesnakes — Anne Stengle
  • The Richmond Boulder Train — Tim Flanagan
  • Berkshire’s Neatest Butterflies — Bill Benner
  • Native Berkshire Fishes — Andrew MaddenTickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students.  Admission includes brunch, and access to all of the natural history presentations. For more information or to pre-register visit:  https://www.berkshirecc.edu/news-events/bnhc.php. The Berkshire School is located at 245 N. Undermountain Road in Sheffield.  In the event of inclement weather, a storm date is scheduled for Sunday, November 15.The event is sponsored by: Berkshire Community College, The Berkshire School, Green Berkshires, MCLA, Orion Magazine, Berkshire Environmental Action Team and the Hoffmann Bird Club.