MassWildlife Monthly

Summary of articles from the April edition of the MassWildlife Monthly newsletter.

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MassWildlife is inviting kids and families to help stock trout during school vacation week, April 17-21! You'll be able to see the stocking truck, get a close-up look at different species of trout, and learn about fishing opportunities near you. Check out this article for more information!

Now that spring is upon us, young animals will start to emerge. Some may be found alone, they may look helpless and you might even think they have been orphaned. But, it's actually quite common for young animals to be left alone while parents find food, and they can sometimes be alone for long periods of time. If you see young wildlife this spring, please leave them alone! Their best chance for survival is in the wild! To learn more about what to do when you find young wildlife, check out this article.

Fishing this spring? Make sure you check out the trout stocking reports to get daily updates!

MassWildlife's Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program is expanding and now includes a youth catch and release category! Anglers of all ages can also now be recognized for catching fallfish and white suckers. Celebrate last year's winners, see new rules, and enter your catch here!

Wild turkey breeding season is here - going from March through May. During this time, turkeys can display aggressive behaviors towards people, especially in areas where they are being fed. Removing bird feeders and other sources of food is the best way to prevent conflicts, click here for more spring tips for aggressive turkeys!

In addition to breeding season, spring turkey hunting season will soon be upon us! The 2023 spring season starts on April 24 and will go through May 20. Get prepared now by purchasing your hunting license and turkey permit, then review the regulations and safety information. Click here to learn more about how you can prepare for spring turkey season!

Jasmine Wang on Lexington won Best of Show in the 2023 MA Junior Duck Stamp Contest! Her colored pencil drawing of a black-bellied whistling duck was selected from 185 entries, and will represent MA in the national JDS contest. See her drawing below, and click here to learn more about it!
Colored pencil drawing of a black-bellied whistling duck, drawn by Jasmine Wang of Lexington, winner of the Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp Contest
 

A public hearing is being held on April 26 regarding the 2023-2024 migratory game bird regulations. Click here to check out the proposed changes.

Public land cleanups are still happening throughout the state! MassWildlife is hosting the series this spring, and the next cleanup is set for April 19 at Forest Lake WMA in Palmer. After the cleanup, the public is invited to help stock trout or join a learn-to-fish class! Check out this page for more info on this and many other events in this series!