Lucky contestants for opening day in the Berkshire & Central Zones:

Maury, Charlie, Paul, Bill, Henry,Rob Wallace, Ed (Ed's duck might not count.)

Click on images to enlarge

March annual wood duck nesting box servicing "Events"

Our first duck box servicing even took place in the central zone on March 12, Meet at Paul Baj's house.

This event is for all members and a guest if you want,

(to introduce new people to the club.)

On March 12, WMDH will service and erect wood duck houses in the Brimfield, Warren area. Anyone interested in helping should meet at Paul Baj's house

at 8:00am at 663 Old W. Brookfield Rd. in Warren. Paul will be setting up a lunch with grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, but bring your own drinks.

It would be helpful if you have a canoe or boat you can

use and you will need a hammer and some wood chips.

Second event : March 26, we will meet at the Big Y in Lee, Mass. to service and erect wood duck houses in the Housatonic River area.

Meeting time will be 8:00am and it would be helpful if anyone interested in participating would reply to this email so we will know what equipment and food we will need. For more details contact Charlie at duckstopper3@verizon.net

July 2015 Summer shoots

On Wednesday July 22nd we will meet at George Leclerc's in Belchertown for a shoot/picnic. To accommodate both workers and retirees we'll start shooting around 4:00pm, but we won't fire up the grill until 6:30. All members and their friends are invited. The cost will be $10 per person to cover the cost of clays and food. We'll have burgers and dogs along with potato salad. Everyone should bring their choice of beverage.

On Saturday July 25th the annual sporting clays shoot at the Leicester Sportsmen's Club will be held. This shoot was started several years ago by waterfowl hunters for waterfowl hunters. We'll shoot from a layout blind, a boat, and other types of set ups to simulate an actual waterfowl hunt. There's usually 8-12 stations. You'll need 100 rounds of target ammo.

The cost is $25 for the sporting clays part. We usually start shooting around 9:00 and finish at noon. At that time we'll fire up the BBQ pit. Shooters bring their own BBQ food. A pavilion with picnic tables is available. After we eat we'll have a raffle. WMDH's will donate two $25 Cabela's gift certificates to the raffle and WMDH member Ed Snyder is donating two framed prints. There will be a number of other waterfowl hunting prizes.
Contact Charlie by phone (413)568-0624 or email to sign up or for more details.

New! WMDH's NY Snow Goose Hunt Event

Description of Hunt:WMDH members will be going on a snow goose hunt this spring. We'll be leaving Westfield on Monday March 23rd for the 4 hour trip to NY where we'll stay at a local motel. Our guide will meet us in the morning for a short drive to the hunting area. This will be a full day hunt with a hot lunch provided by our guide. Hunters only need to bring their guns and shells, a NY license, and a Federal duck stamp. Day two will also be a full day hunt with lunch provided. At this time there are a few spots open.

For more information contact Charlie Bates: duckstopper3@verizon.net

January 2015 Wild Game Sampler

Our annual "Wild Game Sampler" took place January 6th, 2015 at 7:30PM

This was a "must do" event for all members and just about everyone was there. Almost everyone brought one of their favorite recipes, and as usual there were some very nice game dishes to sample and more than enough.

The raffle was full of wonderful prizes, all were donated by club members.

This event was not for members only, but was open to friends and family and possible new members. We included the raffle as a new way to raise funds for the club, and have some fun at the same time. It has proven to be highly successful.

Thanks to all in attendance and for your support of WMDH's!

Here's a few pictures of the evening: (click on them to enlarge)

November 2015 fall "meet"

The scheduled November 15th "Meet" at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield Mass happened as planned.

Those who attended the event had a great time. The gathering took place just off the dirt boat ramp at Quacumquasit WMA on the Quaboag Pond side. The temperature dropped well below freezing for the morning hunt as predicted. A well deserved and needed hot lunch was prepared at 11:00 AM of grilled venison burgers, hot dogs and steaming hot chili.

The picturesque setting even made for some real duck hunting motivation - there were some wild mallards who were mixed in with some farm ducks across the river who kept up a grand chorus of quacking the entire time!

Neal Schermerhorn's dog Coco was chomping at the bit to get to them and was finally set free to swim across and try his best to fetch a live duck- but to no avail.

The afternoon hunt was not disappointing either, and as predicted dozens of flocks of migrating ducks flew in all afternoon as the temperature dropped again.

Kyle Snyder, was on his first duck hunt ever and got to shoot at a flock of mallards called in from across the lake to their blind. He knocked a few tail feathers off a duck with his first shot. Got to keep that gun moving Kyle!

Afterwards young Kyle exclaimed "I can't wait to tell everyone I got to go on this epic duck hunt!! Then with as much enthusiasm he asked, "Can we come back to this place again?" And, don't tell anyone about our secret spot, OK?"

Some of Ed Snyders photo's of the event are posted below. (Click to enlarge them.)

summer 2014

Two events for club members took place at member George Leclerc's house this summer. The first was a very well attended weekday late afternoon trap shooting event and barbeque.

The second event took place on a Saturday morning August 23, with a combination of wood duck box building and a freestyle shoot.

Eight members built 24 new style wood duck boxes that open on the side for easy winter servicing. This is always a fun time and is well planned ahead so boxes can be easily assembled, (for the most part.) A well deserved lunch with burgs and dogs followed. The shooting was from two clay pigeon throwers that made for some challenging pre-season practice.

(click on images to enlarge)

Club Events

September WMDH's outdoor Squirrel Extravaganza,and cookout. (But squirrel won’t be on the menu.)

The event took place at the October Mountain State Forest in Becket, MA.for WMDH's members and friends.

Legal Quarry: Grays= limit of 5, Reds & Flying squirrels = no limit.

What to Bring: Shotgun, license, two-way radio, cell phone, map of Forest.
Map of State Forest: http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dcr/parks/trails/october.pdf
Then meet at the picnic area / lake at noon for lunch. Cost: $10 for burgers and dogs, potato salad, and soda. No alcohol allowed and DCR does patrol the area. Call 568-0624 or email:Duckstopper3@verizon.net by Thursday September 22nd so food can be ordered. (or bring your own food and drinks.)

WILD GAME SAMPLER
Our annual game dinner “sampler” and raffle.
This event was for all members and their guests. Almost everyone brought one of their favorite recipes, and we included a raffle as a way to raise funds for the club.

maps / directions

Again this year the shoot organizers presented the WMDH's with a generous donation for our wood duck project. We should be able to build close to 50 houses with this donation. Thanks again guys for the help.

WMDH's 2015 Online Duck Hunt Contest

(click on images to enlarge)

2015 Annual November WMDH's "MEET" took place as planned.

A good time was had by all who attended, even though it rained - duck hunters like bad weather. A screen tent was set up and provided shelter for cooking and serving lunch.

Members Paul and Michael had a successful morning hunt and bagged some black ducks and a goose.

Ed took his grand kids out for a walk in the WMA for a last day chance to bag a stocked pheasant. His 13 year old grand daughter Brianna shot a plump hen, her first time ever hunting. Click to see her picture below and of the lunch. Afterwards Ed took Kyle out for a duck hunt on Quabaug pond and hunted out of a pop-up blind to stay dry.

January 2016 Wild Game Sampler

Our annual "Wild Game Sampler" will take place on January 5th, 2016 at 7:30PM

This event is for all members and their guests. Almost everyone will bring one of their favorite recipes, and we have included a raffle again as a way to raise funds for the club.

At our December 1st meeting we are looking to finalize commitments for food and raffle items if possible. We will not have tickets this year, bring a friend or two and pay at the door. Contact Charlie for more info at duckstopper3@verizon.net

Our wood duck box servicing "Events"

Here's some photos of the Housatonic river area at Woods Pond in Lee. The club maintains about 60 boxes in this area and the abundance of "woodies" observed prove this project is really working.

There were 3 canoeing teams; Charlie & Billie, Ed & Eddie Jr., and new members Micheal & Mike. Neal and Paul took care of the shore boxes, ran a radio reporting control center, and cooked a great tailgate lunch.

Photos from 2021 box servicing event. ( Click on them to enlarge.)

2015 Annual November WMDH's "MEET"

The scheduled November "Meet" at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield Mass will take place on the 28th. This is the last Saturday of the month and the last day of the first part of the duck and goose season.

Last year those who attended the event had a great time. The gathering will take place just off the dirt boat ramp at Quacumquasit WMA parking area between South Pond and Quaboag Pond . A well deserved hot lunch will be served at 11:00 AM of grilled burgers, hot dogs and steaming hot chili.

The idea is simple, this is a chance for members to get together for a lunch meet after the morning hunt. You can hunt anywhere you want. Some members may want to hunt on Quaboag pond or on the connecting Quaboag river. There are ample opportunities to hunt on various ponds in Warren where some new members put out wood duck boxes, and in Brimfield where we have boxes out on the Quinebaug river three mile canoe trail area.

The Quacumquasit WMA is stocked with pheasants and is a great opportunity to for those who want to take advantage of the last day for the upland bird season as well. No matter where you hunt or even if you don't, just stop by and have some lunch.

Click here for a page of maps and directions.

Check out the pictures from last year's hunt near the bottom of this page.

For more info, and if you are planning to go contact Ed at: esnyderart@comcast.net

Description of Contest: All WMDH members can participate in this contest for FREE!!

Enter by taking a picture of yourself with a duck that you shoot on the opening day of either the Berkshire zone on 10/12 or the next day in the Central zone. Win this fleece lab puppy throw. One name will be drawn at the Nov. meeting.

E-mail your pictures to Ed Snyder at:

esnyderart@comcast.net

Or for more information contact Charlie: duckstopper3@verizon.net