Category Archives: News

Good news for environmentalists and conservationists

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There are two good news stories to relate to you.   First, at a recent event at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced $480,568 in grants from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) for projects to protect and restore rivers, watersheds, and wildlife across the Commonwealth.

“The Environmental Trust has been investing in the waters of Massachusetts for over twenty-five years,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Our coastal regions and rivers are just some of the natural resources that make Massachusetts such a great place to live and visit, and these grants will continue to improve these incredible resources.”

Since it was founded in 1988 as part of the Boston Harbor cleanup, MET has awarded more than $20 million in grants to organizations statewide that provide a wide array of environmental services, from supporting water projects in communities to protecting coastal habitats. Funding for this program comes from the sale of the state’s three environmentally-themed specialty license plates: the Right Whale Tail, the Leaping Brook Trout and the Blackstone Valley Mill.

“The grants being awarded by the Baker-Polito Administration will help to open miles of rivers to fish, improve water quality, and provide new recreational opportunities,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “This funding has been made possible because over 40,000 drivers in Massachusetts chose to purchase one of the three environmental license plates, and I applaud our state’s residents for their continued commitment to the Commonwealth’s environmental well-being.”

The grants will help support twelve projects in Arlington, Barnstable, Belmont, Bourne, Boxford, Chilmark, Falmouth, Hanover, Milton, Pittsfield, Wareham, and Wellfleet.

“This award will help the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) implement a visionary partnership with local college students focused on protecting Berkshire County’s most valuable natural resources,” said State Senator Benjamin B. Downing.  “The Massachusetts Environmental Trust has funded such initiatives across the Commonwealth for decades, and I am pleased to see the Baker Administration continue to support these important environmental protection efforts.”

Congratulations to BEAT which has been awarded $35,682 to develop a program for training citizen scientists to survey stormwater outfalls during dry weather conditions. They will create a digital survey form for mobile phones that can be used in the field and take photos that will be geocoded and downloaded at the end of the survey.  A GIS layer will be created with attached photos and forms documenting the size, material and condition of the pipe, and note any problems associated with each outfall. When dry weather flows are found, trained personnel will sample the flows and the samples will be tested by a certified lab and by Berkshire Community College students for a new water quality course.

 

The second bit of good news is that the US Fish & Wildlife Service proposes to double the amount of land it conserves around the Connecticut River over the next several decades.

 

The proposal to acquire the land is part of the draft management plan for the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.  The Conte Refuge was established to conserve, protect, and enhance native fish, wildlife, and plants, and the ecosystems they depend upon throughout the Connecticut River watershed.

The 7.2-million acre watershed represents the refuge’s legislated boundary, and covers portions of four states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The watershed provides important habitat for hundreds of breeding and migrating birds, numerous migratory fish, and several federally listed threatened and endangered plant and wildlife species. As of October 2013, the refuge consisted of 35,989 acres on 9 refuge divisions and 9 refuge units across the watershed.  The largest refuge divisions are the 26,605-acre Nulhegan Basin Division in Vermont and the 6,405-acre Pondicherry Division in New Hampshire.

The USFWS has put out four options for the future of the Conte Refuge.  The agency’s preferred pick would increase the amount of land bought for conservation from the current goal of 97,830 acres to 197,296 .  That would include parcels in Hadley, Northampton and Westfield.

 

You can download a copy of the full-text draft online at: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Silvio_O_Conte/what_we_do/conservation.html.  Allow yourself some time for the summary alone is about 45 pages.

Two public meetings are scheduled in our area.  The first will be on September 14 at the Becket Town Hall and it will focus on the Westfield River.   Currently some 125 acres are in the refuge there and they would like to increase it to 6,520 acres.  The second meeting will be held on September 23 at the Chesterfield Council on Aging Community Center/Grange Building at 400 Main Road, Chesterfield.  It will focus on the Dead Branch area which currently has 97 acres in the refuge and the preferred plan is to increase it to 6,012 acres.Following the meetings, there will be a 90 day review and comment period.

Our late US Congressman Silvio O. Conte would have loved this news.  His dream was to see the Connecticut River cleaned, fishable, swimmable and with salmon restored in abundant numbers.  We know what happened to the salmon program but the rest is certainly good news. *****

All first-time hunters who wish to purchase a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license must complete a Basic Hunter Education course.

 

There will be a Basic Hunter Education Course taught at the Becket Town Hall,  557 Main Street,  on the following dates:  September 21and 23 from 5:30 to 9:30 PM and on Saturday, September 26 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Participants must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course.  To enroll, call (508)389-7830. *****

The Lee Sportsmen’s Association is having a Basic Pistol Course on Mondays, September 14 and September 21 from 5:30 to 9:30 PM.  The course cost is $100.  To sign up, contact Larry Karlquist at (413) 442-7807.

The Mass Division of Ecological Restoration –What it does.

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In last week’s column I mentioned that Tim Purinton, Director of the MA Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) will be guest speaker at today’s Berkshire Hatchery Foundation Lobster Fest.  I mentioned that because of the DER’s excellent work, it deserves more coverage in this column.

Massachusetts has more than 10,000 miles of river, but unfortunately, many suffer from over-allocation of water, polluted runoff during rain, and habitat fragmentation. In many cities and towns, rivers are separated from residents and businesses by concrete walls, fences, and buildings.

The mission of the DER is to restore and protect the Commonwealth’s rivers, wetlands and watersheds for the benefit of people and the environment.   It focuses on revitalizing urban rivers and undoing the effects of more than 3000 dams and 40,000 culverts.

Thanks in part to the DER, Massachusetts is leading the Northeast in river restoration efforts.  It maintains a strong focus on dam removal, as well as other innovative techniques to heal rivers and streams at a larger, system-level, not only to benefit of fish, but to restore dozens of ecological processes that define river health.

 

Physical restoration techniques such as culvert and bridge replacement, stream naturalization, and dam removal are designed and implemented to maximize restoration benefits for aquatic habitat while minimizing negative impacts to infrastructure, cultural resources, and the built environment.  Many streams, especially in eastern Massachusetts, are subject to excessive water withdrawals and other manipulations of the natural hydrologic regime.  Restoring natural stream flow through impoundment management, water conservation, and infrastructure planning are techniques that can be used to improve aquatic ecosystem functions.

Working in partnership with public, private, and non-governmental organizations, DER has completed over 100 restoration projects, restoring over 1,000 acres of tidal wetlands and miles of rivers and freshwater habitats. The number of its active projects in development at any given time typically exceeds 50.

Dams block fish and wildlife, degrade water quality, and stop the flow of water, sediment, and organic material.  Undersized and inappropriately place culverts block fish and wildlife.  Both cause public safety risks as they degrade and eventually fail catastrophically.  DER works with dam owners to remove unwanted dams and with cities, towns, and the state to replace undersized culverts.  DER also works with communities to improve water quality and stream habitat in urban settings.

It works on twenty to thirty dam removal and three to five culvert projects at any given time. Locally, some past projects included removal of two dams on Yokum Brook in Becket, the Briggsville Dam on the North Branch of the Hoosic River in Clarksburg, the Stroud Dam on Kinne Brook in Chester and the installation of a new culvert on Thunder Brook in Cheshire.  It is involved with the Hoosic River Revival in North Adams, Pecks Brook in Pittsfield and is working with partners to improve stream flow below recreational dams in Pittsfield and Stockbridge.

DER is working with the Housatonic Valley Association, the Town of Pittsfield, and lake associations to assess adjustments to drawdown management that consider both downstream flow regimes and lake user needs.  Pittsfield is piloting an alternative approach at Onota Lake/Pecks Brook.

Future local projects involve the removal of the Tel-Electric (a.k.a. Mill Street) Dam, located on the West Branch of the Housatonic River in downtown Pittsfield.  The removal of the dam is part of a larger effort by the City of Pittsfield to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood.

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

I have barely scratched the surface of the wonderful projects in which the DER is involved, the employment benefits, how its leverages state dollars, the various important awards received and how restorations generate substantial economic value by improving ecosystem services.   Click onto http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/der/ to learn more about it.  *****

All first-time hunters who wish to purchase a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license must complete a Basic Hunter Education course.  This course is designed for first-time hunters and is standardized across North America.

 

There will be a Basic Hunter Education Course taught at the Pittsfield High School, 300 East Street, Pittsfield, on the following dates:  September 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  Participants must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course.  To enroll, call (508)389-7830. *****

Trapper education is mandatory for all first-time trappers and Problem Animal Control (PAC) Agents.     MassWildlife has announced the following Trapper Education courses:   At the US Fish & Wildlife Service office in Hadley September 9 and 19 and at the same place on September 10 and 20.  Courses will also be held at the Auburn Sportsman’s club in Auburn on September 2 and 12 and on October 7 and 17.  Course information can be found online at http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/education-events/hed/trapper-education-courses.html.

 

If you are interested in any of these courses, call 508-389-7830 immediately to enroll; classes are filled first-come, first-served, and enrollment cannot be processed via email. *****

 

The Berkshire Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation has announced that after a 3 year hiatus, it will begin having its annual banquets.  This year’s banquet will be held at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club on Sunday, September 13 with doors opening at noon and dinner served at 1:00 PM.  The cost is $65 per person which includes the meal and a one year membership along with a year’s subscription to Turkey Call magazine.   Chris Puntin of Becket will be heading it up and is looking for volunteers to join the committee to help with the banquet and other events.    Contact information is: 413-464-4036 or cpuntin1218@gmail. Com.  *****

Antlerless deer hunting permits are announced

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The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) has recently announced that 42,375 antlerless deer hunting permits will be issued statewide this year, reflecting no change from last year.  Also, the permits for each individual Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ) will also remain the same.  The allocated permits by WMZ and odds for getting a permit are as follows:

 

 

Wildlife Management Zone 2015

Allocated Permits

2015

Applicants

2015

Odds*

 
1 400 1305 39%
2 175 1688 14%
3 1100 2344 57%
4N 375 2235 23%
4S 275 1645 26%
5 1250 3507 44%
6 450 917 65%
7 2250 3277 85%
8 2800 4502 77%
9 4100 4984 100%
10 12000 4045 100%
11 11000 7205 100%
12 800 1407 78%
13 2700 135 100%
14 2700 83 100%

 
*The Odds are calculated as allocated permits divided by total applicants, plus an adjustment to compensate for applicants that do not come back to pay for their permit (based on 2013-2014 data.

 

Sale of Surplus by WMZ will be staggered over the following days in October, 2015, beginning at 8AM:   Zone 11 permits will go on sale on Tuesday, October 6, Zone 10 permits will go on sale on Wednesday, October 7, Zone 13 and 14 permits will go on sale on Thursday, October 8. Once on sale, permits will remain available until sold out in each WMZ.

 

Hunters can only purchase permits through MassFishHunt, at authorized license vendor locations or at a DFW office.

 

Incidentally, I hope you noticed the number of people who deer hunt in Massachusetts.  Nearly 40,000 of them applied for the antlerless permit alone.

 

MassWildlife recently created a Youth Deer Hunt day in Massachusetts for hunters aged 12 to 17.  This Hunt provides youth with an opportunity to hunt deer with their own deer tags during a special single-day season that precedes the Commonwealth’s annual archery, shotgun, and muzzleloader seasons.  Hunters are reminded that all shotgun deer season regulations apply on the Youth Deer Hunt day.

The day will be held the 4th Saturday following Labor Day.  (October 3 this year). Hunting with shotgun, muzzleloader or bow and arrow is allowed.  Only one firearm/bow is permitted between youth and adult.  All shotgun deer hunting season regulations apply on the Youth Deer Hunt day.

The requirements are as follows: For 12-14 aged youth, no hunting or sporting license is required but a Youth Deer Hunt Permit is required.  The youth must be accompanied by a duly licensed adult.  (One adult per youth hunter).  For 15-17 aged youths, a Massachusetts hunting or sporting license and the Youth Deer Hunt Permit are required.

Youth Deer hunt permits are free, but must be obtained at a license vendor or MassWildlife office. These permits and tags are only valid for the Youth Deer Hunt day and cannot be used in later seasons.  Click onto the MassWildlife website for more information. *****

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club (LSC) reminds us that the Massachusetts gun laws have changed considerably over the last several years.  Do you know the laws or think you know them?  Well, on Tuesday August 18, the LSC and the Gun Owners Action League are presenting a gun law seminar beginning at 5:30 PM which will cover some of these new laws.  It will be taught by Jon Green, GOAL Director of Education.  A $5 donation is requested and you are asked to pre-register.  For more information, contact Lorenzo Maranggoni at (413) 822-7412. *****

 

On August 21 and 24 MassWildlife Habitat Biologist Marianne Piché, along with Natural Resources Conservation Services and Department of Conservation and Recreation Service Forestry staff, will lead two New England Cottontail Habitat Management Walks at project sites in Sandisfield and Granville. They will discuss New England Cottontail conservation, habitat management planning, funding, and permitting.  One walk will be hosted by Chad Pease and the other by Charlie Sheets; two landowners who have completed habitat management on their properties.

You are invited to see these conservation efforts and learn what you can do to become involved.  The walks will take place from 5:30 – 7:00 P.M. at 228 Sandisfield Rd. in Sandisfield on August 21 and on Main Rd. (0.1 miles east of Sheets Rd.) in Granville on August 24.  Be prepared for a short walk on level but uneven and muddy terrain. Contact Marianne at 508-389-6313 or via email, marianne.piche@state.ma.us for more details. *****

Tim Purinton, Director of the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), will be guest speaker at the 13th Annual Berkshire Hatchery Foundation’s Lobster Fest on Sunday, August 23.  It will be held on the hatchery grounds from 2 to 5 PM.  The Lobster Fest tickets, which cost $65 per person, can be obtained by contacting the Hatchery at (413) 528-9761.  Don’t delay as it is expected to be a sell-out.

 

Purinton and his staff at the DER work with community-based partners to restore aquatic ecosystems.  Their work brings clean water, recreation opportunities, healthy commercial fisheries and other ecosystem services to the citizens of Massachusetts.  The title of his talk will be Dams, Cranberry Bogs and Culverts, An overview of River Restoration Efforts in Massachusetts.

The excellent work of both the DER and the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery deserve more coverage in this column, hopefully next week.

Incidentally, The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation is holding another free kid’s trout fishing derby at their lower pond in Hartsville on August 22 from 9 to 10:30 AM.

Big bass caught in Becket waters

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It was 5:10 AM on Saturday, July 25, when Gabrielle Graham of Becket made her first cast into a local pond in Sherwood Forest in Becket.  She was fishing with a large greenish worm imitation.  On that first cast a large fish gobbled up that worm.  According to Gabrielle, the fish was so strong that it towed her row boat, with two people in it, around the lake for several minutes. 

 

When she finally managed to bring it to the side of the boat she saw that it was a huge largemouth bass.  She did not have a net and had to grab it by its lower jaw and hoist it out of the water and onto the boat.  She said that it was so big that she had trouble lifting it. 

 

A friend took a picture of it and she immediately released it back into the water.  She didn’t want to kill that fish after it gave her such a thrilling fight.  Besides, she said, it is a catch and release lake.  By 5:19 AM it was all over and the fish was happily swimming again.

 

She didn’t have scales with her to weigh the fish but, according to Gabrielle, some estimated it to be between 8 lbs and 14 lbs.  She is no stranger to hooking and fighting large fish for she fishes the Salmon River in Pulaski, NY for steelhead and king salmon.  She feels that its weight was on the upper end of the estimations. 

Beginning this year, MassWildlife has a new Catch and Release category in its Sportfishing Awards Program and she could have probably received a pin.  However; in order for a fish to be considered it must be measured at the site of capture and photographed against a standard measuring device. The photo must include the entire fish and the measurement must be clearly discernible.  The clear, side view, close-up photograph of the fish must be included with an affidavit.

Too bad for Gabrielle, she’ll just have to go out and catch it again and this time bring a tape measure.  *****

In my June 14 column, I had mentioned that the MA Fish & Wildlife Board had appointed Division of Fisheries & Wildlife Acting Director Jack Buckley as its new Director, replacing recently retired Director Wayne MacCallum.  At the time, there was no press release as to Buckley’s bio or qualifications, but recently, the following information has been made available.

 

Buckley has been with MassWildlife since 1988 as Deputy Director of Administration, directly involved with the development of fisheries and wildlife management and policy initiatives.  He has provided general management and research guidance to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program; represented the Division’s interest to the legislature; worked with various constituent groups to implement agency initiatives; supervised the Federal Aid Program; provided supervision and guidance to the Information and Education staff; and coordinated programs with the Department of Fish and Game, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and other conservation partners.

 

In addition, Buckley served on several committees with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, including Legislative Affairs, Federal Budget, and International Affairs.  He serves as the regional representative for the Northeastern states to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Technical Working Group.

 

Prior to working for the Division, Buckley was the Chief of Fisheries Management in Washington D.C. for the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  He was also a Project Leader at the Massachusetts Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at UMASS where he directed a multi-agency funded research project on the behavioral ecology and population dynamics of the endangered Shortnose Sturgeon.   He earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Fisheries Biology from UMASS and a Bachelor’s degree in History from Ripon College in Wisconsin.

 

“I am very grateful to the Board for giving me this extraordinary opportunity,” said Buckley. “While there are challenges ahead, I believe the future looks bright, and I look forward to working with hunters, anglers, trappers, environmentalists, and all citizens to fulfill our public trust responsibility to the people and natural resources of the Commonwealth”. *****

 

As you know, former Berkshire Eagle Sports Editor Brian Sullivan recently passed away.  His passing occurred when I was away and this is my first opportunity to write a few words about him.

 

It was Brian who interviewed me for this column back in February, 2004.  He was friendly and made me feel very comfortable during the interview.  He then introduced me to his boss, then had Ben Garver take my photograph and I left the Eagle Building that day with a new job.  I was very appreciative of the fact that he took a chance on hiring this retired, old bank auditor who happened to love to hunt and fish.  Thereafter, each week when I dropped off my column, he always greeted me with a friendly smile (a rare sight for an auditor) and words of encouragement. 

 

A year or so after that, Brian asked me to appear as his guest on his sports program which was aired on Southern Berkshire Cable TV.  Anyone who knows me knows that I would rather be water boarded than to speak in public, much less on TV.  But this was Brian, whom I owed so much, asking and I said yes.  The filming went well and once again he made me feel comfortable during the interview. 

 

He was my boss for the next seven or eight years and we had a very good relationship.  Even after he had left the editor position and was in ill health, we would meet here or there and he still had that friendly smile and kind words.

 

Brian Sullivan was a good man and he will be missed. *****

 

Wayne Rodd, taxidermist extraordinaire

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When I first began writing this column some 11 years ago, Wayne Rodd of Southampton, MA contacted me to let me know that he was an official measurer for the Boone and Crockett Club, the Pope and Young Club (bow hunters), the Longhunters (Muzzleloader record book), Buckmasters, and occasionally the Northeast Big Buck Club (they are the folks that have the deer head and antler display at the Big E Sportsmen’s show in West Springfield).

He casually mentioned that he was a taxidermist and showed me some of his work.  I immediately wanted to feature him in a column but he asked me not to.  He wanted no notoriety for his work or no new business.  In fact, he could barely keep up with the customer work load that he had.  He just wanted me to know and hopefully pass on to the readers that he was an official measurer should they bag a trophy.

I kind of lost touch with Wayne over the years but every now and then his name would show up in one of the columns.  Well, recently Wayne contacted me to tell me of his recent outstanding achievement.  Let me relay what he wrote:  “Just wanted to share with some of my friends who aren’t on Facebook the results of my last taxidermy competition.   I brought two commercial pieces, (a grey fox and a boar mount) plus two framed red fox photos to enter into the wild-life art category at the New England Association of Taxidermists (NEAT) because I didn’t put anything together for the show at the time.  Then after putting a white-tail deer together for the showroom I decided to enter it into the Master’s Category for deer.

 

The five pieces ended up getting five blue ribbons for 1st Place. Then the deer took Best of Category for Deer in the Masters Division, and the boar Best of Show – Commercial Mount, one fox photo took Best Wildlife Art, and for the fun of it I entered for the Old Timers Award, which is voted on by other taxidermists, and the deer took that award also.  So, in the end, five blue ribbons and 4 awards.”

 

I pleaded with him to let me write about him and include one of his pictures of his work into this column.  He relented and provided the above photo.

 

Wayne is owner and operator of Manhan Taxidermy since 1981 and has a Manhan Taxidermy page on Facebook that has several albums with more photos. The deer that took Best of Category in the Masters Division at the recent NEAT show has not yet been posted on his web site.  He is planning on first taking it up to Maine for a show there in August.

 

Currently he specializes in deer heads, game heads and life size mounts of North American game. He no longer does any fish or migratory birds.

 

Wayne was just elected to be on the Board of Directors of NEAT. Anyone interested in joining that organization can find out how on the NEAT website.

 

As far as taxidermy goes he says that he has a good steady number of regular customers who keep him busy enough and is currently not looking for more work.  In that way he can keep things moving along and put the necessary time in the mounts, so  they come out the way he wants them. He’s been involved in taxidermy for over 30 years, and a lot of regular customers know he will only take in so much work.  Consequently they keep his name to themselves in case they are lucky enough to get something worth mounting.

 

Hopefully, Wayne will not be mad at me for this write-up.  As previously mentioned, he is not looking for any notoriety and would like to keep a low profile.  Sorry Wayne, but outstanding accomplishments deserve recognition.  People want to know about you and your great work.  It goes with the territory.

As far as measuring for the record books, he is still an official measurer for the above mentioned organizations and can be contacted through their web-sites or through his own Facebook page.  It helps to keep him off the phone so he can stay on top of any work load, or not walk away from something while he’s working on it.  I am honoring his request not to disclose his phone number for that reason. *****

Do you fish in New York State?   Well, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the license renewal reminder you recently received was incorrect.  It noted that the cost of an annual fishing license was reduced to $25.  That is indeed the case for resident anglers, but not non-residents.  Non-resident annual fishing licenses were reduced almost 30% from $70 to $50.  The DEC apologizes for the confusion and hopes you will take the opportunity to renew your NY fishing license.   To sweeten the deal, if you purchase your license on-line by September 1, 2015 you will be entered into a drawing for one of five $100 Dicks Sporting Goods Gift Cards.

Brook trout released into local streams by students

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Three local schools are involved with raising and releasing brook trout here in the Berkshires.   They originally started out raising Atlantic Salmon in the ASERP (Atlantic Salmon Egg Rearing Program, but, the Connecticut River Salmon Restoration program ended two years ago.  Both the US Fish & Wildlife Service and wildlife agencies of MA, VT and NH will no longer support it.   The schools then started raising brook trout from eggs that came from the Roger Reed Salmon Hatchery in Palmer, Ma.    Students actively take part monitoring water quality on a daily basis and assisting in the trout’s husbandry needs.  By the time they were released in May or early June, they are nearly 2 inches long.

At the Becket-Washington School, the 3rd and 4th graders participated in the program.  Over 100 brook trout were raised from eggs and the survival rate was great with only 4 dying while in the aquarium.  They were released on June 3 at the outdoor classroom along Yokum Brook in Becket.  Teachers Mary Kay McCloskey and Patty Robbie headed up the program there with assistance from Karen Karlberg.

Approximately 75 Taconic High School students participated, releasing their trout into Windsor Brook in Windsor on May 27.   They had some equipment problems but still managed a 60% success ratio.  One student came into school over break to care for the fish to ensure they were properly fed and their water quality was on par.  Teachers who participated were Tanya Michaud, Michell Potash and Ron Wojcik.  According to Michaud, this is their second year rearing brook trout in the classroom and their release site shows evidence that the fish are healthy and thriving.  There were 3 fish that were about a year old swimming in an eddy and it is suspected that they are from their cohort of trout released last year around the same time

At Mt Everett Regional High School in Sheffield, some 140 students were involved and had a 100% survival.  They not only raise and release fingerlings, but some trout are retained for the Aquacultural Class where they grow them larger and release them at the 8 to 12 inch size (for better survival) into the Konkapot River and Umpachini Falls.  Teachers involved there are Steve Antil, Tim Schwartz, Daniel Weston and Asha Von Rudin.  Von Rudin heads up the Aquaculture program where they really get into water ecology monitoring, macro-invertibrate studies, etc.   *****

Don’t you know, it always happens, lots of neat things going on all on the same day.

On Saturday, June 27, from 9 AM to noon, Steve McMahon, President of the Hoosic River Watershed Association (HOORWA) invites you to join fly fisherman Chris Jackson for a fly fishing demonstration on the Hoosic River at Cole Field in Williamstown, MA. It’s an opportunity to witness and learn the basic techniques of casting a fly into moving water and see what happens next.   Jackson, a respected angler, will demonstrate the importance of softly delivering a fly on the surface of the water.  Wear old sneakers in order to wade in and bring a fly rod if you own one.   If you plan to attend, meet at the soccer gate at Cole Field by 9 AM.  Contact the leader Elayne Murphy at 413-458-2947 or at emurphy@williams.edu for details and preregistration. The rain date will be June 28.

On the same day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, the Trustees of Reservation invites you to a free workshop entitled Dragonflies Above And Below The Water.  Join Entomologist Dr. Kirsten Martin as she explores Glendale Falls Brook on Clark Wright Road in nearby Middlefield, MA, marveling at the exquisite world of dragon and damselflies.  Flyfishermen know only too well that trout relish dragonfly and damselfly nymphs.   To register call Project Coordinator Meredyth Babcock at 623-2070 or volunteer@wildscenicwestfieldriver.org.

By the way, have you ever visited Glendale Falls?   It is truly a special place.   Fed by more than five square miles of watershed, wild and rocky Glendale Falls is one of the longest and most powerful waterfall runs in Massachusetts.  In spring, the waters of Glendale Brook roar over steep rock ledges to join the Middle Branch of the Westfield River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River.

Also on the same day, June 27, Tom Wessels, ecologist and Professor Emeritus at Antioch University New England will have a special workshop at the Bidwell House Museum in Monterey, MA.  From 10:00 – 11:30 AM – Talk and Slideshow, 11:30 – 12:30 PM – Lunch and Discussion and 12:30 – 2:30 PM – Explore the Bidwell House Forest with Tom Wessels

Based on Tom’s book, Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England, this workshop introduces approaches used to interpret a forest’s history.  Using evidence such as the shapes of trees, scars on their trunks, the pattern of decay in stumps, the construction of stone walls, and the lay of the land, it is possible to unravel complex stories etched into our forested landscape.  This process could easily be called forest forensics, since it is quite similar to interpreting a crime scene.

Participants will gain a better understanding of cultural and natural disturbances on the land in general, specifically the 192 acre Bidwell House property, and how they have shaped our use and enjoyment of our woods and fields; learn methods and skills to identify and understand these cultural and natural historical events in order to apply this knowledge to your own land or on any walk in the woods.

Tom also wrote The Granite Landscape, Untamed Vermont, The Myth of Progress, and Forest Forensics: A Field Guide to Reading the Forested Landscape. He has conducted landscape ecology and sustainability workshops throughout the country for over 30 years. Click onto http://bidwellhousemuseum.org/ for more information.

2015 Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby was “biggest day ever

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That’s according to Co-Chairman Stephen Bateman.  It was a great success with some 254 people registered and about 50 others attending.  Fifteen trophies and prizes were handed out to the winners with many of the trophies dedicated to people who were great supporters of the fishing derby who have passed away.  This year the 1st Place Adult Award was won by 15 year old Spenser Davis, of Dalton, with a 4 lbs 3oz. Largemouth Bass.  His award had a special meaning because it was the first year the award was presented in the memory of Thelma Drury who not only was a member of the Berkshire County Jimmy Fund Council but one of the 52 people at the very first fishing derby, which was held on Father’s Day, 1993.

 

Bateman recalls that it poured all day and Thelma was out in it with her husband John the entire day that first year.  She only missed one fishing derby and apologized because they were going to be out of town.  Thelma sadly passed away in August of 2014.

 

The Sportsmanship Award, containing a tackle box with over $100 worth of tackle, was awarded to Autumn Twing.  Bateman points out that this fishing derby is known for the great prizes that are awarded, all of which are sponsored by local friends and businesses. This year the fishing pole combos were randomly given out to children who were either first time attendees or children who did not win any raffle prizes.  Six bicycles were awarded to children just for attending. There were many newcomers as well as people who have been coming for years.  Brian Wendling was a teen when he started out at the fishing derby, and this year he and his daughter Marissa both ended up winners.

 

Newcomers Mia and Ava, who have never fished before, were brought to the event by Grandma Missie Lacy, and they had a blast.  Ava approached Stephen Bateman and said, “I have a present for you.” and gave him a clump of moss she pulled off of a rock.  According to Bateman, the smile on her face made him feel like he hit the lottery. After a year missed due to illness, long time attendee Matt Clark won the Perch/Crappie category.  The fish weigh-in is normally done by Steve and Co-Chairman Stephen Gingras and Harry Bateman’s nephew Richard Pierce Jr., but this year Taconic High School students Nick Gingras and Marlaina Tremblay stepped in and did a great job.  It takes 6 months to plan this event, but it is all worth it, said Steve.
Here are this year’s winners:  CHILDREN HEAVIEST GAME FISH CATEGORY:  1st Place – Dylan Crea, a 1 lb 10 oz Rainbow Trout; 2nd Place – Sophie Dinopus, a 1 lb 8 oz Rainbow Trout; 3rd Place – Casey Wassily, a 1 lb 7 oz Rainbow Trout.

CHILDREN HEAVIEST NON- GAME FISH CATEGORY: 1st Place – Tessa Matarazzo, a 11 oz White Perch;  2nd Place – Jaxon Wallace and 3rd Place Marrisa Wendling,  both with 10 oz Bullheads.

ADULT HEAVIEST GAME FISH CATEGORY:  1st Place – Spenser Davis, above mentioned Largemouth Bass; 2nd Place – Kevin Wojtkowski, a 2 lbs 12 oz Largemouth Bass; 3rd Place – Jake Beaudion, a 2 lbs Largemouth Bass.

SPECIAL HEAVIEST FISH 1ST PLACE AWARDS:  Bass Category  – 4 lbs 5 oz Largemouth caught by Brian Wadsworth, Perch/Crappie Category : 1 lbs 1 oz caught by Matt Clark, Carp Category – 8 lbs 1 oz caught by Brian Wendling, Trout Category – 2 lbs 1 oz Rainbow Trout caught by Jack Stimpson, Trout Child Category – 2 lbs 1 oz Rainbow Trout caught by Becca Stimpson. The Sportsmanship Award went to Autumn Twing.

 

On behalf of all of the cancer survivors and those families that have been affected, congratulations to Stephen Bateman and team for another fantastic Jimmy Fund derby, and many, many thanks for your efforts *****.

 

MassWildlife has recently announced a major change in the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program, adding the Bowfin as an eligible species.  Interest in Bowfin is increasing in the Northeast, with more states recognizing them as a gamefish. The Bowfin pin will replace the Broodstock Salmon pin, since Salmon are no longer stocked in Massachusetts waters.  Currently, Bowfin populations are limited to the Connecticut River and Taunton River drainages and a few isolated ponds throughout the state (Onota Lake in Pittsfield is one of them).  The Catch and Keep minimum weight is 6 pounds for adults and 4 pounds for youth. The Catch and Release minimum length is 22 inches. Click onto the MassWildlife web page for valuable information on how to tell Bowfin from some other similar looking species such as the invasive Snakehead. *****

 

MassWildlife conducts a survey from June through August each year to evaluate turkey brood numbers. “The brood survey serves as a long-term index of reproduction,” explains Dave Scarpitti, Turkey Project Leader.  “It helps us determine productivity and allows us to compare long-term reproductive success, while providing some estimation of fall harvest potential.” Turkey nesting success can vary annually in response to weather conditions, predator populations and habitat characteristics.

Scarpitti points out that citizen involvement in this survey is a cost-effective means of gathering useful data, and he encourages all interested people to participate. Be sure to look carefully when counting turkey broods, the very small poults may be difficult to see in tall grass or brush. Multiple sightings of the same brood can also be noted.  A turkey brood survey form is posted on the agency website.  *****

At its May meeting, the Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife Board unanimously appointed Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) Acting Director, Jack Buckley as its new Director.  He replaces the recently retired Director Wayne MacCallun. *****

Mom, look what I caught!”

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That’s what 4 year old Austin Decker said to his mother after landing the big carp pictured above.  He was fishing at Onota Lake with his mom Courtney, Uncle Corey and friend Pat Santolin, all of Pittsfield.  He caught it with his little pole and worms on Mother’s Day.

 

Sorry, can’t tell how big it was as they immediately took the picture and released it back unharmed, but wiser, into the lake.  He could hardly hold it what with its squirming trying to get free.  It had to be around 10 lbs, wouldn’t you say?

 

Many thanks go to Karen Decker, also of Pittsfield, who passed on the information.  The very proud grandma only wishes that she was there to witness the event. ****

 

The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation is holding another free kid’s trout fishing derby at their lower pond in Hartsville next Saturday, June 13 from 9 to 10:30 AM.

The folks at the hatchery point out that if your derby experience feels too overcrowded or if you have a younger less experienced angler then they may want to fish during office hours from 9 AM to 4 PM provided they abide by the following rules:  Kids must be 13 years of age or younger, must be supervised by an adult, must get a pass, can keep a maximum of three fish, must return the pass and record the number of fish caught before leaving and must pick up any trash. Monthly derbies will still be held.  *****

 

Author Bob Romano wrote another excellent book entitled Brook Trout Blues.  This is his third in his series of novels set in Western Maine’s Rangeley Lakes Region.  The main character is once again Salvatore D’Amico, a middle-aged fishing guide in that area, who has the uncanny ability to get entwined in interesting situations.

 

Weird things happen to him just because he is trying to mind his own business and preserve his quiet peaceful lifestyle of fly fishing and guiding other anglers in that remote area.  Things like a missing neighbor, an attractive reporter who is trying to hit on him, a motorcycle gang, a pot farm, and more.

 

The book has a nice plot which definitely holds your interest.  It incorporates a good dose of mystery, adventure and intrigue.  As good as that is, what really impresses me each time I read one of his books is how Romano captures the characters and surrounding environs.   His words have the ability to take you to that region and you can almost smell the balsam and spruce forests, hear the roar of the rivers and the sounds of waterfowl, itch from the blackflies and mosquitoes and feel the dampness of the shaded forest floors.   You can almost hear the colorful residents speak in their unique accents (Don’t tell them they have an accent!)

 

I enjoyed this book and hope he is working on another.  The 232 page soft cover book is complimented by the cover art of John Swan and interior artwork of Trish Romano.  It is published by Birch Brook Press and costs $23.00.  For more details, go to www.birchbrookpress.info or Romano’s website:   www.forgottentrout.com. *****

 

Russ Cohen, River Advocate from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), is taking advantage of Governor Baker’s Early Retirement Incentive Program and is stepping down. He has worked for the Commonwealth for over 27 years, originally with the Mass. Riverways Program, part of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement. He considered himself extremely fortunate to have worked for and with wonderful people, including Riverways Program Coordinators Judy Wagner, Maria Van Dusen and Joan Kimball, and then, after the Riverways Program became part of the DER in 2009, Tim Purinton and Hunt Durey.

 

Among the highlights of his work was the drafting of the “Rivers Bill”, which, after years of prolonged and determined effort on the part of many, eventually became the Rivers Protection Act.  He also took part in the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs’ Watershed Initiative, in which he served on five watershed teams including the Housatonic.  I first met him when he frequently traveled out to the Berkshires to attend our meetings of the Friends of Williams River back in the 1980’s.   We immediately established a solid friendship which lasts to this day.

 

For his work with rivers he has received many awards: Environmental Achievement Award from Save the Bay (RI), the Environmental Service Award from the Mass. Association of Conservation Commissions,  Public Servant of the Year Award from the Environmental League of Massachusetts, Environmental Merit Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,  Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Massachusetts Wetland Scientists, and the River Steward Lifetime Achievement Award from the League of Women Voters and Sudbury-Assabet-Concord River Stewardship Council.

 

Russ also received a “Heritage Hero” award from the Essex National Heritage Commission for his foraging writing and programs. Most recently, Russ received the 2013 Education Award from the New England Wild Flower Society, in recognition of both his rivers work and foraging programs.  Russ has just completed his 40th year of teaching courses about wild edibles.  In 2004 he wrote an excellent book, Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten.  (It is in its 5th printing)

 

Fortunately for us, he expects to stay involved in some capacity in land and watershed conservation and stewardship in New England and upstate NY, particularly where it overlaps with interest in edible wild plants.  He is exploring the possibility of partnering with land trusts and other owners/managers of conservation and other lands to enhance the plant diversity on suitable sites, particularly by adding native edible species.

 

Crowningshield Property – A crowning achievement

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The Crowningshield property is a 108 acre farm with a mile of riparian frontage along the headwaters of the West Branch of the North River, a wild trout stream in the nearby Town of Heath, MA.  When a farmer was interested in reviving the old farm, he approached the Franklin Land Trust (FLT).  Because the property has steeply sloping pastures and a woodlot that is landlocked by the West Branch it was a poor candidate for working land funding.

 

Two fly fishermen among the FLT staff visited the property.  They were surprised to see that the West Brook was shaded by mature riparian woods and rushing through a series of steep riffles and deep pools.  It looked to them as prime wild brook trout waters.   Follow-up research confirmed that the stream supports wild brook trout, has high water quality, sports a healthy macro-invertibrate community and falls in a regionally significant sub-watershed.  That brook was the most important resource on the property.

 

The FLT took the matter to the Deerfield River Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited (DRWTU) for advice.  Well, that chapter is relatively new and didn’t have the kind of funds needed to help the FLT purchase the property, so they brought the matter to the Massachusetts-Rhode Island Council of TU.  The Council supported the project and based upon a Council match of $2 for every $3 pledged by the chapters, they raised $45,000.  Even our local Taconic Chapter got into the act and pledged $1,000.  As a result, the FLT was able to secure the 108 acres and, with a conservation restriction, opened it up to public access.  Now, any angler can enjoy the mile of pristine trout stream.

 

Richard Hubbard, Executive Director of FLT summarized the effort:  “Just when we thought that we had run out of funding options, we came to the realization that we needed to look beyond our normal path for conserving land and focus on its incredible fishery.” Hubbard said.  “From our very first meeting with the MA/RI Council, we have been impressed by the enthusiasm that TU has brought to this project and its willingness to make significant financial and organizational commitment towards the conservation and future management of the Crowningshield Farm”.

 

Energized by the experience of working together to protect the farm, this new partnership portends the opportunity for even greater impact.  Building off of their new foothold in the waters of the West Branch, the partners envision a multi-layer conservation project that would protect more than 1,000 acres of forested landscape that keeps wild trout streams cold and clean.

 

The partners hope to engage landowners along the upper West Branch and its tributaries in creating a permanently protected landscape with more than 6 miles of wild trout water at its heart.  John Troiano, MA/RI Council Chairman described the effort, “Legacy projects like this don’t come up very often.  In the very short time available, it seemed impossible.  We made the commitment to do it and then figured out how to make it happen”.

 

Many thanks to Bruce Osterling, Chairman of the Projects Committee for Greater Boston TU for the above information.*****

 

The Berkshire Ducks Unlimited Annual Banquet & Fundraiser will take place next Sunday, June 7 at Mazzeo’s Ristorante, 105 South Street, Pittsfield.  Doors open at 4 PM and dinner is at 6 PM.   Tickets cost $35 for individuals and there are various sponsor packages.  DU is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats.  Established in 1937, DU has conserved more than 13 million acres across the continent.  Click onto http://MA.ducks.org, local events for more information.*****

 

The 23nd Annual Harry A. Bateman Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby, will take place next Saturday, June 6 at the Frank Controy Pavilion at Onota Lake in Pittsfield, MA from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM. No fishing license is required (free fishing weekend in Massachusetts). The derby is open to the public and its purpose is to raise money for the Jimmy Fund – Dana Farber Cancer Institute for Children.  All of the proceeds will be donated to the Jimmy Fund in memory of Harry A. Bateman a former member of Central Berkshire Bowman & I.U.E. Local 255 who was well known throughout Berkshire County and who became a victim of cancer in 1992.

15 trophies and prizes will be given away to the winners of the fishing derby. There will be  a special category for those fishing with a bow & arrow.  All fish must be weighed in at 12:00 p.m. and can be caught at Onota Lake from a boat or the shore.

 

The fee, which includes food and beverage, is $10 for adults and $5 for Children 14 years and younger.  There is a ticket raffle and many other great prizes.  Advanced tickets may be purchased at Avid Sports, Dave’s Sporting Goods & Onota Boat Livery.  Registration required before fish can be weighed in.  *****

 

The following local waters were scheduled to be stocked with trout last week:  Deerfield River in Buckland, Charlemont and Florida; Westfield River in Huntington, Chesterfield, Cummington, Windsor and Savoy and the following lakes and ponds:   Plunkett Lake, Stockbridge Bowl, Ashfield Pond, Littleville Lake, Windsor Pond, Richmond Pond, Otis Reservoir, York Lake, Goose Pond and Onota Lake.

 

Correction from last week’s column about the Wild Acres fishing derby:   According to Heather Traversa, her children Rebecca Stimpson, and Casey Wassilie along with their cousins Mike and Mark Stimpson are the ones who caught the tagged fish in the 13 trout that they caught. They are not related to Steve Fones. Steve’s granddaughter Jordan Hamilton caught the trout with the help of Jack Stimpson and it was Steve himself that caught the bass.  My apologies to all.

Will “Hoggin Paws” make another appearance this year?

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Last June, Jay Rhind of Stockbridge just finished his bike ride when he turned into his driveway and found a car parked there.  Two people in the car told him that a bear just jumped through his front screened door and was inside.

Jay immediately called 911 then started his recon.  Peeking through the kitchen window he saw nothing out of place.  He walked around to the back door and noticed a crushed empty ice cream container (Vanilla Haggen Dazs) on the ground and then he noticed the back screen door had been pushed through.  He figured that the bear entered the front door, found the ice cream, exited out the back door and went on his way. He slowly entered the house and found himself instinctively on high alert as he rounded the corner entering the kitchen.  Just then he saw a big Black Bear exiting.  He was in what seemed like a very long standstill between the bear and himself, both frozen in their tracks. The “Fight” in the “Fight or Flight” clearly wasn’t an option as he wasn’t about to start bear wrestling in his kitchen wearing bike shorts without a referee.  Instead he quickly decided to plan for his “Flight”- he’d turn and bolt out the back door slamming it behind him before the bear had any idea what was happening. He barely (no pun by Jay) made a move to turn for the back door when, in an instant,  the bear took his cue and raced past him and jumped out the front door leaving that overpowering musky black bear scent behind. Somehow in the middle of all this Jay thought he should take a few photos because no one would ever believe him. He whipped out his trusty iPhone, composed a photo and pressed the button.  “photo library full, clear space to take photos” was all the screen showed.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Jay thought to himself.  He rapidly pressed delete, delete, delete and took a picture.  Not his best photo but under the circumstances…..

After the bear ran past him and jumped out the front door it spun around resting his paws on the door’s lower edge ready to jump back in.  Jay yelled “NO BEAR NO!” as he got down. He jumped up again, again “NO BEAR NO!”  This happened a few times before the bear realized that he must be dealing with a mad man (Jay’s words) and decided to walk away out through the back yard. Jay walked back to the kitchen to assess the damage.  A loaf of bread was on the counter untouched, and their little yellow canary with all his bird seed next to the refrigerator was also untouched (although the canary hasn’t been right since).  Then Jay noticed the freezer door slightly ajar with muddy claw prints on the edge.  He couldn’t believe it. The bear walked past the bread and bird seed and went straight for the freezer, opened the door, removed the Haagen Dazs and had what appeared to be a very nice treat. After this incident at Jay’s house, the police were called for similar events nearby where bears had entered houses.  This particular bear however had his routine down.  Head for the freezer, eat ice cream.  According to Jay, it became known as Public Nuisance #1, Hoggin Paws the Bear.

Jay wrote to Ben and Jerry’s, thinking maybe “BEARly Vanilla” might work, but never heard back.

DFW Western District Manager Andrew Madden said a bear broke into about a dozen residences in the area last summer and there were multiple reports that it went to the freezers after ice cream.  The Stockbridge police were actively involved and asked for assistance from DFW.  The difficulty was being there at the right time to nab the suspect.  DFW trapped a bear in the neighborhood but they couldn’t determine if it was the right bear.  Usually troublesome bears are male juveniles, but the one they trapped, marked with an ear tag and relocated was a female.  There have been plenty of bear sightings since but no further incidences.

 

According to Madden, a bear actively trying to get into residences is a serious issue, not good for bear or people.   Fortunately it came to an end, whether it was a result of their trapping or the result of the changing of people’s behavior.  That bear is lucky to still be around.

 

MassWildlife says that now is time to take down birdfeeders and other sources of food.   Bears will often ignore natural foods such as skunk cabbage and head to a bird feeder for an easy meal.   Once it gets food from a feeder, garbage can, or open compost, it will revisit the site and look for similar foods in other yards.  Conflicts can arise that pose hazards to both bears and people.  They encourage people to view their new video about Black Bears as well as their revised website section which addresses  living with Black Bears and preventing conflicts.*****

The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation will be holding a kid’s fishing derby at the lower pond in Hartsville next Saturday, from 9 to 10:30 AM.    Children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult. *****

Next Sunday at 4:00 PM, the Lenox Library will feature Stephen Booth who will reflect on the space between city and wilderness as a place of rest, retreat and repose in the Housatonic River Valley.  He will explore the “middle landscape” of the river valley through art and literature. A former HVA board member, cold water conservationist and excellent fly fisherman Booth is researching the links among culture, communities and conservation. This free lecture is sponsored by HVA in memory of Berkshire conservationist, Professor Chauncey C. Loomis, Jr.   A reception will follow.