BDN Maine Outdoors, Summer 2012 by Bangor Daily News

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IN THIS ISSUE

4 Tales from Maine’s Mighty Katahdin

Maine’s great mountain pulls many back.

9 A Baxter Legacy Lives On

Memories of Kidney Pond Camps resonate with former visitors.

12 Cruise to an Offshore Lighthouse

Connect with Maine’s maritime history by visiiting one.

26 In Search of Wild Trout

Great ﬁshing may well be a short hike away.

30 Camping with Kids? Play with Your Food! The joys (and tastes) of campﬁre cooking.

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ATVers ride where railroad trains once rumbled Introducing children to the joys of fishing Defining the inconic Maine Moose Fit to float: finding the right life jacket

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■ FROM THE EDITOR

WELCOME OUTDOORS

he Bangor Daily News is pleased to present the second edition of its newest custom publication, BDN Maine Outdoors, where you’ll find updates for outdoors enthusiasts, ideas of what to do in the great outdoors, and where to go explore Maine’s beauty, whether alone or with family and friends. A unique partnership fueled the creation of BDN Maine Outdoors. Advertising supplements are nothing new. This publication is, in large part because it turns the typical formula for similar publications on its ear. Leaf through the pages and you’ll likely notice three distinct sources of information. That was intentional. First (and last), you’ll see entirely independent stories written by BDN Outdoors staffers. Closer to the center of the publication, on each side of a

four-page center package, you’ll find tales produced or commissioned by BDN advertising’s Custom Publications division. And the content in the center package was generated and paid for by our anchor sponsor, the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. In this second edition, we’ve put a large focus on Maine’s largest, most majestic peak — Mount Katahdin. You’ll also find fish tales, some great places to visit while exploring Maine’s coast, and tips to make the most of your hiking and camping experiences. And don’t forget, bear hunting season isn’t far away and we’ve got a look at how things are shaping up for the 2012 season. The next of this year’s four scheduled BDN Maine Outdoors publications are set to come out in September and December. Each will have timely informa-

tion to keep you snowshoeing, hiking, ATVing, and paddling through the seasons as you hunt, fish, birdwatch, tromp through the woods, or simply pass the time watching the waves roll in along the rocky coast. No matter how you found us — in your mailbox, on a newsstand, at the Maine Moose Lottery Festival in Rangely, or at a Welcome Center along I-95 — we’re glad you’ve got a copy of BDN Maine Outdoors in your hands and hope you’ll let us know if there’s anything you’d like to see us write about in future editions. Also, don’t forget to check in online at bangordailynews. com/outdoors regularly for updates on what’s going on outside your door. Happy hunting, hiking, fishing, exploring — in other words, go enjoy the Maine outdoors.

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bangordailynews.com/outdoors Publisher Richard J. Warren BDN Maine Outdoors Editor Aimee Thibodeau Graphics Editor Eric Zelz Writers John Holyoke Aislinn Sarnacki Photographers John Clarke Russ Linda O’Kresik Gabor Degre Robert Bukaty Contributing Photographer Dave Small BDN Maine Outdoors Extra Special Adverstising Section Editor Brian Swartz Contributing Writers Frank Frost Sheila Grant Gerry Lavigne Advertising Director Steve Martin Advertising Sales Jeff Orcutt jorcutt@bangordailynews.com Creative Services Bridgit Cayer Faith Burgos John Koladish Michele Prentice To advertise in our next edition, please call Jeff Orcutt at 207-990-8036 Toll-free in Maine 1-800-432-7964 ext. 8036 or email jorcutt@bangordailynews.com ©2012 Bangor Daily News. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without express written consent. Requests for permission to copy, reprint, or duplicate any content should be directed to athibodeau@bangordailynews.com

bangordailynews.com 491 Main Street, Bangor, Maine 04401 To subscribe call 207-990-8040 or toll-free in Maine 1-800-432-7964. About the cover A day hiker takes in the view on the slopes of Mount Katahdin, elevation 5,270, the tallest mountain in Maine. Katahdin Lake is seen in the distance. PHOTO BY ROBERT F. BUKATY

The Pamola peak of Mount Katahdin, the tallest mountain in Maine’s Baxter State Park.

I Tales from

Maine’s mighty Katahdin BY AISLINN SARNACKI, OUTDOORS STAFF WRITER

was 17 when I first hiked to Maine’s tallest summit, Baxter Peak on Mount Katahdin, and time has wrapped the memory in a cloudy husk. Bits and pieces remain clear – the taste of peanuts and chocolate, the unrelenting summer sun, the milehigh summit of rosy, lichenencrusted granite. Since then, Maine’s great mountain has pulled me back many times. It’s a tradition. Each summer, my mother’s side of the family, along with friends that might as well be family, rent an entire campground in Baxter State Park and erect a village of tents. I single out my first ascent, because therein lies the making of a tradition. None of the merry group feels obligated to hike, we do so with a thirst for adventure and challenge that gnaws at us year round.

Summer 2005

Early mornings breed short sentences. With stiff joints and skin sodden with dew, we crawled from our tents in the glow of sunrise and assembled under a canvas canopy to force down breakfast and stuff our daypacks in near silence. My uncle Bruce Jordan

PHOTO BY ROBERT F. BUKATY

checked supplies and steered us to the vehicles. The Baxter trip tradition began with his family of four in 1998, when my cousin Eben Jordan was just 6 years old, my cousin Eve Jordan, 8. Since then, the tradition has branched outward, finally snagging up my mother, Joyce, and myself.

Maine’s great mountain has pulled me back many times. A bumpy ride in a truck bed rattled me fully awake before being dropped off with our impressive group (10-15 people) at Roaring Brook Campground. We embarked on Chimney Pond Trail, a gradual climb more than 3.3 miles to Chimney Pond, a pristine tarn cradled in the arms of a mountain range. I remember watching the hiker in front of me – muddy boots navigating an increasingly steep route. I remember thinking, “This is harder than basketball,” and that perhaps I had gotten in over my head. Then I experienced the strange propul-

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF AISLINN SARNACKI

George Eisworth (from left), Derek Whited, Eben Jordan, Elyse DeNeige, Sam Clapp, Eben Roubichaud, Eve Jordan, Aislinn Sarnacki and Derek Runnells sit on a rock near the entrance of Baxter State Park in August 2011 after hiking Mount Katahdin during their annual camping trip. sion – family and friends ahead and behind, an energy pushing me ever higher. A granola bar and swig of water later, we were on Helon Taylor, a narrow wooded trail that climbs gradually to Pamola Peak, which at 4,919 feet above sea level, guards the eastern end of the Great Basin. Some peaks are meant for brief visits only — a triumphant whoop, a camera flash and a wave farewell. Pamola is one of those peaks. I’ve always felt that Pamola has a strange aura about it — as if the peak is merely tolerating your presence, and if you overstay your welcome, something otherworldly might befall you. After a “no-horsing-around” lecture from Uncle Bruce, we stepped onto Knife Edge, a narrow 1.1-mile ridge that connects Pamola with its big brother, Baxter. My mother hiked behind me. Every once in a while, she’d call out in the strained voice of a worried parent, reminding me to hike slower, keep a hand on the rocks, “stop jumping about like a gazelle.” For good reason – Knife Edge narrows at some points to just a yard in width, the sides plunging down for thousands of feet. I remember being scared and thrilled at the same time, my heart beating fast but my legs steady. We crept carefully to Baxter Peak, which has always seemed the friendlier of the two peaks. At 5,226 feet, it is the summit of the great moun-

Stewards of Maine’s Environment Since 1845 Poland Spring’s respect for the environment, our stewardship of water sources and the land Bruce and Kerry Jordan of Veazie ordered custom long-sleeve T-shirts for their group of family and friends that camp and hike at Baxter State Park each year. The camping tradition began in 1998, and the group has grown from four to about 25 people. tain, marked by an enormous stone cairn and a sign that rangers swap out every 10 years before the chiseled lettering becomes unreadable from relentless wind and hikers compelled to leave their mark on Maine’s highest point. This is where we snack and rest, huddled in nooks between jagged rocks. The Tableland, a flat, boulder-strewn plain, carpeted with stunted growth, led us to the Saddle Trail, where we descended, scrambling down scree. My toes jammed painfully against the tips of my running shoes (not having hiking boots so early in my outdoor endeavors). I paused several

times to tighten the laces, but it was no use. I cried silently as we traversed 5.5 miles to the end. My toenails would later turn purple and fall off. Back at camp, the sore feet and insect bites didn’t matter. I took out my custom long-sleeve T-shirt, courtesy of my Aunt Kerry and Uncle Bruce. On the front of the shirt were two hiking boots and the slogan “Not all those who wander are lost.” On the back, several destinations within Baxter State Park, and beside each, a box to check off. With a magic marker, I checked off “Pamola Peak,” “Knife Edge” and “Baxter Peak” before pulling it on over PAGE 6 ►

around them, and our commitment to being a good employer and a good neighbor, are all part of our heritage as a Maine company. We’re proud to turn a rapidly renewable natural resource into nearly 800 full time and seasonal good jobs for Maine people.

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www.PolandSpringWorksforMaine.com

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Sandy Sabaka summits Mount Katahdin, finishing her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail on Oct. 13, 2002. She celebrates at the summit sign on Baxter Peak. Mount Katahdin as seen from from Caverly Pond. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SANDY SABAKA ◄ PAGE 5

my head. By the smoking fire, dead weight in a flimsy camp chair, I laughed and ate burnt marshmallows, knowing I’d return the following year, and the next, and the next.

Sandy Sabaka of Hope submitted an abridged version of her journal entry from the last day of her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2002.

ct. 13, 2002 — Friends had gathered and come by on their way up, sure I would be zooming past them shortly. But in the end, I caught up to no one and was only caught by C. He helped me up some of the long reaches in the boulders above treeline. I cried with frustration at one point when I couldn’t see a way up ‘I’ll be the only thru-hiker to not summit Katahdin because it’s too hard.’ My brother had stopped before the Tableland to wait for us. The three of us continued across that rocky, flat stretch. The day was clear up there, brilliant, and we were able to see people on the summit. I had wanted the last hike to last forever, but now I wanted the celebration to start. I left them behind as I hurried toward the top. I thought I had it under control until I saw the Aframed sign, the stuff my dreams had been filled with for months. Clint was just coming down and caught me sobbing. He gave me a hug — “It’s up there, waiting for you.” I nodded and continued up. The crowd started cheering, I cried harder. It was really done. The sign was mine; I had to touch it. Pictures were taken; I had

missed the group thru-hiker picture in my non-haste to get there. Others were on their way down. I fumbled with my Springer stones and tucked them into the cairn with a blessing. Champagne was uncorked; I tried to eat something. Strong hiker friends were telling me they were proud of me. Any one of them could do this or outdo me any day. I had just chosen to make this my year, finally. Slowly, people left the summit. It was a beautiful day, but they had been waiting for a while. I knew I had to get down, and there was weather coming in, so with one last look at the sign, I turned my back on it and for once, hiked South on the AT, following the white blazes for 5 more miles. Sabaka plans to be married at Katahdin Stream Campground September 2012, “in the shadow of the mountain.” Her fiancé is a Baxter State Park ranger who Sabaki met during one of the summers she worked as a ridge runner on the AT out of Baxter State Park. Read more of her thru-hike journal at trailjournals.com.

Jay Robinson of South Woodville remembers hiking Katahdin in 2003 with his 81-year-old father, Wilmot “Wiggie” Robinson.

’ve climbed Katahdin 12 times now in my 56 years. But two most memorable hikes, one in 2003 and another in 2007, will forever be etched as foremost in my memory. The first hike I mention, in 2003, I had the honor of hiking the mountain with my 81 years young dad, Wilmot “Wiggie” Rob-

inson. To so many, he was a friend and well known personality in the outdoor arena of Maine, but to me, he was just my dad. Dad was in a party of hikers including Bill Irwin, the noted blind hiker who had previously completed the entire Appalachian Trail with his guide dog, Orient, in 1990, and then later documented it in his book “Blind Courage.” Bill’s new dog, Colby, nobly served his master. Their chosen route up was the 5.2 mile Hunt Trail, also known as the final leg of the Appalachian Trail. For my ascent, I would be climbing up via the Abol Trail and then onward along the Tableland to the peak. By 10:30 a.m. I had arrived a couple of hours before they did, but from several hikers who had met and passed his party, I was receiving a steady stream of ongoing reports of their whereabouts. Finally, along the open expanse of the Tableland, perhaps 200 yards away, I could make out their slow but steady progress with Bill and his dog, Colby, leading the entourage. As they approached, with each stride words alone here cannot express the sheer emotion welling up inside me. I watched with pride as my smiling 81-year-old Dear Ol’ Dad drew closer until finally that memorable moment when we embraced atop mighty Katahdin amid a ringing applause from perhaps 50 people gathered at the peak. Of all the many memories we had shared over the years in the great outdoors surrounding Katahdin’s shadow, this would certainly rank among the top! When it finally became time to

leave, my dad and I, together with his friend and faithful companion Ray Boland began our descent down Abol Trail. Along the way, on that glorious, sunsplashed, late August day with hopes held high, my dad made a vow to attempt another climb up Katahdin in four years, in his 85th year of life on this earth. In that moment, I never doubted him in his will and determination to succeed with that goal. It would have been the three of us — my 14-year-old son Michael, myself and Dad. What a memorable trip that certainly would have been! But, sadly, it was not to be, as my dad passed on from this earth of a heart attack shortly after his 85th birthday on June 29, 2007. The early summer day had a beautiful, blue sky. He was at his beloved camp with my mom tending to gardening chores when God called him home, in full view of the mountain he cherished so much. In 2007, my son Michael and his friend Zack made plans to honor that commitment despite the sad circumstances. In a larger sense, Michael and I both knew that Grampy would still be along with us in spirit on our journey. For one so dear, that person’s memory is never too far away. Tucked in my pack that day, in a very personal matter, I carried along a portion of my dad’s ashes in a small container. I planned to scatter to the wind those contents, in his memory, to the mountain he so loved and played a role in his life in Katahdin Country. But as I climbed that day with each moment closer toward the top, my emotions

grew. Finally atop the mountain, I reached for the small container tucked away in my backpack. As I closed my eyes and listened to the wind, I held it in my hands for the longest moment and whispered a silent prayer. I couldn’t do it. I just wasn’t ready to let go. Once again, my Dad and I made the trip back down our mountain.

Michael Brown, originally from Hampden and now living in Boston, relates his trip to Chimney Pond on February 2011.

e were skiing into Chimney Pond last February a day behind three of our good buddies. Arriving at dusk after hauling our sleds the requisite 16 miles to the base of the mountain, we headed into the Ranger’s cabin to check in and settle our sleeping arrangements in a nearby lean-to. He was having what seemed to be a very serious phone conversation with a search and rescue crew. When he hung up he said, “Glad you guys could make it, we might need your help hauling a dead body or two off Pamola.” “Nice to meet you, too,” was the thought in my head. Immediately we thought of our three friends who were attempting to summit that day via Pamola’s Fury. We quickly cleared up that it was not our friends, but rather a group of students from the University of Maine who had summated via Helon Taylor from the Roaring Brook campsite. The mountain was pretty socked in with 70-mph winds and high avalanche danger, not the best day to be summiting anything. It turned

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PHOTO COURTESY OF JED PALMER

Michael Brown (from left) stands beside August Longino at Baxter Peak of Mount Katahdin on Feb. 21, 2011. They hiked to the summit together with their friend Jed Palmer.

out that the last of the four hikers was blown off the trail. The next day we summited Hamlin peak while watching a helicopter, airplane, and ground crews work to find the missing hiker. Arriving back at the campsite in the early afternoon the Ranger remarked, “If we don’t find him by tonight then he won’t make it.” The temperatures were expected to reach well below 20 degrees with the wind chill. Luckily, they found him that afternoon and air-lifted him to the hospital. There were a few major mistakes that the group made that led to their accident but none bigger than forgetting to thank the search and rescue crew who saved his life. In his interview after the fact, he recounted the survival tactics he learned from watching Bear Grylls on television as the reasons for why he survived. What he didn’t say was that had there not serendipitously been a search and rescue training group already in Baxter State Park that day, he would be dead right now.

Mike Flynn of Ripley has hiked to the summit of Katahdin 81 times in the past 35 years. He relates some of his amusing Katahdin experiences.

ne day, I was resting on top when I noticed a rainsquall heading this way from Chesuncook. My friend and I packed up and headed down the Hunt Trail. We were almost at the edge of the Tableland when the rain started. There was an 18-inch opening at the bottom of a ledge with a small chamber. We crawled

in, hauled our packs in and waited for the squall to pass. We were eating gorp [“good old raisins and peanuts”] and conversing, when some hikers passed by outside of the crack. They could hear our voices but couldn’t see anybody. One of them remarked that Pamola must be talking to them. When we crawled out of the hole, we thanked Pamola for providing us with the shelter. Hoping for an early start, we were sleeping in the back of my truck at the gravel pit outside the park. We had an unusual wake up alarm. We awoke to the sound of tapping on the hood of my truck. After a couple of minutes listening to the tapping, I looked out the window. Standing in front of my truck was a cow and calf moose. It was blackfly season and when the calf wagged its tail, it tapped on my hood. A unique alarm, indeed. The rugged grandeur of the mountain, with its towering cliffs, clear, cold running streams and host of animals inhabiting its slopes, makes Mt. Katahdin one of my favorite hiking destinations.

Dale Murray of Windham has never hiked Katahdin, but it has long been a part of his life.

can’t remember when Katahdin entered my life. I have never climbed it, never hunted or fished its flanks. I have never even entered Baxter State Park. The mountain was simply always there, ethereal, just beyond true comprehension. It was and remains mystic, spiritual. In the 1950s, Katahdin was a

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA DAVIDGE

Susan Hopp (left) and Donna Davidge pose on Baxter Peak, the summit of Mount Katahdin in October 2010.

vague concept to me, but I knew it was important. A mile high! That in itself impressed a preteen, especially after Dad pointed out that laid on its side it would stretch from the high school to Breton’s Store. Back then few from Greenville climbed the mountain so there was little lore for guidance. As a Boy Scout with a troop associated with the Katahdin Area Council, I didn’t connect. Katahdin had nothing to do with my scouting adventures around Moosehead. Its meaning was as shrouded in mist as Katahdin itself often is. I first saw Katahdin when my parents decided to visit the Tweedie family at Rip Dam. The drive to the dam was quite different from today, though it is more similar since GNP stopped maintaining the roads. The rutted ride from Kokadjo and the endless tree line bored me. Then, something magical occurred. Out of nowhere appeared a paved road, right smack dab in the middle of the forest! Elated, I perked up. Still, I was unprepared for what lay ahead. We rounded the corner that descends to river level, and the mystic became real. I was awestruck. Still am every time I see it. Since that first time, I have contemplated the mountain from all directions. I often join my brother in Fort Kent for fishing trips and have explored every northbound route. I have viewed the mountain’s backside from the Telos Road and marveled at its majestic southwestern vista from the Golden Road where it virtually looms overhead. I have embraced the majesty of its east-

ern panoply from the farm at the Stacyville corner on Route 11, the northeastern vantage from the turnout off I-95 near Sherman and the stunning view from the hill that descends into Sherman Station. Always, to this day, I’ve marveled at its magnificence. It remains a mystical, spiritual monolith.

Mary Margaret Colman, who teaches in the Music Department at Rowan University in New Jersey, plans to retire in Maine in two years, and she has memories of doing trailwork on Katahdin.

y fondest memory of Mount Katahdin is back in the ‘90s when I used to do annual volunteer work with Lester Kenway. He was the hardest worker and most caring person and experienced in every way when it came to reconstructing the rugged trails of Mount Katahdin. In the mid‘90s, a team of volunteers cut huge rocks on the Hunt Trail and built up the two sets of rock steps that exist there today. About one mile in on the Hunt Trail, there was one particular rock that they hammered out to create 38 new rock steps on the Hunt Trail. We worked in damp, cloudy, rainy weather for three days in a row and stayed in volunteer cabins at Katahdin Stream Campground. When Lester was about to place one huge “heart rock” in place about 1-2 miles in on the Hunt Trail, we all gathered around in a circle and watched

him place it. It stopped raining at that moment, and we all clapped when it fell into place. I told him I had a collection of over 500 heart rocks that I collected over the years, and he thought that was grand. I can still “spot” that rock today on the Hunt Trail that has “two sets” of rock steps. I believe the first set has 60 steps, and the second set of rock steps (about 2 miles in on the trail) has 63 rock steps that Lester built over a three-year period with many volunteers. It was grand to watch the progress. And my most scary moment was when I had to cross Katahdin Stream about 3 miles in on the Hunt Trail to get batteries for Lester, who spoke with the volunteers across the stream with walkie talkies as we hoisted the rocks up from where we were digging to carry them in the hoisted boxes across the stream to the Hunt Trail. Hikers walking on the Appalachian Trail would never know that so much work has gone into these steps as they hurry to finish their last few miles of their spiritual hike from Springer Mountain in Georgia to the top of Mt. Katahdin. I will never forget Lester’s yellow boots. We called him “The Rubber Duckie.” I worked with two friends, Marjorie Stratton (town manager of Vinalhaven, Maine) and Mary Knowlton (retired from University of Maine Human Resources). PAGE 8 ►

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Donna Sewall Davidge of IslandFalls relates what the natural beauty and history of Katahdin means to her and her family.

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ount Katahdin means the “Great One,” as the Indians called it. It rises majestically as you view it from the scenic overlook on I-95 or from various points in Island Falls, where Theodore Roosevelt started when he climbed it. It means wilderness and wildlife and, thanks to the vision of Mr. Baxter, it meant preserving it for Maine and its people. When Theodore Roosevelt climbed it, he was with my great grandfather William Sewall. It means a lot to me to keep the tradition alive — of friendship that can be made in nature, which doesn’t judge you for what you have or who you know. Nature treats all equally. Involved in the battle to keep the wind turbines from harming our wildlife and hilltops viewed from Mount Katahdin, I never thought the day would come that the area is so jeopardized. Even if [natural landscape] is ruined nearby (if a miracle happens, the people of Maine may wake up and rise up and say, “Please do not change the way of life we

Mt. Katahdin means the “Great One,” as the Indians called it. It rises majestically as you view it from the scenic overlook on I-95.

have known all these years.”) the mountain will remain unchanged, even as everything around it does not remain the same. If [Katahdin] had a voice it might cry out, “What are you doing to the brothers and sisters I look out at every day? What is the blasting and the machines as high as skyscrapers? What purpose will they make? How will they serve my beautiful land and woods?” I climbed Katahdin 1999 and again in 2010. The second time, I was with a guest who returned to my great-grandfather’s home in Island Falls, where we host people as he did. She was determined to climb Katahdin. She had climbed mountains as far away as Ecuador and lived in California. I always say Susan Hopp made me go to the top. It was a glorious October day. I so hope and pray the next time she returns we will have the same views, free of industrial wind turbines that would ruin our experience of nature.

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ABaxter

Legacy Memories of Kidney Pond Camps resonate with former visitors

Lives On

BY RANDY SPENCER, SPECIAL TO BDN MAINE OUTDOORS PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVE NORRIS

hy would Harold Colt, heir to the Colt Firearms legacy and fortune, with the world at his feet, chose to spend his entire summers at one haunt in the Maine woods? Why did governors, senators, world-famous physicians, military leaders, and a host of other dignitaries choose the same destination for their retreats? And why did Percival Baxter, in his late years and in compromised health, go there too for the last of his outings in his namesake park? Those who know can’t get the answer out fast enough: Kidney Pond Camps. To learn why such an honor roll of patrons would put their beloved, backwoods sanctum in the Pantheon of Maine’s great sporting camps of the 20th century requires talking to those who knew it best. “My father gave a free week as a wedding present to the son or daughter of any patron,” said Steve Norris, explaining some of the camp traditions that created lifelong guests. “You also got a free week for catching the largest brook trout of the season.” The rustic, enchanting, wilderness outpost, known affectionately as KPC to generations of visitors, was the last “private concession” in Baxter to be closed by the state, in 1987. For decades, its clientele and its legend had grown under the management of Charlie and Ruth Norris, of Dixfield, Maine, and then Steve and Nancy Norris of Orrington. Stephen Anderson of South

Portland recalled being brought there by his aunt in 1954. “We did not get to go all the way by car. We were stopped by a stream and were taken by horse-drawn wagon into the camps.” As an adult, Anderson returned with his own family in the 1980s. “Life at Kidney Pond Camps was one of grace, quiet, extraordinary food, company, and fly fishing,” he reminisced. “The clientele included people of national and international prominence.” Like most KPC clients, Anderson fondly remembered Colt. “His off season travels took him to the far reaches of the world. He would share his slides from the Cairo Museum or describe how hieroglyphs were painted in dark caves, or take the group on a tour of the Maldives … great stuff by generator in the middle of nowhere.” In the early 1980’s, Jim and Jan Fowler of Easton, Mass., took their two boys, aged 9 and 11, to Kidney Pond. “Moose were seen in and around the camp almost every day, and the jays and chipmunks would eat from, and sometimes sit on your hand,” Fowler mused. We fished a different pond every day, and the trout were most accommodating. It is clear now that these early life experiences had a lasting and lifemolding effect on the lives of my children.” Steve Norris, who met his future wife, Nancy when she waitressed for the camps, ran them with her after his father contracted Alzheimer’s. “There were 10 trout ponds within hiking distance, each one outfitted with

Camp Laura was one of several at Kidney Pond Camps, a privately run sporting camp in Baxter State Park. Operated for years by the Norris family, Kidney Pond Camps closed in 1987, leaving generations of loyal visitors with just their vivid memories of the special place in the Maine woods. would not renew the concession lease, letters from generations of Kidney Pond clientele flooded park authority mail boxes. Luckily, sad chapters don’t always come last. The model and spirit of Kidney Pond a canoe,” he recalled. “Each eveCamps was carried forward by ning, since I was a kid, Dad would Steve and Nancy Norris when sign you up for your choice of they opened The Pines Lodge on ponds the next day, and you usuSysladobsis Lake in Penobscot ally had it to yourself. Everyone County in 1992. Many from the compared catches and stories in KPC honor roll followed them the evening.” there to hear the echo of former While the rest of the sprawling times. They were not disappark was accessible to the hale pointed. and able for hiking and sleeping “[The Pines] continues a numout, Kidney Pond also accommober of the same elements of Baxdated guests, like Baxter himself, ter,” Jim Fowler says. “Like Baxwho needed only a convenience ter, many of the guests return the or two to be able to enjoy roughsame weeks each year, so friending it. The closing of KPC as a ships become very close.” commercial lease was, for many, a Stephen Anderson brought a sad chapter in Baxter history. van load of buddies to The Pines When it became evident the state the first year it opened. “We had

the benefit of a warm welcome and the reunification with a few of the old KPC guests!” he said. He added that it was a special moment the first time he heard the dinner bell ringing from the porch of The Pines. He recognized the tone, and later discovered it was the bell from Kidney Pond. “Nothing can replace KPC,” Norris reflected. “But we derived all we know about running a camp from Kidney Pond. It served us well.” Randy Spencer’s “Where Cool Waters Flow: Four Seasons with a Master Maine Guide” won the New England Outdoor Writers Association 2010 Book of the Year Award. He is a working guide, musician, and author. Contact Randy at www.randyspencer.com

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ATVersridewhererailroadtrainsoncerumbled BY BRIAN SWARTZ, ADVERTISING STAFF EDITOR

ith the snip of a yellow ribbon on Sept. 21, 2010, outdoor recreationists gained full access to the 87-mile Down East Sunrise Trail — and ATVers now ride where trains once rumbled. Owned by the Maine Department of Transportation and maintained by the Maine Department of Conservation, the DEST extends from Washington Junction in Hancock to Ayers Junction on Route 214 in Pembroke. The trail takes ATVers across inland and coastal landscapes that reflect Maine’s natural beauty, from the Schoodic Bog to the Narraguagus River to the Machias River to Big Meadow.

The countryside’s so beautiful, ATVers must see it to believe it. And many do. Open to outdoor recreationists of all types, the DEST features a hard-packed gravel surface, redecked bridges, and sufficient signs to steer ATVers in the right direction. The trail intersects critical local trails, including several that access interior Washington County. A four-wheeling excursion on the DEST can encompass inland waterways, thick spruce-fit forests, tidal waterways (along the East Machias and Machias rivers), wide meadows, and the inevitable beaver lodge rising from a trailside flowage. Watch for wildlife; birds

abound, and signs identify turtle nesting habitat near particular streams. Deer, moose, black bear, and the occasional otter sometimes appear on or near the trail. Although the DEST crosses

tick off the miles from Washington Junction (just shy of Mile 2) to Ayers Junction (about 3/8-mile beyond Mile 87). The reason that Washington Junction is not Mile 0 is that the Department of Conservation wants to extend the

Two ATVs can pass carefully side by side on the DEST except on the bridges. Be careful when approaching an oncoming ATVer or bicyclist where the trail crosses a wetland, as on the Schoodic Bog: One bump, and somebody’s in the drink. Route 1 only once, multiple road crossings — public and private — exist along its length. Obey the stop signs: Traffic appears quickly around nearby curves. Stay to the right on the trail. Thick woods obscure some curves; straying too far left could be dangerous. Two ATVs can pass carefully side by side on the DEST except on the bridges. Be careful when approaching an oncoming ATVer or bicyclist where the trail crosses a wetland, as on the Schoodic Bog: One bump, and somebody’s in the drink. For folks wondering just where they are when riding the trail, signs identify municipal boundaries, and “mile markers”

DEST two miles west to High Street in Ellsworth. Trail access is easy. For ATVers needing to park a truck and trailer, adequate trailheads exist at: • Washington Junction, located about midway between High Street in Ellsworth and Route 1 in Hancock. This trailhead can accommodate many vehicles and has a portable toilet; • Route 182, just west of the Franklin Trading Post in Franklin; • Route 183 in East Sullivan. This small trailhead lies beneath a short, steep downslope, so be careful when entering or exiting; • Route 193 in Cherryfield, just north of the Willey District Road intersection; • Tibbettstown Road in

Columbia Falls, just north of the Route 1 intersection. This lot can hold three trucks, perhaps. Be careful when entering or exiting; • Station Road in Jonesboro. Although isolated, this trailhead provides good east-west access to the DEST’s central section; • Route 1 just east of the Machias Dike. Located across the highway from Dunkin Donuts, this trailhead is popular with bicyclists and hikers; • Station Road in East Machias, just east of the Machiasport bridge; • On Willow Street in East Machias, just behind Archibald’s Store; • At Route 191 about 6½ miles north of East Machias; • Just off the Milwaukee Road in Dennysville. This trailhead lies west of Route 86 and north of the Denny Rivers bridge; • Ayers Junction, located on Route 214 about 4 miles from Pembroke. There is a portable toilet here. For much of its length, the Down East Sunrise Trail runs far from population centers; services are spotty, so plan accordingly. Headed east from Washington Junction, ATVers can obtain services at: • The Franklin Trading Post (food and fuel), just off Mile Marker 11. The rear parking lot was expanded last year to handle trail traffic; • North Street Café in Cherryfield (food), located beside

Bangor Hydro Electric Company (207) 947-2414 | 1-800-499-6600

Bangor Hydro is improving the electric system of the Downeast region through the Downeast Reliability Project. This new 115 kV transmission line will enhance reliability and increase capacity to the Downeast coastal area, and will benefit the region for many years. A portion of the new line has been built along the Down East Sunrise Trail in a previously existing transmission corridor. Extensive construction work was conducted last summer and fall, and the project is now more than 70 percent complete. A small section of work along the trail in Columbia is expected to be completed this summer. Bangor Hydro and 3Phase Line Construction would like to thank the Down East Sunrise Trail Coalition, the Maine Department of Conservation, and all the users of the trail for working so cooperatively with us to get this work done. The residents of coastal Hancock and Washington Counties will benefit from this new line by the end of 2012.

www.bangorhydro.com

BDN MAINE OUTDOORS EXTRA PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Headed eastbound near Mile Marker 70 on the Down East Sunrise Trail in East Machias, an ATVer rides ahead of two bicyclists.

BDN MAINE OUTDOORS EXTRA

BDN MAINE OUTDOORS EXTRA PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Two ATVers riding on a “2-up” ATV head east on the Down East Sunrise Trail where it crosses the Schoodic Bog beneath Schoodic Mountain.

the trail about halfway between Mile Markers 29 and 30. Watch for the sign and arrow; • The Circle K (food and fuel) on Route 1 in Harrington. A sign on the DEST directs ATVers onto a local trail leading to this business; • Main Street in Machias (food, fuel, and overnight accommodations);

• Archibald’s Store (food and fuel), near Mile Marker 62 in East Machias; • At the Dodge Road stop sign in Dennysville, signs direct ATVers to the Cobscook Bay Café (food), 6.5 miles away on Route 1 in Dennysville; the Whiting Store (food and fuel), 14 miles away on Route 1 in Whiting; or McLeod’s

Variety (food and fuel), 27 miles away on Route 9 in Baileyville; • A bit farther east, a sign directs ATVers to a local business with overnight cottages; • From Ayers Junction, a local club trail will bring ATVers to a Route 1 store in Pembroke. Cross the road and follow the old railroad bed east.

SomeimportantlawstobeawareofwhileATVinginMaine: • A person under age 10 may not operate an ATV. • Those older than 10 but younger than 16 may not operate an ATV on a public trail unless they have successfully completed a training course approved by the state. After completion of the course, those riders must still be accompanied by an adult. Those who are older than 10 and younger than 16 may operate an ATV without taking a training course if their operation takes place on land where they live, or which is owned or leased by that person’s parent, or is at a training site approved by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. • A person may not operate an ATV or any other motor vehicle other than a snowmobile on a snowmobile trail that is financed in whole or in part by the Snowmobile Trail Fund, unless that use has been authorized by the landowner, or unless that use is necessitated by an emergency. • There are no reciprocal registration privileges. A nonresident is required to register an ATV in Maine in order to operate it here. • A person may not operate an ATV upon a

• • •

• •

private road after having been forbidden to do so by the owner’s agent or a municipal official, either personally or by appropriately displayed notices. A person must bring an ATV to a complete stop before entering a public way. A person may not operate an ATV except at a reasonable and prudent speed for the conditions. Persons operating ATVs upon the land of another shall stop and identify themselves upon the request of the landowner or the landowner’s authorized representative. Notwithstanding Title 29-A, section 2083, a person under 18 years old may not operate an ATV unless wearing protective headgear. Notwithstanding Title 29-A, section 2083, a person may not carry a passenger under age 18 on an ATV unless the passenger is wearing protective headgear.

For a complete summary of Maine ATV laws, go to http://www.maine.gov/ifw/laws_rules/atvlaws.htm#age

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CRUISE TO OFFSHORE LIGHTHOUSES BY BRIAN SWARTZ, ADVERTISING STAFF EDITOR

onnect with Maine’s maritime history by visiting an offshore lighthouse this summer. And leave the driving — or rather, “skippering” — to an experienced tour boat crew. Like eider ducks swimming along a rock-bound shore, lighthouses often “cluster” along the Maine coast, particularly near ports. For example, six lighthouses once guarded the Portland Harbor approaches: Two Lights (with the West Tower deactivated in 1924) and Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse near Cushing Island, and Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse and Breakwater Lighthouse (Bug Light) in South Portland. Other lighthouse clusters exist offshore — and on a fine Maine summer day, no better pastime exists than cruising the coast to see different lighthouses. From Kittery to Lubec, tour operators offer the perfect lighthouse cruise itinerary. Prices vary with the cruise. Plan on paying $20-$25 per person for shorter cruises and more per person for longer cruises. Always bring a jacket when sailing in Maine’s cool coastal waters. • Kittery/Portsmouth: Board an Isles of Shoals Steamship Company cruise and sail past Portsmouth Harbor Light in New Castle, N.H.; Whaleback Ledge Light in Kittery;

Little River Lighthouse in Cutler

and White Island Lighthouse in the Isles of Shoals. Maine and New Hampshire split these islands, which are scenic rocky outcrops scattered across the sea 9 miles offshore. For information, call (800) 441-4620 or (603) 431-5500 visit islesofshoals.com. • York: Bigger ‘n Better Sport Fishing offers a cruise that encompasses remote Boone Island Light (the tallest Maine lighthouse), Cape Neddick Light in York, Whaleback Ledge Light, and White Island Light. For information, call (800) 526-8172 or (774) 200-3020 or visit biggernbetter.com. • Ogunquit: Finestkind Sea Cruises sails from Perkins Cove and offers, among other cruises, an excursion past Cape Neddick Lighthouse (aka Nubble Light) in York. For information, call 6465227 or visit finestkindcruises.com. • Portland: Several companies based on the Portland waterfront offer harbor cruises that take passengers past Bug Light and Spring Point Ledge Light, and a few cruises add a Portland Head Light “sail by.” On a sunny day, all three lighthouses are best viewed in the morning or late afternoon. For information, visit http://directory. portlandmaine.com. • Bath: Located downriver from Bath Iron Works, the Maine Maritime Museum runs cruises along the Kennebec River. Passengers will

often see six lighthouses: delightful Doubling Point Light, Kennebec River Range Light, Squirrel Point Light, Perkins Island Light, and Pond Island Light and the allegedly haunted Seguin Island Light, both located near the river’s entrance. Doubling Point Light and Squirrel Point Light are also accessible

On a fine Maine summer day, no better pastime exists than cruising the coast to see different lighthouses. by land. For information, call 4431316 or visit mainemaritimemuseum.org. • Boothbay Harbor: Lighthouses abound in local waters, and Cap’n Fish’s Boat Trips tailors several cruises for lighthouse aficionados. Typical cruises include nearby Burnt Island Light or Ram Island Light (best viewed from noon to early evening on sunny days). The three-hour Kennebec River Lighthouse Cruise sails past Burnt Island Light, Cuckolds Light off Southport, Seguin Island Light (some distance away), Pond Island

Light, Perkins Island Light, Squirrel Point Light, Kennebec River Range Light, and Doubling Point Light. For information, call (207) 633-6605 or visit boothbayboattrips.com. • New Harbor: From this picturesque village in Bristol, Hardy Boat Cruises runs a one-hour roundtrip cruise to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, which is also accessible via Route 130. Hardy Boat Cruises also offers a Puffin Cruise to Eastern Egg Rock in Muscongus Bay; on a clear day, passengers can see Franklin Island Lighthouse to the north. For information, call (800) 278-3346 or (207) 677-2026 or (800) 278-3346 or visit hardyboat. com. • Port Clyde: This quintessential Maine fishing village lies at the tip of the St. George Peninsula. The Monhegan Boat Co. offers an interesting cruise that encompasses Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, Tenants Harbor Lighthouse (owned by artist Jamie Wyeth) off Tenants Harbor, Whitehead Island Lighthouse at the southern entrance to the Mussel Ridge Channel, and Two Bush Island Lighthouse, a remote Penobscot Bay outpost. En route to completing the eastern leg of his crosscountry run in “Forrest Gump,” actor Tom Hanks — or a reasonable facsimile — trotted onto the walkway connecting the shore with

the 31-foot lighthouse at Marshall Point. At Tenants Harbor Light, a resident occasionally fires a cannon — with a blank, of course — at the passing tour boat. For information, call (207) 372-8848 or visit monheganboat.com. • Camden: Every vessel approaching or departing Camden Harbor must pass Curtis Island Lighthouse. Several windjammers and power boats offer cruises from this scenic harbor backdropped by Mount Battie; the Betselma takes passengers past Curtis Island Light and privately owned Indian Island Light, located off Rockport. For information, visit camdenmaineexperience.com or camdenmainevacation.com. • Lincolnville: Catch the ferry Margaret Chase Smith and cross West Penobscot Bay to visit Grindle Point Lighthouse on Islesboro. Easily photographed as the ferry approaches its terminal, the lighthouse houses the Sailor’s Memorial Museum and stands adjacent to the terminal. For information about Islesboro ferry service, call (207) 789-5611 or visit maine.gov/mdot/msfs/ islesboro.htm. • Deer Isle: Old Quarry Ocean Adventures offers a seven-hour cruise that passes six lighthouses and stops at North Haven for lunch. The six lighthouses are: Robinson Point Light on Isle au

BDN FILE PHOTO BY GABOR DEGRE

Haut, Saddleback Ledge Light, Brown’s Head Light on Vinalhaven, Goose Rocks Light in the Fox Island Thorofare, Heron Neck Light, and Mark Island Light, a white-painted tower guarding the western approaches to the Deer Island Thorofare. For information, visit oldquarry.com, call (207) 3678977, or email info@oldquarry. com. • Bar Harbor: The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. offers four lighthouse-related trips that sail from the company’s pier on West Street. A 2¾-hour cruise sails daily from late June to late October. This tour provides unique views of Sand Beach and Thunder Hole and passes the Little Cranberry Island Lifesaving Station and five lighthouses: Baker Island, Bear Island, Egg Rock, Great Duck Island, and Winter Harbor. A four-hour cruise takes passengers to explore Baker Island and its remote lighthouse. A 3½-4-hour cruise combines a visit to Petit Manan Island Lighthouse with an offshore whale watch. The second-tallest lighthouse on the Maine coast, Petit Manan Island Light guards a birdbreeding colony frequented by nesting puffins. A 2-hour nature cruise explores Frenchman Bay and takes passengers close to Egg Rock Lighthouse. For information, call (207) 2882386 or (888) 942-5374 or visit barharborwhales.com. • Bar Harbor: Sea Venture Custom Boat Tours offers customized tours to such lighthouses as Baker Island Light, Bass Harbor Head Light, Bear Island Light, Blue Hill Bay Light, Burnt Coat Harbor Light (Swans Island), Egg Rock Light, Great Duck Island Light

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(near Frenchboro), Mark Island Light, Petit Main Island Light, Pond Island Light, Prospect Harbor Light, and Pumpkin Island Light (Little Deer Isle). For information, call (207) 288-3355 or visit svboattours.com. • Milbridge: Robertson Sea Tours offer cruises that visit Pond Island Light in Narraguagus Bay, Nash Island Light in Pleasant Bay, and Petit Manan Island Light. For information, call (207) 483-6110 or (207) 461-7439 (cell), email info@robertsonseatours.com, or visit http://robertsonseatours.com. • Cutler: Sailing from this scenic Washington County fishing village, the Bold Coast Charter Company offers cruises to Machias Seal Island, home to nesting puffins and a Canadian lighthouse. Every cruise passes Little River Lighthouse, which guards the Cutler Harbor approaches. For information, call (207) 259-4484, email info@boldcoast.com, or visit boldcoast.com. • Lubec: Located in Lubec are the sparkplug-shaped Lubec Channel Light and West Quoddy Head Light with its distinctive barberpole paint scheme. Nearby on Campobello Island are Mulholland Point Light (deactivated) and East Quoddy Head Light. All but the Lubec Channel Light are accessible by land, but visitors can reach East Quoddy Head Light only at low tide. Cruise operators in Lubec and on Campobello Island offer daily or customized tours that can visit local lighthouses. For tourist information, call (207) 733-2997 or (888) 347-9302, email info@visitlubecmaine.com, or visit visitlubecmaine.com. or www.lubecme. govoffice2.com.

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ThreegenerationsofMaine outdoorenthusiasts BY DAVID TRAHAN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER Maryella Rawnsley, 74, is not your typical grandmother. She loves to bird hunt, fly fish, bass fish, and fish for trout on and around Moxie Lake. Rawnsley is not only an avid outdoorswoman, she is the matriarch who holds the sprawling Humphrey family traditions of hunting and fishing together. When her twin granddaughters, Brittany and Danielle Humphrey, now 22, were just 10 years old, Rawnsley started sleepover hunting parties that included siblings, cousins and friends. A typical party included a hearty hunter breakfast after the morning sit, and big afternoon dinners with lots of fun and laughter. Rawnsley’s love for the outdoors has touched three generations of the Humphrey family. Lonnie and Pam Humphrey, parents of Brittany and Danielle and their 21-year-old brother Cody, have hunted and fished in Maine since childhood. Lonnie

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HUMPHREY FAMILY

Three generations of the Humphrey family, tied by matriarch Maryella Rawnsley, 74, are bound by family traditions of hunting and fishing together.

Humphrey owns and operates a hotdog vending stand in Gray. He speaks fondly of his first Johnson fishing pole and Daisy BB gun, and is proud of his family and their

deep roots in the outdoors. Pam Humphrey, 49, is an education technician at Gray/New Gloucester schools and enjoys

GENERATIONS PAGE 21 ►

WardenServiceofferstips forstayingsafewhenlostinthe Mainewoods

BY BRIAN SWARTZ, ADVERTISING STAFF EDITOR The next time you decide to get lost in the Maine woods, let someone know where you plan to do so. That way, searchers will have a good PLS — Place Last Seen — when they start looking for you. “We average 485 searches a year” said Lt. Kevin Adam, head of Maine Warden Service Region D in Strong. He also is the coordinator for the Incident Management Team, which oversees many search missions across the state. According to Adam, searches range from the high profile — such as the recent successful search for 12-year-old Micah Thomas in Dresden — to a missing hunter to an overdue boater to an elderly person who wandered away from home. Many searches end positively; some do not. Staffed by some 15 members drawn from all over the state, the Incident Management Team gives structure to managing situations

that range from searches to natural disasters, Adam said. Assigned to different sections — logistics, planning, operations, etc. — team members coordi- LT. KEVIN ADAM nate the activities necessary for resolving incidents that can be very large or very small, he said. The Incident Management Team handles 15-20 searches a year. “We direct the resources where to search,” he said. “We’re like the football coach; we call the play, and they execute the play.” Various factors affect when the IMT responds to a missing-person report. “The local police department could be called if it’s a missing person,” Adam explained. “If the per-

son is clearly in the woods, we [Maine Warden Service] are called right away.” He may immediately call out a partial or full Incident Management Team for searches involving a missing child or elderly person, or if there’s bad weather that endangers the missing person’s life. The Incident Management Team supports the local wardens and depends on other teams within the Warden Service to assist in the search, Adam said, referring to the canine team, which he oversees. A search can involve many disciplines, including the IMT, local police, wardens, divers, and dogs and their handlers, he said. Depending on the weather conditions, aircraft, ATVs, boats, and helicopters also may be used. According to Adam, IMT members utilize a vast database to determine where to search. The starting

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Good things are happening at the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine Goo

By David Trahan, Executive Director In less than six months our membership has increased by nearly 1,000 people, and the good will we have earned with our new emphasis on youth and family has earned us a new look from many sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts. Over the last month, Becky Morrell, SAM office manager, her husband Duncan, and their two children, Kelsey and Duncan Jr., have joined me at sportsman shows in Orono, Presque Isle, and Augusta, and the reception has been one of warmth and high hopes for our organization. During the shows we signed up 250 new members and raised nearly $10,000 from raffles and merchandise sales. None of this would have been possible without the many SAM volunteers that took precious time from their families and manned our booth. Thank you to all! Unexpected visitors We were surprised by two highprofile visitors at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show: Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, longtime friend of SAM who is seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, and former governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Angus

King. He was the last governor to make a serious financial commitment to the DIF&W, and his support of sportsmen always was appreciated. New Tenant at the SAM Conference Center We are excited to announce that the Maine Snowmobile Association has signed a longterm rental lease at our SAM Conference Center. SAM and the MSA have had a long and close relationship on issues such as public access, Roxanne Quimby’s national park proposal, and many other issues. We are elated that they will now share our building and look forward to them being a few steps down the hall. Deer Management Network In January, we held our first deer management network fundraiser and game supper. It was a terrific success. One of the network’s first projects was developing a responsible education program for feeding deer. Education materials appeared in 18 Agway stores, thanks to Nutrena representative Don Bibeau. The information also appeared in several outdoor publications and on our website. Next year’s goal is to have the

information in all stores in Maine that sell deer feed. Gerry Lavigne, retired state deer biologist, has been busy developing several more pieces of the network. One exciting piece is a responsible approach to managing predation. He has been busy researching how other states manage coyotes and bear predation. By fall we should be ready to unveil several new initiatives we think will be very popular with sportsmen. Stay tuned! Partnership update We have renewed our partnership with the law ﬁrm Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios. Longtime friend and partner of SAM, Robbins Lumber Co. of Searsmont donated 2,000 board feet of lumber for an outbuilding that we are now constructing on our Augusta property. The Kittery Trading Post has donated another round of items for our rafﬂe, and we offer a special thanks to them for their commitment. Another new partner, Dick’s Sporting Goods, has provided us with online coupons and discounts for our members. Visit sportsmansallianceofmaine.org and print all you want.

Board member moves on We are sad to see that longtime board member Bob Engelhardt has decided not to seek reappointment to the SAM board. Bob has long advocated for issues important to sportsmen, and his voice of reason will be missed. We wish him well. June 13 Tribute to Service fishing tournament scheduled SAM, the International Brotherhood of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and Pine Grove Lodge are partnering on a Tribute to Service fishing tournament on Messalonskee Lake in Belgrade on June 13. Twenty-five boats and guides will take veterans and active duty servicemen and women for a day on the lake. The private catch-and-release tournament is free, and trophies will be awarded on an honor system. We are looking for veterans to fish in our boats as well as volunteers. If you’re interested, please call Becky at 622-5503. Electronic news Providing SAM News electronically will save SAM money on postage. If you would like to receive the SAM News by email, please, contact Becky Morrell: becky@sportsmansallianceofmaine.org

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SAM Legislative Update LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Successful SAM Legislative Agenda Two very important SAM bills were unanimously passed by the Maine Legislature. LD 1747, “An Act to Prohibit Municipalities from Imposing Fees on Ice-Fishing Shacks,” sponsored by Rep. Mike Shaw, D-Standish, passed without opposition and was signed by the governor. This ill-conceived tax had the potential to establish a precedent that paved the way for towns to establish fees on virtually any outdoor activity. Through the hard work of Rep. Shaw and Rep. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, we banned such fees and also learned that Maine Department of Conservation was about to implement a similar fee. SAM initiated an amendment to ban state agencies from charging a fee on shacks, and it also was adopted. LD 1653, “An Act to Make Fisheries and Wildlife Projects Eligible for Tax Increment Financing,” is also a SAM bill and was sponsored by Senate President Kevin Raye, R-Perry. It also passed without opposition. This legislation was one of several that I have personally initiated as a legislator or as the SAM executive director that will help the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fund critical fisheries and wildlife projects. The legislation is meant to empower individuals and community groups to fund investments in wildlife habitat, hatcheries, and other similar projects when local tax breaks are negotiated for energy and business development. For example, when a community proposes a project such as a wind farm, state law allows towns to negotiate longterm financial support for community projects, including water and sewer in lieu of property taxes. LD 1653 clarifies that fisheries and wildlife projects are eligible for long-term investment. This is great news for towns wanting to invest in deer and brook trout habitat. This legislation is one of four important changes in state law that recently have occurred. The other three are: • A new law that allows DIF&W to recoup costs associated with reviewing environmental permits. As our state develops alternative energy sources, agencies such as DIF&W and Marine Resources have provided countless hours of municipal permit review without reimbursement. That means that sportsman’s license fees have paid for

State of Maine Sportsman’s Show prize winners

Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine board member Cheryl Timberlake congratulates Alexis Moon of Jefferson for winning one of the eight ﬁshing poles from Dick’s Sporting Goods rafﬂed at the SAM booth during the March 30-April 1 State of Maine Sportsman’s Show.

expenses that should have been paid for by private business. We initiated legislation to change the law, and it was successful. • The second change was legislation creating tax credits for investment in ﬁsheries and wildlife projects. This new tax credit is designed to spur privatepublic partnerships in projects such as ﬁsh hatcheries and boat launches. • Last year, legislation was passed establishing deer wintering habitat as a priority when purchasing or easing land under the Land for Maine’s Future Program. These four changes are good news for sportsman, but two more important items still need to be addressed: • A new bond package for Land for Maine’s Future. At press deadline, the Legislature was still considering bonds, and we will report on progress in the next SAM News. • Long-term funding for DIF&W. For decades SAM has tried to address the nearly $5 million sportsman subsidies of general fund programs. During this session the problem was again passed to the next Legislature. I had good discussions with Gov. Paul LePage and feel fairly comfortable we will see some help in the next session. Let’s hope I don’t regret that statement!

George Sodergren of Jefferson won the Windham Weaponry .223 that was raffled during the March 30-April 1 State of Maine Sportsman’s Show. Warren Dyke and Windham Weaponry generously donated the rifle for the raffle.

Several bills passed the Legislature and are still waiting for funding from the Appropriations Committee. These laws will only become effective if they are funded, and given the difﬁcult budget times the odds that all these bills receive funding is highly unlikely. These bills are: • LD 213: “An Act to Provide Funding for the Fish Stocking Program,” $500,000. • LD 372: “An Act to Reduce Deer Predation.” This bill would allocate $100,000 for the next ﬁve years to control predation of deer on public and private lands. • LD 637: “An Act to Increase the Amount Tagging Agents Receive for Tagging Game.” Currently it costs $5 to tag a bear, deer, moose, or wild turkey, and agents can keep $1 for their effort. With the passage of this bill, agents can keep $2; the remainder is sent to DIF&W. Other bills passed by the Legislature • LD 1242: “An Act to Restore the Deer Herd in Certain Wildlife Management Districts in Maine” This bill allows the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to prohibit the feeding of deer if chronic wasting disease or the feeding of deer is causing a safety hazard for the public or the deer. It also directs the advisory council to convene a

stakeholders’ meeting annually in areas of the state where the herd need to be enhanced. Ideas will be shared with the department. Finally, the law calls for a voluntary $2 check-off on the hunting license, with the money used for deerpredation or deer-habitat improvement. • LD 1613: “An Act to Strengthen the Relationship between Land Users and Landowners” This bill repeals the super-sport certificate and replaces it with a broader and more inclusive landowner relations program. • LD 1785: “An Act to Repeal the Requirement that Canadian Big Game or Wild Turkey Hunters be Accompanied by Guides Licensed in the State and to clarify the Laws Concerning the Civil Violation of Trespass by Motor Vehicle” The title of this bill is self-explanatory, but was amended to stiffen the penalties for blocking a road to access and also creates a process to better track border use of hunting shacks. • LD 1849: “An Act to Protect Landlocked Salmon Fisheries in Schoodic and Seboeis Lakes from Invasive Species” This bill prohibits the construction of a fish way or fish bypass at the outlets of Schoodic and Seboeis Lakes to stop the progression of pike in the Penobscot watershed.

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New SAM Saltwater Committee formed By: Barry Gibson

Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine Executive Director David Trahan has decided to create a Saltwater Fishing Committee to address issues facing Maine’s coastal anglers. He has asked me to head up the committee. Currently we are forming a group of perhaps five initial members, and expect to meet regularly and on an asneeded basis. Our mission is to enhance the recreational saltwater fishing experience in Maine. We will work to increase the health of our game and food fish stocks, to eliminate angling restrictions that have little or no conservation benefit, and to ensure a fair and equitable regulatory process that will include input from sport fishermen. We also will promote recreational fishing in order to maximize its social and economic benefits. Maine’s saltwater fishermen are facing several key challenges. One is a virtual closure of the cod fishery in 2013. Gulf of Maine cod have been overfished for decades, but tight regulations implemented five years ago appeared to be doing the job

State of Maine Sportsman’s Show Volunteers

Among the volunteers stafﬁng the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine booth at the March 30-April 1 State of Maine Sportsman’s Show were David and Kim Sullivan. David is an ofﬁcer with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. SAM wants to thank Local 6 for assisting with the Sportsman’s Show and to thank Kim Sullivan for working with the children who stopped by the SAM booth.

by allowing the population to rebuild. A new assessment, however, indicates that cod are severely overfished, and that a 90 percent reduction in catch is needed. The SFC will work with regulators and encourage them to reassess using updated methodologies and assumptions. A cutback of this magnitude would be disastrous to Maine’s offshore party and charter boat industry and would impact coastal tourism, so we need real confidence in the science. The recreational catch of winter flounder has been slowly improving in Maine’s nearshore waters during the past few years, yet a 2008 assessment by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission indicated that the overall stock needed to be reduced by 11 percent. The result was a reduction in the length of Maine’s recreational flounder season to three months, July through September. Now, however, a 2011 survey indicates that winter flounder are actually in good shape, so the entire allowable quota has been doubled for 2012. Maine’s recreational

season should therefore be extended, something that has not yet taken place but that the SFC will be working to implement. Striped bass, Maine’s most popular inshore game fish, have been dwindling in numbers for the past few years, especially in the northern reaches of their migration range east of Casco Bay. Although the striper population coast-wide is said to be healthy, the catch in Maine has dropped from 4 million fish in 2006 to 142,000 fish in 2011. The SFC will stay on top of this issue and encourage regulators in states where commercial striper fishing is permitted to curtail the well-known illegal and wasteful practices that are impacting the health of the overall striped bass stock. The SFC will work towards eliminating angling restrictions that have little or no conservation benefit. For years, Maine’s Department of Marine Resources has layered on regulations that have stifled the growth of saltwater recreational fishing. Do we need a 24-inch minimum size on cod in state waters, the same as in federal waters? Do 29 species of fish need to be

prohibited in Sheepscot Bay in the spring? Do we need to have a recreational-fishing “spawning ban” on the possession of 14 species in May and June in all state waters? Does a ban on fishing with bait-and-circle hooks really do much to protect striped bass where flies and lures are permitted? The SFC will compile biological and catch data to answer these questions and justify its requests for appropriate, science-based public access to our marine resources. We’ll also attempt to determine the economic benefit of improving access and angling success. We intend to be watchdogs for the fishing public and to use SAM’s clout to ensure that anglers enjoy the best possible saltwater fishing experience here in Maine. Barry Gibson, chairman of the SAM Saltwater Fishing Committee, currently serves as the New England Director for the Recreational Fishing Alliance, as chairman of the NEFMC’s Recreational Advisory Panel, and as vice president of the Northeast Charterboat Captains Association.

SAM President named to Land for Maine’s Future Board SAM President Jim Gorman Jr. was among three of Gov. Paul LePage’s nominees to the Land for Maine’s Future Board of Directors. The other nominees were former legislator Don Marean, and Bill Vail, former commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. The legislature unanimously endorsed all three nominees. Marean, current LMF Board chair, was renominated for another term. He is anchored to the land as a horse farmer, and that’s an important attribute for an LMF member. He’s also a very thoughtful leader and works well with others — and it’s always helpful to have the perspective of a former legislator on this important board. Vail was an exceptional DIF&W commissioner. He distinguished himself from all other commissioners when he resigned that position because he could not support his governor’s attempt to take $1 million from his department. That’s the kind of integrity Vail will bring to the LMF Board. Gorman is L.L. Bean’s great-grandson, and of course, he’s an avid hunter and angler. He works at his family’s business. Gorman has served on SAM’s Board of Directors for 20 years, including two

lengthy stints as president. He is currently SAM’s president and is one of only two Directors to have served for the 18 years that I worked for the JIM GORMAN organization. While I grabbed the limelight, Gorman always was there in the background providing excellent advice, displaying strong leadership of the board, and forging a collaborative relationship that allowed all of us to work together. We achieved a lot, and he deserves much of the credit. Maine has led the nation in land conservation, and the LMF program is one key reason. Since it was created in 1987, LMF has conserved 550,000 acres, using an average of $4.78 million annually in state funding, for an average cost of just $113 per acre. A recent economic analysis by The Trust for Public Land found that every $1 invested in land conservation through LMF returned an astonishing $11 in natural goods and services to the Maine economy — a that return increases every year.

Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine 205 Church Hill Road Augusta, Maine 04330 Telephone: (207) 622-5503 Fax: (207) 622-5596 EMAIL:

members@sportsmansallianceofmaine.org

WEBSITE:

www.sportsmansallianceofmaine.org

Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine

Ofﬁcers

President – Jim Gorman Vice President Clerk– Jim Hilly Treasurer – Paul Davis Directors Doug Alexander Nick Archer Cheryl Timberlake Jim Tobin Matt Dunlap Erik Hart Gerry Lavigne

Staff

David Trahan – Executive Director Becky Morrell – Operations Manager The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) is a non-proﬁt corporation founded in 1975 to promote conservation of Maine’s wildlife resources and to be an advocate for hunters, anglers, trappers and gun owners throughout the state.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SAM’s Kittery Trading Post Rifle Raffle

Kittery Trading Post