Connecticut Ice Fishing Classes for 2019

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Ice Fishing Classes and Events Pre-registration is required
Class Dates	Town	Location/Details	Status	Class Times	Call to Register
Jan 10, 2019	Glastonbury	Gideon Welles School Cafeteria/Snow Date 1/17	Open	6:30pm to 8:30pm	(860) 652-7697
Jan 15, 2019	Essex	Essex Library	Open	6:30pm to 8:30pm	(860) 767-1560
Jan 17, 2019	Groton	Groton Library/Ice Fishing Trip On 1/26	Open	6:00pm to 8:00pm	(860) 441-6750
Jan 17, 2019	Oxford	Town Hall	Open	6:00pm to 8:00pm	(203) 828-6505
Jan 19, 2019	Farmington	Winding Trails Inc./Classroom 9:30am To 11:30am; On-ice Fishing 12-3pm (if Ice Conditions Permit)	Open	9:30am to 3:00pm	https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=897
Jan 23, 2019	West Hartford	Westmoor Park	Open	6:30pm to 8:30pm	(860) 561-8260
Jan 24, 2019	New Haven	Barnard Nature Center	Open	6:30pm to 8:30pm	(475) 220-3539
Jan 26, 2019	Coventry	Patriots Park Community Center/Classroom 10:00am To 12:00pm; Ice Fishing Trip 12pm-3pm On Coventry Lake (if Ice Conditions Allow)	Open	10:00am to 3:00pm	(860) 742-4068
Jan 26, 2019	Litchfield	White Memorial/Classroom 10am To 12pm; On-ice Fishing 12-3pm (if Ice Conditions Permit)	Open	10am to 3pm	(860) 567-0857
Jan 27, 2019	Killingworth	Care Center/Classroom 9:30am To 11:30am; On-ice Fishing 12-2pm (if Ice Conditions Permit)	Open	9:30am to 2:00pm	(860) 663-1656
Jan 31, 2019	Ansonia	Ansonia Armory/25 North Cliff St	Open	6:30pm to 8:30pm	(203) 231-0946

Special Fishing Events
Class Dates	Town	Location/Details	Status	Class Times	Call to Register
Feb 2, 2019	Torrington	Burr Pond State Park/No Child Left Inside - Winter Festival	Open	10am to 3pm

2019 Bassmaster Classic Set for March 15-17 in Knoxville, Tennessee

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Save The Date
2019 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods
March 15-17, 2019 in Knoxville, Tenn.

The “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” is just 12 weeks out, and we want YOU there for the most exciting three days in fishing. The 2019 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods is taking over downtown Knoxville, Tenn. Thousands of outdoor sports’ greatest fans will descend on the banks of the Tennessee River to follow 52 of the world’s best bass pros in their pursuit of the most coveted title in sportfishing. The 49th annual Bassmaster Classic offers more than $1 million in payouts, including the first-place prize of $300,000. See the biggest bass on the world’s biggest sportfishing stage, with all festivities in walking distance in downtown Knoxville. Weigh-ins in the University of Tennessee’s Thompson-Boling Arena Daily takeoffs at Volunteer Landing Marina The Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods at the Knoxville Convention Center and World’s Fair Exhibition Hall A full-service media center in Thompson-Boling Arena Make plans to arrive in Knoxville in time for the must-attend Classic Media Day Thursday, March 14. Members of the media are invited to ride along as observers with the Classic pros, and media boats are available for those who want to follow the action on the Tennessee River, Fort Loudoun Lake and Tellico Reservoir. Apply now for credentials at Bassmastermedia.com. We will follow up with more information about how to plan your trip. Thanks, and Happy Holidays from B.A.S.S.!

Parker Bows Ceasing Operations “Immediately”

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Parker Bows has made the difficult decision to cease operations. We have explored what we believe to be all possible options to continue operations in one form or another but to no avail. It has truly been an honor to have been a part of your hunting seasons for over two decades. And it is hard to put into words what your loyalty and support has meant to us.

Effective December 17, 2018, all Parker and Red Hot branded products sold will be without a warranty regardless of statements on the packaging or in owner’s manuals. We will make every effort to honor existing warranty claims for items received at our Staunton, Virginia headquarters on or before December 31, 2018. Before returning any item for warranty service, please call 540-337-5426 to speak with a customer service representative and obtain a Return Authorization Number. Items received after December 31, 2018 will be refused.

As we wind down our operations, please check our website, social media pages and with your local dealer for special offers and announcements.

Iowa school districts add hunters ed course to PE curriculum

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Besides a robust hunter’s education program, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources also supports apprentice and mentor hunting programs as well as a number of initiatives in schools to impart shooting sports.

Beginning next Spring, middle school students in two Iowa school districts will receive hunter’s safety as part of their physical education class curriculum.

Both the North Butler and Clarksville Community School Districts will deliver a mandatory hunter safety course in the 7th and 8th grade PE curriculum reports Radio Iowa. Students in grades 9 through 12 will be given a chance to take voluntary classes.

“What we do best is educate our kids,” said Superintendent Joel Foster. “We feel if we educate our kids in how to use weapons responsibly, how to respect them, understand it’s not a video game and those sort of things, that maybe we’ll cut down on our chances of having a severe incident.”

Parents who do not want their children participating in the training can opt out of the class.

Besides a robust hunter’s education program — required by law as a prerequisite to buying a hunting license for anyone born after Jan. 1, 1972 — the Iowa Department of Natural Resources also supports apprentice and mentor hunting programs as well as a number of initiatives in schools to impart shooting sports. These include the Iowa Scholastic Action Shooting Program that uses rifles, pistols, and shotguns in steel target matches and the Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program. According to the IDNR, there are more than 12 collegiate shooting teams in Iowa. Source: Chis Eger GUNS.COM

Maine: Did you know ?

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

The economic value of Maine’s water, land, and wildlife is not just their legacy, it’s their greatest potential. Maine’s forest products industry is contributing $8.5 billion to Maine’s economy and supporting 33,000 jobs. 

 Outdoor recreation, including hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, and wildlife-watching, adds $8.2 billion and 76,000 jobs. 

Commercial seafood landings topped $700 million in 2016, while Maine farmers add $1.4 billion in value to the state’s economy. All the while, innovations in composite materials, environmental technologies, and bio-based products are creating new opportunities for economic growth based on Maine’s abundant natural resources.

Maine’s natural heritage depends on healthy wildlife habitats. Conserving habitat for wildlife to flourish throughout their life cycles provides opportunities for recreation and quiet enjoyment of Maine’s beauty, while generating millions in revenue from our outdoor economy. 

Land conservation provides opportunities for high-quality management of vernal pools, deer wintering areas, and other significant wildlife habitats, including areas for seabirds, shorebirds, and inland waterfowl to nest, roost, and feed. And as our climate changes, conserving resilient landscapes for wildlife, agriculture, drinking water, and protection from storm surges will take on even greater importance. Source: Sportsmen Alliance

Bald Eagles on the Rise in Massachusettts

Posted by Wayne G, Barber

In 2018, MassWildlife staff identified 76 territorial pairs of bald eagles in Massachusetts. This number is up from 68 pairs last year and much higher than the 59 pairs seen in 2016. From these nests, 65 chicks were successfully fledged—hatched and survived to fly—of which 45 were banded with silver federal bands and color-coded state bands.

This number is not all-encompassing of all bald eagle nests in Massachusetts, however. MassWildlife staff encourage you to report any observations of eagles that are suspected or known to have nests in your area. Observations of nests or of adults carrying sticks or nest lining material are of special interest. Please contact State Ornithologist, Andrew Vitz (andrew.vitz@mass.gov) with your observations.

Bald eagles disappeared from Massachusetts as a breeding bird in the early 1900s, with the last suspected nesting effort in 1905 in Sandwich. MassWildlife, along with many other conservation-minded partners, began restoration efforts in 1982, after eagles were discovered wintering in the Quabbin Reservoir area. Young eaglets were transported from wild nests—primarily from Canada—to be raised in cages overlooking the reservoir. When the birds were old enough to fly, the cage doors were opened and the birds were free to fly. This process, called hacking, assures that the young birds would view the area as their home base. It takes five years for an eagle to grow to maturity, and the hope was that the eagles would choose the Quabbin area to nest when grown. This has occurred, and over time, eagle nesting has spread to other parts of the state, involving eagles descended from the original eaglets, and other descendants of hacked birds from nearby states. Since 1982, eagle populations in Massachusetts have undergone a slow but steady increase. The first successfully fledged young (3 birds flying from 2 nests) occurred in 1989. Since that time, the bald eagle population in Massachusetts has undergone a steady increase.