Lake trout surveys underway
Each fall, MassWildlife samples the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs to monitor lake trout populations. With the help of DCR, lake trout surveys at Wachusett are nearly complete and Quabbin surveys are set to begin this week.
Lake trout typically spawn in late October and November when the surface water temperatures are around or below 55°F. The spawning grounds are typically shallow, rocky waters on windy shores of the Reservoirs; spawning occurs mostly after dusk. Night sampling on big waters can be cold and icy in November, but the information it provides biologists is well worth the effort.
To capture lake trout, field crews set nets on spawning areas starting at sunset and check them about every 20 minutes. Captured fish are removed from the nets and placed in a livewell. Next, biologists record length, weight, and sex and implant a small Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags in the fish. Prior to release, the adipose fin is clipped to provide an external mark indicating that the fish has been captured before.
Data collected provide biologists with an understanding of the current condition of lake trout populations. If fish are recaptured from previous tagging efforts, biologists can calculate individual growth rates. Lake trout are long lived and slow growing and it is not uncommon for a tagged fish to be recaptured 10 years later. In fact, the longest recapture interval recorded was 24 years! When other species like landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, rock bass, and white perch are captured, biologists record information including length, weight, and sex but do not implant PIT tags. Sampling efforts like this are just one way that MassWildlife monitors the health of the fish resources of the Commonwealth.
Acorns abound
The natural cycle of oak tree seed production can lead to an abundance of acorns and a welcome source of nutrition for local wildlife.
Have you been dodging a constant barrage of falling acorns, startled by the thwack of nuts pelting your car’s roof, or raking up mounds of acorns in your yard? Like many trees, oaks go through cycles where they produce more seeds in some years than in others. These times of high production, known as “mast years,” occur every 2-3 years. While an abundance of acorns may be an annoyance to some, it’s a welcome buffet for wildlife that are preparing for a long cold winter.
Acorns are high in calories, fat, and essential nutrients like calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. Squirrels and white-tailed deer rely heavily on acorns in the fall and during the leaner winter months. Birds like blue jays, wood ducks, ruffed grouse, and wild turkeys also eat acorns. Acorns feed small rodents like mice and voles, as well as larger mammals like black bears.
Most animals favor the sweeter acorns of white oaks and only resort to eating red oak acorns (which contain higher levels of tannins making them bitter and harder to digest) when all other options are exhausted. Animals that hoard food, like squirrels and blue jays, stash hundreds of red oak acorns. Most of those hidden acorn snacks are never recovered and some eventually sprout into new oak trees far from where they were dropped thanks to forgetful critters.
Acorns are packed with potential, containing the blueprint for an oak tree. A mature oak can shelter and feed countless creatures throughout their lifetime. Over 10 species of oak can be found in Massachusetts in a variety of upland and wetland habitats, from scrub oaks that grow in the dry sandplains of Cape Cod to chestnut oaks on ridges of the Connecticut River Valley. Oak leaves support over 500 species of moth and butterfly caterpillars, which in turn provide food for breeding birds.
So next time you spot an acorn on the ground, or narrowly escape a projectile nut, take a moment to appreciate the incredible bounty stored inside that little shell.
High-tech backpacks are for the birds
Employing the latest radio tracking technology, MassWildlife has launched a study that will track wood thrush survival and migration paths to inform conservation efforts to help forest nesting birds.
MassWildlife is collaborating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), numerous state wildlife agencies, and other conservation partners on a range-wide project examining the annual movements and survival of the wood thrush. Wood thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina) are Neotropical migrant forest nesting songbirds that have been experiencing long-term population declines. It is estimated that over 50% of the population has been lost since 1970. They are listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in MassWildlife’s State Wildlife Action Plan and a Species At-Risk by the USFWS.
MassWildlife and partners will collect data on the timing of wood thrush yearly cycles, movement patterns, and survival rates across their breeding grounds including Massachusetts, along migration paths, and in areas of Mexico and Central America where they overwinter. Geographic data will be recorded to track migratory pathways and areas along the migration route with large concentrations of birds. This information will help answer long-standing questions about whether wood thrush populations are impacted most by conditions where they breed or in areas where they overwinter. The study also will identify important stop-over areas that support birds along their migrations. Study results will expand biologists’ understanding of wood thrush populations as well as populations of other forest nesting migrant songbirds.
This project relies on the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, an automated radio telemetry system that can track small flying animals like birds, bats, and even insects over large spatial scales. Motus receiving stations have been deployed across the globe and have some of their highest densities throughout New England and the mid-Atlantic. MassWildlife and partners recently worked to deploy 50 Motus stations in the region, including a line of 10 stations in Massachusetts extending from the Berkshires to Cape Cod.
In June of 2024, MassWildlife fitted 25 adult wood thrush with Motus transmitters in close proximity (< 3 km) to a Motus station. The tags, weighing a little over a gram, send out a radio signal every 16 seconds and have a battery life of about 500 days. To attach the tags, MassWildlife biologists first captured birds with mist nets. Biologists then band the birds, determine the individual’s age and sex, and collect measurements. Tags rest at the center of the bird’s lower back and are attached using an elastic loop harness that slides over the legs and securely rests in a notch above the thigh (similar to a backpack). Each tag is less than 3% of the bird’s total body weight and will not interfere with migration or other normal behaviors.
Birds were tagged at 5 locations in the Commonwealth with differing forest characteristics. Survival rates through the summer were high and nearly every tagged bird set out on fall migration between mid-September and early October. Birds were detected by multiple Motus stations during their southward nocturnal flights; initial data can be found on the Motus website (click on an ID for a map of the individual bird’s movements). Data are regularly updated to the website (many stations upload data to the website in real time using the cellular network), and biologists are eager to see how many birds survive the migratory and overwintering period and return to their nesting areas in spring 2025.
“So far, the project has gone exceedingly well,” says MassWildlife’s State Ornithologist Drew Vitz. “Results from the study will provide a lot of novel and important information about the movement patterns and survival of wood thrush in Massachusetts and across their range.” MassWildlife plans to deploy another batch of tags in the summer of 2025 to obtain 2 years of data before fully analyzing results and concluding the project.
A recent study published in the journal Science estimated that three billion birds across nearly all avian groups have been lost in the U.S. and Canada since 1970. With so many species of our native birds experiencing long-term declines, studies like ours are critical for developing and implementing conservation strategies to halt or reverse population declines in wildlife.
The conservation comeback of wild turkeys
Wild turkeys have made a remarkable comeback through dedicated reintroduction efforts that began in the 1970s. Now thriving statewide, turkeys have become a common sight with a population of around 30,000–35,000.
For many Massachusetts residents who see turkeys regularly, it might be hard to believe that these birds were once absent from the state. Learn about the reintroduction efforts and brush up on your turkey trivia just in time for Thanksgiving!
History
When the Pilgrims first arrived in Massachusetts in 1620, wild turkeys were found throughout most of the state. European settlers hunted turkeys for food and cleared the land for buildings, firewood, and agriculture which greatly changed the turkey’s natural habitat. By 1800, turkeys were quite rare in Massachusetts, and they had disappeared by 1851.
Reintroduction efforts
As the turkey populations nationwide bottomed out, many states tried to reestablish these valuable birds in their historic habitats. Between 1911 and 1967, at least 9 unsuccessful attempts were made to restore turkeys to Massachusetts. In 1937, the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, also known as the Pittman-Robertson Act, provided much-needed funding for wildlife studies and restoration. With the additional resources, wildlife management methods improved and new capture techniques provided a safe and effective means for live-capture of birds for translocating to new areas.
Following the example of successful reintroductions in other states, 37 wild turkeys were live-trapped in southwestern New York and released in southern Berkshire County in the early 1970s. By the fall of 1978, the new flock had grown to about 1,000 birds across the nearly optimal habitat in Berkshire and Franklin counties!
MassWildlife biologists and volunteers began live-trapping turkeys from these growing populations and transporting them to other areas of the state with suitable habitat. Between 1979 and 1996, a total of 26 releases of 561 turkeys were made in 10 counties. These turkeys established populations that continued to grow on their own and turkeys rebounded statewide.
Turkeys today
The turkey population in Massachusetts is now estimated to be 30,000–35,000. Turkeys are found everywhere in Massachusetts (except Nantucket) thanks to an abundance of suitable habitat. Turkeys thrive in forested and agricultural habitats, but also exist in suburban and urban environments.
Wild turkeys are now the most popular game bird in Massachusetts. Each year, about 15,000 licensed hunters take to the field during two designated turkey seasons to enjoy the outdoors and provide meat for their families.
Fun facts about turkeys
- Wild turkeys can be found in 49 states, including Hawaii. Turkeys were not historically found in Alaska and it is the only state without wild turkeys today.
- Wild turkeys can and do fly. Even though birds can sometimes weigh over 25 pounds, their strong muscles and wings allow them powerful flight over short distances. Adults rarely fly with continuous wingbeats for more than about 1/8 mile.
- Newly hatched baby turkeys are called “poults”. Once they are a couple months old, juvenile males are called “jakes” and juvenile females are called “jennies”.
- The most famous sound that turkeys make is the “gobble” but there are at least 28 different known calls made by the wild turkey.
- Turkey was served at the first Thanksgiving, but it was not the center of the meal. According to the journals of Pilgrims, it was just one of many different game birds served that day.
Help MassWildlife combat hunger this giving season
November marks the arrival of crisp autumn air, the excitement of fall hunting, and the start of the giving season. In celebration of all 3 seasons, MassWildlife is proud to announce that the Hunters Share the Harvest venison donation program has expanded in 2024. This impactful program provides the opportunity for hunters to donate and share venison with those in need, while supporting forest conservation by utilizing hunting to manage deer populations.
Fittingly, the Share the Harvest Program was first launched on Thanksgiving Day 2022. In its pilot year more than 3,000 meals were distributed to 378 families through the Food4Vets program. By the end of the 2023 deer hunting season, 3 participating venison processors and 5 food distribution organizations joined the effort, and another 17,800 nutritious meals were given to families struggling with food insecurity. Heading into the 2024 season, we now have 10 participating processors and 14 food distribution organizations spread across Massachusetts. Thanks to generous hunters, we expect a record number of donated deer this year, leading to new milestones for meals distributed through this program to families in need.
In addition to providing an organic, low-carbon source of lean protein to families facing food insecurity across the Commonwealth, this program has also been useful at facilitating conversations with the public about the importance of regulated deer hunting to ecosystem conservation. High deer densities negatively affect forest health through overbrowsing vegetation and can result in significant agricultural damage for local farmers. With help from this venison donation program, licensed hunters can continue to play an important role in deer management even after their freezers are full as they have an outlet to donate deer to those in need.
Partner spotlight: Daniel’s Table
Daniel’s Table, a distribution partner added in 2023, is an incredible community resource for Framingham. They provide almost 400,000 full meals annually through their weekly farmer’s market, onsite food services, 20+ community freezers, grocery delivery, and more. Their farmer's market is a unique program where approved families choose what produce and proteins they would like based on their allotment. Of particular interest are their live cooking demonstrations held during farmer’s markets by professional cooks who teach recipient families how to cook the different products available. This is always a concern for wild game donation programs, especially for immigrant families to whom the food products might be unknown. After Daniel’s Table conducted a demonstration with donated venison, it became one of the first items to run out each week due to high demand.
Support MassWildlife's Hunters Share the Harvest Program
This program would not be possible without the participating processors and the incredible donation of harvested deer by hunters. Essential monetary, equipment, and logistical support has been provided by the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, Massachusetts Conservation Alliance, Middleboro Sportsmens Club, Plymouth County League of Sportsmen, Safari Club International New England Foundation, Schwab Charitable Foundation, Somerset Sportsman's Club Inc, Worcester County League of Sportsmen, and individual donors like you! If you’re interested in donating this giving season or would like to know more about the Hunters Share the Harvest Program, please visit mass.gov/sharetheharvest.
Forest to fork: venison recipes
Make the most of your harvest this hunting season by trying something new. Elevate your cooking with savory venison dishes that will impress a gathering of family or friends. Browse MassWildlife's newly expanded library of ground venison recipes, including cheesy venison meatloaf, smash burgers, meatballs, and more.