Vermont Fish and Wildlife is inviting families to attend its Jack-O’-Lantern Lit Nature Hike at the Kehoe Conservation Camp, 636 Point of Pines Road in Castleton on Friday, October 23, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Lake Willoughby looked like the middle of July on Saturday, minus the swimsuits.
Police said the cleanup effort created hazardous conditions for people using the trail and left the Vermont Agency of Transportation facing a “significant financial burden” to remove the accumulated waste.
Repairs are expected to keep both towers closed through October. Here’s what hikers need to know, plus seven alternatives the state recommends.
Over the past decade, trapping has accounted for an average of 47 bobcats annually, while average total mortality from trapping, hunting, road kills and other causes was 109.
“As water temperatures cool off, many different fish species begin to feed heavily,” said Shawn Good, a fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “From warm water species such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch, and walleye, to cold water species like trout and salmon, fish feeding activity really picks up and creates exceptional fishing conditions for anglers.”
A 38-mile loop through Rochester and Pittsfield caught the BBC’s attention. It is the first finished piece of a planned 485-mile route across the state.
Snow depth is what Vermont measures. Water content is what predicts floods. The state has almost no way to measure the second one.
Other hikers had been telling her for weeks that she could not leave the state without getting a maple creemee.
Hunters can pursue one of Vermont’s tastiest and most abundant small game species — the gray squirrel — anywhere nut-bearing trees are found.
Vermont’s resident Canada goose hunting season will be held September 1 through September 25 to help control Vermont’s resident Canada goose population prior to the arrival of Canada geese migrating south from Canada, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
South Burlington police announced Aug. 10 that they have launched a bicycle patrol, putting a five-member unit — four officers and a parks patrol member — on Market Street and Garden Street, in city parks, and on the recreation paths. The department is supplying bikes and e-bikes, and says those assigned have trained in bike safety, regulations, and public engagement.
Vermont’s scientific bear management program recently received a significant funding contribution from the Vermont Bear Hound Association to support continuing research on bear reproduction and populations dynamics, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
Lane caught more than 20 pounds each day of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event for a three-day total of 65 pounds, 7 ounces.
Cliffs clear to hike and climb again
The Nature Conservancy’s biodiversity fund is its response to the State of Vermont goals for protecting 30% of the state by 2030 and 50% by 2050.
The researchers say the disease poses no known risk to people. Vermont has never issued an advisory specific to this lake or this fish — and the only public guidance is a biologist’s personal answer.
On the morning of July 13, a lactating female black bear was dumped into the river from the Newbury Crossing Fishing Access Area. The bear had died from a gunshot wound.
Biologist Kevin Tolan from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies tells WCAX-TV the lack of mowing is spawning invasive plants choking off the very grass that was designed to save ground-nesting birds.
The ridge behind the sculpture isn’t the Green Mountains. It’s a range of its own — and the state has been buying it up with federal money for years.
North put skills learned in his youth to the test on the History Channel’s “Alone” series. Now he’s passing them along.
A $35,000 settlement over an illegal bike-trail network on Mount Mansfield closes the case this week. The state’s own court filing answers the harder question — and it isn’t reassuring.
The deceased individual is believed to be the man who jumped into the Lamoille River upstream of the lake Wednesday evening to attempt to rescue a young relative who fell into the water.
The steel towers still stand, a reminder of the decades when Vermonters climbed into the clouds each morning, scanning the tree line for smoke.
Too hot to go outside today? Here’s a pretty cool fish story. Apex predators like Muskies help keep the lake healthy and in-balance.
The incident was reported at about 7:50 p.m. near the intersection of Highbridge Road, also known as Route 104A, and Arrowhead Lake Road. Initial reports indicated a group of relatives were fishing along the shore when a young girl fell into the water, and a man jumped in to try to rescue her.
A recent University of Vermont study found that natural causes, including invasive insects, are killing more trees than logging in the Northeast.
If the past few years are any indication, by the end of summer we will have had to put down or provide similar authorizations for dozens more bears to end acute conflicts that threaten human safety.
In a decision issued June 12, the high court affirmed a lower court ruling rejecting challenges brought by several animal-rights organizations to rules adopted following legislation passed in 2022.
The beach will remain closed until further notice. Town officials noted that even after skies clear, runoff creates conditions favorable for E. coli bacteria and harmful cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.
Experts attribute the growth of tick-related illnesses to climate change and more frequent tick-human contact.
An arborist, who fell about 35 feet while cutting a dead tree at 301 U.S. 2 in Grand Isle said he was fortunate to have a Guardian Angel protect him from serious injury during his unexpected flight.
Also, Feds say rare wetland plant has recovered, and $32 million in fed funds for ag, timber flood assistance
State biologists urge boaters, anglers, and shoreline residents to respect two of Vermont’s most ecologically important — and often misunderstood — native species.
A field ranking of the bugs that bite you between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Designed for young or novice anglers and families, this exciting event offers a variety of activities to participate in — including basic fishing instruction, fish biology and ID, crafts and lure making, and more. It also includes a chance for participants to catch big trout in a hatchery pond.
An animal spotted in Rutland County is drawing attention from Vermont wildlife observers after a photograph of it was shared publicly this week on social media by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
The EAB is a beetle introduced from Asia that attacks all native ash trees (trees in the Fraxinus group). If trees are not treated, this insect is expected to kill nearly 99% of Vermont’s ash trees.
A federal judge has ruled federal prosecutors failed to prove a Windham County man, who cut down about 300 trees, did it in an area designated for protection as part of the Green Mountain National Forest.
As the weather gets warmer, Vermont’s brook trout are staying cool.
A multi-agency team will set fire to 53 acres of the Sandbar Wildlife Management Area in Milton starting Tuesday, in an effort to restore one of Vermont’s rarest and most endangered forest types.
A $3.7 million chemical treatment completed last fall on Vermont’s only designated “Lake in Crisis” has produced an extraordinary early result.
Vermonters enrolled in 3SquaresVT, the Essential Person Program, Fuel Assistance, General Assistance, Reach Up, Summer EBT or WIC are eligible for free day-use entry to Vermont state parks from May through October.
The Vermont State Police is investigating the discovery of human remains in the town of Mt. Tabor within the Green Mountain National Forest. The identity of the deceased person and the circumstances surrounding the death are unknown at this time.
According to the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, preparedness levels remain moderate, but local fire wardens are enforcing burn restrictions in many towns.
A new UVM study documents a dramatic shift in what’s killing northeastern trees. The debate over how Vermont should respond reveals a deep divide between science, policy, and philosophy.
On February 18, the Vermont Bowhunters Association petitioned the state Fish and Wildlife Board to lift the ban on hunting bears over garbage. A decision is expected April 22. Bear baiting is a dying, discredited practice. Only 12 states still permit it.
Donated land to be called Wolf Tree Wilderness Sanctuary.
“Do not wait to take down your birdfeeders and bearproof your yard until a bear comes to visit,” said Jaclyn Comeau, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s bear biologist.
The event helps support the organization’s efforts to promote Vermont’s outdoor traditions and provide youth education programs.
According to members of the committee and available footage, a motion was seemingly made and the committee adjourned without addressing it. However, the Chair of the committee denies breaking any rules.
The restoration of wild turkeys in Vermont is one of the Fish and Wildlife Department’s most notable wildlife restoration efforts. It began on February 28, 1969, when wild turkeys were live-trapped by the department’s former turkey biologist William Drake in southwestern New York and stocked in Pawlet, Vermont.
In June, 10-year-old Grayson Carey of Colchester landed the record-setting fish while competing in the Lake Champlain International Father’s Day Derby with his father and grandfather. The Freshwater Drum, also known as “sheepshead,” weighed 28.5 pounds and measured 37 ½ inches long with a 29-inch girth. It beat the previous state record set in 2016 by three pounds.
When the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife issued permits for fishing tournaments on the reservoir for the 2026 season—without notifying the city that relies on it for drinking water—Barre officials were caught off guard. When they protested, state officials reportedly offered a creative solution: tournament participants could technically “parachute in” to avoid trespassing on city land.
It would be easy to label these debates as hunters and trappers versus those who oppose hunting and trapping. But that false assessment would trivialize and misdirect the debate as well as ignore the findings of a major values survey that shines a bright light as to just why these controversial wildlife practices are so protected by FWD.
Something for everyone
The Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund will support the protection of 1,460 acres of critical habitat across the state
A campaign is underway to bring mountain lions to Vermont, led by the nonprofit Mighty Earth. As the state agency that would be responsible for these cats if Mighty Earth succeeds, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking mountain lion advocates to slow down.
Sportsmen may soon have a new system of land posting to learn before deer season this fall.
H. 276, State Wildlands, is scheduled for testimony in the House Environment Committee on Wednesday afternoon at the Vermont Statehouse. Sponsored by committee chair Rep. Amy Sheldon, the bill would create a new Wildlands designation within Vermont’s Ecological Reserves, permanently protecting certain lands from conversion, promoting natural processes and old-growth forest conditions, and permanently designating many state parks as Wildlands.
The adorable Southern bog lemming, delicate small whorled pogonia orchid, mysterious lake sturgeon and humble wood turtle may not seem to have much in common. But, all four are classified as “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” (SGCN) in a newly-drafted update to Vermont’s Wildlife Action Plan, which is now available for public comment.
Vermont hawkwatch counting sites saw fewer numbers for the broad-winged hawk population this year.
The First Day Hikes program includes 18 hikes ranging from easy family walks to challenging mountain ascents, led by volunteers from organizations including the Green Mountain Club, Otter Creek Audubon Society, and South Hero Land Trust, along with state parks staff.
Most notable are the updated regulations referring to panfish and the use of baitfish. Additional changes can be found in the 2026 Fishing Guide & Regulations booklet available free from license agents and on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website.
While Vermont property owners who permit recreational use of their land are legally protected, they receive no compensation or tax relief for their generosity.
If you leave the trail, even following another’s tracks, there is a real risk of no way back.
The bird on your table is descended from the wild turkey.
Asian longhorned beetle, found in Massachusetts, not spotted here yet.
Nitrogen is a bit of a conundrum. In its gaseous form it’s the most abundant element in the atmosphere, but few organisms can readily use it. And while all living organisms contain nitrogen, a new University of Vermont study finds that even tiny amounts of nitrogen can fuel cyanobacterial blooms and disrupt lake ecosystems.
More than 140,000 servings of Vermont wild turkeys are harvested each year – that’s 140,000 servings of free-ranging, wild and sustainably harvested protein.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking hunters to participate in its annual deer hunter effort and sighting survey.
The risk of a deer-vehicle collision is 14 times higher in the two hours after sunset than in the two hours before sunset, due to the dramatic reduction in driver visibility in darkness.
Beechnut production excellent in most of Vermont
Hunters who get a deer on opening weekend of the Nov. 15-16 deer season can help Vermont’s deer management program by reporting their deer at a biological check station.
Hypothermia is a real thing. Carry plenty of clothing – not cotton – and a waterproof layer, top and bottom. Headlamps – not one but two! Cell phone battery bank. High calorie snacks and plenty of water.
VTF&W website helps with learning how to process
Holy wildlife housing,next week is Bat Week!
Whether it’s frozen boots or broken tibias, Waterbury Backcountry Rescue Team (WRBT) is prepared to respond to any kind of backcountry crisis.
The true danger for Vermont lies not in the probability of an earthquake, but in the catastrophic consequences a moderate one could have on the state’s beloved historic brick buildings.
Wildlife Day at the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area Visitor Center took place this year on Oct. 4 in Addison.
How trail management is impacted by severe weather
The closure aims to provide a safe corridor for the landlocked Atlantic salmon that gather in Hatchery Cove before migrating up the nearby Hatchery Brook to spawn each fall.
If Andrew Oestringer of Barnet had brought his bass to a certified scale before filleting the fish, he would probably hold a new state record.
Known for its incredibly low-priced $5 lift tickets, the Brattleboro Ski Hill provides an affordable entry point for new skiers and local families.
This year, the prevalence of Virginia Creeper feels particularly pronounced, raising the need for public awareness about its hidden dangers for Vermont families and their unsuspecting dogs.
“Everyone likes a big tree,” Arborist and Milton Tree Warden Kris Dulmer said.
E-bikes have grown in popularity as older Vermonters seek help with pedaling and frugal and/or climate-conscious Vermonters seek practical alternatives to cars. The State of Vermont began an e-bike purchase rebate program in 2022.
New research will explore why.
Unlike a thru-hiking route, the Velomont is designed as a multi-use system with mountain biking as a central focus, weaving together public and private lands across the spine of the Green Mountains.
Regardless of identity, the Mountain endures.
Scientists say the fish are a reliable measure of lake and basin ecological health.
The Bobolink Project pays owners of fields, often farmers, to conduct bird-friendly practices. The birds get time and habitat to nest while the landowners get some compensation for letting them do so.
Given the timing and novelty of the event, two primary explanations quickly gained traction online: a rocket launch and the Perseid meteor shower, which was expected to peak that same night.
In the Netherlands, a design group called Why Knot turns knotweed into lightweight, formaldehyde-free building panels. Vermont’s regulatory system is too antiquated to see it as a win-win.
The Telephone Gap Integrated Resource project had a historic level of public engagement, according to advocates, before it passed in June.
A new pathogen called beech leaf disease (BLD) is spreading across Vermont forests.
Rebeka Arias, 33, of Bellows Falls, was hiking to a popular overlook on July 15 when she became lost. At approximately 5 p.m., a third party notified conservation officers that Arias was feeling faint and nauseous. Shortly after making a call to a family member for help, her phone battery died.
These outdated trapping and hunting policies do not reflect the majority of the people. Protect Our Wildlife focuses on securing stronger protections for individual wild animals, recognizing that they feel happiness, pain, fear, sadness, and so much more.
This year, over 40 community members and 11 partner organizations participated in Local Working Groups to identify the top three funding priorities. Each priority will receive $200,000 through separate Local Fund Pools.
Two boys, ages 14 and 11, and a 12-year-old girl were taking part in an organized camp and set out on a trail off Duxbury Road for what was expected to be a 30-minute hike.
