There are certainly a lot of wonderful things that you can do in August. I just can’t think of them. Sure, the bass fishing is good. As an example, my sister Pat (formerly known as Tish) was here visiting and attending her 45th Mahar reunion. She and her classmates had a great time at the Tully CCC and it was great to have her visit.
On her last day, she lamented that she was two goals short. She wanted to catch a bass and see a bear. The bass was relatively easy, she immediately landed a largemouth in the four-pound class on a Senko off my dock before “Docktails” at my place on White Pond on Wednesday, just before flying back to Kansas. She did not see a bear, however. In years past, my wife’s sister, also known as Tish, has seen bears during her visits but that is another story.
August is that month when we are eagerly awaiting the fall hunting season. Yes, we should be shooting our shotguns, bows and rifles to get ready for the fall hunting seasons but we tend to procrastinate a bit. There are challenging clay to be broken at the sporting clays course at the Petersham Gun Club and Skeet at the Franklin County League to get ready for upland and waterfowl seasons. In years past, the waterfowl seasons were set the last week of August but now those seasons are set in the spring, so it is easier to plan. Get out and do some shooting, this writer is looking to get to the Franklin County League grounds to shoot some skeet. The dogs need me to be ready.
They also are getting ready and Pat Perry at Hedgerow Hunt Club in Royalston will be whipping the girls into shape. In a couple weeks, wild woodcock and grouse will be flighted to a point where we can begin serious training, but it is so much better at Hedgerow. It is time for me to begin setting dates into the calendar for upland hunting. Can’t wait!
This past week the antlerless deer permits were opened. It does not matter when you check in. Any time after August 1 you can see if you were selected. It looks like this writer has a Zone 5 permit, we will see if that translates into venison.
In response to public concern related to coyote hunting contests sponsored by private entities, MassWildlife and the Fisheries and Wildlife Board conducted a review of policies and regulations associated with coyote hunting and contests.
To gather public feedback, MassWildlife held four listening sessions from April through June in Barnstable, Shelburne Falls, Westford, and Bourne. Phone calls, letters, and emails from the public were also reviewed and factored into MassWildlife’s analysis and review. In addition to gathering input from stakeholders, MassWildlife professionals considered the best available science and consulted with wildlife professionals from other state agencies.
On July 17, MassWildlife staff made a regulatory recommendation to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board based on this comprehensive review. The recommendation addresses public concerns that these hunting contests are unethical, contribute to the waste of animals, and incentivize indiscriminate killing of wildlife, inconsistent with the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Further, recognizing that public controversy over this issue has the potential to threaten predator hunting and undermine public support for hunting in general, MassWildlife recommended the following regulatory changes:
■Prohibit hunting contests for predators and furbearers.
■Prohibit “wanton waste” of all wildlife taken during regulated hunting and trapping seasons.
■Change harvest reporting requirements for fox and coyote to be reported within 48 hours, consistent with current reporting requirements for deer, turkey, and bear.
The Fisheries and Wildlife Board voted to hold a public hearing on MassWildlife’s recommendations. Details about the public hearing and proposed regulatory language will be available soon on Mass.gov/MassWildlife-Public-Hearings.
This proposal:
■Fulfills one of MassWildlife’s core functions to develop and maintain hunting, fishing, and trapping opportunities in Massachusetts.
■Addresses public concern that certain contests contribute to the waste of animals.
■Recognizes and addresses that public controversy over this issue has the potential to threaten predator hunting.
■Discourages the waste of wildlife and reinforces a core principle and expectation that all animals taken during the regulated seasons are utilized to the greatest extent possible, as taught in Hunter Education.
■Recognizes that coyotes and other furbearers are managed as a valuable natural resource.
■Does not reduce opportunity for hunting coyotes or other furbearers.
■
Summary of proposed changes:
■A predator or furbearer contest is where participants compete for prizes of cash value or other inducements in the capture or take of predatory or furbearing animals.
■It shall be unlawful for any person to organize, sponsor, promote, conduct, or participate in a contest for taking of coyote, bobcat, red fox, gray fox, weasels, mink, skunk, river otter, muskrat, beaver, fisher, raccoon, and opossum. (Animals regulated under 321 CMR 3.02(3) or 3.02(5)(b)(2, 5-11)).
“Waste” means to intentionally or knowingly leave a wounded or dead animal or bird in the field or the forest without making a reasonable effort to retrieve and use it.
■It is unlawful for any person while hunting or trapping in accordance with 321 CMR 3.02 to waste an animal or bird. Each retrieved animal or bird shall be retained or transferred to another until processed or used for food, fur, feathers, or taxidermy.
The draft waste regulation does not apply to:
■Animals “unfit for consumption or use” – animals or birds and their parts that are damaged, destroyed, decayed, rotting, diseased, or infected.
■Defense of people or property (M.G.L. Ch. 131 Sec 37).
■Problem wildlife, such as Beaver Emergency Permitting (321 CMR 2.08) and Problem Animal Control (321 CMR 2.14).
■Certain animals listed in M.G.L. c. 131 Sec. 5: English sparrow, starling, crow, chipmunk, flying squirrel, red squirrel, porcupine, skunk, weasel, or woodchuck.
■Wounded or dead animals that cannot be retrieved after a reasonable effort has been made.
■Change harvest reporting requirements for fox and coyote
■Fox and coyote shall be checked within 48 hours of harvest, consistent with deer, bear, and turkey requirements. Fox and coyote may be checked online or in person.