We have received the following from our friends at the MassWildlife  District Office which may be of interest to holiday shoppers out there:

Now is the time to consider a wildlife-related gift for the outdoor or wildlife enthusiast on your holiday list! The following suggestions from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) are suitable gifts to consider for all ages.

A 2-year subscription to Massachusetts Wildlife magazine ($10) delivers eight full-color issues of the Commonwealth’s best wildlife publication. For the budding conservationist, try a copy of the Critters of Massachusetts book ($5). Critters is a great gift for the curious youngster or the beginning adult naturalist with an interest in backyard wildlife and beyond. For the more advanced naturalist, the Field Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies ($20) or A Field Guide to the Animals of Vernal Pools ($12) might be just the ticket. In-depth descriptions and detailed photographs help the reader identify and learn more about these creatures. For the budding herpetologist, there are a couple of options: The Field Guide to the Reptiles of Massachusetts features information on breeding, feeding habits, range, habitat, and conservation issues. This unique issue of the Massachusetts Wildlife Magazine is $3 per copy and also offers spectacular color photos of the various species, including color and pattern morphs of those species with variations and a list of key features that allows you to identify any native snake or turtle (except sea turtles) found in the Bay State. The turtle enthusiast in your life may also enjoy the Introduction to the Threatened Turtles of Massachusetts ($5), a video available from the DFW’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. Go to www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/publications/publications_home.htm or call the West Boylston Field Headquarters at (508) 389-6300 for further purchase information.

The sportsman or sportswoman in your life will appreciate a 2013 hunting, fishing, or sporting (combination) license and any stamps they will need. Remember that freshwater fishing licenses for minors ages 15-17 years of age are free! (Minors under 15 do not need a license to fish.) Beginning December 1, 2012, 2013 licenses are available for sale online or through license vendors throughout the state. License purchases support the DFW’s fish and wildlife conservation, management, and habitat protection programs in Massachusetts.

Give them the gift of the outdoors! Purchase a gift certificate for one of the 2013 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, workshops. Workshops on skills such as animal tracking, shooting, fishing, kayaking, and photography are designed for adults and families new to that particular skill. The 2013 schedule of workshops will be posted in January.A terrific outdoor experience for teen girls and boys is the Junior Conservation Camp, a two-week overnight camp session packed with outdoor skills learning such as shooting, fishing, canoeing, and camping and field trips with biologists. The camp is located in Chesterfield and will be held in August. Go to http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/education/jr_conservation_camp.htm.

For the person who has everything, make a donation in his or her name to support one of the following two funds. Wildlife habitat protection can supported by donating to the Wildlands Fund, a fund dedicated to acquiring important wildlife habitat open to wildlife-related recreation. Send the honoree’s name with a check made out to “Comm. of MA – DFW Wildlands Fund” and send it to: DFW Wildlands Fund, DFW Field HQ, 100 Hartwell Street, Suite 230, West Boylston, MA 01583. The Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund supports efforts to protect rare and endangered wildlife. A donation in the form of a check made out to “Comm. of MA – NHESP” can also be sent to the DFW Field HQ in West Boylston.