By Mike Roche
As we turn the page from October to November, we are clearly in “Prime Time” for outdoor activities here in the North Quabbin Region and across New England.
The number of fishermen, and women, observed recently has impressed this writer. Although the lack of rain (more on that later) has reduced flows in brooks, streams and rivers, there is a lot of great fishing still to be enjoyed. Off the coast, charters for striped bass are enjoying great fishing, although there is great concern at the federal level about the future of stripers. Data from population analysis indicates that there is a problem with recruitment, and you can expect to see a harvest reduction strategy forthcoming.
Striped bass have had ups and downs for 50 years and like so many fish and game species, female harvest is the issue. Like most fish species, female striped bass are larger and targeted by anglers and those with commercial licenses who fish for money, as stripers are fine fare and targeted all along their range from Chesapeake Bay to Maine.
This fall, MassWildlife has stocked over 70,000 trout, with most going into lakes and ponds, and they are providing fabulous fishing. Bass fishermen are also enjoying great angling as the waters cool, but it is wildlife, game birds and waterfowl that are in season right now. Massachusetts bowhunters have finally gotten a respite from the much warmer than usual weather that has made deer hunting a challenge, as deer are wearing their winter coats, and while nocturnal, are even less active during daylight hours. When you pair that with the severe drought conditions, things are interesting in the woods.
For the month of October, Boston is more than two inches below normal and Tuesday night’s rain was the first measurable precipitation in almost two weeks. That follows a 29-day dry streak that lasted from Aug. 21 to Sept. 19. This resulted in one of the driest periods for this season on record. With no rain in sight, things will not change soon. October is usually one of the rainiest months of the year and historically, dry falls are followed by below average snowfalls. We shall see.
For this writer and avid woodcock hunter, the lack of rain has seemed to impact woodcock in local covers we visit, as the number of birds moved is the lowest in memory. There is no science involved in this observation, but conversations with several veteran woodcock hunters seem to provide a similar observation. Now the question is, where are they?
Suitable habitat in August, which was inundated with water, held birds when the dogs ran on training outings. Some speculate that woodcock, who feed primarily on earthworms and thus need moist soil, relocated to places that were still wet, and hunting wetter covers does seem to back that up. Of course, this time of year woodcock migrate and no one can pinpoint when that will happen. One of the smartest wildlife professionals that it has been my pleasure to cross paths with is also an avid waterfowler. He would call my friend Gig Darey when a cold front would move down from Canada and inevitably both waterfowl and woodcock would be moving. It certainly makes sense that birds would know instinctively not to fly into a southern wind and use a northern tailwind to help on their journey.
Most days, my two French Brittanys Laney and Tessie join me in hunting a few local covers and Tessie has been excellent at holding her points. Using a Garmin GPS Alpha 200 handheld controller has been a learning experience, and it buzzes when a dog goes on point. The screen has an arrow that points in the direction of the collar and displays the distance. With bells you had to remember where you last heard the dog, and beepers would give you a continuous sound to follow.
On a couple of occasions, my search for Tessie has taken a long time, more than five minutes, and she has held steady. Sometimes both dogs are put out and that can be a bit chaotic, but it has resulted in a few points with a dog solidly backing (standing steady behind the other dog) and that is something this old dude thinks is really cool! My shooting has reinforced my reputation as a conservationist, but walking alone into a woodcock point in thick cover and having a brown missile zoom up from almost underfoot is not an easy shot. Foliage, the sun and a number of other legitimate excuses are usually in play, but that adds to the fun.
There are two more bird hunting adventures on the calendar for November – a trip to the Berkshires with Steve Williams and Wayne MacCallum and a drive to the Catskills in New York to hunt with Chris Standish and both should be enjoyable. Then it will be time to shift gears and focus on whitetails. First order of business is to find time to sight in the new Winchester SuperX4 20-gauge slug gun. Then we need a dumb deer to stand in front of me, but one thing at a time.
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.