Kids Chasing Bass December 28 2016

When my son and I fish, he has a way that he likes to fish and I have a way that I like to fish. So, having two different varieties of techniques, he likes fishing with traps and I like jigging, there are a couple of lakes that we fish that don’t adhere as easily to both methods.

We typically will alternate our choices of lakes and since our last outing was for jigging crappies, his choice was to run traps for bass. This particular lake has a good population of largemouth and smallmouth bass and also jumbo perch, but the sunfish are small and there isn’t any crappies in the lake.

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A Look at 2016 Fisheries Habitat Work in New Hampshire

2016 was a busy year for fish habitat restorations in New Hampshire. The goal of the NH Fish and Game Department's Fish Habitat Program is to protect, restore, and enhance New Hampshire's fisheries habitats, using a watershed approach, so that viable fish communities can be supported for their intrinsic value and long-term benefits to the public. Fish and Game works in partnership with other state and federal natural resource agencies, regional planning commissions, town governments, non-government organizations, and landowners to accomplish this goal.

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First Ice December 26 2016

First ice is always a special time and all of the excitement has finally come to a realization that we are going to be wetting a line on the hard water once again. Ice season is a very special time and I get to spend many days out there with my fishing partner, my son.

We typically have to drive north for first ice and have a few lakes that we will target at first and last ice and there is a good population of crappie that swim there.

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Snowshoe Hare Hunting Workshop - January 28 in Holderness

Learn about the exciting sport of snowshoe hare hunting at a free workshop being offered at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness, N.H. The workshop will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 28, 2017. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

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Conditional Shellfishing Area "Conimicut Triangle" Reopens

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced today the Conimicut Triangle in Upper Narragansett Bay will reopen to shellfish harvesting at sunrise tomorrow, Friday December 23. The opening comes more than two days earlier than expected.



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Trout Stocking Wraps Up Next Week for the Winter Season

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced today it will complete its winter season trout stocking next week. Some 1,200 rainbow and brook trout will be released into Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park in Lincoln; Upper Mellville Pond, Portsmouth; Carbuncle Pond, Coventry; Breakheart Pond, Arcadia Management Area in Exeter; and the Roundtop Ponds in Burrillville.

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Recreational Fishing Changes for 2017

New Hampshire anglers should be aware of several new rules in effect for 2017.

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IFW Ice Fishing Report For December 22, 2016

The early season cold has made for some excellent early season ice fishing opportunities in the southern part of the state.

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2016 New Hampshire Turkey Virus Monitoring Update

This was the fifth year biologists were recording evidence of avian pox virus and Lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) in turkeys.  While turkeys are still being affected throughout the state, numbers with the debilitating clinical lesions in the head/eye area appear minimal.

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NH Hunting Report - December 21, 2016

The unofficial deer kill for New Hampshire’s 2016 hunting season was 10,702, down slightly (2%) from the 2015 final kill of 10,895. Based on this estimate, the 2016 total represents the 7th highest kill in the last 9 years and is very similar to the 20-year average of 10,912.  Deer hunting seasons are now closed in the state.

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Report your Winter Wild Turkey Sightings January 1 - March 31

Wild turkeys will soon be gathering at backyard birdfeeders, and the NH Fish and Game Department is asking the public to report sightings of wild turkeys online at www.wildnh.com/surveys/turkey.html starting January 1. Please do not report multiple sightings of the same flock. The state’s Wild Turkey Winter Flock Survey runs through March 31.

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VT F&W Offers Ice Safety Tips

The recent arrival of cold temperature has formed early-season ice on Vermont ponds, lakes and rivers. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department reminds winter enthusiasts that ice should never be considered safe and ice conditions vary.

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2017 New Hampshire Fishing and Hunting Licenses Available

New Hampshire fishing and hunting licenses for 2017 are now available. Purchase yours today and get set for a WILD year of outdoor adventure, from ice fishing this winter to bagging your deer next fall. Licenses are good for the calendar year, from January 1 through December 31, 2017. Purchase online at www.nhfishandgame.com, at the N.H. Fish and Game Department in Concord, or from a Fish and Game license agents across the state.

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Snow Provides Wildlife Tracking Opportunities

The bountiful snowfall in Vermont’s woods and field this December provides ample opportunities to head outdoors looking for signs of wildlife. Snowshoers, skiers and other winter adventurers are encouraged to keep an eye to the snow for tracks this time of year.

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Newest Poster Benefits Maine’s Endangered And Threatened Species

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s newest poster features Maine’s 51 endangered and threatened fish and wildlife, and proceeds from the sale go directly to help these species.

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Register in January for "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" Winter Workshop

Registration will open January 9 for New Hampshire’s 2017 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Winter Workshop, a one-day program where women learn outdoor skills to enjoy during the winter months.

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Stocking Season Nearly Completed!

Stocking season is nearly complete! With snow on the ground, and ice skimming over many ponds and lake, some might say not a moment too soon.

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Tune up your Ice Fishing at these Free Talks in January

Improve your ice fishing skills by taking advantage of two free ice fishing seminars presented this January at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive in Concord. No pre-registration is necessary. Talks begin at 7:00 p.m. See you there!

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Bird Feeding Basics

With winter weather now taking hold, Vermonters are readying their bird feeders. But before residents put up their avian offerings, Vermont Fish & Wildlife recommends a review of the bird feeding basics.

VT Outdoor News at Kevin Dahlke's BWS Outdoors

Fairfield Man Cited for Deer Poaching

Vermont state game wardens arrested Nicholas Robert, 29, of Fairfield, Vermont on December 6 and charged him with four counts of taking deer during closed season and hunting deer with bait.

VT Outdoor News at Kevin Dahlke's BWS Outdoors

DEM Stocks Ponds with Trout Just in Time for Winter Fishing Season

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has begun stocking local waters with trout for the winter fishing season. Some 2,000 brook trout have been added to four ponds: Barber Pond, South Kingstown; Silver Spring Pond, North Kingstown; and Meadowbrook and Wyoming Ponds, in Richmond. Later this month, additional locations will be announced.

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Registration Opens for Free Winter Indoor Archery Programs

Are you interested in trying archery for the first time?  Or maybe keeping your archery skills in tune once archery season comes to an end? This winter, the N.H. Fish and Game Department is once again offering free archery programs for both beginners and experienced archers who want to learn new skills or improve their current skills. Both programs will be held at Fish and Game's Owl Brook Hunter Education Center, located at 387 Perch Pond Road in Holderness, N.H. Registration is now open.

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2017 Licenses Available Online Dec. 12

Vermont hunting, fishing and trapping licenses for 2017 will be available on the Fish & Wildlife Department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) on December 12.

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Reward For Information: Two Canada Lynx Found Dead

A reward of up to $5,500 is being offered in connection with the recent illegal killings of two Canada Lynx in Maine. The Maine Warden Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigators are seeking information regarding two separate Canada Lynx shootings in northern Oxford County and Aroostook County.

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Multiple New Hampshire Foxes Displaying Symptoms of Canine Distemper

Deceased gray foxes displaying symptoms of Canine Distemper have been reported recently in the Upper Connecticut River Valley and southern New Hampshire. The NH Fish and Game Department and the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food advise the public to be aware of this situation and to be diligent about keeping pet vaccinations current.

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Changes to Permanent Hunting/Fishing Licenses Coming in 2017

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is reminding hunters and anglers of changes to permanent license laws that go into effect starting on January 1, 2017. A permanent hunting and fishing license is currently available to Vermont residents aged 65 and older for a one-time fee of $50. Starting January 1, the eligible age will be raised to 70 and the license will be free.

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