Vermont Bear Hunting Starts Sept. 1

Posted by Wayne G. Barber
          

       Abundance of fall foods will attract bears in hunting season

 

MONTPELIER, Vt. – An abundance of fall foods for wildlife in most of the state this year means hunters will need to adapt during Vermont’s bear hunting season that starts September 1.

 

“Bear hunters should concentrate their efforts in areas that have lots of apples, beechnuts, acorns, and berries this fall,” said Vermont’s bear biologist Forrest Hammond.  “Bears will be feeding along power lines and in forest openings and old fields where berries and apples can be found as well as in forested beech and oak stands.”

 

Vermont has two bear hunting seasons.  The early bear hunting season, which requires a special bear tag, starts September 1 and continues through November 14.  The late bear season begins November 15 and continues through November 23.  A hunter may only take one bear during the year. 

 

Hammond says Vermont’s regulated bear hunting seasons help in managing the state’s population of about 6,000 bears. As the department continues to refine its bear management approaches, 17 percent, or 2000, of this year’s early season bear hunters, will participate in a survey about their hunting effort. 

“Twenty-five years ago Vermont had less than 3,000 bears, and they were found mostly in the mountains and in the northeastern quarter of the state,” he said.  “Although we have successfully increased bear numbers, the human population has also risen, resulting in more encounters between humans and bears. Carefully regulated hunting helps control the growth of the black bear population and allows for their sustainable use, while decreasing interactions with humans.”

 

To reduce potential conflicts further, Hammond encourages residents to bring inside bird seed and pet food, and to secure garbage containers, bee hives, chicken coops, and other attractants.

 

Hunters are also reminded to collect a small pre-molar tooth from each harvested bear, Hammond added. “The collection of a premolar tooth is critical to the bear project as it provides important data for evaluating changes to the age structure of the bear population and for making population estimates.”

 

 

A video showing how to remove the tooth is on the department website and YouTube channel. (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n3i91OAXGc&feature=youtu.be)

 

Hunters took 562 bears last year in Vermont with the largest number being taken in the town of Rockingham where 12 were harvested by licensed hunters.  A report listing the number of bears taken in each town during the 2014 bear season is available on Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s website. 

 

Connecticut Migratory Bird Hunting Season Dates Set

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced the dates for the 2015-2016 migratory bird hunting seasons, which include seasons for hunting ducks, geese, woodcock, snipe, and rails. Specific details on season dates, bag limits, regulations, and other reminders are published in the 2015-2016 Migratory Bird Hunting Guide, which is available on the DEEP’s Web site at www.ct.gov/deep/hunting. The print version will be available from DEEP and town clerk offices by late August.

New for 2015-2016 – The canvasback daily bag limit will be increased from one to two. Canvasback populations are 30 percent above their long-term average and additional harvest opportunity is available. The Atlantic brant season will be curtailed to a 30-day season with a daily bag of one brant. Atlantic brant have experienced four consecutive years of low productivity and the population is declining.

September Canada Goose Season

The September Canada goose season will be split to accommodate the Labor Day holiday. The first split for the early season in the North Zone (portion of the state north of Interstate 95) will be September 1 – 4, and the second split will be September 8 - 30, 2015. The season in the South Zone (portion of the state south of Interstate 95) will run from September 15-30, 2015. The daily bag limit remains at 15 geese. The September goose season provides the opportunity to harvest resident Canada geese that breed and spend the majority of their lives in Connecticut. The season is scheduled at a time when most migrant geese have not yet entered the state. Connecticut’s growing resident goose population continues to cause substantial nuisance problems. The September season affords the opportunity to harvest these birds.

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

The North Zone early duck season runs from October 7 - 17, 2015. The South Zone early season is from October 7 - 10, 2015. The late North Zone season will be November 13, 2015 through January 9, 2016. The late South Zone season will be November 17, 2015, through January 20, 2016.

The sea duck season in the coastal areas and streams seaward of the first upstream bridge has been set for September 22, 2015 to January 20, 2016. Due to continued concern over the status of sea duck populations and increasing hunting pressure, the total sea duck bag limit remains at five. Sea duck hunters should be prepared that reductions in season lengths are anticipated for 2016-17. This may also be accompanied by changes in the bag limit.

The Atlantic brant season remains at shortened to a 30-day season and will be from December 7, 2015 through January 9, 2016, in the North Zone and December 17, 2015 through January 20, 2016, in the South Zone. The daily bag limit for Atlantic brant has been reduced to one for the upcoming season.

Legal shooting hours for all waterfowl hunting (except for the September Canada goose season) are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Legal shooting hours for the September Canada goose season are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Regular and Late Canada Goose Seasons

The North Atlantic Population (NAP) Canada goose hunt zone was split into two zones – the NAP-L Unit and the NAP-H Unit – in 2002. These zones were created to exert more harvest pressure on resident geese in areas where nuisance problems persist. These zones were changed for the 2008-2009 hunting season to account for changes in distribution of migrant and resident Canada geese. The NAP-L Unit was removed, and a new zone, the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population (AFRP) zone, was created. These same units are in place for the 2015-2016 season. See the 2015-2016 Migratory Bird Hunting Guide for complete descriptions of the AFRP, NAP-H and AP hunting units.

Hunters have indicated their preference for the goose and duck seasons to overlap as much as possible. The regular goose season in the AFRP Unit will be divided into two periods. The first period will be from October 13 - 17, 2015. The second period will be from November 19, 2015 through February 13, 2016. This zone has been effective at targeting resident geese. A recent analysis indicated that over 98 percent of the birds harvested in this zone are resident birds. The daily bag limit in the AFRP Unit is five geese.

In the NAP-H Unit, the regular goose season, in both the North and South Zones, will be divided in two. The first period will be from October 7 - 17, 2015, while the second will be from November 16, 2015 to January 23, 2016.

The AP Unit goose season will be divided into two periods. The first period will be from October 13 - 17, 2015, while the second will be from November 19, 2015 to January 9, 2016. The daily bag limit will be three geese.

Sportsmen also will have the opportunity to harvest resident Canada geese during the special late season (in the South Zone only east of the Quinnipiac River) from January 25 through February 13, 2016. The bag limit during the late season is five geese, and no special permit is required for this season. Hunters are urged to read the goose zone descriptions. The AFRP zone contains part of the old South Zone (west of the Quinnipiac River), and the AFRP zone is open to goose hunting in January and February.

The dates for the snow goose season in the North Zone are October 1, 2015 to January 15, 2016, and from February 23 to March 10, 2016. In the South Zone, the snow goose season will be from October 1 to November 28, 2015, and then from January 6 to March 10, 2016.

Youth Waterfowl Hunting Training Days

Connecticut will hold two Youth Waterfowl Hunter Training Days on Saturday, October 3, and Saturday, October 31, 2015. Participants must be 15 years of age or younger, possess a valid junior small game hunting license and a HIP permit, and be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. Adults must possess a valid hunting license; however, they are not allowed to hunt waterfowl. Ducks, geese, mergansers, and coots may be hunted. Bag limits and shooting hours are the same as for the regular duck and goose hunting seasons.

Woodcock, Snipe, and Rail Seasons

The woodcock and snipe seasons will be split into two segments. The first segment will be from October 23 through November 21, 2015. The second segment will be from November 23 through December 7, 2015. The rail season will open on September 1 and go until November 7, 2015.

A Few Reminders

All waterfowl hunters are required to obtain an annual Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit, in addition to obtaining a hunting license. Waterfowl hunters 16 years of age or older also are required to purchase a federal Duck Stamp and a Connecticut Duck Stamp. Federal Duck Stamps are available from many local post offices for $25.00. Connecticut Duck Stamps ($13.00) and HIP permits ($4.00) can be purchased at all Connecticut town clerks’ offices and on-line at www.ct.gov/deep/sportsmenlicensing. A HIP permit also is required to hunt woodcock, snipe, coot, and rails. The 2015 Connecticut Duck Stamp will expire on December 31, 2015. Hunters must purchase the 2016 Connecticut Duck Stamp before January 1, 2016, if they plan to hunt into the early portion of 2016. Along with the purchase of a Duck Stamp, an additional $2.00 donation can be made to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.

Hunters are also reminded to think before they hunt, while they are hunting and after they hunt. Be respectful of the environment and other people enjoying the outdoors. And, as always, be safe and have fun.

            Hunters should report waterfowl leg bands. Band return information provides vital information for the continued sound management of the waterfowl resource. Please report bands to the USGS by calling 1-800-427-BAND or on the Internet at www.reportband.gov. 

 

Scholastic 3D Archery Continues Rapid Growth

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Joella Bates

 Scholastic 3D Archery continues rapid growth with new programs in Louisiana and Illinois while naming Darrin Deneal of Illinois, Joella Bates of Tennessee and Mike Marlow of Florida as new State Coordinators.

S3DA provides 3-D archery opportunities for youth in afterschool settings, as well as with archery-affiliated clubs and businesses in their communities. S3DA places special emphasis on archery education, conservation, and bowhunting. Started in December 2012 by the Scholastic Archery Association, S3DA has grown exponentially as a next step program to follow introductory programs offered as part of 4-H or the National Archery in Schools Program. S3DA addresses the need for a program to bridge beginning target archery and more advanced activities such as 3-D shooting and bowhunting. The program currently operates in 25 states with hundreds of certified coaches serving thousands of young archers, grades 3–12.

"S3DA is going to expand the growth of 3D archery and bow hunting, beginning at the grass roots level," says Darrin Deneal, S3DA's new Illinois State Coordinator. "Since archery and bow hunting are both near and dear to my heart, I am very excited to be a part of this program."

Mike Harlow

"Since winning my first 3-D World Championship in 1993, I have been committed to sharing my passion for the sport of archery, specifically 3-D archery," says Joella Bates, S3DA's new Tennessee State Coordinator. "I adopted the moto stated by Lane Frost in the movie Eight Seconds, Winning isn't just about finishing first and making money, it's about being your best and helping others to be their best too. As the Tennessee S3DA State Coordinator and National Training Specialist, I'm in the perfect place to recruit instructors and new participants into the sport of 3D archery. I can inspire them to develop skills that they can use while enjoying both shooting and hunting in the great outdoors for a whole lifetime."
S3DA also announces the hiring of Mike Marlow as S3DA's new Florida State Coordinator. Mike replaces Michael Lundeen, who took over as S3DA's National Director in June of this year. Mr. Marlow is looking forward to seeing the growth of archery across Florida and the entire United States and stated, "people ask how can we make archery and bowhunting grow? Well here it is, S3DA and I want to be a part of it."
Source: The Outdoor Wire



 For more information on S3DA membership go to: WWW.S3DA.ORG or email: S3DArchery@gmail.com

Vermont’s New Deer Biologist Starts Sept. 14

Posted by     Wayne G. Barber

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Vermont Fish & Wildlife has hired a new biologist, Nicholas Fortin, to lead the state’s deer management program. 

 

Fortin is currently conducting disease research for both the Washington and Idaho Departments of Fish and Wildlife.  He will start work in Vermont on September 14.  Fortin has previously done research and assisted in management of moose and deer in New Hampshire, mule deer and moose habitat in Wyoming, and deer wintering areas in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. 

 

“We look forward to having Nick Fortin join our team of wildlife scientists in doing research and management to help conserve Vermont’s wildlife and their habitats,” said Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter.  “Nick will be the lead person on the deer project with collaboration from other biologists on the big game team and from different regions.”

 

Fortin grew up in Derby, Vermont, before getting an associate’s degree in fish and wildlife technology at Paul Smiths College in New York, a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife ecology at the University of Maine, and his Master of Science degree in natural resources-wildlife at the University of New Hampshire.

 

“I’m super excited to get this job, being able to return to my home state of Vermont and working on a wildlife species, white-tailed deer, that I am passionate about,” said Fortin.  “This is a great opportunity to work for the Fish & Wildlife Department and interact with the state’s hunters and others who care about deer.”

Chocolate as Bear Bait Banned in New Hampshire

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

CONCORD, N.H. -- An important new rule now in effect bans the use of solid chocolate or candy containing chocolate when baiting bear in New Hampshire. In 2016, the use of baked goods containing chocolate will also be prohibited.

 

Under the new rule, no person shall establish, tend, or hunt bear over a bait containing chocolate or any cocoa derivative, except that during the 2015 bear baiting season only, donuts, pastries, or other baked goods containing chocolate or cocoa derivatives may be used as bait. For the 2016 black bear baiting season and for all subsequent black bear baiting seasons, no person shall establish, tend, or hunt over a bait containing chocolate or any cocoa derivative.

 

"This rule change was done to prevent the poisoning of bears and other wildlife that may ingest theobromine if chocolate is used as bait," says N.H. Fish and Game Wildlife Biologist, Andrew Timmons.  "Baiting is an important harvest tool used to manage our bear population and this regulatory step will prevent the unintended consequences of the continued use of chocolate as bait. Most hunters and the majority of the public were very supportive of this rule change, showing their appreciation of the wildlife resource."

 

White chocolate may be used as bait during the 2015 black bear baiting season and all subsequent black bear baiting seasons.

Chocolate contains the ingredient theobromine, which can be toxic to bears and other wildlife that consume bait. White chocolate, however, is processed in such a way that it contains only trace amounts of theobromine. Theobromine poisoning of black bear cubs and raccoons has been documented in Michigan and four bears died in close proximity to a bait site in New Hampshire in 2014 as a result of theobromine poisoning.

 

"These rules will help ensure that New Hampshire’s bears and other wildlife are not at risk from the toxic effects of theobromine in the future," said Timmons.

 

The bottom line: Do not use chocolate as bait for bears. It's the law.

Tournaments on Oneida Lake, New York

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

2015 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open #2 presented by Allstate
         

Oneida Lake - Syracuse, NY, Aug 6 - 8, 2015
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Ten minutes.
 That’s how long it took Randy Howell to win the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open #2 presented by Allstate.
Howell, of Springville, Ala., desperately wanted to win at Oneida Lake after losing the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series tournament there by six ounces to Boyd Duckett.
Settling the score seemed impossible.
Howell had four small bass in the livewell just minutes before his official check-in time of 2 p.m. Coming in late meant a costly weight penalty, plus he was two pounds from the lead.
With the check-in station in view a school of bass erupted in a feeding frenzy over a rocky shoal. Howell hooked a 4-pound largemouth on the first cast and proceeded to upgrade his catch.
He arrived with only 45 seconds remaining on the clock. The last minute heroics paid off with a winning weight of 49 pounds, 2 ounces. Anthony Gagliardi finished second with 48-10. Leader Kraig Kettelkamp dropped to third place with 48-0.
“Being strong-willed and wanting to win this tournament, erasing that loss was my greatest motivation,” said Howell, the 2014 Bassmaster Classic champion. “The biggest key for my win was attitude.”
Credit the birds, too. Howell kept a lookout for diving sea gulls that signaled other surface feeding action like he found in the final minutes.
“A lot of anglers, surprisingly, don’t look out for the birds,” he added. “The birds are an easy giveaway to the presence of the bait.”
Food was available to the bass in abundance throughout the tournament. Adding to the already rich population was a new hatch of perch. Schools of them drifted through underwater vegetation. Swimming into open water triggered the feeding frenzies of smallmouth.
That activity accounted for Howell’s catch early in the week, when a deepwater bite was successful. Plenty of perch roamed shallow water too, where he caught the largemouth on the final day.
Howell’s hero bait in the final minutes was a 3-inch Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad in a hologram shad color. He rigged the soft plastic bait to a 1/4-ounce jig head tied to 12-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon. A Diawa Tatula reel and 7-foot medium/light action rod from the brand completed the package.
“Long casts were key because of the water clarity,” he added. “When I could see the bass that meant they could see me.”
Spooking the bass and shorter casts was only preventable during windy conditions. Calm conditions early on the final day hampered Howell’s success.
“The wind helped move the bait and that made the bass more active,” he said.
Earlier in the week Howell used a Livingston Lures Walking Boss, casting the topwater lure into the feeding schools of bass. When the feeding ceased he switched to slower tactics and lures.
Those included a weightless, wacky-style rigged 5-inch Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits Senko and the brand’s 4-inch Shad Shaped Worm. He rigged that bait on a 3/8-ounce drop shot rig.
Gagliardi focused on roaming schools of smallmouth following the perch hatch. Active fish were caught on a Zoom Super Fluke. He switched to a drop shot rig to coax slow biters.
Kettelkamp led the tournament on the first two days, only to suffer a setback on the final round. A largemouth he guessed weighing 4 pounds broke off at the boat.
“Losing that fish haunted me for the remainder of the day,” he said.
Howell’s prize included a Skeeter/Yamaha boat with accessories and trailer valued at $45,000. He added $1,500 in Toyota Bonus Bucks as the highest placing angler choosing the brand as a tow vehicle.
Scott Shafer and James Schneider tied for first place in the co-angler division after both anglers caught 27-15. Shafer, of Glennville, N.Y. won in a tiebreaker for catching the single heaviest day catch between the two anglers. Shafer’s prize was a Triton/Mercury package valued at $30,000.
Source: Craig Lamb, Bassmaster Media Press Release

1	Randy Howell	49.2	8,363	45,000	0	53,363
2	Anthony Gagliardi	48.10	19,861	0	0	19,861
3	Kraig Kettelkamp	48.0	14,896	0	250	15,146
4	Jamie Hartman	47.11	13,328	0	0	13,328
5	Peter Garnier	46.9	11,629	0	0	11,629
6	David Lefebre	46.1	9,931	0	0	9,931
7	Chad Pipkens	45.9	8,363	0	0	8,363
8	Boyd Duckett	44.3	6,664	0	0	6,664
9	Austin Felix	42.4	4,965	0	0	4,965
10	Stephen Mui	38.9	4,573	0	0	4,573
11	Wesley A Strader	37.10	4,181	0	0	4,181
12	Shane Lineberger	36.4	3,920	0	0	3,920
13	Jacob Powroznik	30.2	3,267	0	0	3,267
14	Paul Malone	29.14	3,267	0	0	3,267
15	Stanley Sypeck	29.13	3,267	0	750	4,017
16	Ed Loughran	29.10	3,267	0	0	3,267
17	Michael Elsea	29.9	3,267	0	0	3,267
18	Mike Kernan	29.9	3,267	0	0	3,267
19	Adrian Avena	29.9	3,267	0	0	3,267
20	J T Kenney	29.0	3,267	0	0	3,267

82

Paul Mueller

Conn.       19.10

0

0

  

New England Cottontail Rabbit

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

August 21 and 24:  New England Cottontail Habitat Management Walks, Sandisfield and Granville – MassWildlife Habitat Biologist, Marianne Piché, along with Natural Resources Conservation Services and Department of Conservation and Recreation Service Forestry staff will lead walks at two project sites. They will discuss New England Cottontail conservation, habitat management planning, funding, and permitting.
  One walk will be hosted by Chad Pease and the other by Charlie Sheets; two landowners who have completed habitat management on their properties. Join us to see these conservation efforts and learn what you can do to become involved! The walks will take place from 5:30 – 7:00 P.M. at 228 Sandisfield Rd. in Sandisfield on August 21 and on Main Rd. (0.1 miles east of Sheets Rd.) in Granville on August 24. Be prepared for a short walk on level but uneven and muddy terrain. Contact Marianne at 508-389-6313 or via email, marianne.piche@state.ma.us for more details.