Vermont

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board rejects bear baiting proposals

Published

2 months ago

May 28, 2026

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board rejects bear baiting proposals

Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Board voted 11-1 last week to reject two controversial bids from hunters to establish a season for hunting black bears with bait.

The vote comes as state wildlife officials revisit Vermont’s bear regulations in light of what state scientists say is a growing bear population and a rise in bear-human conflict in recent years.

“I think everybody in this room tonight wants a similar outcome, which is a healthy population of black bears in Vermont,” said John Austin, who leads the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s wildlife division, speaking at the May 20 board meeting.

The first petition, filed by the Vermont Bowhunters Association, called for Vermont to establish a fall baiting season similar to those in Maine in New Hampshire.

A second petition filed by hunters Kevin Lawrence and Bert Saldi echoed that request and asked regulators to extend the regular bear season in the fall and allow hunters to get two bear tags instead of one.

Right now, Vermont has two bear seasons — one in the spring and one in the fall. Hunters can pursue bears with rifles, by archery or using hounds, though the latter has a separate season.

Baiting — setting out food with the intention of enticing an animal into a particular location — is not allowed for large game species like deer, bear and moose. However, the state does allow hunters to hunt coyotes with bait, and set traps with bait for furbearing species like beaver.

Black bears have made a remarkable recovery in Vermont since the 1970s, when Vermont Fish and Wildlife estimates there were fewer than 2,000 left in the state. Today, department scientists estimate there are between 7,500 and 9,500 bears in Vermont.

Howard Weiss-Tisman

Vermont Public

Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation Forest Health Program Manager Josh Halman holds an infected beech leaf in Jamaica State Park in Windham County.

Vermont’s Wildlife Management Plan says the state should aim for a population around 5,000 to avoid depleting the bears’ wild food stores.

Additionally, human-bear conflicts appear to be on the rise in Vermont and cost the Department of Fish and Wildlife roughly $1 million each year, staff say.

“We are, in effect, victims of our own success. It’s gone beyond what we ever imagined,” Austin said. “It’s a great thing, a huge opportunity, and at the same time, it has become a growing challenge.”

The Vermont Bowhunters Association’s petition says baiting bears could address these population concerns more efficiently than with conventional hunting.

“Baiting allows you to be selective,” said petitioner Kevin Lawrence, arguing it would be easier for hunters to ensure they aren’t shooting a sow with young cubs.

Lawrence further argued baiting would allow hunters to kill bears that have been habituated to humans in more urban areas, where conventional hunting would be challenging. He said the department could require hunters share GPS coordinates for where they’re baiting so the sites can be inspected by wardens.

But state bear biologist Jaclyn Comeau says the science doesn’t support baiting as an effective solution for managing the bear population.

She says human behaviors — namely, how people store their trash and food and where they live — are major drivers of the rise in bear-human conflicts Vermont has seen in recent years.

“The more opportunity they have to take advantage of those food sources, the more chance there is that it can start to change their behavior over time, and now they may be seeking out those foods, not just when their wild foods are scarce, but they’re seeking them out as a regular part of their foraging strategy,” she said.

A bar graph shows a steady increase in human bear conflicts over the last 15 years, from 2010 to 2024. — Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife says human-bear conflicts in the state are on the rise.

Roughly 100 people and at least eight environmental organizations, including some town conservation committees, filed public comments urging the department to reject bear baiting.

Bear hunters themselves appeared to be divided over the issue.

Speaking at the April 22 Fish and Wildlife Board meeting, bear hunter Butch Spear of Newbury, a former president of the Vermont Bearhound Association, urged the board to keep baiting illegal.

“It’s against the law to shoot a deer over bait,” he said. “Why do you want to make it legal to shoot a bear over bait?”

“It’s against the law to shoot a deer over bait. Why do you want to make it legal to shoot a bear over bait?”

Butch Spear of Newbury
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Other hunters worried baiting would tarnish their reputation among non-hunters.

Linda Capucardo of Sheffield was one of several people who voiced concern about the ethics of baiting bears.

“We’ve spent tons of time in Vermont telling people to secure bird feeders, to secure their waste, to secure everything, so that we don’t habituate bears to human food sources,” she said. “And now we’re going to give them a human food source? That’s just inviting disaster.”

Many speakers questioned the narrative that Vermont has too many bears or will for long.

Black bears are heavily dependent on beech nuts for food, and their abundance is threatened by beech leaf disease and beech bark disease. Both are growing threats to Vermont’s forests.

After rejecting the bear baiting proposals, the board voted unanimously to advance Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife’s recommendation that the state allow hunters to purchase two bear tags each year, and to extend the fall bear hunting season into December, through deer muzzleloader season.

The board is expected to discuss other aspects of the bear regulations at its June meeting, including a potential ban on killing sows with cubs in sight and changes to the rules governing hunting bears with hounds.

Lawmakers will next get to review the proposed updates to the bear rule to make sure they comply with state law, at which point there will be further opportunities for public comment.

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Vermont

Vermont’s McCarthy picked in second round of MLB Draft by Atlanta Braves

Published

7 hours ago

July 12, 2026

Press Room

Vermont’s McCarthy picked in second round of MLB Draft by Atlanta Braves

CHESTER — History has been made. Kaiden McCarthy, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Chester and graduate of Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round (48th overall) of the Major League Baseball draft on Saturday, the highest draft choice ever for a Vermont baseball player.

The Chester native compiled a 3-0 record with a 0.72 ERA and 42 strikeouts while helping Vermont Academy (15-6) earn a berth in the Lake Region championship game this past season.

McCarthy, a two-time Lake Region Pitcher of the Year, earned the 2026 Gatorade award as Vermont’s top baseball player and garnered strong praise from baseball scouts around the country despite being undersized at 6-foot, 190 pounds.

The 17-year-old reclassified to be eligible for the 2026 MLB Draft and previously committed to the University of Tennessee. After finishing up his high school career, he appeared in two games in June with the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Futures League, a wood-bat summer baseball league for college players.

“From what I saw, he has a very, very high ceiling and I’m excited for him,” Lake Monsters manager Matt Fincher told the Burlington Free Press on Saturday.

McCarthy is one three high school prospects featured in Season 2 of “The Prospect,” a three-episode original docuseries from GameChanger and MLB Network. McCarthy’s parents, Matt and Shanna, and Vermont Academy baseball coach Russ Williams were also interviewed for the series. The first two episodes can be found on GameChanger’s YouTube page.

McCarthy said he’s become accustomed to all the attention, ever since people started noticing how hard he threw even as a 14-year-old.

“I feel like I’ve dealt with it pretty well, being from Vermont,” he said in a recent phone interview from his home in Chester. “There haven’t been a ton of people drafted out of Vermont, because it’s a small state. Baseball is not super popular here, obviously. I feel like there’s definitely been a lot of attention on me, just due to the fact of what I’ve done so far.

“The big thing for me is I want to be able to give back to my community,” said McCarthy, who has volunteered locally as a youth baseball coach and has maintained a B average in the classroom. “I know I’ve got to go out there and perform, and I know the community is going to support me, so if I can support them back and help them, that’s going to be huge for me.”

Only two Vermonters have ever been selected in the top five rounds, most recently when the Pirates took Owen Kellington from Randolph in the fourth round in 2021.

“It’s definitely awesome,” McCarthy said. “I feel like it can put a lot of pressure on me, but I feel like I’ve pushed through it really well. You want to accomplish something, especially if it’s not been done before. I could be the first (from Vermont) to get picked at a higher round and everything, but it’s been pretty great.”

McCarthy can make more history if he reaches the major leagues: there has only been one high schooler from Vermont (Mike Rochford, South Burlington) to get drafted (by the Red Sox in 1982) and make it to the big leagues in the six decades since the draft was instituted.

It is somewhat fitting that the Braves picked McCarthy, since the franchise has a notable baseball connection to Southern Vermont. The then-Boston Braves signed Brattleboro’s Ernie Johnson as an amateur free agent in 1942. Johnson, also a right-handed pitcher, played most of his career with the Boston/Milwaukee Braves and went on to become a legendary broadcaster with the team after it moved to Atlanta.

McCarthy, who turns 18 next month, is expected to sign with the Braves and begin his professional career right away rather than go to Tennessee. The slot value for the No. 48 overall pick in this year’s draft is $2.08 million.

We’ll have more on McCarthy’s historic draft selection in Tuesday’s print edition of the Reformer and online at reformer.com.

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Vermont

VT Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for July 11, 2026

Published

18 hours ago

July 12, 2026

Press Room

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.

Here’s a look at July 11, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from July 11 drawing

08-10-14-45-59, Powerball: 05, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 11 drawing

Day: 5-1-6

Evening: 9-6-2

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 11 drawing

Day: 4-1-6-0

Evening: 6-1-4-1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks Plus numbers from July 11 drawing

02-18-30-35-39, Megaball: 04

Check Megabucks Plus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 11 drawing

04-13-14-30-39, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.

For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.

All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

Barre, VT

05641

When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Vermont

802 Homes to release free home design catalog aimed at lowering construction costs

Published

1 day ago

July 11, 2026

Press Room

802 Homes to release free home design catalog aimed at lowering construction costs

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A new project from the state of Vermont is aimed at lowering home prices and increasing availability.

The 802 Homes Catalog will be released later this year, featuring home designs the state hopes will increase future development and give Vermonters access to affordable and accessible homes.

According to Realtor.com, the average price of a home in Vermont is over $400,000.

“The goal certainly is not a nice-looking catalog of homes. The goal is homes in the ground at prices that Vermonters can afford,” said Jeff Duby, 802 Homes Catalog project lead.

The 802 Homes Catalog is a project from the State Agency of Commerce and Community Development. The goal is to provide Vermonters with 10 complete construction plans for a variety of low-cost, accessible, and adaptable homes, spurring development by eliminating some design costs.

“We’ll have our catalog of ten home designs ready, freely available to the public, anyone that wants to build in Vermont, really,” Duby said.

An important goal of the project is to help Vermont’s senior community have the opportunity to age in place.

“Just recognizing that there’s a lot of folks that would like to age within their communities, within walkable areas, but their options for housing is rather limited,” Duby said.

The agency is seeking feedback on the project from Vermont seniors, hosting virtual feedback sessions to discuss the proposed designs. Agency officials said the homes are designed to be as versatile as possible and are not aimed at seniors only.

As for construction cost, officials said it is too early to estimate.

“Lord, I wish I had a clear answer right now. We’re still halfway through the design phase now. We’re trying to do everything we can to move that lever down to that more affordable price. So we’re trying, again, to look at the designs through this lens of affordability by design and how we can design the homes in a smart way to reduce some of those development costs,” Duby said.

By eliminating some design costs, the project could make home building more affordable, officials said.

The full catalog is set to be released by the end of the year. Vermont seniors who would like to give feedback on the designs can register for two virtual sessions later this month.

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