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By Mike RocheLast Saturday my brother Chris joined me and a bunch of other folks fishing on White Pond in South Athol, where my wife and I own property. The pond community is close and one of the pond residents has undertaken to put together a day of...

By Mike RocheLast week, this writer finally got to do some ice fishing. Granted, it was an hour or two at a time, but it was quite enjoyable.After visiting Crack of Dawn Bait for some lively shiners, meal worms and spikes (AKA maggots) local ice was...

By Mike RocheThe recent run of colder nights has produced some ice, and fishermen and women have begun doing some ‘hard water’ fishing locally. This writer first ventured out last Friday and found about four inches of ice. That is OK for ice fishing...

By Mike RocheOne of the really unique hunting experiences in Massachusetts is hunting for sea ducks. It is special because it is not something which can be undertaken without considerable investment in specialized equipment, and it involves a...

By Mike RocheBack in the 60s, during my impressionable youth, the second week of November was a very special time. It was not only special to me, but to many other young men at Mahar Regional who knew that this was the start of deer hunting season in...

By Mike RocheEarlier this week the dogs joined me in the Silverado on a long trek up through New Hampshire and ultimately to Jay, Vermont. The plan was to check out a couple of covers in New Hampshire and then spend the night in Jay at the home of a...

By Mike RocheThis past Tuesday was a day of firsts experienced by this writer while woodcock hunting in Massachusetts. The season for woodcock, a webless migratory bird, opened Monday. Upland bird season—pheasant and ruffed grouse—will start in the...

By Mike RocheFor several years, my guiding experiences in New York have put me in contact with bird hunters using GPS tracking devices on their dogs. The first account came from my good friend who guided a hunter whose dog had a GPS collar with a long...

By Mike RocheMassWildlife annually involves the public in gathering data on the turkey population in Massachusetts. Each year, from June 1-Aug. 31, wild turkey reports from members of the public help MassWildlife biologists determine productivity,...

By MAX BOWEN

ATHOL — Olivia Paras got to see one of her favorite shows from a different angle when she joined HGTV’s “House Hunters.”The episode, “Family Basecamp in Massachusetts,” aired on May 17, and Paras, who works as a realtor at LAER Realty Partners in...

By Mike RocheAs this writer sits at the computer in the home of my sister Pat in Kansas on Day One of my annual trip to the Sunflower State (AKA Oz), there have already been a few things that perhaps might have been done differently. First, never book...

By Mike RocheSpring has grudgingly arrived and that means trout stocking of local waters is underway. Those of us ‘Old Codgers’ remember when fishing season in Massachusetts started on the third Saturday of April and it was a much-awaited event. Many...

By Mike RocheThere are spring migratory bird hunting seasons, but they are primarily focused on snow geese, which have become a problem in many states. The snows are growing in number and they are capable of devastating a crop field in a short time....

By Mike RocheDuring their annual convention in February, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) presented MassWildlife Director Mark Tisa with its new Innovation Award. The award recognizes MassWildlife’s use of creative strategies to address...

By Mike RocheMarch 17 is a day when everyone is Irish and celebrates the Patron Saint of Ireland. A lingering myth is that he drove away the snakes, but in truth he is credited with bringing Christianity to the island.St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated...

By Mike RocheThe recent return of “the winter that never came” has been a bit of a disappointment to many folks in the North Quabbin Region. A lot of us were eagerly looking forward to spring and it seemed to have arrived early. This present spate of...

By Mike RocheIt seems like one of the fastest growing outdoor pursuits is shed hunting. Whitetail deer drop or shed their antlers (they are not true horns) each year. That process can happen anytime after the peak of the rut in November. All animals...