A press release this week announced that the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, after a nationwide search, has appointed Dr. Everose (Eve) Schlüter to serve as the next director of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
She had been serving as acting director since January 2026, following the retirement of Director Mark Tisa, who spent 38 years at MassWildlife and rose through the ranks to serve seven years as director.
Schlüter brings nearly two decades of experience at MassWildlife, with a career spanning wildlife conservation, endangered species protection, public policy and strategic planning. Before serving as acting director, she was deputy director from 2023 to 2025, overseeing major program areas including fisheries, wildlife, endangered species, operations, and land and habitat conservation.
Earlier in her MassWildlife career, she was assistant director of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, and assistant director of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office, focused on implementing the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. She holds a doctorate in biology from Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree in biology and literature from Claremont McKenna College. Schlüter has also received honors, including a Governor’s Citation for climate and resiliency work and a Manuel Carballo Governor’s Award for public service excellence.
The press release noted that she becomes the first woman to serve as director of the agency. This writer was a member of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board when Eve was hired nearly two decades ago. It was clear then that she was a most qualified candidate and in every responsibility she undertook in that position and as she moved forward in her career, her experience and skill set became obvious.
One of the things that gives me the greatest satisfaction as I reflect on my 35 years serving on the Fisheries and Wildlife Board was the clear effort over time to, on every position that came before the board, make personnel choices that hired candidates based entirely on what they brought to the position and MassWildlife.
That commitment resulted in MassWildlife consistently hiring qualified women to positions of responsibility and the results are clear in case after case, program after program – they succeeded, not because they were women, but because they were good at their jobs, and the agency has benefited.
A lot has changed since my time on the board. Resource management is a rapidly changing environment across the country, and Massachusetts is no exception. Changes in the Commonwealth’s natural resources, combined with dynamic shifts in public opinion and the political climate, provide challenges to managing the fish, wildlife, plants and invertebrate resources for the MassWildlife staff and Fisheries and Wildlife Board. Schluter was chosen after a comprehensive national search and has the qualifications and experience to do the job of director and keep MassWildlife in the forefront as a leader in conservation going forward.
After my recent shark fishing adventure in Maine, it seems like Captain Bob Humphrey was spot-on when he had advised me to go as late in the summer as possible and wait for the ocean waters to warm. Unfortunately, my choice to go as early in the summer as possible seems to have reduced our odds for big sharks, as right now there are sharks, and big ones, showing up from the Cape to Casco Bay.
In addition, big striped bass are being observed in numbers not seen in a long time. Both the sharks and striped bass are here for the same reason – food. Huge schools of mackerel and pogies (menhaden) as well as sand eels are everywhere for the stripers. Those species, plus the abundance of seals, are drawing sharks, including the great white sharks that are getting attention along the coast with increased security measures for beaches.
This writer and his two French Brittanys really miss Pat Perry and the Hedgerow Hunt Club. At this point in the summer, we would have been well underway in our training and conditioning. Every fall the fruits of that early training, and Pat’s very valuable advice, would show up once the grouse and woodcock seasons opened and the dogs were in top form. The wild birds are now flighted and we could be doing work, but the thick underbrush and very high number of ticks have served as my excuse so far.
That changed a bit this week when we got started with short runs in wooded areas that were more open. That serves multiple purposes. It is easier to follow their progress so I can run them together, it is less demanding as they slowly get into condition and there is less tick contact. Live bird training is a much better opportunity to reinforce steady points, but right now there is no source for chukars, pigeons or quail to train.
The first New England upland season happens in Vermont and that will open Saturday, Sept. 26. The dogs and this very eager bird hunter will be in Jay, Vermont, to again hunt some covers with a good friend who allows us to stay with him and his excellent Brittany.
Following that, the fall has not been clearly planned although it is hoped that northeast Vermont and mid-coast Maine will be visited before a return to Massachusetts, where woodcock opens Oct. 1 and grouse and pheasants start Oct. 17. My annual trip to guide for the New York New York Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock Society Benefit Hunt will be the fourth week in October and then we will see how much more upland hunting we can get in before the timberdoodles have migrated through.
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, has been a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor for over 40 years and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.