Charlie Martin 7 point buck with his - Volume V, Issue 5 * March 2021 - We return a portion of pre-tax profi ts as follows
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Volume V, Issue 5 * March 2021
Charlie Martin
with his
7 point buck
We return a portion of pre-tax profits as follows:
2% Hunting and Fishing Education * 2% Habitat Improvement * 2% Preservation of the Second Amendment
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Every Camp Needs a Randy
Every Camp Needs a Randy . . .1
Many of you reading this publication, in
fact I would venture to guess most of you, Hunters Take 6,136 Turkeys . . .3
have had the pleasure of being part of the
annual tradition of deer camp. For those Vt Bear Hunters Had a Record
who have never attended a deer camp, it Season in 2020 . . . . . . . . . . .4
can be hard to understand the rituals, com- Thar She Blows!!!. . . . . . . . . . .5
raderies, and sense of belonging that go
along with it; although I would venture to VTF&W Urges Us to Remember
guess it’s akin to what folks find in sports Nongame Wildlife Tax
teams and social clubs. However, those Checkoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
of you who are regular deer camp attend-
ees know exactly what I’m talking about. March Madness. . . . . . . . . . . . .9
While there are many unique differences Trapping Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
among camps, part of what makes them so fun to visit, there is one thing I
can be completely certain of. That is that is that in all the camps across all Waterfow Season Virtual Public
the class 4 roads and trails in all the backwoods of in this country, every Hearings March 9 & 11 . . . .13
camp needs a Randy.
VTF&W’s Big Game
A Randy is a camp member difficult to describe, yet easy to identify when Management Plan for 2020-
you meet him. He’s a man who will drive to camp a day or more early to 2030 is Available Online . . .14
get a fire going and make sure things were comfortable for everyone else’s Reminder to Remove Ice
staggered arrivals after an anxious and unproductive Friday at work. He’s Shanties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
a man who won’t hesitate to take you out in the woods as a youngster
when your father was working. He’s also a man who won’t hesitate to give Start Scouting Now for Sucess
you a stern earful when you come walking past his spot with 20 minutes This Spring. . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
of legal light left because you got cold sitting a few hundred yards down
Special Snow Goose Hunting
the hill. He’s a man whose arrival to camp is always easily identified by
Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
the sound of classic rock turned up a few clicks beyond what most would
consider normal billowing from the cracked windows of his well-loved and VTF&W Proposes Simplifying
…mostly… roadworthy pickup truck. A man who will spend just as much Fishing Rules . . . . . . . . . . . .18
time in the woods as he will tackling major mechanical projects in the snow
just outside the front door of camp, and, when finished will beckon every Lawsuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
other member to hop in for a ride down the hill to the neighboring camp
How to Interpret Your Soil
Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
The Vermont Sporting Journal Hunt Proposed to Improve Health
is published bimonth
of Vermont’s Moose . . . . . . .21
Advertising, editorial and circulation mailing address is:
A Successful Year for Vt Habitat
The Vermont Sporting Journal Stamp Program. . . . . . . . . . .22
29 Strong Road * Orange, Vermont 05641 Springfield Man Cited for
or email us at: vermontsportingjournal@gmail.com Attempting to Elude on a
Letters, manuscripts and photographs should be mail to the above address. Snowmobile & Providing
If you would like submitted materials returned,
False Information to Police .23
please enclose a SASE.
1
for some apple pie. Of course, that doesn’t simply loves to be there; just hanging out,
take much convincing, and of course, every playing cards, and making up some of the
camp needs a Randy. most vulgar lyrics to popular songs you can
imagine. A Randy never slacks on camp
A Randy is a man whose presence beckons chores, but makes damn sure to remind you
you like the warmth of a hot woodstove af- when you are, and a Randy is happy to lend
ter a long day of tracking whitetails across a hand to anyone who needs it (particularly
a Vermont landscape freshly painted with if they didn’t ask). He’s a man who enjoys
cold, damp snow. A man whose energy and the solitude of the woods as much as sitting
passion for life is as exhilarating as the sound around the knotty pine slab table, dividing
of snapping branches after many long, drea- out the remainder of the mornings reheated
ry hours watching leaves chase each other in coffee from the percolator and planning a
the wind like schoolkids at recess. A Randy seating arrangement for a pitch game after
is a man who can come back from hunting, lunch.
rifle slung on his shoulder, face and body bloodied and
swollen, just to tell you a vivid and impassioned story of a And finally, a Randy is a man who never stops fighting.
bull moose attack on a remote section of trail that he nar- A man who can be diagnosed with terminal cancer and
rowly survived. He’s also a man to tell you a few minutes make his entire family howl with laughter as they choke
afterward the real version of the story; the version where on their tears while he explains the horrifying details to
he replaces the moose with an ATV he rolled onto himself them. A sharp moment he can somehow soften with his
trying to break through what was largely known as an im- honest and unfiltered sense of humor that stays with him
passable section of trail. until the very end. He’s a man who can be bedridden at
home in his final weeks of life, weakened after months
A Randy is a man who helps anyone at any time. Period. of fighting, and yet still manage to get out of the house to
A man who will track a camp member’s wounded bear investigate a vehicle collision with a black bear outside
for as long as it takes to recover it… even if that means his yard. He’s a man who wants to spend some of his final
finishing it off with a point-blank shot as it lunges from moments re-watching videos from camp so that he could
behind a blowdown, teeth barred with a growl and claws be there with everyone one last time, if only in his heart. A
swung fast towards his airborne legs. A Randy is a man Randy is a man whose presence at camp exists long after
who will make any hunter feel ten feet tall after a harvest, he can’t physically be there anymore, and who’s impact
regardless of its place in the record books, and a man who on those who had the privilege of knowing him lets them
felt true and honest pride in others accomplishments even be better people for the rest of their lives.
more so than his own. He’s a man who can be heard for
miles with a screaming “YEEHAAAW” as he leads the We lost our Randy in September of 2020. After a long and
ATV parade back to camp after a harvest, and a man who heroic fight with cancer we have been left with only his
looks forward to camp just as much for spending time memory and stories of his antics to keep us company at
with friends and family as hunting. Every camp, needs a the camp table as we pour the mornings re-heated coffee
Randy. from the old blue percolator into dirty disposable cups.
It’s tough to think about waking up on the next opening
A Randy is a man who values deer camp so much that he day of deer season without his booming voice jolting
never fails to make it happen. Whether it means plowing through the chilled cabin air yelling “COFFEEEEEEE”
out at camp with a piece of ply- while the steam of freshly perco-
wood strapped to the bumper of a lated java dances arounds the drafts
pickup truck, finding a camp for in the walls. Although his absence
everyone to stay in when every- leaves something empty in all of us,
one else had given up, or even ob- his memory fills a place in our hearts
taining a large camper and towing with love that is stronger than ever
it up a class four road in Novem- before. Every camp needs a Randy,
ber just so everyone would have and I look forward to someday being
a place to stay together (and then able to all gather around an old pine-
sleeping on the floor to accommo- wood slab card table once again, deal
date everyone else). One way or a hand of pitch and have a few more
another, he makes it happen. He laughs with ours.
Hunters Take
6,136 Turkeys
in Vermont
in 2020
VERMONT FISH
& WILDLIFE
Press Release
A preliminary report from Vermont and 32 percent of those successful enjoyment and sustenance people get
Fish and Wildlife shows that hunters hunters taking a second bearded bird. from watching and hunting wild tur-
brought home 6,136 wild turkeys dur- Youth hunters also enjoyed a remark- keys, these birds play a critical role in
ing 2020, including 627 turkeys taken able 29 percent success rate during the environment as an important prey
during the April youth weekend hunt, the April youth weekend season. item and influence the populations of
a total of 4,791 gobblers taken dur- many other species.”
ing the regular spring season, and 718 “The 6,136 turkeys represent an es-
birds during the fall. timated 140,000 servings of locally Conservation of wild turkey habitat
sourced, free-range, wild turkey meat continues to play a key role in the
“Although 2020 will undoubtedly be as well as countless memories and health and vitality of their popula-
remembered as the year of many chal- an enduring connection to the land,” tion. Bernier notes that a patchwork
lenges, at least one thing remained added Bernier. of fields and forests provide most of
the same – Vermont hunters took to what a turkey needs to survive. He
the woods to enjoy some restorative Turkeys were hunted statewide and says the efforts to protect and manage
time afield and were again rewarded were harvested in 241 of Vermont’s habitat by private landowners and
for their efforts,” said Vermont Fish 255 towns. The northern Lake Cham- volunteer-based conservation groups
and Wildlife turkey biologist Chris plain Valley and the Connecticut Riv- like the National Wild Turkey Fed-
Bernier. “Second only to 2010, a er Valley continued to be productive eration help ensure Vermont has a
near record number of turkey licenses regions for turkey hunters with the sustainable and abundant wild turkey
were sold during 2020, resulting in an highest harvests again recorded in population for the future.
impressive turkey harvest that closely these parts of the state.
tracked the average harvest reported Everyone can help support conserva-
over the past ten years.” “Vermont’s long history of careful tion and good habitat for wild turkeys
and considerate management of wild and other wildlife on state Wildlife
Hunter success rates remained high turkeys has positioned us to maximize Management Areas by purchasing the
with 20 percent of resident hunters the benefits we all receive from this 2021 Vermont Habitat Stamp at www.
taking birds during the spring hunt, remarkable bird. Beyond the simple vtfishandwildlife.com.
3
Vermont Bear Hunters Had a Record Season in 2020
VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE Press Release
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife De- season. Most bears were taken with project staff responding to more than
partment reports that bear hunters in modern firearms, while 16 percent double the number of reports of bear-
Vermont had another safe and suc- were taken by archery and 17 percent human conflicts than any year in the
cessful hunting season in 2020. with the use of bear hounds. past. Despite the large number of
bear problems and the high number
Preliminary numbers show that hunt- Hammond noted that participation in of bears harvested by hunters, Ham-
ers took a record 914 black bears dur- the early bear season increased sub- mond points out that these numbers
ing the two-part early and late bear stantially with 13,866 hunters choos- tend to vary each year and that the
seasons. The previous highest har- ing to purchase a $5 early season bear bear population remains within the
vest ever recorded in Vermont was tag. 2020-2030 Big Game Plan bear popu-
750 in 2019. Fish and Wildlife also lation objective.
says there were no hunting-related “In addition to an abundant popula-
shooting incidents. tion and the potential of harvesting Bear hunters continue to provide in-
delicious and nutritious bear meat, formation that is valuable for man-
The average number of bears taken larger numbers of bears were harvest- aging the species including bringing
over the previous 10 years was 608. ed due to several factors,” said Ham- their bear into one of 150 game check
The hunting season results are con- mond. “It was a poor year for natu- stations and by completing hunter ef-
sistent with the goal of maintaining ral bear foods, and we saw a surge in fort surveys.
the bear population to within 3,500 hunter numbers brought about by the
to 5,500 bears, according to Forrest COVID -19 pandemic and perhaps a Each hunter is required to submit a
Hammond, Fish and Wildlife’s bear corresponding increase in the number
pre-molar tooth from their bear which
biologist. of hunters spending more time in the
will provide information on the age of
outdoors hunting than in past years.”
the animal. Bear ages will be posted
In 2020, hunters took a majority of on Fish and Wildlife’s website in ear-
the bears, 823, in the early season and Hammond says 2020 was challeng- ly May.
only 91 in the late bear season, which ing for bear management in Vermont
overlaps with the November deer with game wardens and bear
4
Thar She Blows!!!
by Ken Jones
In the quaint and quiet town of Ice plant and the dock that was used
Gloucester Massachusetts lies the in filming the movie “The Perfect
oldest seaport in the united states. Storm” then you’ll head out passed
Since the late 1600s ships of differ- Ten Pound Island and the last big
ing variety and with multiple pur- getty and the light house on Thatcher
poses have come and gone from ports Island.
around the world. In it’s town park
with a beautiful view of the atlantic After an hour or so steam, you’ll
ocean, the draw bridge is a tourists reach Stellwagen bank or another des-
favorite as it stops traffic long enough tination called Jeffery’s ledge. If you
to let a few boats here and there leave watch the TV show “Wicked Tuna”
one of the small harbors around town. you would recognize these places as
In the summer around the Fourth of where the tuna fishermen fish for Gi-
July hundreds of American flags line ant blue fin. As a fan of the show I’ll
the railings of the walkway where often watch the slips or boat parking
people can see the memorials for spaces on our way out of the harbor
all the fishermen lost at sea over the to see if I can spot any of the boats
years or the fisherman’s wife memo- from the show. We have seen many
rial. So much history. of them both at the docks and on
the water. You see, these waters the
As you cruise into the heart of the grand banks and Jeffery’s ledge are
town you’ll see a sign just over the natural collectors of food fish for the
rise from the Gorton fish packaging tuna and the whales of the Atlantic.
plant for Cape Anne whale watching.
Cape Anne is the name for the inlet According to head Naturalist Jamie
of the Atlantic that holds the town’s McWillians the whales come here in
of Gloucester, Essex, and Rockport. the early spring after spending the
winter months in the warmer waters
If you’re taking the morning run, the of the Caribbean and out to the gulf
calm quiet of the port is very sooth- of Mexico where the females give
ing. The water in the bay is usu- birth and raise their calves until they
ally flat as glass and the boat traffic are ready to make the journey north
hasn’t picked up yet. You start to to feast in the bayleen rich waters
feel the place wake up. As you board of the north Atlantic. After feeding
the Hurricane two, you try and get here for the summer, they return to
somewhere near the front of the boat the warmer waters for the winter
where you feel you’ll have the quick- months.
est views when in reality, you’ll see bustle of town but back near the wa-
everything no matter where you end ter, it all disappears. As you embark Species most likely to be seen are
up. on your adventure, usually one of the Hump backs and Minke whales dol-
interns will give a little guided tour phins and tuna you’ll see occasionally
It’s really amazing how far away of the different businesses that use the also. Not many if any toothed whales
town feels once you hit the docks. docks and how the ocean keeps this like Orcas will be seen. The bayleen
It’s a stone’s throw to the hustle and town alive. You’ll see the Cape Pond whales are predominantly the norm.
5
Many different behaviors can be en- pleasure either. Either Jamie has a I truly enjoy our trips to the ocean
joyed from little dorsal fin rises to full camera in hand or they have a couple each summer. I believe if I wasn’t
breach leaps into the air. Although in photographers that come along and born and lived in mountainous Ver-
twenty plus whale watches I’ve only take constant photos especially of the mont I’d want to be around the ocean.
seen two full breaches. Neither was I whales diving. When a whale dives it The salt air, the allure of the vast open
fast enough to get on film. Logging arches it’s back, takes a deep breath sea is intriguing and beautiful.
which Jamie and other naturalists be- and when it dives the last thing to go
lieve is infact the whales napping on under is it’s fluke or tale. On the un- If you’re looking to put something
the surface is very cool because they derside of the tale they will normally different in your summer vacation,
will drift quite close to the boat and have some white markings and these why not try a whale watch. My wife
you can really see how enormous they markings will be different on each and I have been on them from Booth
are. Fin slapping, tail throwing are individual allowing the naturalists Bay Maine, to Provincetown Massa-
fairly regular antics of these wonder- to identify the whales. The whales chusetts on Cape Cod. Anywhere on
fully graceful and seemingly gentle are actually given names and many the northeastern seacoast and from
giants. Looking for the tell-tale spray of them have returned for decades!! our home in Vermont it can be done
or blow from the whales is a big part They don’t give them people names as a day trip. You can enjoy the vast
of the fun as well. On our last watch, but some examples of whales we’ve wonders and beauty of the ocean and
at one point at various distances I seen are Zeppelin, shuffleboard and some of its fine inhabitants.
think I counted ten different whales Cajun. In fact we’ve seen cajun and
around us. They seem to have no fear calf for a few years now. The whales I know this hasn’t been my usual
of the boats but I’ve never felt like get close. The photos along with this hunting story but one I felt I needed
they were interacting with us either. article were all taken with my android to share with you all. At least to get
They will go about their daily feed- phone. So don’t worry if you don’t us thinking of warmer days to come.
ing and will come right along-side at own an expensive camera with a giant As I write this we are some 67 days
times and even duck under the boat lens. You’ll get up close and personal till spring turkey season opens in Ver-
and come out the other side as if we with these magnificent creatures. mont. Until then, be safe have fun and
were a crack in the sidewalk. These shoot em up!!!
watches are not just for our viewing
6
VT Fish & Wildlife Urges Us to Remember Nongame
Wildlife Tax Checkoff
VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE Press Release
Vermonters interested in conserving
wildlife should donate to the Non-
game Wildlife Fund on their state
income tax form this year, accord-
ing to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife
Department. The fund helps protect
some of Vermont’s most threatened
wildlife such as bald eagles, lake
sturgeon, spruce grouse, and Indiana
bats.
Donations are leveraged by matching
federal grants, meaning that a $35 do-
nation can help secure up to another
$65 in federal funds for wildlife con-
servation in Vermont.
Ospreys are no longer an endangered species in Vermont thanks to
“The Nongame Checkoff donations,
recovery efforts supported by the Nongame Wildlife Fund.
along with hunting, fishing and trap-
VTF&W photo by Bill Crenshaw
ping license revenue, have helped
recovery efforts for Vermont’s per- Vermont’s pollinators so we can de- species in Vermont due to manage-
egrine falcons, loons, ospreys, bald termine their conservation needs and ment that continues to benefit those
eagles, American martens, Indiana manage our Wildlife Management species, and we hope the bald eagle
and northern long-eared bats, spiny Areas for their benefit.” can be removed from Vermont’s en-
softshell turtles, and other species,” dangered species list in the near fu-
said Director of Wildlife Mark Scott. “The common loon, osprey and pere- ture.”
“We are also supporting surveys of grine falcon are no longer endangered
Steve Parren and other fish and wild-
life biologists manage nongame wild-
life projects for the Vermont Fish and
Wildlife Department. Their work
is diverse and includes mammals,
birds, turtles, fish, frogs, bees, fresh-
water mussels, and plants, as well as
the habitats and natural communities
they need.
“The Nongame Wildlife Fund has
helped some of our great wildlife suc-
cess stories in Vermont,” said Parren.
“Thanks to the generous donations of
thousands of Vermonters, we are re-
storing many of the iconic species of
our Green Mountain State.”
7
WORK OR PLAY
Lenny's has you covered!
Shop Online
Still Family. LennyShoe.com
Still Local. Free Shipping on Orders $49+
Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel: Williston | St. Albans | Barre | Plattsburgh
8
March Madness
by Brad Roy
While early ice is always an exciting time of year to
get out on the hard water, late season ice fishing can be So, what can be done about such a prolific invader?
packed full with just as much—or more—action! As the Well…Eat them! White perch are a delicious lake fish that
days start getting noticeably longer, and early mornings you can prepare just as you would any other freshwater
are brightened by the sound of spring birds chirping in fish. The meat is flakey and white, with a slightly stron-
the otherwise lifeless trees, the action on local lakes and ger flavor than our beloved Yellow Perch. Because these
ponds really starts heating up. With a good run of very fish grow big, with the largest of the species toppling
cold temperatures lately, the Northeast is poised to main- the scales at around 5 pounds and 20 inches in length, it
tain good ice cover for some time to come. If your back doesn’t take long when the action is good to bring home a
hasn’t worn out from carrying firewood around all winter family meal’s worth.
yet, then March can provide some of the best fishing all
year long! The White Perch’s insatiable schooling appetite is what
makes them so much fun to target through the ice. When
One of my all-time favorite parts about ice fishing is tar- these fish move into shallow spawning areas in late win-
geting the big runs of white perch in the late winter/early ter, they often become active for “Bursts” throughout the
spring. The white perch, which is actually a member of day, with catches of five or ten fish over just a few minutes
the temperate bass family moronidae, was non-existent in not uncommon. Look for spawning flats around 20 feet
Lake Champlain until the mid-1980’s. This invader typi- deep directly adjacent to deeper water. These fish seem
cally thrives in brackish water, with populations ranging to have no problem with flat and muddy bottoms, and can
from South Carolina to Canada, but was able to establish usually be discovered in late-winter by looking for areas
itself quickly in Champlain once it found its way there. with massive crowds of people displaying a frequent up-
Although there is still some debate about how this meaty ward arm movement!
gamefish originally found its way into Champlain, they
took to their new location very well. This is not an un- While many people like to sneak off to a quiet location to
common trait for these hard-fighting fish, which can read- fish solo, white perch fishing lends itself easily to more of
ily populate new areas quite efficiently despite competi- a party-like atmosphere. I have always found I catch more
tion from existing species.
Feasting on just about anything
they can get in their mouth, white
perch will happily eat minnows,
plankton, invertebrates, and much
more. It has been documented that
these invasive fish will greedily eat
up eggs from native species like
walleye, among others. The white
perch is such a noble invader in fact,
that as of 2003, Quebec researchers
found that they vastly outnumbered
native perch in Missisquoi Bay. By
now this may be the case in many
other areas of the lake as well. With
a population bolstered by females
than can deposit up to 150,000 eggs
in a spawning season, these fish are
here to stay.
9white perch when I’m around other people, and wouldn’t tice a difference when these larger fish get a hold of your
hesitate to call a group over when the bite starts getting tackle!
hot. In fact, if you were to time lapse a group of white
perch fishermen over the course of a day, you would like- Another great part about white perch is that because they
ly see a constant “inward” dance of people getting closer are larger than yellows, they fillet very easily. Whipping
and closer together, pinpointing the hottest spot. These through a half bucket of average-sized whites with an
fish swim in massive schools, and keeping the feeding electric fillet knife goes fast, and you’re rewarded with
frenzy active with lots of lures for them to attack seems beautiful boneless fillets that are just waiting to hit a pan
to help maintain the frenzy for much longer than one or of hot oil. My all-time favorite preparation for white perch
two people could by themselves. I like to use a variety is to make fish cakes with them. Finely chop up your fil-
of tungsten jigs and larger, flashy spoons fished just off lets into tiny pieces, or use a food processor to do the
the bottom. Having a heavy lure is also really helpful in same, then mix with finely minced onion, fresh parsley,
getting back “into the fish” from the surface as quickly as salt and pepper, as well as any other spices you might like.
possible, which seems to be key in keeping the bite going. Add in an egg or two and just enough powdered mashed
potato mix to combine, then press into cakes. I like to dust
When targeting these aggressive and hard-fighting fish these cakes with cornmeal, flower, or breadcrumbs, and
through the ice, I would recommend using at least a six- fry them up in hot oil until they are golden brown and
inch auger. Although you can get by with smaller sizes, cooked-through. Serve with some fresh lemon juice and
having fish pop off at the hole after getting caught on the tartar sauce, and sit down next to a warm fire enjoying the
bottom edge of the ice becomes quite common. Any old fruits of your labor.
yellow perch rig will work, but you will immediately no-
10Trapping Talk
By Randy Barrows
Trapping Talk
by
Randy
Barrows
Hope your trapping season was a good one. We had a good In 2013.Logan announced that he wanted to set his own
one going until the inch and a half of rain and then brutal- traps. The stream in front of my house is good for a couple
ly cold temps. Chopping frozen ground gets old quickly. of muskrat and mink every year so I told to go ahead and
set some traps.
With low fur prices we did a lot of experimenting on this
year’s line. Did you know you can bait a set, put a trap Over the bank he went with a couple of 110 conibears in
on top of the ground not covered and still catch critters?? his hands. After a week of empty traps, he asked for as-
Well you can and we proved it. sistance. Logan had done everything right, almost.
I always end my columns with asking you to take a kid The stream was a foot and a half wide and the 110 only
with you when you go. This month I want to explain why covered a third of it. I showed him how to do some fenc-
I ask this and how it can work. ing to direct the critters to the trap. The next day Logan
came up over the bank with a prime Vermont muskrat.
In 2011 Logan Tinker, my nephew asked if he could tag You could not wipe the grin off his face for weeks.
along on the line. Logan at the time hated school; hated
the bus and had a bad attitude on life in general. Me being Logan had done little fur prep up to this point so he asked
the ornery gent I am sat him down and laid out the law. for some help. I explained I would coach him but he was
If Logan wanted to tag along, he had some things to do. going to do this on his own, which he did. An hour later he
First of all, he had to lose the bad attitude and improve his had the fur fleshed and stretched and off to the taxidermist
grades in school. He did both of these to the point where for tanning. A keepsake for life!
he is a A plus Senior.
Over the next few years Logan excelled in every aspect of
Having Logan on the line saves this old codger many steps trapping. I hold a couple of trapper ed classes every year
every year. He is ready and waiting every time I go to pick and Logan was always front and center. I also attend a
him up. Logan has emersed himself in every aspect of out- couple of outdoor shows every year and Logan is always
door life. In the past couple of years, he has successfully at my side. I get many comments like,” this kid knows his
passed his trapper ed, hunter ed, and boater safety classes. stuff, he is good, and on and on.
11This last season we decided to focus on K-9 trapping >
Logan chose the traps and locations and went to work.
Two days later he caught his first fox. He went from cloud
nine to zero when he found out the fox had a bad case of
the mange. Being the trooper, he is he carried on and ten
days later caught a prime male red fox. In the next week
if he did not say” that is so cool” 500 hundred time he did
not say it once. F.Y.I. that fox is at the taxidermist for a
full body mount, and the skull has been boiled for another
keepsake.
I am pretty sure I have a lot less sunrises and sunsets be-
hind me than I do ahead of me but it’s been a pleasure to
In 2012 Logan had a mandatory science project and Logan coach Logan along and more importantly to become an
chose you guessed it, “Trapping in Vermont”. His teacher excellent trapper and fur handler.
advised this subject be he stuck to it and continued on.
The project showed all the different types of traps and all Enjoy the rest of the water trapping season and TAKE A
of the animals they are used to catch, why we trap, and KID WITH YOU!!!
all of the uses for the fur caught. He even added recipes
for the edible critters. He received a A on the project and Update; Carter Abel, 15, called and advised he just shot his
received high praise from all involved. first coyote and needed some help skinning it. I skinned
and fleshed it and its headed to Moyle Mink for tanning.
2015 was a banner year for us at Arrowhead Trapping He also has boiled the skull for a keepsake. He did his
Supply. Being a fur buyer, we had a ton of fur to handle. I online trapping class in one day and is setting out some
even bought carcass fur and fur in the grease, so the days otter traps tomorrow. I donated some traps to him and he
were long. Every night there was a pile of critters by the is on his way. He wants to learn everything he can about
front door that needed skinning, bagging and put in the fur trapping and fur prep. The tradition of trapping will
freezer. It got so bad my wife Diane came out to help. She live on, I hope. Good luck Carter.
is good at skinning muskrats!
Every night after homework and dinner Logan showed up
and was ready to go. Due to school Logan could only stay
until tenish, weekend went into the wee hours of morning.
Logans only requirement was we needed to have country
music playing. A small price to pay for all of the help.
I kept track of the hours he put in every year and tried to
pay him and he flatly declined. He did pick up a few sup-
plies he needed as pay. We shipped 497 furs that year and
I could not have done nearly any of this alone.
Last year Logan got right into fur handling. One night I
threw a 60 plus pound beaver on the table and told him
to have at it. He laughed and said” no way”. I am a firm
believer in hands on learning so away he went. One and
a half hours later he had that beaver skinned, fleshed and
tacked out to dry. WOW!!!!And oh yeah, the castor was
cleaned and on the drying rack.
12Waterfowl Season Virtual Public Hearings
March 9 & 11
VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE Press Release
Virtual public hearings on the status of migratory game bird populations and proposed 2021 migratory game bird hunt-
ing seasons for the interior zone of Vermont and Lake Champlain zone in New York and Vermont will be held Tuesday,
March 9 and Thursday, March 11.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board virtual hearings will start at 6:30 p.m. on March 9 and March 11, 2021. Informa-
tion to access the hearings is as follows:
Thursday, Ma
rch 11
arch 9 .zoom.us/j/8
7 Direct Link: htt
Tuesday, M s: // u s0 2 w e b ps://us02web.z
oom.us/j/8
http RqV 7170690147?p
Direct link: = c 2 F E Q 2htYXpoM3 wd=akJSV3pk
NnJQL0F5
p w d T0tvejJ6cm1pQ
254650972? dz09 T09
U G 9h Meeting ID: 87
zNxaWs4 72 1 7069 0147
872 5465 09 36-2866 Dial in Phone N
Meeting ID: u m b er: 1 (929) 4 umber: 1 (929)
436-2866
h o n e N Passcode: 2558
Dial in P 97
9516
Passcode: 52
Waterfowl and webless migratory game bird hunters are encouraged to attend one of the hearings and share their pref-
erences and opinions about the proposed seasons.
Under Federal regulations, waterfowl seasons, bag limits, and shooting hours in the Lake Champlain Zone must be
uniform throughout the entire zone. Waterfowl seasons in New York’s portion of the Lake Champlain Zone must be
identical to the waterfowl season in Vermont’s portion of the Zone.
The proposed 2021 migratory bird hunting seasons are available on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website (www.
vtfishandwildlife.com). Comments can be sent to ANR.FWPublicComment@Vermont.Gov or by leaving a message
for up to three minutes at this telephone number: 802-265-0043
Comments received, as well as input and recommendations from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the
New York Department of Environmental Conservation, will be reviewed by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board in
making final 2021 hunting season decisions.
13Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s Big Game Management Plan
for 2020-2030 is Available Online
VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE Press Release
Vermont’s Big Game Management lenges and, as a group, they represent descriptions of all of the issues and
Plan for 2020-2030 is now available the backbone of Vermont’s hunting the strategies as well as a summary
on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife De- and wildlife-viewing opportunities. of the public comments we received
partment’s website www.vtfishand- and our responses to them,” said
wildlife.com. “In the end,” Porter said, “the plan’s Porter. “Anyone interested in learn-
primary goal is to safeguard healthy ing more about how Vermont’s deer,
“The department has a long history of and sustainable big game populations bear, moose, and wild turkeys are be-
managing Vermont’s big game spe- and all the benefits they confer to Ver- ing scientifically managed should go
cies using the best available science monters, our economy, other wildlife to our website to read the plan.”
that is informed by a robust public in- and our landscape.”
put process,” said Fish and Wildlife
Commissioner Louis Porter. “For the The 2020-2030 Big Game Manage-
past twenty years, the management of ment Plan prescribes nine strategies
Vermont’s four big game wildlife spe- to address the eight overarching is-
cies – white-tailed deer, black bear, sues that are expected to impact all
moose, and wild turkey -- has been four species in the next decade, in-
coordinated by a comprehensive Big cluding maintaining the high support
Game Management Plan, and this is for big game hunting, conserving
our latest, proactive guide for the next vital habitat, and improving day-to-
decade.” day data collection. An additional 81
strategies target species-specific is-
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Com-
The plan, updated every ten years, sues. Some, like ensuring deer popu-
missioner Louis Porter accepted
identifies the primary issues that these lations remain in line with what the
and signed Vermont’s 2020-
species face, establishes sustainable habitat can support, and at levels Ver-
2030 Big Game Management
population and management goals monters will tolerate, are perennial is-
Plan on February 17. The plan
and then prescribes the strategies sues and included in the two previous
will guide management of deer,
needed to achieve these goals. Com- plans. Others, such as the dramatic
bear, wild turkey, and moose
bining wild turkey with moose may rise in bear-human conflicts and the
in the next decade, including
seem strange on the face of it, but a impacts of disease and parasites on
maintaining the high support
multi-species approach is appropri- moose, are new or emerging threats.
for big game hunting, conserv-
ate, according to Porter, because all ing vital habitat, and improv-
four species face overlapping chal- “The 75-page plan includes detailed ing day-to-day data collection.
A Reminder from F&W to Remove Ice Shanties
Vermont state law requires that ice fishing shanties be removed from the ice before
the ice weakens, according the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
The shanty must be removed before the ice becomes unsafe or loses its ability to sup-
port the shanty out of the water, or before the last Sunday in March -- the 28th this
year -- whichever comes first. All contents, debris, wood, and supports must also be
removed so they do not become a hazard to navigation in the spring.
The fine for leaving your ice fishing shanty on the ice can be $1,000, and shanties
VTF&W photo by Corey Hart may not be left at state fishing access areas.
14Start Scouting Now for Success
This Spring
by Brett Ladeau
Now is the time to start getting ready for spring turkey that stick around their wintering areas. This is particularly
season. I scout turkey year-round and turkey hunting is true if winter hangs on through most of April.
never far from my mind, but I really start ramping up my
scouting for spring mid-February forward. In April, I start riding roads looking for birds and listen-
ing for roosting areas. I wake up early to ride around and
Obviously, things will change drastically between Febru- stop in many locations listening for birds to gobble on the
ary and May, but I am looking for winter flocks in Feb- roost. After fly down, I am checking fields and other areas
ruary to see how the birds are doing. Turkey are usually to put my eyes on turkey.
grouped up in large mixed flocks and concentrated in cer-
tain areas this time of year. This allows me to see how I have turkey hunted some areas for about 25 years and
the hatch was last year and take an inventory of sorts. It have several “go to” spots that produce year in and year
allows me to see if we will have a heavy jake or longbeard out. In those areas, I will usually check to confirm there
population in the spring. This can make a difference in my are birds there again this year. However, I am always ex-
approach to the season. Based on anecdotal evidence and panding to new areas as well.
personal observation we should have had a tremendous
hatch in 2020, which will mean we will have a bunch of Once I have picked a new area or two out, I will step up
jakes on the landscape this spring. my scouting in those areas and will spend time getting
as much permission as possible. Getting permission early
Conversely, our hatch wasn’t nearly as good in 2019. in the spring is always a good idea. The more access to
Based on my historical observation that will mean the property you have the better your chances of success are
gobble may not be as strong as years when we have a come turkey season. Having too many places to hunt is al-
bunch of two-year-old toms running around. The spring ways better than not having enough. There may be places
of 2020 was one of the better springs for gobbling since I never hunt in a year but if I have permission and happen
our 2018 hatch was strong and the 2019 hatch wasn’t. to see a turkey on the property during season, I would not
That’s not to say there won’t be plenty of longbeards run- hesitate to give it a try.
ning around this spring. I’ve personally seen at least one
group of 17 toms running together not far from an area Once I have my permission squared away, I will walk
I hunt and have heard of a few other big male flocks in those areas to learn the terrain, roosting areas, strutting
other areas too. areas, and look for feeding sign as well as any dusting ar-
eas. I do most of my feet on the ground scouting up in the
Winter flocks also give me a good starting point on where day to avoid spooking birds as much as possible. How-
to concentrate my efforts come April and beyond. Turkey ever, if I am looking for new roosting areas, I might pick
disperse as the winter flocks break into smaller groups in a high ridge and climb to it before daylight and listen for
the spring. However, there will be a certain percentage gobblers on the roost. As I am scouting and finding sign,
15I mark these areas on a mapping system, such as OnX,
and use this information as I plan my hunts. These tactics
have proven successful over many years or trial and error.
I have not used trail cameras scouting turkey very often,
but I believe that would be another tool to help pattern
where the birds may hang out during certain times of day.
I am seriously considering adding a camera or two to my
scouting this spring. Especially in areas that are a little
farther from my core hunting area.
Scouting should pick up during the month of April in most
New England states, as flocks start to break out of the
winter groups. As the season approaches my scouting re- er or some other locator call. For me, knowing where
ally picks up. I am out just about every morning and every a gobbler is first thing in the morning always gives me
evening in my chosen areas, listening and observing. The that extra motivation
more I am out the more I learn and the better prepared I to wake up at tur-
am for the season. key hunting hours.
It just gives me a
I practice my calling year-round but for someone not quite confidence boost
as addicted to it as I am now would be a good time to start knowing I will be
practicing. I always have a mouth call or two in the truck in the game right
and practice while I am riding around scouting or heading off the bat. Most
to work. I have several sound files of real turkey and lis- of the time those
ten to those as I ride around as well. I run friction calls at roosted birds get
home almost every day. I try to practice outside as much away, but I always
as possible or wait until I am the only one home. I have have fun giving it
had enough dirty looks from the family and the dog to a try. Plus, I might
know when to stop. I do get away with a little more in the learn something for
house now but a quick the next time I hunt
glance from one of my that bird.
kids or wife and I will ei-
ther move outside or put I also try to have a
the calls down. My goal hunting partner join
is to sound as much like me. Whether it be
a real turkey as possible. family, a friend, or
I feel this also enhances someone I just met,
my chances of success. having someone to
meet makes getting
My scouting doesn’t out of bed easier too.
end when turkey season Otherwise, I might sleep in and take the morning off. The
starts either. I think in days I take off, which aren’t many, always get under my
season scouting is im- skin after the fact because there are only so many days to
portant as habits and pat- turkey hunt and I hate missing any of them.
terns change throughout
the season. I try to roost Hopefully some of these tips help with your success this
a bird or two every night spring and many season to come.
by using an owl hoot-
16Special Snow Goose Hunting Opportunity
VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE Press Release
Vermont’s spring snow goose hunt will be held from gratory hunting stamp ($25), and a 2021 Vermont migra-
March 11 through April 23. tory waterfowl stamp ($7.50).
Since 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has annu- Hunters can register with the Harvest Information Pro-
ally issued a “Conservation Order” to allow the reduction gram by going to Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website or
of the population of migrating greater and lesser snow by calling toll free 1-877-306-7091.
geese as well as Ross’ geese. The numbers of these geese
have grown so high that they are destroying habitat for Hunters who obtain a permit will be required to complete
themselves and other species. an online survey after April 9 and prior to May 23, 2021,
whether they hunted or not. Hunters without access to the
Eight states in the Atlantic Flyway (Delaware, Maryland, internet may obtain a copy of the survey by calling 802-
New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, 878-1564.
Virginia, and Vermont) will hold a similar Spring Snow
Goose Conservation Order in 2021. “The breeding population of greater snow geese has
grown from approximately 50,000 birds in the mid-1960s
The Vermont 2021 Spring Snow Goose Conservation Or- to 714,000 birds today,” said David Sausville, Vermont’s
der will occur statewide. The daily bag limit is 15 snow waterfowl project biologist. “This increase has resulted
geese, and there is in damage to agri-
no possession limit. cultural crops and
Waterfowl hunting marsh vegetation
regulations in ef- in staging and win-
fect last fall will ap- tering areas from
ply during the 2021 Quebec to North
Spring Snow Goose Carolina. Hunting
Conservation Order pressure to date has
with the exception aided in reducing
that unplugged shot- the population from
guns and electronic its high point of just
calls may be used over one million
and shooting hours birds during the pe-
will be extended riod of 2000-2010.
until one half hour The Atlantic Fly-
after sunset. way has established
Vermont’s spring snow goose hunt will be held from March a goal of 500,000
A 2021 Spring Snow 11 through April 23. greater snow geese
Goose Harvest Per- to bring populations
mit is required and in balance with their
is available at no charge on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife habitat and reduce crop depredation.”
Department’s website at https://vtfishandwildlife.com/
hunt. Hunters may also call the Essex Junction Office During spring migration, snow geese typically move
(802-878-1564) to request a permit. through the Champlain Valley in late March and early
April. They usually pass through Vermont quickly in
Hunters will need a 2021 Vermont hunting license (resi- route to their spring staging areas along the St. Lawrence
dents $28, nonresident small game $50), a 2021 Harvest River Valley. They remain there for about a month before
Information Program (HIP) number, a 2020 federal mi- moving on to their nesting areas in the Eastern Canadian
Arctic.
17VTF&W Proposes Simplifying Fishing Rules
VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE Press Release
Simpler fishing rules de-
signed to protect fish and en-
courage fishing
The Vermont Fish and Wild-
life Department wants to
make it easier for people to
go fishing by simplifying its
fishing regulations.
Fishing regulations have be-
come increasingly complex
over time as amendments
were added, making the rules
more difficult for anglers to
understand and challenging
for the department to admin-
ister and enforce.
“We want to make fishing
rules easier to understand
while continuing to protect
Vermont’s abundant fisher-
ies resources,” said Vermont
Fish and Wildlife Commis-
sioner Louis Porter. “Our
fisheries biologists and war-
dens have proposed changes
to our primary fishing regu-
lation that will simplify and
standardize the rules, rather
than having them be slightly
different, depending on what
lake or stream section you are
on.”
The proposed changes to the
Fish Management Regulation
(10 V.S.A. Appendix §122)
can be seen on the Vermont
Fish and Wildlife website
www.vtfishandwildlife.com by searching for Board Rules in the top right hand corner of the home page. The Fish and
Wildlife Board reviewed the proposed changes at its January 20 meeting.
Public comments may be emailed to ANR.fwpubliccomment@vermont.gov. Virtual public hearings will be announced
in March.
18Lawsuit
In previous issues of this column, I The Legislature returned in Janu-
The Supreme Court of Vermont has commented on the needlessly hasty ary. They have introduced and taken
ruled in two separate lawsuits that the passage of S.119 in the very last up H.145, that is a more deliber-
Vermont firearm magazine ban that days of 2020 legislative year. S.119 ate bill, getting more considered in-
was enacted on April 11, 2018 is con- was a bill that greatly altered use of put without the pressure of the past
stitutional. force by police officers. The bill was «impending election that was weeks
drastically amended in the House away, as with the September 2020 bill
The Court used the “reasonableness Judiciary Committee. The Vermont S.119. Laws should not be created in
test” in determining the legality of Commissioner of Public Safety and the haste to get «something» pushed
this law, rather the more stringent In- local police chiefs stated they had se- out in an election year.
termediate Scrutiny or Strict Scrutiny rious concerns with the bill with the
standards. The Court used the level bill as it had been amended. H.145 https://legislature.vermont.
of review most favorable to the state, gov/Documents/2022/Docs/BILLS/
apparently did not consider Common FBI crime statistics prove that Ver- H-0145/H-0145%20As%20Intro-
Benefits challenge in deciding the mont is consistently one of the low- duced.pdf
criminal case and applied that ruling est violent crime rate states in the
to the VTFSC case. nation. Vermont›s law enforcement As the legislature returned to Mont-
plays a significant role in the safety of pelier, the gun control bills began to
VTFSC case written opinion: https:// our citizens. emerge. One of the worst is S.30, bill
www.vermontjudiciary.org/sites/de- with lead sponsor Phil Baruth (D/P)
fault/files/documents/eo20-155_0.pdf Gun rights advocates closely tracked of Chittenden County. This is a bill
S.119 through the legislative pro- that would ban firearms in certain
Bennington County criminal case cess. The bill amended in 13 V.S.A. types of locations throughout Ver-
opinion: https://www.vermontju- 2305 is entitled Justifiable Ho- mont.
diciary.org/sites/default/files/docu- micide. In Sections (1) and (2) of
ments/op19-266.pdf this statute defines when private Senator Baruth has long been very
citizens can legally use deadly clear on his contention with citizens
The Vermont Federation of Sports- force in defensive a action. bearing arms for self-defense.
men’s Clubs (VTFSC) will review
the written opinion with legal counsel S.119, as amended in the House Ju- S.30 has structural problems that
to determine if there are viable legal diciary Committee and passed the have been discussed at great length
options. senate on a voice vote on September in several hearings in the Senate Judi-
24. Not a roll call vote. The bill did ciary Committee. What is most com-
The VTFSC is also party to an Am- not pass the senate with a strong voice pelling is that numerous existing state
icus brief in a case before the U.S. 9th vote. The bill was unwanted product laws work much better. Laws that
Circuit Court of Appeals challeng- for which nobody want to get stuck do not trample on the rights of peace-
ing a California firearm magazine ban with the blame. ful citizens.
law. There are many routes to pursue
in engaging in constitutional litiga- Governor Scott did not sign the S.30: https://legislature.vermont.gov/
tion to protect the rights of individu- bill, thus, S.119 passed into law with- Documents/2022/Docs/BILLS/S-
al liberty. out his signature. 0030/S-0030%20As%20Introduced.
pdf
Vermont’s law enforcement and laws S.119 (Act 165): https://legislature.
play a major factor in the state’s prov- vermont.gov/Documents/2020/Docs/ Throughout the Senate Judiciary Com-
en continuously low violent crime ACTS/ACT165/ACT165%20As%20 mittee hearings, most of the members
rate. Enacted.pdf of the committee have raised serious
questions about the bill. On February
193, an effort to salvage his bill, Sena- three states have remarkably similar Gun control advocates have a constant
tor Baruth proposed new language to gun laws, that do not infringe on the agenda of working to have our state
the bill that would greatly complicate rights of peaceful citizens. In con- adopt the gun control laws of NY and
and expand the banning of firearms trast, New York and Massachusetts, MA. Why would our state adopt the
throughout Vermont. which both abut Vermont, have dra- laws of two adjacent states that have
conian gun control laws. NY and nearly double our violent crime rate?
When a bill is in trouble the obvi- MA also have violent crime rates
ous answer to Senator Baruth is to that are nearly double the violent It has long been the position of the
complicate and greatly expand the crime rates in VT, NH and ME. Vermont Federation of Sportsmen›s
power of the bill. S30 is a defective Clubs that laws should enact sound
solution in search of a problem. Those who hunt, fish, shoot and policy and be in compliance with the
trap should be forewarned that their Vermont and U.S. Constitutions. A
You can watch the Senate Judiciary sports are also to be considered with reasonable standard. A common sense
Committee hearing of Feb. 3rd on new legislation in Montpelier. H.167 standard that does not infringe on the
S.30 at: would create an Environmental Stew- rights to which the founders of this
h t t p s : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / ardship Board that would control Ver- nation endowed to U.S. citizens.
watch?v=GYsHeyVv_3U mont F&W and the F&W Board In
essence, the Environmental Steward- You can track the bills of interest
Senator Baruth has been very clear in ship Board would finally grasp con- to you at the VTFSC web site at:
a goal of Vermont enacting New trol of Vermont F&W and the F&W www,vtfsc.com or
York City or Massachusetts type Board. Just what our state needs: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.
gun control laws that drastically limit another bureaucratic body. H.167 net/csbvtfsc/pages/1/attachments/
or ban citizens keeping and bearing is fourteen pages of creating more original/1612643033/2021-22_legis-
arms for self-defense. crushing over regulation. lation.pdf?1612643033
H.167: https://legislature.vermont.
Vermont, New Hampshire and gov/Documents/2022/Docs/BILLS/
Maine have histories of consistent- H-0167/H-0167%20As%20Intro-
ly low violent crime rates. These duced.pdf
How to Interpret Your Soil Test
If you missed our article on “Why a test that comes back that requires isn’t as good in my opinion because
Do a Soil Test” in the Sept. issue anywhere from two-five tons of lime of the waste that’s needed to form the
no problem you can go back and per acre. Keep in mind the test tar- pellet. Whether you use 40# or 50#
view. “How to Interpret Your Soil get pH is a 6.2 and most seed likes a bags of lime here is a quick formula
Test” is a follow up article to help pH of 6.5-7.0. Chances are whatever to help you with your calculations.
you figure out the amounts of lime is recommended you will be doing it First determine the size of your plot
and fertilizer needed for your plots. two years in a row, maybe three. Also (Square foot of your plot divided by
keep in mind that the soil can only in- 1 acre, 43560 = plot size). Area finder
The first thing you need to con- take three tons/acre in one season so apps or Garmin Rino’s work great
centrate on is your pH level. If the don’t overdo it. I like to use pulver- for odd shape plots also. Let’s as-
pH level is low the availability of ized lime which doesn’t spread eas- sume your test comes back and calls
phosphorus or ability of the plants ily unless you have a cone spreader for 3 tons/acre and your plot size is
to take in nutrients will increase the with our 200# vibrator and mounting ¼ acre (.250). Using 40# bags, 50 x
amount of fertilizer you have to use bracket and wiring harness. The most plot size = lime need for 1 ton/acre,
which costs money. As the pH rises often used lime is pelletized because
the amount of fertilizer you need it’s easy to spread but it cost more,
could be cut in half. You may get takes longer to breakdown, and just Continued on page 23
20Hunt Proposed to Improve Health of Vermont’s Moose
VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE Press Release
A limited moose hunt in Vermont’s the state to be very poor. Survival “This permit recommendation will
Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) E of adult moose remained relatively help address winter tick impacts on
in the northeastern corner of the state good, but birth rates were very low moose in WMU-E by reducing the
is proposed in order to reduce the and less than half of the calves sur- density of moose, but it does so slow-
impact of winter ticks on the moose vived their first winter. ly, over a period of several years,”
population. added Fortin. “This allows future
The goal of the Fish and Wildlife De- moose permit allocations to be ad-
The proposal was presented by the partment’s 2021 moose season rec- justed as new information becomes
Fish and Wildlife Department to the ommendation, that was accepted by available. Given the poor health of
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board at the Fish and Wildlife Board at their the moose population in that area and
its February 17 meeting. February 17 meeting, is to improve a clearly identified cause, we need
the health of moose in WMU-E by re- to take action to address this issue.
“Moose density in WMU E remains ducing the impact of winter ticks. Without intervention to reduce the
well above one moose per square moose population in WMU-E, high
mile, significantly higher than any “Research has shown that lower tick loads will continue to impact
other part of the state,” said Nick For- moose densities, like in the rest of the health of moose in that region for
tin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s biol- Vermont, support relatively few win- many years.”
ogist in charge of the moose project. ter ticks that do not impact moose
“Moose densities greater than one per populations,” said Fortin. “Reducing No moose hunting permits are recom-
square mile support high numbers of moose density decreases the number mended for other regions of Vermont.
winter ticks which negatively impact of available hosts which in turn de-
moose health and survival.” creases the number of winter ticks on The 2021 Moose Season Recommen-
the landscape.” dation and related information about
The Fish and Wildlife Department moose research and management are
recently partnered with University The department would issue 60 ei- available on Vermont Fish and Wild-
of Vermont researchers to conduct a ther-sex moose hunting permits and life’s website at www.vtfishandwild-
study of moose health and survival in 40 antlerless moose hunting permits life.com. Comments may be provid-
WMU E. The results of this study, in WMU-E for the moose seasons ed until March 31 by emailing ANR.
in which 126 moose (36 cows, 90 this October. That would result in an FWPublicComment@vermont.gov
calves) were fitted with GPS tracking estimated harvest of 51 to 66 moose, or by calling and leaving a message
collars, clearly showed that chronic or 5 percent of the more than 1,000 on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife
high winter tick loads have caused moose currently estimated to live in public comment voicemail at 802-
the health of moose in that part of WMU E. 265-0043.
The high number of moose in the northeastern corner of Vermont has stimulated a dramatic increase in
winter ticks, causing moose health to severely decline. As many as 90,000 winter ticks have been found
on one moose. More than half of moose
calves have died in recent winters due
to blood loss caused by the winter ticks.
VTF&W explains that reducing the
number of hosts (moose) will reduce the
number of parasitic ticks and improve
moose health.
VTF&W photos by Jake DeBow, Josh
Blouin
21You can also read
