Monday, April 30, 2018

KID's OUTDOORS - Class Schedule Dates and Times


Latest outdoor class dates and times for the New England States for April 30 - May 9th, entailing Hunters Education, Boating Education, ATV Education and many others.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/kids-outdoors

Wild Turkey Spring Hunting Season Begins


Spring turkey season starts on Monday, April 30 throughout the state, and youth hunters have their own day tomorrow, Saturday, April 28. IFW biologists believe that hunters are in for a successful season.

Hunters should take note that through a proclamation by the governor, an area in Somerset county is closed to hunting until further notice as police are seeking a fugitive who is considered armed, extremely dangerous, and remains at large in connection with the shooting death of a Somerset County Deputy. For more information and a map of the area, please visit: http://www.maine.gov/governor/lepage/news/news_display.shtml?id=795440.

Vermont Allocates 13 Moose Hunting Permits for 2018


The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board voted on April 25 to have 13 moose hunting permits awarded this year.  By law, five permits will be available to Vermont military veterans and up to three permits will be available for “Special Opportunity” recipients with life-threatening illnesses; the remaining five permits will be auctioned in accordance with regulations. 

The hunt will be restricted to bull moose in Wildlife Management Units E1 and E2 in the northeastern corner of the state where the Fish & Wildlife Department recommends the moose population be maintained at its current level to reduce the effects of winter ticks.  The department expects only nine to ten moose to be taken.  The small number of bulls-only permits is not expected to have any impact on Vermont’s moose population.

Friday, April 27, 2018

Moose Photo Survey Opens May 1


The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s spring moose survey will be underway soon.  The public is being asked to submit photos of moose taken in New Hampshire from May 1 through May 15, 2018.

Images submitted should show one whole side of the moose. They should not be taken from in front of or behind the animal. Images must be taken ONLY during the May 1 through May 15 survey time period.  The dates are extremely important because taking photos earlier or later can skew the data and provide misleading results. Photos may be from regular cameras, smartphones, or trail cameras.

Remove Potential Meals So Bears Don’t Become A Nuisance


Black bears are emerging from their winter dens, and with natural foods in short supply this time of year, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is receiving calls concerning bears looking for easy meals in backyards around birdfeeders, trash cans, chicken coops and grills.

The department is reminding homeowners to remove potential bear attractants from their yard. You can learn more at http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/wildlife-human-issues/living-with-wildlife/bears.html

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Boat Ramp Closures in Ossipee and New Durham


Two boat access area ramps will be closed for one day each next week to allow for the installation of seasonal docks.

The public boat access area serving Merrymeeting Lake in New Durham, NH, will be closing for one day to install a floating dock at the boat ramp.  The effort is scheduled for Monday, April 30, weather permitting.  The back-up date is Tuesday, May 1. During the installation, the ramp and parking area will be closed. There will be no opportunity to launch or retrieve motorized boats, sail boats, canoes, kayaks, or other self- propelled craft during this time period.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Hunt Safely This Turkey Season


Hunting safely during turkey season is easy if you follow tips issued by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department.

Vermont’s spring youth turkey hunting weekend is April 28 and 29, and the regular spring turkey season is May 1-31.

New Hampshire Waterfowl Hunting Seasons Set


The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has set final season dates and bag limits for the 2018-19 waterfowl hunting season, after considering comments from the sporting community at a recent public meeting.

New Hampshire's fall waterfowl season will be similar to last year's for regular ducks. The regular duck season is 60 days, with a bag limit of six birds daily.  The Canada goose season has decreased to 60 days, with two birds in the daily bag.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Free Outdoor Adventure Talk: Striper Fishing 101


Learn how to fish for stripers at a free talk being offered at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, N.H.

Striped bass fishing is hot on New Hampshire’s coastal waters. In this session, New Hampshire Fishing Guide Tim Moore reveals the secrets of fishing for striped bass from a kayak, boat, and shore. He will talk about when and where he fishes, his favorite lures and bait, and the gear he uses.

Fun Fishing Events Being Held This Spring


Fishing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family.  Many anglers remember their first fishing experience with a parent or mentor who taught them the basics and gave them the opportunity to catch fish.  That opportunity is now being replicated across Vermont through several programs that are specifically designed to teach beginners how to fish.  

One of the most popular programs is “Let’s Go Fishing” (LGF), administered by Vermont Fish & Wildlife.  It is a network of certified volunteer instructors who encourage and teach Vermonters of all ages and abilities how to fish.  Instructors teach fishing skills and techniques, the importance of good aquatic habitat, fishing ethics, and fishing regulations.  Clinics are always free and open to all ages.

DEM Reminds Public To Avoid Interactions With Coyotes By Eliminating Food Sources From Their Property


The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is advising residents that this is the time of year when coyotes may often be seen in populated areas and suburban neighborhoods in search of food. DEM advises the public not to feed or have food sources available that can be easily accessed by coyotes or other wildlife. Coyotes that find abundant and easily obtained food resources around neighborhoods may become bold and habituated to human activity, creating situations that are detrimental to the animal and can also put small pets at risk. Coyote attacks on humans are a rare occurrence, but any coyote that exhibits bold or aggressive behavior to humans should be treated with caution and reported to authorities.

http://www.ri.gov/press/view/33041

Monday, April 23, 2018

Tips for Turkey Hunters on Good Landowner Relations


Hunters getting out for New Hampshire’s spring turkey season (May 3-31) can do a lot to help promote positive landowner relations, according to Lindsay Webb, Landowner Relations Coordinator for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.

"Remember that access to private land is a privilege provided through the generosity of the landowner," said Webb. "With more than 70% of New Hampshire’s land in private ownership, practicing good landowner relations is key to maintaining access to private land for future generations."

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

New Hampshire's Turkey Hunting Season Is Approaching


N.H. Fish and Game Turkey Biologist Ted Walski predicts a possible record harvest in the upcoming 2018 spring gobbler season. The spring turkey hunt opens on May 3, and runs through May 31, statewide.

New Hampshire’s Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend is set for April 28-29, 2018. Last year’s youth weekend hunters registered 494 turkeys, or 11.0% of the spring season total.

Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival on May 6


If you’re a wildlife enthusiast itching for spring then be sure to check out the nineteenth annual Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival on Sunday, May 6, in Rockingham, Vermont.

Herrick’s Cove, on the Connecticut River, hosts one of the most popular festivals in the area, with organizers reporting close to 2,000 people attending last year’s event.  The festival includes nature walks and live animals such as hawks, owls, mammals, and reptiles.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Take a Kid Hunting on Youth Turkey Weekend


New Hampshire’s 2018 youth turkey hunt will take place Saturday, April 28, and Sunday, April 29, the weekend before spring gobbler season gets underway. During the 2017 youth weekend, young hunters took 494 turkeys or 11.0% of the spring season’s take.

Note: Any proposed changes to the youth turkey season rules made during the current 2018 biennial season-setting process WILL NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE UNTIL SPRING 2019.

DEEP Reminds Anglers that there are New Fishing Regulations for the 2018 Season


Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is reminding anglers that a number of new inland and marine recreational fishing regulations became effective in March (2018).

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?Q=601978&A=4965

Friday, April 13, 2018

Free Outdoor Adventure Talk: Turkey Hunting 101


Join seasoned turkey hunters Carter Heath and Fred Bird for a special Turkey Hunting 101 seminar at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2018, at the N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, N.H. No pre-registration is required.

This seminar is a must for new turkey hunters and those looking to increase their turkey knowledge. You’ll learn about the gear needed, scouting for turkeys, turkey behavior and decoys.  The session also covers types of turkey calls and when to use them. Find out how and what to say to get that big tom turkey to come to you!

DEM Encourages Anglers To Plan Ahead And Get Their Fishing Licenses Before Opening Day Of Freshwater Trout Season


Since DEM's Online Licensing System Launched Last Month, nearly 8,000 People Have Bought 15,000 Licenses and Permits. With Opening Day on April 14, DEM Reminds Anglers to Carry a Printed Copy of Their License and Permit Documents with Them.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is encouraging anglers who have not yet obtained their freshwater license through the new online licensing system to do so before Saturday to ensure they're able to get on the water for the first day of trout fishing season. Opening Day of the season, set for April 14, is celebrated annually by more than 40,000 anglers across the state.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Deer Ages Available on F&W Website


Hunters who provided the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department with a tooth from their deer last year can now find out how old their deer was by visiting the department’s website, www.vtfishandwildlife.com. 

Hunters submitted 2,808 teeth from the bucks they took during the November rifle deer season.   Combined with the 1,207 deer examined by biologists at reporting stations during the youth and rifle seasons, biologists were able to get accurate ages for 4,015 deer.

CT DEEP Reminds Residents to Be Bear Aware


Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) reminds residents to take steps to reduce encounters and potential conflicts with black bears. These steps are increasingly important because Connecticut’s bear population continues to grow and expand and bear activity increases in early spring. In 2017, approximately 6,500 bear sightings from 131 of Connecticut’s 169 towns were reported to the DEEP Wildlife Division. Residents of towns in western Connecticut should expect a regular presence of bears as they are now part of the environment.

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?Q=601918&A=4965

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Vermont Walleye Fishing Season opens May 5


The Vermont walleye fishing season will open on Saturday, May 5, marking the return of some of the best walleye fishing in New England.

“We saw some really nice, trophy-size walleye during our recent survey work, which certainly brightens the outlook for the upcoming walleye season,” said Chet MacKenzie, fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. 

Vermont has excellent spring walleye fishing opportunities in several lakes and rivers across the state.  Such opportunities include Lake Champlain and its tributaries – the Missisquoi, Lamoille and Winooski rivers and Otter Creek.  Salem Lake and Island Pond also have walleye populations.

State Campgrounds To Open This Week


The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that four state campgrounds will open for the season on Friday, April 13. This year's opening of Burlingame, Charlestown Breachway, Fishermen's Memorial, and George Washington Memorial State Campgrounds coincides with the beginning of school vacation week, giving families an extra opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of the South County and northern Rhode Island countryside. East Beach State Campground, in Charlestown, opens on Friday, May 25.
The campground openings in Charlestown and Narragansett give anglers in the southern part of the state a place to camp while awaiting the Saturday, April 14 opening of the trout fishing season. A number of anglers in northern Rhode Island traditionally camp at DEM's 100-acre George Washington Memorial Campground in Glocester, which every year opens for the season the evening before "Opening Day."

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Open Water Season is Upon Us


With a cold spring, delaying the warming of local waters, finally able to get a boat into the water and get the open water season underway. Waters are still only in the 40’s, winds are constantly blowing, but casting a long rod, makes it all worth finally getting started.

Species being targeted were crappies, the spawning flats haven’t even gotten close to the magical temperatures yet. Targeted the breaks outside of these areas, but couldn’t locate any of these schools. Fishing with Clam Pro Tackle’s Drop-Kick Jig tipped with red plastics, seemed to be the combination for the fish that were biting.

VT Fish & Wildlife Dept Offers an Evening Bullhead Fishing Clinic


The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s “Let’s Go Fishing Program” is offering an introduction to bullhead fishing clinic at the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison on Friday, April 13. 
 
Bullhead typically are most active during the evening and night, so the clinic will begin at 6:30 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.  

This introductory course will include basic techniques for targeting bullhead with live bait, casting basics, knot tying, filleting, aquatic ecology, and biology.  

https://vtfishandwildlife.blogspot.com/2018/04/vt-fish-wildlife-dept-offers-evening.html