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MassWildlife Monthly June 2021

News from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

Table of Contents

Public hearings scheduled for new proposed fishing and hunting license fees

For the first time since 1996, MassWildlife is proposing changes to hunting, freshwater fishing, and trapping license fees. These fee changes are necessary to ensure the continuation of scientific management of fish and wildlife, management of wildlife lands, and popular programs including trout and pheasant stocking, Hunter Education, and Angler Education.

MassWildlife has released a new license proposal, which incorporates public input on the original February proposal. In the new proposal, most fee increases will be phased in over five years beginning in 2022 and fee increases for hunting permits and stamps are lower than originally proposed. Public hearings will be held on June 22, 23, and 24 on Zoom to provide the public an opportunity to comment on the new proposed changes. 

The current proposal incorporates public feedback gathered through six information sessions held in February and March, phone calls, emails, letters, and a webform. Although many stakeholders expressed an understanding of the need to raise fees after 25 years, there was a strong desire to see fee increases phased in over time, and to lower the proposed increases to hunting permits and stamps. In response, MassWildlife and the Department of Fish and Game worked with the Baker-Polito Administration to revise the original fee proposal. Recognizing that all Massachusetts residents benefit from MassWildlife’s work to conserve wildlife, protect open space, and preserve clean water and air, the Baker-Polito Administration will work to diversify MassWildlife’s funding and reduce the burden on the fee-paying sporting community. This change will make it possible to maintain MassWildlife’s programming and services with lower fees than originally proposed. Please click here to view the current and proposed fees for hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, permits, and stamps.

You can provide public comment by speaking at one of the hearings, or provide written comment through 4 p.m. on July 8, 2021 using this convenient feedback form, or by mail to: MassWildlife Re: License Fee, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581. 

Find more information about how MassWildlife is funded, why an increase is needed, and details about the upcoming public hearings at mass.gov/masswildlife-funding

Apply for your Antlerless Deer Permit by July 16, 2021

An antlerless deer permit (sometimes called a doe permit or doe tag) is required for those who want to hunt antlerless deer this fall.

If you apply for a permit by the July 16 deadline, you then must check back after August 1 to find out if you have been awarded the ability to purchase the permit. Hunters can apply online using MassFishHunt on a computer or smartphone. You need a valid hunting or sporting license to apply for an antlerless deer permit. There is no fee to apply; a $5 fee is charged only if you are awarded a permit during the instant award period.

The instant award period begins August 1st at 8 a.m. and ends on December 31. Your odds of being awarded a permit are the same regardless of when you check your permit status. You can check the status of your permit through MassFishHunt.

Learn more about Antlerless Deer Permits, including how to apply and 2020 allocations.

Free fishing weekend

Mark your calendars for this year’s Free Freshwater Fishing Weekend on June 5 and 6! No license is required to fish any public lake, pond, reservoir, stream, or river in Massachusetts from 12 a.m. Saturday, June 5 until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 6.  

  • Other than Free Fishing Weekend, you need a license to fish in fresh water if you are 15 or older. If you're 15–17 or 70 and older, your license is free. Funds from fishing license sales support MassWildlife’s fisheries research, fish stocking programs, and angler education programs. Buy your fishing license here. 
  • All other regulations, including catch limits, apply during Free Fishing Weekend. Before heading out on the water, make sure you know the rules. Review fishing regulations
  • For saltwater anglers, Free Saltwater Fishing Weekend is June 19–20.

Where to fish

Use our fishing map to find places to fish near you! You can also explore trout stocked waters or handicapped accessible fishing sites

Sharpen your skills

It's easy to learn to fish. All you need to get started is some simple gear and a little practice! Read fishing tips and watch tutorial videos.

What to do if you find a young deer

During the summer months, many fawns are born in Massachusetts. If you find a fawn, leave it alone. If you have questions or doubts, read on to learn more about fawn and deer behavior.

Finding a fawn

Fawns are born in late May and early June. If you find a fawn, leave it alone. The animal may be motionless and seem vulnerable, but this is the normal behavior for a fawn. Even if you see a fawn alone for several days you should still leave it alone the mother is probably feeding or bedded nearby. Does (female deer) visit their fawns to nurse very infrequently, a behavior that helps fawns avoid detection by predators. It is not uncommon for fawns to be left alone for 6-8 hours at a time. Young fawns are usually quite safe when left alone because their color pattern and lack of scent help them to remain undetected.

If you have taken a fawn into your care, you should immediately return it to where you found it, or to safer cover nearby (within 200 yards). Then, quickly leave the area to ensure the fawn doesn't follow you and so the mother feels safe enough to return. The mother will soon return to nurse the fawn, even after it has been handled by humans. Don't try and feed fawns as they have sensitive stomachs. 

If a fawn is visibly injured, call MassWildlife at 508-389-6300. Fawns cannot be cared for by wildlife rehabilitators.

Fawn facts

Many times people try and help fawns as a response to normal fawn behaviors.

These normal behaviors include:

  • A fawn that is still and unresponsive. Fawns view humans as predators and will drop their head and freeze to avoid detection.
  • A fawn that is crying. Fawns can bleat (vocalize) in a way that sounds like crying if they are disturbed or are trying to locate their mother.
  • A fawn that is in your yard. Fawns are commonly found bedded in brushy areas with vegetative cover or even in some grassy areas – even in suburban areas close to homes or near roadways. Their mother felt this was a safe place for the fawn. On occasion, a fawn that has been disturbed may wander into a dangerous area or an area where the mother may not feel comfortable going (e.g., onto a road, near people, into a garage, etc.). Only if a fawn is in real danger should you interfere by moving the fawn to nearby forested or shrubby area where there is thick cover. Then leave quickly, so the fawn does not follow, and don’t linger. The mother will not come if you are nearby.
  • A fawn alone for long periods of time. Young fawns remain bedded, alone for most of the day and night. The mother will return several times to nurse briefly. She will not approach if people are nearby.
  • A fawn that looks skinny and weak. All fawns appear skinny, but it’s not an indication that they are abandoned or starving. If disturbed, they may also look like they are weak or having trouble walking. Never feed a fawn; their stomachs are sensitive  and the food or milk you give them can be very harmful.

These are all normal things for fawns, and while they may be alarming, you do more harm than good attempting to care for a fawn.

How to set up your fishing rod

Learn how to line your fishing rod and tie quick and simple knots to get started fishing today!

Get your fishing gear ready

You purchased your fishing license, the weather is beautiful, and now you’re gearing up for an adventure. But before you can get out on the water, you need to string your fishing rod and attach your hook. These instructional videos will help you get started in no time.

How to string a fishing pole:

Most modern fishing rod and reel combinations come with a matching line that is rated for the rod and reel. However, spooling your line is a skill you will eventually need to know as monofilament fishing line has a limited shelf life depending on use and storage. 

Watch this video for step-by-step instructions on how to add line to your fishing rod. Make sure to select fishing line that matches the suggested line rating for your fishing rod and generally within the size range of fish you expect to catch. For example, if your rod has a line rating of 6–10 pounds and you plan to fish for freshwater species like bass, use a 6–10 pound test line. 

Watch the video here.

How to tie an arbor knot:

The video above uses an arbor knot to attach the fishing line to the arbor or spool center of the fishing reel. This video shows a close-up of how to tie an arbor knot.

Watch the video here.

How to tie a clinch knot:

Once your rod is ready, you need to choose from the dozens of knots that can help ensure your catch doesn’t get away. When learning fishing knots, there is no better knot to start with than the clinch knot. This knot is easy to learn and is one of the strongest fishing knots to use when tying your line to your hook.

Watch the video here.

How to tie a Palomar knot:

Another strong and easy knot to learn is the Palomar knot. It’s a good idea to practice tying these knots as much as possible, that way you can quickly use them as needed.

Watch the video here.

With a freshly lined rod and new knots learned, you are ready to hit the water! If you're new to fishing, check out mass.gov/get-started-fishing for more tips on what to bring and where to go fishing in Massachusetts. 

All videos courtesy of TakeMeFishing. For more instructional videos on all things fishing, visit TakeMeFishing.org

Habitat management grant application opens mid-July

Landowners can get technical assistance and Priority Habitat pre-review in advance of the grant application opening.

MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP) provides financial assistance to private and municipal landowners of conserved lands to enhance wildlife habitat, while promoting public access for outdoor recreation. Over the past 6 years, the MHMGP has awarded over $2.2M in funding to 33 different organizations and individuals for 84 habitat improvement projects.

The MHMGP encourages landowners to engage in active habitat management on their properties to benefit many types of wildlife, including game animals and species of greatest conservation need  identified in the State Wildlife Action Plan. Although MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made unprecedented investments in land acquisition in Massachusetts, acquisition alone is not enough to guarantee the persistence of biological diversity. Investment in habitat restoration and management is urgently needed on public and private lands across the state. To address this need, MassWildlife and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs have substantially increased their investment in habitat management on state wildlife lands and are committed to working with partners to promote these efforts on other conserved lands across the state.

MassWildlife will be offering technical assistance to landowners who are interested in applying to the MHMGP from now until July 14th. If you want to speak to a MassWildlife Habitat Biologist about habitat management on your property or your eligibility for the MHMGP, please contact Brian Hawthorne, Habitat Program Manager.

If your project site is within priority habitat (check here) a pre-review of the project is highly encouraged. Please e-mail Emily Holt, Senior Endangered Species Review Biologist of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP),  with a site map and description of the project to begin the pre-review process.  Retain copies of the feedback provided as proof of consultation will be needed during the MHMGP application process. Pre-reviews should be submitted to NHESP a minimum of 2 weeks before the MHMGP application closing date.

Grant applications will open mid-July and will be due in late August. More information is available at the Habitat Management Grant Program page. Technical assistance on potential grant application projects needs to be completed by the opening of the application period. Visit the MHMGP webpage at any time to learn more about the application process, and to see examples of funded projects. For general questions about the grant program, contact James Burnham, Program Coordinator.

Report wild turkey sightings this summer

Sportsmen and women, birders, and other wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to assist with MassWildlife’s Annual Wild Turkey Brood Survey.

MassWildlife conducts a  Brood Survey from June 1 through August 31 each year to estimate the number of turkeys in the state. The brood survey helps our biologists determine productivity and compare long-term reproductive success while providing an estimate of fall harvest potential. Turkey nesting success can vary annually in response to weather conditions, predator populations, and habitat characteristics. Citizen involvement in this survey is a cost-effective means of gathering useful data, and can be a fun way for people to connect with nature. Record sightings of hens, poults (newly-hatched turkeys), and males (both juvenile and adult). For help identifying male and female turkeys and determining if a male is a juvenile (jake) or an adult (tom), please click here. Be sure to look carefully when counting turkey broods, the very small poults may be difficult to see in tall grass or brush. MassWildlife is interested in turkey brood observations from all regions of the state, including rural and developed areas.

2 ways to participate:

or

  • Download and print a Turkey Brood Survey form to complete over the course of the summer.
    Mail completed forms to: Brood Survey, MassWildlife Field Headquarters,1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.

If you’ve submitted your observations online, please do not mail in duplicate observations.

Report fish kills

Warm weather is here, lakes and ponds are heating up, and fish kills may occur. The sight of dead and dying fish along a shoreline can be distressing and can prompt concerns about pollution. However, the vast majority of summer fish kills reported are natural events.

Natural fish kills are generally the result of low oxygen levels, fish diseases, or spawning stress. Depletion of dissolved oxygen is one of the most common causes of natural fish kills. Water holds less dissolved oxygen at higher temperatures; in shallow, weedy ponds oxygen can be especially low as plants consume oxygen at night. Spawning of fish including sunfish and bass in late spring and early summer occurs in shallow waters along the shore. These densely crowded spawning areas can become susceptible to disease outbreaks, especially as water temperatures rise. The result is an unavoidable natural fish kill, usually consisting of only one or two species of fish.

To be sure there isn’t a pollution problem, it’s always best to report fish kills. When a fish kill report comes in, a MassWildlife fisheries biologist determines if the kill is a natural event or the result of pollution. In general, pollution impacts all kinds of aquatic life; therefore, the most important piece of evidence for the biologists is the number and variety of fish associated with the incident. When pollution is suspected , MassWildlife notifies the Department of Environmental Protection, who then conducts a formal investigation of the water and affected fish to determine the source of pollution.

To report a fish kill, contact the Environmental Police Radio Room at 1 (800) 632-8075.

Contact   for MassWildlife Monthly June 2021

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