Posted By:
Mike F.
Guest
Sailsbury/Area C 01-24-2005 16:01
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Scouted Sailsbury around 10 thismorning, saw 100+ mainly blacks hunkered down across from the ramp, they no when there safe..
Went to area c and dragged the layouts & deeks a 1/2 mile to the hills, didn’t see a single goose in 3 hours.
Mike
Posted By:
glitterperegrine
Supporting Member
01-23-2005 00:10
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Help a little girl out everyone
Mackenzie Maier needs a postcard from you! Mac is a 4 year old with very serious cancer. Her goal is to collect a postcard from every state in the US. Please help her reach her goal by mailing her one today!
Her address is:
Mackenzie Maier
23037 Magnolia Glen Drive
Valencia, CA 91354
They have a website with a guestbook and pictures of her with Santa at:
www2.caringbridge.org/ca/mackenziemaier
Posted By:
Mike F.
Guest
Sailsbury 01-22-2005 17:47
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Went down with my dad around 8am to see what if anything was still unfrozen. Only open water was from the toothpick strait across to PI, good amount of divers and a few eider & old squaw hanging around in the open water, we were going to head back and grab a few fishing rods before we hunted, but decided to give em’ a break.. Did see a nice drake hoodie sitting about 5 feet off the toothpick. Checked out a few goose fields without a trace of activity, looks like this storm might put an end to the late season before it even starts..
Mike
Posted By:
Scott-Haight
Guest
*** NANTUCKET SPECIAL DEER SEASON PERMITS AVAILABLE *** 01-21-2005 05:49
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While obviously not waterfowl related I am sure many of you hunt deer as well( I do ). Thought this might interest some of you.
MassWildlife release 1/18/2005:
On December 20, 2004, in response to a request from the town of Nantucket, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board voted to allow a one week deer hunting season on Nantucket in February of 2005. This special hunt is part of a long-term management strategy to both reduce high deer density (40-60 deer/square mile) and reduce deer ticks, thereby reducing the incidence of tick-borne diseases. This special deer hunting season will open Monday, February 7 and continue through Saturday, February 12, 2005. Hunters must possess a valid 2005 hunting or sporting license and purchase a Nantucket Special Deer Season permit and tags in order to participate in the Nantucket deer season. The permits required for this hunt will available for purchase on Thursday, January 20, at selected MassWildlife offices and on Nantucket.
Nantucket Special Deer Season Permits may be purchased (cash or check only) at all MassWildlife District Offices (Pittsfield, Belchertown, W. Boylston, Acton, Bourne) as well as the MassWildlife Field Headquarters in Westborough. Nantucket will be selling permits beginning January 24, Monday – Friday from 8AM – 10AM at the Town Clerk’s Office. On the Sunday before the hunt as well as during the week of the season, permits will be available for sale at the deer check station located at the Nantucket Waste Water Treatment Facility on South Shore Road. Permits will not be available to purchase on line. A friend or relative may purchase the permits in the hunter’s place as long as they have that hunter’s 2005 hunting/sporting license and the permit fee. MassWildlife will not accept or process applications for the Nantucket Special Deer Season through the mail. Only one antlered deer tag will be issued to each hunter during the one week season.
The permit will include 5 antlerless deer tags and one antlered deer tag for $25. The permit and tags will be valid only for this February season. The taking of an antlered deer during this February season will not affect the 2005 fall bag limit of two antlered deer. Once a hunter has filled the 5 original antlerless deer tags, he or she may purchase additional tags from the MassWildlife staff at the Nantucket deer check station.
Hunters are reminded they are subject to all hunting laws found in the 2005 MassWildlife Fishing and Hunting Abstracts. Deer hunters may use shotguns, bow and arrows or muzzleloaders. Hunters must wear 500 square inches of hunter orange on chest, back and head. Rabbit hunting with dogs and rifles is prohibited during the one week deer season. Hunting has been and continues to be vital to this conservation and public health effort. Most islanders realize the need for reducing deer density through hunting and welcome responsible hunters. By participating safely, legally and ethically in this special winter season hunt, sportsmen and women will serve an important role in wildlife management on Nantucket.
Further details on the Nantucket Hunt are available at www.masswildlife.org or by calling the Field Headquarters at 508/792-7270.
Posted By:
Scott-Haight
Guest
*** ICE OUT *** 01-18-2005 13:47
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For the third time since the middle of December we have ice out conditions along the coast( Salisbury/Newburyport/Plum Island ). Even the Merrimack itself is about 1/2 iced over. We did really well this year making it to the last week of the season with mostly open water but it appears old man winter is not going to give us the last week+. There will be no sudden thaw with long range forecasts showing sub freezing weather for some 8-10 days in a row.
While it would be “possible” to launch a boat in Salisbury it is not advisable. The ramp itself is covered with pack ice and with so much in the river and marsh creeks who knows what you might find on your return trip to the ramp? If you somehow managed to launch over all the ramp ice I am not so sure you would be able to get back out later.
Bird numbers appear to be way down as well. Very few puddle ducks around. Still plenty of Eiders and Oldsquaw, and a lot of geese, but not many puddlers in the area. With temps in the single digits( well below zero with wind chill )I have no plans to venture forth and freeze for nothing.
Looks like I am done now until late goose. Hopefully we will get a thaw as we usually do before late goose ends so boats can be used again. If not it is all pack in hunting to the marsh and that is hard work.
Hope you all had as good a year as I did and everyone made it through safe and sound. Good luck during the late goose season. If I am able to get out for it I will post.
[Edited By Scott-Haight on 2005-01-18 13:49]
Posted By:
Mike F.
Guest
Mac 01-18-2005 10:16
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ICE EVERYWHERE
Posted By:
Mike F.
Guest
Merrimac 01-17-2005 17:55
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More ducks then Saturday, but they all moved for the most part at first light and within the last 30 minutes of shooting light. Shot one goose, and passed on lots of old squaw and mergies, I’m going to need another bottle of A-1…
Posted By:
Scott-Haight
Guest
Merrimack River 01-17-2005 17:29
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Hit the marsh today and was very surprised to see 95%+ open water. I really thought last nights cold would have begun the ice up process but I guess the high winds helped to keep things open. With temps falling to the single digits and wind chills well below zero due for a while it won’t last.
Not many birds seen. I found a few birds tucked up out of the wind at low tide and attempted a sneak. The marsh was all iced up however and it made walking difficult and slippery. Not to mention noisey. They jumped at maximum range and were soon gone with the wind.
That was it for the day.
Posted By:
Mike M.
Guest
Eastern MA National Wildlife Refuge System to open land to waterfowlers! 01-17-2005 14:22
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This is some of the best news to hit this area in a long, long, time for waterfowlers. I was informed today that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service has finalized its 15 year management plans. As part of the plan, waterfowl hunting has been adopted and will begin starting in October 2005. Certain areas will also be open to archery deer hunting.
Many of you may remember back in the summer of 2003 when this was proposed. Thank you to all who wrote letters. It made a difference!
Please refer to the state discussion forum for the official particulars regarding this matter.
Posted By:
krobison
Guest
Plum Island 12/15/05 01-17-2005 10:27
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted PI with Buck Flather on saturday, we headed out around noon for a quick hunt on the in coming tide. Saw plenty of blacks, goldeneyes, mergies and a few green heads. Plenty of geese around but not flying our way. We each took a nice black over the decoys. It sure is nice to have open water this late in the season. Hope everyone is still getting out after the birds and enjoying the weather. KRobison.
