Spring trout stocking has started

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Last Wednesday, MassWildlife began its spring trout stocking program here in the Western District, by stocking Richmond Pond in Richmond, MA. Some 700 rainbow trout averaging 14+ inches were liberated by DFW Western District Aquatic Biologist Leanda Fontaine Gagnon and Wildlife Technician Ray Bressette. The happy fish, which came out of the McLaughlin Hatchery, appeared to be in excellent shape and there were no casualties. I saw some of those fish and they are gorgeous, with beautiful red bands along their sides.
Depending on weather conditions, they were scheduled to stock Laurel Lake, Onota Lake and Stockbridge Bowl last week.
Approximately 100,000 trout will be stocked in Western District waters before the spring stocking is concluded sometime around Memorial Day. Readers can check their website for the list and maps of trout stocked waters daily at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/trout-stocking-report. For those not adept at using computers, I plan to list the scheduled stocking locations in this column weekly.
The ice had thawed on about a third of Richmond Pond. Kayakers and canoers may be the first anglers to get a chance at these fish as there is now a new kayak/canoe launch there which was installed last year.
But remember, paddlers in canoes and kayaks are required to wear (not sit on) life jackets from September 15 through May 15. According to the Massachusetts Environmental Police, most boating fatalities in the Commonwealth result when boaters fail to wear life jackets while in small craft in cold water or weather.
Basic Hunter Education Course

There will be a Basic Hunter Education course held at the Deer Hill Rod & Gun Club, 225 Porter Hill Road, Cummington, MA on May 7, 9 and 12. The times are 5/7 and 5/9 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and on Saturday, 5/12, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

You must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course. If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, call (508) 389-7830 immediately; students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and courses fill quickly.

Report eagle sightings

A few weeks ago, DFW District Supervisor Andrew Madden requested that we let him know when we saw eagles so that they could band the young. Henry (Jack) and Dorothy Naventi, who live at Goose Pond, reported that in February, just as ice fishing stopped, they noticed out in the middle of the lake an eagle sitting next to an ice fishermen’s hole. It sat for a long time and looked like it was eating something. The next day it came back to the same spot and stayed.
Then the next week they were outside and noticed in the same spot, two eagles. Finally, one flew off, turned around, came back, flew in front of their place and then left. A few minutes later the other one flew off and did the same thing right in front of them. They just could not believe it, it was as if the eagles were checking them out also. (Perhaps the eagles were checking out the two bunnies or that red fox that live around their place). The Naventis couldn’t get pictures of the eagles as they were outside and didn’t have a camera. They described them both as having beautiful white heads and tails. The information was relayed to Madden at the DFW. “We love watching the birds and animals up here”, they said. “We are still looking to see the eagles again and know we will enjoy them this summer diving for fish. It is quite a sight to see.”
Many thanks to the Naventis for sharing this story and notifying DFW.

Although the Naventis couldn’t get sufficient pictures of their eagles, Mark Thorne, of Pittsfield, did get pictures of two eagles building a nest near Onota Lake in Pittsfield. (You may recall that last year at about this same time, he sent us a spectacular eagle picture from the same area). Many thanks to Mark for sharing with us an even more spectacular picture.

The River King, A fly-fishing novel by Robert J. Romano.
Bob’s got a new book out entitled The River King If you have been reading this column for any length of time you probably know that I do a review of Bob’s books when they come out. They are set in the Rangeley area of Western Maine, near the New Hampshire border, in small fishing towns. If you have ever fished up there, you will immediately recognize the make-up of the area and the rivers mentioned and described.

In The River King, Bob returns to Western Maine with a cast of new characters. Instead of basing his novel around the life of Salvatore D’Amico as he did in three earlier novels, (“North of Easie”, “West of Rangeley” and “Brook Trout Blues”), he has a new cast of characters, Harry Duncan and friends. He incorporates into the novel names of local lakes and rivers, fly tying information, and a description of the area in which you can almost smell the pine and balsa trees, feel the bites of the black gnats, skeeters and no-see-ums. Romano weaves local lore and fly-fishing history seamlessly into the story.

Romano cleverly gets us acquainted with his new characters by alternating chapters of background information on them over the years as they age along with the current activities, all coming together in the later chapters. This allows the reader to know how the characters got into the predicaments in which they ended. An unusual and clever concept.

The retail price for The River King, a 228-page softcover book is $23.

Incidentally, I first heard about the Rangeley area from two local fly-fishermen, Harold Hutchins and Ernest Long, both of Pittsfield and both of whom have long passed beyond the riverbend. They used to travel up there annually and come back with stories about their trips which they told at the Taconic Chapter of TU meetings which were held at the East Lee Steakhouse in those days (1980’s). After hearing about the place several of us decided to go up there to fish. The first trip was to Pittsburgh, NH about two hours away from the Rangeley area; the second was to the Rapid River as it flowed from Richardson Lake to Lake Umbagog. We were after some of those large brook trout that the area became famous for as well as landlocked salmon. We stayed at a camp owned by Richard Celli of Lee, MA.

We learned that President Herbert Hoover fished up there as well as the famous fly fisherman and author Joe Bates (He wrote several fly-fishing books). But perhaps the person who really put the place on the map was the lady fly-fisher and expert fly-tyer Carrie Stevens. Stevens, who lived in the area in the 1920s -1940s originated the “Ghost” series of streamer flies. (Gray Ghost, Black Ghost, and approximately 100 other fly patterns). She is credited for catching huge 7 and 8-pound brook trout on those flies.

When most serious fly-fishers think of the Rangeley waters, they naturally think of Stevens and Bates. I do too, but now I think it is time to add another name to the notables, one who is keeping the Rangeleys on the map through his excellent novels. That name is Robert J. Romano.

Housatonic Valley Association
The Housatonic Valley Association invites volunteers to participate in a number of upcoming volunteer opportunities to get outside, explore our rivers and help our communities identify storm drain outfalls, conduct visual surveys, and collect water quality samples.

HVA will collect water quality samples in Pittsfield at 13 sites along the Southwest Branch of the Housatonic River (Pittsfield) and 4 sites along Wahconah Falls Brook (Dalton) once or twice a month between April and June. Last year, HVA collected samples over several months in these tributaries and the results showed bacteria levels that failed State standards. This year, HVA needs your help to continue sampling that will narrow-down the source of the bacterial contamination. Possible sources include sewer pipes connecting with storm drain pipes or animal waste from storm-water runoff.

Ultimately, the goal is to resolve these bacteria sources and work with the State to have these rivers removed from the Massachusetts “Impaired” list. Funding for this project is provided by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Water Quality Management 604b grant program in partnership with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and the Hoosic River Watershed Assn.

HVA, the Berkshire Environmental Action Team, and HooRWA are mapping storm drain outfalls in Adams, Cheshire, Dalton, Lanesborough, and Pittsfield. Volunteers are invited to help with this process. Teams will walk selected streams looking carefully for any pipes. Once a pipe is identified, information is collected such as pipe material, condition, and whether there is any flow coming from it. Funding for this project is provided by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Water Quality Management grant program and is being administered by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

If you would like to volunteer or would like more information, contact Alison Dixon at adixon@hvatoday.org (413-298-7024), Elia Delmolino at elia@thebeatnews.org (413-429-6416) or Steve McMahon at s.mcmahon@hoorwa.org.

Lefty Kreh, gone beyond the river bend

Lefty Kreh, one of the most accomplished and beloved fly-fishermen of all time, died last week at the age of 93 years old. Kreh was a prolific author ad globe-trotting angler. I don’t know how many books he wrote, but I have 8 in my flyfishing library. Among his many accolades, Kreh was the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Sportfishing Association and a member of the IGFA Hall of Fame and Fly-fishing Hall of Fame. He was also a wonderful person—kind, warm, funny, and always happy to teach others. Field & Stream’s legendary fishing editor John Merwin once wrote of Kreh: “If America can claim a national fly-fishing treasure, Lefty is it.” My wife Jan and I saw him demonstrate fly-fishing at a Boxboro, MA fly-fishing show some years ago. Obviously, he was a southpaw fly caster, but he could cast with either hand and customarily used his right, which he said was better for teaching right-handed students. He was perhaps the best flycaster I ever saw.

Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club Dinner

The PSC will be having a dinner at the American Legion Hall Post 155, Rte. 9, Dalton, on Saturday, April 7. Doors open at 5:00 with dinner at 6:00 PM. Tickets cost $15 pp for adults, children 12 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased from any director or person you bought them from in the past. You must pre-pay. For more information, call Fran at (413)443-5133 or stop in at the Viet Nam Veterans Chapter 65 Headquarters on Fenn Street in Pittsfield, from 9:00 AM to Noon, Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays.

 

Freshwater Fishing Gold Pin winners are announced

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Each year, MassWildlife recognizes anglers who catch exceptional freshwater fish in waters open to the public. If you submit the largest or longest fish in an eligible species category, you will get a gold pin and a plaque, and you’ll also be honored in a MassWildlife awards event.
Log onto https://www.mass.gov/service-details/gold-pin-winners to see all of the 2017 winners in the Adult Catch & Keep, Youth Catch & Keep and Catch & Release categories. You will notice that there were 6 gold pins awarded to local anglers or fish caught out of local waters.

In a ceremony held at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters in Westborough, MA on Saturday, March 17, the lucky anglers received gold pins and plaques commemorating their great feats.

Winners from our area were as follows:

Adult catch & keep category: Brook Trout, 3 lbs, caught out of Laurel Lake by Andrew Bostwick of North Adams; Northern Pike, 29 lbs 10 oz, caught out of Cheshire Reservoir by Kevin Janis of Pittsfield.

Youth catch & keep category: Chain Pickerel,4 lbs 11 oz, caught out of Lake Buel in Monterey by Mario Daniele of Wilbraham, MA; Crappie, 2 lbs, caught out of Onota Lake by Caedin Ostellino of Lanesborough.

Catch & release gold pin winners: Brook Trout, 19 inches, caught out of Lake Buel by Nicholas Hutline of Granville, MA; Northern Pike, 45.50 inches caught out of Onota Lake by Ashley DePaoli of Stamford, VT.

2017 Angler of the Year award winners

The Catch & Keep Angler of the Year Award is given to the person who weighs in the largest number of species that meet the minimum weight requirements for the previous calendar year. The award promotes awareness of the Commonwealth’s underutilized fish species and recognizes an angler’s ability to catch a wide variety of trophy species.

The Catch & Release Angler of the Year Award is awarded to the person who submits the largest number of species that meet the minimum length requirements for the previous calendar year.

This year the winners were:
Adult Catch & Keep Category: Mark Mohan, Jr. of Pembroke, MA. Mohan received State pins for the following species of fish: Bowfin, Brown Trout, Carp, Chain Pickerel, Crappie, Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Shad, Sunfish, Walleye, White Catfish and Yellow Perch. He also won the Adult Catch & Keep title in 2015, 2014 and 2013.
Youth Catch & Keep Category: Jason Bunar of Kingston, MA. He received State pins for the following fish species: Bowfin, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Bullhead, Carp, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Shad, Smallmouth Bass, Sunfish, Tiger Trout, Walleye, White Catfish, White Perch and Yellow Perch. He also won that title in 2016.

Catch & Release Angler Category: Michael Nee of Northborough, MA. Michael received state pins for the following species of fish: Bowfin, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Bullhead, Carp, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Shad, Smallmouth Bass, Sunfish, Tiger Trout, Walleye, White Catfish, White Perch and Yellow Perch. He also won that title in 2016 and 2015.
These anglers are amazing! They just didn’t catch the above species of fish, but the fish had to be of sizes to earn at least bronze pins. For example, for a largemouth bass to qualify, it had to be at least 7 lbs in the adult catch & keep category, at least 4 lbs in the youth category and at least 21 inches in the Catch & Release. Most anglers that I know are lucky to have caught a couple of pin fish in their entire lifetimes!
New State record fish caught in 2017 were as follows:

Catch & Keep Category:
Bowfin: 8 lbs, 1 oz caught out of the Taunton River in Taunton by David Souza of Berkley, MA. Two days later, his son Jake Souza also caught a fish of identical size and tied the record. (Those catches were featured in this column of September 3, 2017, “State record bowfin caught …TWICE”)

Catch & Release Category:
Bowfin: 29.50 inches out of Taunton River by Michael Nee of Northborough.

Brook Trout: 19 inches caught out of Lake Buel, Monterey by Nicholas Hutline of Granville, MA. Also, a same sized brookie was caught out of Fort Pond in Lancaster, MA by Ryan Gorman of Leominster, MA.

Channel Catfish: 31 inches caught out of the Connecticut River in Agawam, MA by Paul Beauchesne, Jr. of Worcester, MA.

Crappie: 17.25 inches caught out of the Connecticut River in Greenfield by Jeff Magnan of Gardner, MA.

Largemouth Bass: Two 25-inch fish, both caught out of Mashpee-Wateby Pond, Mashpee, one by John Gonsalves of Norton, MA and the other caught by Dylan Towne of West Wareham, MA.

Northern Pike: 45.50 inches caught out of Onota Lake in Pittsfield by Ashley DePaoli of Stamford, VT.

Shad: 25.25 inches caught out of the Chicopee River in Granby, MA by Paul Beauchesne, Jr. of Worcester, MA.

Smallmouth Bass: 22.50 inches caught out of Wachusett Reservoir by Marc Mahoney of Shrewsbury, MA.

Walleye: 28 inches caught out of the Connecticut River in Turners Falls by Mark Mohan, Jr. of Pembroke, MA.

White Perch: 17.25 inches caught out of Wachusett Reservoir by Prince Dukuly of West Boylston, MA.

A hearty, hearty congratulations to all!

A talk on the Deerfield River

This Wednesday evening, at the Berkshire Hills Country Club, 500 Benedict Rd., Pittsfield, the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be having Michael Vito, Vice-President of the Deerfield River Chapter TU as its guest speaker. Mike’s presentation will be on the ongoing Deerfield River Wild Brown Trout Spawning Study.

If you are not familiar with that study, last November the group claims to have found over 90 redds on the Deerfield River below Fife Brook Dam. Many skeptics had previously proclaimed that these wild trout were coming from the tributaries and not from the main stem of the Deerfield. Well, apparently this group has proven them wrong. This might be worthwhile to stop in to hear what Mike has to say.

There will be a social hour starting at 5:30 PM followed by Mike’s presentation. (There will be no meal as the kitchen is closed this time of year). The presentation is free and open to the public. Contact Taconic TU President Henry Sweren at (413)822-5216 for more information.

Protecting our critters
In the 1950s, the pesticide DDT eliminated peregrine falcons from Massachusetts. In 1984, the MA Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) began releasing young peregrines to restore the population. By 1987, the first successful pair nested on the Custom House Tower in Boston. Today, NHESP monitors nests, bands chicks, and improves nesting success with nest boxes. Over the past 31 years since their restoration, at least 646 wild-born chicks are known to have fledged in Massachusetts. You can support NHESP and efforts like this to help rare species by donating on Line 33A of your MA State Tax return. ( mass.gov/nhesp)

The List of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern species totals 427 native plant and animal species and are protected under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA). They include 14 mammals, 27 birds, 15 reptiles, 4 amphibians, 10 fish, 99 non-marine invertebrates and 258 plants.

All money donated to the Endangered Species Program on the State tax return, goes into a dedicated fund. Money from this dedicated fund can only be used by the NHESP, which focuses its work on our state’s rare species. You can learn more about this program here: https://www.mass.gov/…/masswildlifes-natural-heritag.
Bill to Advance Hunter Recruitment and Retention

Recently, The Boone and Crockett Club extended its full support of a new House bill that seeks to advance hunter recruitment and retention. The Modernizing Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow’s Needs Act of 2017 (H.R. 2591) will provide technical and financial assistance to states for promoting hunting and recreational shooting.

The bill, introduced by Georgian Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) would allow state fish and wildlife agencies the flexibility they need to address the declining number of hunters by using existing funds from the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Fund to increase hunting and recreational shooting opportunities. The bill will also serve to clarify that one of the purposes of these funds is to provide financial and technical assistance to the states for hunter recruitment and retention, hunter education programs, and education programs to the non-hunting public.

“When the Boone and Crockett Club helped draft and get the Pittman-Robertson Act passed by Congress in 1934, we had lots of hunters and game populations were still recovering,” said Ben B. Hollingsworth Jr., president of the Boone and Crockett Club. “Today, game is abundant once again, but declining hunter participation means declining funds. This bill is the right thing to do at the right time to ensure healthy wildlife and ecosystems into the future.”

The Pittman-Robertson Act charges sportsmen an excise tax on the purchase of sporting arms and ammunition. These funds are distributed annually to state fish and wildlife agencies for wildlife and habitat conservation programs. Plans for what to do with the money must be submitted to and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Acceptable options to date include research, surveys, management of wildlife and/or habitat, and acquisition or lease of land. Once a plan has been approved, the state must pay the full cost and is later reimbursed for up to 75 percent of that cost through P-R funds. The 25 percent of the cost that the state must pay generally comes from its hunting license sales. As of 2010, more than two billion in P-R dollars have been collected and distributed to states.

“In its day, Pittman-Robertson addressed the challenges of funding critical conservation work,” Hollingsworth Jr. explained. “The challenge of today is keeping these funds coming. Without sportsmen and new hunters coming in, the challenge will be greater.”

Conservation funding is based on a user-pay, public-benefit model. Those who value and use the resource pay for its care.

“Sportsmen have taken the responsibility of footing the bill for wildlife and the habitats they depend upon for everyone’s benefit,” Hollingsworth Jr. concluded. “Choosing to tax themselves in the midst of the Great Depression should tell you something about the character and commitments of hunters.”

 

 

017 Berkshire County League of Sportsmen Award winners are announced

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In the March 1 meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen’s (BCLS) five area outdoor sportspeople/conservationists were selected to receive awards.
Karen Kruszyna of Cheshire was selected to receive the 2017 Sportsperson of the Year Award. She is a member of many organizations including the Adams Outdoor for Youth (AOFY) and is a Board member of the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club. She does much to get kids of this county outdoors. She is always there to help out at the annual Youth Outreach Fishing Derbies at Reynolds Pond in Cheshire, the BCLS functions such as the Conte Banquet, the AOFY fund raisers and more. She is an avid sportsperson and as you may recall received an award from the Mass Division of Marine Fisheries in 2012 for catching the largest striped bass in the state that year in the women’s category. She was the recipient of BCLS Lifetime Achievement Award and the Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council 2014 Lillian Gribbons Award. This prestigious award was granted in recognition of Stacy Gribbons’s “tireless efforts of a sportswoman who had dedicated her time, quietly and un-noticed for the benefit of all sportsmen and women of the Commonwealth”.
George Wislocki, of Pittsfield, former president of Berkshire Natural Resource Council (BNRC) was selected to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Preserving land was a relatively new idea in the mid 60’s but a group of local leaders and businessmen had ideas of saving lands here in Berkshire County. Starting in 1967 Wislocki helped form the BNRC whose goal is to try and preserve quality open space and protect the ridge lines and wetlands of the Berkshires. The sportsmen of Berkshire County understand the importance of this practice of preserving and protecting open space and large tracts of land.
In 1972, under Georges leadership the BNRC used a new legal tool to protect 1,900 acres owned by the Crane family called Holiday Farm in Dalton. It was one of the state’s first conservation restrictions. Under George’s leadership the BNRC went on to conserve and protect thousands of acres of lands in Western MA, most of which is open to all forms of passive recreation which includes hunting, fishing and trapping. It was in 1973 that the Hallowell family donated 65 acres of their farm on East Street in Lenox to BNRC, stipulating that its natural and scenic character be preserved. I mention this here because that land lies across the road from our home on East Street and can attest to the fact that hunters, hikers and bird watchers have enjoyed that land extensively over the years.
George has been the recipient of numerous awards including the BCLS 1991 Outstanding Achievement Award and the BCLS 2008 Sportsmen’s Appreciation Award.
Dan Miraglia of Pittsfield, has been chosen to receive the Sportsmen’s Appreciation Award. For over 30 years Dan has been working for the sportsmen of Berkshire County and various lake preservation groups by way of an advocate. Most recently he has been an advocate for the fish and critters with regard to the use of herbicides and lake drawdowns. He was past president of the Berkshire County Bass Association, a Housatonic Valley Association stream water quality volunteer, has been involved with river clean-ups and implemented habitat sections of local lakes. In 1996, he was a key person in negotiating agreement between the Pittsfield Conservation Commission and the sportsmen of Berkshire County in stopping the posting of Brattle Brook Park from hunting. Annually, he helps out with the BCLS Youth Outreach fishing derby on Reynolds Pond in Cheshire. In 1998, he was awarded the BCLS Outstanding Achievement Award.
Tom Tyning, of Pittsfield was selected to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award for his work in the environmental arena. Tom is a Professor of Environmental Science at Berkshire Community College. I Prior to that he attended UMass majoring in Wildlife Biology. From 1975 to 1999 he held a naturalist position with Massachusetts Audubon, moving from Laughing Brook in Hampden to Pleasant Valley and Canoe Meadows in the Berkshires. For most of those years he produced a weekly Nature column for the Springfield Newspapers, wrote A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in the Stokes Nature Guide Series, and taught courses at Springfield College and Antioch Graduate School. Eventually he moved into a Master Naturalist position for Audubon working statewide.
He holds a graduate degree in the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology program with his thesis concentrating on Timber Rattlesnakes in Western MA.
I had the honor of being chosen to receive the John Zuber Award. The late John Zuber was a renowned sportsman’s advocate and conservationist from Pittsfield who passed away in 2012. He was recognized twice by the BCLS (Lifetime Achievement Award and the Sportsman of the Year Award) for his work and dedication to the sportsmen of Massachusetts. He was also recognized by the Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council and is listed in its Hall of Fame.
John and I became friends through our affiliation with the Pittsfield Sportsmen’s Club and the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited. I treasured his friendship and this award means a lot to me as does my first award from the League, the 1990 Sportsman of the Year Award.
These awards will be presented at the Silvio O. Conte Memorial Awards Dinner at the Cheshire Rod and Gun Club on the evening of April 21. This year the event will also be in honor of the late Edmund Martin “Moose” Ziaja. He was a well-known sportsman from northern Berkshires, an avid hunter, trapper and fisherman. He was a member of The American Trappers Assn., the Brunswick Fox Hunters Association and the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club.
The social hour begins at 5:30 with dinner at 7:00 PM. Tickets which cost $30 can be obtained from any BCLS delegate.
Watch for Eagles
At that above referenced BCLS March meeting, DFW Western Supervisor Andrew Madden requested that we watch for eagles and report local sightings to Andrew. DFW hopes hope to be able to ban some young birds this spring.
Ice fishing season is over
Looks like its time to put away the ice fishing stuff for the year. Although we are still experiencing winter weather, that warm spell a few weeks back really took its toll on the ice thickness. A couple of ice fishermen went through the ice in Laurel Lake during that warm spell. Fortunately, they got out safely. Then we had the snowstorms which put a foot or more snow cover on the thin ice, in effect insulating the lake from the cold weather above. I wouldn’t chance going out on it any more this year.
Incidentally, I received a newspaper article from my niece Linda Craig, who lives out in Minnesota, which local ice fishermen might find interesting. The Minneapolis Star Tribune article was about a $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza recently held on the 9,418-acre Gull Lake near Brainerd, Minnesota. According to the article, an estimated 12,000 anglers took part in the derby which encompassed a 2 square mile fishing area in the Hole-in-the-Day Bay. No wonder the large turnout for the top prize was a new GMC pick-up truck.
Volunteers patrol a cordoned-off area where anglers must fish, but with the presence of so many anglers it makes the task challenging. To be counted for a prize, the fish must be alive when registered. If there is a dispute as to who won or if there is suspicion of possible cheating, they are required to take a lie detector test!
Wow! They take their ice fishing seriously out there.
Fish Kill
MassWildlife informs us that during winter, thick ice and heavy snow cover can result in low dissolved oxygen levels in ponds. With increasing ice and snow packs, there is less light penetration through the water column. This alters chemical and biological processes, often resulting in a winter fish kill.
The vast majority of fish kills turn out to be caused by a natural event. However, it’s important for biologists to rule out other causes including pollution. Natural fish kills are generally the result of low dissolved oxygen levels (anoxia), spawning stress or fish diseases. According to MassWildlife aquatic biologists, dissolved oxygen depletion is one of the most common causes of natural fish kills. Weedy ponds that are less than 15 feet deep are particularly vulnerable. This can be the case at any time of the year but generally occurs during severe winters or late spring/early summer.
Ice anglers may encounter signs of a low oxygen environment when they drill through the ice and notice the smell of rotten egg or observe sluggish or dying shiners. The odor is hydrogen sulfide gas which is a natural byproduct of low dissolved oxygen environments, and is not likely the result of pollution. Oxygen levels will be return to normal shortly after the ice melts in the spring.
If you observe dead fish, contact the Environmental Police’s 24-hour radio room at 1 (800) 632-8075. A MassWildlife biologist will review each situation to determine whether the kill is natural or requires a site investigation.
Firearm Courses
On Tuesday evening, March 20, from 6:00 to 10:00 PM the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club will be hosting a firearms license-to-carry and UTAH Course. The Mass State Police Compliant course will be held at the LSC’s Main Hall, 258 New Lenox Rd, Lenox. The costs are: $70.00 for LTC, $125 for UTAH or $150 for Both.
Pre-registration is required. Contact Dennis Leydet at 413-329-7081 (djleydet@gmail.com) or Tom Nadolny at 413-822-6451 (tnadolny1@gmail.com).
On April 21, the Lee Sportsmen’s Association is hosting a Multi-License Firearm Course. The course qualifies for licenses in MA, CT, UT, FL, ME and NH. For more information call Rob McDermott at 413-232-7700.
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
On Friday evening, March 23, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) will partner with the Wild & Scenic Westfield River Committee to celebrate all things river, in particular the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. They will show 2.5 hours of some amazing films celebrating the natural world and the activists working to protect it. The films are billed as inspiring celebrations of environmental leaders, concepts, and design.

The event will take place at Berkshire Community College (K-111)|, 1350 West St. Pittsfield.
This mini film festival is free and open to the public.

HALF A MILLION TROUT TO BE STOCKED

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Close to 500,000 brook, brown, rainbow and tiger trout will be stocked this spring from MassWildlife’s five hatcheries located in Sandwich, Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. According to DFW Western District Supervisor Andrew Madden, about 100,000 or so trout will be stocked in our area. These fish, coupled with the more than 65,000 fish stocked last fall, should provide some excellent fishing in the coming months.
Stocking was scheduled to begin in the southeastern area of the state during the first full week of March with the Western District stocking taking place any time now, subject to weather and water conditions. Anglers can get daily stocking updates at Mass.gov/Trout, or by contacting local district offices for the latest stocking information.

2018 spring trout stocking stats:
Most of the trout will be over 12 inches
More than 40% of the trout will be over 14 inches
More than 51,000 brook trout will be over 12 inches
More than 45,000 brown trout will be over 12 inches
More than 200,000 rainbow trout will be over 14 inches
More than 1,200 brown trout will be over 18 inches
More than 500 brook trout will be over 15 inches
More than 2,500 tiger trout will be over 14 inches

Madden noted that the DFW puts a lot emphasis in stocking big fish as opposed to stocking smaller fish to grow.

New Trout and Salmon Stamp in Connecticut

There are a considerable number of area anglers who flyfish in the Housatonic and Farmington Rivers in Connecticut. Please be aware that they will now require a Trout and Salmon Stamp. State officials say that 100% of the money invested in this stamp is guaranteed to go to support fisheries programs.

Anyone age 16 or older including everyone who is age 65 or older who chooses to do one or both of the following must purchase a trout and salmon stamp:

1. FISH in one of the following areas: Trout Park, Trout Management Area, Wild Trout Management Area or a Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Area.

2. HARVEST (keep) trout, Kokanee Salmon, or Atlantic Salmon anywhere in the state (except for places not stocked by the state).

The fee is $5.00 for age 18 and older and $3.00 for those 16-17. The stamp is good for the calendar year (expires on December 31). The Trout and Salmon Stamp will print on your fishing license as an additional privilege.

The trout and salmon stamp requirement will be effective once published on the eRegulations system by the Secretary of State’s office.

Incidentally, opening day of trout season in Connecticut is April 14.
Big Brown Trout caught out of Stockbridge Bowl

On Saturday morning, January 27, Linda and Andrew (Andy) Stephenson of Lenox were ice fishing on Stockbridge Bowl. Fishing for yellow perch, they were using small bait and small hooks. While Andy was making some coffee, Linda’s tip-up flag went up. She set the hook on the fish and began pulling it in. At first, it didn’t appear to be that big of a fish, but when it got near the hole, Linda caught sight of it and excitedly shouted that she had a really big fish on.
Andy saw she was fighting a pretty good fish so he hustled to grab a gaff and ran over to help her out. Before he could get to her with the gaff, Linda realized she had to do something immediately or lose the fish. She pulled the fish partially out of the hole and with her bare hand scooped it out. When she got the fish on the ice they discovered that it was a large brown trout. The small hook was half straightened out, so Linda would surely have lost that fish if she hadn’t done some quick thinking and taken immediate action.
The brown trout weighed 6.9 lbs on their unofficial scale and was 28 inches long. They were unfamiliar with how to qualify the fish for a state pin and didn’t get it properly weighed on certified scales or measured. If they had, it would have easily qualified for a State pin, perhaps the gold pin. Oh well, they took it home to eat. Some of it was cooked, but it was not as tasty as the perch so they brined and smoked the rest.
They are going to get a reproduction mount of the fish to hang up on the wall.
Linda is no stranger to hauling in large fish. In 2007, while she and Andy were on their honeymoon, she caught a 49 inch, 42 lbs King Salmon on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Andy said that he is pretty used to being out-fished by Linda for she always seems to end up with the best catch of the day.

Young Adult Turkey Hunting Program
If you are thinking about enrolling a youngster into the Massachusetts Young Adult Turkey Hunting Program you had better get a move on it. The requirements to participate in the program are:
• Between the ages of 12 to 17
• Must have completed Basic Hunter Education before the day of the hunt.
• Must have completed the Youth Turkey Class.
• Participants who are at least 15 years old or older who wish to use a shotgun must have a Firearms Identification Card (FID).
The hunting program is a two-part workshop. It teaches young adults proper hunter safety and techniques. Hunters ages 12 to 17 will get to hunt wild turkey under supervision of an experienced adult hunter. MassWildlife, the Massachusetts State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (MA NWTF), and participating Sportsmen’s Clubs run the program. The workshop teaches young hunters specialized training and instruction for turkey hunting. This workshop is a dress rehearsal for the actual turkey hunt. This year the hunt occurs on Saturday, April 28.
The youth turkey permit for youth ages 12-14 is good not only for the youth day, but also for the regular spring season.
You do not need to be a member of a club to participant in the seminar and hunt, it is open to anyone.
Hunting mentors are adults with a current state hunting license and a turkey permit for the current year. Parents/guardians are encouraged to take part in the hunt if they can. Legal guardians can involve themselves as much as possible, even if that means sitting in during the workshop.
Young adults who took part in a pre-hunt workshop in a prior year, do not have to attend it again. They can take part in only the hunt. In this case, young adults must mail MassWildlife Field Headquarters to get their turkey permit for the current year.
Local participating clubs are: Lee Sportsmen’s Association, Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club, Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club and the Worthington Rod & Gun Club.
For more information about the program, click onto: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/young-adult-turkey-hunt-program
Firearms Safety Course
Avid Sports, 1201 W Housatonic St, Pittsfield, will be holding its next Firearms Safety Course on Tuesday March 20 at 5:00 PM. This course allows you to apply for a pistol permit or F.I.D. card. Call 413-997-3600 or message them for more details.
Bowhunting Education Course

There will be a bowhunting education course at the Singletary Rod and Gun Club, 300 Sutton Avenue, Oxford, Massachusetts, on Saturday, April 28, from 8:00 AM to 4:30PM. For directions, click onto http://www.singletaryrodandgun.com/directions.html. If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, call (508) 389-7830 immediately; students are enrolled first-come, first-served.

Youth Sportsmen’s Gala Event
The Lee Sportsmen’s Association and Ducks Unlimited will be having its 4th Annual Berkshires Youth Sportsmen’s Gala at the Country Club of Pittsfield, 639 South Street in Pittsfield on Saturday, April 7, from 6:00 to 10:00 PM. Doors open at 4 PM. There will be a general raffle, silent and live auctions, fantastic food music and fun. Ticket costs $100 and there are various sponsor packages.
For more information, contact Virginia Dubois at (413) 446 – 5404.

Correction
Readers may have been confused with last week’s column regarding who caught that 30.8 pound northern pike out of Lake Buel. The column headline listed (Matt) Ranzoni as having caught it but it was actually caught by Mike Scarpa of Lee. Matt helped by grabbing the big fish by its gills and pulling it out of the hole, but Mike Scarpa actually hooked and fought that fish and brought it to the hole. The photo was provided by Matt Ranzoni.
Sorry about that Mike. As a consolation, you can add a couple more pounds to that fish’s weight……nobody will object.

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Will the next state record northern pike come out of Berkshire waters?
It almost did last weekend.
That’s when Matt Ranzoni and his two kids Gabe and Emma went ice fishing at Lake Buel with their cousin Mike Scarpa. They all reside in Lee. Matt and Mike fish for pike together all the time, but this day was special. Mike caught a 30.8 lb, 44-inch northern pike.
When the fish swam past the hole in the ice, the kids saw it and thought that it was an alligator. With a girth of 23 inches, it’s back was 3/4 the width of the 10-inch hole. Mike had to let the fish run about 8 times before tiring it out enough so that Matt could slide his hands under its gill to pull it out. They weighed it, took pictures and released it. It was a large female filled with eggs.
Although it was a huge fish, it was not the state record. That fish weighed 35 lbs and came out of Quacumquasit Pond in Brookfield, MA in 1988. This fish might have received a gold pin for being the largest northern pike caught in 2018, but Matt and Mike released it to fight another day and perhaps gain enough weight to become the new state record. Kevin Janis of Pittsfield caught one weighing 29 lbs 10 oz out of Cheshire Reservoir last year which will probably be the gold pin for that year.
So, what ‘s with these large northern pike that are being caught lately? 20+ lbs fish are regularly being caught out of Onota Lake, Pontoosuc Lake, Cheshire Reservoir, Lake Buel and even the Housatonic River. Matt believes that local fishermen are realizing that these fish are approaching state record size so they let them go to gain a few more pounds with the hopes of breaking the state record. He believes the state record will be broken in the near future and the fish will come out of Berkshire waters, thanks to the fishermen releasing the big ones.
Mike is doing a replica mount of the fish. According to Matt, he and the kids will never forget that family day of fishing. “It was a team effort”, he said.

Extended archery deer season proposed
A public hearing to extend the archery deer season in eastern Massachusetts will be held this Wednesday, March 7, at 7 PM at the Mass Wildlife Field Headquarters (1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA). The proposal is to open the archery deer season two weeks early in Wildlife Management Zones 10-14.

The current archery deer season opens across the state six weeks before Thanksgiving and closes the Saturday after the holiday. The proposed change opens the archery deer season in WMZs 10-14 eight weeks before Thanksgiving. In WMZs 1-9, the archery deer season would remain the same, opening six weeks before Thanksgiving.

The proposed season change will increase hunting opportunities in a region where deer numbers are above management range goals. No changes were recommended for WMZs 1-9, as deer numbers in these zones are within management range goals.

Hunting seasons ending

On February 28, the cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare and fox hunting seasons ended. That leaves the bobcat and coyote seasons still open, and they end this Thursday, March 8.

Coyote and fox pelts/carcasses must be checked/reported within 4 working days of the end of the season by either 1) checking them at an official check station, or 2) reporting them online and writing the harvest confirmation number on a tag of your own making, then attaching the tag to the carcass or pelt. Confirmation numbers must remain attached to all pelts/carcasses, with the specific confirmation number issued for each particular pelt or carcass, until the carcass is prepared for mounting by a taxidermist, or the pelt is sold or tanned.

I don’t know if anyone crow hunts anymore, but that season ends on April 9.

Basic Hunter/Trapping Education Courses
There will be a basic hunter education course held at the Worthington Rod & Gun Club, 458 Dingle Road, Worthington, MA on April 16, 17, 19 and 20. All dates meet from 5:30 to 9 PM.

A Trapper Education Course with Independent Study will be held at the Spencer Fish and Game Club, 155 Mechanic Street, Spencer, MA on April 25 and May 5 at the following times: April 25 6:30 to 9:30PM and on May 5 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This course is being offered in the Independent Study format which means that in addition to the 2 required in-class sessions, students will need to complete homework in between the 2 class sessions.

You must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete these courses. If you are interested in these courses and wish to enroll, call (508) 389-7830 immediately between 8 AM. and 4 PM, Monday through Friday. Students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and courses fill quickly.

Archery Shoot
On March 17 and 18, the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club Buckhorn Archers will be having a 450 Round Indoor Archery Shoot to benefit a scholarship fund (Aim for higher Education). Participants can choose from several different shooting times: Saturday, March 17 at 4:00 PM, Sunday, March 18 at 9:00 AM or 1:00 PM. The Youth Shoot will take place on Sunday at 11:00 AM. Registration fees are: Adult Classes $15 and Youth & Cub Classes are $5. (Youth ages 12 to 16 years, Cub 11 and under).
Classes of competition: Adult (men & women): Compound Freestyle, Bow-Hunter Compound, Traditional/Longbow or Recurve.
There will be a spaghetti dinner on the evening of March 17 at 6:00 PM. Cost: Adults $12 and 12 and under $8. On Sunday morning, March 18 from 7:30 to 11:00 AM there will be a pancake breakfast costing $8 for adults and $5 for youths.
For more information, contact John Mange at (518)794-7868 or John Davis at (413)446-9012.
Adult archery classes for beginners

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club will be having adult archery lessons at its clubhouse at 258 New Lenox Rd, Lenox on Tuesdays, March 13, 20 and 27 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.

The program, which is for beginners, will teach the basics of shooting the bow and recognize the challenges and rewards of archery. It is free of cost, but donations are always welcomed. They have all the equipment you will need. If interested, register ASAP at info@lenoxsportsmensclub.com.

Ham Shoots

Starting today and every Sunday until Easter, the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club is having its Easter Ham shoots or gift certificate. Targets go on sale at 12:30 PM and the first shoot is at 1:00 PM. The shoots will continue until 3:00PM. 22 Targets at $3.00 each. First Shoot is at 1:00 PM.
Kitchen opens at 12:00 PM. You are invited to join the fun and bring the family and friends. Don’t forget to bring your 22 LR because they have 22 shoots as well.

Also starting today and every Sunday until Easter, the Lee Sportsmen’s Association is having its Easter shoots. Winners take a choice of turkey, steak, spiral ham or pork loin. Also, there will be a Money Shoot. Doors open at noon and shoots run from 1:00 to 4:00PM. $2 per round for food and $3 per round for the Money Shoot. Food will be available. For more information, contact John Polastri at (413)822-8278.
Trap Shooting

Yesterday, the Lee Sportsmen’s Association commenced with its 2018 Saturday morning Trap Shooting Program. All levels of shooters are welcomed. Participants range from beginners to highly qualified shooters. If you are a beginner don’t worry, they have an expert who will be happy to get you started. The game of Trap revolves around the principle of 5 shooters standing side by side breaking clay targets launched from a single trap machine. The clay birds are all going-away shots. The trap oscillates, making each shot slightly different and unpredictable. You might want to give it a try.

For further information please call John Ballard @ 413-684-3467 or email address drinkarustynail@yahoo.com

Venison & Polenta Dinner
On Friday, March 16, the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Association will be having its 1st Annual Venison & Polenta Dinner at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club, 310 Curran Rd., Cheshire. Doors open at 5:00 and dinner at 6:00 PM. Donation is $20.
There will be a 50/50 raffle. Proceeds go to supporting charitable donations made by the Deputy Sheriff’s Association including: youth and school athletic teams, booster clubs, charitable golf tournaments, camp sponsorships at Boys & Girls Club, Gladys Allen Brigham Center, Special Olympics, Toys for Tots, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Unico and others.
For tickets contact Captain Tom Morton at (413)652-7786.
Take down the bird feeders
MassWildlife reminds us that with temperatures warming up, black bears may be active and searching for food. If you live in an area where bears have been spotted, it’s time to take down your bird feeders. Unfortunately for some, the reminder came too late. For more information about living with bears, click onto mass.gov/bears.

Hancock family members receive North American Hunting Award

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A journey that started sixty-five years ago for one Hancock man came to a pinnacle this past January when he and his two sons travelled to Las Vegas where they received North American hunting awards.
In 2014, Arthur Goodrich, now 82, was awarded the Super Ten of North American Big Game by the Grand Slam Club/Ovis. The award is given to hunters who legally harvested and registered 10 North American Big Game animals, one in each category. The categories are: moose, elk, big horn sheep, mountain goat, bear, cougar, bison antelope, caribou and deer.
Arthur Goodrich had been one of only two MA residents to have ever received the award. This year, his sons Dr. William (Bill) and George joined him as each were recognized for their own Super Ten. Arthur also added an additional award to his long list – a Platinum Award for a Kodiak Brown Bear that scored 26 11/16 in the Bonne & Crocket Club record book. George received a silver award for a Kodiak Brown Bear from the same hunt that scored 26 3/16 in the Bonne & Crocket Club record book.
Arthur, who was born and raised in Pittsfield, started hunting at age 15. He was taught to hunt by his father and neighbors. His first harvest for the Super Ten award was a White Tail Deer in Windsor, MA as a teen. His last was a Mountain Lion in Idaho in December 2012. After receiving the prestigious award, he continued hunting into his eighties, usually with his sons to aid them in their own journeys to the Super Ten. He has hunted in 10 states and 4 Canadian provinces.
“It is a sport and a challenge,” says Arthur who traveled to Reno, Nevada in January 2014 with his wife, children, and siblings to accept his award. “It was so exciting and I was so proud of him,” said his wife of 60 years, Elaine, of watching her husband receive the honor. When they travelled to Las Vegas in January, the honor was magnified. Hunting has always been a family affair and Arthur and Elaine were able to watch their sons achieve what their father did only a few years earlier.
The family’s hunts have taken them far away from their Hancock homes, hiking up to 10,000 feet to shoot a Mountain Goat in British Columbia to the varied temperatures of Alaska Range, AK hunting a Dall Sheep. Arthur says that his Dall Sheep is a highlight of his ten hunts. The Boone & Crocket Club recognized him in 2009 for having the 19th largest sheep on record, which scored 164-4/8 points in the 27th North American Big Game Awards.
Most of Bill and George’s hunts for their Super Ten were completed in the company of their father. When they hunted Antelope in Wyoming in 2012, they were even joined by a member of the third generation, Bill’s son Collin, who harvested his own Antelope as well.
Even though the Super Ten is considered a lifetime achievement award, the family has no intention of stopping, given their passion for the sport.
Fly Fishing Film Tour
On Thursday, March 1, the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is bringing the 2018 premier of the Fly Fishing Film Tour to Great Barrington, MA at the Barrington Brewery, Crissy’s Barn. You are invited to see some amazing footage of fly fishing around the world. This is their third film tour. Last year it was a big hit, with amazing sights. Door prizes and raffles will be held, including a 9 foot, 5-weight fly rod which was built by local angler Allen Gray.

Doors open at 6:30 and the show starts at 7 PM and runs to about 9 PM. Tickets cost $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Click onto https://flyfilmtour.com/buy-tickets/ to buy your tickets. Tickets are available locally in advance from any TU Board Members. For information please contact William Travis at traviswdt547@gmail.com or 413/822-7934.

Basic Hunter Education Course
There will be a basic hunter education course held at the East Mountain Sportsman Club, 312 Henderson Road, Williamstown on April 9, 13, 16, 20, 23 and 27. All 6 dates meet from 6 to 9 PM. You must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course.

If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, call (508) 389-7830 immediately; students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and courses do fill quickly.

Beagle Club Rabbit Hunt Results
Berkshire Beagle Club spokesman John Demary reported that 17 hunters participated in its annual Rabbit Hunt which was held on February 10. The running was not great, with only one Snowshoe Hare being taken. Jordan Goerlach, of Hinsdale Mass, took that hare which weighed 2.95 lb. He got it in front of his beagle Marley. Dick Kalisz won $100 in the 50/50 raffle.

According to Demary, those who didn’t have any luck had a wonderful consolation prize: Venison Meat Sauce, Venison Meat balls & Spaghetti, Venison Chili, Chicken Broccoli Alfredo & Bear Stew, all prepared by BBC members Teddy Billis who did most of the cooking along with Tim O’Keefe, and Dick Kalisz.

Large bear
In January, the Berkshire Eagle received a photo from Mr. Richard M. Coty of Lee. The photo was of his grandson who harvested a 507.5-pound bear (live weight) this year. The picture was printed out in black and white and was completely useless for use in print. There was no phone number with which to reach the grandfather in order to follow up. I contacted the DFW Western District Supervisor, Andrew Madden, to see if he had any information about this large bear; however, there was no record of such a bear being shot in Massachusetts. So, with no other avenues to pursue, the story was dropped.

Last week, Richard called me and the required information was obtained. It turned out that the bear was shot in North Carolina by his grandson Andrew Michael Coty. I told Richard that the bear season has been closed for a couple of months now and it was too late to run the story. After ending our conversation and hanging up, I began to have second thoughts.

You see, Andrew is a sergeant in the US Army, 82nd Airborne Division stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. He has spent the last 5 years defending our country. The least we could do is show the picture of his bear of which he was so proud. It was also our chance to congratulate him and to thank him for his military service. The sports editor, Geoff Smith, agreed.

So, working with Andrew’s father Bill, who also lives in NC, we began the process of selecting the best picture and obtaining a little background information. Incidentally, upon Andrew’s discharge, he will pursue a career in the NC Highway Patrol. He was probably influenced by his uncle Dean Leitschuh who helped him get the bear out of the woods and who is a member of the NC Highway Patrol.

No telling what you may catch while ice fishing

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Sometimes you might hook onto weird stuff while ice fishing such an old boot or something from the bottom of the lake. Why, just a week or so ago, a buddy of mine pulled in a beer can. Somehow, his fishing line and hook wrapped around it. Hmmm, wonder how that happened.

Sunday, February 4 was a nice sunny day and Cory Walton of Hinsdale was out with his buddies ice fishing on Plunkett Lake in Hinsdale, MA. They had set up about 25 yards from the shoreline. Around 9:30 AM they saw a critter resembling a weasel along the shoreline near where some ice had buckled up. They didn’t pay too much attention to it, and were just enjoying the day.

Around 1:00 PM, Cory’s tip-up flag went up and he went to attend to it. As he was approaching it, he could see the tip-up shaking in the hole, a good indication that a sizeable fish was on the end of the line. When he got to the hole and checked his tip-up, he saw that all of the line was stripped from the reel, except where the line was tied to it. He set the hook and started hauling in the fish. Whatever was on the end of his line under the ice didn’t fight like a fish, but it was moving. When he started to pull it through the hole, he was shocked to see an angry river otter. Cory got it half way out of the hole, but it braced itself on the ice with its two front legs and refused to be pulled out of the hole.

The guys were all surprised and started hooting and yelling. The otter made a fierce spin, shook the hook and slipped back into the hole. After it got loose, the guys checked all around the hole for blood to see if it had been hurt. Fortunately, there was no signs of blood or other bodily damages.

Cory said that there was no open water anywhere for the otter to get into the lake and under the ice except for that buckled ice near the shoreline. Between that area and his tip-up there was no open water. Somehow it got into the water, swam under the ice to his live bait and took it. Presumably it had swum up from the Housatonic River in the Hinsdale Flats area, up Frissel Brook and into Plunkett Lake.

Well, fishermen have been known to stretch the truth a tad and I was a little skeptical after hearing this fishy story. It certainly was a classic requiring some imagination. Well, the skepticism disappeared when I actually saw a video of the event which was posted on Facebook by Cory’s buddy Justin Russell. Nope, this was definitely not fake news. Hmmm, I wonder if there is a State freshwater fishing award for otters.

 

The 32nd annual Jimmy Fund Ice Fishing Derby, which was held on Sunday, February 11 at Onota Lake was another success. In spite of the rainy weather, a nice crowd participated. The winners were:

Kids 12+ under
Caesen Kendall, 3.9 lbs Brown Trout
Dominic Curtin, 3 lbs Pickerel*
Miranda Dygun, 1.2 lbs Pickerel

*It’s interesting that Dominic Curtin’s mother, Eden Curtin, won this event when she was a child. According to Steve Bateman, she won it in 1995 or 1996 by catching a large Atlantic salmon. Its nice to see such traditions being passed on from generation to generation.

Young Adult 13-17
Rick Armstrong, 3.2 lbs Pickerel
Ben Mancini, 1.4 lbs Pickerel
Colby Gray 1.0 Lbs Brown Trout

Adults 18+
Eric Moser, 8.8 lbs Pike
Todd Wich, 6.2 lbs Pike
Ralph Wendling 5.0 lbs Pike

Congratulations to all.

The 13th annual Tom Wren Memorial Ice Fishing Derby will be held on Saturday February 24 from 6AM to 3 PM on Pontoosuc Lake in Pittsfield. Sign- ins will be in the marked gray camper shanty just on the ice off the public right away at Narragansett Park in Lanesboro. The gray camper shanty will have a big banner marking it. The cost is: Adults – $10 and children – $5. All cash brought in will be paid out in prizes. Prizes will be awarded for the top three heaviest fish in both adult and children’s categories. Final weigh is at 3 PM at the sign-in station. Participants are asked to please bring a big pail or something to transport the fish to weigh-in and ensure a healthy release.

Firearms safety course

A live fire NRA & Massachusetts State Police Certified Firearms Safety Course will be held on Saturday February 24th at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club in Cheshire, MA. This is to qualify MA residents and non- residents alike for the MA License -To- Carry or FID Card. This will be a hands-on live firing, one day course. A full lunch will be provided and a $10 gift certificate to Pete’s Gun Shop. The cost is $100 which covers all ammo, safety gear, class materials, certificates, a hardcover NRA textbook and food. It runs from 9AM to about 4:30PM. Be there by 8:45 AM to sign in. Interested parties are asked to pre-register by calling or stopping in at Pete’s Gun Shop at 413-743-0780.

The Massachusetts LTC is now recognized for concealed carry in 29 states including:
Arizona, Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

This list is constantly being added to. Check with Pete’s periodically for new additions. Residents of Vermont can get the MA Non-Resident LTC by taking this course, and if National Reciprocity passes they can then take advantage of it.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet
The Bay State Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is having a banquet on Saturday, February 24 at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club. Even if you don’t hunt elk, it is a social evening of fun, great food and camaraderie all for the benefit of elk country. Peter DelGrande’s famous Herb-crusted Boneless Prime Rib and Chicken Marsala Buffet is reason enough to attend.

Prizes include incredible firearms and bows, premium hunts, trips and adventures, limited edition art, handcrafted pottery and home furnishings, custom jewelry, and much more. Tickets are limited, and cost: Single Attendee – Includes 1 Meal & 1 Supporting Membership – $70.00, Couple Attendee – Includes 2 Meals & 1 Supporting Membership – $105.00. Doors open at 5:00pm. Call Gary D. Johnston at (413) 298-3623 for more information.

The 35th Annual Springfield Sportsmen’s Show

The show take place at the Eastern States Exposition (Big E) 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA) on February 23 through 25. The show includes the best of hunting, fishing, boating and adventure recreation. The show hours are Friday from noon to 8 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission: Adults – $14, kids 6 to 12 $5 and under 6 Free.
The aisles will be filled with everything you need to enhance your sportsmen’s lifestyle. From all new hunting and fishing gear to special items like trip packages to exotic destinations
World renowned big game hunter and TV star, Dick Scorzafava will present his well-known Radical Hunting Success Seminar, sign books for his many fans and give away thousands of dollars worth of hunting gear in Dick’s Big Gear Giveaway.
Kids will see all of Bwana Jim’s favorite critters in person from alligators to snakes. In this entertaining and educational program, Bwana Jim will introduce you to an extensive array of animals and teach you all about how they live in the wild
David Pickering, the “Carp King,” is the go to expert when it comes to carp fishing. In his seminar, “Targeting Large Carp,” Dave will discuss strategies and various topics related to fishing for trophy carp.
Cory de Sousa was chosen by Tom Miranda to join the Elite Pro Staff of Mathew’s Dominant Bucks TV. His hunts have been filmed and they can be seen on Mathew’s Dominant Bucks TV as well as on Whitetail Slam TV. He is being recognized for his many years of experience and impressive success in the woods.
Paul Sannicandro of Moose Woods Guide Service will explain the principles of compass navigation. In addition, Paul will cover the importance of understanding the difference between magnetic north and true north as well as explaining the process of setting the declination for your compass.
Joe Judd, will be presenting a turkey hunting seminar. Joe is an award-winning turkey caller who has over 35 years of hunting experience to his credit. This highly regarded expert is a member of the Quaker Boy Pro Staff and he is also a member of the hunting Pro Staff for Alpen Optics. In 2013, Joe was the recipient of the prestigious Roger Latham Award presented by the National Wild Turkey Federation. A National Honor, this is the highest commendation given to a volunteer member by the NWTF.
Representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will be at the show to meet with military veterans and their family members to assist them with connecting with VA benefits. Eligible Veterans can sign up for VA health care at the show.
The Big Buck Display which is put on by the Northeast Big Buck Club will be there. The Big Buck Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to Northeast hunters and outdoorsmen. Each year, hundreds of volunteers measure trophy bucks from MA, CT, VT, RI, ME, NH, NY and PA.
There is so much more to see at the show.

The preliminary 2017 statewide deer harvest was a new record.

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MassWildlife reported that last year’s 13,220 deer harvest set a new state record. Archery and Primitive Firearms seasons also saw record harvests. The preliminary figures by season are as follows:
Youth Deer Hunt Day: 109, Paraplegic Deer Hunt: 4, Archery Season: 5,191, Shotgun Season: 5,162 and Primitive Firearms Season: 2,754. Note – This is the first year that the archery harvest is higher than the shotgun harvest. In the following chart, zones 1 through 4 represent the Western District.

2017 harvest by Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ map)
Zone Adult Male Female Button Buck Total
1          249            59               8            316
2          493            48               6            547
3          439          121             17            577
4N       425            95             19            539
4S       302            37               5             344
5         479          179             28             686
6         118            39               6             163
7          422         245              42            709
8          647         282              37            966
9         730          353              66         1,149
10    1,227       1,075            249          2,551
11    1,662       1,043            267          2,972
12       159            74              16             249
13       319          365            110             794
14       244          309            105             658
State 7,915      4,324            981        13,220

MassWildlife notes that while total harvest by zone can be informative, it doesn’t provide the complete picture for monitoring trends in deer density because total harvest is influenced by antlerless deer permit allocations in each zone as well as annual changes in hunter effort, weather, etc. The MassWildlife Deer Project Leader analyzes harvest, biological, and hunter effort data, along with hunter success rates, female versus male harvest, and other factors to manage deer populations in each zone. Such an analysis of this information is now underway for the annual spring deer management review. A complete harvest summary will be posted on the MassWildlife website shortly after the annual deer review, so we are encouraged to check back in June. Click onto the MassWildlife web site to learn more about deer management in Massachusetts.
Hunter Education Courses

MassWildlife sponsors other hunter education courses besides those that use shotguns, such as bowhunting and trapping courses. Unfortunately, neither of them is taught here in the Western District and for that reason I have not been listing them in this column. However; some local sportsmen may be interested in taking these courses and are willing to travel. Therefore:

Bowhunting – There will be a one-day bowhunter education course on March 18 from 8 AM to 5 PM at the Swift River Sportsmen’s Club, 350 Cold Spring Road Belchertown. To view this listing and others, and obtain driving directions, visit the web at: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/bowhunter-education-course-offerings. As a reminder, all courses are free of charge and all necessary course materials will be provided to the student. Unaccompanied minors will need to bring a signed permission form to class in order to participate. This form can be downloaded and printed at https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/10/2017%20Minor%20Permission%20fom.pdf

A bowhunter education certificate does not qualify you to purchase a Massachusetts Hunting license. If you are preparing to buy your first ever hunting license, you need to complete Basic Hunter Education (https://www.mass.gov/service-details/basic-hunter-education-course-offerings) even if you plan on hunting only with archery equipment.

If you are planning on hunting outside of the commonwealth, a Massachusetts Bowhunter Education Certificate is accepted in other jurisdictions that do mandate the successful completion a bowhunter course to hunt with archery equipment. If you have any questions, contact MassWildlife at (508) 389-7820, Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM.

Trapping – A Trapper Education Course with Independent Study will be held at the Auburn Sportsmen’s Club, 50 Elm Street, Auburn, MA on March 21 and 31at the following times: 3/21 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM and on 3/31 from 8 AM to 5 PM. You must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete this course. This course is being offered in the Independent Study format which means that in addition to the 2 required in-class sessions, students will need to complete homework in between the 2 class sessions.

If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, call (508) 389-7830 immediately between 8 AM. and 4 PM, Monday through Friday. Students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and courses fill quickly.

 

Department of Ecological Restoration news
Many Massachusetts rivers lack enough water at certain times of year to support aquatic ecosystems, fishing, recreation and adequate drinking supplies. DER, which is a division reportable to the Commissioner of Fish & Wildlife, works to restore natural streamflow (the amount of water that flows through streams and rivers) in Massachusetts. They do this by working with partners to collect streamflow data; to inform and support policy and actions that restore and maintain healthy streamflows and by managing restoration projects aimed at restoring natural flow. In 2018, the DER:

• Leveraged over $6.5 million in newly awarded external funds for community-based restoration projects. The grant funds will pay for engineering, design, and construction work taking place in communities across the Commonwealth.
• Provided technical support to municipal staff, watershed groups, landowners, and other organizations in more than 193 communities across 26 major watersheds.
• Supervised volunteer workers in 90 communities, devoting more than $70,000 worth of labor towards protecting and restoring our rivers and wetlands.
• Worked with more than 30 partners, DER removed 7 dams, opening up more than 40 river miles, restoring 30 acres of wetlands, and reconnecting more than 900 acres of spawning habitat.
• Signed Cooperative Agreements with Sponsors of 11 new Priority Projects and began project scoping and planning. The projects include dam removals, culvert replacements, urban river revitalization efforts, floodplain enhancement, and streamflow restoration.
• Published an on-line dam removal decision support tool for use by federal, state, and local partners. The tool evaluates the expected ecological benefits of removing any known dam in the Commonwealth.
• Launched its new Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance Program by awarding $905,000 in grants to 13 towns for projects that replace undersized culverts.
• Piloted a community-based social marketing program in the Ipswich River Watershed to encourage voluntary reductions in residential water use

A local project is occurring in the Town of Washington. Aging infrastructure coupled with intense rain events over the last 10 years caused several culverts in town, including the culvert on Frost Road over Savery Brook to begin to fail. In recent storms, this culvert became completely blocked, causing Savery Brook to overtop the road. Savery Brook is part of the National Wild & Scenic Rivers system and supports native brook trout. Replacing this failing culvert with a larger, safer structure will restore access to this important headwater stream while alleviating a flood hazard.

Incidentally, on January 3, Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Ronald Amidon appointed Beth Lambert to lead the DER. Beth brings twenty years of experience and strong partner relationships to her new leadership role. For the past four years Beth has managed DER’s Aquatic Habitat Restoration Program, overseeing the Division’s river, wetland, and salt marsh restoration projects across the Commonwealth. Previously, Beth managed the River Restoration Program for DER and the former Riverways Program. Prior to that, she worked for the New Hampshire Coastal Program as the Habitat Restoration Coordinator; for Oregon Sea Grant/ Oregon State University Extension as Watershed Management Extension faculty; and as a stream ecologist for a non-profit organization in Homer, Alaska.
Beth is no stranger to the Berkshires having work with the Housatonic Valley Association, the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and the Taconic and Hoosic Chapters of Trout Unlimited on stream continuity and other watershed projects.

Opportunities to learn about our furry and hairy critters

On Friday, February 16, at 6:30 PM, Sue Morse, the founder of Keeping Track® , will give a presentation entitled “Bear with US! Living with Bears in the North Country”. The presentation will take place at the Boland Theater at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. Be prepared for lots of fascinating information on black bear biology and ecology, with emphasis on the field identification of tracks and sign. This show offers the most comprehensive discussion of bear scent-marking behaviors, illustrated with dozens of her original images. As for living in harmony with black bears, it’s entirely up to us, as this program will solidly demonstrate. “Bear safety” is achieved largely because of what we do out there, whether it be in the wild or around our home and farmyard. It is more about what we can do to minimize the hazards we pose to bears.
On Saturday, February 17 from 9 AM to 12 Noon and from 1 to 4 PM Sue Morse will conduct a tracking workshop at the Myrin Preserve in Great Barrington, MA. She has over forty years of experience interpreting wildlife habitat uses. She is highly regarded as an expert in natural history and one of the top wildlife trackers in North America. Since 1977, she has been monitoring wildlife, with an emphasis on documenting the presence and habitat requirements of bobcat, black bear, Canada lynx and cougar.
Learn how to apply scientific knowledge about the habits and habitats of various wildlife and to predict where to look for sign. In the field you will learn “search imaging” as well as Keeping Track’s scientific documentation methods for photographing tracks and sign.
Meet and Carpool from Monument Mountain High School – 600 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington MA 01230. The cost is $25/person ($20 if member in BEAT’s tracking club)
RSVP Required, Space Limited. Contact Elia Del Molino at BEAT to sign up!
elia@thebeatnews.org or 413-429-6416.

Then on Saturday evening, February 17, from 6 to 8 PM, Sue will give a presentation entitled The Mysterious Mustelids. (She is going to be a busy gal that weekend!) Learn why fishers aren’t cats and ermine aren’t evil. Mustelids are the largest and most diverse order of carnivores on Planet Earth. The presentation, will take place at Monument Mountain High School Auditorium, 600 Stockbridge Rd., Great Barrington, MA.
Sue Morse’s evening presentations are free and open to the public. They are sponsored by: Trustees of Reservation, BEAT, MassAudubon, Sheffield Land Trust, Nature Conservancy, NE Forestry Foundation, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Great Barrington Land Conservancy and Green Berkshires.
On Tuesday, February 20, from 5:15 to 7 PM, the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) Pittsfield Green Drinks will present a program entitled Getting to Know Our Neighbors: Berkshire Wildlife On Foot and By Camera. It will take place at the J. Allen’s Clubhouse Grille, 41 North Street, Pittsfield and will feature Elia Del Molino, Stewardship Manager for BEAT. Elia will give a presentation on getting to know wildlife of the Berkshire hills through tracking and trail cameras. Elia manages BEAT’s tracking club, a group of locals who bushwhack through forests and fields looking for evidence of wildlife, mostly mammals. Elia will discuss some of their exploits and show a compilation of wildlife videos from BEAT’s remote cameras.

Pittsfield Green Drinks is an informal gathering on the third Tuesday of the month. The gatherings are open to everyone with any environmental interest. Incidentally, the drinks aren’t green but the conversations are. Pittsfield Green Drinks is sponsored by BEAT. For more information about Pittsfield Green Drinks, contact Elizabeth Orenstein elizabeth@thebeatnews.org or (413) 717-1255.

 

Rabbit Hunting, the other winter sport

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My buddy and I decided to take a day off from ice fishing and do a little cottontail rabbit hunting before the hunting season ends on February 28. Like me, he is a life-long rabbit hunter. We both are members of the Berkshire Beagle Club and go there once a week to run the cottontails and snowshoe hares. It is a preserve and hunting with a gun is not allowed there.
He has the hunting bug worse than I do. Every night before we go hunting, I can hear him pacing the floor and he shakes my bed and pulls the blankets in the wee hours of the morning, trying to get me up and moving. We are similar in some respects – both of us are getting a little older and the hair on our heads is becoming a little whiter. Both of us have hearing problems, vision problems, gimpy legs, and are a tad overweight. We both have had operations in the past, me for torn rotator cuff and he for a torn ACL. But we manage to plug along, enjoying our wonderful outdoors, especially in the winter when we can track bunnies in the snow.
This is an unusual year for us. This year he is older than me, and next year, I will be older than him. Oh yes, I forgot to mention. My buddy is a 10- year old beagle named Jacques. In dog years, that puts him at 70 and I am a few years older than him. Next year, at age 11, (dog age 77), he will be older than me by a couple of years.
On the last day we went hunting, the weather was mild, making for a perfect hunting day, so I donned the hunting clothes and grabbed the shotgun and he donned his collar bell, and off a hunting we went. The day started off as usual. Jacques picked up a rabbit scent fairly quickly and off he went in pursuit, nose to the ground, tail wagging a mile a minute and uttering this god-awful scream type of a bark. If you didn’t know better, you would swear he was in agony, but it’s his scream of pleasure, his “Get ready, I’m on his trail” scream. He is in his glory and lives for this. Gosh, I never get tired of hearing this sound, music to a rabbit hunter’s ears. You know, rabbit hunting is all about the dogs.
In my opinion, a good beagle is one that pursues the rabbit scent at a moderate speed and sticks with it, barking all the while, no matter what tricks the bunny will pull to throw him off the track. Good beagles seem to know that they are not supposed to catch the rabbit, but rather to follow it until it makes a turn and comes back near the hunter where he can take a good kill shot, preferably a head shot so as not to get too many shotgun pellets in the meat. After the kill, a good beagle will pick up the rabbit and drop it at the hunter’s feet.
Many hunters that I know will not shoot the bunny but rather let it go by so that the dog can pursue the scent even longer. Sooner or later, if the hunter does not shoot it, it will probably enter a hole or thick brush pile, indicating that the game is over. After a short period trying to get at the rabbit, a good beagle will return to the hunter, and try to find another new scent. And off we go again.
On this day, I really wanted to shoot a rabbit to have for a meal. I developed a taste for them when I was very young when my father or older brothers would shoot a couple of them for a meal. In fact, in later years, father raised domestic rabbits for the table. Hey, he was a 1st generation Frenchman and they, the Italians and most Europeans loved their rabbit meals. Although my mother refused to eat them, she had an excellent recipe for cooking them and the males of our family relished them. But I digress.
Back to our day of hunting, Jacques pushed the rabbit toward me, but for one reason or another, it snuck by without detection. (I blame it on my poor hearing, eyesight, another distraction, inattention, etc.) As Jacques ran past me, still barking on the scent, it appeared as though he gave me a dirty look over his shoulder with an expression of discontent. I’s at times like this when I sympathize with the cartoon character Elmer Fudd. You may recall that he was always being outfoxed by Buggs Bunny, that “Wascal of a Wabbit”.
This bunny was able to shake the dog somewhere in the distance and after a while Jacques returned. Well, we had gotten a couple of hours of enjoyment, fresh air and exercise and it was time to go home, something that Jacques rarely, if ever, wants to do. We’re so thankful that we both are physically able to still do this.
Incidentally, the Berkshire Beagle Club will be having its annual rabbit hunt on February 10. No hunting on the Beagle Club property. Prizes will be awarded for the largest hare and cottontail rabbit. The meat will not be wasted but the lucky hunters will take them home to eat or donate for a future fundraising game dinner. Weigh-in time is 4 PM followed by a venison chili or spaghetti dinner. The charge of $20 which covers the hunt, the meal and raffle tickets. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. For more information, contact John Demary at (413) 684-2228 or (413) 441-2253.
This may be your only chance to participate in a rabbit hunt this year as the Lenox Sportsmen’s Club, which usually has one on President’s Weekend, is not having one this year. Apparently, there is a lack of hunter interest or volunteers to put the event together.
Rabbit hunting appears to be dying sport. You don’t see the numbers of rabbit hunters out there that there used to be. In fact, based upon responses to the MassWildlife hunter surveys for the 5-year period 2012-2016, only 11% of them hunt rabbits these days. Perhaps it’s because people don’t have the free time anymore.
Even if one does have the time, the places to hunt have been drastically reduced over the last few decades. When I think back, almost all of my early rabbit hunting areas in Lenox were within walking distance of my home. I didn’t realize it then, but I was in heaven, walking down the street to the hunting areas with an empty shotgun in one hand and a leashed beagle in the other. Can’t do that now. Those hunting areas are long gone and replaced by streets such as Galway Ct, Bentrup Ct., Dunmore Ct, Clifton CT, Fairway Drive, St Andrews Ct, Cold Brook Road, Delafield St., Old Barn Road, Pine Knoll Road. Stoneledge Road, Melville Ct., Bracelan Ct and others. Perhaps the same has happened to your old hunting grounds.
Thank goodness MassWildlife and organizations such as the Berkshire Natural Resources Council and others are acquiring chunks of land to preserve the open space or establish wildlife management areas. If it weren’t for them, there would hardly be any land left to rabbit hunt.
The days when folks had hunting dogs and dog houses in their back yards are also gone. Every time I see Snoopy sitting on his dog house in the Peanuts comic strip, I think of those old days. The increased populations of coyotes, fisher cats and bears made it necessary to move our beagles indoors (where they immediately took over our houses) or to sturdy kennels. Unaware of the new predators back then, many people lost their dogs to them.
Thank goodness also for the Berkshire Beagle Club with its 80+ acres of fenced in property. Where else can you get the opportunity to run your dogs without fear of them getting killed crossing a road or getting lost. Shooting of the bunnies on BBC land is prohibited. If you have a pedigree beagle with AKC papers, are willing to attend a short monthly meeting, and willing to help in a work party a few times a year the BBC may be for you. The annual fee is reasonable ($200) and membership is restricted to 55 persons, so that there aren’t too many dogs running around overstressing the bunnies. There are strict limits as to how many dogs can hunt at any particular time and one must sign in. If you are a member and think you have a hot shot beagle, you can even enter it into the AKC sanctioned field trials which are held on the property periodically. Warning, your dog will be competing against some of the best beagles in the Northeast.
Pssst ….. don’t tell anyone but the current waiting list to join the BBC is short! Probably, you could get voted in within a couple of months. In the past, it sometimes took several years to get in. To obtain an application, contact me at the address listed below.
Trail camera workshop
On Sunday, February 11 from 1 to 3 PM the Trustees of Reservation will be holding a workshop dealing with trail cameras at Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield. Learn from local expert, Jim Pelletier, the many ways to use trail cameras, how to best set them up for capturing different wildlife as well as when and where to place them. Participants can expect to leave with the ability to set one up on their own. The cost is $5 for TTOR members and $10 for non-members. For more information call (413)229-8600 or cpetrikhuff@thetrustees.org.
Basic Hunter Education Course with Independent Study

There will be a basic hunter education course held at Lee Sportsmen’s Club, 565 Fairview Street, Lee, MA on March 14 and 31. The times are: March 14: 6 to 9:30 PM and March 31: 8 AM to 2:30PM. You must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course.

This Basic Hunter Education course is a 2-session Independent Study course. This format covers the same material as a traditional Basic Hunter Education course but requires less in-class time as students will work independently to complete homework in between the 2 required in-class sessions.

If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, call (508) 389-7830 immediately; students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and courses do fill quickly.

 

Its ice fishing time, but be careful

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Many outdoor enthusiasts are taking to the ice now that we are in mid winter. There are several ice fishing derbies taking place this and the next few weekends. Due to the warmth, last year’s season ended early and many ice fishermen felt short-changed. They were stuck with a lot of deer meat that they had intended to cook out on the ice.

This year has been another funny one with hard freeze – rain and thaw – hard freeze – rain, etc. The last forecast that I saw for this weekend was rain. Listed are some of the ice fishing derbies scheduled to take place in February, but as the dates near, perhaps you should check with the derby organizers just to be sure that none of them were cancelled due to ice conditions.

Upcoming Derbies

The Ashfield Rod & Gun Club’s Annual Youth Ice Fishing Derby will take place on Saturday, February 10 from 8 AM to 12 PM. New this year, there will be a 3 tip-up/hook limit due to the lake drawdown. Prizes will be awarded for all legally caught fish checked in at headquarters (The Ashfield Lake House). After the derby, a spaghetti dinner will be held at Sanderson Academy. There will be a $5 charge for adults, free for kids. Following the dinner, MassWildlife Western District Biologist Nathan Buckhout will be giving a presentation at the academy. For additional derby information, contact Joe Miraglia at (413) 628-4400.

The 32nd annual Jimmy Fund Ice Fishing Derby will take place on Onota Lake on Sunday, February 11. This derby is in memory of Bill “Geli” Gelinas, John Porter, Chris Porter, Cathy Saldo and John Drury. It will run from 6 AM to 2 PM. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $5 for kids and they are available in advance at the Onota Boat Livery on Pecks Road (413) 443-1366, and Maces Marine on Valentine Road, Pittsfield (413) 447-7512 or on the day of the derby at the Frank Controy Pavilion at Burbank Park on Onota Lake. Three divisions of trophies and prizes and plenty of good food.

The Lee Sportsmen’s Association will be holding its Ice Fishing Derby also on February 11 from 6 AM to 2 PM on Goose Pond. Check/weigh in will be at the shanty. Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under. The adult winner of the heaviest fish will receive $100, and kids will win various prizes. There will be a spaghetti dinner at the LSA clubhouse afterwards. For more information, contact John Polastry at (413)822-8278.

On February 18, the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club will be holding its annual ice fishing derby on the 1st and 2nd Hoosac Lakes (Cheshire Lake) from sunrise to 4 PM. Weigh in will be at Farnams Causeway. An Eskimo Propane Auger ($500 value) will be awarded to the heaviest ticket holder fish. There will be youth fun prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Prizes and refreshments at 5 PM at the Club House. Kids 14 and under free with adult ticket. For more information, contact Corey McGrath at (413)841-5070.

If ice fishing derbies don’t appeal to you, perhaps you would prefer doing a family ice fishing day such as that held by the Kinneys of Dalton. As my wife Jan and I approached them on Ashmere Lake in Hinsdale last Sunday, we were delighted to see kids were having fun playing out on the ice and catching fish. It was nice seeing kids outdoors and not sitting home playing computer games. Grandpa and the dads set up along an undeveloped shoreline, something becoming more and more rare these days. In the old days, there was no problem finding such places, but now much of our lake shorelines are developed and have “No Trespassing” signs.

As we neared, we could hear the crackling sound and smell of burning wood from a small bonfire that was made with wood that they brought with them in their sled and dead wood and sticks found on the nearby forest floor. No saws were seen there, nor propane tanks nor hibachis on which to cook their food. Just like the old days, the food was simple and easy to prepare……hot dogs on a wooden spit over the open fire. I suspect that gramps Lawrence “Chip” Kinney had something to do with that, for surely, he remembers those old ice fishing days, too.

Boy! Did that bring back memories. After gabbing with them for a while, and admiring pictures of the nice fish that the kids had caught and released, Jan and I (and Jacques our beagle) left them. But that sight and memories still lingered in my mind and after some urging from Jan, I went back to take their picture and get their names.

If you closely observe the picture, you will see the bonfire with pieces of old logs and branches burning away. Now I ask you old timers, does that bring back fond memories?

Fundraiser for pheasants

There will be a turkey shoot at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association today starting at 1:00 PM and following that there will be a venison stew and spaghetti dinner at the Club. The cost is $15 for adults and $7 for kids under 12 years old. The proceeds of these events will be used to raise pheasants to be stocked on lands for the general public to hunt. Contact John Polastri for more information.

Incidentally, the LSA is the only Berkshire County sportsmen’s club that raises and stocks pheasants and only one of two clubs in Western Mass that does so.

Basic Hunter Education Course

There will be a basic hunter education course held at the Pittsfield High School, 300 East Street, Pittsfield, Massachusetts on: March 6, 8, 13, 15, 20 and 22 (all Tuesday and Thursday evenings), from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. You must attend all class dates and times to successfully complete the course. If you are interested in this course and wish to enroll, call (508) 389-7830 immediately; students are enrolled first-come, first-served, and courses fill quickly.

Fly Tying

Henry Sweren, president of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited, recently announced that free Winter Fly Tying Sunday Afternoon events will be held at Berkshire Hills Country Club from Noon to 3 PM on February 11, 18 and March 4h and 18. For more information, contact Henry at (413) 822-5216.

Regulations Prohibiting Bump Stocks and Trigger Cranks

If you hold a Massachusetts firearms license or firearms identification card, you should have or will be receiving a notice from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Section 52 of Chapter 110 of the Acts of 2017 directs them to inform you that bump stocks and trigger cranks are illegal in Massachusetts. Section 53 of Chapter 110 provides the changes that will take effect in two stages: Effective immediately upon its signing, the new law prohibited the purchase, sale or offering for sale of trigger cranks or bump stocks. Effective February 1, 2018, the new law will prohibit possession of bump stocks or trigger cranks, including possession in a private home. There are no exceptions to this prohibition for licensed firearm owners; an FID card, a License to Carry or even a license to possess a machine gun will not authorize possession of a bump stock or trigger crank.

Because the law does not allow for transfer or sale of these prohibited items, if you currently possess one of them within Massachusetts, you should contact your local police department or Massachusetts State Police to get details about how to transfer custody of the prohibited item to the police for destruction. Retention of such a prohibited item beyond the 90-day period will expose the owner to criminal prosecution.

I think most gun owners know why this new regulation came about (Las Vegas shooting) and should have been expecting it.

If you did not receive this notice, you may have a problem on your hands. If you have moved, Massachusetts General Law Chapter 140, section 131(l) states: Any licensee shall notify, in writing, the licensing authority who issued such license, the chief of police into whose jurisdiction the licensee moves and the executive director of the criminal history systems board of any change of address. Such notification shall be made by certified mail within 30 days of its occurrence. Failure to so notify shall be cause for revocation or suspension of said license.
Good luck!