VGOM June 2013

GREAT OUTDOORSVermont’s MagazineVolume 1 Number 6

● The Great Artdoors● The legacy of a life outdoors● Fly rodding for smallies● Father’s Day tributes

● River Monsters comes to Vt.● Father, son on the Long Trail● Vermont’s fish — the brookie● Zetterstrom award winner

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• Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine • June 2013

Features22 The Great ArtdoorsVGOM’s newest contributor talks about hisart and how nature inspires his work.

26 The LegacyA son reflects on his father’s vast outdoorlegacy left by a lifetime of work.

38 The Long TrailA man and his son tackle the Long Trail,trekking the length of Vermont.

62 River MonstersOne of the world’s most recognizeableanglers came to Vermont last year.

5. Photo of the Month6. Editor’s Note8. Outdoor News16. Readers Sound Off

44. The Next Cast48. Birds of Vermont56. Fly Fishing72. Family Outdoors74. Sacred Hunter83. The Outside Story

More Inside

Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazinewww.VtGreatOutdoorsMag.com

June 2013 • Volume 1 • Number 6© Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine 2012-2013

Publisher & EditorDarren Marcy

News/Marketing AssistantsMaya Marcy & Camilla Marcy

ContributorsJeremy Baker, Bradley Carleton,Bob Shannon, Emile Willett, SteveCostello, Evan Chismark, TimUpton, Chris Adams, Kari Jo Spear,Brian Lang, Brian Cadoret, JoshAdams, Parker Wright, DaltonHarben, Drew Price, Jodi Warner,Raven Schwan-Noble, MadaidLopez, Joe Rankin

Article & Photo [email protected]

Press Releases, [email protected]

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Phone(802) 331-0130

Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine is publishedmonthly as a free digital publication. This publicationis protected by copyright and each individual storyand photo is protected by copyright owned by therespective contributors. All opinions belong to therespective writers and do not necessarily reflect thatof Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine.

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Photo of the Month:


Laurel Baker shows off a rock bass she caught earlier this year. The Rutland Town girl is the daughter of VGOM columnistJeremy Baker, who said the fish qualifies for the Vermont Master Angler program and is Laurel’s first entry of the year.

Editor’s Note:


FathersDaddy. Father. Pops. The Old Man. There are a lot of names

for our dads, just as there are a lot of different kinds of dads. Somepeople have amazing fathers who literally seem to have single-handedly hung themoon. And there are dads who are no-good, worthless … you get the point. Most aresomewhere in between.

If you’re reading this, however, there’s a better than average chance that your dadwas into the outdoors. That’s how most of us learn to love the outdoors. It’s not always“Dad” who introduces us or nurtures our love of wild critters and wild places.Sometimes it’s Mom or another relative. But dads are the leading cause of outdoorpassion from what I’ve seen. We carry that with us and, with a little bit of luck, wepass it on to our kids.

This month, we are featuring a handful of stories about dad. But none better thismonth than the one I’ve chosen to lead the section by Tim Upton as he writes abouthis father, Peter Upton. It’s a heck of a story and I hope you’ll read it. I hope you’llread them all because they come from the heart.

Another cool feature this month is the photo feature of a father and son who spentthree-plus weeks last summer hiking the Long Trail from Massachusetts to Canada.This feature will run for three months through August as we track the journey theymade last June and July on the LongTrail.

We’ve also added a new columnist – Chris Adams is a bass angler of the first order.He’ll be tackling his favorite subject and maybe others, writing as often as his scheduleallows.

Another new contributor is artist Evan Chismark who caught my attention onFacebook and I quickly convinced him to share his art with us. He agreed and wentone better, adding a little column to bolster understanding of the animal and his art.

Finally, there is a feature about a Vermont guide who got the chance to guide JeremyWade from the TV show “River Monsters.” The filming was done more than a yearago, but the episode was just released in May. It’s a nice piece.

Of course there’s more – a lot more. This issue is pushing toward the 100-pagemark. That’s a spectacular amount of content for a free publication.

It seems like every month, as I write this piece, I’m a little more amazed at whatwe’ve accomplished in the past month.

I feel like we’re starting to hit our stride. More and more readers are discoveringthe magazine, and advertisers are beginning to look at us as a viable options for gettingtheir message to outdoor enthusiasts.

You can help. First, make sure a few more friends know about VGOM. And then,tell your local businesses to check out our ad rates and encourage them to advertisewith us. Thank you.

Please, get outdoors and enjoy this beautiful state.

On the Cover

Unicorns LiveThis month’s cover shot was

submitted by Brian Price ofVermont Fly Guys. Pricecaught the 28-inch brown on aVFG 1/0 Gliss and GlintBaitfish while targeting pike.The brown was releasedunharmed to fight another day.

Price described it onFacebook, “Meanwhile, deepin the bowels of the GreenMountains of Vermont,unicorns live. … I feel solucky to get the opportunity tohave caught and experienceda world class fish like this;forever etched.”

Look up Vermont Fly Guyson Facebook.

Have a great photo you wantto share?

Whether it’s a fish, asummit, a sunset or just a littlefamily time.

Please send it in. You mightfind it on the cover of the nextVermont’s Great OutdoorsMagazine.

Outdoor News:


Thru paddlers have gear stolenduring portage in Brunswick

Two people paddling their canoe on the NorthernForest Canoe Trail had most of their belongings stolenduring a portage in Brunswick.

Lauren Plummer, 25, of Massachusetts; and TaylorSteedes, 26, of Standish, Maine, said that after stashingmost of their gear near Route 105 in Brunswick on May14, they went back to get their canoe. When theyreturned, their gear was gone.

Vermont State Police said the pair reported a 150-literblue Seal dry bag was taken that contained a silver MSR

Whisper Light cook stove, iPhone, red OutdoorResearch rain coat, Olympus digital camera, GPS Sportlocator, maroon Solomon shoes, clothing, a wallet withthree debit cards and $100 cash, two passports and othergear.

The pair were able to purchase new gear and a littlemore than a week later, they were able to continue theirtrip.

Witnesses reported seeing a white, full-sized pickupwith a man wearing a baseball cap leaving the areatraveling west on Route 105. Anybody with anyinformation about the missing bag and its contentsshould contact Vermont State Police at 334-8881.

What is your club, group or organization up to? Share you news.Submit news about Vermont’s Outdoors to VGOM.

[email protected]

Outdoor News:


Divers recover bodyof missing boater

Divers with the New Hampshire Fish & WildlifeDepartment found the body of Zachary Florio during asearch May 2.

Florio had gone missing when the boat he was inoverturned on the Passumpsic River and had beenmissing.

Divers discovered the body about 1 p.m. April 2 justover the New Hampshire border in Vermont water.

Vermont State Police assisted with the recovery andthe body was taken to the Vermont Office of the ChiefMedical Examiner for an autopsy to determine cause andmanner of death.

Pair of all-terrain vehicles stolenfrom camp in Corinth

Vermont State Police are investigating the theft of twoATVs in White River Junction some time between April28 and May 4.

According to a press release, Christian Bulger toldpolice May 4 that two of his ATVs were stolen from acampsite on Pike Hill Road in Corinth during those sixdays.

One ATV was described as a green 2011 Arctic Cat425. The other is a black and red 2008 Arctic Cat DVX400.

Police ask that anyone with information contact theBradford Barracks at 222-4680.

Check out our new website at: www.vtgreatoutdoorsmag.com

Outdoor News:


Police investigate theft of $2,200worth of property from unlocked car

Vermont State Police are currently investigating thetheft of about $2,200 worth of items from a vehicle parkedat a hiking access parking area in Addison on May 2.

Police said Adrianna Baker, 20, of Middleburyreported that while her vehicle was parked at an accesson Mountain Road in Addison, the personal propertywas stolen from her unlocked vehicle.

Police did not detail what was stolen.Anyone with information on the theft can contact

Trooper Andrew Leise at 388-4919.

More thefts reportedfrom vehicles in Addison

Vermont State Police were again called to theMountain Road hiking accessing May 10 for a report ofmultiple reports of thefts from vehicles.

Police took reports from Casey Stanton, 24, ofBurlington, and Ian W. Forgays, 47, of Lincoln.

Police said it appears that a “Slim Jim” type of toolmay have been used to access the secured vehicles.

Anyone with information is asked to contact troopersat the New Haven Barracks at 388-4919.Here is a linkto the list of kids’ fishing events:http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/fish_kidsbrook.cfm.

Outdoor News:

Outdoor News:


If you’ve been looking for agood excuse to give fishing atry, here it is! Saturday, June 8,

is Vermont’s Free Fishing Day – theone day in the summer whenresidents and nonresidents may gofishing in the Green Mountain Statewithout a fishing license.

Fishing is a quiet, relaxing way toenjoy Vermont’s scenic outdoorswith many accompanying benefits.You can release any fish you catch,or take home some very fresh fishfor dinner.

Anglers in Vermont can try forbrook, brown or rainbow trout,

landlocked salmon, largemouthbass, smallmouth bass, yellowperch, walleye, and northern pike aswell as other several other species.

At the same time, you will likelysee several species of wildlife whilefishing in Vermont. A bald eagle orosprey soaring overhead is anexperience you will alwaysremember. Whether you get outthere alone, or take friends orfamily, a good day of fishing makesmemories that will last a lifetime.

Vermont has 284 lakes and over7,000 miles of clear streams offeringthe greatest variety of high quality

fresh water fishing in the Northeast,according to the Vermont Fish &Wildlife Department. Finding aplace to fish in Vermont is easy.

To find out more about Vermont'sgreat fishing opportunities and toplan your fishing trip, contact theVermont Fish & WildlifeDepartment at 802-241-3700 andask for a copy of the “Hunting,Fishing & Trapping Laws andGuide.”

Email [email protected] any questions or discover morefrom the websitewww.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 8

Outdoor News:


(Editor's Note: Unfortunately, thisnews release came out too late for theMay issue of VGOM. We're including itin June because about half of the datesremain for fishing derbies around thestate.)

Here’s a great opportunity for youngpeople to give fishing a try.

The Vermont Fish & WildlifeDepartment has released a list ofupcoming fishing events, most of themintended just for kids.

The department has a “Children’sFishing Program,” which provides kidswith the opportunity for a fun andsuccessful fishing experience at locallyorganized fishing events.

Organizers of these events often arecharitable, community, or nonprofitgroups such as fire departments, fish andgame clubs, Rotary, Lions, townrecreation committees, 4-H clubs, andscouts.

Most kids’ fishing events are open tothe public, although they may berestricted to town residents or to aparticular group of individuals. TheVermont Fish & Wildlife Departmentprovides about 20,000 8- to 10-inch troutfor the program, with each eventreceiving 150 to 300 fish.

Kids’ fishing events generally start in

the spring and continue through June.Vermont Fish & Wildlife also has a

“Let’s Go Fishing” Program wheretrained volunteers teach and encourageyoung people and their families how tofish.

The volunteer instructors teach fishingskills, how to use different types of tackle,the importance of good aquatic habitat,

fishing ethics and fishing regulations.Clinics are planned throughout the

state during the spring and summermonths. Check your local newspapersand bait shops for clinics in your area.You can learn more about “Let’s GoFishing” on Fish & Wildlife’s websitevtfishandwildlife.com under Fishing orYouth Pages.

Kids’ fishing events being held this spring

Send story pitches, photos, news releases,letters to the editor, and other submissions to:

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This space is just $20 per month.Reach a focused,

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www.vtfishandwildlife.com/fish_kidsbrook.cfm

Outdoor News:


Douglass Access Area Dedication Held May 17

ELMORE – The Lake Elmore– Vaughn M. DouglassAccess Area was renamed

May 17 in honor of the Morrisvillenative and Lake Elmore camp ownerwho died in September.

The Vermont Fish & WildlifeDepartment and the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service jointly hosted adedication ceremony at the access arealocated at the south end of the lake.

Vermont Fish & WildlifeCommissioner Patrick Berry andU.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceRegional Director Wendi Webernoted Douglass’ contributions to thecreation of public access areas inVermont.

Douglass retired from the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service in July,2012 as lands and developmentprogram chief in the Division ofWildlife and Sport Fish Restoration.He served with the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service for 33 years.

A leader in the regional Wildlifeand Sport Fish Restoration program,Douglass mentored manyemployees in both state and federalagencies.

He made a significant

contribution to access areas in theNortheastern United States throughhis oversight of the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service Division of FederalAid program.

“Vaughn contributed greatly tothe development and expansion ofVermont’s fishing and boatingaccess programs,” said Fish &Wildlife Commissioner Patrick

Berry. “In light of his conservationaccomplishments, public accessinitiatives and the professionalismhe always displayed, it is very fittingthat Vermont, his home state, honorhim with this recognition.”

Learn more Vermont’s fishingand boating access areas at:http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/Fish_Accessareas.cfm

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Berry, speaks during the dedication andrenaming of the Lake Elmore – Vaughn M. Douglas Access Area on May 17.

Contributing Writers and Photographers

We have had some interest by people who would like to write or submit photos to Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine. Wewelcome submissions by writers and photographers but keep three things in mind:

● Understand our budget doesn’t allow for payment. If you want to write because you love it, we can afford that, but we’re not paying anywriters or photographers right away.

● You will be edited. The best writers still need editors – some more than others. If it makes you feel better, I’ve been writing and editingprofessionally for 20 years. I won’t hack your work to death.

● Query with an idea. Don’t write 1,000 words only to find VGOM doesn’t publish vampire fiction, even if the vampire sucks the blood ofan 8-pointer. Let’s talk about your idea and decide if it’s right for this magazine. Then we’ll do it.

Stephen Majeski of West Windsoris Vermont's State Game Warden ofthe Year. A State Game Warden foreight years, Majeski was given theaward May 16 in Montpelier by Gov.Peter Shumlin in recognition of hisexcellent service.

"I want to thank Stephen for hisoutstanding performance inprotecting Vermont's fish andwildlife resources and serving thepeople of Vermont," Shumlin said.

He said Majeski was chosen for“his professionalism, excellent lawenforcement work, dedicated searchand rescue efforts, and helpful

outreach with the public.”Lt. Paul Gaudreau, Majeski’s

supervisor, commended him for hisability to conduct thoroughinvestigations in hunting and fishingviolations, and his dedication insearch and rescue missions. Majeskiwas also praised for his skill indealing with problem bears, hispresentations to school groups, andhis cooperative service with otherlaw enforcement agencies.

“Our warden force provides abroad range of services that go farbeyond protecting the resource,”Colonel David LeCours said. “In

Warden Majeski’s case, his peerschose him for this award because heexemplifies an exceptionally highstandard that others strive to reach.”

Majeski’s district includes thetowns of Reading, West Windsor,Windsor, Cavendish, Baltimore,Weathersfield, Chester, Springfield,Grafton and Rockingham.

Shikar-Safari Club International,a private wildlife conservationgroup, sponsors a warden of the yearaward in each state and Canadianprovince.

Majeski received a colorful framedcertificate honoring his selection.

Outdoor News:


Stephen Majeski is Vt’s Warden of the Year

Vermont State Game Warden Stephen Majeski receives the Warden of the Year Award from Gov. Peter Shumlin in Montpelier onMay 16. Also pictured are Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Berry and Stephen’s wife Carolanne Majeski.

● Understanding how the courtsoperate and knowing you're alloperating under the same boss,maybe it's time to pressure theGovernor to get on top of theseissues so the wardens' effortsare not continually wasted onchasing the same criminalsover and over again.

● Why? Why should the felonyconviction be removed?

● Whatever happened to ruleNo. 1, be sure of your targetand beyond?

● Why weren't charges broughtfor road hunting, and whywould the state remove thefelony charge. He did thecrime, so he should suffer theconsequences regardless ofage.

● This is appalling. Why botherwith criminal and wildlifeenforcements if they won't bebacked up. Doesn't F&W havethe ability to take his gun andlicense?

● These kinds of stories areexactly what make me sonervous when I heargunshots in the woods. Toomany irresponsible andreckless owners.

● I sure do not want to be outin the woods with this guy,he should be charged with afelony ... at the least.

● Thank you all for yourcomments. Please keep inmind that it is the wardensjob to make the arrest, gatherevidence, and present thecase. Our law enforcementpersonnel are not the oneswho make the decisionsregarding conviction orsentencing. These decisionsare made by the districtattorney and the judgepresiding over the case.

Sound Off:


People respond to hunter’s sentence after shooting friend

Readers Sound Off

Hunter Charged in Shooting Pleads No ContestA Vermont man who shot a friend while bear hunting

in 2011 pleaded no contest to aggravated assault inOrleans District Court in Newport.

Conrad Masse, 78, of Craftsbury received a deferredsentence and will have the felony charge removed fromhis record in 18 months with good behavior.

Masse faced a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.According to Vermont game wardens, Masse was bear

hunting on the afternoon of Oct. 30, 2011, with WayneGoff, 60, of Wolcott.

The two men were hunting with the aid of dogs.A bear passed between them and Masse fired three

times with a high-powered hunting rifle.One shot hit the bear and another struck and seriously

wounded Goff, hitting him near his waist.According to Masse’s attorney, Goff has recovered

from the incident.Masse was charged with aggravated assault in 1995

and was later acquitted.He has also previously been convicted of fish and

wildlife law violations.

They responded to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s posted pressrelease on Facebook in early May with a mixture of astonishment and anger.

The Issue

Sound Off

VGOM:


The Lake Champlain Committee, whichcelebrates 50 years of science-based advocacy,education and collaborative action this month,

was presented the GMP-Zetterstrom EnvironmentalAward today at a Statehouse ceremony.

“The Lake Champlain Committee has been an active,constructive force for the betterment of LakeChamplain and the entire Champlain Valley for half acentury,” Green Mountain Power President and CEOMary Powell said.“Like Meeri Zetterstrom, for whomthe award is named, LCC has demonstrated a long-termcommitment to building alliances to solveenvironmental problems, while pursuing education and

environmental research.“LCC’s determination and leadership, despite

tremendous environmental challenges and obstacles,mirrors on a broad scale Meeri Zetterstrom’s leadershipand commitment to saving ospreys at LakeArrowhead,” Powell said. “LCC has played a key rolein protecting Lake Champlain since the spring of 1963.”

Steve Costello, GMP’s vice president for generationand energy innovation, worked with Zetterstrom torestore Vermont’s osprey population and was on anemployee panel that selected LCC from about a dozennominees.

He said the organization’s 50th anniversary later this

Conservation:


An osprey is photographed at Lake Arrowhead in April of 2010.

2013 GMP-Zetterstrom Award

Conservation:


month highlighted the deep andbroad spectrum of its work.

“Since its founding, the LakeChamplain Committee has taken alead role in addressing virtually everyissue facing Lake Champlain, one ofVermont’s most prized treasures,”Costello said. “Its board, staff andvolunteers have been amongVermont’s most prescient andthoughtful protectors of the lake andthe thousands of species andhundreds of communities that relyupon it in Vermont, New York andQuebec.”

The Lake Champlain Committee’sfirst meeting was May 17, 1963,when nearly 100 people met toorganize to stop a proposal to build ashipping channel from the St.Lawrence River to the Hudson River,via Lake Champlain.

The project was initially supportedby legislative leaders, but LCCopposed the project and fought toprotect the lake for swimming,boating, drinking water and its

natural ecosystems.LCC won the ensuing multi-year

battle; the group has been the lake’sleading advocate ever since.

The GMP-ZetterstromEnvironmental Award was originallycreated by Central Vermont PublicService in 2010, and is presentedannually to one person, business, ornonprofit to honor a significantcontribution to Vermont’senvironment.

It is accompanied by a $2,500donation to the winner’senvironmental cause.

The award highlights the ongoingefforts of leading environmentalistsand organizations, and the legacy ofMeeri Zetterstrom, whose one-woman effort to protect ospreys ledto the endangered birds’ recovery andremoval from Vermont’s endangeredspecies list.

Zetterstrom inspired countlessVermonters through her doggedefforts to protect ospreys, which weredecimated by DDT, which caused

thin, brittle osprey eggs.“As we mark our 50th year, the

GMP-Zetterstrom Award is awonderful recognition of the LakeChamplain Committee’s work,” saidLori Fisher, LCC executive director.“Like Meeri, our founders werepersistent and effective advocates forthe environment. That workcontinues today with new issues andnew challenges. We urge people whocare about the lake to get involved.”

Past award recipients include SallyLaughlin, a leading wildlife advocateand scientist whose work wasinstrumental in restoring threespecies of endangered birds inVermont; Michael Smith, the founderand driving force behind Rutland’sPine Hill Park; and Margaret Fowle,who has long led Vermont’speregrine falcon restoration program,which is responsible for their returnfrom the brink of extinction.

For more information about theLake Champlain Committee visitwww.lakechamplaincommittee.org.

Have a business cardadvertising your business?

This space is just $20 per month.Reach a focused,

dedicated and engagedgroup of outdoor enthusiasts.

Hunting, Fishing, Hiking, Backpacking, ATVing, Biking, Camping, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowmobiling, Bird Watching,Climbing, Photography, Power Boating, Paddling, Skijoring, Conservation, Four Wheeling, Dog Sledding, and … try us!

MONTPELIER – Watchingwildlife is enjoyable, especially whenyoung animals appear in the spring.But it’s best to keep your distance.

Picking up young wildlife can domore harm than good, according tothe Vermont Fish & WildlifeDepartment. It’s also against the law.

When people see young animalsalone, they often mistakenly assumethese animals are helpless or lost, introuble or needing to be rescued.

Bringing young wildlife into ahuman environment often results inpermanent separation from theirmothers and a sad ending for theanimal.

Handling wildlife could also posea threat to the people involved. Wildanimals can transmit disease andangry wildlife mothers can posesignificant dangers.

Department scientists encouragewildlife watchers to respect thebehavior of animals in the spring andearly summer, and to resist the urgeto assist wildlife in ways that may beharmful. Some helpful tips:

Deer and moose nurse their youngat different times during the day, andoften leave young alone for longperiods of time.

These animals are not lost. Theirmother knows where they are andwill return.

Young birds on the ground mayhave left their nest, but their parentswill still feed them.

Young animals such as fox andraccoon will often follow theirparents. The family of a “wandering”animal searching for food is usuallynearby but just out of sight to a

person happening upon it.Animals that act sick can carry

rabies, parasites or other harmfuldiseases. Do not handle them.

Even though they do not showsymptoms, healthy-looking raccoons,foxes, skunks and bats also may alsobe carriers of the deadly rabies virus.

Many wildlife species will not feedor care for their young when peopleare close by. Obey signs that restrictaccess to wildlife nesting areas,including hiking trails that may betemporarily closed.

Keep domestic pets indoors,leashed or fenced in. Dogs and catskill many baby animals each year.

Avoid projects that remove trees,shrubs and dead snags that containbird and other nests during the springand summer.

For information about rabies and

nuisance wildlife, call the VermontRabies Hotline at (800) 472-2437.

If bitten or in direct contact with araccoon, fox, skunk or bat, or adomestic animal that has been incontact with one of these species, callthe Vermont Department of Health at(800) 640-4374.

For the safety of all wildlife takinga wild animal into captivity is illegal.

If you find an orphaned animal,however, you can contact the nearestrehabilitator specializing in thespecies you’ve found.

Look under “Wildlife Programs”on Vermont Fish & Wildlife’swebsite www.vtfishandwildlife.comto learn about Vermont’s wildliferehabilitators.

Contact the Vermont Fish &Wildlife Department at 241-3700 ifyou any questions.

Conservation:


Young Wildlife Belong in the Wild

You may have already heard thespring peepers or wood frogs callingin your backyard. Or perhaps you’venoticed salamanders crawling overrocks in your local stream.

The arrival of spring brings thereturn of reptiles and amphibians tothe Vermont landscape.

The frog calls you hear eachspring are part of the animal’sbreeding behavior, said SteveParren, wildlife diversity programdirector for the Vermont Fish &Wildlife Department.

“Many frogs and salamanders arealready well into their breedingseason,” Parren said. “By late May,we should start seeing turtlescrossing the road to build nests inthe sandy embankments.”

Amphibians migrate by thethousands each spring in search ofbreeding pools.

This migration can frequentlytake them across roads andhighways, leading to high rates ofmortality among some species.

Roadkill mortality, along withforest fragmentation and loss ofwetland habitat, has contributed tothe decline of several of Vermont’sreptile and amphibian species.

To mitigate roadkill mortality, theFish & Wildlife Department hasbeen collecting data to identifystretches of road that are hotspotsfor amphibian migrations.

Department staff has beenworking closely with Jim Andrewsat the Vermont Reptile &Amphibian Atlas Project and othergroups to coordinate volunteers whohelp move the animals across the

road and make drivers aware ofthese potentially high-mortalitysites.

In an effort to allow wildlife tosafely cross the road, the Fish &Wildlife Department is also workingwith VTrans to include culverts andwildlife barriers in road constructionplans.

“Most amphibian migration takesplace over several rainy springnights,” said Mark Ferguson,nongame biologist for the Fish &Wildlife Department. “On thesenights, drivers should slow down onroads near vernal pools andwetlands, or try to use an alternateroute if possible.”

Turtle activity peaks from late

May through June.At this time of year, drivers are

urged to keep an eye out for turtlesin the road, particularly whendriving near ponds and wetlands.

“When you spot a turtle in theroad, you may be able to help itacross the road if you are in a safespot to get out of your car,” Parrensaid. “For a snapping turtle, werecommend pushing the turtle acrossthe road in the direction it was goingwith an object like a shovel to avoidgetting too close to the turtle’s face.”

To report an amphibian or reptilesighting, visit the Vermont Reptile& Amphibian Atlas website athttp://community.middlebury.edu/~herpatlas.

Conservation:


Reptiles and Amphibians Are on the Move

I’ve always hated zoos. Theymake me uncomfortable for ahost of reasons—kind of like

touring Alcatraz while it’s still fullof prisoners. Even as a child Iremember being unimpressed byseeing animals in captivity; I feltthis inexplicable sense of dreadlooking at the overweight andcatatonic hostages in theirenclosures. So when I discoveredhiking and began exploring the

White and Green Mountains as ateenager, I remember that half of theexcitement stemmed from thepotential each outing held of agenuine wildlife encounter. Deer,moose, fox, owl, coyote, even afisher cat once—the prospect ofseeing wildlife sweetened every oneof those experiences. Until recentlythough, the elusive black bear hadchosen to remain perpetually hiddenfrom me. I figured the law of

The Great Artdoors:


Ursus Omnivorous, 2012

EvanChismark.comFacebook.com/[email protected]

averages would have caught up withme and at some point our pathswould cross, but alas...

So this past fall, while on a walkaround a thickly forested plot of oldfarmland in the Adirondacks withour two dogs, our luck finallychanged. With surprising stealth, thebear emerged from a thicket, eyedus up with an air of detachedinterest, and sauntered back into thebush as quietly as it had appeared. Iwas elated and the dogs utterlyperplexed.

Then, not a week later, comingout of a restaurant we saw a sow andtwo cubs on top of a dumpster insearch of an easy meal. Twosightings in the span of less than oneweek! (This second encounter,although remarkable, was not quiteas stirring as the first.) Turns out thatthe abysmal winter of 2011—2012and utter lack of meaningfulprecipitation had depleted so muchof the bears’ natural food sourcesthat the bears were beingincreasingly drawn to human-populated areas in search of food.Upon learning this, I hastily

discarded my new self-assignedmoniker of “Bear Whisperer”.

A spike in bear sightings as aresult of a natural food shortage hasan almost immediate impact on notonly the health of a bear population,but also on the public perception ofthe bear (i.e. transcendence fromwildlife to pest). As the saying goes,a fed bear is a dead bear—meaningthat once a bear starts to depend ona food source outside the scope ofits “natural” diet, it’s only a matterof time before it will have to beeuthanized. (Clearly this is notalways the case, but you get thepoint.)

When bears are able to be theirelusive, bear selves and are notforced into relying on human-generated food sources to survive,they play an incredible role in theecosystem. Scientists believe that inaddition to their role as nature’s seedspreaders (via their scat), they alsohelp to expedite the decompositionprocess in forested environments bytearing up downed trees and tillingground cover in search for insectsand other food sources.

Thus, in honor of my first officialbear sighting, and as an ode to thepivotal role these seldom seenanimals play in the perpetuation ofplant life, I was inspired to createthis piece, entitled “UrsusOmnivorous”. It’s also a dedicationto its dumpster-diving brethren, inhopes that they’ve resumed life asusual in the woods. Here’s hopingthat the great winter we just had willbolster the bear population and giveus more chances to see them in theirnatural habitat.

About the artist: Evan Chismarkis an artist, environmentalist, andoverly opinionated lover of theoutdoors. He holds a master’sdegree in environmental law fromVermont Law School, has a hardtime sitting still, and is a sucker fora good IPA. He and his wife andtheir two hairy, four-legged childrenlive in Stowe. To purchase any thework featured in this column, checkout EvanChismark.com, or email theartist at [email protected] Orif you just want to prove your socialmedia savvy, like him atFacebook.com/EvanChismarkArt.

The Great Artdoors:


Art can serve as an escape—for boththe artist and the viewer—but it can alsoact as an educational tool, a means bywhich we can expand our worldview andgain a greater understanding of the mostpressing social, political andenvironmental issues of our time. Eachmonth I’ll be sharing a piece of myartwork, along with a brief write updescribing not just what inspired me tocreate that particular piece, but also whatI learned in the process.

Nearly all elements of my life havetaken a back seat to the pursuit of outdoorrecreation and the accompanying desire

to fuel my creative fire. My less-than-stellar resume stands as glaringtestament to this fact. Snowboarding,bicycle riding (in just about any form),hiking, backpacking, you name it. Thebest part (or worst part if you’re myresume) is that each of these pursuits isin and of themselves a creative outlet. Sohaving the chance to showcase myartwork in a publication called “VermontGreat Outdoors Magazine” is nothingshort of a perfect match.

The term “outdoors” is an amorphousone: being an outdoorsman meansdifferent things to different people—to

some it means hunting and fishing, toothers hiking and snowshoeing, and toothers it might just mean sitting in thewoods and basking in the quiet. Theexperiences I’ve had as an outdoorsmaninform my work as an artist and constantlyoffer me inspiration. So I hope thatwherever you fit in along that spectrum,my art resonates with you. I couldn’t behappier to call Vermont home and I’mproud to be able to share my passion withthe people of this great state. I’d love tohear from you so feel free to check outmy website, shoot me an email or justLike my Facebook page. Cheers!

The Great Artdoors: By Evan Chismark

Father’s Day:


The Legacy

By Tim Upton

A young Vermonter named PeterUpton has just finished his trainingas a neurosurgeon at the MaryFletcher Hospital in Burlington – an11-year process that began at theUniversity of Vermont MedicalSchool, took him to Denver, Colo.,for a two-year internship, and endedwith a surgical residency in his

native Burlington.Dr. Upton decides to open a

practice in Rutland, and moves withhis wife and children – ages 5 years,2 years, and 6 weeks – to the nearbytown of Wallingford. The (tortured)middle child is me.

That was the beginning of aremarkable journey for my fatherand everyone who knew him; the

start of a personal and professionallife that was intimately tied to theoutdoors for every day of the next44 years.

Hunting, fishing, hiking,birdwatching, conservation, landmanagement ... somehow he did itall, even as he built a reputation asan exceptionally skilled and caringsurgeon – and, it seemed to me, read

Father’s Day:


Peter Upton on his beloved Hubbardton property.

Father’s Day:


every book ever written.It’s important to understand just

how rare it was, and remains, for asmall-town hospital the size ofRutland’s to offer neurosurgicalcare. Normally this type of specialtyis reserved for large research andteaching institutions. This made myfather unique. And extremely busy.

It’s unusual for me to meetsomeone from Rutland County whodoesn’t immediately say “Are yourelated to Dr. Upton? He operatedon (me, my mother, my sister, etc).

What a wonderful man!”He could have made a lot – and I

do mean a lot – more money at alarge hospital in another part of thecountry. But he was a Vermonter, athird-generation Vermont doctor,and he wanted to live and practiceright here.

Lucky for me.And he didn’t slow down when

he left the office.During the 1970s, despite his

normal, crazy work schedule and allthe 3 a.m. calls from the emergency

room, he managed to take key rolesin starting and actively supportingRutland County chapters of theNational Audubon Society, DucksUnlimited, and the National WildTurkey Federation.

I fondly recall being a small childand going on Christmas bird countswith my father. I remember theannual DU and NWTF fundraisingdinners, where he became quite acollector of wildlife art.

More recently he was active in theVermont Woodlands Association

Peter Upton with his grandson Ben and his first turkey.

Father’s Day:


and Vermont Coverts.He kept large vegetable gardens,

growing everything from corn andpotatoes to beets and strawberries.He kept bees and raised turkeys.

Friends and family always hadhoney. For many years, on the daybefore Thanksgiving he and I wouldkill, dress, pluck and clean a halfdozen turkeys, and deliver them tofriends in the area.

And so it went during the nextthree decades, all that activity

sandwiched around trips with hissons to Quebec and northern Alaska.

From him I caught the birdingbug, and few things give me morepleasure than hearing a male scarlettanager in the May turkey woods,and taking a detour from my huntfor as long as it takes just to catchone glimpse of him in the canopy.How something that brilliantly redcan possibly hide in a green tree I’llnever understand.

Unfortunately for me, I did not

inherit his ability to identify everyplant in the woods on sight, but it’snot because he didn’t try to teachme.

With him I caught trout in BigBranch and Ridley Brook, andsmallmouth bass and about a millionyellow perch in Lake Champlain.

I sat for hours in November sun,rain, sleet and snow, waiting andwatching while my father hiked overSpruce Knob, and around DennisPond, trying to chase a deer past me.

Peter Upton with grandson John during the youth weekend in 2012. They hunted a place in Middletown Springs where Upton had taken hisson, the author, on his first turkey hunt. .

Father’s Day:


I sat next to him behind a stonewall in Shrewsbury scouting turkeysone April, watching a mature tomstrut along the opposite side,spitting and drumming, so close wecould have touched him.

Sitting or walking beside him, Ishot (at) ducks in Beech Bay, and Ibrought home limits of grouse,woodcock and gray squirrel fromthe overgrown pastures and woodsof Tinmouth.

Don’t ask me how, but he hadtime for me. And my big brother.

And my little sister.He was also a pretty successful

hunter in his own right, killing oneof the very first turkeys taken aftertheir reintroduction to Vermont,early on opening morning of thestate’s first season, a 22-pound tom.

Turkey hunting was his passion,and there were only a small handfulof years after that first season whenhe failed to kill a big spring turkey.

My father is sitting under a tree

watching a scrape line on a 200-acrewoodlot in Hubbardton that he hadrecently purchased. It’s almost 70degrees, and doesn’t feel much likedeer season, but that doesn’tdampen his excitement when hehears footsteps in the leaves.

A 3-point buck appears, which heshoots – the first of many to bedragged off that same hill. Andthat’s it – he’s in love.

After his family, these woods willslowly but surely become theprimary focus of his attention.

Peter Upton poses with his with grandsons Ben and John on the steps of the camp in Hubbardton in 2011, about a month after his cancerdiagnosis.

Father’s Day:


He buys a cheap display mountand puts the puny antlers on it.Twelve years later he will constructa small, bare-bones, one-room campon the property, where he’ll hangthat little rack on the unfinished wall.

He will hire a consulting foresterto put together a long-term plan forsustainable timber harvesting andhabitat management, and enroll theproperty in the Tree Farm program.

And he will partner with theVermont Land Trust to place a

conservation easement on theproperty, ensuring that it will remainin active, responsible managementin perpetuity.

As he moves into semi-retirement, he will spend more andmore time here: cutting, hauling andsplitting firewood; maintainingroads and trails; hunting; justwalking around; and planting trees.

A lot of trees.Eventually it seems as if the entire

parcel is covered with protective

tubes, and he will remember what’sgrowing in every single one.

There are a fair number ofchestnut oaks scattered around theproperty, which he has heard arefavored by deer, and he knows theexact location of every one.

He picks up their acorns, plantsthem in pots at his house, andreplants the seedlings around theproperty.

Over the years, I’ve come to knowevery trail, every ridge, every little

Peter Upton with a turkey. Upton likely killed one of the first turkeys in the state after they were reintroduced. Upton killed a bird in the openingminutes of the first day of the first hunt.

Father’s Day:


swampy spot, and every oak standon the property too, if not as well ashe did.

The deer hunting has been, well,frankly miserable the past severalyears. But I’m still there, seeing afew deer, catching a glimpse of abuck now and then, alwaysexpecting another one behind thenext rise.

Better still, my older son, now 16,is getting comfortable enough toventure out on his own without fear

of getting lost.His 13-year brother is just getting

started, and someday I hope he’llknow his way around better than Ido. When we’re together in thespring woods, I quiz the boysconstantly on bird songs.

Fathers are kind of annoying thatway.

My father is leaving RutlandRegional Medical Center after

assisting on a surgical procedure.Approaching his 75th birthday, he

has closed his own practice, butcontinues to work at the hospital.

He makes a left turn onto AllenStreet, and is nearly sideswiped bya car coming from his left. Hewonders why he didn’t see itcoming. He performs some simpletests on himself, and decides he’dbetter get his vision checked.

An eye exam and a CT scan later,he is diagnosed with a large,

The Upton men with a nice white-tailed buck.

Father’s Day:


advance-stage brain tumor. Of allthings. He is now officially retired.

My father’s love for theenvironment and the Vermontoutdoors wasn’t an escape fromwork. It was an integral and vitalpart of his work.

Like Aldo Leopold, he figured outa long time ago that everything inthis world is connected toeverything else.

I don’t know how many times I’veheard from his patients that theirvisits to his office always started

with a thorough discussion ofhunting and fishing before they gotdown to the details of why they werethere ... although I think for a lot ofpeople that was in part why theywere there.

He treated people, not injuries ordiseases.

I can remember him coming homefrom work with a mess of brooktrout wrapped in aluminum foil.When I asked where they camefrom, he explained that he had apatient who couldn’t afford his

medical bills but didn’t want toaccept treatment without makingany payment. And of course heknew my father loved brook troutfried in butter.

There were other fish, there wasvenison, there was maple syrup – allof them accepted and enjoyed in thespirit in which they were given.

There was a widow whosehusband had been a patient yearsearlier, who wanted my father tohave the man’s deer rifle. He killedtwo deer with it.

Peter Upton, with grandson John, posing with a deer he shot in Hubbardton. The rifle he used was a gift from the wife of a patient.

Father’s Day:


I am in my car on the way to workwhen my cell phone rings. It’s mymother.

“Dad just stopped breathing.”That makes two of us. We knew itwould be soon, but still ... I turn thecar around and head to Wallingford.

The next few weeks are kind of awhirlwind, made tolerable and in away even gratifying by theoutpouring of good wishes andmemories from family, friends, and

complete strangers.In a way we were very lucky. My

father lived significantly longer thando most people of his age with hisdiagnosis, and he kept his wits andpersonality right up until the end.

I was able to deer hunt with himin 2011. Sort of.

I got up early. He slept until 9a.m. – “I’ve shot plenty of deer after10:00” – and left camp after hemade breakfast for my son, who alsohappens to enjoy sleeping in. Where

in the world was this guy when Iwas 15?

I knew his chemo treatments weremaking him tired, and every day Itold him not to climb the steep bankto the top of the ridge. He did itanyway

I found him up there everyafternoon just before dark,exhausted and shuffling backtoward camp, and held him up bythe elbow until we got back downnear camp on flat ground.

Peter Upton with grandson Ben hunting ducks in Hubbardton.

Father’s Day:


At noon, he and my son wouldhead to his favorite spot, a sunnysouth-facing hill he called “thegrassy knoll,” for lunch.

I was able to make sure myyounger son’s first deer hunt, andfirst turkey hunt, were with hisgrandfather. They came home withunfilled tags, but boy were theysuccessful.

We all spent time with him,talking, joking and doing our best tohelp the hospice workers, during hislast weeks, which he spent at home.

Two days before he died, both ofmy kids told him told him how muchthey were going to miss him, andthanked him for all those days in thewoods, on the lake, and at the soccerand baseball fields.

The woodlot now belongs to me.

It’s a great gift, and a greatresponsibility, both of which I’mgrateful for. I plan to take good careof it.

There are turkeys on the propertyfor the first time in several springsthis year. I shot one on the secondday of the season. It was a jake, andnot a very big one truth be told, butit was a special bird and a special day.

I sat with my arms aching for overan hour watching him strut, at 55yards, hoping more than once thathe’d just lose interest, leave, and letme stand up for crying out loud. Butpatience paid off.

My first thought was how I’d tellthe story to Dad.

There’s another bird still roostingon the ridge, and I’m hoping he’s thebig one. There are still two weeks left

in the season.I’ll be cutting firewood all summer

with help from my brother, and I’min the process of repairing a bridgemy father built many years ago.

The boys and I will be up on theridge next November, looking forthat big buck. We’ll find himeventually, and that will be anotherspecial day, one that will reconnectus with the person who had thegreatest influence on all our lives.

At some point the whole familywill head up the hill together toscatter my father’s ashes on thegrassy knoll, near the two chestnutoaks I planted last summer.

I can’t wait for the first warmNovember day after that, so I can sitdown in the sun and have lunch withhim.

Peter Upton in Alaska.

“The woodlot now belongs to me. It’s a great gift, anda great responsibility, both of which I’m grateful for.

I plan to take good care of it.”


VGOM:

Like that special tree stand from which you always see deer, or thatstretch of river where the trout always rise, there are just some placesthat are unique. A spot that holds a place in your heart so special that

you keep it to yourself.

If you’re looking for an advertising opportunity to share yourmessage, this can be your special place.

This prime spot can be yours next month.By advertising in Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine, you’ll not

only be supporting a growing publication that is generating a lot ofexcitement in the Green Mountain State, but you’ll also place your

message in front of avid and dedicated outdoor enthusiasts.

And you won’t believe how affordable this space is.There are other publications that cover some of the outdoor

experience in Vermont and this little slice of Heaven they callnorthern New England. They do a good job, but none of them coverthe depth and breadth of the topics you’ll read about in Vermont’s

Great Outdoors Magazine.

So contact us today to ensure we can get your advertisement in thenext monthly issue of a growing and exciting publication that covers

the topics that are important to you and your business.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (802) 331-0130

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Long Trail:


The Danner Mount Defiance boots Spencer and Mason McCuin wore on their280-mile Long Trail journey were provided by Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel, whichhas sponsored this three-part travelogue of their epic hike. Their Massachusettsto Canada hike in June and July of 2012 will appear in three consecutive Monthsof VGOM — June, July and August. Congratulations on their achievement.

www.lennyshoe.com | Williston 879-6640 | St. Albans 527-0532 | Barre 476-7446

A Long Trail Adventure

Long Trail:


Many fathers fantasize about taking anepic adventure with their kids. And a lotof kids simply dream of adventure. The

closest most ever get is a family vacationthat may, or may not, involve getting lost.

Not these two.



Long Trail:


One father-son duo took the notionto the highest level a year agowhen they embarked on a grand

adventure on the Long Trail, the oldestlong-distance hiking trail in the UnitedStates.

The Long Trail extends 273 miles fromthe Canadian border to the Massachusettsstate line. It was built from 1910 to 1930and runs along the spine of the GreenMountains crossing the state's highestpeaks.

For the first 100 miles or so, the trailcoincides with the Appalachian Trail,which drew its inspiration from the LongTrail.

The Long Trail climbsrugged mountain peaks,meanders through softwoodand hardwood forests, andcrosses bogs and streams.

It is steep in places,muddy in others and ruggedfrom one end to the other.

While many people hikesections of the trail, fewpeople tackle it end-to-endin one pass.

For Spencer McCuin andhis son Mason, the hike wasa challenge.

A chance to makememories while testingthemselves.

It was also a chance tobond as father and son.



Long Trail:


The pair launched their journey nearWilliamstown, Mass., June 22, just five days afterFather’s Day.

It was a 88 degrees as they left the pavement at4:18 p.m. The heat was simply the first challengethey would face over the next three-plus weeks.

The heat didn't last long.Soon, the hot, dry weather gave way to rain.

Followed by rain. And then more rain.Six days and 80½ miles later, the duo trudged

into Wallingford where they met family.A chance to restock their 50-pound packs,

shower and sleep in a real bed was a welcomerespite many long-distance hikers don't have. But

living in a state that boasts theLong Trail has it's benefits.

The next day, June 29, at4:03 p.m., Spencer and Masonsaid goodbye to their familyand headed back into thewoods.

The rain had moved on andthe heat was back.

The temperature was 90degrees as they made theirway to the Minerva HincheyShelter later that afternoon.

The suspension bridge atthe Clarendon Gorge was awell-known and welcomedsight.

Unfortunately, so was the damage from Tropical StormIrene.

Trail damage forced the pair to hit the pavement for morethan 4 miles on sweltering blacktop.



Long Trail:


Join us next month as the McCuins tacklethe Long Trail from the Emily Proctor

Shelter and head north toward some ofthe most difficult terrain in Vermont.

And in August, they meet tough weatherconditions, but push through to reach

Canada on their epic journey.

The opportunity to dunk their heads in theheat-busting cold of a mountain stream was awelcome relief.

So was the gondola ride down mountain atKillington to feast on cheeseburgers and coldjuice.

As they continued their trek north, theAppalachian Trail peeled away and headed easttoward New Hampshire.

The McCuins, however, stayed on the LongTrail traveling north

But the trail would not be smooth.A day before they were slated to again meet

to resupply, a water filtration pump broke.They stopped early at the Emily Proctor

Shelter, and hiked 3½ miles off the trail to get areplacement.

It's July 5th. The pair have been on the trailfor two weeks and are more than halfway to theirgoal.

But some of the most exciting and eye-catching parts of the trek lay ahead.

First, there is a bed, shower and good food torefresh their spirit.



Father’s Day:


Chris Adams and his father smile as Chris shows off a fine smallmouth.

The Gift of Fishing

Given that Father’s Day fallsin the month of June, it isonly fitting that this piece,

my first contribution to Vermont'sGreat Outdoors Magazine, highlightthe impact that both parents and thegreat outdoors can have on a childgrowing up in our great state ofVermont.

To this day the memories are stillso vivid.

That “giant” sheepshead doublingover my Zebco rod-and-reel comboon the bank of the Otter Creek inVergennes.

The early mornings traveling to thelake, boat in tow, and then poweringacross the water on the way to our

first fishing spot – the anticipation sostrong I could feel it throughout mybody.

The hot summer days wadingthrough our favorite mountain troutstreams, pitching night crawlers toboulders and eddies in the clear,bubbling water. The list goes on andon, with no shortage of unique andwonderful recollections.

Fortunately, like many otherVermonters, my brother and I wereraised on the water and in the woodsand were able to develop a strongpassion and appreciation for ourenvironment and the recreationalopportunities it has to offer.

Furthermore, beyond the actualchase of the wild fish and game andthe beauty of the great outdoorsitself, we were lucky, like so manyothers, to experience the entirety ofan almost indescribable, soul-forming lifestyle that is special to allof us.

We were born into an average,blue-collar family. Dad was afirefighter and insurance agent, and

Father’s Day:


Chris Adams’ mom, Carol, and dad, Don, show off a couple of nice smallmouth bass.

mom, a nurse – a position she stillholds to this day. Just as our family’ssocioeconomic status was like that ofthousands of other Vermont families,our enthusiasm for the outdoorscould also be shared many.

As a child, I truly cannotremember much free time at all thatwasn’t spent in the outdoors –hunting, fishing, camping, sledding,skiing, riding ATVs andsnowmobiles, building tree forts,riding bikes etc.

Though my dad was the“outdoorsman” in the family andoften led our various excursions, mymom quickly learned how to fill the

void if dad was busy with work or ona fishing trip.

Along with the days spent huntingout of our family camp in Chittenden,cutting Christmas trees in theNational Forest and doing so manyother outdoor activities together, myearly family fishing experiences havemade a lasting impact on my life.

Personally, I can thank my dad forgiving me the gift of fishing.

My father is a long-time fishermanwho started out as a boy fishing thevarious creeks in and aroundRutland. When I was a just a toddler,during the late 1980s, he owned atrolling boat and made frequent

voyages on weekends to LakeOntario to fish for salmon and laketrout.

Ultimately, he shifted gears andbecame a bass fisherman – first forfun, and then later on as a tournamentangler and Coast Guard certifiedcaptain and fishing guide.

He started me out as early as I canremember with a rod and reel in myhand. He’d take me and my brotherto the various ponds, streams andlakes near our home in Rutland tocatch trout, bass, bluegill, perch, etc.,all the while instilling in us a strongrespect for our resources.

Later, we’d accompany dad out on

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We have some of the most affordable ads available.This strip ad would help you reach our average monthly readership of

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Father’s Day:


Chris Adams fishing with his father and brother, just a couple of years ago.

the big lake in search of that elusive“lunker.”

Anytime he was gone, mom wouldfill in and take us anywhere wewanted to go. I can rememberdragging mom up to Furnace Brookin Chittenden several times eachsummer so I could cast for troutwhile she sat in her chair, feet in thewater, watching me fish and readingher favorite book or magazine. It wasthe perfect childhood.

As I grew older, dad let me tagalong with him as he scouted outfishing areas for his upcomingtournaments, and eventually, webegan competing together as a father-son team. What a thrill that was forme.

Arriving at the launch ramp earlyin the morning to see the fog rollingacross Lake Champlain and the sunjust starting to peak through theclouds to the east.

Taking in the strange butunforgettable smell of fishy waterand two-stroke outboard motor oil asdozens of bass boats sat idling inadvance of the tournament takeoff.

Standing to the side and admiringthe various “local legend” fishermenwho walked by and ribbed each otherwith friendly teasing or made finalpreparations to their equipment.

Seeing the boats speed off headedfor their favorite “honey-holes.”

Helping to net the fish my dadcaught during the tournament.

And, at the end of the day,witnessing all of the amazing fishthat were brought to the scales – big,old fish that I hoped I might one daybe able to trick into biting!

For a young kid who loved fishing,it was incredible.

Very similar to that special aura ofdeer camp the night before openingday of deer season, my early fishingexperiences had somewhat of amystical impact on me.

Above it all was the continuousthrill of not knowing when or wherewe might catch the next “big one.”And from that thrill came aconstantly burning fire to explorenew water, try new tactics andcontinuously work to get better at

Father’s Day:


Chris Adams shows off an 8-pound, 15-ounce largemouth caught at Lake Bomoseen.

understanding fish and theirbehaviors relative to differentconditions.

That fire has since been burninginside me for more than 20 years, andI’d venture to guess that it won’t goaway anytime soon!

It is that chain of events that hasshaped and molded my passion forfishing today and for which I am soappreciative.

Appreciative that I was given theopportunity by my dad – and mymom – to take part in and learn thesport of fishing, appreciative that Iwas able to do so in Vermont, a state

with natural resources that providethe ultimate breeding ground foroutdoor enthusiasts like myself, andappreciative that our whole familyhas been able to enjoy the greatoutdoors together.

Looking back on it, theexperiences that my brother and Iwere provided growing up in the

outdoors in Vermont were anythingbut average.

They were extraordinary.Thanks dad and mom.Chris Adams of Rutland is an avid

bass fisherman who lives to fish LakeChamplain and other small bodies ofwater in the Green Mountain State.A second-generation tournamentangler, Adams has dozens oftournament victories and top finishesto his name. When he’s not on thewater, he enjoys deer hunting,coaching hockey and spending timewith his family, his fiancée Julia andtheir black lab, Bauer.

This piece marks ChrisAdams first contributionto VGOM. He will be a

regular contributor

I sat in my health class, knowingI was doomed. I had all thesymptoms: obsession, distraction,longing ... I began to feel huge tearswelling up inside me. Life as I'dknown it before was over.

My teacher led me into the hall."What's the matter, dear?" sheasked, putting her arm around me.

"I couldn't help it!" I sobbed. "It'snot my fault! He made me do it!"

She looked very concerned. "Whodid, dear?"

"My – my father!""What – did he do?""He – he gave me – binoculars!"It happened on my birthday. We

were sitting around the kitchentable, and there were two gifts frommy father before me. Both were

carefully wrapped in the comicpages from the newspaper – he andGale were recycling beforerecycling was popular. Twoinnocent packages that were aboutto change my life forever.

Kid fashion, I opened the biggestone first. As the paper fell away –the last moments of my youthfulinnocence – I saw that I held a boxcontaining a brand new pair ofNikon binoculars.

I looked up. I'd been hoping forbooks.

"They're the best," my father saidexcitedly. "Small and light, but withgreat optics. 8x24. That means theymagnify eight times the naked eye.Twenty-four is the size of theobjective lens. That means theyhave a superior light gatheringability."

He must have registered my lackof enthusiasm.

"They're what everybody hasnow," he added.

I was pretty sure none of the kidsat school had Nikon 8x24s withsuperior light gathering ability. Hemust mean his birding buddies –folks who wore mud boots yearround, baggy clothes with lots ofpockets, dorky hats and werealways talking about their all-important life lists.


Bird Watching:

The Carver's Daughter

Red-bellied Woodpecker by Janice Bauch, who is one of the contributing artists to the Breeding Bird Atlas exhibit. Cards and prints are availableat the Birds of Vermont Museum.

AddictMain Entry:1 ad*dictPronunciation:*a*dikt1: to devote or surrender (oneself) tosomething habitually or excessively


Bird Watching:

"You'll need this, too," my father went on, pushingthe other present toward me.

It was a book, but it wasn't fiction. It was “Birds ofNorth America.”

"Wow," I said.He chose to interpret that as excitement."Figured you were old enough," he said.He dug my new binoculars out of their Styrofoam

packaging as though he was dying to get his hands onthem.

"This is where you focus," he said, like I didn't knowwhat the knob in the middle was for.

I'd played with his binoculars when I was younger.I liked looking through a lens backward – it madeeverything seem really far away.

My father carried his binoculars with him whereverhe went. I'd never seem him use them when he wasactually driving, but I wouldn't put it past him ifsomething for his life list flew over.

He was waiting for me to do the obvious, so I pickedthem up. Well, I thought, this wasn't the end of theworld. I got dragged on bird walks all the time, and itwould be good not to have to stand around getting coldor swatting bugs, pretending I could see whateverybody was so excited about.

At least the binoculars were light, so my neckwouldn't break. I raised them and turned to the windowwhere a bunch of chickadees swarmed like bees arounda feeder.

I looked, focused and then – holy cow! I could seetheir eyeballs! And all the little feathers on their headsstood out. Their sharp beaks dug into the seeds theyanchored to the branches of a lilac with their feet.

My father chuckled. I lowered my binocularsquickly. Ten minutes had gone by. Huh.

Then my father pushed the bird book toward me."This is where you mark your life list," he said,

pointing out pages and pages of bird names in the back.

Each name had a little box in front of it to be filled it.Like I was going to start a life list. The kids at school

would never let me live it down. Not that anyone knewwhat a life list was anyway.

"You've already got a bigger one than a lot ofpeople," my father said, tapping his finger part waydown a page. "Start here. You've seen common loonswhen we've been canoeing."

"You mean, I can count species I've already seen?""Sure." He pushed a pen at me.Dutifully, I filled in the box next to common loon.

"Hey, can I count the red-throated loon we saw onChincoteague?" I could remember him dragging myattention away from the wild ponies for that.

"Of course."I filled in that one, too, and then flipped back a few

pages. "I've seen lots of gulls.""Ah, but were they Ringbilled, or Herring?"I didn't know gulls came in different flavors.

According to the book, there were at least half a dozenin Vermont regularly!

"Burger King parking lot," my father said. "We'll eatthere tonight and you can get two, maybe three speciesof gulls."

Well, I wasn't going to say no to french fries."And look! There are sparrows under the lilac. You

can get two – no three – species right now!"I had my binoculars up before I'd even realized it.

When I looked down a few minutes later, my fatherhad my book open to the sparrow section. He had a grinon his face.

Darn it, I thought. He's done it to me again.This article is also online at

www.bovm.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/the-bird-carvers-daughter-part-5-my-addiction. Kari Jo Spear’syoung adult novels, Under the Willow and Silent One,are available at www.amazon.com, www.bn.com, andin Phoenix Books (Essex and Burlington).

Bob Spear is the founder and theMaster Wood Carver for the Birds ofVermont Museum in Huntington.

His daughter, Kari Jo Spear,watched him bird, carve and build amuseum since she was a young girl.Rather than carving, she has used

her artistic abilities primarily in writingand photography, but her father hasstill influenced her in many ways.

In addition to her novels, she haswritten a series of articles called theWood Carver’s Daughter for theBirds of Vermont Museum.

The complete, yet growing,collection can be found through theBirds of Vermont Museum’s website:www.birdsofvemont.org.

This article seemed suitable forFather’s Day and the myriad waysour fathers influence us.

Father’s Day:


Brian Lang’s father, at the wheel pulling his son on the ski while his sister watches from the back of the boat.

When I Think of Dad

When I think of Dad, I think backon all the places he took us growing upand the adventures we had. Campingtrips, fishing trips, hunting trips, theyall have their special flavor, and like anew recipe, you never know going injust exactly what will be the end result.

As I recall, some of the times Dad

made us laugh the hardest, some ofthem involved a time in which Dadseems to mysteriously vanish at themost unexpected times, although notentirely his fault.

“The conditions are perfect!” Dadwould exclaim, trying to get us tospend the last few minutes of daylightdriving the boat so he could water ski

on the glass-like surface. “You neverknow when you’ll get to ski with itcalm like this again!”

His enthusiasm brought us out onthe water – hardly a bad thing – and hewould get to zip around behind us likea kid in a playground as the setting sunreflected pink on the smooth water.

After many trips, we perhaps didn’t

watch him as closely as we shouldhave, and tended to look more at thescenery than watch Dad jump over thewake again.

Mom was driving the boat, and mysister and I were in the bow enjoyingthe boat ride. We were cruising alonguneventfully, when I glanced behindus and noticed Dad was not there!

The handle of the tow rope bouncedlonely along on top of the wake, andthough I strained my eyes to look asfar as possible behind us, I could notsee my father.

“Mom, he’s gone!” I yelled to mymother, who popped out of her trancestaring toward the bow and turned towatch the handle skimming over thewater, dumbfounded.

We spun around and headed back

the way we came. There were no otherboats around, but we didn’t know if hewas hurt.

We were relieved when we spottedhim bobbing along, holding his ski upso we could see him.

“Nice of you to come back,” hedeadpanned, not impressed.

He had gotten tired and decided tolet go, and as he did he got to watchthe boat disappear without hesitationtoward the horizon.

Sorry, Dad.Years later, Dad got a new boat. On

one of the first voyages, we wereapproaching a shoreline of gravel andmany fist-sized rocks.

To avoid damaging the shiny, newfiberglass hull, Dad was poised at theback of the boat and planned to hop

out and hold the boat as we idled intoward land.

It turned out to be quite a drop off.When the bow of the boat was mere

feet from the rocks, Dad leaptconfidently out the back of the boatand promptly disappeared as if flusheddown a toilet.

All that was left was his foam andmesh fire department hat, half floatingat the surface, surrounded by a coupleof bubbles in the water where he wasexpecting to be standing knee deep inthe water.

After several seconds, he broke backthrough the surface where he sputteredin shock and found my mother and melaughing hysterically.

Sorry, Dad.Happy Fathers Day.

Father’s Day:


Fishing:


Smallmouth Bass on the Fly

The smallmouth bass is one of thetoughest-fighting freshwater fish inNorth America. Pound for pound,most anglers consider it one of thebest sportfish on the planet.

Luckily here in Vermont we havean endless number of “bronzebacks”

to chase!They are found in ponds, lakes,

small streams, large rivers andeverywhere in between.

Lake Champlain and itstributaries are my favorite places totarget trophy smallmouths on the fly.

I fish for them in many different

rivers that flow into LakeChamplain in Vermont and NewYork.

Lake Champlain is known as oneof the top bass lakes in the country.ESPN even shows bass tournamentsfrom the lake.

Some of the biggest, meanest,

May and June is the time to tangle with outsized smallmouth on a fly rod. Stream & Brook Fly Fishing client Terry Hall grew up bass fishing,but this bronzeback, caught last June, was only his second bass on a fly rod. It mreasured 22 inches.

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tackle-bustin’ smallmouths spawnin its tributaries every spring.

It just depends on flow and watertemperatures and I look forward toit every year.

Spawning usually occurs in Apriland May, when water temperaturesreach 59 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once in the rivers and finishedspawning they tend to linger for afew weeks which means you canstill find some around into Junebefore they all head back to the lake.

Don’t be surprised to catch asteelhead or two while targetingsmallmouths as some are still in theLake Champlain tributaries right now.

I also love guiding clients to thisrun of fish.

Sometimes our clients decide tobook a “split trip” with smallmouthat first light than two hours later wechase trout or pike on another river.

Many times we just keep lookingfor bass and the clients say the heckwith trout for the day.

They crush big streamers andfight hard – many times jumpingand tailwalking a few times beforegetting them in the net.

On a good outing you can expectto catch and release 6 to 12 of themwith the average being 14 to 16inches, with a few over 19 inches,

and maybe even one in the 20 to 22inch range.

Just a reminder whensmallmouths are up in the riversfrom Lake Champlain they are thereto spawn.

These are the breeder fish and wewant them to continue on theirjourney and come back next year.

It is catch and release only.Please land the fish quickly, use anet, wet your hands and keep thefish in the water as your buddy isgetting ready to take the “Grip andGrin” hero shot.

If you are spin fishing pleaseconsider changing the treble hooks

Stream & Brook Fly Fishing clients Mike Press of Massachusetts (left) and Tony from Connecticut were able to hook up with big smallmouthbass on the fly rod on trips in May.

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on lures over to single hooks.For rods I carry a pair of Rock

River Rods – made in Vermont inWaitsfield – 5 weight and an 8weight. I fish a small WoollyBugger or nymph rig on the 5weight and a very large streamer onthe 8 weight.

For tippet and leader I wouldsuggest a 7½-foot leader that is12-pound test on the bigger rod anda 9-foot 8-pound test on the smallerrod.

Water levels and clarity helpchoose the flies.

You don’t need lots of fancy fliesto fool a smallmouth this time ofyear.

Bring a few cone-headed WoollyBuggers in black, olive and white.A few Clouser Minnow’s in brightcolors like white/lime green,red/white and yellow/orange. Add afew Zonkers to your fly box and youare set.

Pretty much any streamer thatimitates a leech, sculpin, minnow orcrayfish will work. You can also dovery well “nymphing” for smallies.

Try big Golden Stones, Prince

Nymph’s, Hare’s Ears and RedCopper Johns among others. Oldtimers swear by big Hellgrammiteflies!

It is possible to even catch themon dry flies and terrestrials. Someproven patterns for me are theAusable Wulff, Orange Stimulator,Dave’s Hopper, Floater in the Pooland the Fat Albert.

If a natural drift over them doesnot get any looks try skating bythem or even slapping the flies downon the water hard.

Wear polarized sunglasses and be

Another nice smallmouth caught in May

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stealthy. You may just see a near-state-record smallmouth swimmingaround … will you be ready?

See you on the river!

Brian Cadoret of Middlebury is aguide and co-owner of Stream andBrook Fly Fishing. He's on the proteam for Rock River Rods, a fly rod

and reel maker in Waitsfield, andhe's on the fishing team for JacksonKayak. Contact him [email protected].

Stream & Brook Fly Fishing co-owner Brian Cadoret caught this 19¼-inch bronzeback in Lewis Creek last month.

Fishing:


As we move into the monthof June in the fly fishingworld, many Vermont

anglers are drawn to the pursuit ofVermont’s State Fish, the Vermontnative brook trout (SalvelinusFontinalis).

Vermont’ s Fish & WildlifeDepartment has conductednumerous angling surveys over the

years and Vermont’s brook troutstill remains the most desirably

sought-after fish species Vermont’swaters have to offer.

The last Fish and Wildlife surveyindicates that nearly 80 percent ofVermont sportsmen still preferfishing for brook trout in Vermontwaters.

Vermont has more than 2,000miles of brook trout water dissectingthe states spine of the green

Vermont's State Fish

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mountains. For mostanglers that would be tenlifetimes of opportunities.

During my pursuit oftrophy fish over the past 2½decades of guiding, I havefished from as far north asAlberta and Labrador inCanada to as far south asthe Southern CaribbeanIslands.

Despite having fishedand guided in hundreds ofbeautiful locations, I stillfind myself drawn toVermont’s mountainstreams in pursuit of atrophy that will fit in thepalm of your hand.

A walk up the mountainbeneath the canopy of trees,which shades those fishingholes beautifully, andhaving the lime-green mosscovered rocks cushioningmy walk along the way issure to set the stage for a anenjoyable fishing adventure.

Sure, I have lots of fish photosthat any angler would cherish, but Istill am astonished by the beauty ofa wild, native Vermont brook trout.

There is nothing like the rush ofhaving that brookie burst out at my

dry fly from a gin-clear, bathtubsized pool in a Vermont mountainstream. I am in awe that I canactually find fish living in suchbeautiful places.

When fishing for mountain brook

trout, the gear is quitesimple.

For rods, anythingbetween a 2-weight and4-weight rod is ideal –generally no longer than7½ feet in length to keepyou out of the trees.

My personal favorite is a1968 Winston fiberglass7½-foot, 4-weightmanufactured by the R.LWinston Company in SanFrancisco, Calif. Even a6-inch brook trout willpucker over this fiberglasswand.

For leaders, 7½ feet, 4X,5X, and 6X are ideal. Inmost situations 5X is themost suitable.

Flies too are very simplesince these fish are suchopportunistic feeders.

I almost always fish dryflies and like to keep anassortment of ParachuteAdams, Parachute Cahills,

Royal Wulffs and Elk Hair Caddis.For nymphs, Pheasant Tails,

Princes and Zug Bugs.And for streamers, small

Conehead Muddlers and OliveWoolly Buggers.

Hunting, Fishing, Hiking, Backpacking, ATVing, Biking, Camping, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowmobiling, Bird Watching,Climbing, Photography, Power Boating, Paddling, Skijoring, Conservation, Four Wheeling, Dog Sledding, and … try us!

Most races and competitions. There will be some allowance for fishing tournaments, some shooting events, and a few others,but we’re not interested in 5k, 10k, half marathons, triathlons, bike races, ski races, swim meets, auto/motorcycle races,adventure races and similar events that are already covered by other publications and local newspapers. Also, no golf, Frisbeegames, dog shows (unless they’re bird dogs), gardening, backyard birding, polo, team sports, well you get the idea. We have todraw the line somewhere, and this is a good starting point. Some things will be on a case-by-case basis. It never hurts to ask.

Essential gear to chase Vermont’s brook trout begins with a goodmap but is otherwise, pretty simple.

Fishing:


Fishing for brook trout in Vermont’s mountain streams can be a cozy affair as these two guided clients of The Fly Rod Shop in Stowe can attest.

If you are looking to start a newpassion of pursuing high mountaintrout streams, Vermont’sGazetteer can be a greatstart to locate a new honeyhole.

If you are trying to locatebrook trout streams, youcan start in Vermont’ssouthern most counties ofBennington or Windham and fishyour way to Vermont’s northerncounties of Franklin, Orleans andEssex and everything in between.

Any streams with headwaters that

begin at an elevation of 2,000 feetor higher are ideal starting points

and stay frigid throughout the entiresummer.

It’s rare to venture into the highmountain elevation streams and findwater temperatures over 60 degrees,even during the dog days of

summer. These are ideal conditionsfor native brook trout.

When I am fishing aVermont brook troutstream my preference is tofish upstream to allow myfly to be the first thing fishsee.

As the fly drifts towardsyou, strikes can occur right at yourfeet, so keeping a tight linethroughout your drift will allow youa higher strike-to-land ratio.

Try to work short one to four footdrifts to minimize snags.

There is nothing like the rush of havingthat brookie burst out at my dry fly from

a gin-clear, bathtub sized pool in aVermont mountain stream.

Fishing:


Seasoned anglers know not to justfish � obvious pools of significantsize that will hold obvious fish, butobviously these spots are fished bymost fishermen.

Try to cover any piece of waterthat looks even a little bit fishybecause highly productive streamswill hold fish in the most unlikelyplaces.

As I plan for my summer trophyfish angling adventures, you can restassured that during the next three tofour months I’ll be fishing Vermont’sbrook trout streams in pursuit ofthose 6- to 12-inch brook trout.

I’ll be starting at the streams Ihave not yet fished and can’t waitto see what surprises lay aroundthose rivers next bends.

Bob Shannon is the owner andhead guide at The Fly Rod Shop inStowe. He has more than 25 years ofexperience teaching fly fishing and isa member of the St. Croix Pro Staffas well as an ambassador for SimmsFishing Products. He currentlyserves on the board for LakeChamplain International and is onthe Vermont Fish & Wildlife board.

A nice Vermont brook trout is played after hitting a Light Cahill.

Like the stories you read on the pages of Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine? the of these articles.

Send a little praise their way through the Letters to the Editor column.

Fishing:


Lewis Creek Smallmouth

Fishing:


May 3Lewis CreekSmallmouth

Fishing:


I have been a pretty lucky guymuch of my life. I have been able toput a whole lot of time intofollowing my passion of fishing, Ihave had some women who were farmore beautiful than I deserve sharemy life and I have had some

amazing opportunities.Few experiences compared to the

email I received in March 2012. Iread the email, read it again, andread it for a third time. Then I did aquick Internet search to make sureit was real.

Icon Films wanted me to guide

Jeremy Wade while he was inVermont filming River Monsters inMay. Nothing but a series ofexpletives came out of my mouthfor about 10 minutes. I wasincredulous.

The River Monsters crew wasafter a number of species that are

Vermont’s River Monsters

Jeremy Wade, start of the television show “River Monsters” shows off the bowfin he caught while in Vermont in 2012.

Fishing:


found in Lake Champlain. Theywere originally after muskies andwhen they had contacted the U.S.Fish and Wildlife service they weredirected to me.

I told them that muskies would bepretty tough during the time framethat they were going to be here butthat there were other options outthere. And so it began!

A series of emails and phone callsstarted after that.

I was still a bit stunned. I wasgoing to have the most recognizedangler in the world in mycanoe with me!

Talk about some seriouspress time and let's just put itout there: it doesn't get anycooler than that! Seriously.How many people in theworld can say that they havehad that chance? And I didn'twant to blow it!

I got the ball rolling at work. Italked to my team at school andmade sure it was cool with them(thank you so much Mike, Kathy,Amelia, Nancy and Brian!) and thenchecked in with the principal to seeif it was alright to have a flexibleschedule and take unpaid days off(thank you Karsten!). All set there!

I also checked in with my friendTom Rosenbauer at Orvis to see ifthere was anything they wanted meto put in Jeremy's hands. There wasand I soon had a Helios/Mirage9-weight outfit to have on camera!

I also needed a couple of otherboats for the camera and crew. Imade some calls and my greatfriends Marty and Tim Sienkiewyczwere more than happy to help out!

I met with the director, DominicWeston, for a meal before the rest

of the crew got to Vermont. Theywere still traveling here fromCentral America where they hadbeen chasing tarpon.

Dominic had great energy and itwas pretty obvious that he wasexcited about the possibilities I hadoffered up. He had some great notesand had definitely done his research.

Soon a plan was hatched. I hadbeen spending a whole lot of timeon the water making sure that thefish that they wanted were aroundand willing.

Just that morning I was out on thelake talking on the phone withDominic and got into a nice bowfin.It was on!A couple of days later I was out afterwork fishing and the phone rang.

It was the call I had beenexpecting. Jeremy. I asked him tohold on for just a second while Ilanded a smallmouth. What a greatstart to the conversation!

We talked about what we hadplanned for the trip and I was gettingeven more jazzed up than I hadbeen. Wow. Of course I had to fishfor a bit after that too.

The first day on the water arrived.What a horrible day weather wise.Gray, overcast skies. The wind wasup a bit too. Rain was in theforecast. Just not pleasant weatherto be out in.

And here I was meeting fishingrock star Jeremy Wade for the firsttime and I had to put him on bowfin.Not ideal conditions.

We all met up and got our gameplan together. I was ready. I signedthe contract.

This was serious business. I couldnot talk about or mention anythingabout what we were doing anywherein any media until after the showaired.

Boy, this was going to be a longyear! What a secret to keep too!

The crew got in the boatswith Tim and Marty. Greatguys one and all!

They were going to meet usat the filming location in a fewminutes. I was going to paddledown to where the bowfinwere with Jeremy in mycanoe. So cool!

We chatted quite a bit,talking mostly about (surprise,surprise!) fish and fishing. We areboth very passionate about the topicand got along very well.

It took a while to find the fish.The overcast skies were not helpingmatters. We started picking upbowfin though. I love those fish!

It is such a different ballgame tofish with a camera crew though. Youreally have to shift your thinkingand let them lead the action. Verydifferent from when I guide.

I was still guiding but I did haveto change how I normally spot fishto fit in with the theme of the show.

So we got a couple of bowfinunder our belt and then James, thecamera guy, asks if he can get intothe canoe with me and Jeremy. Sure!I said.

Have you ever seen the crazy

This was serious business. I could nottalk about or mention anything aboutwhat we were doing anywhere in anymedia until after the show aired. Boy,

this was going to be a long year!What a secret to keep too!

Fishing:


camera outfits they use for shootingHD television? They are prettyawesome to look at but weigh a ton.James got in the canoe right behindJeremy. Then the boat didn't budge.Crap!

What was going on? Oh ... astump under the canoe ... problemsolved.

I can't wait to see the footage fromthat.

We got a couple of fish in the boatand it started to rain fairly hard. Itwas lunchtime and we were allready for a break.

We went to the only area of dryland we could find nearby. Notideal, but better than nothing. Butas we disembarked from the boatsto walk through the muck to get outof the rain disaster struck.

Dominic tripped and went facefirst into the water landing on theremote monitor he used to watchwhat was being filmed.

It is not absolutely critical tofilming, but does help a lot ... and itcosts a pretty penny too (thousands).

The best part was listening toJames talk about how he has trashedseveral cameras in the course offilming for the show (at $25,000 apop!).

We got back out filming. I wantedto see Jeremy get into a big female.I wanted a big fish in the boat.

We were in this patch of deadcattails and I saw a nice big girl nextto us. I pointed her out. She waspretty tight against the boat and Iknew it was tough for Jeremy to see.I put him in the general area and hewasn't quite there so I asked if hewanted an assist ... I grabbed the lineand wiggled it in front of her.WHAM! It was on! Nice bowfin

indeed!The fish went nutso in the weed

growth and we both ended up out ofthe boat to land her. It was prettycold being early May and anovercast day, but when I saw Jeremygo in I knew I had to do it too.

Totally worth it! Great fish – 29inches and a bit over 9 pounds.

Jeremy had a Master Class bowfinon the fly!

After that the weather got worseand the camera lens was getting wet.It became impossible to film anymore. We decided to high tail it outof there. It was a shorter day than Iplanned but completely worth it.

After getting everything loadedup (with Jeremy's help) I went hometo a nice, long, hot shower.

One of the other species that theRiver Monsters crew wanted to getinto while in Vermont was thelongnose gar – another of myspecialties.

It was May and that can be a

mixed blessing when it comes togar. They are definitely around andcan be found in large concentrationswhen they are spawning. However,they are not always the easiest to getto take when they are in that spawnmode.

One of the things that is hard tounderstand when watching the showis just how much background workeveryone does.

Jeremy has a lot of pressure onhim to produce fish and everyoneelse has their jobs too. The director,Dominic Weston in this case, has todo all the background homework onthe fish that they are targeting inorder to bring the most dramaticstory to the television audience.

The same applies to the guidesthat take them out. There is a lot ofwork that goes into locating the fishas well as the knowledge it takes tocatch them.

I had been on the lookout for gar.In 2011 the gar were found in good

Fishing:


numbers up in smaller tributariesbecause of the record high levels inLake Champlain. There were fish allover the place and some really largefish too.

I had my current personal bestfrom that year – a 49-inch femalethat weighed about 12 pounds.

An excellent fish and one that Iwanted to repeat but unfortunately2012 was a dramatically differentyear. The water levels in the lake inMay last year were about 5 feetshallower than the year before. Itwas a mostly dry spring and I wasnot finding the fish where I hadbefore.

I started looking all over theplace. I was doing long solo paddlesin my canoe looking for fish.

Several days I paddled more than10 miles looking for fish. One ofthose days was into a 15 mph headwind – yes, I love weatherforecasters (they said it was

supposed to be a 6 mph breeze fromthe west, not the 15 mph from thenorth!).

I was checking all of my usualspots and I was making phone callsgalore to anyone and everyone whoI knew who was out fishing or hadknowledge.

I started to find them. They werein the small creeks, but not in goodnumbers. I also found a spot on thelake where they were in goodnumbers and willing to take the fly.

I finally had a game plan for whenI was to meet up with them again.Marty and Tim had the camera boatsready too.

I met the River Monsters crew andheaded south to meet Marty andTim. They were at a spot where thecarp were congregating.

Dominic and Jeremy wereinterested in checking that place outto. Hey, big congregations of fish inshallow water? Good filming

opportunities even if it wasn’t whatthey were after.

As we got there I saw Marty andTim on the water. Marty had a fishon and they had no net. I ran backto the truck to grab one. Nice carpon the fly and the whole crew waswatching and talking. A good startto the day.

We got some pics for Marty andas I walked back across the dam Inoticed something. Somethingsplashing in the water downstream… I shouted out an expletive and ranat top speed to check it out withJeremy and Dominic in tow. I washoping against hope that what I wasseeing was really what I was seeing.

Indeed it was! Dozens of them …including all the others porpoisingaround, maybe as many as 100. Itwas a great congregation!

The fish were everywhere. Mostof them were well over 36 inchesand there were some serious bruisersin there. Definitely some contendersfor the state record were sitting infront of us.

It was a dream come true!Everyone was pretty psyched.

We got everything set up. Jeremyhad the Helios 9-weight that I riggedup with a gar fly.

He was casting pretty well. Thetime that he had just spent inNicaragua chasing tarpon with a12-weight out of a float tube haddefinitely made a difference. He wasdefinitely vastly improved from histime chasing taimen – an episodethat many fly-rodders had pannedbecause of his casting.

Jeremy is a quick study and I gavehim some pointers with casting.That definitely helped out as well.His double haul was great.

Fishing:


Unfortunately the gar weren’tbeing as cooperative as we wouldhave liked. The rope fly was in theright spot. He was working it theway it needed to be worked.

He was putting it right in themiddle of the spawningcongregation. We tried differentcolors. We worked all sorts ofdifferent angles to get those fish onthe typical gar fly. No dice.

We took a lunch break. I asked ifit was alright to give it a try myself.I have had good luck with smallerflies put right in their face. Theyseem to get a bit upset aboutsomething in their personal spacelike that and swat at them. That ishow I have done so well in thespring time with gar.

I put on a small fly that was brightand in your face. I started workingit close to some of the bigger girlsnear the bank.

The snapping started. They don’tlike it when things are in their face.

The big trick is to get a decenthook set. That isn’t always the easypart. The gar’s mouth is all bone. Ittakes a very sharp hook to stick inthere combined with a constantlytight line to keep them on and agood measure of luck thrown in toboot.

Even having done this many yearsmyself I would say that my hook-upto land ratio with this kind of garfishing is about 30 percent ... notgreat.

I got one on. It was a nice fish. Abeast actually.

Everyone was watching and onceit cooled down enough Jeremyhelped me to land it. I broke mypersonal best. It was 51 inches. We

didn’t weigh it but I am sure itwould have been close to or beatenthe current state record.

There was no way I was going tokeep that fish to get that nowthough. I had a job to do…

Marty took a turn on the cork. Hehooked a fish just like I had but ittook off and broke off the bright flythat I had. I had other similar flies(they were my bowfin specials) butnone as bright as that. I was sure wecould get into some fish.

Jeremy is the consummate angler.He learns by example extremelyquickly. He got the gist of what Iwas doing and soon was into fish.

He got a decent male fish to startthings off. It wasn’t huge by anymeans, but it was in the low 40 inchrange.

It was decidedly male andextremely excited. I noticed all themilt that was now covering Jeremy’slegs. The off-color comment that the

cameraman James made hadeveryone holding their sides.

The rest of the afternoon waspretty much a touch and go situation.

Jeremy would have a fish on(collective, silent roar ofexcitement) only to lose it shortlythereafter (collective let down).Repeat.

I gave him some tips – especiallynoting that it was critical to keep avery tight line on them and to keepthe rod up. Fight them with the rodin the air not off to the side. That iswhat has worked for me best. Keepthe fight as short as possible.

We had pretty strong tippet on(16-pound Orvis AR) that couldhandle any of these fish.

We were at it hours. He got intoa few smaller fish but the biggerones had been eluding him. Therewere several that were just beasts; 5or 6 inches across the back

They were there. You could

Fishing:


practically touch them. James wasgetting awesome footageunderwater of them and you candefinitely see that really well in theshow.

It is so cool to see that many bigfish spawning in one place. Therocks were covered in gar eggs.

I told them about how they arepoisonous to eat for mammals. Itwas cool to see that fact make it intothe show as one of the bumpersbetween commercials. I smiled aknowing smile when I saw that.

Jeremy had a good fish on. It washooked in the fleshy part of the jawtoo! We all had our collectivefingers crossed.

He played the fish very well andhad on my Buff work gloves to helphim land the fish. He got it in theshallows and landed it.

AWESOME! He had a nice bigfemale gar.

He got the footage of the fish thatthey needed and we all took somepictures of him with it.

One of the great things about garis that they can breathe air. Keepingthem moist helps to keep them safe(which we did) but it allows a lotmore safe handling time than manyother fish. Darn handy for a fishingshow!

We were all smiles after that. Iwas asked to help out as a cameraboat to get some footage of Jeremywalking along the bank. I went andgrabbed the canoe to get the shots.

It is pretty interesting how muchthey shoot and how they want theboat placed. I think we spent 45minutes or more filming the walkingscene from all sorts of different

angles.We were all pretty tired after that

all concluded but Marty had invitedall of us over to his house for dinnerlater that evening.

I have to admit a guilty bit of theday though ... Jeremy's gar was 49inches ... mine was 51 inches.

It still puts a grin on my face tothink that I outfished Jeremy Wadeone day. His collective experiencefar outweighs mine, but for that oneday I got the bigger gar!

Drew Price owns Master ClassAngling, a fly-fishing guide service andthe only warm-water oriented fly-fishing guide service in Vermont. Hecan be reached through his website atwww.masterclassangling.com. Hewrites about his adventures on his blog,where this story originally appeared,at www.dponthefly.blogspot.com.


Fishing:

A Family Affair

Jeff Warner had plenty of help from his kids Ryan and Sophie landing this channel catfish.


Fishing:

The WarnersFishing with worms on the bottom of the

river near their home May 12, Jeff Warnerhooked a big catfish.

It was a battle as it took Warner quite awhile before the big fish even showed itselfat the surface. As kids Ryan and Sophiecheered, mom, Jodi Warner, recorded theevents with her camera.

As Jeff battled the channel cat, Ryan was ready withthe net. When Dad got the fish near shore, Ryan quicklyscooped it up with an assist from Dad. The digital scaleread 20.26 pounds. With both kids flanking him, Warnerquickly returned the fish to the water to fight anotherday.

The family spends a lot of time at the river and hasstarted doing a little night fishing as fears of bugs andthe dark have been overcome.

Don’t expect these folks to give up any family fishinghole secrets though. It’s “a river in western Vermont,”

is all they’re saying.“It's our favorite river to fish at and you

can find us there almost every weekend,”Jodi Warner said.

It’s easy to see why.

ImagineIf only this was your ad.It could be … next month.

Share details about your amazing products.Brag about how many fish your clients catch.Reveal affordable rates to enhance your bookings.Announce specials if things are a little slow.Expand your reach … grow your business.

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At long last it was Connor’sturn. For as long as he canremember, Connor has

watched me head into the woods ofMaine, and Vermont to hunt.

He remembers the days of packingand planning for trips to Ontario insearch of a massive whitetail, bidinghis time until it would someday be histurn.

He has watched his sister for the pastfew years load her gear in the truck forthe Vermont Youth Weekend Huntsand, again wait for his turn.

He had to stay home one fall whilemy wife, Karen, and I headed to moosecamp in the hopes of filling her firstever moose tag.

Yet another year when he would betold, “Soon buddy it will be your turn.”

That turn would finally arrive in thefall of 2012.

Connor and a few of his buddiessuccessfully completed the VermontHunters Education Course(affectionately known as the HuntersSafety Course by us old guys), held atour shop at Beagle Outdoor Wear(shameless plug), now each with a newhunting license burning a hole in theircollective pockets.

Not content to wait for the deerseason, Connor immediately hatched aplan to go on his first bear hunt. One

evening we headed for a cornfield nearour house in Morrisville that I knewwas seeing it’s share of bear activity.

When we arrived at the field edgeand set up, I told Connor that becauseof the foliage cover and our proximityto the field, if we saw a bear it would

be close enough for him to get a goodshot at.

“How close?” was the wide-eyedquestion that followed, with a slightquiver in it’s tone.

“Close enough” was my reply, notreally considering the impact the


Lake Champlain International:

A successful hunt

Connor Willett shows off his tom turkey. It was his first big-game animal.



answer might have on my new hunter.Well suffice it to say that the uneasy

feeling of a bear in his lap, and theunending barrage of black flies andmosquitoes, like a squadron of fighterjets ended our hunt after just a shortperiod of time.

None too soon in my opinion,personally I would rather be at thedentist than deal with mosquitoes, butthat is another rant all together.

Although our bear hunt was shortlived, Connor was determined to fill atag before deer season. This left us withbirds, and not just any bird it had to bea turkey, the Granddaddy of them all.

With just a few days left in the fallshotgun season we embarked on ourquest … to get Connor his turkey andbreak the seal on his hunting career.

A couple of close calls and oneexcellent decision not to shoot on myyoung hunter’s part, we were left withjust one day in the season to get the dealdone. Fortunately the final morning ofthe hunt would be his day.

A good friend of mine owns a dairyfarm and all turkey hunters know, thereis nothing a turkey likes more in the fallthan a dairy farm.

The farmer, his father-in-law and hisson had all tagged out, leaving the farmopen for business, and Connor wasquick to take them up on the invitationfor the last morning of the season.

Long before first light, on the lastchilly morning of the fall 2012 season,we found ourselves – me and my newhunting buddy – set up waiting for histurkey to fly down.

It was not long and we startedhearing the flock flying down into thefield and soon the morning was alivewith clucks and yelps. That is when thereal excitement started.

We watched for what seemed like

forever as multiple birds fed in the fieldabout 100 yards out. I glassed the fieldand watched the flock, all the whilehearing in one ear “Dad what do yousee, are there any big ones?”

As we all know, hens are fair gamein Vermont in the fall so when twofinally broke off from the group andstarted our direction, I was pretty surehe would want to try his luck at one ofthem.

Now anyone who has hunted with achild before, or any first time hunter forthat matter; knows that the first timethey shoot at an animal, there is reallyno telling how it will go. Sometimesthey shoot too soon, other times thereis no shot at all.

Having anticipated his excitementand factoring in nerves, Connor and Ihad a plan. He would listen, and Iwould talk. No point in clouding theplan with details, hunter listen – guidetalk. Works every time on TV, right?

Well, they are not always workingwith an excited 9-year-old on TV, butfortunately for this guide, when itcomes to hunting my guy is no normal9-year-old.

Connor has an “old soul” I like tosay, and his Papa (my Dad) would havebeen proud that day. Cool, calm andcollected – while panting like a blackLab after a duck.

I held him off until the birds wereabout 25 yards away. Any farther awayand the shot would be iffy. Wait forthem to get closer and cool, calm,collected Connor would have lost hismind, as would I.

When one of the hens finallypresented a shot, all I had to say was“take her” and Connor made a greatshot.

The bird rolled over and the partystarted. We had what seemed like every

turkey in the county flying out of thefield and the only thing brighter thanthe rising son was the smile onConnor’s face.

He did it. His first turkey. A hunterwas born that day for sure.

Up to that point Connor had alwayshad a question for me that I could notgive a simple answer to. “Dad, whatgoes on in the woods that gets you, andmade Papa get up at 3:00 in themorning?”

In a two day span of time, Connorlearned the answer for himself. Helearned what it is that wakes and pullsus out of a nice warm bed when mostsane people would stay put. He hasseen firsthand the “thing” that willmake a group of normally logicalgrown men, pile into a truck and drivefor 26 hours in search of a deer.

In that short period of time, Connorlearned that it is not a “thing” thatdraws us to the woods to hunt. It ismore than that, it is part of us and whowe are.

Connor learned on that day in the fallof 2012 that he is a hunter, and that iswhat draws us.

It is not a thing – it is who he is.An avid hunter and outdoorsman,

Emile enjoys spending as much time aspossible with his family and friends,and could not think of any betterhunting partners than his two childrenBrooke and Connor. Emile lives inMorrisville with his children, his wifeKaren and their German ShorthairedPointer, Oakley. Emile is co-owner ofBeagle Outdoor Wear, manufacturerof the highest quality wool outerwearwhich is based in the beautiful GreenMountains of Johnson, Vermont. Emilecan be reached at 802.635.9200 or byemailing him [email protected]

When I was a young manin high school in Beaver,Pa., which in the 1960s

was the heart of the burgeoning steelindustry, my mother used to hangour bed sheets out to dry on a lineand I would marvel at the small rustcolored rings that formed on thecrisp white linens.

It looked like tie-died “hippy”

clothing.In the center of the ring was a tiny

iron particle that had attached to thesheet by floating through the heavyair. Its origin was the steel millsspewing particulates and smoke intothe air.

We all took it for granted that thiswas “progress” and we should begrateful for the chance to live in

Sacred Hunter:


Stalking the Wild Asparagus

such a prosperous country. It never occurred to me whatwe were doing to the environment.

The “environmental movement” was just beginning.They called it “ecology” and a very small group of

eccentric individuals embraced this counter-culture,wearing peace signs and claiming they wanted to “getback to the land.”

One of them wrote a book called “Stalking the WildAsparagus.”

In our high school, everyone was focused on Fridaynight’s football game and who had the fastest musclecar.

This alternative group of rebels were joining whatthey called a “movement” that a lot of people fearedwould topple the status quo.

My friends and I sat in the school hallways and madefun of “them.” We joked that Euell Gibbons, the authorof “Stalking the Wild Asparagus” was actually a directdescendent of a simian culture and that the concept of“natural food” was foolish.

Isn’t all food “natural?” Why eat vegetables thatgrow in a ditch when you can buy clean, unusuallylarge and well-polished varieties in the supermarket?

Fast forward to the present. The “EnvironmentalMovement” has evolved and been inculcated into thecommon fabric of our society. Everyone is at leastaware of the impacts of pollution, ecosystemdegradation, etc. We talk of habitat and clean water.We are aware of our problems, although there are stilldetractors who feel that the environment vs. theeconomy debate cannot beresolved. It’s one or theother. Personally, I believethat without a healthyenvironment, we cannotpossibly sustain a healthyeconomy over time.

Our food is nowproduced by corporations that splice DNA together tocreate prettier, larger tomatoes, corn, soybeans, etc. andnow we are headed toward the first geneticallymodified meat, farm-raised salmon that will not evenneed to be designated as a Genetically ModifiedOrganism. Remember the sci-fi film back in the 70’s,“Soylent Green”, where the government produced a“super-food” that could replace all the other sources ofnutrition? Are we headed toward a government

sanctioned corporate-produced food supply?Because of what I have learned over the years as a

hunter and fishermen, I became fascinated with theconcept that “pure” food could be healthier than

processed food. After all,why did the venison, duck,goose, rabbit, squirrel,moose and bear taste somuch better than anythingI could buy in a store? Ihypothesized that it had todo with the quality of life

of the organism. My animals were free to roam theearth, seeking their sustenance from natural sources.Their life, although hard at times, was free andbeautiful.

I postulated that perhaps that beauty, that freedom,that universal quality of spirit, was ingrained in theirDNA and thus, in their flesh. By ingesting their flesh,with a blessing of gratitude, was I not then alsoabsorbing their spirit?

Sacred Hunter:


Because of what I have learned over theyears as a hunter and fishermen, I becamefascinated with the concept that “pure” food

could be healthier than processed food.

Sacred Hunter:


Taken one step further, if Ilearned to locate plants that grewnaturally in the woods, swamps,steams and ditches, would they notalso have spiritual qualities like thatof my animals?

I became more curious about thisway of thinking and began to studythe environments that might supportsuch life. I asked some old-timerswho seemed to know how to livewell in spite of having few materialpossessions. It was these elders thattaught me about fiddleheads, leeks(also known as “ramps”), dandeliongreens, mushrooms, berries andnuts. Then one day, I met a man whoshowed me pictures of severalpounds of my favorite vegetable,asparagus. Randy Bibeau, ofVergennes VT, has mastered the artof locating these wild edibles and heshared his knowledge with me.

I became obsessed with locatingthe dying stalks, gone to seed in themid-summer heat, and drovehundreds of miles of back roadswith my Northern Cartographic mapby my side. Every time I spotted aplant I would mark it on the mapwith a circle with an “A” in themiddle. I collected 20 spots in myfirst year. Randy had taught me thatit is imperative that I search forthese plots, although the actualstalks had passed and gone to seed,because the following year, thoseseeds would sprout quickly whenthe ground temperature reached themid-60s. During hot weather – likewhat we experienced here in VTduring the first week of May, theplant can grow as much as 6 inchesper day. During periods of unusualwarmth, I learned to check on myplots daily, many of them yieldingthree to six newly sprouted stalks

each day.Recently I took my wife, Katie

and her friend, Kelli Wellings ofAddison, on an asparagus stalkingdrive. We drove down an old dirtroad near a farm, where an old fencehad once stood and now the barbedwire and aged posts hung drearilyclose to the ground. I was tellingthem about how the plant likes asaline habitat and thus, any timeroads salt is used in winter, it

thrives, when suddenly, I told Katieexcitedly, “Slam on the brakes!There it is! There it is!” Katie andKelli broke out laughing at myenthusiasm. Katie said somethingalong the lines of “My God! You’dthink he’d found a pot of gold! Ihaven’t seen you that excited in along time!”

I literally jumped out of the truckand called back to Kelli, “Hurry up!C’Mere! C’Mere!” I sprinted across

Sacred Hunter:


the desolate road and parachutedinto the ditch. “Whoo Hooo!”We’ve struck the jackpot!” Wepicked a dozen spears and then, witha feeling of great accomplishment,crawled back in the truck. Furtherdown the road we hit another patch,even larger than the first. Nice big,thick-stalked spears near an oldmailbox of a deserted trailer. I waselated. The girls were fascinated bymy unbridled joy at finding such atreasure. And the season had justbegun. Asparagus “season” runs

well into June in the ChamplainValley.

On the ride home, I thought of myfriend, Michael Hurley fromBeaver, and how we used to makefun of old Euell, when all of asudden I realized – Oh My God! Ihave become that person whom Iused to satirize. Was I regressingphysiologically to a simian or was Ievolving into someone that foundhis spirit nurtured by a nature I hadnot understood?

That evening we dined on roasted

asparagus and Lake Champlainpoached salmon with sautéed wildleeks that I had harvested thatmorning. The sheets on the bed wereclean and crisp with no iron deposits.

Bradley Carleton is ExecutiveDirector of Sacred Hunter.org, anon-profit organization that is beingformed to educate the public on thespiritual connection of man tonature and raises funds forTraditions Outdoor Mentoring.org,which mentors at-risk young men inoutdoor pursuits.


Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge:

Wildlife Refuge Photos

Female pileated woodpecker



Above: An early misty morningat the Stephen Young Marsh.

Left: a yellow warbler.



Above: A northern harrier male.

Right: A squirrel keeps an eyeout.



A doe pauses for a moment to check a visitor’s intentions.

Friends of Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is agrassroots nonprofit organization consisting ofprivate citizens who provide volunteer and financialsupport to Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge.



A tom turkey.


The Outside Story:

In early summer, my roses arebuzzing with bees. Europeanhoneybees from my hives are

tripping over the tiny metallic nativebees while burly black and yellowbumblebees, the sumo wrestlers inthis ring, shoulder through thestamens.

It would appear all is right with

bees. But it’s not. Everyone knowshoneybees are in trouble, butbumblebees are also in worldwidedecline. In North America, severalspecies are extinct, or perilouslyclose to it.

“You can find lots of bumblebeesout there, but the biodiversity isreally going down,” said KentMcFarland of the Vermont Center

for Ecostudies. Last year, a VCEsampling showed some alarmingresults: of the 17 species ofbumblebees historically resident inthe Green Mountain State, fourcould not be found.

“Anywhere they’ve done anysurveys, it’s the same story. It’s prettybad. I don’t think there’s anythingunique here,” said McFarland.

Honeybee Decline Continues

Leif Richardson, a Dartmouth doctoral candidatewho researches bumblebees, agrees: “We don’t have acomplete picture yet. But in my opinion, things arepretty bad for bumblebees and some other native bees.There are lots of studies that have shown declines inspecies of bumblebees over time” – from the Northeast,Midwest, West, and the Canadianprovince of Ontario. “At the sametime, some species have becomemuch more common,” Richardsonsaid.

James Strange, a researchentomologist and bumblebeespecialist with the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture’s AgriculturalResearch Service, said perhaps asmany as 20 percent of the 38 or 40(depending on how you count them) species ofbumblebee in the U.S. are in trouble.

Essentially, this is the story of our age, whether it’sbirds, butterflies, amphibians, or small mammals.Biodiversity is taking it on the chin.

“There is a theory of ecosystem resilience, whichsays that as we lose more and more of these species,our ecosystems become less able to withstand majorchanges. So while one species may disappear ordecline, and that is not going to affect our food chain,it raises the pressure on the functioning of theecosystem and stakes go up with each species we lose,”said Strange.

In bumblebees, the problem is masked somewhat bysheer numbers – there are still a lot of bumblebees outthere – and by the difficulty in telling them apart. Color

and size aren’t always a good gauge, and scientists mustoften resort to charting facial shape and body partmeasurements.

Different facial shapes and tongue lengths enablespecies to pollinate different types of plants,contributing to diversity in vegetation. And bumblers

are important pollinators. They canfly in colder temperatures and inrainy weather when honeybees areloath to leave the hive. Worldwide,notes Richardson, wild bees,including bumblers, are one of themost important crop plantpollinators. In the U.S. and Europethey are sold commercially forpollinating hothouse plants liketomatoes and cucumbers.

So what is causing some bumblebee species’ slidetoward extinction? It’s probably several factors, someof which might affect certain species and not others.

The conversion of fields and pastures to housing lots,row crops, or forest undoubtedly has an effect. “In thenortheast some of the bees that are disappearing areones that do very well on some of the plants we growin pasture,” said Strange. Pathogens such as Crithidiabombi and Nosema bombi may play a part as well. Theparticular Nosema strain playing havoc with bumblersin North America apparently came from Europe withbees bred for greenhouse pollination. Pesticides?Maybe. Not enough research has been done, saidStrange. “I won’t say it’s not a factor – it probably is– but we just haven’t gotten there yet.”

What’s the answer?


The Outside Story:

Hunting, Fishing, Hiking, Backpacking, ATVing, Biking, Camping, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowmobiling, BirdWatching, Climbing, Photography, Power Boating, Paddling, Skijoring, Conservation, Four Wheeling, DogSledding, and … try us!

Most races and competitions. There will be some allowance for fishing tournaments, some shooting events,and a few others, but we’re not interested in 5k, 10k, half marathons, triathlons, bike races, ski races, swimmeets, auto/motorcycle races, adventure races and similar events that are already covered by otherpublications and local newspapers. Also, no golf, Frisbee games, dog shows (unless they’re bird dogs),gardening, backyard birding, polo, team sports, well you get the idea. We have to draw the line somewhere,

Essentially, this is thestory of our age,whether it’s birds,

butterflies, amphibians,or small mammals.

Biodiversity is taking iton the chin.

Increased public awareness about the plight ofpollinators is good, but researchers say more is needed.It would help if homeowners, farmers, and rancherssowed bee plants at the edges of lawns and fields; also,if there was more money for research and captivebreeding of species in trouble, and if there were limitson the movement of biological material that has causedso much environmental havoc around the globe.

Even if those things are implemented, it willprobably be too late for species such as Franklin’sbumblebee, Bombus franklini, of the west coast, or therusty-patched bumblebee, Bombus affinis, of theeastern U.S.

But McFarland isn’t giving up. He’s getting readyfor the second year of the Vermont Bumblebee Survey,this time with a focus on the southern ChamplainValley and the Northeast Kingdom. They could use

more volunteers, he said. The more volunteers, themore data; the more data, “the greater the chance thatwe can learn what’s going on.”

Joe Rankin is a freelance writer and beekeeper who livesin central Maine. The illustration for this column wasdrawn by Adelaide Tyrol. The Outside Story is assignedand edited by Northern Woodlands magazine andsponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of NewHampshire Charitable Foundation: [email protected].


The Outside Story:

The Outside Story, provided by NorthernWoodlands magazine, is a series of weeklyecology articles that has been appearing innewspapers across New Hampshire and

Vermont since 2002. The series isunderwritten by the Wellborn Ecology Fund

of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation- Upper Valley Region and edited by Dave

Mance at Northern Woodlands.Like us on FacebookVermontsGreatOutdoorsMagazine




When Stacy and I decidedyears ago to havechildren, I was convinced

they would be just like their old man,or at the very least, share myinterests.

They would hunt and fish, learneverything they could about birdsand trees, and appreciate all thatnature has to offer. They would beoutdoorsy.

I thought this would happennaturally without a lot of persuasion

on my part.I was wrong ... kind of.What I quickly realized was my

kids were not just like me. Theywere like themselves because that iswhat they are supposed to be.

In this aspect, my role as theirfather would be much different thanI anticipated, and my ego wouldhave to take a few hits along the way.

And my ego … well, it isn’t small.As you can see, I couldn’t evenadmit that I was wrong.

Shed Antlers:


‘I am a father’

Shed Antlers:


There have been numerous timeswhen I have asked my son ordaughter, “Want to goscouting/hunting/fishing/etc ...” andI would get a reluctant “no thanks.”

Had I imposed my will on them atan earlier age (they are 9 and 11now), they may have becomeimmune to my passion.

Instead, I have made it very clear

to each of them that any decisionthey make is OK.

I don’t want them feeling guilty,or even worse, think they are hurtingmy feelings by not joining me, eventhough deep down it sometimeshurts a little. But we talk about thattoo.

Not every 6- to 10-year-old wantsto get up at 3:30 a.m. to go walk into

a dark unfamiliar forest and sit upagainst the base of a tree waiting forsunrise and turkeys to gobble.

They might not want to brave 7degree temps in November taggingalong in hopes of seeing a deer ortwo.

Ice fishing might seem like a greatidea but if its cold and the fish aren biting then what?

Don't push them.As hard as it is (and trust me, it’s

hard) let them come along at theirown pace.

They may not share your passion,but if you push them, they definitelywon’t.

The other piece to all of this:create an atmosphere of adventureand take advantage of your child’scuriosity.

The focus has to be on yourchild’s overall experience, your timespent together, not bagging that buckor landing that 5-pound largemouth.

Time and opportunity. That iswhat I provide Laurel and Tommyalong with my desire to teach andpass along what I have learned andcontinue to learn about nature.

Passion ... I can’t teach thempassion. That is theirs to own andfeel. My passion for the outdoorsand immersing myself in it as oftenas I can, that is a flame that can’t beextinguished.

However, passion is contagiousand my kids have caught it. All I didis bait the hook.

The next time you find yourself inthe woods with your son or daughter,pick up a white lipped forest snailand ask them what it is. If they don’tknow, ask them what they wouldname it.

Teach them how to identify

Shed Antlers:


animals by their tracks, birds by theirsongs and plants by their flowers.

Purchase some field guides andmake reference to them frequently.Catch the fish that are biting not thefish you want to catch.

Kids don’t care what is on the endof the line, just as long as it is tugging.

Just because you own a bass boatdoesn’t mean you can only catchbass when you are in it.

If you keep fish to eat, and Iencourage you to do this onoccasion, have your kids help youclean them.

My daughter loves to watch thisprocess because she can’t wait to seewhat is in their stomachs (she can’twait to eat them also).

We eat lots of venison, anoccasional fish fry, squirrel, wildturkey, leaks, berries … and my kidsare proud to say they love all of it.

They are especially proud if it is afish they caught or deer they killed.

They understand the circle of lifeas a result and feel a sense ofaccomplishment by contributing tothe family’s dinner table.

Meat doesn’t come from thegrocery store. It comes from theanimals we kill and process. Fishdon’t live at the aquarium, theyswim in our lakes and ponds andrivers and streams.

Teach your children more aboutthe habits of animals and the habitatthey require rather than the tacticsinvolved in catching and killing.

That will all come in due time. Bydoing this, each outing will have asuccessful and memorable outcome.

The catch or the kill is such asmall part of our experience.

If all of your focus is on that andthat alone, disappointment is

imminent.I would much rather start a

conversation with, “Remember thetime we saw that bald eagle up atChittenden Reservoir,” or “I’ll neverforget the look on your face whenyou naively walked up to that henturkey and all of her poultsscattered.”

Those memories will last foreverand create a foundation for a lifetime

of appreciation, education andconservation.

The coolest part is you end uplearning more from your kids thanyou could ever teach them.

Jeremy Baker chases whitetailspassionately with friends and familythroughout the Green Mountainsand Adirondacks of New York State.Feel free to send him an email:[email protected].

Do you want to reach thousands ofoutdoor enthusiasts in Vermont?

Let’s talk about getting your business intoVermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine.Email [email protected]

or call 802-331-0130.It’s affordable!

[email protected]



Carleton’s Prize



For more information● www.historiclakes.org/explore/islands.html#providence_island● www.lcmm.org/shipwrecks_history/shipwrecks_history.htm

– – –

About the photograph

Contributing Writers and Photographers

We have had some interest by people who would like to write or submit photos to Vermont’s Great Outdoors Magazine. Wewelcome submissions by writers and photographers but keep three things in mind:

● Understand our budget doesn’t allow for payment. If you want to write because you love it, we can afford that, but we’re not paying anywriters or photographers right away.

● You will be edited. The best writers still need editors – some more than others. If it makes you feel better, I’ve been writing and editingprofessionally for 20 years. I won’t hack your work to death.

● Query with an idea. Don’t write 1,000 words only to find VGOM doesn’t publish vampire fiction, even if the vampire sucks the blood ofan 8-pointer. Let’s talk about your idea and decide if it’s right for this magazine. Then we’ll do it.

http://www.phopow.com/p46472081/h1337794d#h1337794d

Out & About:


Cold Water Deserves Respect

Out & About:


VGOM June 2013

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