Lefever, Schlimmer win 53rd River Rat Race

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Trevor Lefever and Ben Schlimmer are all smiles after they handily took first place in Saturday’s River Rat Race. Photo by Jared Robinson

ORANGE — On Friday, Trevor Lefever guaranteed victory in the 53rd annual River Rat Race. On Saturday, he and partner Ben Schlimmer delivered.
The New York duo paddled to the front from post-82 and left the field well behind on their way to victory. It was the second time in three years the team was victorious.
“It’s the first race of the year, but it’s definitely the most exciting race of the year. We’ve been amped up for a while and we got a clean start and we were almost away from the pack by the bridge. Usually something goes wrong, but we couldn’t have asked for a better start,” said Schlimmer.
The duo was perhaps the only team to have a good start as many of the top finishers complained about what became a messy situation back in Athol. Multiple boats tipped prior to the race which led to several trips up and down the river by the powerboats. Those trips led to a large number of waves that had yet to clear when the cannon sounded approximately five minutes later than the scheduled 1 p.m. start. That led to a mess for Dennis Carey and Dale Persons who finished seventh after drawing the top post position.
“Because so many people were flipping, the motorboats kept coming up and down,” said Carey. “They were telling us to back up, then move forward, then back up. Everybody was out of line and when the gun went off we had 20 boats already in front of us. They can’t keep going up and down in the motorboats. One time, that’s it.”
Tom Ellsworth shared Carey’s sentiment.
“The firemen really shouldn’t come up through at the start like that,” said Ellsworth. “They make chaos and they’re going to hurt somebody trying to help. Big waves two seconds before the cannon went off.”
Fortunately for the winners they were able to get through the mess and cruise to victory. Race runner-ups Matt Rudnitsky and Shane MacDowell (post-179) edged third place finishers Mike Schlimmer and Adam Gelinas (post-200) in a sprint to the finish. After starting well behind the race winners, the boats finally cleared the pack before racing each other for second. The two teams had a tough time dealing with the mess south of the bridge.
“Just below the bridge we t-boned a boat, got clear, then t-boned two more boats,” said Rudnitsky. “We saw all the fast teams behind us go by, so we knew we had a lot of work to do. It was a great time. We come out here for fun.”
The Rudnitsky and MacDowell boat spent much of the race pursuing Gelinas and Schlimmer for second. Once they caught up to them, they expected a two-boat race to the finish and worked together along the way.
“We took turns pulling to make sure no one caught us,” said Rudnitsky who noted his boat opened up their sprint a little early in an effort to lock up second place.
Matt King and Ellsworth placed fourth after starting at post-56. It was a great race for the duo.
“The paper mentioned the top three, but not us,” joked King of Saturday’s race preview. “We watched the leaders for the whole race.”
Ellsworth noted that their boat was positioned second for awhile before the power boats reeled them in. 
“We feel great,” said Ellsworth of their effort. “We were hoping for something better, of course, but that’s what you always hope for.”
Peter Heed and Paul Facteau rounded out the top five with mixed winners Emma (Ross) Ellsworth and Jack Morse finishing sixth. 
“I have to give a shout out to my new wife,” said (Tom) Ellsworth. “First in the mix again. She was trying to catch us, but there was no way (I was going to let that happen).”
It was the fifth straight River Rat Race in which Morse and Ellsworth have won the mixed division.
“We don’t think about mixed anymore,” said Morse. “We’re focused on catching these men’s teams.”
“We had a smooth start,” said Emma Ellsworth. “We collided a little bit with Chuck Baxter and Karen (Pleasant) and they let us go and told us good luck.”
Carey and Persons wound up seventh in what was a disappointing result for the 2006 champions.
“We were in 30th or 40th spot by Morton Meadows,” said Carey. “Very disappointing. It was just one of those days. We had speed, but we couldn’t get it together.”
Jason Lichtenberger and Jason Gauthier (post-50) finished eight with Al Shaver and Bob Zaveral (post-171) crossing ninth. Local paddlers John Berry (Petersham) and Brent Lyesiuk (Orange) rounded out the top-10. Berry and Lyesiuk, who started at post 229, passed 219 boats to win the Soucie-Forand Memorial Award.
“It seemed like it took forever for the cannon to go off,” said Lyesiuk. “But overall it was a good race.
“That was pretty painstaking,” said Berry. “Everybody was real congested this year and the boats weren’t lined up correctly. When the gun finally went off, we got jammed up more than usual and had our work cut out for us. Our goal was top 10 and we did that. If we didn’t get so jammed up, we might have done even better.”
Brothers Colin Fish and Zach Fish placed 17th overall. The high schoolers drew post-12 and were towards the front for much of the race. 
Pam Fitzgerland and Vicki Cummings won the women’s division after finishing 33rd overall. 
Chris Waslaske and Chris Waslaske Jr. won the James Canning Memorial Award as the top youth/adult boat. Source:

JOSH TALBOT ADN Sports Editor

Welcome, UNITED BOW HUNTERS OF RHODE ISLAND

Posted by Wayne G. Barber
                                                               OUR MISSION

WWW.UNITEDBOWHUNTERSOFRI.ORGFred Bear once said “Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields in which you walk.  Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience.  It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person.”  The United Bow Hunters of Rhode Island has taken this to heart in their dedication to protecting and giving back to a human heritage passed down from generation to generation.  As a registered 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization the UBRI has dedicated their efforts not only in protecting our rights as hunters, but also to lend a hand in the community to help those in need.

Bring the Family to Discover WILD New Hampshire Day!

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

CONCORD, N.H. -- NH Fish and Game’s biggest event of the year is almost here! Get in on the fun at Discover WILD New Hampshire Day on Saturday, April 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH. Free admission!

 

This expansive festival explores New Hampshire’s wildlife resources and legacy of outdoor traditions, with exhibits by 80-plus outdoor and conservation organizations, plus live animals. See big trout and salmon in the hatchery truck. Tie a fly or call a turkey. Meet trained falcons and their handlers. Try your hand at archery, casting, fly-tying and shooting at the air rifle range. Watch retriever dogs in action. Create your own wildlife crafts, plant a tree and toast a s’more. Climb aboard the Bass Pro Shops yacht and cast a line. Check out the latest hunting and fishing gear and gadgets in the Expo tent. 

 

Returning to Fish and Game for the first time in several years, the “Battling Bull Moose of Fowlertown” -- a life-size mount of two bulls with locked antlers -- is a must-see.

 

Special presentations take place throughout the day, including:

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• All about Owls (NH Audubon): 11:15 a.m., 1:30 p.m.
• Wildlife Encounters: 10:00 a.m., Noon
• Red-tailed hawk nest viewing: 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
• Training the true versatile dog: 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m.
• Retriever dog demonstrations: 11:00 a.m., Noon, 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.
• Fish and Game Conservation K-9 demonstrations: 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m.

 

Be sure to stop by the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH tent and enter a giant raffle of outdoor gear! This year’s raffle includes a 10-foot Tracker Jon Boat, a Ruger 22 American rifle, and Fish and Game licenses for fishing, turkey and bear hunting, gift certificates and more. The Foundation raffle drawings will be held at 2:30 p.m.

 

Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is a “rain or shine” event. The Fish and Game License Office will be open for license sales. Food concessions will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., featuring Arnie’s Place food and home-made ice cream, and hot dogs by Puppy Love. Please note that no dogs, except service and working animals, will be permitted at the event.

 

Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is hosted by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (www.wildnh.com) and sponsored by the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire (nhwildlifeheritage.org), the Department’s nonprofit partner.

 

Thank You to our 5,000 Facebook Friends and 26,000 daily viewers of the Outdoor Scene, Wayne

 

Beginning Fly-Fishing Class Offered in Concord, NH

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Our New Hampshire viewing and listening audience continues to grow every week. Thank You,

Wayne

CONCORD, N.H. -- An upcoming workshop offers a chance to learn about the traditional sport of fly-fishing.  The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s “Let’s Go Fishing” Program is hosting  “Fly-Fishing A-Z” on Saturday, May 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Fish and Game Headquarters in Concord and Sunday, May 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There is no charge for the class.

 

Registration opens on Monday, April 11.  To sign up, you must print out and return a registration form, which is available on the Fish and Game website at  www.fishnh.com/fishing/documents/lgf-registration.pdf. Registration forms can also be obtained by calling Lisa Collins at (603) 271-3212 or emailing aquatic-ed@wildlife.nh.gov.

 

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to 25 participants.  Registration forms will only be accepted via postal mail and must be received by Monday, May 2, to reserve your spot in the workshop. You will be notified via e-mail (or regular mail) if you are registered or have been placed on the waiting list.

 

The class is open to anyone age 13 and over, however those 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

 

Designed primarily for first-time fly-anglers, the workshop will cover the basics of equipment, fly casting, stream ecology, knot tying, safety and how to find those “hot spots” along New Hampshire’s rivers and lakes.  The highlight of the two days will be Sunday, when you’ll pull on your waders and head out to a local fishing hole to put your newly learned skills to the test!  Participants should bring their own or borrowed equipment if they can.  Rods are available for use; when you register, please let Fish and Game know if you will need to borrow their equipment.

 

Over the past ten years, the Fish and Game Department’s “Let's Go Fishing” program has taught thousands of children and adults to be safe, ethical and successful anglers. The program is federally funded through the Sport Fish Restoration Program.

 

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department works to conserve, manage and protect the state's fish and wildlife and their habitats, as well as providing the public with opportunities to use and appreciate these resources.

 

New Hampshire: Town of Milan Acquires Acreage for Community Forest

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Milan

New Hampshire

Milan is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,337 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city's name is pronounced differently from the English name for the Italian city of the same name. Neighboring Berlin also shares a similarly distinct pronunciation from its European namesake.

MILAN, NH – The town of Milan has purchased land to begin creating a community forest that will provide the town with income through sustainable timber harvesting, as well as places for local residents to hike, hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors. The project also protects important wildlife habitat in New Hampshire's North Country.

The two parcels, totaling 265 acres, are the first components in creating a town-owned community forest that will eventually exceed 1,300 acres.

"This has been a long time coming and we couldn't be more excited," said George Pozzuto, chair of the Milan Community Forest Committee. "The Milan Community Forest Committee has been working for four years to acquire land. Owning our own productive timberland and important recreation land will bring so many benefits to Milan. We want to thank The Trust for Public Land, the Northern Forest Center, and all of the funders who made this acquisition happen. I also want to thank the citizens of Milan for their strong support for the creation of a community forest for our town."

"We were pleased to help the people of Milan create their Community Forest," said J.T. Horn, senior project manager for The Trust for Public Land. "Our mission is protecting land for people, and in a town like Milan, that means protecting the traditional connections to the forest. We're working with Milan on another 547 acres to add to the forest."

The Milan Community Forest, on Oak Hill and French Hill near the Berlin Airport, is managed by a volunteer committee appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The Trust for Public Land bought the land and led fundraising, while the Northern Forest Center helped Milan organize the Community Forest Committee, create a governance structure, and develop a forest stewardship plan.

The $320,000 cost to purchase the parcels came from several sources, including private money, and state and federal funds including the U.S. Forest Service Community Forest Program, The Open Space Institute's Community Forest Fund, the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program and the Town of Milan.

The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation awarded a grant to fund expert technical assistance from the Northern Forest Center and The Trust for Public Land to launch and complete the project. The Law Firm of Samaha, Russell and Hogdon of Littleton, N.H., also provided pro-bono legal services to The Trust for Public Land and the Town of Milan.

The property includes productive timber stands and some wetlands feeding Leavitt Stream, which flows into the Androscoggin River. The property also has a small field that may eventually be developed into a trailhead parking area. The land will be protected by a conservation easement held by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. The easement prohibits future development and assures that forestry will be done according to the highest standards.

The Milan project is similar to other New Hampshire community forests, including those in Errol and Randolph. "Milan can look forward to economic benefits from timber harvest revenue and a variety of community benefits from recreation, to hunting and fishing and the likely development of a trail system," said Julie Renaud Evans, program director for the Northern Forest Center. "Sustained public access is very important to the quality of life in the North Country." The Milan Village School also intends to use the property as an outdoor classroom for its integrated environmental education programs.

A $160,000-grant from the U.S. Forest Service's Community Forest Program helped pay for these properties. An additional $240,000 in federal funds are available for future acquisition phases. This competitive federal grant was secured by the Town of Milan after a national competition ranked the Milan project as the #1 project in the nation. U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), and Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.), supported the town's application and helped find the Forest Service money after it was redirected to fight western wildfires.

 The Open Space Institute—which established its Community Forest Fund with a lead grant from Jane's Trust to support the creation and expansion of community forests in northern New England—pledged the first $50,000 grant to the Milan Community Forest. Money from the state of New Hampshire came from the NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP). "I want to thank the Open Space Institute and LCHIP for their generosity and patience with this project," said TPL's Horn. "Small rural towns like Milan need outside funding from public and private sources to protect their special places. We hope that OSI and LCHIP will continue to invest in Community Forests throughout New Hampshire."

"Today's announcement that the first 265 acres of the Milan Community Forest have been protected is truly exciting news for New Hampshire, particularly the North Country," said Shaheen. "I'm a strong supporter of the Milan Community Forest project and proud to have fought to reinstate the project's funding. Preserving our beautiful spaces is important for our state's identity and economy. I'll continue working to see this project through to its completion."

"I am very pleased that the U.S. Forest Service listened to our call and has restored the funding necessary to allow the Milan Community Forest project to move forward," said Ayotte. "It is critical that we preserve and protect our pristine outdoors for future generations, and this project will provide both local residents and visitors with a place to enjoy outdoor recreation activities, as well as a source of municipal income from sustainable timber harvesting."

"It is wonderful to see the Milan Community Forest start to take shape after years of work to make this once distant dream become a reality," said Kuster. "Together with members of the Milan Community Forest Committee, town officials, and stakeholder groups, I was proud to help facilitate the creation of Milan's first community forest by calling on the U.S. Forest Service to restore vital federal funding that enabled the town to purchase this land. Containing wetlands, productive timber stands, and road frontage, the Milan Community Forest will provide significant economic and social benefits to the community for years to come."

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. Learn more at www.tpl.org.

The Northern Forest Center is a nonprofit organization that builds economic and community vitality while fostering sound forest stewardship across the Northern Forest of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.

Vermont: Moose Hunting Applications Now Available

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

VTF&W photo by Wayne Laroche Vermont moose hunting permit applications are now available on VT Fish & Wildlife's website.

MONTPELIER, VT -- Vermont moose hunting permit applications are now available on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department's website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com).

Printed applications will be available from Vermont license agents in early May.

A total of 135 regular moose season permits and 25 archery moose season permits will be issued for Vermont's 2016 October moose hunt. The regular season will be October 15-20, and the archery season is October 1-7.

The number of permits are reduced from last year in ten Wildlife Management Units, and permits will be for bulls-only in all WMUs except B, C and E1.

The 160 permits being issued represent a 40 percent decrease from the number of permits issued last year. Hunters are expected to harvest close to 70 moose.

"We recommended a reduction in permit numbers and a continuation of bulls-only permits in most of the units this year based on biological data, and our population estimates indicating moose densities remain below management goals in many areas," said wildlife biologist Cedric Alexander, Vermont's moose project leader. "The intent of the proposal to allow population growth in most of Vermont."

Alexander estimates Vermont has over 2,000 moose statewide with the greatest concentration in the Northeast Kingdom.

"We continue to take a very conservative approach given recent regional and national trends of moose populations and health," added Alexander. "Moose biologists from the southern tier of moose range across North America are increasingly concerned about the effects of warming temperatures on moose health. Moose can easily become stressed by warmer weather causing them to feed less and early spring snow melt that results in higher winter tick loads the following year."

Lottery applications are $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. The deadline to apply is June 15. Winners of the permit lottery will purchase resident hunting permits for $100 and nonresident hunting permits for $350. Hunters also will have the option to bid on five moose hunting permits in an auction to be announced later. Hunters who have received a permit within the past five years are not eligible to apply for a permit or buy a bonus point.

A Toast to Spring: Wine for the Watershed, April 7

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Event to Benefit FRWA Being Held April 7
FRWA is pleased to announce A Toast to Spring, Wine for the Watershed fundraising event being held at the Farmington Community Center at 321 New Britain Avenue on April 7th from 7-9pm.
The event will feature a silent auction as well as a wine tasting with Steve Leon from Wine Cellars 4 who will showcase a selection of wines from around the world. Attendees will also enjoy hors d’oeuvres, coffee and desserts while tasting wines and bidding on local and regional silent auction items.
Silent auction items include a kayak with paddle and pfd, fishing trips on the Farmington, concert and theater tickets, sporting events, paintings, and gear from local retailers. Attendees will get a free poster of the Farmington River (value $10-15) and a chance at a door prize from Bill Selig Jewelers (value $25).
All proceeds from the event will help FRWA to protect water quality and foster environmental stewardship throughout the Farmington River Watershed.
Tickets are $30 per person. To order, call (860) 658-4442, email apetras@frwa.org or buy from the Eventbright app below.