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MassWildlife Monthly April 2022

News from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

Table of Contents

2022 spring turkey season

The 2022 Spring Turkey Hunting Season is April 25–May 21, and the Youth Turkey Hunt Day is April 23. (Please note: Only those youth who have completed Basic Hunter Education and the mandatory youth turkey hunting class are eligible to participate in the Youth Hunt Day.)

Get your license and turkey permit

Your turkey permit comes with 3 turkey tags. Hunters can take 2 bearded turkeys in the spring and 1 turkey of either sex in the fall.

Go to MassFishHunt.mass.gov to buy your license or permit. MassFishHunt, the official licensing and harvest reporting system for Massachusetts, got an upgrade at the end of 2021. You’ll need an email address to log into the new system. Learn about new MassFishHunt features and about how to log in for the first time.
 

Spring turkey hunting tips and regulations

Get ready for the season with turkey tips. Browse spring turkey hunting tips by topics including pre-season scouting, using decoys, roosting birds, calls, and more.

Review turkey hunting regulations, including hunting hours, bag limits, and allowable hunting implements.
 

Report your turkey harvest online using the new MassFishHunt

Use MassFishHunt to easily report harvested birds online. Your license, permit, and harvest reporting information will transfer seamlessly to the new MassFishHunt system. If you want to report your harvest in person, view a map of check stations open this spring

How to report online:

1. Go to MassFishHunt.mass.gov.

2. Select Report a Harvest from the top menu.

harvest reporting massfishhunt


If you’re using a mobile device, click the 3 bars in the upper left of your screen to see the menu.

harvest reporting massfishhunt

 
3. Enter your customer ID and date of birth, then click Search.

harvest reporting massfishhunt


4. Your available tags will now be visible. Click the drop-down arrow next to the tag you are reporting on. Then click Report a harvest.

harvest reporting massfishhunt

5. You will have to answer a series of questions. You will need to examine the animal to answer some of the questions. When finished, click Submit at the bottom of the page.

6. A message containing your confirmation number will appear after you submit your report.
IMPORTANT: You must write this number on the harvest tag (which should still be attached to the harvested animal), where it shall remain until the animal is processed for food or taxidermy.

harvest reporting massfishhunt

 

Note: To get full use of the new MassFishHunt and purchase licenses online, you will need to claim your account and add an email and password. Learn how to log into the new MassFishHunt for the first time

Turkey hunting safety information

  • Follow state guidance related to COVID-19, social distancing, and travel.
  • Always follow the 10 basic rules of firearm safety.
  • Be completely sure of your target and what is beyond it before you shoot. Always practice firearm safety.
  • Don't stalk turkey sounds; it could be another hunter. Sit or stand and call the birds to you.
  • Do not wear red, white, blue, or black; these colors are associated with male turkeys.
  • Protect your back. Set up against a large tree or rock and make sure your view isn't obstructed. Don't hide in a place with an obstructed view.
  • Do not place decoys too close to where you set up. Never carry an exposed decoy or tail fan while hunting; put them in a bag when carrying them in or out of hunting locations.
  • Consider wearing hunter orange when entering or leaving your hunting area.
  • Regulation requires that all hunters place an official green safety sticker on their firearm positioned so it's visible when sighting down the barrel. If you need a new or replacement sticker for your firearm, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: MassWildlife, Attn: Turkey Safety Sticker, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581. In order to ensure enough time to process and return mail safety stickers prior to opening day, please submit requests by April 16. Requests received after April 16 may not be fulfilled before opening day.

Researching black bears in winter dens

Every winter, MassWildlife biologists visit the dens of female black bears, known as sows, who have been previously fitted with radio tracking collars. Sows may be in their dens alone, with newborn cubs, or with yearling cubs born the previous winter. Biologists assess the condition of the bears, count the newborn cubs, and confirm the survival of the yearlings born the previous winter. These valuable data on survival and reproduction help biologists model whether black bear populations are growing, declining, or remaining stable.  

Winter dens can be a hollow tree or log, rock crevice, or a ground nest under fallen trees or brush. Once they locate a den, biologists immobilize the sow and gather information such as body condition, weight, and sex of cubs. They also evaluate collars for proper fit and function and replace them when needed. This past winter, biologists visited 27 dens. Discoveries included one sow with no cubs, four two-year-old females wearing yearling collars, 10 females with yearlings, and 11 females with newborn cubs. Sows ranged in age from two to 16 years old.  

Black bear cubs are born small, blind, and helpless. To give the mother a chance to bond with her cubs and for the cubs grow, MassWildlife waits until the end of February before visiting dens of sows with newborns. The eleven females averaged 2.54 cubs, with one sow having 4 cubs. 

MassWildlife Black Bear and Furbearer Biologist Dave Wattles noted that biologists can learn a lot about bear activity from reviewing location data collected from radio collars, as well as their size documented during den visits. "One key finding is that the female bears we study in more suburban areas are very large, with weights averaging more than 250 pounds," he shared, "compared to bears in more rural, forested areas averaging closer to 150 pounds." A second big takeaway from this winter’s research was how close to people bears will den. Wattles added, “We had bear dens 10 yards off the back parking lot of a fire department, under a building on piling foundations, on the edge of a backyard, and in the middle of a construction yard. These bears had plenty of options to den in more remote locations but chose not to.” Both observations indicate bears are finding supplemental food sources in suburban areas, such as unsecured garbage, bird feeders, and open compost. Human food sources are harmful to bears' natural diets and put communities at added risk of unwanted conflicts.

As bear population densities continue to increase in central Massachusetts, and ranges continue to expand east of I-495, it is more important than ever for people to use best practices to coexist. You can help keep bears healthy (and keep people safe) by removing bird feeders, securing all garbage and compost, feeding pets indoors, and protecting backyard bees and chickens with electric fencing. When bears do NOT find easier-access food sources near people’s neighborhoods, they learn to spend less time in these places, which reduces risks for people and bears. 

Learn more at mass.gov/bears

Please click here to see more video footage of black bear winter den research.

What to do when you find young wildlife

Do you know what to do if you find a baby bird, a nest of newborn bunnies, or another young animal in your yard this spring?

The arrival of spring means the arrival of young wildlife. Every year, the lives of young creatures are disturbed by people who take young animals from the wild in a well-intentioned attempt to save them, but this often does more harm than good. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is reminding the public that young wildlife belong in the wild and urging residents to leave young wildlife alone. Finding a young animal alone does not mean it’s been abandoned or needs to be rescued. Adults are often nearby and visit their young only occasionally to avoid detection from predators.

Nearly all wild birds and mammals are protected by law; they may not legally be taken from the wild or kept as pets. Most people quickly find that they can’t properly care for young wildlife, and many animals soon die in the hands of people trying to help. Young wildlife removed from the wild are also denied important natural learning experiences which help them survive on their own. Even if these animals are released back into the wild, their chances of survival are reduced. Often, the care given to young wildlife results in some attachment to humans and the animals may return to places where people live, only to be attacked by domestic animals or hit by cars. With little fear of humans, once-tamed wildlife may become nuisances or injure people.

What you should do:

  • If you find a baby bird: While baby birds may look helpless, they do not need your assistance unless you see clear signs of injury, like a broken wing. If you find a hatchling or nestling (a young bird without feathers) outside the nest, you can try to return it to its nest or create an artificial nest. The parents will not reject it if you touch it. If you find a fledgling (a young, fully feathered bird) outside the nest, leave it alone. While it is spending some time hopping around on the ground learning how to fly, the parents are usually nearby still taking care of it. If you find a fledgling near a road or exposed to danger, it can be moved to a safer, sheltered location nearby. Young birds naturally have a low survival rate, which keeps populations in balance with available resources.
  • If you find a fawn: Young deer are born in late May and early June. Even if you see a fawn alone for several days, you should still leave it alone. The animal may be motionless and seem vulnerable, but this is the normal behavior for a fawn and the mother (doe) is probably feeding or bedded nearby. Fawns are safest when left alone because their camouflaging color helps them remain undetected. Does visit their fawns to nurse very infrequently, a behavior that helps fawns avoid detection by predators. If sympathetic people repeatedly visit a fawn, it can prolong separation from the doe and delay needed feeding. Fawns cannot be cared for by wildlife rehabilitators; if a fawn is visibly injured or found with its dead mother, call MassWildlife at (508) 389-6300. Click here for more information on finding a fawn.
  • If you find bunnies or other young mammals: Generally, young mammals are visited by their mother only a few times a day to avoid attracting predators to the young. For example, a nest of bunnies will only be visited by the adult female twice per day to nurse the young. The young are generally safe when left alone because their color patterns and lack of scent help them remain undetected. In most cases, it’s best to leave young animals alone.
  • Keep pets leashed. Keeping pets indoors or restrained helps wildlife, as pets often like to chase and hunt songbirds and other mammals. This also helps your pets avoid health and safety dangers posed by wild animals, other pets, or automobiles.
  • Contact a wildlife rehabilitator for advice. In almost all cases, it’s best to leave wildlife alone and let nature take its course. In the rare case you find a young animal with a dead parent or if you see visible signs of injury, you can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for assistance. An injured wild animal may be assisted, but a person must deliver the animal immediately to a licensed rehabilitator. MassWildlife licenses wildlife rehabilitators who are qualified to care for most injured or truly orphaned wildlife.

For more information on what to do if you find sick, injured, or young wildlife, please click here.

Public Hearing: 2022–2023 Migratory Game Bird Regulations

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 19 at 10 a.m. to establish rules and regulations relative to the 2022–2023 migratory game bird hunting seasons. This public hearing will be held virtually via Zoom (scroll down for instructions to join).  

Due to the migratory game bird season filing requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board must vote to finalize and approve the 2022–2023 migratory bird seasons at the close of the hearing. Therefore, please note: There will be no written comment period after this public hearing. Written comments may be submitted prior to the hearing via email to susan.sacco@mass.gov, Subject: Fisheries and Wildlife Board, or via the U.S.P.S. to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581. 

The full proposed rules and regulations are posted below so that interested persons can review them and provide written comments prior to the hearing and oral comments during the public-comment portion of the hearing. Here is a summary of the proposed changes: 

  • Woodcock Season: October 1 through November 22 

  • Youth and Veteran’s Waterfowl Hunts: September 24 and October 8 

  • Early Goose Season (statewide): September 1 through September 23 

  • Regular Goose Season 

    • Berkshire Zone: October 10 through November 12 

    • Central Zone: October 10 through November 26 and December 12 through December 31  

    • Coastal Zone: October 15 through October 22 and November 28 through January 27

  • Late Goose Season

    • Berkshire Zone (*new*): December 15 through February 15

    • Central Zone: January 18 through February 15 

    • North Coastal Zone: January 25 through February 15   

  • Duck Season  

    • Berkshire Zone: October 10 through November 26 and December 5 through December 24 

    • Central Zone: October 10 through November 26 and December 12 through December 31

    • Coastal Zone: October 15 through October 22 and November 24 through January 24

To further increase hunting opportunities and simplify regulations, MassWildlife is proposing to:

  • Add a Late Goose Season to the Berkshire Zone.
  • Create simultaneous opening days for the regular goose season in the Berkshire and Central zones so more hunters can hunt the Columbus Day holiday (October 10, 2022). 
  • Combine sea duck with the regular duck season with one bag limit and season.
  • Remove the 2-bird daily bag restriction for hooded mergansers. If approved, licensed hunters would be able to take 5, which is the overall merganser bag limit.
  • Remove the 4-bird limit of any one species restriction. If the species does not have additional bag limit restrictions (i.e. the 2 mallard daily limit), you could now take 6 (the overall duck daily limit) instead of being limited to 4. 

Full text of proposed rules and regulations: DFW - Final Draft - 2022-2023 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations

Instructions to Join the Public Hearing via Zoom 

The hearing, which will begin at 10 a.m. on April 19, will be held in the same webinar as the April monthly business meeting of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board (begins at 9 a.m.; meeting notice). Attendees can enter and exit the webinar at any time and all attendees will be given the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and/or make oral comments during the hearing if they wish. Click here to join the Zoom session using your computer, tablet, or smartphone by clicking this link with Passcode e7NWFv, or you can join by phone by calling 1-929-205-6099 and entering the Webinar ID: 852 2550 7946 and Passcode: 411752 when prompted.

Initial Swift River study complete

The Swift River, located a mere 30 minutes from Springfield and 45 minutes from Worcester, is one of the most unique and popular trout fishing destinations in Massachusetts. Many anglers fish these cold, clear waters year-round thanks to the constant outflow from Quabbin Reservoir. The Swift tailwater is home to many wild brook trout which can grow to trophy size. In addition, anglers target stocked rainbow trout and stocked brown trout, which can sometimes reach massive size as holdovers from previous stocking seasons. For all its popularity, the dynamics of this exceptional fishery have not been well studied understood. But that’s changing. After several years of observation, monitoring, and preliminary investigation, MassWildlife fisheries biologists have completed the first phase of research to learn about this unique stretch of river.

Based on feedback from anglers, the abundance of stocked trout in the river was not always meeting expectations relative to the quantity of trout being stocked there. In March 2021, MassWildlife launched a “mark-recapture” study to track the survival and movement of stocked trout over time. Stocked trout were marked with a small elastomer mark (a tiny permanent hardened dye, similar to a tattoo) near their eye, with a color that corresponded to the month of their stocking. Adipose fins were clipped on fish stocked above Route 9; fins were left intact on trout stocked downstream. Each stocking group was surveyed with electrofishing gear one week, one month, and three months after stocking. The number and location of each marked fish was recorded.

The study was completed in early 2022 and the results were analyzed shortly after. Results showed relatively sharp declines in stocked rainbow trout one week after stocking, followed by a more gradual decline over the rest of the season. Stocked brown trout showed a similar pattern, though less pronounced. Possible reasons for the decline include natural mortality from competition or predation, angler harvest, catch-and-release mortality, or movement outside the study area. Both rainbow and brown trout tended either to stay near the location of their stocking or to move downstream. These movement patterns could be linked to competition for space and food at different times of the year. You can get more details about the survey methods and results at mass.gov/swift-trout.

This is the most comprehensive survey to date on the Swift River tailwater, but many questions are left to be answered. Future planned studies will be expanded to include the prolific wild brook trout in that stretch of the river. The next phase of the study will rely on PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags that can be continuously read by multiple antenna locations along the river and track movement of trout as they pass by. More information is also needed on harvest tendencies of anglers in parts of the river where harvest is allowed. Mass.gov/swift-trout will be updated with upcoming study plans and results from these investigations.

School is out, help stock trout!

The public is invited to help MassWildlife stock trout during school vacation week! Meet MassWildlife fisheries staff, view trout up close, and learn about places to fish near you.

Can't make one of these stocking events? You can still join in on the fun by planning a fishing trip with family or friends to take advantage of spring trout stocking. MassWildlife will stock nearly 500,000 hatchery-raised brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout statewide this year. Information about where trout have been stocked is updated daily at Mass.gov/Trout

2021 Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program announcements

MassWildlife’s Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program recognizes anglers who catch exceptional freshwater fish from Massachusetts waters that are open to the public. It’s time to celebrate the 2021 participants and winners!

Angler of the Year awards are given in 3 categories to the person who catches the most species that meet the minimum weight or length requirements. Check out a list of the 2021 top catches by species.

Highlights:

  • Joshua Christman of Pittsfield is the Catch & Keep Adult Angler of the Year. He caught 13 of the 22 eligible species.
  • Philip Prieur of South Hamilton is the Catch & Keep Youth Angler of the Year. He caught 18 of the 22  eligible species.
  • David Desimone of Amherst is the Catch & Release Angler of the Year. David caught 22 of 22 species and was awarded 5 new state catch & release records. He is the first angler to catch all 22 Sportfish Awards species that meet the minimum length requirement!
  • 9 new state records were awarded in the Catch & Release category.​

There is plenty of time to get involved in 2022! Learn more about the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program and submit your catch at mass.gov/dfw/sportfishing-awards

Youth Artist from Acton Wins Junior Duck Stamp Contest

Andrew Liu won Best of Show in the 2022 Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) Contest. His acrylic painting of a Common Eider in flight was selected from 199 entries. Liu’s award-winning work will move on to the National JDS Contest. 

Students from kindergarten through grade 12 from across the Commonwealth submitted original works of art depicting waterfowl in appropriate wetland habitat, demonstrating both artistic talent and a knowledge of the value of wetlands for wildlife. In March, MassWildlife held the judging, at which time the top winning artists were selected. Combinations of the top artworks will be exhibited throughout Massachusetts in the coming year based on reopening guidelines for host sites.

The Massachusetts JDS Program is sponsored by MassWildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with support from the Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council. Please support the JDS Program and wetland conservation by purchasing Junior Duck Stamps featuring national winners from previous years. Stamps can be purchased at duckstamp.com.

To learn more about the Massachusetts JDS Program, and to access the traveling exhibit schedule, visit mass.gov/dfw/jds.

MassWildlife's I&E Chief Marion Larson retires

After over 38 years of state service, Marion E. Larson retired in early March from her position as Chief of MassWildlife’s Information and Education (I&E) Section. Marion joined MassWildlife in 1991, after she had served the Commonwealth for seven years as an Environmental Police Officer in Northern Worcester and Middlesex counties under the then-Department of Fish, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement.

Marion earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Environmental Interpretation/Education from the University of Vermont, and she began her MassWildlife career in I&E as a Wildlife Education Specialist, coordinating Project WILD, a national program that provides ecology and conservation teaching resources and training to K-12 teachers and serving on the Massachusetts Envirothon steering committee, in addition to providing trainings, coordinating public displays and events, and performing many other related duties. In later years, Marion was the Outreach Coordinator, fielding emails and phone calls from the public; providing content for the agency’s website; organizing meetings, programs, and events; developing the agency’s newsletter, first in paper form, then in an email format; and handling press inquiries in coordination with the Department of Fish and Game and the Secretariat of Energy and the Environment. In that role, she also kept her finger on the pulse of the work of staff throughout the agency, constantly learning from her colleagues and then translating that knowledge for the public.

Marion was promoted to her ultimate position of Chief of I&E in 2012. During her tenure, she served on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Junior Conservation Camp, on the Massachusetts Envirothon Council, as part of the Massachusetts State Commission for Conservation of Soil, Water, and Related Resources’ grant review team, and on the Northeast Information & Education Association. While she was Chief, the agency developed and implemented its highly successful social-media outreach and marketing strategy; focused its efforts on hunter and angler recruitment, retention, and reactivation; opened its new LEED Platinum certified Field Headquarters in Westborough; and proudly celebrated its 150th anniversary with a gala, full-day open house at the Field Headquarters with activities and exhibits contributed by staff from across the agency. Marion seemed to be everywhere at once that day, exhibiting her trademark sense of fun and enthusiasm for all things wild.

The hallmarks of Marion’s successful career are the lasting connections she made across agencies and organizations statewide and the seemingly effortless, down-to-earth rapport she always maintained with members of the press and the public alike. Her general wildlife and conservation knowledge and ability to convey it simply are matched only by her curiosity and enthusiasm for the subjects. Marion’s lifelong passion for education was the catalyst for much of her work. As she noted in her farewell email to her MassWildlife colleagues, “whether it was in law enforcement, working with educators and volunteers, outreach to different audiences, media relations, publications, [or] other communications efforts, the common thread was education.”

MassWildlife has benefited greatly from Marion’s natural curiosity and affinity for education; her extended network of colleague-friends that kept her up to date on conservation matters across the state; and her accessible, easy-going manner with constituents and members of the public. Marion received a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Citation for Outstanding Performance in 2000 and she was recently honored with a career recognition award by the Worcester County League of Sportsmen and the Lillian Gribbons Award by the Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council.

Best wishes from all of us on your retirement, Marion – on to your next great adventure!

 

Conservation partners who want to keep in touch with MassWildlife can email Nicole.McSweeney@mass.gov.

Members of the media can send inquiries to masswildlife.news@mass.gov.

Contact   for MassWildlife Monthly April 2022

Date published: April 11, 2022
Last updated: April 11, 2022

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