www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com

There are some big changes happening with Darren Marcy Outdoors.

The biggest is the change in my Web site's address thanks to problems with Microsoft and the company it uses to register domain names, MelbourneIT.

Despite the fact my domain wasn't suppose to expire until Nov. 19, the Web site was shut down Nov. 15. When I tried to renew it, Microsoft said it was Melbourne's fault. Melbourne won't return e-mails or requests for help. I tried to switch my domain to another company, but it won't let me because e-mails to an old address, which no longer exists, contain the information I need to make it happen.

So, I've changed my domain name to www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com.

The old address was www.DarrenMarcy.com.

At some point, I'll reclaim my old address, but I'll keep my new domain name for my outdoor Web site.

I'm also switching my blog to another site. This site will soon become a placeholder to direct people to the new sites.

Please check out my new Web site at: www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com.

Vt. man wants "legal permits" to kill hunters

The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press ran a letter by a man that calls for the killing of hunters.

In his letter, Ethan A.H. Sims of Shelburne, writes about the opening of moose season in Vermont. Then he writes, "I suggest that before the next annual killing season, other residents be awarded legal permits to kill hunters who will be out to kill these beautiful, non-destructive animals. Or the government could just rule out of all this primitive killing."

Everybody has the right to his or her opinion and I certainly don't hold it against Mr. Sims for being an anti-hunter. I think he's misguided and we are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to our beliefs on hunting, but he still has a right to his opinion.

What floors me, however, is that the Free Press chose to run this letter. Granted they issued an apology online and the letter has been removed from the paper's Web site. But how did it make the page in the first place?

Editorial page editor Aki Soga wrote on the Free Press' Web site, "that violates the standards of the Free Press by advocating for violence against hunters. The letter has been taken down. We apologize for our error in judgement."

Wow!

OutdoorsVT 6-12-09

Why can't we be friends?

Sharing the trails starts with compromise

Motorized and nonmotorized. Access versus preservation. Foot-power or pedal-power. Greens versus plaids.

Can't we all just get along?

Outdoor users groups continue to butt heads and as long as we battle, everybody will lose to some degree.

It's no wonder some sections of our outdoor recreation groups are decreasing in numbers and funding for trails projects and infrastructure maintenance is lagging.

We can't even agree on who's allowed to use a section of trail, so how do you expect us to get along when it comes to asking for money or getting a kid involved in the outdoors?

The battleground isn't new as all-terrain vehicle riders find themselves facing off against recreation advocates who are against ATVs on the trails.

The conflict surrounding ATVs is nearly as old as the machines themselves and has grown steadily as more and more people buy and ride them.

In recent years land-management agencies have tried to catch up on the debate and referee the brawl, pushing the battle to a fevered pitch. The resulting rule-making has only intensified as both sides scratch and claw to gain the upper hand.

Nonmotorized folks try to push the machines off the trails and the ATVers seek more access.

You'd think there would have been some compromise by now, or at least they would have run out of trails over which to argue.

That would be easy and when it comes to ATVs, the discussion is never easy.

Camps from both sides of the issue too often exhibit the standard "me, me, me" attitude that pervades this and many other issues.

At some point, we have to get away from the "This is what I want," and look more at "This would be best for the largest number of people."

Don't get me wrong.

I'm pretty much a middle of the two-track guy here.

I don't own or ride ATVs, but I have nothing against the legal and ethical operation of the machines.

An ATV isn't my cup of tea. Although I would definitely ride an ATV at times and would find great fun in using an ATV, I personally would rather use my feet and, for the most part, would prefer to hike than ride an ATV.

But, my opinion doesn't - and shouldn't - dictate what others are able to do.

What I think shouldn't weigh an ounce more than what an ATV rider wants. My view is no more important than what someone who is against ATVs thinks.

That's the level of respect that is missing from this debate. Just because I don't ride an ATV doesn't mean I want to keep them off the trails.

There are, however, places they shouldn't be due to the risk of trail damage, erosion, and other potential impacts.

Where the trails are capable of handling ATV traffic, they should be allowed.

I've known many, many ATV owners who are great people, respectful of others and careful in their riding.

They stay on trails, don't ride when trails are muddy, ride at safe and sane speeds, keep their rigs muffled and tuned to prevent excessive exhaust, and whatever else goes into being a good steward of the land.

As with any other group, there are the outlaws.

It doesn't matter what outdoor activity you pick, there are idiots.

There are poachers who call themselves hunters, although I'll never mix the two words.

There are hikers who tromp down muddy trails and circle mud holes, there are anglers who don't obey limits or size restrictions, skiers and boarders who go under the ropes and ski out of bounds and mountain bikers who bomb downhill without regard for anybody else who might be on the trail.

There's just a certain percentage of people who won't follow the rules and there are ATVers who, right now, fall into this category.

You can close, or refuse to open, all the trails you want and you'll still have rogue ATVers on those trails.

You can't manage for the 2-percenters. You have to manage for the resource and access that best serves the most people. All user groups deserve places to play.

Space is not always a luxury and we're going to have to share the trails. Finding the right balance won't be easy. But it needs to be done.

Maybe, just maybe, we can all get along.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is http://www.darrenmarcy.com/. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

Turkey hunter faces manslaughter charges

Vermont State Police have filed manslaughter charges against the man accused of killing his son while turkey hunting.


Following a joint investigation by the Vermont State Police and Vermont Game Wardens, Kevin Kadamus, 44, was charged with manslaughter today.


He was processed at the State Police Barracks in St. Johnsbury and released pending an arraignment that is scheduled for July 6 at the Caledonia County Courthouse.


Kadamus is accused of shooting and killing his son, Jacob Kadamus, 18, while the pair were turkey hunting on the opening day of the Vermont turkey season May 1.


Jacob Kadamus reported was hunting in a different area, but moved into the area where his father was hunting when he was shot.


He died at the scene.


See my original blog post for more details on this turkey hunting incident by clicking here.

OutdoorsVT 5-22-09

Outdoor funding

Money flows into Vt. for outdoor recreation enhancements, wildlife

Vermont's outdoors will be in a little better shape thanks to an influx in funds from a variety of sources announced recently.

Gov. James Douglas announced $568,170 in funding for 24 trail projects in Vermont.

The money comes from Vermont's Recreation Trails Program, which is a matching grant program of the Federal Highways Administration.

The money will be used for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation and maintenance of trails and trail-related facilities for nonmotorized multiple-use recreational trail projects, according to a news release from the governor's office.

About half of the funding - $282,980 - will benefit the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers for winter grooming maintenance.

VAST clubs maintain Vermont's snowmobiling trail network with 120 groomers who take care of more than 6,000 miles of trails every winter.

Also on the list to receive funds is Pine Hill Park in Rutland, which will see $3,855 for trail maintenance and a trail skills training project.

The Moosalamoo Association North Branch Trail in Addison County, Robert Frost Interpretive Trail and Chandler Ridge Trail reconstruction will receive $19,150.

The Green Mountain Club will get $18,905 for reconstruction of 1.2 miles of the Long Trail in northwestern Vermont.

The Catamount Trail Association will get $17,673 for relocation of some trail in the Coolidge State Forest in Plymouth.

Local Motion, a group dedicated to developing trails, promoting walkable communities and fostering active lifestyles - primarily in the Burlington area right now - will receive $25,000 to expand its Trail Finder database of recreation trails.

The database expansion is slated for Rutland, Orange, Windsor and Washington counties.

Hartford's Kilowatt Trail system will get $19,257 to link the North and South Park.

Shaftsbury's Linda Tilgner Memorial Nature Trail will get $12,223 for reconstruction.

The Woodstock Billings Park Commission will get $7,000 for restoration efforts on the Faulkner Trail.

And Vermont's Trail and Greenways Council will see $10,000 for statewide educational outreach.

This is just a sampling of projects throughout Vermont that will receive funds from the grant, which can fund up to 80 percent of the total project cost and requires a match, which can include donations, in-kind support and other nonfederal funds.


Stimulus money

The Department of Interior also announced more than $1.7 million in Vermont as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The money will be used to rehab a fish hatchery, fund a fish passage, and repair and rehabilitate carriage roads at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will receive more than $1 million of the funding to fix the electrical system and main hatchery outfall at White River National Fish Hatchery, as well as work toward removing or bypassing barriers to fish movement at Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Resource Complex.

The National Park Service will receive $518,000 for the historic carriage road restoration at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park and to help rehabilitate the Appalachian Trail Little Rock Pond shelter.

The U.S. Geological Survey will receive $216,000 to catch up on some deferred maintenance as well as upgrade stream gauges.

To see the entire list of projects planned in Vermont, log on to recovery.doi.gov/VT.


Wildlife funds

Wildlife will also benefit from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appropriation aimed at conserving and recovering imperiled wildlife through the State Wildlife Grant Program.

Vermont's share of the more than $61 million will be $610,704 - or right at 1 percent of the total funds available.

Money is allocated to states based on the formula of one-third for land area of the state and two-thirds on population. Each of the 50 states is guaranteed a minimum of 1 percent.

The funds, which come from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, are intended to benefit wildlife species and their habitat, including nongame species.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 5-15-09

Pine Hill Park
A Droopy Muffin can nourish a hungry soul

Early this week I spent some time trekking around Pine Hill Park in Rutland in what may have been absolutely perfect conditions.



Temperatures were in the 60s Monday and the sun was bright overhead as I walked the trails in this recreation gem.



I hoofed it from the Giorgetti parking area on Upper Giorgetti to Trillium to Svelte Tiger. I hooked up with Droopy Muffin over to Underdog to Rocky Pond and on up to the Overlook where I sat for a bit enjoying the view.



This is such a great spot in Pine Hill Park and anybody who hasn’t invested shoe leather into reaching this spot should certainly do so.



But darkness was fast approaching. I had hit the trail well after 6 p.m. and, despite having an el cheapo headlamp with me (just in case) I really didn’t want to risk tripping over a rock or root in the trail in the dark, so I reluctantly moved on.



Following Overlook Trail over the new suspension bridge I hit Jersey Trail and then hooked up with Santa’s Helper back to Droopy Muffin.



I hate coming back the way I went in, however, so I did my best to retrace as few boot prints as possible, choosing a few trails I had never been on before.



I continued on Droopy Muffin over to the Upper Ledges trail and down to Tim’s Vista to the Birches and back out on Trillium and Upper Giorgetti.



I did find myself wondering as I walked, “where in the world did Svelte Tiger and Droopy Muffin come from?” Particularly Droopy Muffin. I couldn’t remember ever walking on a trail with a cooler name.



Whatever their names, those trails guided me through a few hours that couldn’t have been better spent.



After a lengthy outdoor dry spell, I’ve finally managed to get off the pavement several times lately and the Pine Hill Park trek was the ointment I needed to soothe my chapped soul.



The only thing that went wrong was when I pulled my camera out and watched the battery indicator go from “full” to “empty” in one press of the shutter button.



But while I didn’t manage to capture the photos I planned to take, I went home contented and with a greater appreciation for all that Pine Hill Park offers.



Pine Hill Park continues to be something to boast over and is quickly becoming one of the area’s best not-so-secret attributes.



Monday, on Svelte Tiger, I ran across Michael Smith — the one-man trail- and bridge-building hotshot who continues to be the driving force in the park.



With help, Smith has been the force behind much of the park’s growth and improvement in the last few years.



That day, Smith was working on the decking of a new bridge — a cool, serpentine-looking boardwalk that arcs around trees and flattens out a part of the trail that had suffered from runoff in the past.



He said the coming summer brings plenty more work with five planned bridges, more trail building and the always constant repair and improvements.



But Mike’s not alone in his work and many others have helped, and continue to help, in large and small ways.



This Saturday is the last work day of the spring and a good chance to do a little bit toward upkeep in the park that offers so much to so many.



The work day will kick off at 9 a.m. Plans include work on free ride trails, improving water bars on Giorgetti, “digging the Suez Canal” on Lonely Rock, as well as working on Rembrandt’s Brush, according to a press release.



Show up for whatever time you can offer. Bring water and a snack. Bugs weren’t too bad Monday, but bug spray isn’t a bad idea.




Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.darrenmarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 5-8-09

Losing the battle for our kids

This should scare the willies out of all of us. Every time I read another study about our decreasing participation in the great outdoors I get more and more nervous.

I’m afraid that the way things are going, we could be at risk of losing our connection to the outdoors in just a generation or two.

We simply aren’t doing enough to foster an appreciation for outdoor recreation in our kids.

Because of that, our grandkids may not ever get a chance to lay in a sleeping bag and listen to the rain against tent walls before falling asleep, sit by a campfire with a burned marshmallow at the end of a stick, round a bend on the trail and happen upon a doe and two fawns standing in a field or feel the tug of a feisty rainbow at the end of a fishing line.

Most likely you’ve already experienced these simple pleasures — or something very similar — in your own outdoor adventures. Hopefully, you are passing on these opportunities to your kids or grandkids.

Too many of us aren’t.

More and more of us are living in urban areas and the only nature many kids experience is the wild cats that live in the abandoned building down the street.

Even in rural areas, more and more kids are growing up without the outdoor experiences that we used to take for granted.

Entering my fifth decade, I see a big difference. If you’re anywhere near my age or older, I’m sure you don’t have a problem recognizing all the things that compete for attention among today’s youth that didn’t exist when we were kids.

Television has 250 channels today as compared to the 12 I grew up with, and we had cable television. There were no satellite dishes with 24-hour cartoon networks. My kids have half a dozen channels that play an endless loop of animation. Heck, we didn’t even have a VCR until I was in high school.

I never saw a computer until I was 10 or 12 years old and I didn’t know anybody who had one for another decade. I got an Atari when they first came out but with the few games that were available, I grew bored with it after a few months.

But what I did have was a passion for the outdoors. From camping and fishing from a very early age, hunting with my dad as soon as I was old enough to tag along, and plenty of other outdoor fun, I caught the bug early.

As I grew older, my friends and I would go on “expeditions” into places my parents never knew we went. We would take our rod and reel and a few pieces of stolen fishing tackle from my dad’s tackle box to a local golf course pond. We went rabbit hunting. My cousins and I even camped out in the backyard throughout the summer because the few trips to the mountains we took just didn’t cut it.

In junior high I discovered Jim Kjelgaard and his 40-plus books about a boy and his dog, wildlife, survival and outdoor adventure. I bet I read darn near every single one of those books within a couple of years.

Quite often those books, or the outdoor magazines I stole from my dad and took to school, got me in trouble as I read about the outdoors or lusted after the gear I saw advertised on those pages instead of paying attention to a teacher.

When I wasn’t reading about it, or doing it, I most often was dreaming about it. Trust me, my grades bear this out.

Who am I kidding? I’m still doing it today.

While I may have been an extreme case, there aren’t enough kids daydreaming about the outdoors. Too many of them are deep in thought about how to get to the next level of the latest video game or what they’re going to do to their Facebook page.

If they’re not playing video games, or watching television, they’re on the Internet, which isn’t a bad thing all by itself, but too much of it certainly feeds the cycle.

But, guess what folks? We can’t blame our kids.

It’s our fault. It’s your fault if your kids spend too much time online. It’s my fault my kids watch too much TV.

We have to end this cycle now, before it’s too late.

Studies show that a kid who isn’t introduced to the outdoors at a relatively early age is much less likely to stay involved later in life. I’m not blowing smoke.

Why do you spend time in nature? Why do you hunt? Fish? Hike? Bike? Ski? Camp? The overwhelming majority of you are muttering to yourself that it’s just something you’ve always done.

You can’t remember not being active in the outdoors. If you think hard, however, there was an adult somewhere back there who took you into the outdoors — probably many, many times.

If we don’t build an appreciation for nature and outdoor activities now, they won’t pass it on to their kids. The chances of them picking it up later are much, much lower.

A recent survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows the number of kids 6 to 15 who fish has decreased to 12.3 million, the lowest number in 29 years.

A nationwide University of Maryland study found that the number of kids 9 to 12 years old who spend time in the outdoors has dropped 50 percent since 1973.

Visits to National Parks and our national forests are down.

A 2006 study shows that beginning between 1981 and 1991, there was a decline in per capital nature recreation at a rate of 1.3 percent per year. The study looked at a wide variety of outdoor recreation.

That’s not acceptable.

Without new blood joining the fight for sound wildlife management practices, to protect habitat, to battle for clean water and for open trails, we’ll begin losing those fights.

Other interests will take over and land management agencies will make different decisions. Funding will head in different directions.

An administration that wants to privatize the National Parks System, or give preference to the extractive industries over wildlife considerations, will have little opposition.

Many outdoor groups have recognized this and there are many new initiatives being launched to combat the decreasing participation rates.

All the programs in the world won’t matter if we don’t take advantage of them.

We have to take time out of our busy schedules and set aside some time for our kids.

We can no longer sit back and hope they develop an interest in the outdoors naturally. There are too many obstacles and competing interests.

Get them involved now.

Do it for your kids. Do it for the future.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is http://www.darrenmarcy.com/. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

NEOWA Spring Safari

I am excited to attend the New England Outdoor Writers Association's Spring Safari the weekend of May 16 in Killington, Vt.

It will be my first chance to meet some of the outdoor writers, photographers and various other outdoor communicators since joining NEOWA.

Sent my registration in today. Looking forward to it the event.

Vermont teenager killed while turkey hunting

Vermont Fish and Wildlife game wardens and State Police are investigating what appears to be an accidental shooting that has left a 17-year-old turkey hunter dead.

The incident occured at about 6 a.m. May 1, the opening morning of the Vermont turkey season.

According to a press release issued by the Vermont State Police, authorities responded to a report of a shooting at 7206 S. Wheelock Road, in Wheelock, Vt.

Rescue personnel and Game Warden Dave Gregory arrived to find Jacob Kadamus, 17, suffering from a gunshot wound and his father, Kevin Kadamus, 45, trying to render aid, according to the press release. CPR and rescue efforts failed and the teen died at the scene.

Officials said the pair were hunting turkeys in two different areas, but Jacob Kadamus left his area and moved toward where his father was hunting. Kevin Kadamus fired a shot at what he believed to be a turkey, hitting Jacob, according to the press release.

State game wardens are processing the shooting scene and State Police detectives are continuing the joint investigation. The Caledonia County State's Attorney will review the facts.

No charges were immediately filed, according to the press release.

An autopsy will be conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine conclusive cause of death.

OutdoorsVT 5-1-09

Checking for ticks

Spring is a beautiful time of the year. As the temperatures warm the air, green creeps back into the picture, flowers bloom, animals birth their young and another year of battling ticks begins.

I guess spring can’t all be beautiful.

Dealing with ticks is just part of being outdoors in the spring.

Unfortunately, because of the dangers of contracting Lyme disease, ticks aren’t just an annoyance, but can prove to be a serious risk to your health.

As outdoor enthusiasts, we are going to run into ticks, which are most often found in wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter on the ground.

Fortunately, while we seem to have a growing problem with ticks and Lyme disease, the situation isn’t as bad as it may seem.

Health officials say the number of cases of Lyme disease grows every year.

Some of that is certainly due to an increase in the number of ticks as well as the number of ticks carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

But some experts say that the increased number of cases certainly has something to do with increased vigilance on the part of people who get symptoms checked out and a medical community that continues to get better at diagnosing Lyme disease.

Still, if you’re the one who gets infected, it doesn’t matter what the statistics say so prevention is critical.

Happily, every tick bite doesn’t result in a person contracting the illness and there are things people can do to reduce the chances of being infected with Lyme disease.

If bitten by a tick carrying the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that causes Lyme disease, quickly removing the tick reduces the chance of it being conveyed to the person.

It takes 24 hours or more for the disease to be transmitted as the tick feeds so if the little critter can be removed the same day it attaches, the odds improve that you won’t suffer any ill consequences, according to health officials.

Country crooner Brad Paisley sings about trying to convince a barroom conquest to let him check her for ticks.

Despite the humorous nature of this silly song, checking yourself — or having someone help you — is a good idea.

Early detection is key to treating Lyme disease.

Anyone who ventures into the outdoors — even if it’s just the backyard or a local park — should conduct a thorough inspection to ensure they haven’t picked up a tick.

The problem with tick bites is that the person being bitten quite often has no clue they have a tick unless it is seen.

Most often, tick bites go unnoticed at the time of the bite.

And spotting a tick on your body isn’t always easy. The black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick, which is responsible for carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, are little bitty.

They may not be much larger than the period at the end of this sentence. A tick will also search out a warm, moist place on your body, which often means armpits, groin, between the toes and even behind the knees. But they also tend to bury themselves in hair-covered places, which again points toward armpits and the groin area along with the head.

The upshot of all this is spotting ticks isn’t always easy and getting a little help isn’t a bad idea; parents should check their kids every day when they come in from playing outdoors.

But while finding a tick after it bites is important, preventing the tick bite in the first place is even better.

Avoiding tick bites is relatively easy, although far from 100 percent effective.

One thing people can do is wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and tall socks and tucking the pant legs into the socks will better prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.

Add another layer of defense by using an insect repellent.

Products containing high percentages of DEET or Permethrin are favored, but there is a big difference between the two products in the application.

DEET-based products can be — and should be — applied directly to the skin, as well as the clothing.

But Permethrin-based repellents should only be applied to the clothing, and clothing should be allowed to dry before putting on.

On children, use lower concentrations of the active ingredient, using concentrations of less than 30 percent.

Be sure to read the label carefully and follow directions closely.

Also, keep the product away from the face and off of hands, which your little one might use to rub an eye, handle food or otherwise come in contact with the mouth.

There are natural products that are, in my experience, generally less effective but still offer some protection and are safer for children.

This season is turning out to be a busy one for ticks already.

I’ve talked to many different people who have found ticks on their bodies and I’ve already pulled ticks from an animal at my house, and we’re only at the beginning of May.

Unfortunately, tick season really doesn’t peak until June or later every summer.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is http://www.darrenmarcy.com/. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 4-24-09

Herricks Cove festival offers outdoor family fun

One of the top outdoor events of the year is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, when the 10th annual Herricks Cove Wildlife Festival is held in Rockingham to “celebrate the wonders of wildlife.”

This event, by all accounts, offers a great opportunity for outdoor family fun and education.

The day-long event begins with an early-morning bird walk, but most events are scheduled 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Herricks Cove.

Herricks Cove is located at the confluence of the Williams and Connecticut rivers, and is noted for its birding opportunities. Designated as an Important Birding Area, Herricks Cove offers important habitat for waterfowl and songbirds, and provides a staging ground for migrating ducks, geese and warblers.

This year’s event is expected to feature live wolves, owls, eagles and reptiles — a sure bet to fascinate kids of all ages in addition to presentations, activities and tours.

Things get started with a guided bird walk at 7:30 a.m. Other activities get under way at 10 a.m.

The day is billed as an event that brings together wildlife, nature and outdoor enthusiasts.

There will be a forest exhibit, and guided nature walks, nature presentations, crafts and workshops will be held throughout the day. Some of the events on the schedule include:

? The Southern Vermont Museum will be there with hawks at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

? Live animals from Squam Lake Science Center will be shown at 10:30 a.m. and noon.

? Jim Andrews will feature amphibians, including a turtle workshop at 11 a.m.

? Jerry Snyder will feature butterflies at 11:30 a.m.

? Brian “Fox” Ellis will give a presentation about the “comic misadventures” of Lewis and Clark at 1 p.m.

? The Vermont Institute of Natural Science will offer a presentation on hawks and owls at 2 p.m.

? Jake the Snake of AMOS Natural Science Education Services will feature a 9-foot boa constrictor at 2:30 p.m.

? And Atka, a wolf from the Wolf Conservation Center, will be featured at 3 p.m. Other events will be held throughout the day.

Families will be able to take nature walks with Meg Moynihan.

Also, a presentation will focus on the “Ways of the Woods: People and the Land in the Northern Forest.”

There will also be food and live music, and the event will be held rain or shine.

Finding Herricks Cove can be tricky. It is located off Route 5 less than 3 miles north of Bellows Falls.

From Interstate 91 northbound, take Exit 6 onto Route 5. Continue past the intersection with Route 103, down the hill, across the Williams River to Herricks Cove Road on the right, then follow the signs. From I-91 southbound, take Exit 6 onto Route 103, take a left onto Route 5, down the hill, across the river and right on Herricks Cove Road.

There is no charge to attend, but contributions will be accepted with a suggested donation of $2 per person or $5 per family.

For more information contact Ascutney Mountain Audubon at 722-3355, The Nature Museum at 843-2111 or staff@nature-museum.org, or the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.


Seyon Lodge

The Vermont State Parks is offering a bargain for people wanting to experience Seyon Lodge State Park and get away from it all with the creature comforts of home.

Located in the middle of Groton State Forest, and home to Noyes Pond, Seyon Lodge features some of the best early-season brook trout fishing destinations is offering people a preseason deal.

Sorry for the blatant ad, but this sounds like a deal a lot of people might be interested in.

Between now and June 18, a two-night, midweek stay at Seyon Lodge is priced at $65 a night with all meals and full-day boat rental included. Even taxes are covered in this price.

That boat will come in useful; should you simply want to tool around Noyes Pond or cast for brook trout, that is highly recommended.

The State Parks calls it Vermont’s only public fly-fishing trout pond and has been named one of the best brook trout fisheries in Vermont by Steve Hickoff and Rhey Plumley in their book, “Flyfishers Guide to Northern New England.”

“Early and late season is the best time to fish Noyes Pond,” according to the book. “The emergence of the giant mayfly, in late May and early June, can be dramatic and brings many, sometimes large, beautifully colored brookies to the surface.”

Seyon Lodge State Park offers a season fishing pass granting unlimited fishing and boat rentals that will be on sale for $89 through June 1. After that, the price is $95.

Not an angler?

No problem.

“The excellent fishing is not the only draw at Noyes Pond,” Hickoff and Plumley write. “The setting is quietly beautiful. You’ll often hear the whistle of a peregrine soaring on the wind currents high overhead. Or you might see a loon dive beneath the surface of the pond, holding its breath for what seems an impossible amount of time.”

Sold?

Contact Seyon Lodge State Park at 584-3829, or find more information online at www.vtstateparks.com.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

Tweetin' on Twitter, or Whatever

I'm taking this Web 2.0 or Social Networking, or wasting time over and over again to the next level.

One of the things I want to do is expand my horizons in the world of outdoor writing as well as possibly find new eyeballs that might be interested in reading some of mine.

To that end, I've been jumping into the online world deeper than ever. I've had a blog and Web page in one version or another for about four years. Now, I have a Facebook page, a spot on CamoSpace, and, last but not least, a Twitter page.

You'll see the link to my Tweets (as I'm told they're called) on the side of this blog.

Soon, I will get around to adding links to my Facebook page (Darren Marcy Outdoors) and CamoSpace site (Darren Marcy) as well as a link to my other blog with the Rutland Herald (www.rutlandherald.typepad.com/outdoorsvermont).

Look me up and let's connect. I'm always looking to meet new people, particularly people with a passion for the outdoors.

OutdoorsVT 4-17-09

Vt. State Parks propose increase in camping

Fido is going to have to pay more to camp in Vermont State Parks in 2009.

It’s going to be more expensive to camp in a Vermont State Park this year if a fee increase goes through as proposed by the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

State Parks Director Craig Whipple says the fee increases are an effort on the part of the State Parks to keep up with the cost of doing business because the costs to run the parks increase $200,000 to $300,000 every year due to inflation.

The fee increase proposal is set to go into effect June 1. While the increased costs are only some of the proposed changes, camping fee increases will be among the most noticeable changes for visitors to state parks.

With the exception of remote areas, the department is proposing to eliminate $14 sites and add a $2 fee for nonresidents — two of the changes people will notice.

The new camping fees will be $16 for residents for a standard tent or trailer site, and $18 for prime sites.

A lean-to site will go for $23, with prime lean-to locations priced at $25.

Those prices are for up to four people per site. The additional-person charge will be increased by $1 to $5 per person.

Nonresidents will pay $2 more per night for all camping sites.

The designation of a “resident” follows the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s definition as a person living in Vermont with no other residences for at least six months.

Fee increases will even affect your pooch, which will be charged $1 per night.

There are other changes, but those are the highlights.

There will be detractors who claim the proposed increase is just another example of government excess. Some will go as far as to call it a tax increase.

But growing costs are a fact of life and Vermont’s State Parks are still a bargain.

Consider day-use fees. My family of four, with one kid too young to be assessed an entry fee, pays $8 for the day.

Try going to a movie — even a matinee — for that.

A night of camping will go up, but a night with the family is priceless. There is little better than cooking hot dogs over a fire and roasting marshmallows with your kids. We’ll be doing that this summer and a couple of dollars won’t dissuade us from that little adventure.

Whipple says the proposal to increase the fees is part of the State Parks’ philosophy of supporting the parks system to the point that is feasible and reasonable.

He said that charging fees is a simple reality in order to sustain the parks’ operation, but fees should not become a deterrent for people.

“Our fiscal approach here is to balance all those things and not set fees too high, but not to apply any more pressure than necessary on the general fund. Our effort is to make the park system as self sufficient as possible without the comprising our purpose.”

In 2007, the day-use fees were adjusted slightly, but Whipple says it has been a while since camping fees had been adjusted.

Whipple said day use has been declining at state parks but he doesn’t expect this round of fee increases, if enacted, will deter people.

“It’s an educated guess, you never know for sure,” Whipple said. “In the past there have been some larger incremental increases and it’s shown a modest decline in usage. It shows you’ve gone too far too fast.”

But today’s economy has people looking for cheaper, closer-to-home recreation options.

“Camping is still a relatively inexpensive camping option,” Whipple said. “People are looking for ways to spend their down time and leisure time. We’re hoping people stay close to home and use their state parks.”

That seems to be happening, he said.

About 45 percent of State Parks visitors are Vermonters and reservations are up about 5 percent this year, Whipple said.

With the fee increase, Vermont will still be competitive with nearby states, Whipple said.

“We did as close a comparison as we could for 11 northeastern states,” he said. “We’re about in the middle any way you work it.”

Let’s face it. Camping remains one of the most affordable ways for a family to spend time in the great outdoors. A small fee increase won’t keep most people home or prevent a family from going camping.

This increase deserves our support.

But whether you agree, you have an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes.

A public hearing will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, April 27, at the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation Conference Room in Waterbury.

Written comments can be mailed to Craig Whipple, Director of State Parks, 103 S. Main St., 10 South, Waterbury, Vt., 05671. Comments can also be e-mail to craig.whipple@state.vt.us.

Details of all proposed changes can be found on the State Parks’ Web site at www.vtstateparks.com, scroll down and click on Fee Increases.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

NEOWA Member

Well, I guess I'm officially a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association. Submitting my application materials during the organization's annual meeting a week ago and I've received word that it was accepted and I should expect my membership packet in the mail soon.

I'm looking forward to that.

I've been kicking around the idea of joining the NEOWA for a year or so, but wanted to wait until I felt like I truly belonged.

I didn't want to have to work hard to meet the minimum requirements for eligibility. Now that I've been writing my weekly outdoor column for the Rutland (Vt.) Herald for more than a year and regularly sell other freelance work, I decided it was time.

I'm proud to be able to call myself a member of the NEOWA.

OutdoorsVT 4-10-09

Avoid wet trails through Memorial Day

It’s that wonderful time of the year again. Spring is finally coming to Vermont.

The snow is largely gone, temperatures are finally beginning to turn seasonal and there is green beginning to show.

Unfortunately, while the temperatures often provide great hiking weather this time of the year, the ground often isn’t ready.

Mud season is a time of the year when hikers and bikers are itching to set boot or tire to trail, yet the trails fight back with mud.

The Green Mountain Club is asking hikers to refrain from hitting the trails that are muddy until they firm up, usually by Memorial Day weekend.

Staying off muddy trails will protect fragile areas and prevent erosion.

The Green Mountain Club and trail volunteers work throughout the warmer months to repair trail damage as well as perform preventative maintenance.

Hiking when the trails are muddy can set back efforts, causing more damage and negating previous work.

And the higher elevations are where the trails will remain muddy the longest. It’s possible to start out on a dry trail that quickly becomes a mud bog.

Some hikers will try to skirt muddy areas by walking on the vegetation on either side, causing the hole to widen and increase the size of the problem.

Fortunately, there are plenty of lower-elevation hikes that offer early-season hiking opportunities ranging from dirt roads to recreation paths.

A list of possible hikes can be found on the Green Mountain Club’s Web site at http://www.greenmountainclub.org/.

Check with the Vermont State Parks, the nearest U.S. Forest Service ranger district office or the local municipality for suggestions and warnings about trails under each jurisdiction.

Some areas should be avoided, including Camel’s Hump, Mount Mansfield, Stratton Mountain, Killington Peak, Jay Peak, and Lincoln Ridge from Mount Ellen to the Appalachian Gap.

Also avoid high-elevation conifer forests, sticking to hardwood forests at lower elevations and south-facing slopes will dry sooner than northern exposures.


Pine Hill Park
The Pine Hill Park folks are back at it with a slate of work days to improve the trails.

The first public work day is set for 9 a.m. Sunday, April 26. Work will focus on the front entrance area and back to Elephant Rock.

Pack some cookies to share if you’d like and organizers say chocolate bribes might be available for those who show up.

The second work day is set for 9 a.m. May 16 with the focus on hauling in lumber for bridge projects followed by trail work on Lonely Rock and Strong Angel trails.


ATV club grant
The Birdseye Mountain ATV Club has announced it has received a $10,000 trail grant from the Polaris TRAILS Committee of Polaris Industries.

The grant will be used to improve Trail No. 2 up to Betsy’s Balcony and build a new trail across the top of the Birdseye Mountain ridge towards the Dome.

The new trail will be called “Polaris Run.”

The ATV club hopes to have Polaris Run ready by July 18.


Half marathon
A new half marathon is set for April 26.

The Middlebury Maple Run — The Sweetest Half is scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 26, from Porter Medical Center.

The USA Track & Field-certified course will feature traffic control and water stations until 12:30 p.m., after which runners continue at their own risk.

Runners registered by April 15th will get a free T-shirt.

The race will award the first-place male and female finisher in open and master divisions, as well as three places in six age groups.

A pre-race pasta buffet will be held 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. the previous night and registration and packet pickup is at 6 to 8 p.m. The cost for the buffet is $12.99.

For more information, log on to http://www.addisoncounty.com/ and click on the link at the bottom, right part of the screen, or call 388-7951, ext. 2.


Floyd Landis
The 2009 Tour of the Battenkill will be held April 18-19 with one high-profile rider scheduled to compete.

Floyd Landis, who won the Tour de France only to be stripped of the title after testing positive for a banned substance, is set to compete with Team OUCH out of Oakland, Calif., after sitting out his two-year ban and having hip-resurfacing surgery.

In all, 22 professional teams are scheduled to compete in the professional invitational event. Dubbed “America’s Queen of the Classics,” the Tour of the Battenkill boasts a 124-mile course with 16 dirt sections beginning in Cambridge, N.Y.

In all, more than 2,000 racers are expected for the two-day event, which organizers claim makes it the largest road cycling race in the United States.

For more information, log on to http://www.tourofthebattenkill.com/.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

The Great Hook-Baiting Scandal

Saturday is the trout season opener in Vermont, a holiday of sorts for hard-core anglers who have waited all winter for the chance to drown a worm with the hope of landing a rainbow, brown or brookie.

Also, Gov. James Douglas and Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche will celebrate the season opener at 11:30 a.m. at Marshfield Reservoir fishing access area, 2 miles east of the village on Route 2.

There will be youngsters on hand along with their parents or mentors. Douglas and Laroche will be fishing with them and coaching the young anglers as well as talking about the importance of fishing in Vermont.

Let's just hope there isn't a repeat of last year's hook-baiting scandal.

A year ago, I watched footage of Douglas fishing on opening Saturday on the evening news. At one point, I was amazed as the governor reeled in his line, raised his rod and swung his bare hook back toward a man wearing a Fish and Wildlife shirt who promptly baited his hook for him.

I later found out this was Laroche.

I was amazed and told Rutland Herald outdoor editor Dennis Jensen knowing he would get a chuckle out of it. When I told Jensen, he was more than amused. He wrote a column about it, which spread far and wide. Douglas ended up being vilified in several national publications.

Mr. Laroche, please leave the governor's hook alone.

Governor, put your own worm on. You should also be prepared. What if you accidentally catch a fish? You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself in front of all those kids.

What Direction Will This Blog Take?

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the purpose of this blog.

For a while now, I've been regurgitating news that I thought to be interesting, or maybe even useful.

But it struck me. I'm doing something that others are already doing, and, in fact, they're doing it better. (Look for a post soon on what I believe to be some of the best sources for regular -- daily -- outdoor news on a countrywide scale.)

So, I'm thinking, what can I offer that isn't already out there in several locations?

The quick and dirty answer is my opinion. Nobody else is printing my opinion on things, or sharing with the world news about my successes and failures as an outdoor writer.

That's the direction I'm going to be leaning. Until I get it figured out for sure, I'd expect fewer offerings here than what I've been posting.

OutdoorsVT 4-3-09

DVD features New England’s reptiles, amphibians

The spring peepers are about to begin their peeping and with it comes another spring to Vermont.

The world of reptiles and amphibians don’t often get the attention that other wildlife species garner.

Snakes, frogs and salamanders just aren’t as sexy as deer, turkeys and bears.

Certainly it has something to do with their size and that they aren’t obvious like a deer standing in a field or a moose in a bog.

But, in their own way, amphibians and reptiles are fascinating critters and worthy of study and appreciation.

And, now is the time to learn more about these animals and their habitats.

If the peepers haven’t already started their serenade, they will soon in a vernal pool near you.

And while many species of amphibians and reptiles may be abundant in places, others are nearly impossible to find unless you know exactly where and when to look. Because most of us aren’t herpetologists, most of us don’t know when or where that is.

A newly released interactive DVD will help.

“Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers,” is the result of a collaboration between wildlife videographer and editor Vince Franke and Jim Andrews of Middlebury College.

The DVD was four years in the making as Franke videoed all over New England when time allowed in between his other projects and when the various species were active.

Now complete, the DVD includes three hours of video coverage of all 52 breeding species of amphibians and reptiles in New England.

While aimed at resource professionals, naturalists, teachers and students, the DVD would be of interest to anybody who appreciates wild critters, their habitat and the challenges biologists face in protecting sensitive species.

Franke said one of the keys to the production was the knowledge of Andrews, who has been the driving force behind the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas at Middlebury College.

“He’s very knowledgeable and he’s focused on educating people on amphibians and reptiles and what we can do to reduce our effects on them,” Franke said.

A one-hour presentation, culled from the three hours of video footage on the DVD, will be aired at 7 p.m. Sunday on Vermont Public Television.


The DVD

This DVD, while not organized just like a traditional paper field guide, supplies much of the same information but with video, interviews and an ease of use that, in some ways, surpass a standard field guide.

Speed is one advantage. If you know what species you’re looking for, you can be watching a video of an expert herpetologist discussing the species within seconds.

You can learn about its distribution, whether it is common or rare, habitat needs, visual identification, and listen to its vocalizations in about the same amount of time it would take to find the species in a guide and start reading.

The program is divided into two sections: one for amphibians and one for reptiles with videos, field adventures, species specific information and videos and quizzes for each.

The camera work is incredible, a result, Franke said, of the expertise of his guides and having a lot of patience at times.

Two Vermont species – the five-lined skink and the timber rattlesnake, both of which are found in Rutland County – are so rare that few have ever seen them.

Alcott Smith led Franke to some timber rattlers, finding some large rattlers and, later, footage of fall babies.

“The most humbling thing about the rattlesnakes is they were just sprawled out sunning in the forests,” Frank said.

The skinks, Franke said, were even more of a challenge because they are hard to find and fast moving when they are found. He said the key was to go to an area where they had been seen before and then waiting for hours.

“The skinks took a while to film,” he said. “I think it’s pretty unique footage. I don’t think there’s much footage out there of five-lined skinks in our area. It’s great to be able to show that to people.”

Because of the way it’s designed, you don’t lose anything by watching the segments out of order allowing the viewer to hit the things most interesting to them or most appropriate to learn about a specific species as needed.


Big honor

Editing the three hours of footage into the one-hour show for VPT this Sunday was difficult, Franke said.

“It was a bit of a challenge but I realized what would work best was to show the field trips,” Frank said.

Even then, there was too much video, so he pruned the field trips, each featuring an expert in the field, down from 15 to nine.

“The field trips allowed people to go along and find out where these critters were and let these experts explain things in their own way,” Franke said.

The DVD has been released to wide acclaim including an honor in an international film festival.

“Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers” will be given an honorable mention for Scientific Content at the 32nd International Wildlife Film Festival on May 9-16.

Franke said it’s quite an honor because the film festival draws entries from the British Broadcasting Corporation, National Geographic, Animal Planet International, and the Nature series on PBS.

“All the big producers are there,” Franke said. “It is nice to get recognized by the scientific community.”

Check this DVD out.

Keeping a kid’s attention in today’s video-game world is difficult. A DVD like this one gives a parent a fighting chance and it will be fun and educational for everyone.

“Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers” is $24.95 and is available from Peregrine Productions at www.rpsdvd.com.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 3-27-09

Happy birthday to OutdoorsVT

It’s been a whole year since I first subjected you to OutdoorsVT.

Can you believe you’ve put up with me for 12 months?

My long-suffering wife sympathizes with you. She can barely put up with me.

Congratulate yourself on your dedication and perseverance.

Whether you actually like reading the dreck I schlep every week or just put up with it, I thank you.

Many writers go through their entire careers thinking so highly of themselves they believe it’s their work that is important and the readers are lucky to read it. But I learned long ago it’s the other way around.

These days we have many, many places to get our news and that applies to outdoor information as well. If you spend a part of your Friday with my ugly mug in front of you, I appreciate that.

But, just like getting drunk at the end of the year and making resolutions about what we’re going to do in the coming 12 months, I like to take a moment and reflect and look forward — just without the headache that follows.

In the last year we’ve gone biking, hiking, boating, camping, skiing, snowshoeing, watched spring babies, chased the fall foliage and reminisced over Bubba, my golden retriever who went to that great trail in the sky.

We’ve built bridges, attended outdoor shindigs, counted birds, promised to follow the Leave No Trace outdoor ethic and celebrated a relatively safe snowmobiling season.

We’ve bought boots and snowshoes and worried about the BPA in our Nalgene and similar plastic bottles.

We’ve competed in the Mount Ascutney Run, went on plenty of runs in Pine Hill Park including the Sunset Series, ridden in the Vermont Lakes Region Cycling Weekend, a variety of triathlons and went on monthly jaunts around the West Rutland Marsh with the Rutland County Audubon birders, and weekly hikes with the Green Mountain Club.

We’ve celebrated Vermont Days, National Trails Day, the Long Trail Festival, Dead Creek Wildlife Day, and Killington’s 50th anniversary.

We even ran for president together under the banner of the Outdoor Party.

It was fun.

The best part is we’re heading into year two and we get to do it all again.

But before we hit the trail, I’d like to know what you think.

I give a rip what you like or don’t like about this column.

What is it that works, or doesn’t work, for you when you read OutdoorsVT?

For example, my wife doesn’t think I’m funny and when I try she thinks I embarrass myself.

Should I leave humor to Leno and Letterman or Colbert and Stewart? What do you think of the where-to-go pieces? More gear? More trails? Book reviews? What would you prefer to see more coverage of?

Too much hiking and not enough biking? Too much gear and not enough deer? Want to read about a new trail, but not about a … a … sorry, can’t do it. I gave up rhyming after “Green Eggs and Ham.”

What columns do you read to the end and which ones do you turn the page without starting? I want to know.

Understand one thing. I reserve the right to ignore anything you have to say. But I can promise I’ll consider all suggestions and criticisms — even those that include profanity and thinly veiled threats.

But at least put your name on your correspondence. I don’t want to have to write back and say:

Dear Youraidiot@yahoo.com,

I’m sorry you think my column is a waste of perfectly good fire starter.

Sorry, I won’t beat my head on the remaining ice at Lake St. Catherine, but I will seriously consider avoiding suggesting that people hang their wooden snowshoes on the wall in the future.

I did not mean to offend both members of the World Association of Snowshoe Travel Elitists.

Thanks for writing,

Darren

That’s a joke. I actually had one very nice gentlemen write to tell me I was all wet in addition to a recent letter to the editor. The end result? I promised to write a piece about wood snowshoes next winter to give them a fair shake.

If that’s not democratic, I don’t know what is.

And before I forget, I think this is an appropriate time and place to apologize to some folks who were inadvertently ignored back in December and January or so. I apparently had problems with my e-mail configuration or something and I didn’t get any e-mail for a period of time.

I didn’t intentionally ignore you and appreciated hearing your comments on various columns. Now that I’ve recovered them I’m slowly catching up with those that are still valid.

So, send in that feedback. E-mail it to the address below, or do it the old-fashioned way by writing to the Rutland Herald, PO Box 668, Rutland, Vt., 05702.

Go crazy. Tell me what you think. Get it off your chest. It’s not every day a writer asks you to criticize him.

Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you.

Except for you, Long Suffering Wife. You get your say at home. Now, let’s hit the trail on the second year.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 3-20-09

A couple of hikes over the last weekend proved that it's not always what you pick up along the way, but what you bring home that matters.

It started with my youngest daughter picking up a handful of deer pellets, and ended 24 hours later with me getting in trouble for bringing home a scat specimen to identify. In between, there was plenty of fun.

Read about the adventure here.