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Citizen Reporting

black bear coming up on to a porch

Whether you are looking to report a wildlife sighting or incident, or want to help with fish, wildlife, and plant data collection, these links to our forms will help you get involved.

On this page:

Bears | Bats | Turkeys | Flying SquirrelsTagged FishRare and Uncommon SpeciesNatural Communities | Vernal Pools | Site Summary

Bears

Black Bear Incident Reporting
Bear troubles? Report incidents of property damage by bears, visits to birdfeeders, compost bins or garbage, bears on porches or decks, damage to bee hives, corn or other crops, and any incident where you feel threatened by a bear.


Bats

Sick Acting Bats
Use this form to report bats flying during the daytime, bats having trouble flying, bats dying, and bats exhibiting a white fungus on the face or wings.

Bat Colonies
Use this form to report current or historic bat colonies. Colony sizes may vary from a few individuals upwards of several hundred and are often located in attics, barns or under shingles.

Incidental Take of Little Brown Bats
Use this form to report the incidental take of endangered little brown bats due to potential human rabies exposure. A broad incidental take permit allows the take/killing of four (4) little brown bats.

Animal Damage/Pest Control - Reporting of Nuisance Bat Work
This form is for Animal Damage/Pest Control professionals to report nuisance bat work conducted in Vermont.


Turkeys

Wild Turkey Brood Survey
Help the department monitor spring turkey production by recording wild turkey sightings for the month of August using our web-based survey.


Flying Squirrels

New England Flying Squirrel Network 
Want to host a nest box on your land? The department is teaming up with researchers at the University of New Hampshire and community scientists around Vermont to place and monitor nest boxes that mimic the tree cavities flying squirrels nest in. Check out the "Get Involved" tab on NEFSN's web page for more information.


Tagged Fish 

Tagged Fish Reporting Program 
Have you caught a tagged fish? Use our online form to report your catch to learn more about the fish and help in the collection of important data.

Rainbow Trout Strain Evaluation 
A new genetic strain of rainbow trout is being stocked in 12 waterbodies and we are looking for reports of fish with clipped fins from these waterbodies. Learn how you can help with this strain evaluation.


Rare and Uncommon Species Reporting Forms

A rare species is one that has only a few populations in the state and faces threats to its continued existence in Vermont. Use these links to report sightings of rare species.

Rare Furbearer Reporting Form Use this form only for reporting American marten, Canada lynx, wolf, and mountain lion.

Rare Animal Reporting Form - Downloadable paper form in Word format.

Rare Plant Reporting Form - Downloadable paper form in Word format.

Not sure if what you found is a rare species? Check the lists below to be sure.


Natural Communities Reporting Forms

Natural communities are an assemblage of plants and animals that are found recurring across a specific landscape under similar environmental conditions where natural processes, rather than human disturbances, prevail. Use this form to describe the location and detailed ecology (soils, slope, vegetation composition, etc.) of a natural community.

Natural Community Word Fill-in Form - Downloadable paper form in Word format

Download a List of Vermont's Natural Communities


Vernal Pools

Vernal pools are small depressions in forests that fill with water in the spring and fall. Vegetation is usually sparse or absent, although adjacent forest trees may shade the pool. They provide breeding habitat for many salamanders and frogs and have characteristic populations of fairy shrimp, fingernail clams, snails, water fleas, and copepods. Use the online Vermont Vernal Pool Atlas or the form below to describe the location and general ecology of a vernal pool.

Vermont Vernal Pool Atlas (VPAtlas)
VPAtlas is an online, interactive database  where you can browse real-time data about suspected and confirmed vernal pools by using the interactive map or contribute field data and add pool locations. VPAtlas is a joint effort of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies and Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Vernal Pool Word Write-in Form - Downloadable paper form in Word format

Vernal Pool Write-in Form | PDF - Downloadable paper form in pdf format

Vernal Pool Ranking Information


Site Summary Form

Use this form to describe the location and general ecological conditions of a site, as well as to list the specific rare and uncommon species and the significant natural communities that have been found or searched for at the site.

Site Summary Word Fill-in Form - Downloadable paper form in Word format

Site Summary Fill-in Form |PDF - Downloadable paper form in pdf format