Archery deer, fall turkey hunting seasons open tomorrow

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Archery season opens tomorrow morning one half hour before sunrise (unless you hunt on a Wildlife Management Area which opens at sunrise) and it ends on November 30. Hunters are allowed to take two antlered deer and a doe if they have an antlerless permit. If they take all three during the archery season, they are done for the deer hunting season (including the shotgun and primitive arms seasons).

Also, the fall wild turkey hunting season opens tomorrow and runs until November 2. Be sure to check the regulations governing this sport.

New this fall, hunters and trappers have two options for checking in deer, turkey, bear, and most furbearers. As in the past, animals may be brought to a game check station, or they can use the online MassFishHunt system to report or check their game via computer. There are two exceptions to this process:
1. During the shotgun deer hunting season, all deer must be checked in at a deer check station in order for the DFW to collect biological data.
2. All bobcats and otters must be checked in at a furbearer check station because they are internationally regulated species.
Tagging and online reporting for bear, deer, and turkeys: are as follows:
Attach the paper tag from permit or license for bear, deer, or turkey to the carcass immediately upon harvesting the animal.
Log in to the MassFishHunt system to report them online within 48 hours of harvest. NOTE: Hunters must complete this checking/reporting process BEFORE processing game for consumption, or taxidermy.
After answering the online game checking questions, the system will assign a confirmation number for each individual animal reported. This number must be written on the tag attached to the carcass. The confirmation number written on the tag is the official seal issued by MassWildlife and takes the place of the traditional metal seals used at check stations.
The tag must remain attached to the animal until the game is skinned, butchered, or otherwise prepared for food purposes; or for mounting by a taxidermist.
Confirmation numbers are non-transferable to other animals and they cannot be used for any other game animals except the ones for which they were issued.
Deer hunters are reminded that during the shotgun season for deer, all deer must be checked in at a deer check station.
Hunters and trappers can report their furbearers (beaver, coyote, fisher, fox and mink) online also. Log in to the MassFishHunt system and follow the instructions on how to report the harvest of these animals.
Meat processors and taxidermists can only take into possession bear, beaver, coyote, deer, fisher, fox, mink, or wild turkey with either an official DFW metal or plastic seal affixed to the carcass or pelt or with a tag noting the assigned MassFishHunt confirmation number affixed to the carcass or furbearer pelt. It is illegal to accept any of the above game animals without a DFW official seal or confirmation number written on an attached tag. Bobcat and otters may not be accepted into possession unless tagged with an official plastic seal. *****
Flyfishing guide and author Marla Blair will be the guest speaker at the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting this Thursday evening, at the Bass Water Grill on Rte 8 in Cheshire. She will be discussing “The Hatch and body language for trout and choosing a pattern”. She will also demonstrate the tying of her iconic Jailbird emerger fly during social hour. Marla achieved international fame when she wrote the popular fishing book Practical Fly Fishing. The event is free and open to the public. Social hour starts at 5 PM, Marla’s presentation starts at 6 PM and dinner off of the menu (if you so choose) to follow at 7 PM. For more information, contact Ron Wojcik at (413)684-4141 or rwojcik@bcn.net.
Staying with TU, congratulations go to the Mass/RI Council of TU for receiving national recognition in TU National’s quarterly publication of Trout. Magazine Members of the 13 Massachusetts and Rhode Island chapters received an appeal for help in replanting a portion of river bank at the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Indian Hollow Campground. Located along the banks of the Westfield River in Chesterfield it was heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Some 225 willow tubelings were secured and 85 volunteers from each chapter (including our local Taconic Chapter) planted them in about 2 hours. Their efforts have been praised by the ACOE and the Chesterfield Conservation Commission. Incidentally, Paul Knauth of Dalton is in his third term as Council Chairman. *****.
There will be a Multi-State Firearm License Course next Sunday at 1:00 PM at the Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club. This course is unique in that it qualifies you to apply for licenses in Massachusetts, Utah, New Hampshire and Maine. A Utah concealed firearm permit issued to a non-resident is honored in 32 states. If you apply for all 4 licenses, you will be legal in 36 states. The fee for the entire 5-hour course is $150 or you can take just the Utah segment for $100 or just the Massachusetts segment for $80. The fee is due in cash at the course. There is no exam but bring a pad and pen to take notes. Seating is limited and preregistration is required. Call or e-mail and provide your full legal name plus date of birth to Robert J. McDermott at (413)232-7700 or robmcdermott@verizon.net.*****
In last week’s column I erroneously listed the end of the coyote hunting season as being March 28, 2014. The correct date is March 8, 2014. I knew that and don’t know why I wrote otherwise. Freudian slip, I guess, or wishful thinking.

Habitat restoration is slated for Maple Hill Wildlife Management Area

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Recently, DFW personnel conducted a habitat site walk on the new 190 acre section of the Maple Hill WMA in West Stockbridge. The Department of Fish and Game acquired it with the assistance of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council last year using $1,000,000 of Open Space Bond funds. It was added to the existing 202 acre Maple Hill WMA.
The DFW habitat management goal is to create a mosaic of grassland, shrubland and young forest habitats on approximately 150 acres of abandoned farmland to support declining native wildlife species. Some declining shrubland birds such as the Eastern towhee, Brown thrasher and American woodcock will benefit from the work.
The plan is as follows: Reclaim abandoned pastureland into high quality grassland and shrubland habitat by controlling invasive plants, tree clearing and mowing that favors wild apple trees and a diversity of native herbs and shrubs. Connect reclaimed abandoned fields by clearing tree hedgerows between them to expand site lines and increase habitat patch size for grassland and shrubland birds. Establish young aspen and mixed hardwood forest adjacent to shrubland areas to increase structural habitat diversity while retaining clusters of large crowned, mast producing trees such as black cherry, hickory and oak. The project should be completed in 2015.
It was undertaken through the DFW’s Biodiversity Initiative which was established in 1996. That was a landmark event because it was the first time that the state open space bond funds were made available for important habitat work.

According to John Scanlon, DFW Project Leader, the unique thing about this program is that it gets DFW foresters, biologists, restoration ecologists and district staff involved to identify high priority sites with the focus toward management of those species in the most trouble.

We stopped in three sections. The first was in an area where there was once agricultural land and orchards but are now covered with invasive shrubs and vines. The species associated with the former grasslands and orchards are struggling and are in long term decline. DFW plans to target invasive plants and reestablish native shrubland, remove some trees to bring in light, retain other trees good for habitat (bigger oaks, hickory, black cherry, abandoned orchards) and start production of fruit again such as raspberries. They will also encourage grasses to grow again.

The second was in an area of beautiful forests with magnificent maples, basswood, pignut hickory and birch trees. It was quite obvious that this section of forest was older than the abandoned farmlands where the invasives became an issue on our landscape. It had rich mature trees with full canopy and no invasives. Biologists have determined that this was a very special place, perhaps one of the best in the state both in size and actual integrity.

It was located in rich mesic (moist) soil; rich both in terms of mineral content of soil and species diversity. This area is influenced by its marble lime bedrock, making it PH neutral with a high mineral content conducive to thick, lush forest trees, and green carpets with super rich diversity of plants. The National Heritage and Endangered Species Program folks consider it to be a high priority area; a “gem” that doesn’t occur very often. This stretch of forest will be left alone with no tree clearing.

Our third stop was an oak knoll which was not as moist with less maple trees. Many of these trees will be removed to allow the sun to penetrate and help create a young aspen forest and native shrubland. Some of the largest trees, such as oak, cherry and hickory will be left to provide food for the animals. Any cut tree tops will be left for nutrients and they will be constructing brush piles from the trees which will make great habitat for the smaller mammals. In order to help pay for the restoration effort, some of the oaks there will be removed and the timber sold.

It was a very informative and enjoyable site walk and the goals and methods of the restoration effort were clearly explained. It was obvious that a great deal of consultation and research went into this plan. It was put together with the interests of the critters which dwell on this land taking top priority, as it should be. “Come back and revisit this place in 3 or 4 years”, said Scanlon, “and you will be amazed and impressed with what you see.” *****

Well, upland game hunting season is upon us once again. Next Saturday, the pheasant and grouse hunting seasons open and run until November 30. The daily bag limit for pheasants is 2, possession limit is 4 and season limit is 6. The grouse daily bag limit is 3, possession limit is 6 and season limit is 15. If you hunt a wildlife management area, you cannot hunt before sunrise or after sunset, and you must wear a “hunter orange” hat.

Also opening next Saturday are the cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare seasons and they run through February 28, 2014. The daily bag limit for cottontails is 5 and possession limit is 10. The daily bag limit for snowshoes is 2 and possession limit is 4. Cottontail hunters can help DFW study the distribution of them across the state by participating in the cottontail collection survey. You can bring the rabbit heads to a DFW district office. Include your contact information, date of harvestl, precise location of the animal and method of hunting, if applicable.

Also opening that day is the coyote hunting season and it runs through March 28, 2014, including during shotgun deer hunting season. There are complex regulations governing this sport and you are advised to check them.

No hunting is allowed on Sundays.

Get ready for good autumn angling

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Some 64,500 rainbow trout have been allocated among the five wildlife management districts across Massachusetts. The trout slated for stocking average a whopping 14 inches long and weigh one pound. “This is the best production of fall trout I have seen in my time with the Division,” said Dr. Ken Simmons, Chief of Hatcheries. “The hatchery staff should be proud of the fish they have produced.” The fish are grown at MassWildlife hatcheries in Belchertown, Montague, Sandwich, and Sunderland.

Trout stocking began the week of September 23 and is expected to be completed this week. A list of trout stocked waters is posted on the agency website (www.mass.gov/masswildlife). Water bodies stocked in the fall are underlined.. Western District waters normally stocked in the fall are as follows:

Ashfield Pond, Deerfield River, Littleville Lake, Westfield River (E. Branch), North Pond, Upper Highland Lake, Norwich Lake, Goose Pond, Laurel Lake, Lake Buel, Windsor Lake, Big Benton Lake, Otis Reservoir, Onota Lake, Pontoosuc Lake, Richmond Pond, Stockbridge Bowl and Windsor Pond.*****

Woodcock hunting season began last Wednesday and will run through October 26. It reopens on October 28 and runs through November 16. There are no regulation changes this year; still a 3 daily bag limit and a 9 possession limit. Because they are migratory birds, a Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey is required. You can take it either on line at www.mass.gov/massfishhunt or anywhere hunting licenses are sold. Non-toxic shot is not required while hunting woodcock and shotguns capable of holding more than 3 shells may not be used unless plugged.

Duck and Canada goose hunting seasons open Monday, October 14 and run through November 30. They shut down during the first week of shotgun deer hunting season and reopen on December 9. The goose hunting season ends on December 17 whereas the duck hunting season ends on December 28.

A state and federal waterfowl stamp is required. When purchasing a state stamp, hunters are automatically registered with HIP. Waterfowl hunters must also use the 3-shot gun and non toxic shot. You are allowed to bag 6 ducks a day (possession limit of 18), but the breakdown of types of ducks is complex and you must refer to the 2013 Migratory Bird Regulations for that and other important information. You are allowed to bag 3 goose a day (possession limit of 9).

If you heard shooting near our rivers and ponds yesterday morning, that could be because there was a youth waterfowl hunt. Youths aged 12 – 15 could duck hunt yesterday as long as they were accompanied by a licensed adult hunter with a valid Massachusetts waterfowl stamp (no federal stamp is required). One firearm only. Adults may not hunt and may carry firearm only when unloaded and cased. No license or stamp is needed for youths ages 12 – 14, but are needed for youths aged 15. There will be another youth waterfowl hunt day this Saturday.*****

As expected, I received some correspondents from local deer hunters about my article last week on deer predators. Some just flatly refuse to believe DFW’s claim that coyotes don’t take the fawns until they develop their scents. Somel claim to have seen the coyotes grab the fawns as soon as the does dropped them. (I am one of them.) Coyotes know when a doe is about to give birth and follow it. Still others questioned why no mention was made of the toll the coyotes take during the winter (especially on pregnant does). A few have sent me pictures of deer being killed right on their lawns during winter.

Incidentally, DFW biologist Laura Conlee gave a presentation to the Mass. Fish & Wildlife Board at its meeting in Dalton last week. Here is some interesting information based upon surveys: Of the nearly 9,000 hunters who responded to their questionnaire, 13% specifically targeted coyotes. Most coyote hunting is done during the daylight hours and not at night. Of the daylight hunters approximately 62% use rifles of a larger caliber than 22 long rifle. Of those who hunt at night only about 5% use night vision gadgets. It is illegal to project a beam while hunting coyotes at night. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 coyotes living in Massachusetts

Board Chairman George “Gige” Darey commented that surrounding states have year round hunting seasons on coyotes, but not Massachusetts. Here they are considered a valuable resource and are allowed to be hunted when their pelts are most valuable. Incidentally, pelts must be tagged and reported.

In response to a Board member question, Conlee reported that Massachusetts statutes allow property owners to remove an animal which is caught in the act of causing damage, such as to their livestock. The landowner is required to submit a written report to DFW by the end of the year.

In conclusion, Conlee recommended that the Board not change the coyote season length, not change the current hunting hours, and make no changes to the use of implements or equipment. Any such changes would require a statutory change. *****
On October 19, pre-school educators are invited to a fun, practical hands-on 6-hour workshop, entitled Growing Up WILD, that focuses on early childhood education. The Guide is correlated to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and the Head Start Domains. Workshop participants will receive a copy of the Growing Up WILD guide and a certificate of completion. Project WILD is sponsored by DFW and the Massachusetts Wildlife Federation. Pre-registration is required, fee is $30. Registration deadline is October 9. To register contact Gayle Tardif-Raser at MassAudubon’s Pleasant Valley Sanctuary at gtraser@massaudubon.org or call (413) 637-0320 or register online at www.mass.audubon.org/pleasantvalley (click on Program Catalog).

Do coyotes significantly affect our deer herd?

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In last week’s column, I reported that David Stainbrook, Mass Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Director of the Deer and Moose Project and Dr. Robert Deblinger, Deputy Director of DFW gave a presentation at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association dealing with the deer herd in Massachusetts. This column will address what they had to say regarding the predation of the deer herd.

According to studies, 30 – 50% of the fawns die each year from various causes (diseases, predators, vehicles, not genetically fit, etc). It is estimated that 20 – 35% are killed by predators (bobcats, bears, coyotes, etc) and is the main cause of fawn mortality. It is estimated that coyotes take about 25% of all fawns born. They are most successful with 2 to 3 week old fawns because they become of age when they get a little bit of scent. After that, it is not really worth it for the coyotes to try to run them down.

Yet, the deer population continues to grow because the doe’s survival is so high that it continues to produce fawns every year. Stainbrook said that Massachusetts’ numbers are quite normal.
DFW does not believe predators have a significant population level effect, otherwise, they would see it in their harvest indicator figures. The population would be coming down, but they haven’t seen that. If they did, Stainbrook said they would manage it.

In the northeast there is a narrow window for birthing. The rut needs to happen in a narrow window so that birthing occurs in a narrow window. This is good for the deer populations because it basically overloads the predators and they cannot catch them all. While they are eating some fawns the others mature to the point where they can escape. After about 6 to 8 weeks, fawn predation significantly drops. If there is a late birth, the fawns are less fit and less likely to survive the winter. If a fawn is born early, she could breed in her first year and she may not know where to go for the best cover, etc.

According to Deblinger, we cannot control our coyote population. All around us other states have year round seasons and they are not controlling their populations either. The more you shoot, the more you get. When there are really high coyote populations, the litter rates are very low. That’s because when coyote densities get high, the females have smaller litters. When the densities are low, the litters get as high as 10 or 11 young. He said that there is not a state in the country that manages its coyote populations; not by hunting or any other predator control method.

The studies indicated that black bear do not really target fawns but rather opportunistically take them. They are most successful with really young fawns, within a week or two because they can outrun and catch them.

Other bits of information: The typical range of bucks in areas like western Mass is around 3 square miles, does somewhat less. In the eastern part of the state, the area is smaller, typically 1 mile. During the rut, they will travel a little further. The 1 to 1 ½ old bucks experience dispersal so that they don’t breed their own relatives.

Deblinger stated that the deer density goals in our area (15 – 18 per square mile) are the highest in the state.

Statistics show that only one in ten hunters who receive an antlerless permit actually is successful in bagging a doe.

No Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected in our deer. In addition to NY, it has now been discovered in PA. All deer meat entering MA from other states which have CWD must be de-boned.

It was an excellent presentation and unfortunately space does not permit mentioning other information that was provided. After the presentation, there was a lively Q&A session. There were several experienced hunters that insisted that there are not the numbers of deer in Zones 1 -3 as there used to be. In the 1980’s and 1990’s they saw a lot more deer and they had videos to prove it. The deer are just not out there, they claim. That’s their opinion and they are sticking with it, regardless of the models, studies or statistics. *****.

Incidentally, there are more antlerless deer permits available in Wildlife Management Zones 10, 11, 13 and 14. Once on sale, the permits will remain available until sold out in each Zone. To avoid the confusion experienced last year, the sales will be staggered as follows: Zone 11 permits go on sale Tuesday, October 1, Zone 10 – Wednesday October 2 and Zones 13 and 14 Thursday, October 3. Sales begin at 8:00 AM and can be purchased on line or from any DFW District Headquarters. *****

Since 1972, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has offered the opportunity for paraplegic sportsmen and sportswomen to hunt deer in several locations across the state during a special three-day season. This year’s hunt dates are October 31 – November 2, 2013. Locations will include Devens (Harvard/Lancaster), Quabbin Reservation (Belchertown), two properties in northern and southern Berkshire County, and Otis/Edwards Military Reservation (Falmouth). Licensed paraplegic hunters who have an interest in participating in this hunt should contact Trina Moruzzi at (508) 389-6318 or email Trina.Moruzzi@state.ma.us for more detail. *****

The Lenox Sportsmen’s Club, Cheshire Rod and Gun and perhaps other local clubs have started their Sunday turkey shoots which will probably run until the week before Thanksgiving. Check with your favorite club for details.

Next Saturday and Sunday the Berkshire Beagle Club will be having its Small Pack Option field trials. If you want to hear some good beagles working, you might want to stop by. They have a decent raffle going on, too.

Status of Massachusetts deer herd discussed

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Recently, David Stainbrook, Mass Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Director of the Deer and Moose Project and Dr. Robert Deblinger, Deputy Director of DFW gave a presentation at the Lee Sportsmen’s Association dealing with the deer herd in Massachusetts. Deblinger introduced Stainbrook as an “incredible scientist” who is a population dynamics modeler. This truly is rocket science, he said, and asked Stainbrook to explain it to the attendees. “I am really proud of the Massachusetts deer management program”, said Deblinger.
Stainbrook discussed the surveys which were sent out to some 32,304 hunters with e-mail addresses. Close to 9,000 deer hunters responded The survey sought information such as: town in which hunter live and hunted, the hunter’s age, how many hours spent hunting, how many deer seen in each zone, and other information. (Interestingly, about 10% of hunting license buyers do not hunt.) Deer sighting rates from these surveys were then compared to the deer density estimates which were based on deer harvest numbers
Broken down by season, about 53 hours were spent per hunter in archery, 38 in shotgun, and 30 in primitive arms. So an average hunter that hunted all three seasons would spend over 100 hours hunting (if the survey responses were representative).

In zones 1-3, deer sighting rates were higher than in zones 4N and 5, which were the lowest in the state. But one also has to consider differences in hunter density across the state. In the east, there are a lot more hunters per unit of huntable land and high deer densities because of access issues, so obviously deer sightings per hour hunted are higher than in western and central MA.

The model evaluates the range of effort. In areas like zone 7, there are more hunters per square mile so they expect more effort, vs zone 4N or 2 where there are fewer hunters per square mile. This range of effort affects harvest/success rates and therefore total harvest. Don’t be swayed by deer harvest numbers. For example, a reduction in the numbers of antlerless permits should cause a decrease in the overall deer harvest. That just makes sense.

The key indicator to watch is the trend in the number of adult bucks harvested (as long as hunter effort remains constant). They are not affected by the antlerless permits. In Zones 1 and 3, the goal is to have 15-18 deer per square mile and they are slightly on the lower end of that goal. MassWildlife is being conservative with the antlerless permits and they are trying to get the Western District numbers up gradually. The last thing they want to do is to raise the permits this year, lower them next year, etc., which is not good for the herd.
To make a long story short they are quite pleased with the make-up of the deer herd in Massachusetts. They have a good mix in terms of age categories. They have a good sampling and harvest system that supports their claim.
What can we hunters do to raise our deer density at a local scale? Improve the local habitat to be able to support more wildlife, including deer. Having only older aged forests are not necessarily good. A mixture of age classes with new, young forests do wonders for deer, in terms of year round food and cover. Selective cuttings are needed to get some light onto the ground.

We can also participate in the annual survey, the more information from hunters, the better they can manage the herd.
Their presentation was excellent. I went into the meeting with preconceived notions about our local deer herd, but when I saw the thoroughness of the information, studies, models and the “rocket science” being applied, I shut up and listened.
They also discussed deer predation which I hope to cover in next week’s column. *****
Thursday evening, local fishing guide Rex Channel from Allure Outfitters will be the guest speaker at the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting at the Bass Water Grill in Cheshire. His presentation will be about fishing in Alaska on a budget. On his website, (http://www.allure-outfitters.net/index.html), Channel states that he has over 30 years of flyfishing experience. His presentation follows the social hour which runs from 5PM – 6PM. The event is free and open to the public. For those wishing to purchase a dinner, it begins at 7PM. For more information, contact Ron Wojcik at (413)684-4141 or rwojcik@bcn.net. *****
The public is encouraged to attend a site walk at the Maple Hill Wildlife Management Area in West Stockbridge this Tuesday at 10:00 AM. MassWildlife biologists will discuss and answer questions about planned management activities designed to enhance wildlife habitat as well as the recreational opportunities that arise from this work. Meet on Maple Hill Road (off of Rte 102) at the top of the hill. Look for signs. *****

Also this Tuesday, at 1:00 PM, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board will be meeting at the Western District Office on 88 Old Windsor Road, Dalton. Following that, a Public Hearing will be held at the same location at 3:00PM to establish and amend rules and regulations relative to the Artificial Propagation of Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians; the Exemption List; and the List of Domestic Animals. Call (508) 389-6300 for more information. *****
Twenty six anglers participated in the 26th annual crappie derby which was held by the Onota Fishing Club recently. The results are as follows: Carlos Shacar and Chris Porter took 1st place, Billy and Shane Rodgers took 2nd and Team Casavant took 3rd. The largest crappie was caught by Chris Porter weighing 2.25 lbs. (Qualifies for a State bronze pin). *****

Another smoky, but enjoyable fishing trip to Montana

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Recently three local fishermen and I took a 10 day flyfishing trip to fish some famous rivers near Missoula, Montana. The other three flyfishermen were Allen Gray of Pittsfield, Paul Knauth of Hinsdale and Michael Shepard of Dalton.

Upon arrival, we learned that the rivers there were at a 30 year low water flow due to the drought and some of them had restricted fishing hours to avoid stressing the trout. The Bitterroot River had “hoot owl” restrictions, meaning that one could only fish it from midnight to 2:00 pm.

We stayed in a cottage along Rock Creek, which was still open, but running low. Each time we drove upstream to fish it, we passed nearby forest fires. We came across many firefighters, including the “Hot Shots”, specialized firemen brought in to fight the fires. The sights and sounds of helicopters carrying large containers of water to and from the fires were common.

One time, Allen was trying to fish a large pool in Rock Creek, but that was where the choppers were filling their buckets which disturbed the water and scared the fish. He related a sight where Paul was fishing a part of the river and directly uphill from him a chopper was dousing the fire with water. Temperatures were around 95 degrees that day and Paul was disappointed that some of the water didn’t fall on him to cool him off. The temperatures remained in or near the 90’s every day but amazingly, the water temperatures of the rivers we fished never got above 62 -64 degrees. I presume the combination of cool nights and cold springs feeding the rivers kept them cool.

The mountains there are so steep that the firemen could not climb them to reach the fires. Even if a chopper dropped them in, the slopes are so steep that they would just slide off the mountain. All they could do was build fire lines below and let the fire burn until they reached them or Rock Creek. Incidentally, we learned that some firemen who were fighting the fires at the nearby Lolo National Forest were from the Berkshires.

We traveled a long way to fish these rivers and we went out every day. Once, we were prevented from fishing one area on Rock Creek because the firemen feared that the fires would cause rock slides which could bury us.

On Labor Day, the hoot owl restrictions on the Bitterroot River were lifted, but then the Blackfoot River was completely shut down due to water temperatures and low flow. Fortunately, we had spent the three prior days fishing it. After that, we concentrated our fishing on the Clark Fork River and Rock Creek.

Don’t get me wrong, we had a wonderful time and caught lots of quality fish – rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout, some reaching near 18 inches. Of course the largest fish got away, at least mine did. One time, while Allen was reeling a decent sized rainbow trout, a large bull trout snatched it away from him. These are big trout which are endangered and it is illegal to fish for them.

But it’s not all about fishing. We saw some memorable sights: bald eagles, a herd of 24 bighorn sheep eating grass in someone’s sprinkled lawn, whitetail deer with their fawns frolicking near our cottage, mule deer, moose. the beautiful mountains, and more. One sight I will never forget occurred when Mike and I were returning to the cottage before dusk when we saw a doe teaching her fawn how to cross a shallow section of Rock Creek. The fawn appeared unsteady but its mom was very patient as they slowly crossed the river,

The towns of Rock Creek and Clinton are small and rural, about 15 miles south of Missoula. Imagine our surprise when Mike and I stopped at a watering hole and found that the bartender grew up in Dalton and lived in Lenox for a while. On another occasion, we met a couple in a fly shop and the woman was raised in Adams. Mike met another guy on the stream from Braintree whose good friend lives in Dalton. Amazing, eh? *****

Unfortunately, while in Montana, I learned that a close friend passed away – Gordon Leeman of Lee. I first met Gordy in the fall of 1963 when he was a game warden. A friend and I were on furlough from the service and we decided to go hunting without a license and during a time when the woods were closed due to a severe drought. Gordy and another warden nabbed us. The judge ultimately dismissed the case (long story).

In the 1980’s we both were members of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited and became friends. For the last dozen years or so, we also belonged to the ROMEO’s (Retired Old Men Eating Out) a group of older sportsmen who get together for lunch at a local diner once a week. He will be missed. *****

Before leaving for Montana, I neglected to mention that the early Canada goose hunting season opened on September 3 and runs to September 25. The daily bag is 7 and possession limit is 21. The regular goose season opens on October 14. The 2013-14 migratory regulations can be found on the following website: http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/dfw/regulations/2013-14-waterfowl-abs. *****

People in kayaks and canoes must wear their life jackets or personal floatation devices (PFD’s) from September 15 to May 15 while boating. According to the Massachusetts Environmental Police, most boating fatalities in Massachusetts are due to boaters who fail to wear PFDs while in small craft in cold water or cold weather situations. Waterfowl hunters using canoes or kayaks are reminded that this law also applies to them.

Connecticut River adult salmon returns are in

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This year 89 adult Atlantic Salmon returned to the Connecticut River from the Atlantic Ocean. This compares with previous years as follows: 57 in 2012, 111 in 2011, 51 in 2010 and 75 in 2009. This year, 4 returned to the Salmon River in Connecticut, 6 to the Farmington River in Connecticut, 11 to the Westfield River and 68 reached the Holyoke Dam. That was the most salmon that returned to the Westfield River since some 34 returned in 2008.

As mentioned in previous columns, the Connecticut River Salmon Restoration program is ending. Both the US Fish & Wildlife Service and MassWildlife will no longer support it. (In addition to Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire are also out of the restoration program.) The last stocking of salmon fry into its feeder streams in Massachusetts took place this past spring. They will remain in our streams for a couple of years until they turn into smolts and make their migration to the sea. After a couple of years, with luck, they will return to their home streams to spawn. That means the last Connecticut River spawning run into Massachusetts will probably take place in 2017.

So what will happen to the 89 Atlantic Salmon that returned this year? Caleb Slater, DFW Anadramous Fish biologist said the fish were captured and brought to the Richard Cronin National Salmon Station in Sunderland, MA. They are going to be spawned there this fall and the eggs will go to a Connecticut salmon station. Next year those salmon fry will be stocked exclusively into Connecticut waters.

Next year he thinks that the Cronin station will no longer be available and the adult returning salmon most likely will be allowed to continue their spawning migration upstream. Wouldn’t that be something if they spawned in the wild and established an annual salmon run on their own.

The salmon program started in 1967 and the first returning salmon arrived in 1974. Things looked promising for the program in 1981 when 529 returned. In fact, some groups were already looking at potential salmon lies (resting places for the salmon) in areas of Vermont and an effort was under way to purchase the adjoining land so that the public would have access to fish for them. The Massachusetts/Rhode Island Council of Trout Unlimited donated funds for this effort. That’s how confident people were that the program would succeed.

In the mid 1980’s the returns averaged around 300 a year and 1992 was a good year when 490 returned. However; as the above figures show, the most recent returns have not been that great and the program’s days were numbered. Based upon shocking surveys, the salmon parr survived in our feeder streams just fine, but after they migrated downstream to the sea, very few returned. Its anyone’s guess what was happening to the salmon in the ocean. DFW Director Wayne MacCallum feels that climate change is a chief but not the only suspect.

Incidentally, MacCallum wrote an excellent article detailing the history of the salmon program in the No.1, 2013 issue of Massachusetts Wildlife entitled “Letting Go of a Dream. In it he stated that with the decision of the USFWS to withdraw from the program, Massachusetts had little choice but to reluctantly cease its annual production of 1 million+ fry. The USFWS was producing 75% – 80% of all the fry released and the states simply did not have the resources to make up the difference. He said that if, by some miracle, adult salmon returns increase significantly between now and 2017, they will consider renewing the restoration efforts.

The late US Congressman Silvio O. Conte, referred to as the Father of the Return of the Atlantic Salmon to the Conncecticut River, must be turning in his grave over this turn of events. He devoted so much of his time supporting this program. I feel badly too having been a volunteer stocking the salmon fry each spring for many years, first stocking them with my wife Jan and over the last 10 years or so with Dave O’Clair of Richmond. We helped stock brooks in Becket, Washington, Middlefield and Chester. Over the years, many Taconic Trout Unlimited members joined college students and local MassWildlife personnel to stock them. Several local schools also raised the salmon from the eggs and cared for them until they were released as fry into the waters.

The Merrimack River is the other Massachusetts river where Atlantic Salmon run. It too is having problems with only 22 of them returning this year. Could that be the next program to be eliminated in the near future?

Of course there were critics of the program who believed that it was a waste of money and the poor returns did not justify its continuance. Well, I don’t agree nor do the school teachers and elementary students who raised and released them. They built wonderful school curriculum around these programs and sparked interest in aquatic biology which may lead to pursuit of careers in that field.

The USFWS and MassWildlife efforts may be redirected to other anadromous fish returning to the Connecticut River such as shad, eel and herring. Although it is also important to protect these fish, I personally can’t get excited about them, not the way I did with the Atlantic Salmon which is called the “king of the sportfish”. It is hard for me to let go of that dream to which Director MacCallum referred.

Other 2013 returns to the Connecticut River this year include the following: 397,689 American Shad, 995 Blueback Herring, 823 Gizzard Shad, 24,926 Sea Lamprey, 2 Shortnose Sturgeon and 245 Striped Bass. Some 4,900 American Shad and 726 Sea Lamprey returned to the Westfield River.

New efforts underway to eradicate the sea lamprey

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Many local anglers who fish Lake Ontario, the Salmon River and its tributaries may find the following information interesting. Much of this information was provided by Spider Rybaak, an award-winning outdoor writer.

The invasive species responsible for wreaking more havoc on the Great Lakes fisheries than any other is the sea lamprey. But a new barrier/trap on Orwell Creek, a tributary of the Salmon River, promises to bring this parasite a giant step closer to eradication.
Native to the Atlantic Ocean, these eel-like critters originally invaded the Great Lakes and NY’s largest Finger Lakes in the 19th century via the Erie Canal. Armed with a round mouth filled with sharp teeth, they attach themselves to fish and suck out their body fluids. Authorities have been waging war on the parasites for over 50 years.
In the 1950s untreated discharges from industry and municipalities and the scourge of lampreys all but wiped out the open water species of the Great Lakes. Surviving smallmouth bass, walleyes, perch, lake and rainbow trout were few, sickly and scarred. Adding insult to injury, vast schools of alewives, marine exotics with a high tolerance for pollution, exploded because of the lack of predatory fish to control them. Each spring saw Lake Ontario’s shoreline littered with smelly, decomposing windrows of alewives.
Environmental awareness led to such dramatic improvements in water quality that folks began going to the beaches again. They complained of the stinking mess and the authorities began fighting the alewives by stocking voracious trout and salmon, and fighting the lampreys by spreading chemical pesticides specific to lampreys into natal streams during their spawning runs.
The programs worked, eliminating 90 percent of the lamprey population and reducing alewife populations to manageable levels but using chemicals to control lampreys is expensive and is not always popular. They went to physical barriers.
This June, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the NY DEC officially opened the Orwell Brook Sea Lamprey Barrier. Orwell and Pekin brooks, tributaries to Lake Ontario’s Salmon River, produce tens of thousands of sea lamprey larvae annually, and this is the first sea lamprey barrier to be constructed for this purpose by New York State and its Great Lakes fishery partners.
How does it work? Lampreys can’t jump. The barrier/trap on Orwell Brook is adjustable. Its aluminum stop logs are removed after the lamprey spawning run, allowing desirable species access to the length of the brook. Come spring, the logs are replaced, blocking lampreys, but not leaping trout and Atlantic salmon. The sea lamprey trap will be operated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff from mid-March through mid-July each year. To play it safe, the brook will be subject to chemical treatments every three years. *****
Totally wiping out sea lampreys in a lake almost 200 miles long by 50 miles wide is wishful thinking. But barriers like the one on Orwell Brook will reduce their numbers significantly, improving the health of trout and salmon and benefiting anglers and local economies. *****
According to David Scarpitti, MassWildlife Wild Turkey and Upland Game Project Leader, the spring turkey harvest this past year was about normal for the past several years, coming in at 2,778. The harvest has been between 2,757 and 2,858 over the past 5 years. In the Western District specifically, the harvest was “almost identical” to last year. (Last year’s total was approximately 535). In general, he said, the statewide harvest topped out about 5 years ago, and since has stabilized at that 2,700-2,800 level. *****

Hard to believe but the fall hunting seasons are upon us. The early black bear hunting season opens this Tuesday and runs through September 21. A permit is required and only one bear may be harvested. The bears must be checked in within 48 hours either by bringing it to an official check station or by reporting it online and writing the assigned confirmation number on the tag attached to the bear. Be sure to check the 2013 DFW Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide for more information regarding the regulations and on-line check in procedures.. *****

The gray squirrel hunting season in our zone opens on September 9 and runs to January 2, 2014. The daily bag limit is 5.

Did you know that the Mepps Fishing Lure Company still recycles squirrel tails? For over 50 years now. On its website http://www.mepps.com/programs/squirrel-tail, they say that they need your squirrel tails to create hand-tied dressed hooks that do a great job catching fish. They claim to have tried hundreds of other materials, both natural and synthetic and nothing else works as well. Mepps stresses that it is only interested in recycling tails taken from squirrels that have been harvested for the table. They do not advocate taking squirrels strictly for their tails

Most folks that send them squirrel tails double their value by trading them for Mepps lures. Hunters get an enjoyable day afield and a delicious stew. Then they send the part they used to throw away (tails) to Mepps to recycle and receive spinning lures in return. Not a bad deal. ***

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club will be holding a Firearm Safety Course on Sunday, September 15th. This course qualifies for both FID and LTC. Start time is 9:00 AM in the main hall and the course fee is $ 80.00. To register, contact Rob McDermott, 413-232-7700 or robmcdermott@verizon.net. .
The Lee Sportsmen’s Association will be hosting an NRA Personal Protection in the Home course on Monday, September 16 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and on Sunday, September 22 from, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (both sessions are mandatory). Contact Larry K. at 413-442-7807 or email gramps@berkshire.rr.com

Western District antlerless deer permits down 375 from last year

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Antlerless Deer Permit Allocations and Chances of Winning

2013 Antlerless Deer Permit Allocations and Applications by Wildlife Management Zone
WMZ Allocation Change in Allocation #Applicants Chance of Winning
1 400 -50 1,173 34%
2 175 -25 1,478 12%
3 1,100 -150 2,294 48%
4N 375 -25 2,114 18%
4S 275 -25 1,647 17%
5 1,250 -100 3,451 36%
6 450 0 946 48%
7 2,250 0 3,404 66%
8 2,800 0 4,374 64%
9 4,100 0 4,589 89%
10 11,000 1,200 3,769 100%
11 10,500 700 6,653 100%
12 650 75 1,358 48%
13 2,700 0 119 100%
14 2,700 0 77 100%
TOTAL 40,725 1,600 37,446

“Change in Allocation” is the difference in the number of available permits from the previous year’s allocations. “Chance of winning” is calculated allocation/# of applicants

By now, most deer hunters know if they won an antlerless deer permit and more than a few of them are disappointed that they didn’t get one. Such permits have been dropping steadily over the last few years. For example some 9,550 permits were issued in the Western District in 2004, 4,400 in 2008 and this year, the figure stands at 2,325. Some hunters who rely on venison as a supplement to their food diet are quite upset saying: Great, more deer meat for the coyotes and bears and less for human consumption.

According to David Satinbrook, MassWildlife Director of Deer & Moose Project, “Deer densities in the western zones are currently below or on the lower end of our goals. Female deer are the reproductive segment of the population, so we manage deer numbers through regulated female harvest using antlerless deer permits. We have been giving out a low number of antlerless permits in those zones to allow the deer population to rise. Trends have been on the rise over recent years, but appeared to be just very slowly increasing, so we dropped permits conservatively to make sure the trends in density are still going in the right direction toward our goals.”

I suggested that they could get the deer populations up where they should be quicker by extending the coyote hunting season and allowing the bear hunters to take more than one bear a season. I am no expert but I believe these predators are the main reason for the sharp drop in our deer population, and not hunting pressure.

Satinbrook disagrees. While these predators do take a lot of fawns in the summer months, he feels that the deer herd is in good shape and the harvest figures do not indicate that it is in serious trouble by predation. He feels that the main limiting factor is the habitat and not the predators. Nature does not allow for more animals than the land can support.

Valid point, and he certainly knows more about this subject than I. *****

The Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club is hosting a Western Massachusetts Deer Camp on Saturday, September 21 at its club on Route 102, Stockbridge. Doors open at 5 PM, buffet dinner at 6:30 PM. There will be some awesome hunting, fishing and vacation packages in the raffle. They claim that 1 in 10 people will win a firearm. Tickets cost from $40 for an individual up to $250 for sponsors. Ticket deadline is Sept. 13 but if you purchase before Sept 1, you are entered for an early bird drawing. For information, contact Bill Bailey at (413)244-2304.*****

Twelve Massachusetts sportsmen’s clubs were recognized by the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) at the July meeting of the Mass. Fish & Wildlife Board. They were cited for their efforts in running the Youth Turkey Hunt program, teaching them how to safely hunt turkeys, getting youth mentors and actually taking the kids out on the hunts. They each received plaques from the NWTF and hearty thanks from the Board. Four of the clubs are in Berkshire County: Stockbridge Sportsmen’s Club, Lee Sportsmen’s Association, East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club and Cheshire Rod & Gun Club. The Board also received a plaque of appreciation from the NWTF for its support of the Youth Turkey Hunt Program since it began 5 years ago..

Fish & Wildlife Board to Administration: Pay our managers

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When F&W Board Chairman George (Gige) Darey,of Lenox, began the July Board Public Meeting, he was “loaded for bear (pardon the pun). “I am beyond ticked off.” said Darey.

His anger was caused by the recent news that Assistant Director of Wildlife Dr. Thomas O’Shea resigned to take a higher paying job with the Trustees of Reservation. This news was not taken well by the other Board members nor the public that was in attendance, especially Massachusetts Sportsmen’ Council President Mike Moss, who made some audible remarks.

Dr. O’Shea was a highly regarded wildlife biologist who was well known across the state including here in the Berkshires. He oversaw habitat projects, game populations, the new licensing and game check systems, and pheasant stocking programs, among other things. He came out to the Berkshires to make several presentations over the years. He was a bright young biologist, one that the F&W Board invested heavily in training. Quite possibly, he could have become a future director of the Division some day.

According to Darey, “The medium raise in the last 10 years for management positions has been the cost of living raises. This for the best science based fish and wildlife expertise in the country.” The Board hires the staff but does not have the power to adjust their salaries. “This Board is extremely frustrated and ashamed that it has to spend so much time on salaries just to maintain the quality of staff instead of dealing with other important issues.

Board member Dr. Joseph Larson also weighed in by saying that such matters have to be handled at a higher level. “The F&W Board does not have the power to change or to adjust salaries. That comes down from above. The (Fish and Game) Commissioner and Secretary (Environmental and Energy) need to be putting full time on issues like this. This agency has a serious problem, this has got to be handled by higher levels of the Administration.”

According to DFW Director Wayne MacCallum, “Massachusetts is the 3rd most expensive state to live in and the DFW headquarters is located in the eastern part. On top of that the DFW is not competitive with its sister agencies. The DFW managers have been stuck in the same positions since 2003 and all step increases were eliminated. The union employees; however, did get raises every year as well as cost of living (COL) raises. The average raise to a manager in the DFW has been equal to the COL. Managers not only have not kept up with the COL, but in those years with no raises at all, they have fallen below.

He went on and said, “The Assistant Director position deals with a lot of people: sportsmen, non-profits and citizens throughout the state. Nobody is looking to get rich (in DFW) because they won’t, but wildlife conservation is a huge motivation. The F&W Board has always supported the scientists and biologists. We have the best science based program in the country for deer.”

Until the position is filled, O’Shea’s workload will be handled by Division Director MacCallum and Rob Deblinger, Deputy Director of field operations.

Fish & Game Commissioner Mary Griffin (who was present at the Board Meeting) agreed with the characterization of the “huge loss” of Tom. “At first I became very angry and then very sad, not toward Tom but because we have basically been trying for the last 4 years to have his salary adjusted or a salary reclassification of his job”. She said that she was “incredibly frustrated” losing Tom who attended Harvard and Yale and who was very well liked. “We are facing compression issues, she said, and I am glad the Board is looking at it, for it needs to be addressed.”

There is a new campaign to inform the public about the importance of hunting, fishing, wildlife watching and boating to our economy. Sportsmen and women, environmentalists and conservationists are spending over $2 billion annually in Massachusetts. That’s a significant contribution to its economy.

Also over the last 7 years some 40,000 acres of land has been acquired and more placed under conservation easements, all managed by the same number of people. One would think that those biologists, scientists and managers who oversee our natural resources would be better treated. It’s about time the administration woke up, don’t you think? *****

Tom Tyning, naturalist, author, and professor at Berkshire Community College, has developed a great news website, Western Mass Naturalist. Tom is an expert on snakes and the new site has lots of information about all the snakes found in western Massachusetts, including: how to identify species of snakes, what they eat and how they eat it, common myths about snakes, etc. You are encouraged to check the website often and watch it grow to include other groups besides snakes.*****

The Berkshire Beagle Club in Richmond held field trials last weekend. A couple of our local dogs did very well. Applewynd Mash-Po-Tater finished 3rd at the bench show for 15″ male dogs beating out 17 other entries. He finished 2nd on Sunday’s small pack option (SPO) trial (15″ all age combined) and was awarded the 15″ high scoring all age hound. Bob and Kim Jones of Lee are his owners. Chika finished 2nd in the bench show (15″ female class) beating out 11 other entries and 3rd in the 15″ all age SPO trial which drew 23 entries. She is owned by James Larimore of Pittsfield.

Congratulations to these owners whose dogs were up against some of the best dogs in the Northeast. The field trial drew 133 entrants from most New England states, Pennsylvania and New York.