McClory: There’s still plenty of hunting to do

As the primitive firearm deer season winds down, remember there is no reason to put your weapons away quite yet. If you enjoy walking in the field, cottontail rabbit hunting opens in January and runs for eight weeks.If you are up to braving the ocean elements and don’t have hunting out of your system, sea ducks as well as regular ducks are still open until mid January. Waterfowlers and other outdoor enthusiasts who venture out in small craft this time of year need to remember to make safety a priority.With few boaters on the water in the late fall, the chances of a quick rescue are greatly diminished. Cold-weather boat users can prevent such a tragedy by always wearing a lifejacket and clothing that protects them from the effects of cold water. Cold water removes heat from a human body 25 times faster than cold air. Immersion in cold water can cause “cold shock,” including the possibility of cardiac arrest, involuntary gasping for air and a high potential for losing consciousness.If you do fall into the water this time of year, try to get back on your boat immediately. Do not leave the boat. If you’re not wearing thermal protection and can’t get out of the water, stay as still as possible. Fold your arms, cross your legs and float quietly on the buoyancy of your Personal Flotation Device until help arrives.uDon’t forget, starting next Tuesday, you will need a new fishing and hunting license. Hunting, fishing and trapping licenses for 2013 are now available for purchase online and at license vendors across the state. License fees support MassWildlife’s efforts in habitat protection, stocking fish and pheasants, biological projects, education programs and endangered species restoration. Hunting and sporting license buyers are reminded that they must show either a previous hunting license or a hunter safety certificate from any state or Canadian province in order to purchase those types of licenses. Why not make a New Year’s resolution to sign up for a Basic Hunter Education Course in the winter and spring months of 2013?The 15-16 hour course, usually scheduled over five or six weekday evenings, is taught by volunteer instructors. Occasionally, courses are conducted on weekends. Topics covered during the Basic Hunter Education course include safe handling of hunting arms and ammunition, hunting laws and ethics, wildlife identification, wildlife management, care and handling of game, basic survival skills and first aid. It is the mission of the Massachusetts Hunter Education Program to protect the lives and safety of the public, promote the wise management and ethical use of our wildlife resources, and encourage a greater appreciation of the environment through education. All classes are provided at no charge to the student. Course information may also be obtained by calling the Massachusetts Hunter Education Program at 978-632-7648.uSince mid December MassWildlife stocking trucks started stocking broodstock salmon. Stocking should be completed by the end of the year, weather permitting. Each district will receive 124 fish, all from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s Roger Reed State Fish Hatchery in Palmer. The fish will range in size from 5 to 12 pounds. To find out which lakes and ponds are stocked, contact the DFW District office in Ayer (978) 772-2145; Belchertown (413) 323-7632; Bourne (508) 759-3406; Dalton (413) 684-1646; or West Boylston (508) 835-3607. Once stocking is complete, the list of stocked waters will be updated on the DFW website.uIce should start to form on our local lakes and ponds to kick off the ice fishing season. Last year we started using a new ice fishing trap made locally here in Massachusetts that outperformed all of the many different traps we’ve tried in the past. The anti-wind flag trip system is the smoothest and the best on the market. The Indian Hill Ice Trap is a heavy duty lightweight trap. All the hardware on the trap is stainless steel, brass, aluminum, or copper. It is made of oak tha