A turtle takes an afternoon stroll across a road.If you find a turtle, do not move it far away. Staff file photo

A large snapping turtle covered in dirt probably from laying eggs slowly crosses Shelburne Raoad in GreenfieldROP11/5/25 MacDonald

Tuesday, the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board met at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters in Westborough. This was the first time in nearly two years that the Board was able to conduct the monthly meeting without using remote Zoom technology. The overwhelming feeling of all those attending was relief and optimism as seeing and being able to relate face-to-face with staff was most welcome. All MassWildlife installations are now open to the public.

There were a number of notable agenda items including a request for the Board to hold a public hearing to modernize regulations pertaining to holding field trials on wildlife management areas. Hunting dog enthusiasts use field trials to train and evaluate dogs and retrieving, pointing and flushing breeds have taken advantage of MassWildlife WMA’s across the state for this purpose. The regulations had not been modified since 2001 and the proposed changes would streamline and standardize the process.

It was noted that field trialing attracts a very diverse segment of the population with women well represented in both the participants and also in the leadership of the organizations that conduct and regulate field trials. The fact is that dog ownership is a growing and important characteristic in our society today and people are looking to do things with their dogs that are challenging and rewarding. The Board voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the topic.

It was also mentioned that an emerging partnership of organizations, including the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust and the Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Society, is gaining momentum and has garnered over $500,000 in grants to analyze and evaluate ongoing efforts to manage forests to benefit a wide range of wildlife species.

On the subject of wildlife species and habitat, at least three people have shared with me their joy at hearing whippoorwills this spring. In all three cases, the birds were near areas where forest cutting has taken place. Whippoorwills were common years ago, during my youth, because a lot of timber cutting had traditionally taken place and forest openings were common. Responsible landowners have begun to do more cutting with planned conservation cutting that provides the landowner with income while also benefiting many species of wildlife and creating diversity in the populations of wildlife, birds and insects. A true win-win.

There is always a great deal of movement across the state of wildlife in springtime. MassWildlife reminds you that animals emerge from winter to search for food and mates, and turtles are no exception. From mid-May to early July, thousands of turtles throughout Massachusetts travel to new areas to find food and nest. You may find turtles on roadways, in your backyard, or other unexpected locations as they move across the landscape to find resources they need. Turtles have a keen sense of direction and may be on their way to wetlands or open, upland sites such as lawns, gravel pits, or roadsides for nesting. If you find a turtle, do not move it far away.

“Adult turtles can live past 80 years. Young turtles and eggs, on the other hand, have a variety of predators and a low chance of reaching adulthood,” says Dr. Mike Jones, MassWildlife State Herpetologist. “This is why it’s especially important to protect older adult turtles from cars, especially during this time of year when turtles are crossing roads more frequently.” Losing any adult turtles, particularly adult females, is a serious problem that can lead to the eventual local extinction of a population.

First, be safe driving and do not risk getting hurt or causing harm to others by unsafely pulling off the road or trying to dodge traffic. If a safe opportunity to safely move a turtle from the road occurs, move it in the direction it was heading and off the road. Do not take turtles home or move them to a “better” location; turtles should not be moved more than 100 yards from where they are found. Turtles should be grasped gently along the shell edge near the mid-point of the body. However, snapping turtles are fast and have very powerful jaws that can inflict a bad bite and can reach your hands if you lift it by the sides of its shell. If you must move a snapping turtle, use a plastic tub or box. Never lift a snapping turtle only by the tail; this can injure their spine. Finally, slow down. Watch for turtles on roadways bordered by wetlands on both sides.

May is prime time for fishing! Bass, both largemouth and small mouth, are beginning to move into the shallows where males will create beds where a female can lay eggs and the male can fertilize them. Other states, including New Hampshire, do not allow anglers to target bass during May to protect the species while spawning. You are more likely to catch the larger females during this time. Consider “catch and release” to insure more bass in the future. Stocked trout waters are also great this month and coastal striped bass fishing is getting hot!

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has been a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor for over 40 years and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.

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