October 2019
See the 2019 fishing and hunting season summary.
October 3: Wildlife Habitat Management Site Walk, Orange – The public is invited to join MassWildlife habitat management specialists at the Tully Mountain Wildlife Management Area from 3:30 to 5 p.m. See where planned habitat management activity will be taking place to benefit both rare and common wildlife including wood turtles, prairie warblers, eastern brook trout, American woodcock, and whip-poor-wills. Learn about timber harvesting plans to create young forest habitat, improvements to the parking area, and invasive plant control efforts. Meet at the WMA parking area located at the end of 152 Mountain Road (off Royalston Road) in Orange. This event is rain or shine; dress for the weather and bring insect repellent. Wear sturdy footwear; some terrain will be uneven and rocky. Be prepared to walk over a mile on wood roads and foot paths with some off trail exploration. Bring a camera or binoculars if you have them! Directions: From downtown Athol, take Rte 32 north for 1.2 miles. Turn left on Pinedale Rd for ½ mile then right onto Pinedale Ave/Tully Rd for 1.9 miles and just past the Boiler Bar Restaurant turn right onto Royalston Road (dirt road) go 200 feet and take an immediate left on to Mountain Road (dirt road) and follow to the end.
October 9: Norcross Hill WMA Land Celebration, Templeton – Join MassWildilfe and other partners to celebrate the creation of the new Norcross Hill Wildlife Management Area! Norcross Hill WMA covers 465 acres in Templeton, protecting important habitat for rare wildlife and providing access for outdoor recreation in an area previously closed to hunting. Meet at 100 Norcross Hill Road off Route 68 in Templeton at 10 a.m. Learn more about Norcross Hill WMA.
October 10: Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee Meeting, Westborough – The October meeting of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee will be held 1:30–4:30 p.m. at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters (1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA) in the Southwest Meeting Room, Room #103. If you have a disability or medical condition and would like to request special accommodations, please contact Susan Sacco at (508) 389-6342.
October 12: Cops and Bobbers, Hooks and Ladders Youth Fishing Program, Northampton – This is a free, family friendly event designed to teach youth ages 14 and under to fish, connect with the outdoors, and develop positive relationships with law enforcement and safety officials in their communities. Bring your fishing equipment, or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Join us at Willow Pond in Look Park in Northampton from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Northampton Police and Fire Departments, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, and the Rotary Club of Northampton. *Open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Contact Jennifer Lapis at Jennifer_lapis@fws.gov or (413) 835-5541 for more information.
October 16: Fossil Walk, Holyoke – *PLEASE NOTE: This event is now at full capacity and we are no longer accepting new RSVPs.* Dinosaur trackways of the Connecticut River Valley have attracted the attention of biologists for more than 180 years, since they were first described and studied by Edward Hitchcock in Holyoke and Turners Falls. Hitchcock believed the gigantic tracks were made by an extinct species of bird; today the tracks are recognized as the dinosaur Eubrontes giganteus. The tracks were deposited in shallow lakes or playas during the early Jurassic (nearly 200 million years ago) during the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. On National Fossil Day, October 16, join MassWildlife Herpetologist Mike Jones to explore the most significant trackway site and one of the world’s most extensive dinosaur track collections at Amherst College’s Beneski Museum from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Meet at the Dinosaur Footprints Reservation in Holyoke; click here for directions. Help us plan and please RSVP by October 14 to michael.t.jones@mass.gov. Space is limited to 10 people.
October 16: Kent's Island Creek Restoration Project Celebration, Newbury – Please join the Department of Fish and Game, MassWildlife, and other Great Salt Marsh partners at 1 p.m. to mark an important milestone of tidal marsh restoration and recreational access at the Kent's Island Salt Marsh, part of the William Forward Wildlife Management Area in Newbury. The recent completion of a new bridge to Kent’s Island restores tidal flow to the 47-acre coastal salt marsh and provides improved safe access for wildlife conservation and recreation activities. As part of a region-wide Great Salt Marsh conservation project, MassWildlife will now have the ability to access the island for planned shrub and grassland habitat management activities to benefit both common and uncommon wildlife. For outdoor enthusiasts, the bridge improves access for pheasant and other hunting, birding, watching wildlife and exploring nature. This is a rain-or-shine event. Park at the Nancy Begin Access near 171 Hay Road and walk down Kent's Island Bridge Road causeway to the new bridge.
October 16: Wildlife Habitat Management Site Walk, Belchertown – The public is invited to join MassWildlife habitat management biologists at the Herman Covey Wildlife Management Area from 3 to 5 p.m. MassWildlife plans to begin habitat restoration and management on approximately 100 acres at the Herman Covey WMA. See where planned wildlife habitat management activities including tree clearing, mowing, and prescribed fire will be taking place to benefit both rare and common wildlife. Meet at the MassWildlife kiosk near the fish hatchery on 90 East Street, Belchertown promptly at 3 p.m. This is a rain or shine event; dress for the weather and wear sturdy footgear. Walking will be easy to moderate and on wood roads and foot paths. Bring a camera or binoculars if you have them! Landowners interested in managing their own property for wildlife may find this habitat walk particularly useful. Directions: From east or west on Rte. 202 in Belchertown, turn on to East Street and drive 1/2 mile to the kiosk on the right of the street (opposite side of the street from the hatchery).
October 19: Open House at USGS Leetown Science Center S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, Turners Falls – Meet USGS scientists and learn about the important research they conduct on fish in the Connecticut River watershed. The free Open House, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will showcase the challenges facing fish as they swim up and down rivers and streams, negotiate dams, move between freshwater and saltwater, face increasing water temperatures and tackle other barriers in the Connecticut River and beyond. The fish lab is located at 1 Migratory Way, Turners Falls.
October 22: Public Hearing on Predator Hunting Contests and Wanton Waste Regulations, Lenox – A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at the Lenox Town Hall, 6 Walker Street. MassWildlife is proposing a new section at 321 CMR 2.16 that would prohibit contests for the capture, take or waste of certain predator or furbearing animals, and a new section at 2.17 that would prohibit the “waste” of certain game animals and birds. Finally, MassWildlife is proposing an amendment to 321 CMR 3.02 that would change the time for checking harvested fox and coyote from four (4) days from the end of the season to within forty-eight (48) hours of harvest. Please click here to learn more about the public hearing, the proposed regulations, and how to provide public comment.
October 24: North Pond Land Protection Celebration, Southwick – Join the Franklin Land Trust, Department of Fish and Game, MassWildlife, and the Town of Southwick at 4 p.m. to celebrate the protection of land and water frontage on North Pond in Southwick. This was a cooperative effort between the four entities. MassWildlife acquired a conservation easement on the land which is adjacent to the Southwick Wildlife Management Area. Meet at the small parking access off South Longyard Road. More details will be posted soon on the Franklin Land Trust website.
October 29: Fisheries and Wildlife Board Meeting, Westborough – The October meeting of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board will be held on Wednesday, October 29 at 3 p.m. at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters (1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA). If you have a disability or medical condition and would like to request special accommodations, please contact Susan Sacco at (508) 389-6342. Anyone wishing to be placed on the agenda to speak must notify the Board 2 weeks prior to the Board meeting; for more detailed information, contact Susan Sacco at (508) 389-6342.
October 29: Public Hearing on Predator Hunting Contests and Wanton Waste Regulations, Westborough – A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters, Richard Cronin Building, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, off North Drive in Westborough. MassWildlife is proposing a new section at 321 CMR 2.16 that would prohibit contests for the capture, take or waste of certain predator or furbearing animals, and a new section at 2.17 that would prohibit the “waste” of certain game animals and birds. Finally, MassWildlife is proposing an amendment to 321 CMR 3.02 that would change the time for checking harvested fox and coyote from four (4) days from the end of the season to within forty-eight (48) hours of harvest. Please click here to learn more about the public hearing, the proposed regulations, and how to provide public comment.
November 2019
See the 2019 fishing and hunting season summary.
November 2: Project WILD and Aquatic WILD, New Bedford – Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to receive training in this award winning, interdisciplinary nationally recognized program! It is one of the most widely-used conservation and environmental education programs among educators of students in kindergarten through high school. The program emphasizes terrestrial and aquatic wildlife because of their intrinsic, ecological value, as well as their role in teaching how ecosystems function. Through the use of balanced curriculum materials and professional training workshops, Project WILD accomplishes its goal of developing awareness, knowledge, skills and commitment. Workshop participants will receive a copy of the revised guides and a certificate of completion! This hands-on workshop has applications for school teachers, scout leaders, camp counselors, nature center staff, home educators, after care teachers, parents, etc. Click her for project flier. To register contact Pam Landry at pam.landry@mass.gov. Registration deadline is October 19.
November 2: Project WILD and Aquatic WILD Climate Change, Easthampton – Project WILD and Aquatic WILD are award-winning wildlife oriented curriculum guides for educators of students in grades K-12. This workshop will provide background material as well as several activities in both the WILD and Aquatic WILD guides. Through a variety of fun and engaging activities, we'll learn about our native wildlife and discuss how some species may be impacted by climate change. We'll also discuss some climate-friendly actions we can take and model as youth leaders. This interdisciplinary professional development workshop is great for classroom teachers, scout leaders, camp counselors and other educators. Participants will receive both curriculum guides as well as credit that can be used towards PDPs. Click here for project flier. To register contact Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary at (413) 584-3009. Registration deadline is October 25.