Controlled Waterfowl Hunt Application Deadline is Sept. 20

Waterbury, VT – Applications are available for controlled waterfowl hunting permits to be used at two Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department wildlife management areas. Interested hunters must apply by Monday, September 20, 2010.

Hunting under controlled conditions for ducks at Mud Creek in Alburgh and geese at Dead Creek in Addison has been popular since the early 1970′s. Permit applications for these two areas are available on Fish and Wildlife’s website (vtfishandwildlife.com). Printed applications will also be available September 7, at Vermont Fish and Wildlife offices in Essex Junction, Waterbury , Addison, Barre, St. Johnsbury, Springfield and Rutland .

Applications must be filled out correctly and postmarked no later than September 20, 2010. There is no fee to apply.

A public drawing to award hunting permits will be held Friday, September 24 at 12:00 Noon at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area headquarters off Route 17 in Addison . Attendance is not required. Successful applicants will be notified and must pay a $10 permit fee on the day of the hunt.

Vermont’s Bear Hunting Season is Sept 1–Nov 17

WATERBURY, VT – Vermont ’s bear hunting season is September 1- November 17 this year.

Vermont’s bear population is healthy and estimated at more than 5,500 black bears, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. The bear population has increased slowly for the last two decades, and regulated hunting is used to control the population’s growth. Under the recently enacted 2010-2020 Big Game Plan the population objective is to maintain bear numbers to between 4,500 to 6,000 animals. Hunters took 629 bears in Vermont ’s 2009 hunting season.

“Carefully regulated hunting allows for the sustainable utilization of black bears for food and other purposes,” said wildlife biologist Forrest Hammond. “Bears also have ecological and aesthetic values for Vermont .”

“ Vermont ’s black bears appear to have plenty of food available as we approach fall,” Hammond added. “ Berry crops are abundant, and we have a good crop of apples and acorns in many areas of the state.”

The biggest long-term threat to Vermont ’s bears continues to be habitat loss. “Each year Vermont loses many acres of critical bear habitat to development,” said Hammond . “The ability to keep bears in Vermont over the next 50 years will depend on how much habitat we keep to support bears.”

Although wearing fluorescent orange clothing is not mandatory for hunting in Vermont , hunters and others are urged to wear a fluorescent orange vest and hat while in the woods. Anyone hunting deer during archery season, waterfowl or turkeys will normally wear camouflage clothing.

Hammond also asks successful bear hunters to help in determining the age of bears taken by removing the bear’s pre-molar tooth and sending it to the Fish and Wildlife Department. Special envelopes are provided to big game check stations for this purpose.

Vermont’s Fall Turkey Hunting is Expanded

WATERBURY , VT – Vermont ’s fall turkey hunting season opportunities are expanded as the result of a regulation change in effect this year.

Following strategies outlined in Vermont ’s Big Game Management Plan, the Fish and Wildlife Department recommended expanding fall turkey hunting based on scientific data and public input. As a result, the Fish and Wildlife Board passed a regulation that allows turkey bow hunting statewide, a seven-day shotgun season is expanded to nine days, and Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) B, D1, D2, and H1 are opened for the fall shotgun season for the first time. Only WMUs A, C and E remain closed to the hunting of turkeys with shotguns in the fall season.

Vermont’s 2010 Turkey Fall Seasons:

Bow & arrow only: October 2-22 in all WMUs statewide

Shotgun or bow & arrow: October 23-31 in WMUs B, D1, D2, G, H1, H2, I, J1, J2, L, M1, M2, O1, O2, P, and Q

Shotgun or bow & arrow: October 23-November 7 in WMUs F1, F2, K1, K2 , and N

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department tracks the abundance of turkeys using harvest data, nesting success provided by turkey brood surveys, winter severity, and hunter pressure based on license sales. Vermont ’s wild turkey population is estimated to be more than 50,000 birds.

“Weather conditions appear to have been favorable for chick survival this year, so hunters should expect to see a higher of number of turkeys going into the fall season,” said Forrest Hammond, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s lead biologist on wild turkeys.

September Canada Goose and Youth Waterfowl Hunts Set

Waterbury, VT – September dates for Vermont ’s resident Canada goose hunting season and the youth waterfowl hunt weekend have been set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board.

A statewide open hunting season for Canada geese will occur September 7-25, 2010. The daily bag limit will be five Canada geese except in that portion of the Lake Champlain Zone within Addison County north of Route 125, where the limit will be two per day. The purpose of the season, which is held earlier than the regular waterfowl hunting seasons, is to help control Vermont’s resident Canada goose population prior to the arrival of Canada geese migrating south from northern Canada.

“This September goose season is prescribed for resident Canada geese that have built up a sizeable breeding population here in Vermont ,” said State Wildlife Biologist William Crenshaw.

Vermont’s youth waterfowl hunting weekend will be held September 25-26, 2010. Hunters under age 16 may hunt ducks and geese statewide during this season while accompanied by an adult 18 or older. Both must have Vermont hunting licenses. The adult may not hunt or carry a firearm. Neither the youth nor the adult is required to hold a state or federal duck stamp on this weekend.

This year, as in 2004 the September Canada goose season and the Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend overlap by one day, Saturday, September 25. On this day the daily bag limit for Canada geese will be the same as the September Canada Goose Season. On Sunday, September 26, the daily bag limit will be three, the same as the late (October-November) Canada goose season.

Vermont Turkey Brood Survey Online

WATERBURY , VT – The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s fourth annual on-line wild turkey brood survey with input from the public begins on August 1.

“If you see wild turkeys in the month of August, please help us by reporting your sightings in the online turkey brood survey,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche. “The data you provide will help answer questions concerning the impacts of spring and winter weather on the survival of poults and adult turkeys and help us identify any long-term trends in survival of young.

The turkey brood survey will be on the department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com), starting August 1. The survey allows entry of the number of adult male turkeys, adult females and poults as well as the date, time and location of the observations.

Laroche says the information will be helpful in setting turkey hunting seasons and harvest limits that are designed to manage the turkey population.

Records from the late 1700s and early 1800s indicate wild turkeys were present in southern Vermont in smaller numbers than today. At the time of European settlement, most turkeys seemed to exist along the Taconic Mountain Range in southwestern Vermont and along the Connecticut River Valley in southeastern Vermont . Loss of forestland and unregulated market hunting in the early 19th century led to the elimination of Vermont ’s wild turkeys by the mid-1800s.

Vermont released the first 17 wild trapped New York turkeys in Pawlet , Vermont in 1969. A second release of 14 wild birds in was made in Hubbardton in 1970. Today, Vermont ’s wild turkey population is estimated to number more than 50,000 birds. All of these are believed to directly descend from the original 31 New York wild turkeys. Wild turkeys are now found throughout Vermont .

Vermont has excellent turkey hunting across most of the state with 5,000 to 6,000 turkeys normally taken each year. Turkey hunting is a significant benefit to the people of Vermont by providing hunting opportunity, economic activity and a mechanism to control turkey numbers. Over-abundant turkey populations can result in nuisance or damage situations.

“This is your chance to contribute to the scientific management of Vermont ’s turkey population,” said Laroche. “By entering the information about the turkeys you observe, you can help ensure that Vermonters will continue to enjoy turkeys in the years ahead.”

Special Opportunity Moose Hunt

WATERBURY , VT – Special opportunity moose hunts for as many as three people under 21 years old who have a life threatening disease or illness are being offered by Vermont this year.

All applicants must be sponsored by a charitable organization with 501(c)(3) status. The deadline to apply to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is September 9, 2010, and there is no cost to apply and no cost for the permit. Anyone who held a Vermont moose hunting permit in 2007, 2008 or 2009 is not eligible to apply.

Those who are selected to receive a special opportunity moose hunting permit must purchase a Vermont hunting license before going hunting. In order to purchase the license, the person must have passed a hunter education course or have held a hunting license previously.

Each recipient of one of these hunting permits may take one moose of either sex during the October 16 -21, 2010 moose hunting season. The permittee may designate up to five support personnel who may accompany the permittee on the moose hunt, one of whom may be a second shooter with a Vermont hunting license.

Information and a special application are available from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, 103 South Main Street , Waterbury , VT 05671-0501 . Tel. 802-241-3695. Email: fwinformation@state.vt.us

Vermont Moose Hunting Permit Winners Are Drawn

Waterbury, VT – The winners of Vermont ’s 2010 moose hunting permits were determined July 09 at a lottery drawing in Waterbury .

Michael O’Neill of Sheffield , Vt , who attended to witness the drawing, started the computer-generated selection process that randomly picked 765 winners among more than 12,000 people who applied this year.

The drawing is done by a random sort of applications that were submitted by a June 1 deadline. Lottery applications were $10.00 for residents and $25.00 for nonresidents.

People who applied last year and didn’t get a permit were given a bonus point, increasing their odds of winning a permit in future moose permit lotteries. Read more

Vermont Antlerless Deer Hunt Applications Available

Waterbury, VT – Vermont ‘s antlerless deer hunting lottery applications for the muzzleloader season are now available on the Fish & Wildlife Department’s website, at Fish & Wildlife district offices, and at license agents statewide.

Applications may be submitted on-line with a credit or debit card payment, or printed, filled out, and mailed in with a check. On-line applications are found at (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). Go to “Hunting and Trapping” and click on Lottery Applications.

The permits are only for “antlerless deer,” which is defined as deer without antlers or with antlers less than three inches long.

A hunter who wins an antlerless deer permit in the lottery may use it to take one antlerless deer by muzzleloader during the December 4-12, 2010 muzzleloader season in the wildlife management unit (WMU) designated on the permit.

“We appreciate that most hunters are supportive of scientific deer herd management,” said Dr. Shawn Haskell, Vermont ’s deer biologist. “They realize a certain number of antlerless deer must be removed in some areas of the state in order to keep the deer population in balance with its habitat. Wildlife biologists make recommendations annually, based on winter severity, habitat conditions, deer population goals, and harvest objectives.”

All of Vermont ’s wildlife management units (WMUs) are proposed to have muzzleloader antlerless permits this year except WMUs E, O1 and P. The 25,600 muzzleloader antlerless permits proposed will help slow the growth of the deer population in these units and are expected to net a harvest of about 4,500 deer. The numbers of permits to be issued and WMUs to be open will be determined by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board at a later date.

Six WMUs on the western side of the state (A-F1-F2-K1-K2-N) had permits last year that were unallocated after the lottery drawing because not enough people applied.

Applications must be postmarked no later than August 26, 2010, or delivered that day in the Waterbury Fish & Wildlife office by 4:30 p.m. On-line applications will be accepted until midnight of August 26, 2010. The cost to apply is $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. A person may submit only one application.

F&W Board Votes on Moose , Turkey Regulations

WATERBURY , VT – Two hunting regulations for moose and turkey received second votes at the May 26 Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board meeting in Waterbury . Each will be voted on one more time and then be considered by the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules before becoming law.

Moose

* The 2010 moose hunt regulation, which initially would have created an October 2-9 archery moose hunt, was voted down. The Board will consider the proposal for 2011.
* A total of 765 either-sex moose hunting permits will be issued for a six-day hunt to be held October 16-21, 2010. A random draw lottery will be held in July.
* The deadline to apply for a moose hunting permit in the lottery is June 1. Applications are available on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) and at license agents statewide.

Turkey

The proposed fall turkey hunting season would include:

* Hunting with bow and arrow only — to be open statewide – Oct. 2-22, 2010;

* Current seven-day shotgun or archery season would expand to nine days – Oct. 23-31, 2010 in WMUs B, D1, D2, G, H1, H2, I, J1, J2, L, M1, M2, O1, O2, P, Q

WMUs B, D1, D2, and H1 would be new additions to this season.

* Shotgun or archery season would be for 16 days – Oct. 23-Nov. 7, 2010 in WMUs F1, F2 ,K1, K2 , N.

You can read the two proposed regulations in their entirety on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s website (vtfishandwildlife.com). Under “About Us,” click on Fish and Wildlife Board.

Vermont’s 2010 Deer Management Proposal and Hearing

WATERBURY, VT – Vermont ’s deer herd is currently healthy according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. The department’s annual proposal for a regulated deer harvest, based on scientific information and public input, was presented to the Fish and Wildlife Board on April 21. The Board amended the proposal to include antlerless permits for WMU I and WMU L and then approved the amended proposal on the first of three votes necessary to make it law.

The Fish and Wildlife Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed regulation Tuesday, June 22, at 6:30 p.m. in the Pavilion Auditorium, 109 State Street in Montpelier .

The proposal calls for a harvest of about 8,200 antlerless deer through a combination of either-sex hunting during the split archery season, an either-sex youth weekend hunt, and by issuing 25,600 muzzleloader season antlerless permits.

According to the proposal, 23 of Vermont ’s 24 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) would be open to the taking of antlerless deer during the archery season. WMU-E in northeastern Vermont would remain closed to antlerless deer hunting during archery season. Two deer would be allowed during archery season with two archery licenses. One legal buck would be allowed anywhere in the state during archery season. In WMUs open to antlerless deer hunting, both deer taken during the archery season could be antlerless deer.

Youth deer weekend on November 6-7 is proposed to be an either-sex season statewide. Any buck could be taken during this season, regardless of antler length or points.

Muzzleloader season antlerless permits are proposed for 21 of the 24 WMUs. Higher numbers of permits are proposed for WMUs with the highest deer densities with consideration for the size of the Unit as well.

The department’s deer biologist, Dr. Shawn Haskell, points out that Vermont ’s deer population is healthy with heavy fawns and yearling bucks, and good reproductive potential. After a mild winter statewide, more antlerless deer permits are needed to keep the population from growing and becoming overabundant.

Haskell says Vermont ’s deer have not only increased in number since 2005 but also in size. Fawns taken in the 2009 hunting season weighed an average five pounds heavier than they did ten years ago. He also reports that the antler regulation change that began in 2005 is contributing to more older bucks being in the population and increased hunter satisfaction.

The definition of a “legal buck” will remain any white-tailed deer with at least one antler having two or more points one inch or longer.

The proposed regulation governing the taking of antlerless deer in 2010 is posted on the Fish and Wildlife Department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). Under “Law Enforcement,” click on Rules and Proposed Rules. A link at the end of the regulation will take you to the department’s Antlerless and Youth Deer Recommendation.

Antlerless permit applications should be available in late June or early July on Fish & Wildlife’s website and at license agents. The deadline to apply will be August 26. In WMUs that have permits unallocated after the initial lottery, there will be opportunity for hunters to purchase a permit if they do not have one, or they may purchase a permit after having filled one. The annual 3-deer bag limit still applies.

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