Deadline for hunting anterless deer coming up

MassWildlife is issuing a friendly reminder to deer hunters that the deadline for applying for an antlerless deer permit is July 16.This permit is required for any deer hunter who wishes to hunt antlerless deer. There is no fee to apply. A $5 fee is charged if you are selected for a permit during the Instant Award period. If you are not sure if you submitted an antlerless deer permit application, check your hunting license in the Item Purchased section where you will see a line item that reads: “Antlerless Deer Permit Application- /Zone xx” if you have already applied, log on to the MassFishHunt website at www.mass.gov/massfishhunt and check your customer inventory.If you have not yet applied, you can submit your application for an antlerless deer permit either online or at a license vendor.uGot turkey families in your neighborhood? Sportsmen and -women, birders, landowners, and other wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to assist the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW).Only count turkey flocks containing hens and their young poults (broods) this summer. DFW conducts an annual wild turkey brood survey from June through August.”The brood survey serves as a long term index on reproduction,” says Dave Scarpitti, Turkey Project Leader. “It helps us determine productivity and allows us to compare long-term reproductive success.”Scarpitti also points out that citizen involvement in this survey is a cost-effective means of gathering useful data, and he encourages all interested people to participate. A turkey brood survey form is posted on the agency website. Information needed includes date, town, number of hens seen, and number of poults and the poults’ relative size compared to the hens. Multiple sightings of the same brood can also be noted.uWith this hazy hot and humid weather if you are a fresh water angler on the water early enough to see the sun come up, there is a good chance you are catching fish.We are up at Sebago this week and almost all of the fish that we have landed were caught before 6 am. That appears to be the cut off time. I have been mentioning this for years.Get up in the morning to get 3-4 hours of quality fishing then head back to camp and take a nap for a few hours. You’ll be amazed at how well you do by being on the water so early.uSummer weather is quickly warming up lakes and ponds so disturbing fish kills may be discovered in area water bodies.The sight of dead and dying fish along the shores of a favorite pond can be distressing and trigger concerns about pollution. Fish do act as the “canary in the coalmine”, so it’s natural to think a fish kill was the result of pollution. In fact, the opposite is likely true; the vast majority of fish kills reported are natural events.Natural fish kills are generally the result of low oxygen levels, fish diseases or spawning stress. Dissolved oxygen depletion is one of the most common causes of natural fish kills. As pond temperature increases, water holds less oxygen. During hot summer weather, oxygen levels in shallow, weedy ponds can further decline as plants consume oxygen at night.This results in low early morning oxygen levels that can become critical if oxygen levels fall below the requirement for fish survival. In addition to reduced oxygen levels, late spring and early summer is when most warmwater fish species, such as sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass) begin to spawn.At this time, large numbers of these species crowd into the shallow waters along the shore vying for the best spawning sites. These densely crowded areas become susceptible to disease outbreaks, especially as water temperatures increase. The result is an unavoidable, natural fish kill.uOn the salt water front, from the Kittery Fishing report, fish are blitzing off of Castle Island and the airport early around 5 am. Rubber shad and jigs were working best.Flounder are still hitting but they’ve moved into rocky areas to avoid being eaten by the bass and bluefish when they come a