Sportsman’s Corner: Time to change gears

Mass Wildlife aquatic biologist Jim Legacy demonstrates using a tip-up.

Mass Wildlife aquatic biologist Jim Legacy demonstrates using a tip-up. COURTESY PHOTO/MASSWILDLIFE

Published: 01-09-2025 4:00 PM

By Mike Roche

This writer needs to take some time and adjust as outdoor seasons change. It seems like my focus gets intense as the year moves along. My obvious priority is always the fall upland bird season, with dog training being a constant and planning now becoming more important. That means that any trips, like last seasons’ ventures to Maine and the Catskills, need to be scheduled.

With my traditional New York hunting venue being in flux, some serious effort needs to go into finding places to pursue grouse and woodcock in the narrow window of the month of October. Some new venues, coastal Maine and northeastern Vermont, are on my radar and I am interested in identifying locations in northern New England where the dogs and I might spend an extended time hunting grouse and woodcock. Looking for any possibilities to block in some time.

Meanwhile, the de-escalation of deer hunting needs to happen. My lack of pre-season preparation led to relatively unproductive results in the freezer, but a lot of enjoyable times hunting. Need to do a better job in that category next year. Time to pack up the deer hunting stuff!

Right now, the extended cold weather is making ice like crazy and that is a good thing. The downside is the cold and high wind does make it less comfortable on the “hard water,” but you can’t have it both ways. Time to get out the tackles, jigging rods and lures, ice grippers, bait bucket/aerator, the Ion electric ice auger ( a great piece of equipment that changes everything in ice fishing as it always starts and runs without noise and smoke!), ice fishing sled, and the shanties (I now have two).

A couple of years ago we invested in an Eskimo FatFish shelter which is insulated and great for a few fishermen but a lot to lug around to fish solo. Mark White uses an Eskimo one-man flip shelter/sled, and he tipped me off about a used one for sale and I am looking forward to putting it to use. After discovering Crack of Dawn Bait Shop in Phillipston, they are my go-to for everything you need for ice fishing. Hopefully this week will provide a chance to get out and fish! Early ice fishing before snow cover is always fun.

Outdoor shows are also back with a vengeance. The New England Fishing Exposition opens Jan. 16 at the Best Western in Marlborough, The Boston Fishing Expo is in Boston at the Convention Center March 1 and March 2, and the Springfield Sportsman’s Show will be at the Big E in Springfield, Feb. 21-23. Great way to get the fishing juices flowing and get geared up for spring!

What has just popped up on my radar is turkey hunting. As sister Pat is struggling with her health issues, it is my job as a good big brother to get out to Kansas and lend moral support. Mid-April would seemingly be the perfect time for a visit and coincidentally, that would be when turkey season opens. Again this year, Kansas is requiring non-residents to apply in a lottery for turkey permits and last year yours truly was not drawn. The lottery opens for thirty day on Jan. 14 and hopefully my luck will be better.

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When no permit was drawn last year, my sister came through with a couple of great options and it resulted in calling in and tagging a mature tom opening morning in neighboring Missouri. That option hopefully will still be available, as the landowner was a great guy and really enjoyed the turkey breast I gave him. Either way, airline reservations need to be made and guns and gear prepared. In about a month the toms will start gobbling locally and that gets turkey hunters fired up. So far, this winter has been very easy for wildlife and deer and turkeys are having an easy time finding food, with the abundant acorn crop a boon to all.

The box labeled “Predator Hunting Gear” is staring at me whenever I go downstairs and a trip or two calling in hopes of attracting a coyote, fox or bobcat should be undertaken. First, a trip to the Orange Gun Club to sight in the rifles and shotgun that might be used is in order. When last engaged in predator calling, it was obvious that my skills as a hunter/caller were lacking. It does get me out in the woods, so hopefully a few dawn and dusk efforts will be undertaken. In Massachusetts, coyote and fox hunting hours are one half hour before sunrise to midnight, but rifles must be not larger than a .22 long rifle after one half hour past sunset. Coyote pelts are luxurious fur and are used to make many practical garments. Coyote fur can be anywhere from black to blond but gray/brown is most common.

It seems from what has been reported to me that whitetail bucks are still sporting antlers but they will be dropping them soon. A growing number of people are looking forward to “hunting” for those drops. A lot of folks have trained their dogs to seek out dropped antlers and that certainly would make for an interesting time in the woods late winter and spring. My plan is to get up to Hedgerow Hunt Club in Royalston a few times with the dogs and have Pat Perry stock some chukars. Add that to my winter activity list. There certainly will not be a lot of time spent watching the Patriots in the playoffs after all the drama of this past season.

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.