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MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says preliminary numbers show 16,160 deer were taken during Vermont’s 2016 deer hunting seasons.

Reports from big game check stations indicate hunters had successful deer seasons in 2016, taking 3,447 deer in archery season, 1,438 in youth season, 7,725 in rifle season, and 3,550 in muzzleloader season. The 16,160 deer brought home by hunters yielded more than 3 million meals of local nutritious venison.

“The legal buck harvest of 9,968 was 19 percent more than the previous three-year average of 8,372, and the highest buck harvest since 2002,” said deer project leader Nick Fortin. “Harvest numbers increased during all four seasons, and the total harvest of 16,160 is the second-highest since 2002.

“The increased harvest was primarily due to the exceptionally mild winter of 2016 which allowed more deer to survive. Additionally, the department issued nearly twice as many muzzleloader antlerless deer permits this year to provide more harvest opportunity and to limit population growth in some parts of the state.”

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Vermont Hunters Had Successful 2016 Deer Seasons - Vermont ...

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What else can we say? The fall colors here in Vermont are simply unbelievable!

With forests covering three-quarters of our state, and the highest percentage of vibrant maple trees in the country, Vermont explodes with colors once the leaves start to turn. Whether you are touring the state on a scenic byway, or enjoying a crisp autumn hike outdoors, almost everywhere you look in Vermont during the fall months is alive with bursting reds, oranges and yellows.

Adding to the natural beauty of autumn in Vermont are a variety of festivals, events and activities that help celebrate the season. Harvesting fruits and vegetables, visiting farms, pumpkin patches and corn mazes, and game hunting are among the host of outdoor things to do that make this such a special time of year.

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Travel Vermont - Fall in Vermont | VermontVacation.com - The Official Vermont Tourism Website - VermontVacation.com

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Vermont's world-famous foliage is at the top of many "bucket lists." It's the perfect time to explore back roads on a bike, paddle a quiet lake, take in a road race or hike a mountain. With so much to do, the best advice we can give is this: plan early!

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Now that the leaves are down owls are easier to find. Look for them in groves of pine and hemlock.

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Now that the leaves are down owls are easier to find. Look for them in groves of pine and hemlock.

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Apple trees may not have colorful leaves, but they certainly have colorful fruit; look for fox, deer and porcupine harvesting the bright red and yellow apples.

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At least two species of cluster fly were imported from Europe. They are experts at squeezing through small spaces to get into your hom.

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Are headed south to Central and Northern South America

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Vermont Senators Press Natural Resources Head on Lake Funding

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Vermont Senators Press Natural Resources Head on Lake Funding

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Julie Moore, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources secretary, insisted Tuesday night that state officials are committed to cleaning up Vermont waterways. When pressed whether Governor Scott was ready to agree to a new funding source to get the water clean up done, Moore responded:
"He hasn't said absolutely no,"

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Julie Moore, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources secretary, insisted Tuesday night that state officials are committed to cleaning up Vermont waterways.

Her boss, Gov. Phil Scott, intends to make the investments needed to meet goals for reducing phosphorus, she said. Chittenden County senators, who sponsored the hearing in Shelburne that drew about 45 local residents, wanted to know if that means Scott will agree to a new funding source to get it done.

"He hasn't said absolutely no," Moore responded.

Wary senators pressed further.

Sen. Phil Baruth (D-Chittenden) asked if the governor would require new spending to be offset by cuts to other environmental programs. Baruth noted that Scott made a similar proposal this year in education, when the governor called for increased investments in early and higher education while reducing spending on pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade education.

"I haven't heard that from the governor," Moore said, noting that a legislatively mandated working group is scheduled to produce water-quality funding recommendations by November 15.

Funding for water-quality improvements will be front and center when lawmakers return to Montpelier in January. Democrats who control the legislature are likely to disagree with the Republican governor about how much money to spend and where it will come from.

Sen. Ginny Lyons (D-Chittenden), who moderated the 90-minute hearing, said some, but not all, of Moore's comments were reassuring.

"We are looking for a new funding source," Lyons said. The November 15 report will be telling about where the Scott administration is headed on the issue, she added.

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Sen. Michael Sirotkin (D-Chittenden) said a per-acre fee on property owners is one funding source lawmakers might consider.

Moore said the state increased water-quality spending by 70 percent this year by using existing bonding capacity in the capital budget. She said that same level of spending should suffice for the next five years.

Lyons was skeptical that limiting funding to that level for that length of time would allow the state to meet federally mandated goals for phosphorus reduction. "That made me feel very apprehensive," she said.

Moore refuted an article VTDigger.org published last month that reported she plans to propose cutting water-quality spending in half. Moore said she has no such plans. She later wrote a rebuttal to the article.

Vermont's degraded water quality was on display once again this year in late summer when significant blue-green algae blooms sprouted in Lake Champlain and Lake Carmi.

Moore attributed those blooms to the weather. A cold, wet spring and an unusually warm late summer stirred phosphorus from long-existing sediment on the lake bottoms.

James Ehlers, a water-quality advocate who is a Democratic gubernatorial candidate running against Scott in the 2018 election, was irked by those comments as he sat silently in the audience Tuesday night. Afterward, Ehlers said, "It's absurd. The rain and snow don't cause pollution. Bad industrial dairy practices do."

The hearing was one of two that Chittenden County senators plan this week. At a meeting Wednesday night - October 11 - the main topic will be on opiate abuse during a forum from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Camels Hump Middle School in Richmond.

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Vermont Senators Press Natural Resources Head on Lake Funding

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click to enlarge Julie Moore, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources secretary, insisted Tuesday night that state officials are committed to cleaning up Vermont waterways. Her boss, Gov. Phil Scott, intends to make the investments needed to meet goals for reducing phosphorus, she said.

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Vermont Hit by Massive Wind Storm, Gusts Almost 80 MPH Overnight Causing Widespread Outages Across the State

More than 45,000 homes and businesses affecting more than 112,500 GMP customers in all corners of the state. When you include all Vermonters served by other utilities, it’s about 1/3 of Vermonters affected by the storm without power.

Conditions are extremely dangerous and many poles are broken, making repairs slow.

More wind expected this afternoon could cause additional outages.

Crews warn the public to stay clear of downed trees and power lines and call 911 if you see a line down .

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More than 45,000 homes and businesses affecting more than 112,500 GMP customers in all corners of the state. When you include all Vermonters served by other utilities, it's about 1/3 of Vermonters affected by the storm without power. Conditions are extremely dangerous and many poles are broken, making repairs slow. More wind expected this afternoon could cause additional outages. Crews warn the public to stay clear of downed trees and power lines and call 911 if you see a line down .
30 October 2017

COLCHESTER, Vt. - Severe winds with gusts up to almost 80 MPH late Sunday and early Monday morning hit the east coast, including Vermont, very hard, causing broken poles and knocking down trees and branches onto lines all across the state. GMP has approximately 45,000 homes and businesses without power, impacting more than 112,500 people as of 7:00 a.m. The storm is the result of a strong low pressure system which also pulled effects from Tropical Storm Phillipe off the east coast. An army of more than 350 lineworkers, tree workers, and field teams will be working to repair all the damage.

"Crews are ready and mobilized to make repairs as quickly and safely as possible this morning and we expect additional crews, which were on standby from Canada and elsewhere in the region to join the effort as well," said Kristin Carlson, VP of Strategic & External Affairs. "We are asking the public for patience as we expect more wind later today and more outages as a result. Safety of our crews and the public is our top priority and conditions are extremely dangerous."

Strong winds and rain began Sunday and are expected to continue through Monday. Nearly every region of the state has been impacted so crews will be deployed across the state to make repairs. With more weather expected, GMP estimates repairs in some areas could take days, possibly through the week to complete.

"We urge Vermonters to stay clear of downed trees, branches and power lines and report them by calling 911," Carlson continued. "We'll keep the public and media informed as this storm progresses through regular press releases and updates on social media."

For safety information, customers can visit: http://www.greenmountainpower.com/learn/safety-guide/

Customers may report outages and get updates through GMP's text service or app, as well as by calling 1-888-835-4672 , or visiting GMP's Outage Center at www.greenmountainpower.com .

To get the latest information on outages and restoration times, customers can sign up for text service alerts, by texting REG to 46788 or GMPVT, or signing up online at http://www.greenmountainpower.com/textalerts . Customers can also download the GMP app at the App Store or Google Play Store to quickly and easily report outages.

About Green Mountain Power:

Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and is partnering with Vermonters to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. In 2014, Vote Solar named GMP a Solar Champion. More information at: www.greenmountainpower.com . Connect with GMP on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @GreenMtnPower.

Kristin Carlson
Green Mountain Power
(802) 229-8200

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Vermont Hit by Massive Wind Storm, Gusts Almost 80 MPH Overnight Causing Widespread Outages Across the State - Green Mountain Power

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More than 45,000 homes and businesses affecting more than 112,500 GMP customers in all corners of the state. When you include all Vermonters served by other utilities, it's about 1/3 of Vermonters affected by the storm without power. Conditions are extremely dangerous and many poles are broken, making repairs slow.

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With winter on its way people have to clean up and empty there gardens.

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For Immediate Release: October 19, 2017
Media Contacts: Col. Jason Batchelder, 802-828-1483; Lt. Dave Gregory, 802-751-0103

Community Rallies Around Moose Poaching Incident, Raises Funds for Reward

WESTMORE, Vt. – A Go Fund Me campaign has been started to raise reward money for an unsolved moose poaching case that took place in September. The campaign was started by Craftsbury Common resident Cindi Bollettieri.

A cow moose was shot from the road out of season and at night on Saturday, September 23. Vermont’s regulated moose hunting seasons are in October, and are limited to a small number of hunting permits that are allocated through a lottery system.

After the moose was shot in Westmore, it was attached to a vehicle and dragged on the road more than 11 miles to the town of Orleans. The animal was left by the side of Hollow Road off Route 58 in Orleans. The cow moose was lactating, indicating that she likely had a calf with her.

The fundraising campaign is available at www.gofundme.com/moose-poacher-reward.

“This action was particularly heinous, so I can understand why people are outraged,” said Col. Jason Batchelder, Vermont’s chief game warden. “The fact that people are giving to this campaign shows that Vermonters will not stand for poaching in our state.”

Members of the public with information about the incident should notify Operation Game Thief at 1-800-75ALERT (1-800-752-5378) or online at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Operation Game Thief also pays rewards to members of the public who identify poachers.

Bollettieri has personally donated $2,000 to the effort, both through the Go Fund Me campaign and directly to Operation Game Thief.

“These poachers demonstrated tremendous disrespect for the law and for this moose,” said Col. Batchelder. “We’re asking for anyone with information about this incident to come forward so that we can hold the people who did this accountable.”

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Archery | Oct 1 – 7 |
Regular |  October 21-26.  |

Resident application fee is $10
Nonresident application fee is $25 Only one application may be submitted per person.
Up to 10% of the permits may be issued to nonresidents
Fees are nonrefundable

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trees lose there leaves and there called deciduous. trees take all nutrient from there leaves before letting them go

The hornbeam holds onto there leaves for the winter
Tamarack, larch and bald cypress are less familiar trees found throughout Michigan.

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Beavers are piling branches next to their lodge, to be eaten throughout the winter

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Remote area that is set up for skiing and mountain biking and very peaceful you need a mountain bike which they rent. you also need skis to go down the mountain. $25.00 a day

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October 27 2017 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Location  | Kehoe Education Center - Castleton
Description | The festival features a fun and educational Halloween campfire show led by students from Green Mountain College’s environmental education and interpretation program. Kids will learn about the creepy, crawly critters that reside in Vermont and have a chance to get decked out in their costumes before the traditional trick-or-treat night. The 20-minute campfire program will run at 5, 6, and 7 p.m.

Other activities include a nature hike along a trail that’s lit by carved pumpkins, wildlife-related activities, face painting, and a photo booth. Snacks will include apple cider, caramel apples and other seasonal treats.

Admission and activities are free and open to the general public, and all ages are welcome. No registration is required. Costumes are encouraged, but not required.

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Spring salamanders are mating. Eggs will be laid in the spring

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Bears are especially active now, eating  everything they can find to store enough fat to last for the the next five months.

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look for the long, toothed evergreen leaves of pipsissewa, a handsome small plant of dry woods

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look for the long, toothed evergreen leaves of pipsissewa, a handsome small plant of dry woods

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Archery | October 7- November 3, 2017
December 2-10, 2017            | Two deer, only one of which may be a legal buck.

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bow hunting season is currently in process here in Vermont. Bow hunting is a much more of an involved hunting process taking more skill and practice. Hunting (if successful) is a very satisfying way to put food on the table, bow hunting allows for a doe to be taken, if bow and muzzle loader season did not happen the doe would be over populated.

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State ramps up clean water effort for besieged Lake Carmi

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State ramps up clean water effort for besieged Lake Carmi

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The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (AAFM) announced a suite of projects aimed at protecting and restoring the Lake Carmi watershed. The Lake Carmi Implementation Team will lead the coordination of these projects and provide regular updates to the community.

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Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (AAFM) announced a suite of projects aimed at protecting and restoring the Lake Carmi watershed. The Lake Carmi Implementation Team will lead the coordination of these projects and provide regular updates to the community.

According to the Lake Champlain Committee's Week 13 Cyanobacteria Report from September 15: "Lake Carmi continues to experience an intense bloom. High alert bloom conditions persisted for a third week for most of the lake. Mycrocystin of .34 micrograms per liter was detected at the North Beach Site on September 12 which is below the VT recreational guidance value of 6 micrograms per liter. Microcystin and anatoxin levels were below detection at the State Park Beach based on samples taken on September 12. Everyone should stay away from the water while blooms persist and avoid contact with the water for at least 24 hours after blooms dissipate."

In mid-August, the St Albans Messenger reported that a TMDL meeting between Lake Carmi residents and others with Anson Tebbetts, Vermont's Secretary of Agriculture, "boiled over" as they expressed their anger over the situation. Tebbetts took the heat for local farmers, whose agricultural runoff is the chief culprit in causing the algae blooms. The state has instituted new runoff regulations for farmers, which went into effect at the end of last year, but Tebbett's admitted at the meeting that he could not predict when the Total Maximum Daily Load of phosphorous goals would be met.

And then, according to a WCAX-TV report, Julie Moore, Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources, received a similar reception from residents last Thursday.

"Historically, the Lake Carmi watershed has faced some of the most significant challenges of any area in the state," Moore said. "As an administration, we are committed to addressing these issues, to ensure a better future for Lake Carmi."

The Agencies are working closely with farmers and landowners in the area to increase conservation efforts aimed at improving the health of the watershed. They have ramped up technical and financial assistance, education and outreach, and inspections in the watershed, to ensure adherence to Vermont's Clean Water Act.

"Act 64 of 2015 - Vermont's Clean Water Act - has accelerated change, statewide, in the effort to achieve clean water," Moore continued. "Many new resources have been brought to bear thanks to Governor Scott's and the Legislature's commitment of significant, additional funding for the Clean Water Fund. This will enable the state to support and invest in numerous clean water projects, including improved stormwater management, lake shore protections to improve habitat and water quality, continued assistance with on-site wastewater treatment, and expanded agricultural stewardship in the Lake Carmi watershed."

Specifically, ANR has secured permission from key landowners to undertake a wetland restoration project near Marsh Brook that will help reduce the amount of phosphorus reaching the stream. In addition, new projects planned for the coming year by ANR include implementation of best management practices on municipal and private roads which drain to the lake, the design of a pilot aeration project in the northeastern lobe of the lake, and technical assistance to shore land property owners implementing lake-friendly practices. This fall, ANR will also implement enhancements to the wastewater treatment system it owns and operates at Lake Carmi State Park.

"We have to do better. Our entire water quality team from technical assistance to inspectors will be focused on this watershed. Farmers are engaged and have told us they want to help. Important projects are underway and more will happen in the coming months." said Secretary Tebbetts.

New Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs) became effective in December 2016 and will result in expanded conservation practice implementation throughout Vermont. A combination of AAFM farm inspections and partner education and outreach services will ensure adoption of new requirements included in the rule such as: tighter erosion standards for annual crop fields, required vegetated buffer strips and manure spreading restrictions alongside ditches, and wider buffers on steep cropland fields.

"We are nearing the end of the first growing season under the RAPs, and we are already seeing significant improvements," said Tebbetts. "Our staff is working closely with farmers to identify solutions, and provide technical assistance. We want to ensure farmers are heard, and their efforts documented. We are here to provide the support and resources they need to go above and beyond the baseline regulations."

In the Lake Carmi watershed, AAFM has secured significant funding for two major agricultural water quality improvement projects that are on-track to be implemented this fall. Surface water monitoring is being conducted to assess phosphorus reductions from these BMP practices.

The Lake Carmi Implementation Team, a volunteer group that formed in October 2015 to coordinate phosphorus management strategies across the Lake Carmi watershed, is co-sponsored by the Franklin Watershed Committee and ANR, includes representatives from AAFM, Lake Carmi Campers' Association, Town of Franklin Select Board, Northwest Regional Planning Commission, Farmer's Watershed Alliance, Friends of Northern Lake Champlain, and Toxics Action Center.

For more information visit: http://dec.vermont.gov/watershed or http://agriculture.vermont.gov/water-quality
Source: ANR, 9.21.2017. LCC, 9.15.2017.

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State ramps up clean water effort for besieged Lake Carmi

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Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (AAFM) announced a suite of projects aimed at protecting and restoring the Lake Carmi watershed. The Lake Carmi Implementation Team will lead the coordination of these projects and provide regular updates to the community.

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The beautifully colored leaves of White Ash, in all shades of purple, are among the first to fall.

The Trees are changing colors
MT Mansfield Stowe Slide

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Hunters Urged to Wear Orange

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Vermont Fish & Wildlife is reminding hunters to wear fluorescent hunter orange.

“Hunting is one of the safest outdoor activities, and it’s getting safer thanks to advances in education as well as science,” said Nicole Meier, Vermont Fish & Wildlife information and education specialist. “Our volunteer hunter education instructors stress that wearing orange during hunting season is important, and studies prove that wearing fluorescent hunter orange keeps hunters visible to other people in the woods, but it keeps them relatively invisible to deer.”

“Every year we should strive to be the safest we can be by wearing at least a hunter orange hat and vest,” she added.

Meier says hunters moving into the line of fire of other hunters and mistaking other hunters for game are common causes of the state’s accidents.

The time that deer are most active, during the dawn and dusk hours, are times of especially low visibility. You can improve your chances of being seen by other hunters by wearing hunter orange, which can be seen even in low-light situations.

“While it isn’t recommended to wear orange during waterfowl and turkey seasons, we certainly still recommend hunter orange when you are going to and from your blind, treestand or calling spot,” said Meier.

Concerns that deer are scared by hunter orange are unfounded. A deer’s vision is based on movement, patterns and color variations. Unlike humans, deer do not have multiple color receptors in their eyes. They can see color, but their spectrum is limited. This means deer must rely heavily on their ability to detect movement over the ability to interpret color variations and patterns.

Regardless of how well deer see orange, ample anecdotal evidence suggests they aren’t bothered by it. Remember, hunting in Vermont is very safe and you can help keep it that way by choosing hunter orange.

Hunt smart. Hunt safe. Wear orange.

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Get out now and go biking before it gets too cold and starts to snow.

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Be in the woods during Deer Hunting Season

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Be in the woods during Deer Hunting Season

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Hunters play a critical role in the management of deer in Vermont. They provide the mechanism for controlling deer numbers, and they provide critical biological information from the animals they harvest. Successful deer management depends on cooperation from hunters. Some ways hunters can contribute valuable information include: Completing the annual rifle season hunter effort survey, should they receive one. These surveys are mailed to 10,000 licensed hunters each year, and provide information on hunting effort and sighting rates of deer and other wildlife that are used to estimate population size. Reporting their deer at a biological reporting station during youth season or the opening weekend of rifle season. Department biologists are present at select reporting stations during these weekends to collect important information on the health and physical condition of the deer herd. This information is more reliable if more deer can be examined. Submitting a tooth from their rifle season buck. We are asking all successful rifle season hunters to provide a tooth from their buck when they report it. The deer’s age can be determined from the tooth, and that age information is being used for a detailed evaluation of the antler point restriction and to help manage Vermont’s deer herd.
BOW & ARROW SEASON (October 7-November 3, 2017 and December 2-10, 2017) LICENSES: Any person wishing to hunt deer with a bow and arrow during archery deer season must have an archery license/tag. A hunting or combination hunting and fishing license is required in addition to an archery license, except for nonresident archery-only deer license. LIMIT: No more than two deer may be taken during the archery season only one of which may be a legal buck, not to exceed the annual limit. One legal buck may be taken during the two-part October and December archery season anywhere in the state. The October and December archery seasons are considered one season, and hunters may take only one legal buck during the entire season. All WMUs are open to the taking of antlerless deer during archery season. Deer must be taken by bow (long bow, recurve bow or compound bow) and arrows or with crossbow by a person 50 years of age or older, or by crossbow by a person with a disability permit. The arrowhead must be at least 7/8 of an inch in width with two or more cutting edges. It is illegal to carry a rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloader while archery hunting deer in the bow and arrow season. A hunter may possess a pistol or revolver while archery hunting. The pistol or revolver MAY NOT be used to take game or dispatch the deer. A crossbow may be used by anyone 50 years of age or older to take a deer during archery deer season. Anyone 49 years of age or younger may hunt with a crossbow, provided they possess a crossbow disability permit. The crossbow disability permit is issued to a person so physically impaired that he or she cannot operate a standard bow and allows that person to hunt with a crossbow. A permit applicant must produce a licensed physician’s certificate certifying that the disability requires the use of a crossbow. Obtain an application from Fish & Wildlife before visiting your doctor. Applicant must also appear before a state game warden to obtain a crossbow license. Be sure to make an appointment ahead of time. Unless it is uncocked, it is illegal to possess or transport a crossbow in or on a motor vehicle, motor boat, airplane, snowmobile, or other motorpropelled craft or any vehicle drawn by a motorpropelled vehicle. Crossbow Application (49 years and younger) CROSSBOW SAFETY Keep the string waxed and lubricate the rail periodically. Make sure your fingers are well away (below rail) from the path of the string and cables. Never dry-fire a crossbow. Make sure the limbs are free of obstructions before firing; be particularly careful if you are hunting from a ground blind. Never use a cocking device to uncock unless you have a model that is specifically designed to do so. Most are not.
TREE STANDS AND CROSSBOWS Always cock the crossbow without a bolt on the ground before climbing into the stand. Once seated and secured, pull up your unloaded crossbow with a haul line. Do not place a bolt on the crossbow until you are safely secured in your stand.
Hunt Smart. Scouting and range practice are necessary and exciting ingredients to any successful hunt. Wearing hunter orange also ensures safety in the field. Model Behavior. Safe and responsible hunters are mentored by safe and responsible hunters. Go Often. Encourage youth to hunt more than the youth weekends. Lifelong hunting participation is directly related to the amount of time spent hunting while young, especially when these experiences occur in a family/mentor setting. Respect the Intent. The youth weekend hunt is for the youth, not you. Legally, you must leave your firearm at home, and landowner permission is required. Have Fun! Being with family and friends and generally having a good time is more important to youth hunters than bagging game. Remember this and provide young hunters with positive reinforcement.