Avian flu is spreading among Vermont’s wild fowl population, Fish & Wildlife reports.
Boaters, clean your bottoms!
Boaters, it is up to you to protect Vermont waters from invasions of exotic plants and animals.
Leave newborn fawns alone, F&W warns
Hey humans – leave those cute, sleeping fawns alone.
Vermont stocking new strain of rainbow trout
The State of Vermont wants anglers to assess the performance of the new strain of rainbow trout being stocked in inland rivers and lakes.
Handling young wildlife harmful, dangerous, and illegal
Handling young wildlife is bad for them AND you – no matter how lost or cute the furry little thing looks.
Hunters harvested 5,400 turkeys last year – season starts April 23
Hunters put 140,000 servings of locally-sourced, free-range turkey on the table last year.
Steelhead trout jumping now on Willoughby River
See migrating trout jump upstream as you watch from a bridge in Orleans.
Honeymooners rescued from snowy Mt. Mansfield
Scary start for a couple of young newlyweds.
Kesick Swamp protected forever
Scenic land in the family since Revolutionary War days will stay conserved and protected from development.
Dogs on trails: leashed or unleashed?
High energy dogs hate to be leashed. That’s great for those dogs….not always so great for other dogs, or their owners.
Mud season and mole salamanders
The fact that you think you have it tough traveling the back roads of Vermont now just shows you’ve never been a mole salamander.
Roper: VT short 4300 weatherization workers needed to make ‘clean heat credits’
There needs to be a measure of reality for “clean heat credits.”
With just one dissenter, Senate OKs ‘environmental justice’ bill
The Vermont Senate sees environmental justice and responds with another new advisory board with a mandate to create change.
On Mt. Philo, winter a time for restoration
The quiet winter months are a perfect time for restoration of trails and steps at popular Mt. Philo in Charlotte.
Take down the feeders, here come the bears!
Hungry bears want to snack on your bird seed.
Deer, moose management public hearing
Public hearings on all deer and moose management by Vermont Fish & Wildlife will be held later this month.
If coyote bill passes, expect encounters with people, livestock and pets, F&W expert tells Senate
Massachusetts restricted coyote hunting and now has more unwanted encounters with people, pets and livestock, the Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee heard today.
Road salt hurts rivers, lakes: Dartmouth study
Almost half of northeastern lakes have undergone longterm salinization due to road salt.
Bald eagle removed from VT endangered species list, bumblebee added
Bald eagle sightings are no longer uncommon in Vermont. They’ve been taken off the endangered species list, but the American Bumblebee has been added.
Staats: caring deeply for the animals you hunt
A wildlife biologist and avid hunter and trapper tries to explain why these practices benefit nature. But will the critics listen?
Bow-hunting beauty queen, former clean water lawmaker named to VT Fish & Wildlife Board
A lawmaker known for preserving water quality and a bow-hunting former Miss Vermont have been named to represent their counties on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board.
Hunters take more than 15,000 deer
A smaller deer herd and challenging hunting conditions resulted in a lower than usual harvest this year.
Those weird formations were the sight of freedom, weatherman says
Those strange, twisty-turny cloud formations over Burlington skies Tuesday morning came from the engines of F-35 fighter jets, a weatherman said.
Electrify everything! Place burden of climate change on everyday household, REV speaker says
The Vermont household is the forefront for the fight to reduce emissions, the keynote speaker for a Vermont renewable energy industry conference said.
Thurston: VT ‘leads the way’ in climate war, Russia, China and India don’t follow
Crony capitalism is forcing Vermonters to pay more to produce less carbon emissions. And the world is NOT following.
Gypsy moth feces fell like rain last year – what can be done?
A town committee wants the State to help it study last year’s gypsy moth outbreak, including how to stop it from happening again.
Loons thriving in Vermont
There are more loons in Vermont now than any year since 1978. The State of Vermont is keeping track.
Vermont Climate Council lone cheerleader for floundering TCI
Vermont stands alone in its support for the carbon-taxxing, ‘regional’ Transportation & Climate Initiative.
Vermont #1 state meeting UN ‘sustainable development’ goals
According to the latest Sustainable Development Solution Network report, Vermont ranked the highest in the US in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Hunters, what did you see? There’s an app for that
VT Fish & Wildlife to track how many hours they hunted and how many deer, moose, bears, or other wildlife they saw.
Fall foods abundant for wildlife
After a poor producing year in 2020, wildlife has an abundance of fall foods this year.
Hunters asked to collect deer teeth
Hunters are being asked to provide state biologists with an incisor tooth from the deer they harvest.
Bats on the move, with a reputation to improve
Bats get moving in the fall. It’s a good time to learn about Vermont’s nine native bat species.
Rehabbed bald eagle back in The Wild
An injured adult bald eagle that went through three months of ‘rehab’ was released back into the wild in Berlin on October 20.
Pandemic $$ awarded to fight dumping untreated wastewater
The Scott administration is targeting federal ARPA money to help towns and cities eliminate the need to dump combined stormwater/wastewater into lakes and streams.
Cyanobacteria still blooming
Enjoy the warm fall weather, but beware the cyanobacteria. Not everything that blooms is pretty, or even safe to touch.
Hemorrhagic disease found in Rutland deer
A hemorrhagic disease has been found in Vermont deer for the first time.
Hemorrhagic disease killing deer
A hemorrhagic disease is killing deer on Vermont’s borders – and may be here already.
Save the spiny softshell turtles!
Volunteers needed to help prepare nesting sites for endangered baby turtles.
State $$ to clean up ‘brownfield’ sites
$25 million in state money has been allocated to clean up enviromental disaster sites in Springfield, St. Albans and Burlington.
Bumblebee an endangered Vermont species?
The Vermont Dept. of Fish & Wildlife wants to add the bumblebee to the endangered species list, and take the bald eagle off it.
Six miles added to Rail Trail
Less than 50 miles remain before snowmobilers, bikers and hikers can cross Vermont on the Lamoille Valley Trail.
Archery deer season starts Oct. 1
Archery deer season starts in just five weeks.
10 animals test positive for rabies
To prevent a rabies outbreak, Vermont and federal wildlife officials are collaborating on the 25th annual anti-rabies bait drop.
Tree wardens are the real life Lorax
Appointed by local selectboards, tree wardens make determinations about public shade trees. A new state law requires more reporting but also offers educational opportunities.
Strafford mine cleanup almost finished
An EPA Superfund mine cleanup 22 years in the making is nearing completion.
Killing millfoil on Lake Iroquois
Hated millfoil is being reduced on one Vermont lake after another.
Bat get into your house?
One little part of my brain knows the bat in my house isn’t going to hurt me. But all the rest of me is like, I AM GOING TO DIE.
Baitfish banned in brook trout ponds
Baitfish pose a threat to native brook trout that have existed in Vermont ponds for thousands of years.
Climate councilors back carbon tax
Members of the Vermont Climate Council agreed (not so regretfully) that paying for carbon emission programs will require a carbon tax.
Mandated food scraps attract bears
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says many people are having problems with bears looking for food near their homes, and with the food scrap ban in effect the department is providing tips for people who are composting at home so they can avoid attracting hungry bears.
Vermont forests consume 45% of ALL carbon emissions
Vermont’s forests and wood products consume and store 45% of all of Vermont’s carbon emissions – both manmade and natural, VT Forest & Parks Commissioner Michael Snyder said on Common Sense Radio show on WDEV.
VT gets $1 million grant for more electric buses – despite glitches with two on road now
A $1 million federal grant will help the State of Vermont buy for more electric buses for public transportation.
Pollinators in peril
Vermont’s native bees, including over 300 unique species and three that are threatened or endangered, are among our pollinators being impacted the most.
Annular eclipse this morning
Weather-permitting, residents of Vermont saw the sun in the midst of an eclipse at sunrise on today.
Leave fawns alone
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says deer fawns are being born this time of year and asks that people avoid disturbing or picking them up.
Spiny Softshell Turtles recovering
Many anglers, boaters, and other outdoor enthusiasts along the shore of Lake Champlain in Addison County, Vermont, and elsewhere, may not be familiar with the Spiny Softshell turtle with its melodious Latin scientific name Apalone spinifera.
Forest fire threat
Fire officials request that people be extremely careful with any outdoor fires, especially over the next several weeks as warmer and dry weather is projected in the forecast. Warm afternoon temperatures, low relative humidity, and gusty, dry winds encourage the spread of wildfire.
State denies Memphremagog ‘lake in crisis’
Despite garnering thousands of signatures, a petition submitted to have Lake Memphremagog designated a “lake in crisis” was rejected by the Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
Why turtles cross the road
Vermont’s turtles will be on the move this spring, and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking for the public’s help in keeping them safe. Female turtles will be looking for places to deposit their eggs, sometimes choosing to lay them along the shoulders of roads, which can bring them into the path of motor vehicles.
Spearing and shooting fish a South Hero spring ritual
Islanders have been catching fish with spears and guns since those tools have been around. And while that may sound unorthodox to some, learning about these fishing techniques and the techniques used around them is quite intriguing.
Teen Challenge gives back on Green Up Day
On a cold, cloudy Saturday May 1, a group of women spread out across Hardwick’s Main Street picking up trash and exchanging banter. All members of Teen Challenge Vermont, an addiction treatment center in Johnson, they were more than excited to be outside helping the community.
Green groups appeal sinking of ferry
The Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) and the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) have appealed a permit issued by the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) to allow the sinking of a 152-foot-long ferry near the Burlington waterfront.
Green Up Day Saturday, May 1
Green Up Day Vermont (GUV) invites Vermonters to participate in the annual pickup of trash alongside Vermont’s highways this Saturday, May 1. Click here for details about your town.
Fishing way up during pandemic
“We saw fishing participation increase substantially in Vermont last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as people found themselves with more free time,” said state fisheries biologist Shawn Good.
Electric fencing protects against chicken predation
Keeping a small flock of chickens at home to provide eggs and meat has become increasingly popular, but many first-time small-scale poultry farmers are discovering that several species of wildlife like the taste of chicken as much as we do. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department urges poultry owners to use electric fencing and follow other precautions to protect their birds from predation.
Plan to sink ferry worries lake activist
Due to reduced trans-lake commuter traffic, Lake Champlain Transport (LCT) plans to sink the 67-year-old ferry Adirondack outside Burlington Harbor – a move bitterly criticized by longtime lake water quality advocate James Ehlers.
Steelhead leap Willoughby Falls
One of the state’s premier wildlife watching opportunities is taking place in Vermont. The steelhead rainbow trout have started their upstream migration, leaping up waterfalls in a spectacular display of determination on their way to their spawning grounds.
Ice Out contest scores record guesses, cash prize
NEWPORT — Spring finally made its appearance in Newport this past Saturday, at 4:09 a.m. to be exact.
‘Surgical strike’ tornado hits Middlebury
A fast-moving EF1 level tornado roared through a suburban Middlebury neighborhood March 26 uprooting trees, knocking down power lines, and damaging several homes.
Unelected “Environmental Stewardship Board” would review hunting, fishing regs
A bill creating an unelected state board with oversight over the Vermont environment, including hunting and fishing, was scheduled for review this week by the House Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife Committee.
Remove bird feeders to keep away bears
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says warm spring weather and melting snows will cause bears to come out of their winter dens in search of food. The department recommends taking down bird feeders by April 1 to avoid attracting bears.
Ice fishing conditions deteriorating
Vermont state law requires that ice fishing shanties be removed from the ice before the ice becomes unsafe or loses its ability to support the shanty out of the water, or before the last Sunday in March — the 28th this year — whichever comes first.
Meteor flashes over northern Vermont sky
A loud, fiery 10 lb. six-inch wide meteor flashed over Northeastern Vermont Sunday evening, according to NASA Meteor Watch. It took about 5-6 seconds to burn up, which made it easy to see. Its passing sounded “like big trucks crashing,” according to young eyewitnesses in Johnson.
“Turn the screws on….break their will,” Vermont Climate Council advised
Ismay’s said, “So let me say that again, 60% of our emissions that need to be reduced come from you, the person across the street, the senior on fixed income, right… there is no bad guy left, at least in Massachusetts to point the finger at, to turn the screws on, and you know, to break their will, so they stop emitting. That’s you. We have to break your will. Right, I can’t even say that publicly….”
Snow goose hunt starts March 11
“The breeding population of greater snow geese has grown from approximately 50,000 birds in the mid-1960s to 714,000 birds today,” said David Sausville, Vermont’s waterfowl project biologist. “This increase has resulted in damage to agricultural crops and marsh vegetation in staging and wintering areas from Quebec to North Carolina. Hunting pressure to date has aided in reducing the population from its high point of just over one million birds during the period of 2000-2010. The Atlantic Flyway has established a goal of 500,000 greater snow geese to bring populations in balance with their habitat and reduce crop depredation.”
2020 fishing license sales best in 28 years
Anglers spent an estimated 2.1 million days fishing in 2019, and fishing quality throughout the state was rated higher in 2019 than in 2009, according to a Vermont Fish & Wildlife fishing survey.
Deer season reaps 3.6 million servings of venison
Thanks to a best-ever bow season, the final tally for the 2020 deer season will be around 18,000 deer, the second-highest total since 2000. Those deer will provide approximately 3.6 million servings of local, nutritious venison.
VT hunters had record bear season
Preliminary numbers show that hunters took a record 914 black bears during the two-part early and late bear seasons. The previous highest harvest ever recorded in Vermont was 750 in 2019. Fish and Wildlife also says there were no hunting-related shooting incidents.
Frustrated landowner says he will clear cut proposed Hardwick cell tower site
Days after public outcry prompted AT&T to petition the Public Utility Commission to dismiss its bid for a tower on Buffalo Mountain, landowner Gary Bellavance posted to a forum: “I’ve decided to clear cut Buffalo mountain.” The Bellavance property, he said, spans 40 acres of the Mountain. He wrote “What bothered me most was the fact that people can tell you what to do and how you need to manage your land. This is land I pay taxes on.”
Roxbury fish hatchery rebuilt
The renovated facility will produce 25,000 pounds of fish — approximately 60,000 brook and rainbow trout annually for stocking in state waters. These fish will provide opportunities for anglers and play an important role in Vermont’s economy. Previous studies from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have shown the Roxbury Fish Culture Station has contributed about $2.4 million dollars in annual economic impact to the state.
Bullhead tumors topic for talk in Newport
Surveys found 20-30 percent of brown bullhead had skin lesions or tumors. The prevalence of lesions and tumors in wild fish has been used as an indicator of environmental quality for many decades.
Buy your hunter or angler a license gift certificate
Finding a gift that will continue to give for a full year is a challenge, but the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has a solution on their website — a license gift certificate for hunting and fishing licenses.
Beavers slain because bureaucrat feared blocked culvert
The demise of the semiaquatic rodents and the damage to their dam is the result of an onsite visit from a representative from Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, an entity which advises Vermont towns on land management.
Thankful for Vermont’s Wild Turkeys
One of our native wildlife species historically played an important role on Thanksgiving Day. North America’s native wild turkeys were the ancestors of the Thanksgiving turkey on our dinner table, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. reports.








