F&W to Hold Public Meetings About Coyotes

John Hall Photo

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding public informational meetings about Eastern coyotes which the department says have become well-established throughout Vermont and other northeastern states. 

 

“Eastern coyotes first appeared in Vermont in the 1940s after breeding with Eastern wolves in Canada,” said Mark Scott, Vermont’s director of wildlife.  “They are larger than their western cousins, and they are adaptable opportunists, living in areas that are well-settled by humans as well as in remote wild areas.” 

 

“Vermont’s coyotes now occupy a role as natural predators in our ecosystem, but they also have become highly controversial.  We want to help people understand them from an objective, scientific perspective, and we want to help people learn how to live with them because they are here to stay.”

 

Vermont’s Furbearer Project Leader Kimberly Royar and Wildlife Ecologist Dr. David Person will hold the meetings as follows:

 

• Tuesday, October 22 – 7:00 p.m. at the Weathersfield Conservation Commission, Weathersfield Community Center Road in Weathersfield.

 

• Tuesday, December 17 -- 6:30 p.m. at the Barre Fish and Game Club, Gun Club Road, Barre.

 

During her 33 years with Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Kim Royar helped landowners improve wildlife habitat, she did extensive research on bobcats, coyotes and other furbearers, she worked to restore Vermont’s population of American martens, and she worked in Fish and Wildlife’s central office as a special assistant to the Commissioner.   

 

Dr. Person did research on coyotes in Vermont for his UVM Master’s Degree as well as research on wolves, deer and predator-prey dynamics for 22 years in Alaska.  He has authored more than 40 scientific journal papers, as well as reports on the ecology of coyotes, wolves, deer, flying squirrels, predator-prey theory, quantitative ecology, and subsistence hunting.  University of Alaska students now carry on his research on wolves, deer, moose, caribou, subsistence hunting, habitat selection, predator-prey dynamics, and the effects of disturbance and global heating on ecological systems and the human use of those systems.  He currently resides in Braintree, Vermont.

Colonel Joel Wilkinson To Retire From The Maine Warden Service

Posted by Wayne G.Barber

AUGUSTA, Maine – Colonel Joel Wilkinson of the Maine Warden Service, who was appointed colonel in 2008, is retiring on September 20. Commissioner Judy Camuso has placed Lieutenant Dan Scott in the position of acting colonel.

“Colonel Wilkinson served the Department and the state for more than two decades,” said Commissioner Camuso. “I want to thank him for his service, and wish him nothing but the best as he enters his next chapter.”

Wilkinson was hired full time as a district game warden in 1995, after beginning his career in 1992 as a deputy game warden. In addition to serving as colonel, Joel has served in multiple roles in the Maine Warden Service including captain, sergeant, investigator, and district game warden. He also served as acting major (2008) and later acting commissioner during the Governor Baldacci/Governor LePage transition.

“We all work for the very best fish and wildlife agency in the country and may Maine be proud of the collective work this Department provides. I feel like I have worked with, for and beside the greatest professionals in conservation,” said Wilkinson.

Photo credit: John Clarke Russ

Cape Cod: Bourne Plans to Buys Land to Benefit Box Turtle

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

BOURNE – The Town of Bourne plans to buy 12 acres of land for the benefit of the Eastern Box Turtle.

The purchase of the land factors into the expansion of the town landfill. The endangered turtles currently reside on 12 acres south of the landfill.

The two parcels of land in consideration are located south of the Otis rotary and east of Route 28.

The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program and the Massachusetts Natural Heritage And Endangered Species Act require the town to replace the habitat for the turtles currently living on the 12 acres of land south of the landfill.

“That’s prime habitat all the way to Falmouth, these are real good pieces of land for us to look at,” said Daniel Barret, general manager of the towns integrated Solid Waste Management Department regarding the prospective land acquisitions. 

The extension of the landfill would extend its expected lifespan to the mid 2040’s.

“Landfill capacity in Massachusetts is very short, so The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program and the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act provide opportunities for mitigation.” said Barett.

Real estate transactions require a two thirds majority approval by residents at town meeting. An article on the issue will be presented on October 21^st.

There is not yet an estimate on how much it would cost the town to purchase the properties.

Phenology Calendar for Late September

I would have to make it to 98 to see this again.

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Third Week of September

Outbreak of EEE Reported in all New England States, Be Careful 
8 Confirmed Cases in Massachusetts.
1 on Block Island

Deer and some birds eat the orange berries of Jack-in-the-pulpit, but they have more oxalic acid than humans can manage.

Blue jays eat insect-infested acorns first, caching the rest for later. Weevils in acorns are a welcome source of protein.

Red admiral butterflies are heading south for the winter. They’ll be back in May.

The air outside is crisp, but it’s July-hot in the kitchen if the canning pot is in use.

Bucks are beginning to rub their antlers.

Fourth Week of September

Chipmunks will store as much food as they can, sometimes much, much more than they possibly could use. They don’t have a stop button.

Meadow jumping mice go into hibernation. These tiny animals will be even tinier when they emerge in late April.

Hungry skunks may be making a bunch of small holes in the lawn as they forage for June bug larvae and other insects.

Good time to look for chicken of the woods, a sometimes large shelf fungus that is delicious.. Source: Virginia Barlow Northern Woodlands

Big family fun at the Big MOE – September 22

Posted by Wayne G. Barber
With over 45 outdoor activities, there's something for everyone!

Experience the Massachusetts Outdoor Expo (The Big MOE) at the Hamilton Rod and Gun Club grounds in Sturbridge, MA on Sunday, September 22, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. In its 22nd year, this FREE, family-friendly event celebrates outdoor skills, nature, art, and wildlife. With over 45 activity stations, there’s something for everyone at The Big MOE. Stations include:

• Shotgun, air gun, and rifle shooting
• Fishing and fly tying
• Kayaking
• Archery
• Tomahawk throwing
• Birds of prey
• Petting zoo
• Birdhouse building and other crafts
• Mountain biking
• Kids disc golf

Phenology Calendar for September

Posted by Wayne G. Barber &  Photos by Wayne G. Barber

First Week of September

Ospreys begin moving south.

Trees with leaves suck a huge amount of water from the soil. If it’s not too rainy, conditions for logging may be excellent from now until leaf fall.

A cold front followed by gentle northwest winds will trigger many migratory birds to head south; look for hawks above the ridges, songbirds in the woods.

Timber rattlesnakes are returning to their ancestral hibernacula to bask in the autumn sun before turning in for the winter.

Second Week of September

Time to look for recipes that use a lot of green tomatoes.

The northern fall field cricket is silenced by the first hard frost, unless it gets into the house. If that happens, the once-lovely song may become annoying.

Warbler migration is underway, but their confusing autumn plumage and relative silence make identification difficult for most of us.

Early signs of the rut among white-tailed deer, with bucks establishing hierarchies of dominance.

Source:Northern Woodlands, Virginia Barlow

Maine: Bear Season Starts Today 8-26-19

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Maine’s bear season begins on Monday, August 26 throughout the state.

“The abundance of natural foods on the landscape has the greatest influence on hunting success and the physical condition of the bears.” said Randy Cross, bear field crew leader for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “A cool wet spring like we experienced generally bodes well for bear foods, and more natural food results in fewer bears visiting bait sites and a lower number of bears harvested.”

Maine’s black bear population is closely monitored by Department biologists through one of the most extensive, longest-running biological studies in the U.S. The study began in 1975 and continues today. Over nearly 40 years, Department biologists have captured and tracked over 3,000 bears to determine the health and condition of Maine’s bears and estimate how many cubs are born each year.

“Over those forty years, it’s very clear that during years with excellent natural food production of nuts and berries, bears are more reluctant to visit bait sites,” said Cross. “The good news for hunters is that bears will be actively foraging much later in the season than last year since late season foods such as beechnuts and acorns will keep bears out of their dens. This is good news for deer hunters that would like to harvest a bear during deer season and hunters who hunt in October.

Maine’s bear season is divided into three segments, as hunters can hunt with bait from August 26 to September 21, hunters can hunt with dogs from September 9 to November 1, and hunters can still hunt or stalk bear from August 26 to November 30. Maine has one of the longest bear seasons in the country since Maine has one of the largest bear population estimated at over 36,000 animals. In addition to a season that starts in August and ends after Thanksgiving, Maine allows hunters to take two bears, one by hunting and one by trapping.

In 2018, hunters harvested 3,314 bears; 2017, 2,897 bears during the three-month season and In 2016, numbers were similar with hunters taking 2,859 bears.

Even with the lengthy bear season, only about 25% of all bear hunters are successful. By contrast, 76% of moose hunters were successful last year, turkey hunters enjoy success rates between 30-35% and deer hunters in Maine are successful 14-18% of the time.

Young hunters will once again get their own day on Saturday, August 24. Youth hunters who have a junior hunting license can hunt bear with a firearm, bow, or crossbow on this day. Youth hunters may hunt bear with the use of bait, or still hunt; however the use of dogs during youth hunting day is prohibited. For more information on youth day, please visit: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting-trapping/hunting-laws/junior-hunters.html#youthhuntdays

Over a span of 40 years, Maine’s bear study has shown that not only does the availability of natural foods drive bear cub survival and bear birth rates, but it also directly influences when bears den for the winter, as well as hunter success rates. In poor natural food years, hunter success is higher than in years when natural food is abundant.

Successful bear hunters are reminded that it is mandatory to submit a tooth from their bear when registering. Tagging agents will provide envelopes and instructions to hunters as to how to remove the tooth. Biologists age the tooth, and the biological data collected help biologists adjust season lengths and bag limits for bears. In August, hunters can learn the age of the bear they harvested the previous season by visiting https://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting-trapping/harvest-information.html.

Hunters and trappers must have a bear permit in addition to a big game hunting or trapping license to harvest a bear in Maine. However, during the deer firearm season, resident hunters can harvest a bear without a bear permit. Bear hunting is most popular and bear populations are the densest in the northern and downeast regions of the state.

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