Be careful when seeing wild animals or driving where they might be found

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Sightings of deer, bear, beaver and even moose rated big headlines 10 or 15 years ago, but now its ho-hum at the news desk. But a few days ago, when I spotted a newly-born fawn in my backyard, I realized that it’s a new ball game. And when a teenage girl approached for a closer look, with a young robin perched on her wrist, I began to wonder how human beings and wildlife will fare in the immediate future. So far, the animals are losing, as newspaper accounts last week told of a 600-pound moose killed on Route 9 in Windsor after being struck by an SUV (with the driver rushed to a hospital); and a 200-pound bear killed on Route 8 in Lanesborough near the Gulf Road intersection, hit by another high-powered vehicle. About the same time, another moose was hit and killed on the Molly Stark Trail, near the Prospect Mountain cross country ski area in Woodford, Vt. And just to the west, in Cambridge, N.Y., a moose died from a panic attack after becoming trapped in a parking lot, as a crowd of some 100 gathered to spook the animal with camera flashes and as a couple of kids strummed guitars. Meanwhile Waubeeka Golf Links Pro Erik Tiele said a wandering moose was slowing up play. Perhaps the same moose was sighted on Oblong Road at the foot of the Taconics. And an Oblong Road resident, who last year saw eagles nesting in a nearby tree, watched a large black bear tear down her bird feeder, putting deep claw marks in the side of the house. Now I grew up, more than 60 years ago in the wilds of Windsor, and never saw or even heard of bears or moose. Windsor and neighboring towns of Savoy, Peru and Cummington, supported large numbers of deer and even larger numbers of Chicopee and Holyoke hunters, but the only other wild animals were foxes, rabbits, porcupines and woodchucks. In the past quarter century, the animal population has been swelled by the bear and moose, and also by beavers and wild turkeys. And in the past half-century, the U.S. population has doubled, as has the number of residents in the hill towns, while the Berkshire “cities” have seen their residents head for the hills, or the Sun Belt. Now the humans must adjust to an increasing numbers of animals, as well as Canada geese and eagles, and make some basic changes. Rather than roaring over the Berkshire, Mohawk and Molly Stark Trails through the darkness at 60 and 70 mph., drivers should slow down and keep a lookout for animals on the blacktop. Only a few years ago, a moose-car collision on Route 7 in Shaftsbury, Vt., and a deer-car crash on Route 2 in nearby Grafton, N.Y., resulted in death to the drivers, as well as the animals. In Western mountain states before gasoline conservation was preached, there were no speed limits in Montana and similar states during daylight hours, but darkness brought in sharply reduced speed limits. Not only were the highways favored by elk, moose, deer and beef cattle, but some the hoofed creatures weighed more than 1,000 pounds. Collisions were costly! And with wildlife abounding, the natural impulse to get in close should be stifled, as a startled moose can be very dangerous. And wildlife authorities always advise NOT feeding hungry looking deer and wild turkeys, as they can become much more of a problem than chickadees or other small birds. Also, approaching newborn animals or freshly hatched birds can sometimes frighten their parents away. I have no idea what happened to the teetering, tottering fawn in my yard, but it headed for adjacent woods (where as many as 18 deer were spotted last winter). And the young lady with the robin on her wrist found three of the young birds in the street recently and has been feeding them every two hours for the past week, a laudable effort. Area fish and wildlife officers should be contacted as soon as possible when an animal incident occurs, as these specialists are trained to handle strange cases. But in general, the best advice seems to be to drive slowly and carefully at night, keep your distance when the creatures are up close, and do not feed. Deer whistles can be mounted on the front of vehicles to warn deer, and they seem to work. And when you encounter a moose on the golf course, step aside and say, “Play through.” There is an irony, however, in man’s relationship to fauna. For around 11 months of the year, deer are protected and even saved by humans, who sometimes risk their lives to rescue a deer or elk trapped on ice or in a well. Then the deer season opens, and it is blast away. Bears rule, in Vermont particularly, when ski area trail or lift work is delayed (or even blocked permanently) while the bears stuff themselves on beech nuts in October. Then the bear season opens, and those same bruins become the target of riflemen. Waubeeka, once the home each year to a family of foxes, will be celebrating its 35th anniversary Friday and Saturday, along with an open two-ball tourney Saturday and Sunday. The annual Ed Stawarz Memorial Scholarship Tournament will also take place Sunday, followed by a barbecue. A Massachusetts Golf Association qualifier will take place Monday, and Tuesday will see hard driving cops in action at the annual Berkshire County Law Enforcement Shotgun Tourney. Contact Tiele at 458-8355 for details. Area courses without irrigation had a dried-out look until the past two weeks when the rains finally came. Spring specials still prevail at many courses, so be there! John Hitchcock of Williamstown writes frequently about the area sports scene.
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New North Adams Restaurant Approved for Liquor License

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A new restaurant on Main Street, a provisions shop and a convenience store all got the nod from the License Commission on Tuesday.
 
Siblings Colleen and Sean Taylor are expanding their cuisine empire yet again with the establishment of Main & Mill in the old TD Bank. They were before the commission to apply for an all-alcohol license. 
 
The building is owned by Ginko on Main Street LLC, which has granted 20 years exclusive possession of the property to Latent Builds as the developer. Jack and Suzy Wadsworth, behind Ginko, are development partners with Salvatore Perry and Karla Rothstein of Latent.
 
The bank closed in early 2021 and purchased by Ginko late that year. Plans for the property unveiled three years ago envisioned a restaurant, retail, a park and rooftop bar. 
 
The building's hosted some pop-up eateries and is currently under construction for the new restaurant. 
 
Colleen Taylor said the restaurant will be open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner, and be open early for coffee. 
 
"It's not going to be a very big restaurant. It's about the same size as Trail House, except for Trail House has a bigger patio, so about the same seating," she said.
 
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