Rhode Island Fishing And Hunting Licenses For The 2018 Season To Go On Sale March 1 With New Online Features

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) will launch a new, fully online fishing and hunting license system that expands upon current web-based services on Thursday, March 1.

Implementation of the new system is part of statewide efforts to improve customer service and streamline processes. The system will replace paper-based license issuances and accounting methods and builds upon the current offering of online fishing licenses to include hunting licenses, permits, tags, and stamps. Fishers and hunters will be able to access their accounts 24/7, so they can manage their licenses, add new permits and licenses from the comfort of home, on the go, or even out in the field.

http://www.ri.gov/press/view/32553

Meet the North American Porcupine!

Have you ever seen a porcupine in CT?  Would you like to know more about Connecticut’s elusive Quill Pig? Come join CT DEEP Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator Gerri Griswold and her non-releasable porcupine at the Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby, Connecticut.   Saturday, March 10 at 10:00 a.m. Gerri will give a one hour program and address the natural history of one of Connecticut’s most fascinating species.

 

North American Porcupines are large, solitary rodents commonly found in New England.  Although they are mostly nocturnal, they can be found perched in the top of a tree during the day. Porcupines are herbivores and typically have 20,000 to 30,000 quills which cover most of their body. Gerri will address the natural history of one of Connecticut’s most fascinating species and the world’s third largest rodent!

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?Q=600858&A=4965

Been a Good Season

We were fortunate at having an early ice season this year with the cold temps and allowing us to fish many waters we haven’t been able to in the recent past. But with warming trends and rains starting now and into most of next week, looking like our local ice season may be coming to an end.

Been pushing hard on the ice the last week and it has been paying off. Visiting numerous lakes and ponds searching for crappie has been fun with some nice catches happening as well.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/16/Been-a-Good-Season

Free Fishing Weekend in Maine is February 17 &18, 2018

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is reminding everyone to take advantage of the upcoming free fishing weekend.

On Saturday, February 17 and Sunday, February 18, any person may fish for free without a license on Maine’s waterways, except those who have had their license suspended or revoked. All other rules and regulations, including bag and possession limits, apply.

“Fishing during the winter is a wonderful way to get out of the house and make memories with family and friends that are sure to last a long time,” said Governor Paul R. LePage. “We offer this free fishing weekend in the hopes that more and more people will be introduced to the many winter fishing opportunities Maine offers, particularly on our frozen lakes and ponds. And remember, safety first. Please check the condition of the ice before you go out.”

https://www.maine.gov/ifw/news-events/single-release.html?id=787977

Camp North Woods Lottery Now Open

Camp North Woods is back for another great summer of learning in the Maine outdoors! The Department created Camp North Woods in 2015 to provide opportunities for youth and their families to learn lifelong outdoor skills as well as the importance of sustaining Maine’s natural resources. The camp has also been established to build upon the overwhelming interest by youth who have grown to love the hit TV series on Animal Planet, North Woods Law!

Camp North Woods will again be held at and hosted by the University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryant Pond. Camp staff and instructors will include Maine Game Wardens, Fisheries and Wildlife Biologists, Recreational Safety Coordinators, Information and Education staff as well as staff from Bryant Pond.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/13/Camp-North-Woods-Lottery-Now-Open

Locate Before Drilling

If you are fortunate enough for not having snow on top of your ice, this gives you an option of finding fish before even drilling a hole to fish in. Especially, if there is a layer of water on top of the ice, this will help the matters at locating fish.

If the ice is clear, no snow layers in the thickness or few air bubbles in the ice, you will be able to shoot the transducer’s signal through the ice and this allows you to see the fish before you even drill a hole.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/12/Locate-Before-Drilling

Report Your Wild Turkey Sightings Through March 31

he N.H. Fish and Game Department reminds wildlife watchers to report sightings of wild turkeys.  The Department’s Wild Turkey Flock Survey is open through March 31. The public is encouraged to report turkey sightings online at www.wildnh.com/surveys/turkey.html.  Please do not report multiple sightings of the same flock.

The survey is designed to fill gaps in Fish and Game’s existing winter flock data collection efforts, adding to the Department’s understanding of the abundance and distribution of turkeys during the winter months. Participants are asked to report: the number of turkeys in the flock; where they were seen; the type of habitat the birds were observed in; and what the turkeys were feeding on (for example, acorns, beechnuts, seed at birdfeeders, or corn silage).

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/newsroom/news.html?news=876

Ice Safety Awareness Urged

With the Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby on for this weekend, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officers would like to remind outdoor enthusiasts to exercise caution when enjoying winter activities on or near the ice.

"It is imperative that you personally check the ice thickness on a waterbody as you venture out on foot or before riding out on a snowmobile or Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle," said Captain Dave Walsh, who coordinates OHRV Enforcement and Safety Education for Fish and Game. "Do not assume that just because the ice is safe in one location that it will be safe 100 yards farther away. If you don’t know, don't go."

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/09/Ice-Safety-Awareness-Urged

Changing It Up

There are some days that we need to look at targeting other fish than the ones that we target daily. We have a lake that offers a good population of pickerel and bass with some good size to them as well and try and get out there a couple of times per season.

My son looks forward to fishing here as well and always has high expectations as we walk onto the ice. The area that we target is a small cove that has a small creek dumping into it and the water depth ranges from 4-7 FOW.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/08/Changing-It-Up

Trapping Workshop Offered This Month

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that a free workshop for hunters will be offered this month in Exeter.

A trapping workshop will be offered on Sunday, February 11 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at DEM's Fish & Wildlife Education Center located at Camp E-Hun-Tee Place in Exeter. The workshop will include the history of trapping, an overview of conservation and trapping regulations, and the biology of different target species in Rhode Island. Participants will learn about best management practices in the field, types of traps, and uses for the animal; they will also take part in a hands-on demonstration of how to set traps. Space is limited and registration is required. To register, send your name, phone number and email address to Jessica Pena in the DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife at jessica.pena@dem.ri.gov.

http://www.ri.gov/press/view/32444

Pinhead Jigging Mino

A fun bait that we have been using a lot this ice season, is the Clam Outdoors Pinhead Jigging Mino. The Pinhead Mino was designed to attract finicky feeding panfish and we are finding that it works very well when the feed is on as well.

The weight of this Mino allows it to get back to the school of fish quickly, so that you won’t miss out on any of those bites. It acts as an injured minnow when jigged and there are a few ways of attaching the line to the bait either to enhance the action, or tighten the action as well.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/06/Pinhead-Jigging-Mino

Apply Online Now For The 2018 Maine Moose Permit Lottery

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is now accepting applications online for the 2018 Maine moose permit lottery. Applications for the 2018 Maine moose permit lottery will be accepted online only. The online application process is fast and simple and you receive instant confirmation that you have successfully entered the lottery.

To apply online, go to mefishwildlife.com and fill out the online moose permit application. There, applicants will be able to indicate several preferences, including which wildlife management districts (WMD) they are willing to accept a permit in, and if they would accept a permit in another WMD if their name is drawn and all of their top choices are filled. They will also be able to select your preferred hunting season, whether or not they would accept an antlerless permit, and their choice of a sub-permittee.

https://www.maine.gov/ifw/news-events/single-release.html?id=778092

MDIFW Ice Fishing Report For February 2, 2018

Region A – Sebago Lakes Region

If you are wondering where the fish are really biting, look no further than Sebago lake.

“Sebago is really hot, just about everywhere you can get on the ice, you are going to catch some togue,” said Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fisheries biologist Jim Pellerin.

While the big bay hasn’t frozen over yet, anglers are catching fish from Jordan Bay all the way down to the station. And they are catching a lot of lake trout. One angler landed over 300 togue over the first few weeks of the season on Sebago.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/05/MDIFW-Ice-Fishing-Report-For-February-2-2018

2018 Special Snow Goose Harvest Opportunity

Vermont’s spring snow goose hunt will be held from March 11 through April 27. 

Since 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has annually issued a “Conservation Order” to allow the reduction of the population of migrating greater and lesser snow geese as well as Ross’ geese. The numbers of these geese have grown so high that they are destroying habitat for themselves and other species. 

Eight states in the Atlantic Flyway (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Vermont) will hold a similar Spring Snow Goose Conservation Order in 2018.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/02/2018-Special-Snow-Goose-Harvest-Opportunity 

2018 NH Moose Hunt Lottery Opens

New Hampshire's 2018 moose hunt lottery is now open. Enter today to try your luck on the adventure of a lifetime -- hunting moose in the rugged woods of the Granite State.  Entering the lottery costs $15 for New Hampshire residents and $25 for nonresidents.

To enter the New Hampshire moose hunt lottery, visit www.huntnh.com/hunting/moose.html, where you can enter online or print out a mail-in application.  You can also pick up an application at any Fish and Game license agent, Fish and Game Headquarters, or Fish and Game Regional office.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/02/01/2018-NH-Moose-Hunt-Lottery-Opens

Son’s Favorite Fishing

As our kids get older and must start taking on more responsibilities, those things start cutting into their favorite past times, fishing. So, when a free afternoon comes along, and he wants to go fishing, he gets to pick where we go and how we will be fishing.

He has a favorite lake in New Hampshire that he likes to fish for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. His favorite technique at catching some of these fish is to set out tip-ups and bait them with shiners. In New Hampshire, we are allowed 6 lines per angler, so I typically don’t jig so that we can capitalize on the full number of flags to be chasing.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/01/31/Son%25E2%2580%2599s-Favorite-Fishing

Boating Safety Challenge Exam Offered At Providence Boat Show

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is offering a free Boating Safety Challenge Exam at the Providence Boat Show – which kicks off Friday at the Rhode Island Convention Center and runs through Sunday. The Exam, administered by the DEM Division of Law Enforcement, will be held on Saturday, February 3 between 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The Challenge Exam takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. People should arrive no later than 12:30 p.m. for the test and bring photo identification. Children under the driving age (who do not have photo identification) must have a legal guardian present. Pre-registration is not required. Results will be sent via postal mail following the exam. Individuals who are taking the Exam for certification should complete the online study course and review the Handbook of Rhode Island Laws and Responsibilities in advance of the test. Study packets are also available by calling the DEM Division of Law Enforcement at (401) 222-3070.

http://www.ri.gov/press/view/32396

Switching Lakes

We always plan our fishing trips with high hopes of the plans coming together and making for a memorable time on the ice. This ice season, we have been fortunate for having good ice and allows us to fish waters that we haven’t before or don’t get a lot of opportunities to.

Plan was to fish a lake that we have only fished in the boat and hopefully find some crappies. Decided that with the time of the year, the crappies would probably be using the main basin of the lake, being late morning, and started on the deeper edges.

https://www.kevindahlkeoutdoors.com/single-post/2018/01/30/Switching-Lakes