The Maine Sportsman December 2021 Digital Edition

Tracking Bucks in the Snow

Pages 19 & 21

Sportsman The Maine

December 2021 • $4.99

Celebrating Our 50th Year!

>> Shoot-out with Poachers Page 68 >> Women Running Traplines Pages 37, 39, 50 >> Bobcat, Partridge, & Rabbits Pages 42, 44, 57, 66

>> Ice Fishing Augers Page 27

>> Ready for Snowmobiling? Page 30 >> Camps, Land & Hunting Dogs for Sale Page 76 Plus Lots More!

2 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 3

Welcome to Matagamon Wilderness Matagamon Wilderness is located 26 miles west of Patten, and 1-1/2 miles from the North Entrance of Baxter State Park. Nestled on the East Branch of the Penobscot River, and featuring a private boat launch on Grand Lake Matagamon, the cabins and campground are right off ITS 85, known for its scenic snowmobiling. For sportsmen, Matagamon specializes in guiding hunters as they pursue trophy black bear, moose, whitetail deer, coyote and partridge, in some of the best habitats in Maine. The region also offers native brook trout and landlocked salmon fishing on pristine waters. The camp is currently booking for 2022 spring and fall hunts. There are plenty of other outdoor activities available, for each season of the year: • Spring/Summer: Boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, swimming, relaxing, tubing on the river, and camping fun. • Fall: Hunting, fishing, leaf-peeping, and relaxation. • Winter: Ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and relaxing.

The Cabins at Matagamon Wilderness are located on a quiet road across the river from the store. Two of the cabins, Deer Yard and Bears Den, have new bathroom facilities. All the cabins are great four-season getaways. Cabins include the “Moose Shed,” the largest cabin, which offers an indoor full bath, running water and refrigerator. Its combination of double beds, twins, queens and bunks sleep 12 people. For those who prefer camping out to cabins, Matagamon Wilderness Campground is a nice quiet, family friendly campground, and the owners welcome all campers to come and enjoy the facilities. There are plenty of campground activities in which to participate all year long, including: • Annual Lobster Bake: On the Saturday of the 4th of July weekend, they hold a huge lobster bake, with all sorts of food

– lobster, hamburgers, hot dogs, potatoes, corn, eggs, onions, chips, soda, and blueberry cake. • Pot Luck Dinners: They hold a pot luck dinner at the picnic area in front of the store periodically throughout the camping season. • Bean-Hole Bean Dinners: They also periodically have bean-hole dinners, and provide the bean-hole beans, homemade bread or rolls, and water, lemonade or ice tea. Joe & Sue Christianson have owned Matagamon for 20 years. Joe is a Master Guide, and Sue is a Master Cook. It’s a family operation, including the assistance of their son, Allen, who is a Master Maine Guide and who works at the camps, as does his wife Brandi. Also on site is one of their daughters, Katie Gowell and her husband Sasha. Sasha has his Maine Guides License, and provides guiding services for guests at the camp. Katie is the Owner of “The Moose is Loose Ice Cream Shoppe,” and both Katie and Sasha tend Gowell’s Bait, where they sell night crawlers all year round. Call to book your stay at Matagamon, 207-446-4635.

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4 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————

Editorial

Lessons for Maine Gun Owners from the “Rust” Movie Shooting? The tragic shooting of a cinematographer by actor/director Alec Baldwin on the set of the western movie “Rust” is a stark reminder of the need for proper training, effective supervision and the use of extreme care when handling firearms. The facts of the tragedy in New Mexico are still emerging, but it’s already clear that civil litigation – and possibly criminal charges – will impact many lives going forward. Although specific fault has not been determined at press time, to borrow a phrase from Washington-speak, it’s very clear that “mistakes were made” – many mistakes. A movie is not real life, but movie sets are real, and if live cartridges are somehow mixed with dummy rounds, tragedy inevitably follows. Sportsmen and women know that the first thing – the very first thing – you do with a firearm that’s given you is to point the barrel in a safe direction, and check to determine whether it’s loaded. And you keep your finger off the trigger unless and until you are ready to shoot. Much has been made of the fact that one of the armorers allegedly declared “Cold gun” before handing the weapon to Baldwin. But do any readers of this publication believe it’s OK to take someone else’s word for whether a firearm is safe to handle? It’s not that you mistrust or disbelieve someone else if they tell you a gun is not loaded; rather, it’s a recognition that if an accidental discharge occurs, it does not matter who’s at fault – the deed is done. This is a very sad situation for the movie industry. We hope the attention being paid to the incident reinforces the importance of having skilled professionals on location, to train actors and crew, supervise and secure all equipment, and create and reinforce a culture of firearms safety and personal responsibility.

On the Cover: For Maine whitetail hunters, especially those in the northern half of the state, the final days of regular firearms season and the muzzleloader season mean tracking in snow. Muzzleloader season runs statewide from November 29 through December 4, while folks in WMDs 12, 13, 15–18, 20–26, and 29 get an extra week – until December 11. Expanded archery season, where designated, also runs through December 11. Good luck to all late-season hunters!

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Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 590 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Carol Lund carol@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR: Deb Lund Carter distribution@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices. All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Phone: 207-622-4242 Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Maine Sportsman, 183 State Street, Suite 101, Augusta, ME 04330 12-Month Subscription: $30 • 24-Month Subscription: $49

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Almanac by Will Lund.................................................... 14 A Ranger on the Allagash by Tim Caverly.................. 64 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves..................... 34 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia.................. 37 Big Woods World by Lee Schanz, Jr............................. 21 Central Maine by Steve Vose....................................... 58 Cooking Wildly by Kate Krukowski Gooding............... 49 Downeast Region by Jim Lemieux............................... 56 Editorial.............................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by William Clunie...................... 52 Jackman Region by William Sheldon.......................... 44 Jottings by Jon Lund........................................................ 8 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon......................... 42 Letters to the Editor.......................................................... 6 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes....................... 50 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour................................... 18 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose............................... 48 Midcoast by Tom Seymour........................................... 57 Moosehead Region by Tom Seymour......................... 46 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.............................. 72 Nolan’s Outdoor World by Nolan Raymond............... 61 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie............................ 70 Outdoors & Other Mistakes by Al Diamon.................. 74 Quotable Sportsman by Will Lund................................ 17 Rangeley Region by William Clunie............................. 65 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers............................. 75 Saltwater Fishing by Barry Gibson................................ 54 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth..................... 59 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews.................. 41 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard............................. 24 Smilin’ Sportsman by Will Lund...................................... 75 Snapshots in Time by Bill Pierce.................................... 13 Southern Maine by Val Marquez................................. 63 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie.................... 40 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery................. 10 Tidewater Tales by Randy Randall............................... 67 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller.................. 39 Trading Post (Classifieds)............................................... 76 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour....................................... 53 True Tales from the Warden Service by Ret. Lt. Doug Tibbetts.68 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.............. 69 Young Maine Guide by Luke Giampetruzzi................ 62

GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

Deer Hunting in Maine by Blaine Cardilli..................... 19 Reader Story: The Legacy Buck by Kyle Reed............ 22 Reader Story: Grand Slam by Emily Goode................ 23 Ice Fishing in Maine by Steve Carpenteri.................... 27 Snowmobiling in Maine by Steve Carpenteri............. 30

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 5

www.MaineSportsman.com

6 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————

Letters To The Editor

The Beach Lady

To the Editor: The striper season at Popham was a summer and fall of mackerel, schoolies, gray seals, and Mary. Mary is a fixture from the fort to the green can, recognizable by her stature and tide line chair. Mary is in her 80s, smart, and tough as striper skin.

“The Beach Lady” and her striper gear.

We met her there 25 years ago, and she taught us about bait, gear and grit. Her best fish measured 42”, and she has forgotten more about stripers than we’ll ever know. She sets up before sunrise and fishes both tides, and cooks mackerel and keepers for supper. Beach walkers and good dogs always stop for her charm. The regulars call her “The Beach Lady.” Our friend and mentor was stricken recently in West Virginia and was flown home on a medical flight to recover. She’s a fighter on every fish and illness. She is making plans today about her return to Popham in May to stock up on bait. When you see her hauling her cart and gear up the beach, walk along with her. You’ll soon have a friend. Mike Wing – West Gardiner, ME

Letter-writer Mike Wing reports that striper anglers enjoyed another great summer at Popham. www.MaineSportsman.com

First Aid for Man’s Best Friend To the Editor: I enjoyed the recent article about performing first aid measures on a hunting dog that gets injured. However, from my experience as an MD, let me offer opinions on some of the writer’s recommendations. First, nothing applied to any kind of open wound of man or beast will heal it in 2-3 days, as the author claims. Clean wounds which can be closed (sewed, EMT’d, Steri-stripped, or glued) will heal in 5-7 days in most lower animals, including dogs; 7-10 days in humans. If you can’t close it up on the day it happened (determined by a vet or MD), Bob’s your Uncle. Second, the vast majority of in-thefield injuries don’t need complicated attention. By far the best way to cleanse a wound is – pure and simple – soap and water. The water need not be sterile. The soap can be any kind that lathers well. You do not need to scrub the wound; merely wash firmly until all evidence of foreign bodies (such as dirt, feces or splinters) is gone when you rinse. Third, I gave up using betadine and alcohol decades ago when I realized both of them kill not only bacteria in the wound but also the red blood cells sent to clot the wound, white blood cells sent to kill any bacteria not killed by the soap, and body tissue cells in and around the wound itself. In short, betadine and alcohol delay healing. So do some topical anti-biotics, which is rarely needed in clean wounds that can be closed on the day of injury, and shouldn’t be used without a vet’s recommendation anyway. Birney B. Dibble – Eau Claire, WI —

Here it is: HOOK: 3X long-shank streamer hook size 6-8 THREAD: Green 6/0 Uni-Thread HEAD: Fish Schull ™ baitfish or sculpin head BODY: Green 6/0 Uni-thread UNDERWING: Marabou fibers (long): green tied on top; orange tied underneath (tied full) OVERWING: Two mallard flank feathers, one each tied on either side of hook, Hornberg style COLLAR: A turn or two of grouse (optional)

Lou’s Brookie Sculpin can be tied using either a baitfish head (left) or a sculpin head (inset), both manufactured by Fish Schull. Zambello photos

TYING NOTES: To more closely imitate a sculpin, use a heavy Fish Schull sculpin head and jig off the bottom; to give more of a baby brook trout look, use a Fish Schull baitfish head and fish higher in the water column. The pattern I described using at Upper Dam in my column was the baitfish head version. This is an impressionistic pattern versus an exact imitation, so substitute your own materials or tying style as you desire (other than the fish heads), but maintain brook trout coloring and free-moving materials to give lifelike motion in the water.

Tying Lou’s Brookie Sculpin To the Editor: We enjoyed Lou Zambello’s article in the October Maine Sportsman. We’ve been looking for a new brook trout streamer pattern to tie up, and his fly (“Lou’s Brookie Sculpin”) looks pretty good. Can he please publish the recipe? Stephen Morawski – Russell, MA Lou responds: Thank you – and all the other anglers who emailed me – for your interest. This pattern is called Lou’s Brookie Sculpin, and the recipe can be found, along with other favorite trophy trout patterns, in my book, “In Pursuit of Trophy Brook Trout.”

Don’t be afraid to use bold trout colors when tying Lou’s Brookie Sculpin.

—

Cunners are Cunnin’ To the Editor: Barry Gibson’s September, 2021 “Saltwater Fishing” column (see “Cunners – Fun, Tasty Saltwater Panfish”) brought back some old memories. You see, when I was a kid, my dad (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 7 (Continued from page 6)

would take me to Spring Point Lighthouse in South Portland to fish for mackerel. We used fiberglass rods with metal Zebco reels. Back then, the macs didn’t show up until the end of July and into August. We would use mackerel jigs – cast them, count to seven, and then start jigging. We caught our share, and lost many to the granite blocks. At the end of Spring Point Light there was a round cut-out in the granite, and power cables came out of the corner to the light. One time, while I was goofing off with the bait, this big brown thing attacked my bait. Turned out to be a cunner. They were big – 10 to 15 inches long! An old fellow fishing nearby told us what they were and that they were good eating. He showed us how to skin and fillet them. Covered with corn meal and butter and then fried, they tasted better than the mackerel we’d been catching. From then on, that was my spot to fish from half-tide to full – right there among the cables. Steve Clark – Dover Foxcroft, ME —

How Hot?

To the Editor: I just read Kate Krukowski Gooding’s smoked wild turkey recipe in Maine Sportsman. I’d like to try it with the other half of the turkey breast that I shot this spring. I had never tasted wild turkey before, and I had high hopes. Upon a recommendation from a friend, I chunked it up the first half and deep fried it. I thought it was utterly underwhelming – not much flavor at all, and kind of tough and chewy. I’ll try Kate’s smoked recipe, but she forgot to include one important detail – what temperature should the smoker be before I put the breast in? Paul Nute – Oquossoc, ME Kate responds: So sorry for the omission, Paul. Temperature should be at 225°F. You do not need to prewarm it. Regarding your earlier experience deep-frying the first half of the breast, keep in mind that wild turkey is so lean it dries out very quickly, and it’s important not to overcook. For that reason, I am not a big fan of deep frying chunked turkey, especially if you want any flavor out

of it Brining is a way to keep moisture in the bird. One of my favorite ways to cook goose and turkey is in a bean-hole bean pit. Even the goose stays moist. Bon Appetit! —

Another Fan of Kate Krukowski Gooding (and her Bacon Recipes) To the Editor: I read each issue of The Sportsman cover to cover, and I really enjoy “Cooking Wildly” by Kate Krukowski Gooding. I recently made two of Kate’s recipes. I made the bacon maple cornbread, brought it to a party, and left a small jar of homemade maple syrup next to it for drizzling. It was a huge hit. Other food contributors had brought five crockpots of chili to the party, so the cornbread was a great match. With respect to the bacon maple brunch cake, I also brought it to the gathering and left it for consumption the next morning (there were five college kids home for the weekend). I heard later it didn’t last long. To be honest, after tasting the batter and then peeking in the oven during cooking to see the batter just sizzling in the maple and bacon, I almost kept it for myself. Dan Dwinal – Lisbon, ME —

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Halloween Adventure Many Years Ago To the Editor: I grew up poor in a low-rent housing project in a Buffalo suburb. During this year’s Halloween, I was reminded of a Halloween narrative from many years ago. It was Beggars’ Night – the night before Halloween. That day, my brother Jeff and I had had a successful pheasant hunt – four roosters, two woodcock, and a nice rabbit. Our folks were at a party, so we two were left in the kitchen to clean our game and to distribute the candy my mom had left. As the night went on and we had more visitors come to the door than we expected, we ran out of candy. At about 9 p.m., a lone small boy came to the door asking for treats. What (Letters continued on page 9)

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Modern Small Four-Cycle Outboards Quiet and Efficient It seemed like a good idea at the time – a column comparing small outboard engines by Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki. All we needed to find were dealers willing to lend us recent models of outboard engines to work with and compare, and then write up the results. Notice, I said engines, not motors. Technically, a motor has only one moving part, as in “electric motor,” while an “engine” may have multiple moving parts.

Different Strokes For many years, outboard engines were two-stroke, and pushed out the exhaust gases at the same time the fresh fuel was coming in. This was simple, but inefficient. A four-stroke engine, by comparison, pushes out the exhaust first and introduces the fresh fuel and clean air on the next stroke, which is more efficient and economical. But a four-stroke engine is more complicated and is about 50% heavier than a

most two-stroke outboards ended in the early 2000s. Perhaps the added complexity of the four-stroke engines is one reason we had difficulty obtaining loaners for our writing project. Good quality, reliable small outboards are made by Suzuki, Yamaha, Mercury (Tohatsu) and Honda (pictured here).

two-stroke engine of comparable horsepower. As a result of tightened emissions standards, the manufacture in the U.S. of

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Locating a Test Model Eventually, our Advertising Director, Nancy Carpenter, saved the day by coming up with a brand new Honda, which arrived in a huge cardboard carton. It is described as a four, six or eight horsepower engine, depending on the RPMs at which the output is measured. It is designed in Japan, and manufactured in China. It weighs 60 pounds. The Honda started and ran smoothly and quietly. The owner’s manual specified a break-in procedure that required sever-

al hours of operation at the slowest possible speed; i.e., trolling speed. I ran it slow for a while, and then found that I could moor it to a pier in the quiet water behind our camp and run it there. We followed that process, and I stopped by a couple of times when it had stalled out. Experiment Temporarily Derailed Once when checking it, I found it had seized. The cylinder was stuck, and I could not get it to turn over. This was bad news. I was in a real pickle. It was not even my motor! We were at the height of the summer season. It was going to be difficult and expensive to find a mechanic who would look at it. I added some oil to the cylinder, pulled it off the boat, and as(Continued on next page)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 9 (Continued from page 8)

sessed the situation. Alfred to the Rescue My son Alfred, who is a massage therapist, learned of my dilemma and offered to pick up the Honda and look it over. I accepted his offer. He brought it back some days later. He had managed to first get the flywheel to move a little bit, and then gradually freed the engine completely. Perhaps the Honda responded to his massage skills. I never did learn

whether lake vegetation had clogged the cooling system or what caused the seizure, but I was relieved. Good Reports from Others on Hondas Having been spooked by the seizure experience, I abandoned that phase of the experiment. I have since spoken with one of this publication’s columnists who has operated comparable Hondas, and he reports that they start readily, and run smoothly and quietly. That is consistent with what I have learned

Letters (Continued from page 7)

to do? The candy bowl was empty. Under pressure, my brother Jeff grabbed the dead rabbit and tossed it into the boy’s bag. Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the door. It was the boy with

from other owners of Hondas. Yamahas, Mercs, Suzukis Back in the twostroke days, Yamaha outboards enjoyed an enviable reputation for reliability in the USA and all over the world. I have used a 2 HP Yamaha twostroke on a Grumman Sport Canoe for years. It is reliable and lightweight. Designing and manufacturing small outboards is a costly undertaking, and some brands, such as Mercury, at times

have skipped that process and instead put their own label on small engines built by other manufacturers like Tohatsu. I understand that Yamaha builds their own. We are familiar with the Suzuki DF6, 6-horsepower outboards because we live on an island in the summer and use them on our light aluminum skiffs ’most every day, covering the half-mile to our landing on the east shore. We need outboards that start easily and operate reliably. My wife, Joan,

his dad. “Hey,” said the father, “did you guys put a dead rabbit in my kid’s bag?” “I sure did,” Jeff admitted. There was an uncomfortable pause. Then the father said, “Listen. I’ve got three kids and – well, you got any more rabbits?”

usually manages to start one on the first or second pull. We are happy with the Suzukis. It has a slightly larger displacement than the Honda, and the recent models have shaved three pounds off the previous year’s model , now weighing in at 51.8 pounds. The big surprise is that the improved efficiency of our four stroke engines means our outboard fuel tanks often go several weeks before we need to top them off.

Jeff & I exchanged a glance. Then, I grabbed two clean pheasants and asked, “Are these okay?” The man was thrilled. “You guys are great,” he said as he left. “I won’t forget your generosity!” Joseph N. Weiss, Ph.D. – Clarence, NY

www.MaineSportsman.com

10 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Southern Gent Meets Northern Hospitality Any outdoor adventure that begins and ends with Maine lobster has to be a good one, and it was my goal to make sure my good friend from North Carolina began his Maine cast-and-blast experience on arrival at Portland’s Jetport with a lobster roll from Kennebunkport’s Port Lobster, and ended it on a high note while wearing a plastic bib from Nunan’s Lobster Hut in Cape Porpoise, chowing down Northern style. Once Bob Brinson buckled his seatbelt in my Subaru, I handed him the lobster roll, and his eyes lit up like a super nova. He munched as I headed up the Maine Turnpike on the way to Freeport, L.L.Bean, and our overnight spot at the iconic Harraseeket Inn. The next morning we’d float the Androscoggin River from Auburn to Durham before con-

its wonderful staff.

Rain on the Andro mingles with tears of laughter as guide Michael Jones proudly displays one of Bob Brinson’s beautiful smallmouth bass. I made some crack about knowing a good taxidermist. All photos by King Montgomery

tinuing northward to hopefully meet up with some wood ducks. But now the outdoor Mecca, L.L.Bean, required a visit, since Bob had not been there before. The day was gray and cool, but Freeport was alight with color and people – lots of people. It seems we picked a day in the middle of the town’s Fall Festival, and every square inch of concrete and grass, particularly on the L.L.Bean campus, was

Jones nets another fine Andro smallmouth for my friend and guest Bob Brinson. www.MaineSportsman.com

covered with tents, as almost 200 vendors from around New England displayed their wares. Food trucks, more tents and a live band rounded out the scene. I thought we’d never find a parking space at the hunting and fishing store, but we pulled right into a very close spot. Bob was duly impressed, and as we left he waxed effusive about Maine’s most famous store. We drove the short distance up

Route 1 to the Harraseeket Inn. It was time to check in, get a pre-dinner libation, and have a meal in the Inn’s Broad Arrow Tavern. The Harraseeket is a family-owned and operated establishment founded in 1984 by Nancy Dyer Gray, and it has grown over the years as one of Maine’s premier hospitality properties. Bob was very impressed with the Harraseeket, its marvelous ambiance and

Bob with a nice smallie on a rainy day in early October on the Androscoggin River below Auburn. His duck hunting gear serves as a rain suit on wet days on the water.

Auburn to Durham on the Androscoggin River A light rain persisted on this cool day when we met guide and friend Michael Jones and his comfortable Hyde drift boat. Michael and I met years ago when Lefty Kreh and I made our annual treks to Maine’s storied smallmouth bass fisheries, and Michael often was one of our guides. I also fished with Michael in Patagonia on the Chilean side of the Andes Mountains when he ran the storied Las Torres Lodge with fellow Maine guide Bob Dupor (see my Sportsman’s Journal column in the November 2021 issue.) The three of us had a fine time on this scenic and historic stretch of the Andro, and Michael filled Bob in on the storied past, both good and bad, of (Continued on next page)

Streamside lunch on a gravel bar on the Androscoggin. Stretch legs, shake off some water, eat a fine lunch, and back in the comfortable Hyde drift boat.

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 11

Bob Brinson in duck gear and the author in mufti at the Durham boat ramp. Bob and I have fished in Labrador and Belize together, and thoroughly enjoy each other’s company. (Continued from page 10)

the Androscoggin with its mills, pollution, and cleanup over the past century plus. The smallmouth weren’t smashing the flies and lures, but kept up a reasonably steady

Maine guide Scott Davis’s wonderful floating blind powered by a jet motor to get into real skinny water where no one else can go. It’s a very comfortable duck blind and fishing boat.

pace of cast and catch. It was a fine day on the water. Later that afternoon as we headed back to I-295 for the drive northward, Bob commented on how much he’d enjoyed the

float trip on the Andro, and the time spent with my old friend Michael Jones. The Southern gent was well-taken with the fine Northern hospitality he’d received so far, and we really were

The fall foliage was a week or two late this year, and the oaks didn’t drop their usual good crop of acorns. But ducks did fly, and shots were taken. Wood duck breasts are so tasty.

just getting started on our adventure. From Where Fish are Cured, to the Shortest Route The Abenaki people cured fish along the Androscoggin River back before numerous

dams and man-made pollution stopped the runs of anadromous fishes, including Atlantic salmon. And the name for the river we were heading towards, the Sebasti(Continued on next page)

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Tag, Scott’s Chesapeake Bay Retriever, swims under the kicker motor on the way to a downed wood duck. Chessies are bred to work hard in very cold water, including around ice.

Tag retrieves a dead wood duck and brings to guide Scott Davis. It’s a tough job retrieving birds on a moving river, since they are never where they initially fall.

Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 11)

cook, means the natives used it to travel between the Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers by canoe and foot – the shortest route. Not only is the Sebasticook a very fine smallmouth bass river, it also is known for the profusion of wood ducks that congregate there every fall as the leaves begin to turn. It was near time to introduce Bob to some of those gorgeous and tasty birds, and to another fine friend who also happens to be a premier waterfowl hunting guide. Scott Davis is a fisheries biologist with the MDIF&W out of

the Sydney office, and he lives in Burnham, just down the road from the Sebasticook. We hunt every October, and sometimes I join him for some ice-fishing on Unity Pond. This early October, it was a natural decision to have him guide my Southern gent friend who, in addition to being an excellent fly angler, has been duck hunting since he was 9 years old. The three of us were joined by Tag, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and it was an excellent match all around. In Maine, we don’t get much of a chance to

Guide Scott Davis tosses a magnum woodie decoy into the water. A half-dozen or so is all the decoy spread needed. www.MaineSportsman.com

shoot woodies, mainly because they are the first of our ducks to move south, so their availability is limited to as little as a week or two in early October. After the first good frosts, they’re gone faster than a Southern Maine Snowbird heading to Florida for the winter. Wood ducks are comfortable in creeks, streams, and rivers, and in ponds, lakes, bottomland forests, and freshwater marshes. They like open water with nearby uncongested vegetation where they can forage. They eat seeds, fruits, insects, duckweed, beetles, snails, and acorns. The wood ducks, however, did not get

Bob respectfully admires a wood duck drake, a truly beautiful animal with all the colors of the rainbow and then some.

the memo, and the shooting was the slowest I’ve ever seen it. Acorns were scarce, the weather this summer was just weird, and the pandemic just seems to affect everything. There were enough birds to make things interesting, though, and the camaraderie inside Scott’s floating blind boat was uplifting. And being on the water at sunrise and sunset always is a meaningful experience, particularly when you’re sharing the moments with good friends. *** Over hot boiled lobster and wine at Nunan’s Lobster Hut, Bob recounted to my wife Elizabeth how taken he was with the fine

Bob Brinson shot this wood duck drake on the final morning of hunting with my FABARM True Timber Viper 12 ga, and it was without doubt the handsomest wood duck I’ve ever seen.

Southern-style Hospitality he’d received up North. It seems we’re just all really good people at heart, and most of us are concerned about how people are treated, regardless of geographic and other differences. And that’s the way it should be. Next year? Not sure yet, but as I repose in bed at night, I’ve begun hearing bobwhite quail gently calling down on the south forty…. Guiding resources: • Michael Jones, 207-841-7975. guides on weekends. • Scott Davis, Fish ’N Fowl Guide Service in Burnham at 207-453-8501

Our Maine cast-and-blast ended on a high note with Bob wearing a plastic bib from Nunan’s Lobster Hut in Cape Porpoise while chowing down Northern-style.

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 13

“Snapshots in Time”

Historical Glimpses from Maine’s Sporting Past Compiled by Bill Pierce, Former Executive Director, Outdoor Heritage Museum

Enjoy what follows, and be sure to get outside and make some Outdoor History of your own! ***

Excerpted from the “Fish and Game Oddities” section of the October 3, 1902, edition of the Maine Woods newspaper Bicycling By Bears The other night while Lynn and Leslie Berry of Embden, were riding their bicycles, they encountered a bear. They got by him safely, and reported him to be a large one. Three Lady Guides Among the 1,800 or more registered guides in Maine are three ladies. They are Miss Cornelia T. Crosby, “Fly Rod,” of Phillips, who was the first guide to register when the law went into effect a few years ago; Mrs. J. E. Freeze, of Argyle; and Miss Ethel A. Harlow, of Dead River. These ladies are all expert handlers of the rod and gun, and each can manage a canoe or follow a trail with the best of the male guides. Birds About Phillips The Maine Woods called on Mr. H. W. True of Phillips, one of our most enthusiastic partridge and woodcock hunters, and in reference to these birds Mr. True said: “I do not know but that partridge and woodcock, too, are as plenty as is usual at this time of year. There is one thing about partridges, and perhaps others may have noticed the same, that is, at this season not many birds are often seen and a little later they will be plenty. “My idea is that they keep back in the swamps and do not come out until later. I have noticed it particularly in a dry season. That may not be the

railroad track to give the train hands the impression that he was shooting a large number of birds. Chris Boston, engineer on the Phillips & Rangeley freight, says he hadn’t the slightest idea but that this “sportsman” had a new partridge every time he came along until he began to “smell a rat,” or rather the bird, which was actually decomposing in the hunter’s hands. Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby of Phillips, shown here, was one of only three women guides in Maine in 1903. She was a great ambassador for the state’s outdoor sporting industry. This photo has caused some controversy in recent years, since observers note that the square can placed in front of Fly Rod could possibly contain earthworms.

case this year, but I think you will find there will be birds enough this fall and some fine shooting will be done. “Dr. Rollin went out the other forenoon and bagged four woodcock and a partridge. That is pretty good for one forenoon. To be sure he has the only woodcock dog there is hereabouts, but you will find as I tell you birds will be plenty enough.” Partridge Was Useful One young man of Phillips, while at Redington bird hunting, shot a partridge the first day of his arrival and it is said that during the next three days there be occupied his entire time with bird in hand, walking up and down the

“Lying” About Fish It is surprising what unbelievers the people of a community will appear to be when some local sportsman returns from a fishing trip and relates his experiences. A. W. Bean of Phillips, then whom there is no more expert angler, went fishing a few weeks ago on Perham stream. When he returned, he had a large fish basket full and some besides. Among the honest stories that be told relative to the trip, was one to the effect that he caught 60 from one hole while lying upon his stomach on the bank of the stream. Some have been unkind enough to doubt the statement, terming it a fish story. But the facts are, that he did lie (Mr. Bean admits it himself) upon his stomach on the bank of Perham stream and pulled from one hole, 60 fine brook trout. He declares that there were left in the hole somewhere between a bushel and a bushel and a half of nice fish.

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14 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

Wanted: Old Issues of The Maine Sportsman

An effort is underway to “digitize” back issues of The Maine Sportsman, and the organization heading up the project needs issues of the magazine from 1972 through 1987. They can be borrowed, carefully scanned and returned, or there may be an interest in acquiring or purchasing the copies. Digitizing will allow, for example, readers free access to locate a specific article printed in the past, or even find a relative’s or friend’s name in the “Biggest Bucks” lists from nearly 50 years ago. So check attics, closets and that space under the stairs. Send specific information regarding availability of back issues to the editor at Will@MaineSportsman. com, or call our office managers at (207) 622-4242. —

Black Powder; White Smoke One of the more satisfying aspects of using a muzzleloader is the cloud of white smoke resulting from a shot. Here, Maine Sportsman columnist and regis-

tered guide Christi Holmes tunes up on practice targets. Muzzleloaders must be loaded with black powder, which is made from saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal, or a modern equivalent such as Pyrodex. They should not be loaded using smokeless powder, which burns at much higher pressure and can cause a conventional muzzleloader to explode. —

Brown Bullhead and Rock Bass to be Added to Maine Record Books in 2022 - 2023 It began with a letter to the editor: “Hello! I live in Lewiston Maine. I was

ANY WORKLOAD. ANY TIME.

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wondering where brown bullhead catfish was on the state freshwater fishing records? I don’t see it anywhere. Also, rock bass have been showing up in the Androscoggin in my area in the last year or two. What does it take for a species to be eligible for a state record?” In the pages of this publication over the past few years, we have covered anglers catching increasing numbers of these two species of fish, so we believe it’s time to recognize them in the record books. Starting immediately, both fish will be eligible for the “One That Didn’t Get Away” and the “Catch and Release” patch clubs – brown bullhead catfish at 1.5 lbs. or 14”, and rock bass at 1 lb. or 12”. The largest fish caught in each category before December 31, 2022 will be deemed the new state record. Consistent with all state record fish, the fish must be weighed on certified scales, and must be examined by either a game warden or a fisheries biologist to ensure proper identification. Photographic evidence will suffice for the “catch and release” patch club, but the fish must be weighed on certified scales to be considered for a state record. We will also look into adding Amer(Continued on next page)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 15 (Continued from page 14)

ican Shad to the list of eligible fish, as soon as we figure out whether that species is within our freshwater records jurisdiction, or instead within the saltwater fish records responsibiity of the state’s Bureau of Marine Resources. —

TU Upset with Ads Showing Trucks Racing Through Trout Streams We admit to being troubled to see television advertising during October’s baseball playoffs showing new trucks barreling across – and even down the middle of – waterways that appeared to be pristine trout streams.

For that reason, we were interested to learn that on October 15, Trout Unlimited’s (TU’s) president, Chris Wood, wrote a strongly worded letter to the Chief Marketing Officer of one of the largest truck manufacturers, with the following request: “Please pull these ads. Let’s work together to find a better way to show your customers the right way to connect with the outdoors. Tearing through a natural stream is foolish and offensive to those who care for and restore our rivers and streams.”

Wood offered an alternative theme for a future ad: “What if we put your company’s trucks to use repairing and restoring our rivers and streams?” Wood suggested ads showing drivers and their trucks “reconnecting rivers to their floodplains, planting trees along creeks, and installing boulders and large pieces of natural wood to reconstruct damaged fish habitat.” Food for thought, indeed. And there’s another reason – an economic one – to slow down while driving in the wild – much of the behavior we witnessed in truck ads, including spinning repeated donuts in canyon floors and driving fast through boulder-strewn streambeds, would void the express terms of the manufacturers’ warranties. Those warranties specifically exclude coverage for damage resulting from reckless off-road driving.

for a couple of days. Several good friends of ours are suffering long-term effects of Lyme disease, and we didn’t want to take any chances. “So we sent the tick off to the University of Maine’s Pest Management Unit diagnostic and research laboratory in Orono. We mailed the tick on Tuesday, October 26th. They received the specimen on Thursday, October 28th, and the results were reported to us via email the next day, October 29th. Pretty fast!” Here’s the notification they received – sobering stuff!:

Maine’s Tick-Testing Lab

Find a deer tick on you that’s been there for a while? Want to have it tested for the Lyme disease virus? The University of Maine at Orono offers a speedy testing service. “I dug a tick out of my husband’s shoulder,” a Gardiner woman wrote to us several weeks ago. “It had been there

(Continued on next page)

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16 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 15)

With the assistance of their family physician, her husband was able to obtain a prescription for antibiotics and start on a course of preventative treatment that very afternoon. Here are some questions and answers about the testing lab: Q: What tests does the facility offer? A: The Tick Lab offers two DNA testing panels to detect the pathogens that can cause tick-borne disease in Maine. After the tick has been identified, the Tick Lab selects the appropriate tests for the sample, based upon which pathogens that tick species is able to transmit. Q: What does the lab test for? A: The lab tests deer ticks and related species for the organisms that cause: • Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) • Anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum) • Babesiosis (Babesia microti) They test American dog ticks, lone star ticks, and other related species for the organisms that cause: • Rocky Mountain spotted fever (Rickettsia rickettsii) • Ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia species) • Tularemia (Francisella tularensis) Q: How much does it cost? A: A flat $15 rate is charged to Maine residents. This includes tick species identification and testing for the appropriate panel. The lab currently does not

test ticks for individuals who are located outside of Maine. Q: How should I send my tick? A: First, go to the lab’s website, www. extension.umaine.edu/ticks/submit, and complete a submission form. You will be given a sample number. After completing the online form, place the tick in a sealed container such as a Ziploc bag. Label the container and envelope with your name and sample number. Place the sealed container into an envelope or box, and mail it to UMaine Extension Diagnostic & Research Lab; Att’n: Tick Lab; 17 Godfrey Drive, Orono, ME 04473-3692 Q: How do the tests work? A: Once the lab receives the tick, they use biochemical methods to separate the DNA from the tick. This purified sample contains the genetic information of the tick itself, as well as any disease-causing organisms that were also present in the tick. Then they use a powerful molecular biology technique called quantitative PCR (qPCR) to look for the DNA signatures of specific disease-causing organisms that could be transmitted to a host. ***** A tip of the Maine Sportsman’s cap to the fine folks employing this advanced technology to help residents of our state seek treatment to avoid contracting these harmful diseases. —

King Montgomery Wins Prestigious Writing Award In the pre-pandemic times of August, 2019, King Montgomery wrote a column for The Maine Sportsman titled “Fishing for Freedom.” The column described a striped bass fishing event organized by a Saco-based organization, Wounded Heroes Program of Maine. As a combat-wounded vet himself, the author was invited to join that year’s striper-fishing excursion, which included amputees. King was so moved and impressed that he decided to share the experience with our readers.

Our readers were impressed with the story, and so were outdoor writing judges in other states. The column won the “Pass-It-On” award sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, in recognition of “excellence in promoting the outdoors.” The award was issued by the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association. Congratulations, King.

¶ Hey Kids!

Did You Bag a Deer? Become a Member of The Maine Sportsman

MAINE YOUTH DEER HUNTER PATCH CLUB! You’re a junior hunter who has been successful at the hunt, now wear your pride by entering The Maine Sportsman’s exclusive Maine Youth Deer Hunter Patch Club! To download an application, go to

www.mainesportsman.com/patch-clubs Mail your application with $10 to: The Maine Sportsman 183 State Street, Suite 101 Augusta, ME 04330 Don’t have a computer or printer? No problem! Give us a call at (207) 622-4242 and we’ll mail you an application.

Please share your trophy photo with us and it may appear in a future issue! Email to photos@mainesportsman.com

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 17

December 2021 Sunrise/Sunset

More Than Just Muzzleloading for Deer In addition to either one week (northern areas) or two weeks (southern) of muzzleloader whitetail hunting, other hunting opportunities are available in December and into 2022: • Ruffed grouse and bobwhite quail: September 25 December 31, 2021 • Pheasant: September 25 - December 31, 2021 • Gray squirrel: September 25 - December 31, 2021 • Snowshoe hare: September 25, 2021 - March 31, 2022 • Snowshoe hare (Vinalhaven Island, Knox County): September 25, 2021 - February 28, 2022 • Bobcat: December 1, 2021 - February 21, 2022 • Fox: October 18, 2021 - February 28, 2022 • Raccoon: October 1 - December 31, 2021 • Skunk, Opossum: October 18 - December 31, 2021 • Coyote Night Hunt: December 16, 2021 - August 31, 2022

Portland, ME DATE 1 Wed 2 Thu 3 Fri 4 Sat 5 Sun 6 Mon 7 Tue 8 Wed 9 Thu 10 Fri 11 Sat 12 Sun 13 Mon 14 Tue 15 Wed 16 Thu

Quotable

Sportsman

by Will Lund

“I wanted to see what was shaking in downtown Portland, Maine at night. So I went up to a cab driver, and asked, ‘Where’s the action?’ He nodded understandingly, and then took me to a place where they fish illegally.” – World-famous funnyman Mort Sahl, on the album “Great Moments of Comedy with Mort Sahl” (1965). Sahl died October 26, 2021 at the age of 94. — “For the second year in a row, the Ford full size pick-up was the model most targeted by thieves, followed by the Chevrolet full size pick-up. GM and Dodge full size pickups were also in the Top 10.” – The National Insurance

Crime Bureau (NICB) in its annual “Hot Wheels” report identifying the top 10 most stolen vehicles in the United States in 2020. Thieves stole more than 44,000 Ford pickups that year. — “Finding rutting whitetail bucks is about paying attention to the phases of each rut. Drury Outdoors’ DeerCast breaks down the rut into six unique phases: Pre-Lock; High Anticipation; Buck Parade; Lock Down; Desperately Seeking; and Party’s Over.” – 2021 Rut Predictions Buck Activity, as reported by onX Hunt — “The more I see of some people, the better I like my dogs.” – Attributed to Mark Twain (1835 – 1910)

SET 4:06 4:06 4:06 4:06 4:06 4:05 4:05 4:05 4:05 4:05 4:05 4:05 4:06 4:06 4:06 4:06

DATE 17 Fri 18 Sat 19 Sun 20 Mon 21 Tue 22 Wed 23 Thu 24 Fri 25 Sat 26 Sun 27 Mon 28 Tue 29 Wed 30 Thu 31 Fri

RISE 7:07 7:08 7:08 7:09 7:09 7:10 7:10 7:11 7:11 7:11 7:12 7:12 7:12 7:12 7:12

SET 4:07 4:07 4:07 4:08 4:08 4:09 4:09 4:10 4:11 4:11 4:12 4:13 4:13 4:14 4:15

December 2021 Tides

• Coyote, Woodchuck, Porcupine, Red Squirrel: No closed season for hunting Source: Maine DIFW. Check their site for season date information on migratory game birds, including common snipe, Canada geese, woodcock, snow geese, sea ducks, regular ducks, and brant.

RISE 6:53 6:54 6:55 6:56 6:57 6:58 6:59 7:00 7:01 7:02 7:03 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:06 7:06

DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Portland, ME HIGH AM PM 7:49 8:20 8:38 9:13 9:27 10:06 10:18 11:00 11:09 11:54 — 12:02 12:48 12:57 1:44 1:55 2:44 2:56 3:46 4:01 4:48 5:05 5:48 6:10 6:45 7:12 7:38 8:08 8:25 8:58 9:08 9:43 9:48 10:25 10:26 11:05 11:03 11:43 11:39 — 12:20 12:15 12:56 12:52 1:33 1:30 2:13 2:13 2:56 3:01 3:43 3:53 4:32 4:50 5:24 5:50 6:19 6:54 7:16 7:56 8:12 8:54

LOW AM PM 1:31 2:08 2:22 3:00 3:12 3:52 4:03 4:44 4:54 5:37 5:47 6:31 6:41 7:26 7:38 8:23 8:39 9:24 9:44 10:25 10:51 11:25 11:58 — 12:24 1:02 1:20 2:00 2:10 2:49 2:55 3:34 3:36 4:15 4:14 4:53 4:51 5:29 5:27 6:05 6:03 6:40 6:40 7:17 7:19 7:56 8:03 8:38 8:51 9:23 9:43 10:12 10:40 11:03 11:39 11:58 — 12:41 12:56 1:43 1:54 2:41

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18 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Wildlife:

Yellow Perch by Tom Seymour

Yellow perch swim in countless Maine lakes and ponds. These yellow-bodied, black-barred panfish have sweet, flaky flesh, and bite well on a variety of lures and baits Better yet, yellow perch are a schooling species, and upon locating a school, it becomes possible to take dozens of fish from that school before it moves along. Yellow perch usually run between 8 and 10 inches, but that depends upon the water body where they live. Some ponds and lakes give up 12- to 15-inch perch. I once spent several days at a camp on Brassua Lake in the Moosehead region, specifically to icefish for the giant yellow perch that abound there. I wasn’t disappointed, either. Despite all these accolades, most people eschew yellow perch, relegating them to the dust bin of “trash fish.” But that seems awfully judgmental, to my way of thinking. I bet those anglers who leave yellow perch on the ice for the eagles have never eaten a pan full of golden-brown perch fillets. If they had, perhaps they would consider perch too good to leave for the benefit of carrion eaters. Here’s why I think people have such disregard for yellow perch. Our society has changed from what it was when I was a youngster. People can now afford big boats and motors, along with expensive fishing tackle. With such an investment, who would want to spend time on the water fishing for some obscure panfish, when prestigious species such as salmon and trout are available? It’s difficult to argue with such reasoning. And remember, this is coming from a person who lives and breathes trout. Even so, I have room for other species as well, and this includes yellow perch. Squirrel Counterparts Despite their bad press, yellow perch have much to offer, if we would only avail ourselves of them. First, I

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consider yellow perch a finny counterpart to gray squirrels. For some beginners, gray squirrel hunting teaches valuable lessons they can later transfer to deer hunting. Learn your patience and stealthy chops on squirrels, and you will have a leg up on deer. The same goes for yellow perch. Embrace them, fish different waters for them, learn to take them on ultralight tackle and take them home to fillet for the pan. Then you will be better able to appreciate the more difficult and highly sought coldwater species. Moreover, panfish such as yellow perch have a certain mystique. Any schooling species somehow appeals to our inner angler. From striped bass to black crappie, something about taking one schooling fish after another excites us. This also applies to yellow perch. When matching the tackle to the fish, as in extreme ultralight gear, yellow perch become a worthy quarry. I have long since abandoned natural bait for panfish, since they bite so well on artificial lures. Panfish jigs, the smaller the better, can get a school of yellow perch worked up into a feeding frenzy. When this happens, it pays to have an extra rod all rigged and ready for service. It’s true with white perch and it’s also true for yellow perch, that a fish struggling on the end of the line excites the rest of the school. Reel a hooked fish up to the boat and see six or more of its fellows trying to steal the lure from its mouth. As long as you can catch, unhook a fish, and get the lure back in the water as soon as possible, the school will remain in a state of excitement. If a fish breaks off, or you lose your lure to

a snag, grab the other rod and continue fishing so as to keep the school stirred up. In the end, you’ll have a cooler full of perch, and also you will have had the fun of catching one after another, nonstop. Ice Fishing Traditional ice fishing using traps doesn’t appeal to me the way open-water fishing does. I do it because sometimes it’s the only game in town, but standing on the ice, watching for flags, doesn’t elicit much enthusiasm. This explains why jigging suits me so well. Jigging stands as an active fishing method, whereas flag-watching ranks as a passive method. On cold days, when perch bite well, I first kill my fish and then place them in a pack basket. Hefting a basket full of yellow perch for the walk back to shore brings a feeling of satisfaction. With yellow perch, the more fish we take out of the water the better, so catch-and-release makes little sense. Perch are extremely prolific, and removing numbers of them reduces competition for forage and results in overall larger individuals. Here’s something else about yellow perch. While commercially fishing for most freshwater fish species is prohibited, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife allows the commercial harvest and sale of yellow perch. The department’s website notes that for a $44 fee, an applicant can buy a license to harvest and sell yellow perch. People in other states and Canada relish yellow perch fillets. That says much for this “trash fish” species.

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 19

An Expert’s Guide to Snow-Tracking Deer by Blaine Cardilli Let’s face it – tracking deer in a fresh snow is an exciting alternative to sitting for hours on stand, but a hunter can make many mistakes, especially if they take tracking for granted. That’s why it’s important to develop an understanding of deer behavior as well as how to interpret the signs you’re seeing. For me, it’s been a trial-and-error endeavor over the years, but I’ve learned a lot from my biologist friends, from experienced hunting partners, and from the time I’ve spent in the woods over the past 40+ years devoted to hunting deer. And I’m not necessarily a buck hunter – I like venison way too much, so if I have a doe tag, I’m more than happy to use it, even on Day #1 of the season! In short, when I find a track (or set of tracks), it matters not whether it’s buck or doe. For you Thanksgiving Week firearms hunters and those carrying long-barreled muzzleloaders in December, here are some

Attention, late-season firearms hunters, and those lugging muzzleloaders in December -- If you’re tracking a deer and you notice its prints beginning to meander in the snow, and start shifting from side to side, or if they are making small semi-circles, the deer is relaxed and is probably slowing to feed, browse or lie down. When you see this pattern, STOP. Do NOT follow the trail of these looping tracks, until you’ve taken the time to glass ahead. basics on understanding tracking whitetails in the snow. What’s This Deer Doing? The pace of your tracking should be matched to the deer’s gait. If the tracks you cut show the deer is walking at what appears to be a steady rate of speed with a clear direction, you should also follow at a steady pace. If, on the other hand, the tracks begin to meander, start shifting from side to side, or are begin-

ning to make small semi-circles, the deer is relaxed and is probably slowing to feed, browse or lie down. When you see this pattern, STOP! Do NOT follow the trail of these looping tracks until you take the time to glass ahead! It’s vitally important to determine not only how far these tracks go, but whether or not there is a deer ahead, and within your field of vision. A bedded deer checking its back trail will see wandering

movement far easier than if you’re walking straight at them, so if you don’t yet see a deer, proceed with extreme caution, but walk straight through the wandering tracks. Track Identification Determining the sex and size of the deer you are following is not always 100% accurate. That’s because there are many factors involved, such as snow density, whether or not a track has had a day to thaw and refreeze, and whether it’s a small buck as op-

posed to a mature doe. However, there are some common things to consider. A heavy, mature doe track will often be larger than that of a small buck, so don’t be fooled. The average doe doesn’t grow much past her 3rd year, while bucks continue to grow in size and weight up to 6+ years. Bucks will often drag their feet while walking, so if you see drag marks in 1-3 inches of snow, chances are it’s a buck. And bucks tend to walk with a slight “toe out,” while does tend to walk with their feet pointing more in-line. In fact, their style of walking has been termed “dainty,” because they tend to lift their feet and place them more directly than a buck will. Finally, a single (Continued on next page)

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Deer Hunting (Continued from page 19)

set of tracks, especially during the rut, often indicates a traveling buck, while does will still often travel in groups.

Dew Claws We often see dewclaw marks in snow. Many hunters have seen these marks and mistakenly concluded it has to be a buck’s

track. However, in reality, both sexes have them. Also important is the fact that in snow 3” or deeper, dew claws of a doe will show. One key is that on mature bucks, the dew-claws tend to be farther back from the

back of the hoof – 2” or greater – and will probably be a bit wider than the hoof, whereas does will be almost inline with the hoof, and considerably less than 2” from the back of the hoof.

may hug the outside of the front tracks.

Other Sign To Watch For Here are some final hints:

• In the midst of a snowstorm, deer will be concentrated in bedding areas – usually in thick conifers, and near sources of food.

• When a deer is walking, its back foot goes into the track of the front foot. I call these “combination tracks,” as they combine both feet. • Bucks have broader chests, so front tracks may hug the outside edges of the hind tracks, while does have wider hips, so their hind tracks

• When tracking, watch also for occasional slice marks in the snow. When bucks feed on the ground, their sharp tines will often make contact.

• The wider the gap between the center of the left foot and the center of the right foot, the bigger the deer. • When a deer is running, its back feet are ahead of its front feet, and the hoofs become splayed.

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 21

Thanksgiving Day Bucks by Lee Schanz, Jr.

The snow that Thanksgiving Day was fresh, deep and quiet – perfect for attempting to walk carefully up behind a big buck while it lay in its bed. Some of my fondest hunting memories have occurred on Thanksgiving Day. When I was a kid, it was one of the few days that I got to hunt. My Dad would take me on Saturdays, and Thanksgiving Day was a bonus because I was off from school. We would hunt until noon, and then go to my grandparents for Thanksgiving dinner. Most of the time, our hunting party consisted of my grandfather, father, and three uncles. They were meat hunters, and most of the deer they shot were does and small bucks. Occasionally, they took a good buck, and that always made an impression on me. Most of the guns used were levers – Winchester 94’s in 30-30 and 32 Special, Marlin 336’s in .35 Rem, and Savage 99’s in .300 and .308. My Dad carried a Savage 99. I guess that’s why that model always ap-

pealed to me. First Buck My first three years hunting were an apprenticeship. I would occasionally jump deer while still hunting with my dad, but I never got a shot off. When I was 13, I shot my first buck. It was on Thanksgiving Day, and it was a beauty! I got my first “Big Buck” patch with that deer, and his antlers hang on my wall to this day. I didn’t know it at the time, but that buck set me on a path that I’m still pursuing. Hunting big bucks in the big woods was an addiction that turned into an occupation. A Move to Tracking In 1996, I moved my family from the Farmington area to the Skowhegan region, and we still live in the same house 25 years later. I used up most of my vacation time moving into and fixing up our house. This left Saturdays and

Thanksgiving Day for me to hunt. My Dad was still living in Farmington, and we had made plans to hunt near my new home. By this time, I had turned into a decent “tracker,” and we received 10 inches of new snow during the night. As often happens after a new snow, the deer weren’t moving, but I eventually cut a track. I couldn’t tell much from the print because the snow was so deep, but I could see from his stride, he was a good buck. The snow was soft and quiet, and there are few hunting feats rarer than tracking a whitetail to his bed and shooting him with-

A buck in the shed – something to be thankful for. Photo by Lee Schanz, Jr.

out him ever knowing you’re there. I was carrying a Czech Brand Mauser with a peep sight. I spotted the deer, and when the bead settled in a good spot, I touched off the little 7x57. The buck was

quartering away from me, and I hit him a little far back, but the 139 grain Hornady did its job. It would be a steep uphill drag all the way to the truck, so I dragged him to the (Continued on next page)

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22 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

— Reader Story —

The Legacy Buck by Kyle Reed October 30, 2010, Opening Day that year, my father and I each shot a buck. His was a 10-pointer; mine was a 5-pointer. The Maine Sportsman ran the story in early 2011, and titled it “Kyle and Dad’s Memorable Season Opener.” We framed the story and photos, and that memento remains hanging on the wall. On October 31, 2020, Opening Day ten years later, my father and I went hunting again, together my sons Brayson and Rowen – three generations in the woods. Heading in on that cold, calm morning, we reached the trail intersection where we were to split up. My younger son Rowen declared, “I’ll go with Papa.” Brayson and I continued on the tote road, as Dad and Rowen headed on top of the ridge to my father’s historically productive spot.

“This is where Papa shot his tenpoint buck on Opening Day ten years ago,” I whispered to Brayson as we passed the spot. A few minutes later, a single shot echoed in the woods to our left. “That was your grandfather,” I told Brayson, as I noted the time – 7:40 a.m. We arrived at our stand. I remembered to check my silenced cell phone – and saw I had missed eight calls. Then I saw a text from Rowen: Papa shot a deer. We need help. We headed quickly to the ridge. Rowen was waiting for us. He immediately started in the direction of my Dad and the downed deer, waving us to join him. The buck was an awesome sight. “I saw him first,” Rowen explained, describing how the big deer had come in from behind my father. “He had his head down and was

Big Woods World (Continued from page 21)

nearest skid trail and went back for my snowmobile. Before I could get back with the Ski-doo, my dad had shot a big doe with his Savage 99, and we had a truckload of venison to be grateful for on that Thanksgiving Day. Guiding Begins A few years after this story took place, I started my guide business. This enabled me to spend every day in the deer woods, but almost always with a client. I usually only get to hunt during muzzleloader season. This year, Hal asked me to keep Thanksgiving week open so I can be trailed by a cameraman to record my www.MaineSportsman.com

scraping his antlers on brush and leaves. It took me a few minutes to get Papa’s attention.” My father said he had positioned Rowen, who was not carrying a firearm, about ten yards away. Dad used a grunt tube twice in short bursts, then heard Rowen calling his name and saw him pointing in the direction of the deer. We field-dressed the buck, while replaying the morning’s events over and over. When we hauled it out and got it to the weigh station, we found that it qualified for the Maine Sportsman’s Biggest Bucks Club – 215 pounds. That morning, my boys learned more than they ever would from a video or book. The best part was that we experienced it together, as a family. Prior to that day, I’d always thought the 2010 bucks would

Rowen and Brayson Reed help their grandfather, Arnold, celebrate his 2020 “Legacy Buck.” Photo by Kyle Reed

be the pinnacle of our family’s time hunting together in the Maine woods. I stand corrected. This second deer is truly the “Legacy Buck.” I am grateful to

style of hunting and some footage for our “Big Woods Bucks” channel. It’s the 25th anniversary of this story, and I’m hoping God blesses me with a good buck to share with our followers. Hal’s Thoughts Lee’s story is very similar to mine in both our upbringing and our passion for chasing bucks in the Big Woods. Lee is nine years younger than me, and I think of him as a little brother. Like Lee, I have also shot several bucks on Thanksgiving Day. My first Thanksgiving Day buck also weighed over two hundred pounds and was my first patch buck. I was quite a bit older than Lee was when I shot my first two hundred

my father and the gift of hunting he shared with me – and which he has now passed on to my two children.

pounder, as I had hunted in southern Maine as kid, and two-hundred-pound bucks were few and far between. I would dare say that anyone who has shot one of these big bucks, is transformed from just a deer hunter into a someone with a passion for chasing big bucks. The challenge associated with it is what keeps us going year after year. Whitetail bucks are mystical creatures – hard to find, and harder to shoot. So, if you are one of the hunters who sports a Biggest Bucks in Maine patch, welcome to the club. For all of you striving toward that goal, never give up and it will happen for you. Good Luck on the trail!

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 23

— Reader Story —

Completing the Grand Slam by Emily Goode Seven minutes of legal time left in the 2020 rifle season, and I was feeling defeated. I had passed up a smaller buck on Opening Day, as well as numerous does (I had an any-deer tag), and I’d cleanly missed the buck of a lifetime two weeks in. Now the rifle season would soon come to an end, and apparently I was going to have to try my hand at black powder hunting for the first time if I wanted any chance of completing my Grand Slam. “We started the season together – let’s end it together,” my boyfriend Chris had said to me a few hours earlier as we were

gearing up to sit for the last evening of rifle season. Go, Go, Go, Stop Just as I was resigning myself to hunting black powder Monday morning, I heard Chris whisper, “Deer, deer – three deer just walked into the field!” I’m a left-handed shooter, and since the deer were coming from our left, I had to turn myself completely to get a shot. As I started to turn, I saw the three deer. Each time the largest doe put her head down or turned, I moved in small, short movements. With Chris whispering, “Go, Go, Go, Stop!,” it was like the most unlikely game of “Red Light;

Green Light” ever played. The doe made a 90-degree turn and headed for the woods. I knew it was now or never, so I made the final turning movement, pulled up my rifle, took a breath and squeezed the trigger. Grand Slam “You got her!” Chris exclaimed, excitedly. As we climbed down from the stand, my phone vibrated with a text from my Dad – “Is it down?’ I responded “Yes,” and he made his way from his house down to the field. We found the doe quickly. It was a perfect shot – right behind

With this 107-lb. doe, the author completed her Grand Slam in the final few minutes of the 2020 regular firearms season.

the shoulder, straight through. I had completed my Grand Slam as well as the MASTC Royal Crown. It was an ac-

tion-packed year of hunting, and I wouldn’t trade a minute of it for anything.

— Trophy Gallery —

Walli Abbott of Canaan earned his Biggest Bucks patch with this 234-lb., 7-point trophy buck harvested with a crossbow in Skowhegan on October 16, 2021. The big deer came within 15 pounds of the state crossbow record of 249 lbs. Abbott registered the buck at the Moosehead Trail Trading Post in Palmyra.

Maine Sportsman reader Aaron Barbour of Gray, Maine spent his 2021 moose season hunting in West Middlesex Canal Grant Twp. (west of Moosehead Lake), and dropped this 720 lb. bull moose on October 16. The animal’s antlers featured 16 points and a 42-1/2 inch spread. Barbour used a .30-’06, and registered the trophy at Bishop’s Store in Jackman.

Eight year old Amelia Ripley took her first deer this season – a 104-lb. spike horn. She was hunting in Freedom with her Ruger American compact 7mm-08 loaded with reduced-recoil Hornady 120g rounds. Trevor Ripley photo www.MaineSportsman.com

24 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Holiday Shopping for Your Favorite Shooter May Prove Challenging Here we are in the second Holiday Season under the influence of the Coronavirus. Thankfully, due to the three vaccines, we’re in better shape than we were last Christmastime. Still the threat remains active, and though subdued, the effects of the virus continue to plague us. Disease aside, supply chain and other economic effects of the pandemic impact hunters and shooters across the country. Filling any shooter’s Christmas wish list this year offers Fins & Furs Adventures

Despite difficulties posed by the supply chain, great gifts for shooters wait to be discovered. However, shopping may require venturing farther afield, searching harder, and making more phone calls or internet searches. holiday shoppers large doses of impedance, frustration, and expense. Manufacturers were unable to keep pace with demand well before the holiday shopping extravaganza turned a spree into a slog. Seeking gifts for a shooter this year may bring back memories of Cabbage Patch dolls in the 1980s, or

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nightmares of seeking the unobtainable Xbox 360. Manufacturing plants once shuttered by the spread of the pandemic today struggle and fail to meet backorders placed months ago. Untold numbers of workers failed to return to jobs vacated when the disease sent everyone into isolation. Returning workers stand around idle, unable to overcome shortages of parts and components vital to the finished products. Completed products and filled orders languish on loading docks and storage facilities due to trans-

portation slowdowns. Sparse shelves and near empty backrooms greet customers at the retail end of things, and merchants often confront the reality of a diminished sales force. The abundance we all expect is proving elusive this year. However, elusive is not the same as extinct. This year shopping may require venturing farther afield, searching harder, making more phone calls or internet searches. Great gifts to make a shooter’s day and a coming years’ worth of adventures wait to be discovered.

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Pass the Ammunition Ammunition remains both in short supply and an outstanding gift for any shooter. These days even the most finicky shooter would break into smiles at receiving the gift of some additional cartridges or shotshells. With the mindboggling rise in ammunition prices, any shooter on the list will think they got the gift of treasure. On a recent search for shotshells, boxes of 25 carried a price tag of $39.99, while just a year ago the same box brought $5 or $6. For those enthusiasts who like to load their own, ammunition components make a much-appreciated gift. Powder and shot remain difficult to find, primers near im(Continued on page 26)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 25

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Shooter’s Bench

Wieland’s Dangerous Game Rifles.

(Continued from page 24)

Shooting Technologies Any sportsman can always use an additional trail camera. As with duck decoys, one is never enough. Trail cameras offer endless hours of excitement and satisfaction as they capture animal activities otherwise mostly unseen. A hand-held laser rangefinder is an item sure to make any shooter more successful on the hunt and on the range. About the size of a cell phone, these battery- operated monoculars greatly assist any shooter in preparing for a successful shot when the distance to the target is in doubt. Priced between $125 and $450, they can increase any shooter’s precision and operate at the speed of the laser beam. A check

possible. Successfully purchasing some and passing it on makes the gift something very special in these times. Normally very common types of centerfire ammunition, such as .30-30, .270, .308, or .30-’06 Springfield, might prove especially difficult to procure just now. Always in demand, these popular calibers often take a dip in availability just after the firearms deer season. In many places, the shelves were bare weeks ago. But again, scarcity sets the value to both seller and buyer. If ammunition itself proves too difficult to find, then consider ammunition pouches or a belt for carrying cartridges in the field,

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or dry boxes for ammo storage at home. And don’t neglect the small stuff: a packet of targets, sandbag shooting rests, or consider replacing that beat up old DeLorme’s Maine Gazetteer, or equally thoughtful, a gift subscription to The Maine Sportsman. Shoppers this year need to look towards items that support the shooter in the pursuit of the shooting bug. Can’t find or can’t afford a case of shotshells? Consider a new range bag or perhaps a year’s membership in the local rod & gun club. Books about guns and shooting always hit the target. For hours of sublime reading pleasure, consider the newest edition of Terry

The author reveals that handheld laser rangefinders make superb holiday gifts for any shooter.

with a range finder can tell a shooter where to aim or whether the sight may need adjustment. These little devices make superb alternatives to wasting a cartridge with a miss. The options for Holiday shopping for a shooter remain nearly limitless, pandemic or not. Yes, this year’s social and economic realities have complicated the simple traditions surrounding the Holidays. Complicated, not

eliminated. From here, it looks as though Maine’s sporting community has every reason to celebrate arriving at what looks like the back edge of the pandemic this Christmas. There’s plenty of good shooting ahead, just as soon as the shelves get restocked. Merry Christmas to all, and here’s to a bright New Year!

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 27

The Vagaries of Augery by Steve Carpenteri Throughout history, winter fishermen have used a variety of methods to cut through the ice. Most of these techniques included the use of a sharp metal tool such as an axe (very dangerous), a saw (very tedious), or a sharpened chisel or “spud,” which for most anglers became the standard implement for opening holes in the ice until relatively

recent times. Augers designed for wood boring were used thousands of years ago, but similar tools focused on ice-fishing apparently didn’t show up until the mid-1930s. These cumbersome early units did the job, but quickly morphed into lightweight, hand-held tools that featured a spoon- or cup-shaped blade attached to a

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These early “modern” augers, which were used by many anglers as recently as the 1970s and even by traditionalists today, were a step above the traditional spud, but were prone to breakage and needed to be sharpened repeatedly after prolonged use or because they tended to rust during the long off-season. The next version of

Early gas-powered augers were heavy and balky.

augers featured drillstyle blades that not only cut faster and deeper with less effort, but also transported the ice shavings to the surface, minimizing the need for repeated clean-outs of the ice hole. In those days, whenever manual labor was involved, inventive minds tried to figure out ways to ap(Continued on next page)

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Ice Fishing (Continued from page 27)

ply the power of gasoline engines to the job, and so it was with ice augers. The earliest versions started to appear in Maine in the 1950s. As was typical of early motorized units of the era, those first power augers were unbearably heavy and awkward, difficult to start, almost impossible to control, and often required a crew of two or more fishermen to transport and operate.

Modern Augers These days, power

augers for ice-fishing are not only common; they are also extremely lightweight, dependable and easily maintained. Anglers can expect to pay $400 or more for the most innovative units, which feature battery- or propane-powered motors, specialized metal shafts and blades, and easy-start engines that power up with the flick of a switch. Current electric models are marketed with claims they can run for several hours or cut hundreds of holes on a single

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charge, and many come equipped with various-sized blades as well as extensions for cutting through several feet of hard, black ice. Today’s electric ice augers offer premium cutting power without the noise, smoke, starting difficulties or maintenance demands of typical gasoline-powered motors. Lightweight and clean-running, modern power ice augers feature brushless motors, planetary gear transmissions, high impact housings and sturdy double handles. In a word, and price aside, they are as far away from a homemade ice spud as one can get. What’s the Difference? Is there an advantage to using a battery-powered ice auger over a traditional motorized or hand-held

A basic hand-held auger is suitable for cutting through up to two feet of lake ice of various consistencies. Photo courtesy of Kittery Trading Post

version? It only makes sense to ask an expert, someone who sells, uses, maintains and repairs the most popular units currently being used by today’s Maine ice-anglers. According to Jared

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A battery-powered ice auger such as this StrykeMaster lithium model is said to be able to cut up to 1,600 inches of black ice on a single charge. Photo courtesy of Kittery Trading Post

Mertens at the Kittery Trading Post, it all depends on the angler’s needs. “A battery-operated unit is more than sufficient for relatively thin ice,” Mertens said, noting that most augers come with 6-, 8- or 10 -inch blades, which are suitable for normal ice conditions. “Electrics do have a lot of torque, so they may need to be trickle-charged occasionally during a long weekend,” he added, “although most modern versions will cut through 1,600 inches of ice per charge. “Gas or propane models,” he continued, “are probably the best choice for very thick ice (three feet or more) or for extended use over an extended period. Use ethanol-free gas to keep the running smoothly all winter. It’s also a good idea to pre-start gas models and let them warm up before you go out on the lake.” Mertens said that anglers can expect to (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 29 (Continued from page 28)

get a full 8-hour day out of most battery-operated augers, but performance varies depending on how thick the ice is, the consistency of the ice (grainy, solid or slushy) and on

how sharp the blades are. “It’s important to properly maintain any power auger before and during the season, and to keep the cutting blades sharp,” Mertens advised. “It stands to reason that

a poorly-maintained unit with a dull blade will take longer – and require more energy to cut through the ice.” Mertens also said that making the choice of a power auger over a hand-held unit largely depends

on the angler’s budget and expected frequency of use. Occasional anglers may be better served by purchasing a hand-auger, especially where thin ice (less than two feet) is expected. Such tools can be purchased for

as little as $75, while electric- or gas-power augers with extensions designed for cutting holes in five or six feet of ice can run from $400 to over $700.

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30 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Keeping It Local by Steve Carpenteri For many Mainers, snowmobiling is a long-range pursuit that takes riders several hundred miles along remote, well-groomed trails leading far into the hinterlands, skirting the Canadian border or following river corridors that go on for miles into the very heart of the state.

It’s not necessary to go far away to enjoy your snowmachine, says the author. Learn to use your sled as a convenient, enjoyable way to get locally from here to there, and make routine meetings, events or obligations a lot more enjoyable. While weekend winter adventures are certainly an important part of the Maine snowmobiling scene, there

is much to be said for enjoying local trails, especially during the week or when other responsibilities lim-

it the riders their riders hours

amount of time have to pursue passion. Even with only a few to spare can

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(Continued on next page)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 31

2021SRVIPER L-TX GT RAISING THE BAR RAISING THE BAR – Trail comfort comes standard on the fuel efficient and reliable SRViper L‑TX GT.

AS LOW AS Get additional enjoyment out of your snowmobile by spending more time riding close to home. Photos courtesy of Arctic Cat (Continued from page 30)

Check out any snow-covered pasture, and you’ll see clear evidence of nighttime riders enjoying their machines. Chances are these tracks are made by local snowmobilers who put their machines to the test after a long day at work or school. They may not be able to travel out of town or even out of the country, but there is still plenty of room to roam on local trails, most of which are nicely maintained by local clubs and groups dedicated to maintaining their trails and keeping them accessible throughout the winter. Snowmobile Clubs One of the best ways to enjoy shortterm riding this winter is by joining the local snowmobile club. Well-established clubs offer a centralized meeting place with a building that provides warm, well-lit space for meetings, meals, and even emergency repairs, along with maps of local trail systems that connect with other clubhouses in the area. Some adjoining clubs are just a town or two away, providing a convenient network of trails and destina-

tions for riders who don’t have the time or resources for extended trips into the snowy wilderness. Most Maine snowmobile clubs are member-based and offer a variety of programs including snowmobile training sessions, trip-planning advice, dinners, raffles, and various get-togethers designed to benefit the local snowmobiling community. Log onto www.mefishwildlife. com for a list of local and regional clubs. Many local clubs are also affiliated with the Maine Snowmobile Association, which is a reliable source for information on current conditions, laws and trail maps. Visit www. mesnow.com for more information about the MSA. Chambers of Commerce Most new riders are not aware that local Chambers of Commerce and Tourism organizations are ready to help plan your snowmobiling adventures in Maine. Many local Chambers engage in organizing and promoting winter festivals and events for snowmobilers, and offer seasonal trail (Continued on next page)

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GORHAM LEBANON BERLIN, NH White Rock Outboard Northeast Motorsports Jericho Outdoors 351 Sebago Lake Rd. 451 Carl Broggi Hwy. 232 Jericho Rd. 207-892-9606 207-457-2225 603-215-6002 www.whiterockoutboard.com www.nemotorsportsofmaine.com www.jerichooutdoors.com WARNING: Arctic Cat snowmobiles can be hazardous to operate. For your safety, all riders should read and understand their owner’s manual and safety instructions. Always wear an approved helmet and other safety apparel. Be aware of natural hazards you may encounter and don’t drink and ride. All scenes depicted or described were performed by professional riders under carefully controlled conditions. Never attempt to duplicate these maneuvers or encourage others to do so. Arctic Cat recommends that all operators take a safety training course. For safety and training information, please see your local dealer. ©2021 Arctic Cat Inc. All rights reserved.

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32 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Snowmobiling (Continued from page 31)

conditions information for their area as well. Contact them for assistance in planning your snowmobiling visits to their area, and they’ll be pleased to help you. The MSA offers a listing of contacts for Chambers of Commerce and other organizations that cater to the needs and interests of snowmobilers. The Short Route It’s difficult to predict winter conditions months in advance but given the presence of suitable snow cover, riders can get in on the local action as early as December in many areas of the state. It’s also possible to combine snowmobile riding with other activities, such as snowshoeing, ice-fish-

ing, hunting, trapping, cross-country skiing and recreational sledding. And don’t forget shopping, door-todoor visiting, bonfires and other social activities. Learn to use your snowmobile as a convenient, enjoyable way to get from here to there, and make routine meetings, events or obligations a little more enjoyable along the way. Other options, according to the Maine Snowmobile Association, include visiting a local bed-and-breakfast, curling up by the fire at one of Maine’s cozy inns, staying overnight at local motels that may feature hot tubs, lounges and restaurants, or visiting one of Maine’s growing community of

Pair up with a friend or family member, and do more riding on local club trails.

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rant. Local snowmobile clubs often hold weekly or monthly public suppers, and non-members are usually invited to attend. Snowmobiling does not necessarily have to be a complicated, expensive, long-range event. Many Maine riders get home from work and head out for a quick dinner in town, pick up a pizza, pay a visit to the neighbors, take a ride around the local lake, or head out on local trails for an hour or two with the

kids. According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Maine landowners voluntarily open up more than 10 million acres of working farms and forests for recreational purposes, including snowmobiling. If you or your club can get landowner permission, that’s a lot of room to roam, and a good portion of it is in your back yard. Get out there and ride!

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 33

— Trophy Gallery —

Twelve year old Charles Beaupain of Lebanon earned his Maine Sportsman Moose Club Patch with this 761-lb. bull, taken while hunting in T4R15. He was hunting with his father Jeremy, and with Joe and Ben Bernier. Charles is the third generation to use the .308 he carried -- it was owned first by his grandfather, then by his father.

Chris Fournier gained membership in the Biggest Bucks in Maine Club on November 6, 2021 with this 209-lb., 8-pointer, taken in Chris’ hometown of Monmouth. The hefty whitetail was certified on the scales at Audette’s Hardware in Winthrop.

Trevor Brown (right) harvested this bull moose in Zone 2 this fall. He was guided by his father, Doug Brown (left) of Langtown Outfitters, and assisted by Trevor’s wife Cassidy (center).

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34 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Muzzleloader Week in Aroostook County While hunting in the north woods of Escourt, the author learned that if he drove a snowmobile through the powdery snow on one day, by the following day a hunter could walk on the newly-packed surface without falling through. Not only that – the deer used the trails to travel and feed, as well. It’s overtime. Whitetail versus hunter orange, team deer against team hunter, and it’s a scoreless contest at the end of regulation time. If you’re on the orange team and you’re still holding a tag, it’s time to get a second wind, change gear, alter the game plan a bit, and get back out there for that final period and an overtime win. It’s muzzleloader season. More or Less From November 29th to December 4th, everyone gets an extra week to grab their “smokepole” for a last ditch effort to put venison in the freezer. A surprising number

of Aroostook hunters with relatives or friends who own land down south also travel to those open zones to take advantage of Week Two of muzzleloader season. There’s a small but devoted cadre of black powder enthusiasts who use their big bores all season long, eschewing more modern cartridge-fed weapons just like many ardent bow hunters. There are definite pros and cons to these overtime deer hunting efforts. Fresh snow cover is likely, and thanks to far fewer sportsmen in the woods, if you find a fresh track, yours will likely be the only hu-

With temperatures seemingly warmer these days, it’s hit-or-miss in terms of which Aroostook lakes will freeze up in December. Here, Tom Tardiff visits the small lake portion of Drew’s Lake in Houlton for a comfortable hand jigging outing. www.MaineSportsman.com

man boot print behind it. The lighter gunning pressure also makes the whitetail a bit less jumpy. Add that to a percentage of bucks still in rut, and chances to rattle and call or still-hunt a heavybeamed buck improve. Snow also aids tracking the blood trail, resulting in a higher chance of recovery when a deer is shot. However, the drifts can also hinder travel on foot once a certain depth has accumulated. Snowshoes are an option for tracking a buck or following blood spoor, but it’s a tough, draining way to travel for even a younger hunter.

Seth Rooney of Presque Isle shot this nice buck within 10 minutes of his house, during an early winter when unusually-warm weather kept the snowpack at bay. Note the ballistics chart taped to the rifle stock for long-range field hunting, common in Aroostook farm country.

Walking Packed-Down Snowmobile Trails Years ago, my family always spent the end of Thanksgiving week each year at deer camp in Escourt. This tip-top of Maine

If Aroostook has an unusually cold November, Scopan Lake is open to ice fishing as soon as a safe depth of ice forms. Handlining for smelt and yellow perch can be fast and furious.

locale was rampant with whitetails. However, heavy snow cover frequently prevented many logging roads and skidder trails from being explored (Continued on page 38)

During the last couple of years, unusually warm weather has kept snow cover light and a few waterways open clear into December. With duck and goose season still open, there’s action beyond muzzleloader deer hunting.

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 35

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36 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

The County (Continued from page 34)

by vehicles or without snowshoes. Since we hauled a Ski-Do Elan in the pickup bed, one of us would use that to explore. We learned that the next day, a man could walk on that track without breaking through, and better yet, deer took full advantage of our snowmobile trails to travel and feed. Our camp hunters, in turn, took full advantage of this serendipity, made more trails as snow required, and tagged a lot of bucks that also enjoyed easier travel

and feeding paths. All these decades later, the Boatlanding and Beaver Brook Roads are still great deer territory and well worth a visit with your muzzleloader. Travel Route 161 to Fort Kent, then to Allagash and the Little Black checkpoint, and finally onto the Hafey Road to the Escourt Road. Check Delorme’s Atlas Maps 66 and 70 to peruse the route and these top-rate whitetail woods. North Maine Woods Another promis-

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Allagash Lakes Region

ing late-season option that’s a bit closer for central Aroostook black powder hunters is located around mile 30 on the Pinkham Road, in the far southwest corner of Aroostook’s North Maine Woods. It’s an old haunt I’ve used together with a handful of partridge-hunting pals. In addition to lots of grouse, we noted plenty of deer tracks, regular trails, lots of rubs, an occasional scrape and regular deer sightings. Check out the Chandler Mountain Road, Farm Camp Road and the area around Mooseleuk Stream campsite. This region offers excellent still hunting when snow cover is light. Finding a fresh track to follow is likely, and a couple of friends have enjoyed success

rattling and calling despite the late stage of the rut during muzzleloading week. The main road will be well plowed for log hauling trucks, as will some of the side roads. Every year is dependent on weather, with climate change, all the side roads and twotracks may be drivable this month. For sportsmen who have filled their deer tag, I’d still recommend visiting this Chandler Mountain region, especially if snow cover is low. Partridge season remains open until the end of December, and this is a dependable area with very low gunning pressure this time of year. You can use either 6-mile or Oxbow Checkpoint to enter the “Big Woods” and follow DeLorme’s Map 57 to reach grid B-3 for late season fur or

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feathers. Smelt and Splake Another climate-dependent outdoor option in December is early season smelt fishing. It’s been my experience that as soon as a safe depth of ice forms, handlining for Maine’s smallest gamefish can yield the fastest, most dependable action of the winter. Scopan Lake is one of a handful of Aroostook’s “early open” waterways that’s simple to reach and easy to fish; In fact, it’s legal to ice fish in November (with artificial lures only) if Jack Frost and Mother Nature do their frigid dirty work! About 50 to 75 yards out from the boat launch is a very popular spot for ice fishing huts as the winter progresses. It’s a good starting location for folks to sit on a bucket and jig this month, and it’s one of the first spots on Scopan to firm up. Use an ice chisel to confirm thickness as you go, and leave the snowmobile on shore for a while. Smelt are plentiful and fairly large in this waterway. Occasionally a salmon or trout will grab a chunk of cut bait, but there’s a better chance of hooking a 16-to 20- inch splake. They are heavily stocked each fall and fairly aggressive. Check DeLorme’s Map 64 for the northern tip and boat ramp of this boomerang-shaped lake. Route 163 and the Walker Siding Road will get you over there and they are well maintained and plowed. Be safe – it’s too cold for swimming!

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 37

One Woman’s Perspective on Trapping Feener determined that a large bear was coming to her site. “I was at the breaking point,” she said. “The bait site was 90 minutes away, and I had to visit it daily. That bear set my trap off six times, and I wasn’t happy.” To say Abby Feener was born into an outdoor family would be an understatement. I first met her mother, Sue Underhill-Kelly, back in 1992 when I became friends with her brother (Abby’s uncle), Scott Underhill, during our time at Unity College. I’d never met a family like theirs. The whole family hunted. They even had a camp outside of Rockwood, where the entire clan gathered each fall, for hunting adventures. Abby’s mother was an avid hunter from a young age. Her aunt Terri was an accomplished hunter, too. It was only natural for Abby to join in on the tradition. For Feener, the love of hunting was delayed a bit. She ex-

plained to me that early in life, she was afraid of firearms. Perhaps it was the loud noise they made, or just the knowledge they killed things. However, around the age of 12, that fear went away, and Feener began hunting with her mom, brother, grandfather, and other members of her family. Like many, she was hooked quickly. At a young age, grouse, hare, deer, and other game animals were her favorites. As Feener grew up, she hunted other animals. Bears became something she really enjoyed pursuing; however, after getting her Maine Hunting Guide license, she found it more difficult to get out and hunt herself. Her time

was spent catering to customers, and she quickly realized that she missed hunting. To continue chasing bears, she needed another option. Trapping Provides Opportunity and Challenge Feener had witnessed friends and sports trap bears, but hadn’t done it herself. She’d tagged along with legendary Maine Bear Biologist, Randy Cross, to trap bears as part of Maine’s Bear program. The trapping success of Cross’s team is legendary. Cross’s crew, Jake (Abby’s brother) and Lisa Feener (Bates) made sure Abby was hooked. Feener said, “Jake and Lisa had an amazing way of decorating a trap to blend it in and outsmart the

As Abby Feener perfected her skills, she successfully trapped many furbearers, including coyote, fisher and beaver.

bear’s sense of sight and smell.” She had to try it on her own. In 2019, Feener got her Apprentice Trappers license. In her first season, she was successful in trapping coyote, marten, red fox, fisher and bobcat. All of these were taken with the help of a

friend. Ms. Feener was hooked! For 2020, her goal was to outsmart a black bear. Early Success After passing the trapper’s course, Feener set out on her own with only the guidance of YouTube videos and podcasts made by Jer(Continued on next page)

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Big Game (Continued from page 37)

emiah Woods (Trapping Today). Feener also admits that it was very nice having her brother and sister-inlaw as mentors. Fast forward to bear season 2020. Her experience was frustrating. Bears set her traps off multiple times, but were not caught. Each time she’d reset the trap again, adjust her techniques. On September 20, 2020, two weeks after starting, Abby caught her first bear. The 125-pound male bear provided satisfaction and some excellent meat for Feener that winter. For her, the most exciting part of the

process was the actual setting of the trap. The least favorite or anticlimactic part was dispatching the bear. “At that point, the hard work was over. The anticipation of checking the trap was gone,” Feener explained. “It’s fun to see how a bear reacts to a bait. Many times, they’ll come and smell a spot I worked on and move around it. Other bears just kind of blow through a spot and seemingly ignore my scent. Matching wits with bears is not easy.” Bear Season 2021 Bear season 2021 found Feener with a full year of solo trapping experience and a

client/sport who also wanted to trap a bear. After a full week of working with that client, set-off traps and not catching a bear, Feener determined there was a large bear coming to the site. After the client left, Feener decided to “stay after this bear.” Abby “tweaked small things” she believed the bear might be noticing. As she explained, “I was at my breaking point. The bait site was 90 minutes away, and I had to visit it daily. That bear set my trap off six times, and I wasn’t happy.” Lucky Number 7 Driving to the bait site that day, Feener was hopeful. As she quietly walked into the site, she saw her bear. Feener positioned herself and ended her season. She did all the work on her own, including dragging the bear out by herself. Feener is a petite women, maybe 5’ 3” and 120 pounds. Her prize, a 291-pound

Feener trapped bear both last year and this year. This year’s bear was very big -- 291 pounds big!

boar, didn’t drag easy, even with the help of a Jet Sled. Perhaps the adrenaline and thrill of success aided her in the retrieval? Feener expects to continue trapping bears, because she loves the meat and the challenge. She wants to increase that challenge by specifically targeting larger bears. Her other goals include getting a bear sooner in the year, and “cleaning up the mis-

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takes” she’s made in the past. Feener continues to trap other furbearers as well, including otter and beaver. Adult women are among the fastest-growing demographics in the sport of hunting. However, I haven’t met many women trappers outside of the wildlife biologists I know. I first met Abby Feener when she was five or six years old. I’ve enjoyed watching her grow as a hunter and outdoorswoman. She’s been fortunate to have great mentors in her life. At 32 years of age, Feener can now add “accomplished trapper” to her resume. Nice job, Abby!

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 39

Trappers Mentoring Trappers by Staci Warren, Guest Columnist I am still relatively new to trapping. I’ve been trapping since the last bear referendum, and when I got my trapping license, it was solely for bear trapping. I grew to appreciate how challenging and exciting it is to trap different species of animals. Every year, I learn a little more about where to trap, what bait to employ, which type of trap to use, and how to trap in water and on land. There are so many different aspects to trapping, there’s really never a dull moment. My husband John and I run a little trapline behind our house. When I can, I invite my friend Erin Merrill along for the trapline check so that she can see what we do. As I’ve become better at trapping in general, my bear trapping has also improved. My trapping methods for all animals have evolved, and that goes for bear trapping, too. Erin Sought a Grand Slam This year (2021), Erin got a moose permit, and she expressed a desire to complete the Maine Grand Slam. I completed the Grand Slam in 2018, so I know how hard it is to make it happen. I offered to assist her in getting a bear by trapping if she didn’t go on a guided dog hunt, which is how she usually gets her bear. Even though Erin has held a trapping license

This month, regular columnist Dave Miller invites a guest writer, Staci Warren, to share her story of one woman mentoring another to experience the challenging skills and traditions of trapping.

Guest columnist Staci Warren is not only becoming an accomplished trapper, but she’s also an excellent hunter. She’s shown here with a trophy bear from an earlier hunt.

for a few years, she had never trapped a bear, and this year she was enthusiastic to give it a try. She took me up on my offer. To get started, John and I loaned Erin one of our pipe traps, and I helped her set it. We set up a bait site, and then baited the trap. In addition to the trap, we set cellular cameras up to monitor the trap site. Two cameras at every site has become our method, in case the batteries fail in one of them. Once bear began coming in to the site, we learned they were all nocturnal except for one. The first night the cable was set, a bear got caught, but as quick as it was caught,

Erin Merrill and the bear she trapped with the assistance and mentoring of Staci Warren.

it literally stepped out of the snares loop. Turns out the compression spring needed to be tightened. Since we have to check traps each day, we decided to sit over the bait in case the same bear came in during daylight hours. We went in early, fixed the compression spring, and reset the trap. We sat until almost the end of legal shooting time, but decided nothing would come in because of the crazy winds. It was swirling so much, there was no realistic hope of seeing anything. We drove home, not really thinking we’d be so lucky as to have a bear come to

the site that night. We were wrong. No sooner had we gotten home and settled in, when around 9 p.m. my phone started sending “You’ve got a bear” notifications. As I started to send a text to Erin, I got a text from her asking, “Is that a trapped bear?” “Yup,” I replied. “Let’s meet up quickly, and we’ll help you get it.” The three of us loaded into the truck and drove to the site, planning how the harvest would happen. Once we got to the site around midnight, Erin loaded her .30-’06. We walked in without a word. I went up into the tree stand first and helped Erin get

settled. We used our flashlights to spot the bear. John stayed on the ground and shone his flashlight also, since the foliage and shadows were blocking Erin from getting a good shot. I held my flashlight, and pulled some branches out of the way. I told her to shoot when she had a good shot. Erin made a clean one-shot kill. She had her bear! It was rewarding to see her so excited and seeing her adrenaline kick in. We included Erin in the entire experience, down to the field dressing, loading, and transporting her bear. ***** Note from Dave Miller With the explosion of women interested in bear trapping, there is a great opportunity to get more women into trapping in general. I hope that if you are a bear trapper, you’ll consider helping a fellow sportsman or woman trap a bear, and invite them along for a day on your trapline set for other furbearers. The emotional pull of the trapping tradition in Maine is real, and once newcomers see the challenge, they too will be hooked. Staci says she plans to help Erin this fall setting a fisher exclusionary trap that she had made for Erin last Christmas.

www.MaineSportsman.com

40 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

National Outdoor Writers Get a Taste of New England The Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) held its annual conference in October at Jay Peak in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The setting was spectacular, timed perfectly for peak foliage. The weather was pleasant, so participants from across the country could get outside for events including guided bird walks, ATV demonstrations, and pre- and post-conference fishing and bike tours. Founded in 1927, OWAA is the one of the oldest professional organizations for outdoor communicators. Their annual conference is normally held in June, but this year the conference was bumped to October to allow participants to be vaccinated and feel more comfortable traveling and attending a group event. Over 150 writers, editors, photographers and videographers, broadcasters and podcasters, speakers, artists, and communication specialists gathered for four days. The agenda included workshops, speakers, awards ceremonies, and outdoor product and destination showcases. As a member since 2017, I was thrilled to welcome the participants to New England and watch the people from away marvel at the colorful leaves, and gush about real maple syrup. www.MaineSportsman.com

It was inspiring, says the author, to meet accomplished colleagues in outdoor communication, and to hear their stories.

The Outdoor Writers Association of America conference was held at Jay Peak, Vermont in October. Van Wie photo

The Maine Sportsman’s editor Will Lund attended the conference, as did Carolann Ouellette, Director of Maine’s Office of Outdoor Recreation. Carolann spoke to the full conference about Maine’s unsurpassed natural resources and recreational opportunities, and how Maine has responded to the tremendous boom in participation in all outdoor activities during the past two years. Accomplished Colleagues It is always inspiring to meet accomplished colleagues in outdoor communication and hear their stories. Here are a few: Edgar Castillo is a retired US Marine and law enforcement officer who now

writes about upland bird hunting. Born in Guatemala, he started duck hunting as a youngster in Kansas. Still in Kansas, he is a freelancer who contributes to the Upland Project magazine and other publications. Edgar’s @hunt_

The recovery of bald eagles is an example of “shifting baseline syndrome,” according to Matt Miller of the blog Cool Green Science. Van Wie photo

birdz postings on social media have attracted over 12,000 followers. He travels the Midwest, central plains, western foothills and deserts chasing all kinds of upland birds, including prairie grouse, doves, pheasant, and sage grouse. I’m working on getting Edgar to join me for his first time hunting ruffed grouse in Maine and New Hampshire, maybe next year. Amy Kapp is editor-in-chief at Railsto-Trails Conservancy, where she manages on-line and print media, including the Rails-To-Trails magazine. Amy is passionate about the rail-trail movement and connecting people with the outdoors on the over 24,000 miles of rail-trails across the US. In our conversa-

tions, she, too, noted the explosion in trail use for walking, biking, horseback riding, and ATV use. Amy spoke with me about the growing demand for more trails, with over 8,000 miles in some stage of development. In Maine, there are 34 rail-trails totaling 399 miles. New Hampshire boasts 75 rail-trails and 562 miles. Check out the TrailLink app to find a rail-trail near you. Tony Jones, also known as The Reverend Hunter, is a fascinating guy who lives in Minnesota. He is an outdoorsman, partial to bird hunting, as well as a theologian with a PhD from Princeton University. He writes for the Star-Tribune and has a podcast called, of course, The Reverend Hunter, with guests who talk with him about spirituality and the outdoors. Excellence in Craft One of the most fun aspects of the conference was the celebration of OWAA’s annual Excellence in Craft Awards. Members submitted their best work in a variety of media categories: print, on-line, audio, video, and photography. Cash prizes were awarded for various topics in each media category, including hunting, fishing, conservation/nature, outdoor adventure, family (Sporting Environment continued on page 43)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 41

Active Hunters Dress for Success in Late Season Snow-trackers and still-hunters know from experience that a combination of old and new technology keeps them warm in the harshest weather of the season. These are the darkest and coldest days of the hunting year. The end of November and first two weeks of December in Maine make it easy to scoff at climate change science. Bare branches tossing against each other in a knifing wind. Woods covered with snow, ice, or a frozen custard combination of both. Deep cold, still mornings capped by a sky full of stars we can’t see because our chins are tucked and our hats are pulled low. For those who engage in still-hunting and snow-tracking these are both the best and most challenging days of the season. But the huge parkas, insulated overalls and sub-zero arctic boots will stay home regardless of the wind chill warnings. Dressing for success requires some planning. From the Ground Up Dry, warm feet make successful hunters. Insulated, kneehigh rubber boots protect feet from both the cold temperatures and the wet, semi-frozen slop that covers Maine’s forest floor this time of year. Tall rubber boots with a fitted ankle to keep them firmly in place, and with an aggressive tread, can take a

deer hunter anywhere in Maine. The difference between wet feet and dry feet inside rubber boots really comes down to socks. Wool remains the best choice for an outer sock because it will still insulate if damp. The weight or thickness of wool socks can also be chosen to perfectly mate your foot with the inside of the rubber boot. Smartwool™ socks seem to come in an endless variety of weights to customize your interior boot fit. However, all the virgin, merino wool in the world won’t keep feet dry inside rubber boots without a sock-liner to pull moisture from the skin and deposit it in the wool. Sometimes made of silk, more often created from polypropylene, these thin liner socks perform a vital function inside rubber boots. Feet will remain dry and warm even if the wool gets damp from transferred perspiration. Liner socks also prevent hot spots and blisters. Blend of Old and New Combining ancient technology (wool) and space-age synthetics is also the key to the entire remaining outfit for active late-season hunters.

Retail outfitters offer a huge selection of synthetic base-layer underwear for hunters. But full-length “long-johns” tucked into rubber boots, layered under socks and fastened at the waist, restrict mobility and promote overheating. Even elasticized long underwear fabric will hinder an active hunter’s gait and stamina. A better option? Wear knee-length wool socks like those used by downhill skiers. Combine them with knee-length, synthetic underwear similar to form-fitting swimwear or bicycling shorts. Leaving the kneejoint unhindered will dramatically improve mobility over rough ground. And any gap between garments will assist in ventilation. Few active deer chasers will argue that their outer pants should be anything other than wool. For warmth, quiet stalking, durability and wicking properties, there’s nothing that beats this ancient technology. Johnson Woolen Mills™ in Vermont manufactures at least two different weight wool pants. The heavyweight model will insulate against the deepest cold. Protecting the Core The upper body

The author says that hunters who want to stay warm, comfortable and mobile in the cold Maine woods must employ a blend of old and new technologies. Jim Andrews photo

is the core area that needs the most protection from the cold. It’s also the location of most sweat glands on the body. Start with an itch-free, longsleeved woolen undershirt. There are, as noted, hundreds of synthetic alternatives, but they all stink after a few outings regardless of how often and thoroughly they are washed. Wool remains funk-free for the longterm if you hang it outside for an occasional airing. The L.L. Bean line of Cresta™ wool base-layers have served me well over the years. They are made of machine-washable merino wool. I like the thumbhole cuffs that keep the sleeves secured under gloves. A fleece vest layered over the wool undershirt offers versatility and won’t hinder arm movement when it’s time to shoot. L.L. Bean and other retailers carry lightweight wind-proof models

that have extremely good warmth-toweight ratios. Look for a high collar and fulllength zipper. Also size the vest so that it fits snugly against the wool undershirt to aid in wicking moisture. During heavy exertion, hunters can strip down to these two quiet layers, even in the most bitter weather. The next layer is a recent addition. For several years now, retailers have been touting ultralight, thin outerwear jackets filled with high-quality goose down. They are all the rage on college campuses and at the ski slopes. But I noticed, when I bought one for my son, that they weigh nothing, pack into their own small pocket, and are incredibly warm. I’m not a fan of the bright shiny finish on these jackets. But as a cold-weather layer under a wool shirt, they are unsurpassed. (Self-Propelled continued on page 43) www.MaineSportsman.com

42 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Is a Bobcat Hunt in Your Future? Successfully hunting bobcat usually requires a guide with dogs, says the author. While he supposes that with some good tracking skills, a lot of patience and maybe a little bit of luck, a hunter without dogs could harvest a bobcat, he reveals that the song of hounds ratchets up the adrenalin flow – and the success rate – significantly. My former editor, Ken Allen, once told me I had signs of a complicated mind. I wasn’t really sure what he meant, but I figured it might have something to do with him trying to edit my multiple and fragmented thoughts into one coherent sentence. I was at it again this spring while trolling for salmon on West Grand Lake. Our host, Guide Paul Laney, of Grand Lake Lodge, casually mentioned that he specialized in bobcat hunts. You think I could stay content figuring out how to land silver leapers either

by trolling the lake or drifting nymphs in the stream. Grand Lake Lodge’s location near the dam gives springtime anglers an easy option. Both the lake and the stream have legendary reputations for fine salmon fishing. Now, I’m thinking about bobcat hunting in December? But, no surprise, Paul’s comment that in the winter they specialize in bobcat hunts caught my attention. All of a sudden, I dropped my fly rod and started asking lots of questions. Seeing as I know absolutely noth-

ing about the nuances of hunting cats, the information intrigued me. Oscar’s Story Revived Umpteen years ago, I staffed The Maine Sportsman’s booth at the Sportsman’s Show in Augusta with Oscar Cronk. Cronk wrote the Trapping column for The Maine Sportsman for decades. Cronk had just returned from a successful “cat” hunt out west and Oscar, ever the storyteller, related that experience to me and several passersby in fascinating detail.

Some big bobcats roam Maine’s backcountry. Paul Laney, owner of Laney’s Guide Service, poses with his team of sharp-nosed cat hounds and a successful client. It takes a team effort to track down and harvest one of these amazing animals. Photo: Paul Laney Guide Service

Cronk was well into his golden years as he spun that story with a twinkle in his eye. At the time I thought, “Cool – I’ll try that someday.” Now,

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Paul Laney at Grand Lake Lodge had rekindled that interest. Cat Hounds While I’m all about “do-it-yourself” hunts, bobcat hunting in Maine, or anywhere else for that matter, requires a guide. And, not just any guide, one who has at least a few good “cat” hounds. Oh, I suppose with some good tracking skills, a lot of patience and maybe a little bit of luck, one could harvest a bobcat. But man, the song of hounds and the excitement of the chase ratchets up the adrenalin flow significantly. The season runs from December 1st until February 21st. To keep his hounds in shape, Laney runs his (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 43 (Continued from page 42)

dogs every one of those days. I suspect it helps with training the next generation of hounds, and also allows Laney to keep his fingers squarely on the pulse of the cat population in Maine. No lazy couch hounds in that group! It’s a very specialized hunt. Bobcats frequent extremely thick cover. To offset this advantage, the dogs wear GPS collars, while hunters navigate logging trails and old tote roads on snowmobiles in an attempt to intercept these fast-moving felines. Snow conditions

often dictate the exact location of the hunt. A good guide with a passion for the sport has multiple locations available in order to take advantage of all 83 days of the season. Even with a quality guide, well trained dogs and ideal snow conditions, the hunt can rate as difficult. However, these oncein-a-lifetime hunts will be the stories told at future outdoor sporting events. Snowshoe Season By now, the varying hare population has turned all white. For some reason, harvesting a white rab-

Sporting Environment (Continued from page 40)

participation, humor, and gear/technical. All the winning work is interesting and inspiring. I was particularly impressed with some of the winners in the conservation/nature category. A fascinating article in The Guardian (8 July 2020) called “Playing the Hand of God” explores the pros and cons of “assisted migration,” defined as the practice of planting trees in new locations to help them adapt to climate change. Writer Ashley Stimpson won second place in the Magazine-Conservation category for her work. Matt Miller, editor of Cool Green Science, a blog published by The Nature Conservancy, won third place in the Conservation category for “Bald Eagles and the Unfortunate Power of

Self-Propelled (Continued from page 41)

Back to Wool Regardless of how many of the three previous layers are being worn at any given time – cover all of it with a traditional heavyweight wool shirt. Again, Johnson Woolen Mills is the grandaddy supplier here – made extra-famous by the Benoit family of Vermont deer trackers. I still have the Johnson shirt my parents bought for my 16th birthday. Imported models are available at L.L. Bean and other retailers at more

bit interests me more than putting a brown rabbit in the pot. With the season open until March 31st, it’s high time to do some bunny busting. My first choice, hands down, involves chasing Lepus americanus with a few sharp-nosed rabbit hounds. This usually means those lovable beagles. Art Corson, a guide from Moscow, utilizes some Swiss hounds that have long legs. He feels that helps when the snow is soft and will not support the weight of the dogs.

Tire Kicker? Last year, my cousin, Donald Sheldon, noticed one of the dogs circling a brush pile. The young dog was still trying to figure it out when Donald gave the brush pile a good stomp. While Don had one foot on the brush pile and one foot on the ground, a white fur ball shot out from underneath right between his legs. Unable to get his feet underneath him for a shot, he yelled “Rabbit!” and the dog took off in pursuit. Somewhere on the other side of that bog, my son Willie inter-

Forgetting” (11 March 2020). Matt wrote that the remarkable success of bald eagle protection and restoration is a classic example of “shifting baseline syndrome.” There is a problem when “people consider the environmental conditions of their youth as ‘normal’,” Matt said. The bald eagle’s recovery seems so easy and inevitable, in hindsight, especially to a new generation who doesn’t remember a world in which eagles were facing extinction. People look at environmental successes and think that anything can be “fixed,” or now that something is restored, like water quality in a river, we no longer have to worry about it. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was especially impressed that Cool Green Science earned the distinction of winning ten awards with stories by four different writers. Very cool, indeed.

modest prices. Why wool? If any modern fabric could be as quiet in the woods, breathable, odor-resistant, warm even when wet, water-resistant and all-natural, I would purchase it today. The ancient technology survives because it works, and it works best in environments where we engage in ancient pastimes like deer hunting on foot in cold weather. Accessorize for Success I carry a fleece neck warmer in my pack – once again, the warmth-to-

cepted that hare with a well-placed string of pellets. From a hundred yards away, I enjoyed the show, from “Rabbit!” to hounds, to the pop of a 20-gauge. Never a dull moment. It brought me back to the time when my grandfather made me kick and stomp on every brush pile I came to. Rabbit hunters without dogs might do well applying this traditional technique, especially if the piles have an assortment of bunny tracks around it. Winter has arrived – Let the fun begin!

Carolann Ouellette, Director of Maine’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, set up a booth to promote Maine’s outdoor opportunities to conference attendees. And what’s better promotional material than an issue of The Maine Sportsman?

weight ratio is undeniable. I also carry a fleece watch cap that covers my ears – and I wear it under a hunter-orange visored ball cap on cold bright days when the low sun can be an issue. Modern work gloves, designed for gripping and fine finger work, make carrying and operating a firearm easy compared to outdated bulky versions. I carry a wool-lined leather mitt to cover the glove on my non-trigger hand in the coldest weather. Once again – ancient technology.

www.MaineSportsman.com

44 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Winter Playground Open for Business Hunting rabbits without using a pack of hounds is not impossible, but it is more difficult. Art Corson, a rabbit guide out of Moscow, told me that in order to get a hare moving during daylight hours, you literally have to step on it. With just a few days remaining in the muzzleloader season for deer (it closes in the Jackman area on December 4), outdoorsmen turn their attention to myriad activities that take advantage of Jackman’s legendary ability to

produce armpit-deep snow. Once that final, last-minute buck gets hoisted across the scale at Bishop’s Store, the deer season officially ends. However, for hunters reluctant to surrender their firearms, other opportuni-

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ties grace the table. Coyote hunting has developed a loyal following. With no closed season on coyote hunting during daylight hours, it’s business as usual for “yote” hunters. Hounds on Coyotes This past October, while searching for some grouse habitat, I came across a gaggle of trucks. Two of the trucks were fitted with dog boxes. It looked like a bird hunting operation, so I moved along. I try to give everyone lots of space. Later, one of the hunters stopped to chat and thank me for giving them some

Here, the author shows the results of one of his favorite winter hobbies – bunny-busting on snow. These fast-moving targets present quite a challenge when chased by some sharp nosed beagles. The chase rates as much fun as the shot. Bill Sheldon photo

elbow room. That’s when I found out they were hunting coyotes with hounds. While I haven’t had the opportunity to hunt coyotes with dogs, it sounds like great fun. Coyotes can cover some ground, es-

pecially when trying to stay a few steps ahead of their sharp-nosed cousin. Simply hunting over bait or using game calls has a robust following. It does take some practice to (Continued on next page)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 45 (Continued from page 44)

get the calling perfected. The internet has plenty of information that will have hunters speaking coyote in no time. A little bit of white camouflage seems like a good idea when setting up on snow. One serious coyote hunter I talked to swears by a white Tyvek suit he wears over his regular hunting clothes. They are inexpensive and available at most paint supply stores. Night Hunting Starting December 16th, with the purchase of a $4 night hunting permit from the Department of

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), hunters gain an extra 12 hours or so of hunting time. Hunting at night adds a whole new dimension to the sport. Local guides do an excellent job of building ground blinds overlooking baited sites. That helps hunters on multiple fronts. A heated blind makes sitting for long hours an easy reach. The nastier the weather, the more that assessment echoes true. I also think it helps with scent control, movement and noise. Coyotes have keen senses and don’t miss a trick.

For those who have never shot a scoped – or open sighted rifle, for that matter – using a bright light for assistance, I’d suggest giving it a try before showing up for a hunt. A million-candle power light spilling into the back of a scope can be blinding. Get that part of the operation figured out ahead of time.

without me muddying up someone’s favorite deer run. The absolute best

way to come out on top involves hiring a guide (Jackman Region continued on page 48)

Snowshoe Hares Readers know I like to fool around trying to chase snowshoe hares. Now, with the deer season over, I can finally get to it. I prefer to let the deer hunters have their time in the woods

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46 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Partridge, Rabbits and Coyotes Offer Hunting Opportunities Now Do you want a challenge? Try a solo hunt for varying hare with a handgun. Find the rabbits by tracking them through light, fresh snow. The author has done it, and he says it’s a very rewarding accomplishment. You probably won’t take many, he reports, but it will be a high-quality hunt. It’s early winter, and outdoors folks look forward to traditional activities such as snowmobiling and ice fishing. Depending upon the weather, these sports may or may not be possible. However, the season remains open for grouse and hares through the month of December, and whether we have snow and ice shouldn’t keep hunters from going afield. Most of the bird guides have gone on to other activities, so bird hunting continues on a solo basis. A significant number of grouse will have already fallen to hunters back in October, and remain-

ing birds will have acquired advanced degrees in wariness. Any bird taken now ranks as a trophy. Bird dogs will come as a help, but the lone hunter can also find game by getting up early and tracking grouse on the snow. A fresh, light coating works best, since old snow becomes too full of tracks to allow the hunter to distinguish the fresh from the old. If you can work out the recipe, just find a fresh track and pursue it. Note that it will rarely go straight, but rather it will describe all manner of twists and turns. Above all, be prepared for a grouse to bust out of

the brush. This kind of hunting makes for heavy-duty adrenaline rushes. Even though walking through the woods bird hunting keeps the body warm, stopping for even a short time means that the cold will make the hunter chilly. Unless it is an above-average-temperature day, make sure to dress warmly. Hare Hunting Given a good base of snow, area guides should begin offering guided hare-hunting trips now. If possible, book one of these people and thrill to the sound of their hounds baying on a rabbit trail. Besides, the guides know where hares are the most plentiful. A guided hunt is worth every penny. All the same, solo hunters can find game by employing the same methods used

Eric Holbrook managed to snap this photo of two bull moose fighting. Eric Holbrook photos

for grouse. That is, hit the woods at daylight and search for fresh tracks, preferably on new-fallen snow. Look for the vague outline of a hare. Their pelage will be white by now, but not as white as snow. Also, look for their liquid black eye staring back at you. It is possible to take hares in this way with a handgun. I’ve done it, and it is a very rewarding thing to kill a hare in this way. You probably won’t take many, but it will be a high-quality hunt. Coyotes are now common in the Moosehead region, which means that hare numbers are not quite what they were before

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the coyote invasion. However, this region still has more resident hares than most other places. Looking Back Accompanying this column are two wildlife photos courtesy of my friend and area guide Eric Holbrook. In addition to guiding hunters in fall and anglers in spring and summer, Eric takes his guests on wildlife-watching trips. His encounters in the field are extraordinary. Eric’s prolific wildlife encounters just go to prove that if you spend enough time in the Maine woods in the Moosehead region, you will come across a wide variety of wildlife. And while December doesn’t rank as the best time to go wildlife watching, it’s always fun to view the previous season’s photos, two of which accompany this column. Enjoy them. (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 47 (Continued from page 46)

Early Fishing Some open-water fishing is still possible in December. The West Outlet of Kennebec River remains open year-round, and fallstocked brook trout, as well as landlocked salmon, hold in the big pool beneath the outlet dam. However, this is a cold proposition. As much as I love trout

fishing, hitting West Outlet in December presents a bit too much of a challenge to suit me. However, it may be worthwhile to give it a try on the occasional warm day. All the same, make sure to bundle up and above all, bring gloves. Once your fingers become stiff and half-frozen, fishing quickly becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable

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event. If cold arrives early, which it certainly may, some early season, ice-fishing opportunities present themselves. Here are two places where chances of taking home some fish are good. The first is Prong Pond in Beaver Cove. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) routine(Continued on next page)

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48 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Moosehead Region (Continued from page 47)

ly stocks both waters with catchable-size brook trout in anticipation of ice-fishing season. In October of last year, DIF&W released 1,100 12-inch

brook trout and 50 17-inch brook trout in this 427-acre pond. Access here is easy, with plenty of parking space. The pond also holds white perch and

Jackman Region (Continued from page 45)

who owns and trains a few good rabbit hounds. Many of those guides and outfitters advertise here in The Maine Sportsman. Most of the lodging folks have names of local guides who can get the job done. Having success without a pack of hounds is not impossible, but is more difficult. Art Corson, a rabbit guide out of Moscow, often tells me that getting a rabbit moving during daylight hours literally requires stepping on one. Well, while bird hunting last fall, I stepped on one. Talk about sitting tight! The hare blasted off, but didn’t get too far before a string of pellets upended his getaway efforts. Rare, but not impossible.

smallmouth bass, so getting bites is practically guaranteed. Another top choice, Fitzgerald Pond in Big Moose Township, also offers easy access and plenty of parking. At 550 acres, this is only slightly bigger

than Prong Pond. And yet, DIF&W stocks so many brook trout annually that while it isn’t really possible to walk across the pond on the backs of trout, it’s the next closest thing to it. Last October,

Snowmobile Time Snowmobiling really heats up now. The hamlet of Jackman has attracted national attention as a “Hub” for snowmobiling in the Northeast. A trip down Main Street this month might reveal more snowmobiles than automobiles. The Jackman Chamber of Commerce (www.jackmanmaine.org) has an excellent website chock full of resources for folks from away looking to experience destination snowmobiling at its finest. Another must-visit resource, The Border Riders Sportsman Club (www. borderridersclub.com), also provides a valuable list of vendors, lodges, restaurants and, most importantly, trail information.

MDIF&W stocked 1,260 13-inch brook trout and 50 17-inch brook trout. Then in October, they stocked another 330 13-inch brook trout. Consequently, success is almost guaranteed.

Snowshoes Anyone? Sometimes all that’s required to feel right about the world is to take a walk in the woods. Hiking through Maine’s winter wonderland allows a crisp look into nature during the fourth season. Snowshoeing sets the stage for just such a peek. Paper company lands provide endless logging roads, along with the opportunity to venture off-trail for a closer look. For those looking for a more formal, marked trail, the Unity College Sky Lodge in Moose River has trails set up for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, Consider it a walk in the woods with fresh, crisp air, and no bugs or ticks.

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: Yellow Perch by Steve Vose

Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) belong to the Percidae or perch family of fishes. Yellow perch are native to the North American continent, but dispersed widely from their original predominant range of the eastern United States and Canada due to their popularity as a sport and commercial game fish. Yellow perch have gold or yellow colored bodies, and possess unmistakable dark vertical stripes. This unusual color pattern has given them the nickname “tiger trout” by anglers. The dorsal fin contains several sharp spines that work to protect the fish from predators and provide unsuspecting anglers with an unpleasant surprise. Yellow perch are a relatively diminutive species of game fish, averaging between 5 and 8 ounces. It is not uncommon in healthy yellow perch waters to

Questions 1. To what family of fishes do yellow perch belong? 2. What is the primary defense weapon of the yellow perch? 3. What is the native range of the yellow perch? www.MaineSportsman.com

occasionally catch large adults reaching 10 inches and weighing 10 ounces. The largest yellow perch caught in Maine was in February of 2020, taken by Martina Drugovich of Southwest Harbor out of Long Pond on Mount Desert Island. The fish weighed 2.12 pounds, and was 16 inches long. Yellow perch often travel in large schools, making fishing for this delectable game fish exciting, once anglers locate them. Rarely taken from waters more than 30 feet deep, yellow perch prefer eating and breeding in shallow waters. 4. What do male yellow perch release on the female yellow perch eggs to fertilize them? 5. What was the weight of the biggest yellow perch caught in Maine? 6. What is the average weight of an adult yellow perch?

Perch are prolific breeders, with male yellow perch reaching sexual maturity at three years of age, and females at four. Perch spawn in the spring, typically in April and June. Mating occurs with females first releasing a sticky, gelatinous mass of eggs that adheres to dense vegetation and fallen trees. During the spawning season, males release milt around the eggs to fertilize them. Eggs and sperm are randomly mixed, and soon after fertilization, the young hatch. Yellow perch typically live 9-10 years. Yellow perch eat different food depending on their size and age. Juvenile yellow perch eat small insects like mosquitoes, while larger adult yellow perch dine on crayfish, and the eggs and fry of other fish. In turn, bass, walleye and northern pike all prey on perch. 7. 8. 9.

When is the mating season for the yellow perch? What is the average life span of a yellow perch? What fish species prey on yellow perch?

Answers on Page 76

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 49

Moroccan Bear Stew I love that Comfort Season is a long one in Maine. With warm foods, layers of herbs and spices, on root vegetables, pies and many different types of game meat – that just makes it all right! Traveling in Morocco, I learned • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ingredients: 2 pounds cubed bear roast 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon Fennel Pollen (or 2 stalks celery, chopped) ½ teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon roasted ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 onion, chopped 2 large carrots, sliced 6 cloves garlic, sliced 2 cups game broth 3 small apples, peeled, cored and chopped 1 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped

Instructions: Combine flour, salt and pepper on a

many combinations of spices and herbs. And I enjoy learning new substitutes for “normal” ingredients like celery. A relatively new herb to me in the last five years is Fennel Pollen. Fennel Pollen is often referred to by some chefs

as “culinary fairy dust.” The notes of anise, licorice, citrus, and honey make it both a flavor and flavor booster. It’s great on rabbit, venison, pork chops, chicken and pasta dishes! Enjoy, and Bon Appetit!

plate and dredge bear pieces. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in Dutch oven and brown evenly. Combine paprika, Fennel Pollen, coriander, turmeric, cumin, ginger and cayenne and sprinkle over bear. Add onion, carrot, garlic and game broth. Bring

to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 1 ½ hours. Add figs and apples and cook another 20 minutes. Serve with mashed or baked potatoes or rice.

Maine Apple Cider Cake The extra moisture from the apple cider syrup topping brings a bright apple subtleness that will so please your comfort food palate. I am fortunate to have many offerings of taste testers, so you don’t always have to take my word. Between my neighbors, Jim and Judy, my friend Helen at the Farmers Market and my Board of Directors at Gallery 302, I have no shortage of feedback and constructive criticism. The criticism typically comes in the form of, “There’s just never enough!” Cake Ingredients: • 1 cup apple cider • 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing • 2 Macoun (or Granny Smith) apples, peeled, cored and cut in ¼ -inch pieces • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Syrup ingredients: • 1 cup apple cider, reduced • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting • ¾ cup whole-wheat flour • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon ground ginger • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg • ¼ teaspoon cardamom • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar • 4 large eggs • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment. In small saucepan, bring apple cider to simmer and cook until reduced to ¼ cup, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and cool slightly. In large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add apples, sugar and Kosher salt and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool slightly. In medium bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom. (Cooking Wildly continued on page 51) www.MaineSportsman.com

50 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Done Hunting? Try Trapping! The author says she is attracted to the traditions of trapping, and it amazes her that in our modern world, she can participate in an activity that humans have done for tens of thousands of years. Trapping, she says, is another way she connects to the wilderness. It’s December. You’re tagged out on deer, the ice isn’t thick enough to fish, nor is there enough snow to snowmobile. It’s time to trap. Last year, I tagged out on deer early so I started trapping in November. My fiancé and I spent a long weekend at our camp in Shirley Mills, outside Greenville. When he headed deer hunting in the morning, I drove south to Blanchard to meet up with my friend Tom Berube. Tom is a retired taxidermist from Poland whom I met when he mounted a grouse for me. Despite being in his 70s, Tom’s passion for the outdoors rivals the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning, and he loves sharing his knowledge. Running Tom’s Trap Line When I pulled off the abandoned-railroad-track-turnedATV-trail into Tom’s driveway, he was outside loading up his truck. “Good morning!,” Tom greeted me enthusiastically. “Ready to check some traps?” Tom’s been trapping for almost sixty www.MaineSportsman.com

years. He built his offthe-grid spruce and fir log cabin in the 80s – felling the trees and peeling the bark himself. As I climbed into the passenger side of his truck, Tom explained that he had about 20 traps set for a little bit of everything, from coyote and bobcat to otter and mink, and we could set my traps (I hold a trapping license) after we finished checking his. There was an inch of snow and a frost that morning. The woods were beautiful. I looked around in awe, and realized that if I didn’t hunt and trap, I would never see this stunning scenery. Tom’s first traps were just a few minutes down the road. They were otter sets along the bank of a small stream. We walked up stream to check the two 330 conibear, body gripping traps. Empty. Fisher in the Trap We continued along the forgotten road to the next spot, where I followed Tom into the woods. “Look! Fisher tracks!” Tom pointed to fresh fisher tracks in the snow. “I bet we have one!”

Sure enough, about 100 yards ahead, there was a fisher in the #2 long spring (foothold) trap. Tom dispatched the fisher with his stainless steel .22 Ruger bearcat with CB shorts. We admired the fisher; its fur was thick and dark. Tom showed me how to reset the trap, and we headed back for the truck with his catch. We were off to a good start. Next, we headed to his friend’s property. I unlocked the gate with the key Tom gave me, and he pulled his truck through. The traps set here were canine traps, intended for either coyote or fox. We could see them from the road, so we didn’t have to get out when we saw no animals in the traps. When we reached the end of the gravel road, we walked down to a marsh and checked Tom’s bobcat trap. A CD disk hung from a tree limb. “Bobcats are curious and attracted to shiny objects, just like housecats,” Tom explained. The trap was untouched. The rest of Tom’s traps were empty as well, and we headed back to his cabin to

The author’s friend, Tom Berube, with a fisher he trapped. Christi Holmes photo

process the fisher. Tom skun the fisher, showing me how to split its tail and placed the pelt on a stretching board to dry. The Author Sets Her Traps Then we headed back out to set my traps. Even though I am licensed, I still have a lot to learn about trapping, and I am not completely comfortable setting traps alone. With Tom’s guidance, I chose a couple of spots in Abbot, and I set two 330 conibear traps in the Piscataquis River where there was fresh beaver sign. We spied a raccoon track in the snow, so we decided to set a raccoon trap as well. Tom walked me through how to set the

#1-½ coil spring trap (foothold), and I placed a little anise scent as an attractant. I felt good about my traps, though they would only have one night to sit, since I had to head back to Southern Maine the next day. Results Sunday morning, I met Tom again at his cabin to check our traps. We checked all of his, all untouched, and then mine. The raccoon trap was undisturbed, but I was two for two on beavers! Despite this being November, their fur was very thick (their fur gets better through winter). Back at Tom’s cabin, we skinned and gutted the beavers. I planned to eat the (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 51

Tom skinning the fisher. Christi Holmes photo

The author went two-for-two overnight on beaver traps. Tom Berube photo

attracts me to it, but it amazes me that in our modern world, I can participate in an activity that humans have done for tens of thou-

(Continued from page 50)

beavers and have the pelts tanned. Maybe it’s the tradition of trapping that

Cooking Wildly (Continued from page 49)

In stand mixer with paddle, beat 2 sticks of butter with brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (The batter will look broken.) Beat in cooled apple cider and vanilla until just combined. At low

WE’RE! BACK

sands of years. Every trapper I’ve met has embodied the ultimate woodsman – they not only know every animal track, but they

Christi and Tom sent their furs together to a tannery in Idaho to have them tanned. Christi Holmes photo

also know every flower and tree as well. Trapping is another way I connect to the wilderness, and I’m grateful for my friend

speed, beat in dry ingredients until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cooked apples. Scrape batter into prepared pan, using spatula to smooth top. Bake for 50 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer cake to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and let cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and place on plate.

Tom for letting me tag along and learn from him.

Syrup: In small saucepan, bring apple cider to simmer, and cook over moderate heat until reduced to ¼ cup. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until it melts. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar and salt until smooth. Cool slightly; 10 minutes. Poke a few fork holes in top of cake and pour syrup over, cut and serve warm. Add a little Vanilla Bean ice cream!

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52 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Christmas Gift Ideas for Discriminating Fly Fishers If any members of my family are reading this, and decide to get me a framed fly as a holiday gift, please take note – a Carrie Stevens original would REALLY be nice. This month, while most sportsmen and women wander the woods looking for that late-season blackpowder buck, many of us begin another type of search. Christmas is just around the corner, so what kind of gifts do we get for our fly fishing friends and family? This month I’d like to lay out a way of approaching this difficult task. I often get asked, “What do you want for Christmas?” I have a hard time with this question, and I believe I’ve come up with a

perfect answer. I’m a very tough guy to buy presents for ... I seem to already have everything I need. I think there are a lot of folks with the same problem ... they’d like to get a fly fisher on their list a nice Christmas gift, but it seems that angling friend or family member already has everything. The other problem might be that the gift-giver might not really know a thing about fly fishing and what fly anglers like. Narrow it Down Well, the obvious

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way to do it would be to simply ask a direct question, “What do you want for Christmas?” How many times have we heard the typical answer that does nothing to let us know what that person wants — “Gee, I don’t know ... I already have what I need.” Then, if you do get a clear answer to what they want, the purchase seems to have the “surprise” taken out of it. Another great idea that solves some of the problem is to purchase a gift certificate from one of the stores known for carrying great fly-fishing products, retailers such as L.L. Bean, Orvis, Kittery Trading Post, L.L. Cote, and Cabela’s. Also, support local fly shops by giving gift certificates and products as a way of helping these hard-work-

Even Santa enjoys laying a line out now and then. Photo: TroutFishEngland

ing merchants. If giving gift certificates seems a little too impersonal, let me explain a few other ways to give a gift that is a bit more intimate. One great idea would be to frame a photo of a special image of the person in a fly-fishing situation – a wonderful fly-fishing memory, and a perfect gift. Gene Bahr, a good friend of mine, carves fish for a living. If someone has a good photo of a trophy they caught and released, he can carve a stunning replica of that fish. His highly-de-

tailed fish carvings would please the pickiest fly fisher on your Christmas list. Who in the world wouldn’t want a Gene Bahr fish carving hanging on their wall? Check out his website (genebahr. com), and give him a call or visit his shop. I think I’m like most fly fishers – I prefer to pick out my own fishing gear. I’m pretty picky that way, but someone could probably not go wrong by getting me fly-fishing memorabilia; you know, items you don’t really need but they are so cool you enjoy having them. I lost track of where my grandfather’s wicker fishing creel went years ago, and I’ve always wanted one to hang on the wall. I’m sure one of the thousands of antique shops in Maine must have an old one for sale. Another item that would almost always work for most fly fishers would be fly fishing (Freshwater Fly Fishing continued on page 55)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 53

Choosing a Spinning Rod The author is a believer in the axiom that you can’t ever have too many fishing rods. Here, he celebrates the industry trend of producing good-quality rods at reasonable prices, but also admits to splurging on an ultra-high-end rod last year, and reports on his findings. It’s December, and except for a few yearround rivers, open-water fishing for trout has essentially ended. So diehard trout fishermen do the next best thing, and that is to buy a new rod for next season. I firmly believe that you can’t have too many fishing rods. Some spouses may beg to differ, of course, but the lure of a new rod becomes irresistible in winter. Fortunately, today’s market offers an amazing array of rods for any occasion and to fit any budget. Most of us content ourselves with mid-priced rods, the quality of which has vastly improved over the years. During my fishing career, rod quality has steadily increased. My first spinning rod was made of fiberglass cloth wrapped around a mandrel and impregnated with resin. This, like most rods of the day, had a parabolic action and bent evenly from tip to rod handle. I always felt that these actions were more effective at tiring big fish than stiffer actions. The first rod came with cork grips of decent quality, and metal

guides. The soft-metal guides were a big drawback, since monofilament lines wore grooves in them in the course of a year’s heavy fishing. At that point it became necessary either to buy a new rod or rewind the old one with new guides. I always chose the latter, cheaper option. New Developments In time, rods were no longer made of impregnated fiberglass cloth, but were composed of a fluid, smooth, one-piece form of fiberglass. And metal guides were made of better-tempered metal that lasted several years before wearing out. Soon after, non-wearing ceramic guides became available. These were a step up from the heavy agate guides of an earlier day. Also, grips were offered in not only cork, but – in less expensive models – of synthetic material. That trend continues to this day. Fast-forward to today. We can still find very serviceable, inexpensive rods. These are what most beginners choose and they’re also what parents buy for young children. Se-

rious anglers, though, soon tire of these, and seek higher-quality rods. Fortunately, lots of companies offer well-made rods in the mid-price range. And while fiberglass rods are enjoying a resurgence of popularity, most quality rods now come in graphite or other space-age materials. As an example of a good-quality rod available for a relatively modest price, Shakespeare’s Ugly Stik Elite series make an excellent choice. This rod features light weight, great sensitivity, and good strength. The rods come equipped with stainless steel guides, stainless steel hoods (the part that holds the reel seat in place) and premium cork grips. The $50 cost of these quality rods seems more than fair. Other companies offer rods of similar quality and price. The technology has risen to the task, and now we pay the same for today’s far-superior rods as we did for poor-quality rods of 60 years ago. But still, sometimes the longing for a truly excellent rod becomes more

Tom’s little Ultralight St. Croix rod easily handled these brook trout in a swift current. Seymour photo

than we can bear. This happened to me last year. Lifetime Rod One year ago, the desire for a high-quality rod overwhelmed me, and I decided to cough up $160 for a St. Croix rod. These are handmade in the United States, something that is important to me. Many of the other rods on the market are manufactured in China. My choice of St. Croix was based upon a fishing buddy’s experience. He uses St. Croix rods almost exclusively, and swears that they are the best around. That con-

vinced me. I ordered a model PS56ULF2, meaning it is 5’ 6” long, ultralight, fast action, and two-piece. When the rod finally arrived, it was so light and sensitive that I had doubts about its ability to handle large fish. Despite its light weight, it is rated for 2- to 6-pound test lines, so that was a good indication of its inherent strength. Now, my new St. Croix has gone through an entire fishing season, and I am amazed at its strength. (Trout Fishing continued on page 55)

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54 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Productive Salty Season in ’21 This past season was a pretty good one for Maine’s saltwater fishermen. Striped bass were plentiful right into mid-October. Although most taken were under the 28” minimum, there were a good number of “slot” fish between 28” and 35” that could be retained, as well as a surprising tally of “over-slots,” especially along the southwest coast, which had to be released. “On some days, it was easier to catch an over-slot fish than a slot fish,” said Capt. Greg Metcalf of the Striper Swiper out of Kennebunkport, one of Maine’s premiere striped bass guides. “I had about 40 fish over 40 inches – way more than I did last year. We also had a good bluefish run for about two weeks, with most fish in the eight- to ten-pound range.” Groundfish The bottom-fishing scene was hopping this

Stripers, blues, tuna, haddock – and even a few sea-run brown trout -- made for a fine saltwater season, and two rare species from Down South showed up, as well.

Under-slot stripers were plentiful along the Maine coast this past season, but large numbers of “slots” and above-slot bass were also taken. Barry Gibson photo

year, too, with plenty of haddock available on traditional offshore grounds such as Jeffreys Ledge and Platts Bank, and a good number were taken on inshore ledges, some just a couple miles

from shore. Cusk were plentiful almost to the point of being a nuisance on some grounds, and pollock and redfish rounded out the fish box on many trips. Again in 2021, all cod had to be released except those taken in the two-week “cod season” in September, but right now the outlook isn’t good for any expansion of this short window in 2022. More on that in a future column. Big Tuna Big-game fishing was very good. General category fishermen landed some really nice bluefins upwards of 700 pounds. Plenty

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of smaller ones were caught as well, although few of the Angling Category-friendly, school-size fish from 25 to 100 pounds that blitzed the southern New Englandthrough-New Jersey coastline in June and July. Sharking was quite productive again this season, with plenty of blue sharks, some makos, and a good shot of porbeagles. Sea Run Browns A surprise this year was the number of sea-run brown trout that were caught. Capt. Metcalf told me he caught six while fishing for stripers. “They hit live mack-

erel and chunks at the mouth of the Mousam River and along Parsons Beach,” he said. “Biggest was 24 inches. I only caught two last year, so maybe more browns are coming down the rivers into salt water.” Bonito Were Back We had a couple of finny visitors from Down South as well (see photos on next page). Juvenile Atlantic bonito, which first showed up in Maine in significant numbers in 2016, returned to our coast and ranged as far up as the Boothbay region in August and early September. These 10” to 14” specimens are quite distinct from their cousin, the Atlantic mackerel, in that their coloring is more of a bright lime-greenish and their side markings are straight vertical bars, which migrate horizontally as the fish matures. They also have mouths full of needle-sharp teeth, something to which I can personally attest. Adult bonito can grow to ten pounds or so, and are prized as light-tackle gamesters as well as for their food value in the waters south of Cape Cod, but few big ones have ever been taken north of the Cape. Why only the juveniles range up into the Gulf of Maine in late summer is something (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 55 (Continued from page 54)

of a mystery. Goggle-Eyes in Maine? In mid-September, I encountered a fish I had never seen here before. Jeff Pendleton of Wiscasset, who goes with me on my charter boat, caught a bigeye scad, also known as a goggle-eye scad or just plain goggle-eye, on a sabiki rig from the dock at Brown’s Wharf Inn in Boothbay Harbor. He actually was about to use it as striper bait, when I recognized it. He took a couple of photos, and I looked it up in Bigelow & Schroeder’s Fishes of the Gulf of Maine that evening. Although the book is somewhat outdated, having been printed in 1953, the authors noted that, at the time, only three specimens had ever been identified north of Cape Cod.

This goggle eye was caught in Boothbay Harbor in September. These fish are plentiful and are prime baits in Florida, but their appearance in Maine waters is highly unusual. Jeff Pendleton photo

Goggle-eyes are very important bait fish, particularly in South Florida where they support a thriving commercial livebait fishery. They are normally caught after dark on long sabiki

Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 52)

artwork. I like those tin replicas with a fly fishing theme, but an original oil painting, watercolor, or even a framed print would do it for me and probably most fly anglers on the gift list. Framed flies, tied by some of Maine’s local talent, would also trip my fly fishing trigger. If any members of my family read this, please take note – a Carrie Stevens original would REALLY be nice, or a replica tied by Selene Dumaine (seleneofmaine.com), to hang

Trout Fishing (Continued from page 53)

Last fall, I found trout stacked up beneath a dam in a raging current. One little calm area on the other side was the only place where I could get a short drift before the current swept my lure away. Fortunately, fish bit almost as soon as the lure hit the charmed place. Getting my lure there required pin-

rigs and kept in tanks on board, and are sold to sailfish and kingfish anglers. These little fish can command $6 or more apiece during big-money sailfish tournaments, and a

Juvenile bonito like this one caught by the author from a dock in Boothbay Harbor in September migrated north into Maine this past summer. Adult bonito, however, rarely venture into our waters. Tim Brown photo

couple of guys in a center console can catch up to 300 goggle-eyes in a single night’s trip. Hey, do the math! What goggle-eyes are doing in the Gulf of Maine is beyond me. I suspect it’s just another species, such as

on the wall of the “man room.” The Unknown Sometimes, fly anglers really doesn’t know they need something, but when you get it for them, they love it and wonder how they have ever fished without it. A wading staff immediately comes to mind when imagining this special kind of gift. Once anglers start using them, they will begin to understand how useful wading staffs really can be. I don’t go fishing anywhere (except on a boat) without one. Another item like that is one of the super-compact rain suits available point accuracy. Loaded with an especially thin 4-pound test line, my little rod easily managed the long cast. But that was only half of the challenge. Once hooked, trout immediately raced downstream, and it required substantial rod pressure to keep the fish out of streamside vegetation. The St. Croix came to the front here too. I applied more pressure than it seemed the rod could take, but in the end it had more

bonito, triggerfish, and black sea bass, which have been migrating northward in the summer for several years due to the continued warming of our waters.

nowadays. Several companies make them; I have one from Frogg Toggs (froggtoggs.com), and it is so compact and light I can carry it with me everywhere – so convenient. Another great gift requires a sneaky, tactical approach – just ask the angler in question something like this: “I heard this guy the other day talking about his favorite fly. What’s your goto fly?” If you are sneaky enough, you can just buy a bunch of those particular flies in different sizes, and be a real Christmas-buying champ. Merry “Fishmas” to all!

than enough strength to keep my trout out of the weeds and in the current, where I was finally able to bring them to net. I am completely satisfied with this rod, and could not ask for anything better. If you have the same urge for a quality rod, perhaps this December is your time.

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56 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Now’s the Season for Fins, Feathers and Fur The sport of ice fishing has become increasingly popular in the Downeast Region. Many more folks are venturing on to hard-water lakes and ponds in Washington and Hancock County. Silver Lake in Bucksport is one of my favorite lakes to ice fish in December. Refer to Delorme’s Maine Atlas, Map 23, D-2 to pinpoint the exact location. This lake offers some of the best fishing prospects in the area. Anglers will experience high number of flags, with white perch and chain pickerel being the main bait stealers on this

The author reveals where and when to ice fish, hunt partridge and rabbits, and use your muzzleloader to fill one of the many bonus whitetail permits issued for the area. lake. However, ice fishermen should also have luck catching the more sought-after species – largemouth and smallmouth bass. Access to this water can be gained all along the Silver Lake Road in Bucksport. Because of Silver Lake’s roadside location, it is easy to tend your ice traps from your pickup or car. The cove at the boat landing usually freezes first and produces the safest and the best early-fishing action.

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Varying Hare Hunt Other sporting opportunities exist in the Silver Lake area, also. Rabbit hunter Eric Peddle of Bucksport recently mentioned to me that rabbit populations seemed somewhat stable in the region. He mentioned that he’s experienced many successful hunts at several locations near Silver Lake. Peddle mentioned that rabbit covers in the Millvale area can also result in some fast shooting. Several small streams feed

this low-lying landscape, creating ideal habitat to sustain a healthy population of snowshoe hare. The boggy edges provide ample opportunities to release a beagle. Within minutes experienced hounds are often in hot pursuit of an ever-circling rabbit. A few logging roads provide access to this location; however, the dense cedar makes bushwhacking the only way to get around in this area. See DeLorme’s Map 23, E-3. Another hotspot

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where Eric and I have had even better success running his beagle is off the Stud Mill Road, Map 34, E-1. Having hunted here with Eric and his beagle, I can promise you the covers there contain high numbers of bunnies. Late-Season Grouse An additional prospect that keeps sports afield in December is partridge hunting. Grouse season continues until December 31, 2021. Gunners can find gravel-picking partridge by traveling along many of the country or camp roads on the east side of the Penobscot River. Any one of these country or camp roads should still contain a few wily partridge. According to avid bird hunter, Ray Davis of Orland, top choices for folks in this area are the cottage roads leading to Toddy Pond; see Map 23, D-5. Other productive (Downeast Region continued on page 60)

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Bobcats Plentiful in Midcoast Region It’s getting more and more difficult, says the author, to find private land in the Midcoast on which to hunt for bobcats. One option is to hunt on public land, such as in a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) managed by DIF&W. Frye Mountain WMA, for example, contains lots of rolling hills and valleys – great bobcat territory. Bobcat season opens December 1, and Midcoast cat hunters should find plenty of bobcats. The number of bobcat sightings I get from local folks increases each year. It wasn’t always this way. In my youth, bobcat hunters needed to travel far to the north to find their quarry, because cats were too scarce in Midcoast Maine to bother hunting. Not so today. Sure, plenty of bobcats still prowl the northern Maine woods, but an ever-increasing population in the Midcoast region furnishes more than enough cats for everyone to get a crack at one. The only difference between the Midcoast and northern Maine is that northern Maine features far more large, unbroken tracts of land than does the Midcoast. In addition, the bane of posting continues to shrink the size of available woodlands along the coast. Some posting is due to landowner response to people’s mistreatment of their land, such as littering and rutting up roads. But a significant amount of posting

is due to a new mindset, whereupon new landowners routinely post their land. This pretty much restricts hunting to either private property where hunters have secured permission from the landowner – something that is increasingly more difficult to do than in the past – or to hunting on public land. Our Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), managed by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), offer ample opportunities for bobcat hunters, even hunters with dogs. The Frye Mountain WMA, for example, contains lots of rolling hills and valleys, great bobcat territory. Find Frye Mountain WMA on the DeLorme Atlas, Page 14, A-1 and A-2. Predator Calling Most bobcat hunters use hound dogs to run down and tree their prey. But hunters without dogs also have a way to get a shot at that trophy cat, and that is by using a predator call to lure the cats to within range. I have had success with the mouth-blown

type, the kind with an exposed reed, much like the mouthpiece of a clarinet. These calls allow you to alter the type of call as needed. For instance, while a dying rabbit sound will attract predators to your position, the cat or other predator may refuse to come close enough for a shot. By switching to a mouse peep, the deal is clinched, and the predator sometimes runs up to the caller. Predator calling resembles duck hunting in a way, since both require stealth in the form of camouflage, as well as requiring the ability to sit stock-still for long periods of time. That’s all well and good in warmer weather, but in December, those prone to feeling the cold will have to use all their willpower to sit still for very long. By the way, the laws regarding electronic predator calls as written in the 20212022 law book seem ambiguous to me. The use of such calls is spelled out as permissible for deer, bear, turkey, moose and coyote. This is on page 14 of the law book. No

Russ Arnold and his first bobcat, an impressive 38-pounder.

mention is made of using electronic calls for fox or bobcat. However, nowhere in the law book does it say that electronic calls are illegal for fox or bobcat; thus the ambiguity. This publication’s editorial staff contacted DIF&W headquarters in Augusta, and were told that electronic calls may be used when hunting for fox and bobcat, despite the fact that those species are not included in the “permissible” list in the law book.

chosen a section of woods bounded on two sides by a dirt road. A thick swamp in the center of the parcel and woods all around it made for excellent bobcat territory. The hunters parked their truck and proceeded to take the dogs out of their kennels and take them in the woods. It wasn’t long before the hounds hit a hot trail, and the chase was on. Upon following the dogs to a point near the road, the hunters found themselves at an impasse. The trail had turned cold, yet the dogs lingered in this one small area. Then someone wondered of the cat had entered a

Bizarro Bobcat Bobcat hunting with dogs has its unpredictable moments, as demonstrated by my buddy Russel Arnold’s experience. Russ was hunting with a group of friends, and he had

(Midcoast Region continued on page 60)

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Keep Moving From 1999 to 2009, the author completed winter ascents of Mt. Katahdin and Mt. Washington (NH), as well as climbing Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens. He also joined an expedition to Argentina, where he and his group summited 22,843-foot Mt. Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas. My grandfather Harland Hitchings worked for over 50 years for Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as a hunter safety instructor. He lived to be over 90 years old. He always professed that the secret to his long life was that he never stopped moving. A testament to his mantra, he maintained his own home, had a driver’s license, and enjoyed talking on the ham radio and playing cribbage with family and friends, right up till his death. Many of us can only hope to preserve our mental and physical capabilities for that length of time. While genetics certainly play a critical role, a lot can be said for always working to maintain an active lifestyle. In December of 1999, I joined a small group of beginner mountaineers from the University of Maine outing club, and succeeded in summiting Mt. Katahdin for the first time during the winter season. Immediately hooked by the stark beauty and challenge of winter hiking, over the next 10 years I went on to complete www.MaineSportsman.com

multiple winter ascents of Mt. Katahdin and Mt. Washington (NH), as well as climbing Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens. I even joined an expedition to Argentina, where I summited 22,843 foot Mt. Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas. Unfortunately, a side effect of being active is that it can also be hard on a body. Years of hiking with heavy backpack loads eventually caught up with me, wearing out my spine and forcing me to pursue less physically-demanding endeavors. For years, I was content to enjoy short family hiking trips, during which I was content to watch my kids grow into strong hikers. Eventually their skill levels evolved to a point where they were no longer content with easy day hikes up Mt. Pisgah (DeLorme’s Map 12, C-2) or French Mountain (Map 20, E-3) and were begging me to go and hike Maine’s tallest mountain, Katahdin in Baxter State Park (Maps 50 & 51). Over the next two years, I suc-

ceeded in getting both my kids to the top, and at 49 years old, I was glad to know I still had enough spring in my step and that climbing Maine’s mountain was still well within my ability level to accomplish. Encouraged by my success, I contacted my old climbing partner and made a plan to climb Katahdin in February of 2021. Understanding that the physical challenges of climbing Katahdin in the winter season are much more demanding than strolling up its slopes in the summer, over the next 5 months I trained in preparation. Most of the training I did was accomplished in the Georges River Land Trust in the towns of Rockport and Camden. One of my favorite hikes, 1,200-foot Ragged Mountain (Map 14, D-3) boasts dramatic, sweeping views from its extensive open summit. Multiple trailheads lead up to the summit; however, my favorite is the Thorndike Brook Trailhead. Other hiking favorite are 1,280 foot, Bald Mountain (Map 14,

The author’s sons, Wildman and Manimal, enjoying the winter views on the summit of Bald Mountain. Steve Vose photo

D-3), and the 6.8 mile round trip hike up 955 foot Spruce Mountain and 1,027 foot Pleasant Mountain (Map 14, D-2) accessible via the trailhead on Rt. 17. Not ever to be left behind when an adventure presents itself, my two teenage sons joined me on all my winter preparation hikes. Having them along certainly increased the enjoyment of the experience, and it was also thrilling to be able to pass on to them my knowledge of winter hiking. From these winter climbs, we even hatched plans to hike all Maine’s 4,000 footers, an adventure we started this summer and will continue over the next

couple years. Finally, the day arrived for my seventh winter ascent of Katahdin. I arrived at the Abol bridge parking lot feeling apprehensive. In our old school tradition of climbing Katahdin in the winter, my climbing partner and I spent the night in the back of our pickup trucks, awaking at 1:00 a.m. to start the ski into Abol campground. I am pleased to report that the entire trip went exactly as planned, and after approximately 7 hours we succeeded in reaching the summit. In 13 hours, we were back at Abol campground, packing up our gear (Central Maine continued on page 60)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 59

Don’t Put the Boat or Shotgun Away Yet! According to the author, December is a great month to get outside and experience late season trolling, bird hunting, and the whitetail muzzleloader season. As the year winds down and we anticipate the coming hardwater season, many of us occupy our time getting our ice fishing gear in order, making sure the snow machine is ready for service, and generally waiting for the lakes to freeze. But for the stalwart outdoorsperson, December still has plenty to offer. Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, C-1) is still open to angling and generally ice-free, and I almost guarantee you’ll have the whole lake to yourself. Fish from Boat on Christmas? Glen Gisel, a guide buddy of mine and owner of Sebago Sport Fishing, boasted to me that he has fished Sebago by boat every month. That’s a great claim, and a testament to the passion Glen has for fishing and the lake. In fact, one of his most memorable days was a Christmas morning trip. Sebago Lake is open to angling all year, although from October 1 through December 31, anglers must use artificial lures only. Anglers can keep unlimited lakers under 26 inches, and can keep one lake trout 26 inches or longer. Anglers must

immediately release salmon unharmed. Late this fall, we were having luck with both salmon and lakers using Northeast Troller’s orange crush spoons and orange Mooselook wobblers. Anglers were also reporting solid catches using streamer flies. I like to run a small dodger in front of the fly to act as an attractant and to impart the darting action that draws fish to strike. Joe’s Smelt patterns, Red and Whites, and Barnes’ Specials are all top Sebago streamer patterns. I run fly rods with trolling sinking fly line and a 30-foot leader of 8-pound fluorocarbon line. Nothing compares to the thrill of battling a decent salmon or laker on a fly rod. I also run downriggers either right off bottom, which always seem to draw in lakers, or in the water column if I am marking fish at a specific depth. Remember to vary your speeds. Sometimes 2.5 MPH works; other times they want the lure or fly slowed down at 1.5 MPH. When you hit that sweet spot, you’ll know! Thompson Lake Thompson Lake (Map 5, A-2) in Poland

is also open for December anglers. The law here says you must release all trout, salmon and togue, and the artificial lure rule applies. Thompson typically skims over at the launch by The Heath, but the northern launch is generally ice-free at the start of this month. Try the orange-hued lures here, too. They seem to really work on salmon and lakers. Grouse For us diehard bird hunters, December is the last month we can carry our scatterguns through field and forest. A cold December morning is a great time to take the dog out on a hunt. The grouse are just waking up and searching for patches of sunlight to revive themselves. Once out of the trees, they hold tight – a boon to pointer dog hunters. I always seem to get closer flushes in December than October. Fermented apples, if any are left on the ground, draw grouse in, and dog-less hunters can clean up hunting old orchards, or even current commercial ones. Just be sure to check with the orchard owner.

The author and Rylee admire a late-season Sebago lake trout. Tom Roth photo

Pheasant Running a dog on the pheasant release sites is a good way to spend a December morning. Some of the escape artists that

made it through hunting season still linger before snow falls, and can be located with a good dog. These won’t be the tight-sitting (Continued on next page)

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Sebago to Auburn (Continued from page 59)

birds from October, as they have learned to avoid dogs and predators. These birds will run, so a seasoned dog will be able to corner and hold a cagey late-season pheasant for you. Deer, Too Southern and Central Maine deer hunters have two weeks of muzzleloader hunting, and despite the advances in equipment, still relatively few hunters take advan-

tage of this last-chance deer season. The season here runs from November 29 through December 11, and hunters with any-deer and bonus permits issued for these wildlife management districts still have time to fill their tags. It always happens that I see more deer in my travels in December than I do during the November season. I truly think they relax a bit when the army of orange isn’t out in

Downeast Region (Continued from page 56)

location for grouse that I often recommend to late-season hunters are the camp roads surrounding Alamoosook Lake; Map 23, D-5. Several of my hunting friends often pick up a few budding grouse by searching either one of these grouse-budding locales. Muzzleloading My Thompson/Center, 50-caliber rifle is the most thrilling gun I’ve ever shot. I have fired my black-powder rifle many times in the last few years. The booming sound, the obvious cloud of smoke, and the pungent smell of gunpowder fills my soul with exhilaration each time the hammer strikes the primer. So if I’m not fortunate enough to bag a deer in November, you can be sure,

Midcoast Region (Continued from page 57)

culvert. Two men posted themselves at either end of the culvert and shone lights in it. One hunter said he thought he had sighted the bobcat in the culvert’s recesses. At that point, the cat flew out of the culvert as if it were

Central Maine (Continued from page 58)

and preparing for the drive back to our homes. I’m not saying that everyone needs to have a goal, like climbing Mt. Kawww.MaineSportsman.com

force. While others will argue deer are on high alert after a month of pressure, I believe they settle back to their usual routines with less intrusion into their lairs. As we close another year and prepare for winter activities, December is the month to get out and make the last, and often best, memories of the year. Late season trolling, bird hunting and lastchance deer hunting offer up a little something for every sportsman and woman.

— Trophy Gallery —

Duane Wright of Hope used a Hoyt Carbon Element compound bow to earn his Biggest Bucks patch and his Bowhunter patch, arrowing this 215.4-lb. whitetail on October 25, 2021 in his hometown. The buck’s 9-point rack was among the more impressive we’ve seen all year. The buck’s weight was certified by the professionals at Hilltop Farm Meat Cutters in Lincolnville.

I’ll grab my muzzle loader and continue hunting deer for two more weeks. Muzzleloading season in the Downeast Region starts November 29 and ends December 11, 2021. My home area includes prime deer habitat in Wildlife Management District (WMD) 26. The two-week season often allows smoke-pole carriers the possibility of tracking deer on snow-covered terrain. The colder weather makes deer move more during the day, and stimulates bucks in the area to search for does. In my home area, WMD 26, 2,555 any-deer permits were issued, and 250 bonus permits were also allotted in Subunit 26a. This number is a vast increase over past years. Portions of towns in Subunit 26a, where reasonable high deer populations exist, include Bucksport, Penobscot, Brewer, Castine, Dedham, Hold-

en, Orland, Orrington and Verona. This area of the state contains hundreds of acres of blueberry fields, farmlands and an ample amount of prime cover to sustain an over-abundance of deer. Deer are so numerous that many of these towns have created expanded-archery seasons. Annual figures published by DIF&W list the 2020 deer harvest and show that numerous Downeast towns in WMD 27 and WMD 28 tagged close to, or more than, 50 deer last year. Some of the top harvests occurred in the towns of Addison, Machias, Milbridge, and Cherryfield. One area that contains pockets of deer is located all along the Ridge Road and Pineo Ridge (Map 25, C-3). This year, 95 any-deer permits were allotted in WMD 27, and 35 any-deer permits were issued in WMD 28.

shot out of a cannon, and the dogs once again gave pursuit. Then history repeated itself, with the cat entering yet another culvert. And again the cat escaped, at which point the dogs gave up the chase. So the hunters decided to have lunch, and as they were sitting on the tailgate, the cat appeared, walk-

ing down the road toward them. Russ grabbed his gun and managed to kill the cat as it was walking away in the woods. Russ tells me that though this happened some time ago, the group still talks of the bobcat that walked down the road toward them.

tahdin, to motivate themselves to keep moving. What I am saying, however, is that it is important to find that physical activity that does excite and motivate you, and embrace it. As we age, it gets harder and harder to do all of the physical activities that we were able

to easily accomplish in our youth, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still find activities that get us outside enjoying all of the exciting adventure that Maine’s woods and waters offer.

¶ ¶

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 61

Yard Sale Flasher for Ice Fishing Not Quite the Deal of the Century Once the author learned the cost of a required accessory – an open-water transducer – his “deal of the century” was demoted to a “pretty good” yard sale find. However, he’s learning all that a flasher can do – for ice fishing and as an upgrade to his trolling boat next summer. A friend recently asked me, “Should I invest in a flasher for ice fishing?” Good question. It’s a question I used to ask myself a lot. Coincidently, just a couple days prior, I had snagged what I thought was a good package deal on one at a yard sale, along with an LL Bean fly rod. It wasn’t that I was out shopping for a flasher, but that’s how yard sales work, right? You find everything you never knew you needed. Anyway, I justified the purchase because, with the addition of an open-water transducer, I’d be able to use it in the summer as a fishfinder with side scan, which would be a great upgrade in my trolling boat. Deep Research So, off to the YouTube in search of how to use a flasher. What looked like an overly complicated, hard-touse gimmick actually turned out to make total(ish) sense. However, a subsequent search of Amazon put a damper on my excitement about summer use of the unit as an upgraded trolling fishfinder,

once I discovered how expensive it was going to be to purchase an open-water transducer. So much for the yard sale deal of the century! The unit was officially demoted to a “good enough” yard sale deal. Basics of Operation My very basic description of the unit’s operation is that the middle number on the screen represents depth, the numbers on the ring represent the water column, and lighted lines around the circle represent objects in the water at that depth: your jig, a fish, weeds, or bottom. There is a color gradient for density: Objects like rocks are darker colored, and less substantive objects like weeds are lighter. You can allegedly see your jig as it goes down, and you can also see fish as they react to your lure. If there is a line representing a fish below your jig, drop it into its vision. If it’s over your jig, bring it up. Scouting with Your Flasher Fans of flashers say you can also utilize them for “scouting,” by

going around the pond or lake, drilling holes in likely spots, and taking a quick look at what’s down there: perhaps a school of bait, rocky bottom, sand, or even schooling fish like whitefish. If it’s a productive spot, stay and fish it; if not, move on to another possible spot. This keeps you from fishing for hours on end at a spot that is barren of fish, anticipating the strike that may never come. Needless to say, I’ve done a lot of that. Sweet Features My new flasher is a fairly high model, but it’s nothing special compared to others available today to those with larger budgets. Mine does offer some pretty sweet features, but it’s certainly outdone by some of the more complex models. MarCum’s higher-end flashers promise rod holders, LED lights, and phone chargers; I’m sure they’d give you a coffee maker attachment if you asked nicely. Worth it? So are flashers worth the investment? They’re not cheap, unless you get one at a yard sale with a fly rod

Once you’re on the whitefish school, you can settle in and fish. Raymond photo

MarCum manufactures flasher-sonar units with different features and in a wide range of prices.

– and without a transducer. A middle-ofthe-road flasher from MarCum costs about $400. The answer is very dependent on the situation. If you’re a big fan of jigging, this is perfect. But if you don’t have the patience, it’s probably a waste of money. If you’re targeting perch on Hermon Pond (some will understand

this), a flasher is really unnecessary, because you don’t need a sonar unit to experience success. However, if you’re looking for a school of whitefish in a Northern Maine lake, it’s a really convenient tool. Flashers may not be for everyone, but they can sure be handy at times.

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62 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

From Sportsman to Guide Our former “Young Maine Sportsman” is now a Young Maine Guide, and he’s already taking out sports who are looking for birds to shoot and fish to catch. He’s spending a lot of time – and gas money – scouting, and he’s also had to acquire appropriate gear for his customers. I recently got my guide’s license for hunting and fishing. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and something I wanted to see if I could stay comfortable doing, as well. I will see what the future holds, but for now I love it! Hunting and fishing and learning about the outdoors have been constants throughout my life. The only thing that’s changed now is before, I could go out and just see what happens. Now, I need to make sure I’ve done my scouting and homework to the best of my abilities, to give my customer the best odds for success. Preparing for the Test For anyone who’s thinking about taking the Maine Guide’s test, I highly recommend you do, but there’s a few things you need to know before signing up. The first thing I can say is that if you want your hunting or fishing guide’s license, it helps if you have lived it and spent the time and hours in the outdoors. The test is going to be tough no matter what, but the more time you’ve www.MaineSportsman.com

spent in the outdoors, the better. However, just spending time in the woods won’t fully prepare you for what’s on the tests. You have a written test, and a verbal test. Both tests will require you to know the hunting and fishing laws inside and out. They might not ask you everything, but you don’t know what’s going to be asked during the test, and it changes from time to time. I went for both hunting and fishing, so I had to know all the hunting, fishing, trapping laws, boating regulations, navigation, and map and compass.

you don’t pass the first time, it will give you a better idea of what to study for and what to be prepared for. Everyone’s verbal test will be slightly different, so there’s not one sheet of questions and answers to memorize. The best thing you can do is know your map and compass, think your catastrophic event through, know the laws inside and out, and keep trying until you get it. Another good thing to look into is some Maine guide courses. There are experienced guides all over the state who offer courses that will make it a lot easier when it’s test time.

Hypothetical “Catastrophic Event” Part of the Test You’ll be given a given a hypothetical catastrophic event during the verbal exam, and you’ll have to explain how you would get yourself and your sport (customer) out of danger. It’s overwhelming for sure, but studying is the key. If you know your laws, know your basic firearm safety, know your buoys, you’ll do alright, and if

Already Guiding, but Staying with Birds and Fish for Now Since I’ve held my license, I’ve been on a couple of trips, and I’ve found it’s a lot of prep work and money in gear and especially gas. I spend more time on the road scouting for a guided trip than I ever would have imagined, and a lot of time out of a boat, too. But that’s really what it comes down to with anything in the

The author proudly displays his new Registered Maine Guide Patch.

outdoors – you can’t make your quarry end up where you want them to be, but you can make the odds a lot better by patterning game. This is especially true for ducks, geese, and turkeys. Someday I’ll get into big game, but for now, I think I’m going to stick to fishing, like trolling for salmon, any trout spices you can think of, and pike, out of a 20-foot Lund Alaskan I bought for trolling and sea duck hunting, although I can’t guide on tidal water until I get my captain’s license someday. And as far as hunting goes, small game waterfowl, and turkeys are what I’m going to stick to for now. If you do plan to book a trip with a guide, find out what

gear they provide. I can’t speak for others, but I provide almost everything you’ll need except for clothes, guns and ammo. The best advice I can give customers is to dress for the occasion. It’s hard to enjoy the day if you’re cold. Everything else – tackle, boats, water, snacks, decoys, blinds and calls – those are all things I bring and am comfortable using. I’ve hunted and fished in Maine my whole life, and it never gets old for me, but I’ve done it for myself for years, and now seeing someone else experience the same (if not more) excitement in doing what I love feels just as good as if it were me pulling the trigger or reeling in a big fish.

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 63

Porter Lead Mine Adventure Part 2

Without thinking, I slid down the 45-degree rock to the ledge, with a 100-foot drop-off straight down from there. I realized I’d made a huge mistake, my third one of the day – I was in a spot from which I could not descend, nor could I climb back up. In other words, I had slid into a death trap. Many years ago, when I was young and stupid, I found myself clinging to a small foothold, grasping a small pine that grew from a crack in the solid rock wall. That tree held me to the side of a cliff in Porter. I peeked around an outcrop on the cliff, and there it was – the open mine shaft of the old, abandoned Porter Lead Mine. After two long years of searching, I had found it. Fast-forward thirty-some years later. I was clinging to that same cliff again, proving I’m still stupid. This time I was in big trouble, at risk of falling 100 feet to the rocks below. I struggled to hold on. I had made the biggest mistake of my life, a mistake that would likely cost me my life. My mistake was I had slid down the cliff on my backside to a small outcrop below, to get a photo of Harold Danis standing at the mouth of the mine shaft (see illustration accompanying this column), and I had no way to climb back. Maybe I could have done so when I was younger, but now I am old and I have health issues. Plus, I had blown out my left knee hiking in

– proving once again that “old bones and a young mind” make for a dangerous condition. I wrote about this abandoned lead mine in Porter in an issue of The Maine Sportsman last year. Harold, a long-time friend, read the column and announced he wanted to hike up and explore it. Of course, I agreed to take him to the mine site. I had no idea Harold would save my life that day, or at the least that he’d save me from an emergency helicopter ride to Boston Medical so they could try to put the pieces of me back together again. “I don’t remember it being this steep.” The outing started well. The hike to the base of the mountain was easy enough, but at the base of the first ridge, I began huffing and puffing – looking up the mountain, I told Harold I didn’t remember how steep it was. We then decided to reach the top by moving along the mountain at an angle, which we thought would be easier than a more direct, straightup approach – Mistake #1. I had never taken that approach, and we soon reached steep,

deep washouts that ran down the mountain to the pond far below – one after another. That’s when my knee started to swell, and it was painful each step. When I hunted and hiked there years ago, I always hiked directly to the top and followed the ridge up the mountain to the mine site. However, I was younger then, and mountains didn’t seem so high. Harold is in good shape but I was a mess with being over-weight and more metal in me than a car, plus my painful knee. I had to stop often to rest; it took a few hours to reach the mine location -- my next mistake. Harold stood at the top of the cliff and asked, “Where’s the mine?” “You are standing over it,” I replied, and pointed down the sheer cliff. Harold said, “No way – are you kidding me?” Mistake #3 I told him the descent would not pose any problems, and that I had climbed down from here years ago – we just needed to move to the side of the cliff and climb along the face to the shaft. So we started

Harold Danis, from Shapleigh, stands at the Porter abandoned lead mine. This is the photo I took from the death trap on the side of a cliff. I’d been dying to get this photo, and I almost died getting the photo. Val Marquez photo

across. Harold climbed like a spider, while I was having serious issues. He easily made it to the shaft entrance, but I had hit an impasse and couldn’t make it any farther. Then I made my 3rd and most deadly decision. I had planned to take a photo of Harold standing in the mine shaft but couldn’t get the proper angle from my location. I looked down the cliff and saw a small ledge and a dead tree protruding from the rocks. Without thinking, I slid down the 45-degree rock to the ledge with the 100foot drop falling off straight down from there. Death Trap? Hanging out over the drop-off, I took the photo of Harold standing at the shaft’s opening. All was good – I would use that photo

for this column. But all was not good, since I had placed myself in a spot I couldn’t climb from. I’d slid into a death trap. We decided Harold would slide down and help me climb across the face to safety. There was a two-inch crack along the rock that was filled with dead leaves and pine spills. Harold placed the point of his hiking stick in the crack then locked his foot above it, I then placed my foot on his and we slowly worked our way across the cliff to safety. The hike out was painful but went well – our adventure ended with cold Pepsis on my deck in Freedom, N.H. We are planning a trip to the Ice Caves on Green Mountain in Effingham next.

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64 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Sad Truth About the Allagash Wilderness Waterway: “The wild is being eroded, bit by bit.”

Frequently while speaking throughout New England, I’m asked if the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW) is more or less wild than when it was created. Unfortunately, my response is that it’s becoming less and less wild. In 1989, 23 years after Mainers voted to establish the AWW and instructed the Bureau of Parks to “Develop (its) maximum wilderness character,” I spent five days canoeing the corridor with Bill Green. We were filming An Allagash Adventure for WCSH TV. Opening the series, Bill proclaimed, “There is a special feeling to the Allagash, a sense of adventure, the thrill of getting away from it all.” Today when asked about changes, I sadly reply, “The wild is being eroded bit by bit.”

nating from the nearby designated wilderness area. Secondly, due to state ownership of a wilderness corridor averaging only 500 feet wide, it is difficult for the narrow beauty strip to create and enhance a remote experience. Throw politics into the mix and policies often corrode. A brief review identifies other challenges. When the waterway was created, the Bureau of Parks sought to retain historic designs. They replaced frame camps with log, rebuilt a wooden cribbed Churchill Dam, and ensured that bridge crossings were of historic timber style construction. Today on the Allagash, however, there are multiple concrete bridge abutments, with cement impoundments at Churchill and Lock Dams.

Challenges of a Waterway Through a Working Forest After 55 years of oversight by the Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands, there are differences. Many have been caused by the very Bureaus that are charged with oversight. The problem is that various administrations have instructed Waterway supervisors to manage a wild Allagash the same as southern Maine parks. Even if the Augusta office establishment had consistently supported wilderness values, there are numerous challenges to maintaining an untamed Waterway. Foremost, the river bisects three million acres of working forest. Landowners have expressed concern that they won’t be able to cut freely on their land, referring to a so-called “shadow effect” ema-

Sedimentation, and Easy Access Further degradation: In 2020, the Lands unit of the Bureau of Parks and Lands allowed mud to silt and flow down tributary McNally Brook into Chamberlain Lake in T11R7.

AWW “Beauty Strip.” Scott Miller collection www.MaineSportsman.com

Mud and silt in McNally Brook, T6R11.

But the transformation began much earlier on: In 1970, when the Allagash became part of our nation’s Wild and Scenic River System, Maine leaders planned for vehicle access at two or three locations. But according to the Natural Resources Council of Maine, by 2001 the state had approved ten motor vehicle access points to the water, and two additional access sites to campsites. In 2005, a law was passed that further authorized four walk-in trails and nineteen snowmobile trails. Two years ago, an additional vehicle access point was created northeast of Chamberlain Lake. For years, the road to the Tramway and trains stopped

a mile from the watercourse. This distance metered foot traffic, allowing all to seek a remote experience. Thousands of People But that changed when the Bureau of Public Lands, in conjunction with Seven Island’s Land Company, improved the road, and built a parking area and complete with outhouse – all within a 16-minute walk down a cleared, blue-painted path.

Road to Tramway, T8R13.

Due to that change, large numbers of people are now crowding the area. In 2019, 1,609 people registered to walk to the locomotives. However, by October of 2020, more than 3,000 hikers registered at North Maine Woods Checkpoints to walk into the trains. This trend continued into May 2021, when NMW’s reported that 2,400 people registered that month alone for the hike. Imagine the frustration for those who spend years planning their wilderness trip, and after paddling 18 miles up Chamberlain Lake, they are met by a crowd of fifty or more who have made an easy stroll to the waterway. Here’s how to start addressing the situation – We need to determine the type of Allagash experience Mainer’s desire. A wilderness as originally approved by citizens? Or one that is invaded by roads, parking lots, cars, trucks and SUVs? There’s Hope While in the past Park administrators have diminished the Allagash experience, there is hope. Under the leadership of Park Director Andy Cutko, I sense a caring for the natural resource rangers protect. But it is up to all of Maine to ensure they do. (Ranger on the Allagash continued on page 66)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 65

Late-Season Grouse Hunting in the Snow The best thing about hunting grouse in the snow, besides being able to see their tracks, is the fact that the more you move through the woods, the warmer you get. Hunting these awesome game birds in the snow can be very chilly unless you keep your feet moving. Being able to see grouse tracks in the snow helps a hunter find the fast-flying grouse. Unlike the surprising flush you almost always get when hunting without snow on the ground, hunting in snow allows a hunter to at least have an idea that a bird is close at hand. Guess what? Nine times out of ten, even with the tracks in the snow as evidence that a bird is nearby, I still get shocked by the burst of a flushing ruffed grouse. I guess it just helps to instill a bit of confidence ... seeing tracks and knowing there are birds in the vicinity. For me, it just seems like there might be a better chance with tracks in the snow, rather than walking anywhere through a woods area without snow, and hoping for a flush. Bird Dogs Now, don’t get me wrong – walking through good cover with your bird dog usually produces plenty of flushes, but when I see tracks, I get extra

The author says he especially likes hunting partridge during the later days of the season, because most of the leaves are off the trees. He can spot his dog and hunting partners more easily, as well as being able to see the birds better as they flush.

One of the author’s favorite pastimes is hunting the first snow of the season. Seeing tracks gives him confidence, he says, because he knows there are animals in the area. William Clunie photo

excited – at that point, the hunt becomes a tracking game. If I’m traveling back roads in a truck and notice a set of tracks crossing the road, I can park and know with full confidence that a bird is just ahead – unless it took to the air. Take special care to keep your dog hydrated while hunting in cold weather. Too many folks assume when it’s cold, a dog won’t need as much water. Think of it this way – a dog works just as hard during cold

weather, and it has to contend with the energy-robbing lower temperatures, too. When I hunt with my dog during temperatures that dip below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, I limit the length of time spent in the woods. For instance, instead of spending two hours covering a huge parcel as I would during warmer weather, I might spend an -hour at most in one swing through good-looking territory. During the course of a day, I’ll make

several of these hour hunts, swinging through the woods for an hour or less, and then coming back to

the truck to warm up as we drive to the next location, then repeating this schedule throughout the day. The brief warmups keep my dog from having to endure a full day in the harsh cold. We get a drink, warm up a little, and regroup for the next jaunt into the grouse woods. Occasionally a day will start out below the 20-degree threshold and then warm up above that mark. At this time, I’ll switch back to hunting for as long as I want and never even think about the cold bothering my dog. Of course, I still keep a lookout for problems associated with cold weather hunting, such as ice damage to the pads on the paws, or underbelly chaffing/scratches. Winter Weather Hunting I really enjoy hunting grouse anytime I can get out, but I especially like hunting (Continued on next page)

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66 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Rangeley Region (Continued from page 65)

the later days of the season because of the lack of leaves on the trees. I can see my dog and hunting partners better, as well as being able to see the flushing bird more easily. On these cold weather hunts, I usually wear a good set of merino wool long johns, and exchange

my leather boots for a good set of rubber boots. The long johns might come off by noon, if they’re not needed, while the high-topped rubber boots keep the snow from getting under my cuffs and chilling my legs and feet. I also like a good pair of gloves. I can get by with a pair of

Ranger on the Allagash (Continued from page 64)

Many years ago, I received a letter from an elderly gentleman expressing appreciation for my rangers’ efforts

wool gloves with the gripped surface on the palms and fingers, but I prefer a real thin leather glove ... several companies make them especially for shooting. The thin leather allows me to feel the safety and trigger better – almost like wearing no gloves at all. The gloves keep my hands warm, stop the thorns and pickers from scratching

me, and also allow me to maintain a fine touch while handling my shotgun. I do prefer bare hands until it gets really cold, then the gloves come out. One final note – I thought the best hunting socks in the world were made by Smartwool (smartwool.com), but recently have ordered a new kind of wool sock that my friend tells me

to maintain the wild. He wrote, “I am over eighty years old, I’ve never been to the Allagash, and probably never will, but it does my heart good to know it’s there.” As we approach a new year, I look forward to paddling my canoe, and

are “life-changing.” I should be getting these socks before the season is over. The company, “DarnTough” (darntough.com), is based in Vermont, and my friend tells me they keep his feet exceptionally warm and comfortable all year long. I will report back here with the results.

casting for brookies and listening to the call of the loon – for as long as the opportunity remains. Tim Caverly has authored ten books about Maine’s northern forest.

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�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 67

Christmas Trees and Women’s Underwear The ideal family Christmas activity in Maine is the search for the perfect tree. The entire family is supposed to troop off into the snowy woods to find a shapely spruce or fir, cut it down, and haul it home on a sled, or so Currier and Ives would have us believe. Today, modern families experience this ritual by visiting Choose ’n’ Cut tree farms, complete with warming huts, hot chocolate and a price tag that will make a credit card squeak. But it’s the experience that counts, and making memories is what it’s all about. We made some Christmas tree memories ourselves, and some of them we’d rather forget. Heading for the Woods When we lived in Hampden on a clear Saturday in November, we loaded up the kids and headed for the woods. This sounds relatively simple and straightforward, but it wasn’t. We had three little boys – ages three, five and six, we’ll say – plus two dogs, and Jean and me, and all the assorted fruit drinks, changes of clothes, snacks, hats, scarves and mittens needed to keep the boys quiet, warm and fed. In those days, Ray Stevens was popular, with his catchy southern redneck songs, so we played his Christmas album in the van’s cassette tape player and we drove through Brewer, singing Santa Claus is Watching You. We rolled out onto the “airline” as the boys shouted, “He’s everywhere! He’s everywhere!” The VW bus had an aisle between the two front seats, and this gave Jean easy access to one boy or the other so she could render a quick cuff to his ear or push him back into his car seat. Nothing was easy. But there was snow on the ground and Christmas was not far off and we were going to harvest a wild Christmas tree dammit, and have a good time doing it. Tumbling Out of the Van The VW bus was high-posted, and we had no problem crawling along the logging roads and making a track through the snow. I pulled off into an old tote road. “Here we are,” I said, way too cheerily. “Let’s go find a Christmas tree.”

You just never know what you might find in the snowy Maine woods.

moon boots slowed them down. “Come on, Ben,” Jean yelled. “Hurry up.” Then Matt drifted behind. “Look guys,” I yelled, “Here’s a beauty. What do you think?” Mentioning Unmentionables And that’s when Ben caught up to us, carrying a pair of lady’s frilly panties in his mittens. “Look,” Ben said. “Who’s are these?” I took one look at the unmentionables, and went into defense mode. “Well, ergee-gosh, Ben – I don’t know. Where’d you find those?” “Back there,” Ben said, innocent as he could be. By now, Jeremy and Matt had crowded around their brother to exam the panties. “Well,” I said, “maybe someone … maybe they were hiking and these fell out of their backpack?”

I threw the side door open, and out tumbled three little boys, all done up in snowsuits looking like Ewoks, followed by two dogs and a mess of empty juice boxes and paper napkins. I fetched my camp ax from the cargo area and we set off, not unlike the seven dwarves marching single file in the deep skidder rut. “Okay boys now let’s pick a good one.” “Dad, I like this tree,” Ben said, pointing to a scraggly little fir. “Hmm, maybe that one’s too small, Ben?” On we went. Occasionally we’d spot a decent looking tree and I’d bang the ax handle against the branches to knock off the snow. “Nah. Too bushy.” “Nope. Not full enough.” Then the guys spotted the tops of some tall trees. “I like that one up there,” said Matt. “Cut that one.” And then we had to explain it wouldn’t be proper to cut down an entire tree just so we could lop seven feet off the top. We pressed on, and the boys began to lag behind. It was no wonder, considering how their snowsuits and

Owner Identified That’s when Jean snatched the panties out of my hand. “Here, gimme those,” she said. “They’re mine.” Ben, and Matt yelled in unison, “Mom!” She shot me a glance that would have melted a glacier. “They’re mine. They must have gotten stuck inside the liner of my coat in the washing machine, and then dropped out onto the trail.” She was livid. “Okay,” I said. “Well, whaddaya say we cut this tree? It’s got a nice shape!” And that’s pretty much when our tree hunting ended. Nothing to See Here Back at the van, I tied the nice little fir to the roof, and we herded the boys into the bus. Jean passed out crackers and sippy cups and buckled squirming boys into car seats. Slamming the passenger door loudly as she got in; she looked hard at me as she pulled her seatbelt and said, “Don’t you ever write a story about this.” But that was years ago, and those little boys are now grown men with families of their own, and they search for their own Christmas trees, and I’m pretty sure she’s forgotten all about losing her panties on a tote road in the Maine woods.

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68 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

The Indoctrination, Part 1 A Shoot-out with Poachers

It’s about 9:00 p.m. on October 15th, 1970. I am about six weeks into this game warden thing. I am hunkered down next to some railroad tracks in Easton, Maine. There is a light mist falling, my head is bleeding, my right ankle is throbbing, and my warden tutor, Charlie Merrill, sent me here to wait for three criminals who just tried to kill us. They have a .30’06 rifle, and I have a 38-caliber revolver. Being Checked Out by the Locals I had arrived in Houlton on September 7th to start work in the area between Houlton and Presque Isle. In those days, most wardens started working in an “on the job” training status before any formal training, and that was the case with me. My supervisor had a Ford pickup truck waiting for me at his house. He suggested I go to Fogg’s Hardware Store and buy a small ax and a quart stainless-steel thermos bottle, as those were two basic things I would need. These two items were about 35% of my weekly salary and I still have them to this day. Then I was told that the next morning, I should report back to him wearing some work clothes, as he had a job for me that was a little messy. www.MaineSportsman.com

In the morning, I was taken to a place on the Hoyt Road in Monticello where a beaver family had plugged up a culvert, and I was given the dirty job of cleaning out the dam. After that, I was instructed to go put on a uniform so my boss could see what I looked like in a uniform. I was taken for a ride up Route 1 to Mars Hill. On the way back, he pulled into Codrey’s Texaco in Monticello, gave me a dollar and asked me to run in and get him a pack of Lucky Strikes. Inside, I found a small gathering of the local good old boys standing around, smoking or chewing on toothpicks. After making my purchase and returning to the car, I handed over the smokes and change. As I did so, the boss asked me if those guys in the garage were looking me over. I said, yes, it seemed they were. He cracked a little smile and said, they were probably wondering if you were man enough to catch up with them, and then if you were man enough to hang on. I understood the message. Poachers Illuminating Fields at Night Over the next several weeks, I worked mostly with Warden

Roland Pelletier. Later, I worked some with Warden Charlie Merrill, who lived in Fort Fairfield. Charlie was a little more experienced and a good person for me to spend as much time with as I could. On the second night I went to work with Charlie, he took me to a spot on the Young’s Lake Road in Westfield. He felt this was a good location to catch some local thugs. Not only were they illegal hunters, but they were also habitual law breakers and bullies whose favorite pastime was threating and terrorizing people – including shooting holes in people’s houses, and threating to burn them out. We had only been there for a short time when, at about 8 p.m., a vehicle coming from a southerly direction shone a spotlight out of the passengers side, illuminating a field adjacent to our location. As the vehicle passed by us, Charlie pulled out, without lights, and started to follow. Just as we got into the road, the vehicle stopped and shone the spotlight out again. The Chase is On We could see there were three occupants in a blue 1969 Plymouth Road Runner. I was very familiar with such a vehicle,

as I owned one exactly like it. I volunteered to Charlie that I hoped we would not have to chase them. Charlie replied, “We’ll get them, no problem.” I was not reassured with his reply, as I knew our 390 Ford sedan was not quite a match for this muscle car. To say I was a bundle of nerves would be an understatement. Charlie turned on all the lights, the Road Runner started spinning rocks all over our windshield, and down the road we went. We were right on their bumper, and actually bounced off it once as we went over a hump in the narrow dirt road. After a couple hundred yards, the driver in the fleeing vehicle took a right onto the Miller Road, and then a left onto Route 1. We were losing ground to the Road Runner as we both raced up Route 1 towards Westfield Four Corners. We were just keeping them in sight as they took a right toward Westfield and then a left onto the Egypt Road. Shots Fired! Charlie told me to call dispatch and tell them where we were, but I had no idea where we were or where we were heading. Our blue light, up on the dash, was not fastened down and kept coming

off and landing in my lap. We crossed an uneven set of railroad tracks, and our car bottomed out so hard that the fan belt came off. We continued on and were doing alright, except that our car was overheating, and steam was coming out around the hood. As we got to the intersection of Route 10, the eluding vehicle had come to a stop, the driver apparently undecided on what to do, but as we closed in, it started to turn right towards Easton. Charlie decided to hit it in the right rear. The impact knocked the other car partially sideways in the road, but the driver quickly regained control. As we both sped up, one of the men in the vehicle leaned out the passenger-side window and started shooting at us with a rifle. I ducked at the muzzle flash, too late but merely on instinct. When I popped my head up, it flashed again, seemingly directly at me, and I ducked again. Next month – the Conclusion: “I was having a hard time comprehending how this was all supposed to work, as I had recently returned from Vietnam and felt the correct procedure was to shoot back.”

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 69

Snowshoe Hare Hunting Heats Up This Month My father taught me that a hare will run from the beagles in a big circle. In theory, all you need to do is find the location where the beagles started, and wait for their – and the rabbits’ – return. That’s the theory, but rabbits are so fast and maneuverable that it’s never a sure thing. Although December usually brings some colder weather to the Western Maine Mountains, there are some very hot spots in the woods around here – ask anyone with a good rabbit dog, and they’ll tell you all about it. I grew up hunting snowshoe hare and as

a young kid enamored with the woods, I could think of nothing better than spending a day deep in the woods with my father – listening to the sound of the beagles chasing a rabbit (snowshoe hare). I loved it so much that I put up with the long hours of standing in snow in tem-

peratures that would drive grown men back to their warm wood stove. I thought nothing of slogging my way through knee-deep snow all day long in search of the next rabbit-hunting hot spot. I used my grandmother’s single-shot .410 shotgun and had a real blast. That shot-

Thickets and brushy areas in the mountain valleys of Western Maine provide plenty of hare hunting covers. William Clunie photo

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Christmas Gifts for the Off-Road Traveler I’ll bet ol’ Saint Nick has spent a lifetime traveling offroad. Delivering gifts around the world must have taken him to some pretty sketchy territory, along the roughest roads and trails. He couldn’t risk a single chance that his sleigh might break down, so he had to have the most awesome off-road gear available. Off-road sportsmen and women also need great traveling gear to keep them rolling down those back roads and trails. En-

www.MaineSportsman.com

New tires? A toolbox for the truck bed? A few of these gift suggestions below might seem unromantic, but the author says that sometimes it’s the simplest of gifts that touch just the right spot in the hearts of Off-Road Travelers. joying remote locations requires plenty of forethought and excellent gear to get you safely back to civilization, but only if and when you decide it’s necessary to leave the wilderness. When I was guiding hunters and anglers to remote locations in the willy-whacks of Maine, I

had to be certain that I could get my clients to and from these awesome destination – this was no time to be “bargain shopping” for cheap gear that might fail at a crucial time during of these backwoods adventures. The same goes for anyone traveling remote roads in search of a wilderness expe-

rience – get the best gear available to avoid equipment failure. Yes, there will always be problems when you are way out there, but great gear, a good plan, and plenty of common sense, will always prevail in a bad situation. Perfect Gifts If this lucky Christmas gift recipient

doesn’t already have a hi-lift jack, get them one. The huge jack gets more back road travelers out of trouble than any other piece of equipment I can think of. If they already have a jack, get them a lock to secure it in the back of the truck bed and a cover to keep it dust free. Have you ever seen the dust a logging truck produces at 50 miles an hour? A good towing strap has also helped extract plenty of folks from remote washouts, deep ditches (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 71 (Continued from page 70)

and snowbanks. Some places don’t offer cell coverage, even if you have the greatest road service plan on your auto insurance. The towing strap is worth its weight in gold when you are miles from nowhere, without a way to call a wrecker, but if you have another vehicle owner willing to hook up and pull you out. The best option is to have your own winch so you can pull yourself out, but if not, the tow strap and a second vehicle work fine. For myself, I just have to have that winch ... I’m not going to rely on someone else just happening along. Another great gift item would be the lat-

est style of battery charger. The old styles are heavy and good for a few jumps. I’ve got a new, high-tech style of charger that will give my truck or someone else’s vehicle a jump several times in a row. It also doubles as a cell phone charger, with five or more charges. There are numerous companies making the new, lighter charger ... check the internet for the latest deals. Mine was about $80, weighs around five pounds, and is about the size of a shaving kit – quite an improvement over the older, heavier, and less efficient models. Luxuries Of course, a waterproof cover for the off-road truck bed, like a cap or tonneau cover, would be an ideal

Western Maine (Continued from page 69)

Getting Started My father always had a beagle around, and so did a few of his hunting buddies and several family members. He usually waited until after deer season to chase rabbits, preferring to hunt when there was snow on the ground. My dad and a few of the other beagle owners would get together and hit the woods as often as possible. I was one of the luckiest kids in the world, frequently allowed to tag along. It didn’t cost a whole bunch of money to get started, either. A box of shotgun shells, any old shotgun, warm outer wear, good pac boots, and wool hat/ gloves/socks. We cleaned the hare on the spot, skinning the animal whole, removing the inner organs, and then washing the rabbit and our hands in the cold snow. After this, we placed the cleaned hare in a used bread bag – there were three hungry boys in our family, so we had a lot of bread bags saved up. It was easy training a beagle to chase hare – most beagles have an innate and instinctive desire to scent and chase rabbits. We usually took the young beagles to a field near home, where we knew there were rabbits, and

A good hi-lift jack would make a great Christmas present for any Off Road Traveler. Photo courtesy Hi-Lift. com

Christmas present. There’s some serious cash involved in that

kind of purchase, but if anyone can swing the expense – what a great gift that would be. As long as we are spending big money, how about new rubber all around the truck? A good set of off-road tires offers a driver a great deal of confidence as he or she travels around the remote woods. Let’s come back down to earth and take a look at a few other, less expensive options for purchasing the right gift for our friends and family who love the outdoors. For the rest of us, giving a gift like a truck bed toolbox would work. Get one that seals tight to keep out rain and dust, and make sure it can be se-

let them scent and chase a little during the fall. When hunting season arrived, the young beagles would get to run with the older dogs. Sometimes, the young pups would mess up the older dog’s tracking, but eventually the young dogs learned how to run hare with the older, more experienced dogs. I remember my father telling me about how a hare runs from the beagles in a big circle, and that all we had to do was find the location of where the beagles started the chase and stand there to wait for their return. In theory, this sounds like an easy plan, and sometimes it is. A lot of times the hare would run by so fast we would miss the shot. The sneaky hare runs so fast, zigs and zags so quickly – it is never a sure thing. Advanced Hare Hunting Nowadays, attaching a tracking collar on the beagles takes care of one of the biggest problems with hunting hare with dogs – collecting the speedy beagles at the end of the day. These spunky little dogs just don’t want to quit, so the tracking collars would really come in handy. A good pair of snowshoes really helps, too. When the snow gets deep and packs solid enough for beagles to stay on top, that’s when the snowshoes

curely locked and bolted down to the truck bed. Window vent covers for each of the windows would rate right up there with these other gift ideas. I really enjoy simple luxuries like window vent covers – the kind that let you crack your windows during a warm rainstorm. It keeps the windows from fogging, and allows ventilation without letting the rain in the vehicle. A few of these gift suggestions might seem underwhelming and unromantic, but sometimes these simple gifts touch just the right spot in the hearts of us Off Road Travelers.

come in handy. I take a little seating pad with me in case I have to rest for a while; sometimes the waiting takes a bit, and a comfortable seat keeps things dry and warm. I’ve gone from using a shotgun, to the .22 LR rifle, then a .22 LR pistol, and finally a muzzle loader with number five shot. My all-time favorite is my Marlin Model 39 lever-action .22 LR. The last beagle I owned passed away several years ago, and I just never got back into hunting hare like I used to. I did get a chance to hunt hare a little with friends who own beagles, and I look forward to that activity each winter. I’m extra excited this season...I’ll be working with a friend who owns beagles, and we are going to be taking veterans from Operation ReBoot Outdoors (www.operationrebootoutdoors. com). Hunting hare is a good way to introduce these folks to hunting, while at the same time letting them feel the healing effect of the outdoors. Once they feel how relaxing and enjoyable it is to hunt hare in the deep woods, their troubles disappear for a while. Any chance to give those who struggle from the effects of war a little break is huge – it doesn’t cure them, but offers a wonderful, well-needed respite.

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72 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

A Great Time to be a NH Deer Hunter by Guest Columnist Nate Grove, Durham NH

While the 2021 deer season numbers are just coming in, New Hampshire’s deer biologist, Dan Bergeron, has reason to feel optimistic, based on a bountiful mast crop, a mild 2020-2021 winter, and an early spring green-up. Under his department’s leadership, the NH deer herd has increased from 40,000 to 100,000, and hunter success rates have improved from 3% to 15%. Guest columnist Nate Grove breaks down the numbers. There is a draw to the wild places of nature that calls to us despite – or maybe because of – the seemingly endless pressures of modern life. Sportsmen and women innately know this, and seek out wildness at every opportunity. If we live in urban or suburban areas, it can seem a challenge, yet there remain truly wild places throughout New Hampshire for those who know how to discover them. This deer season has been another opportunity for us to be explorers, and make adventures in the wild. Whether you hunt the whitetail on the seacoast, the hills and mountains of Grafton county, or the far reaches of the Connecticut Lakes watershed, you are pursuing an animal whose instinctive nature doesn’t distinguish us from the modern coyote or the wolfpack of eons past. Being wild and relying on thousands of years of ancestral knowledge to survive, the whitetail has an impressive www.MaineSportsman.com

home field advantage. Hunters understand and appreciate this, and the chase is part of the allure. Against that backdrop, what factors can tip the odds in a hunter’s favor? Scouting, preparation and woods skills all are important. Yet there’s a more critical element to success in filling your tag, and that’s hunting where the deer are. A look at the harvest history shows that NH currently hosts a thriving deer herd, in part due to excellent game management. For deer hunters in particular, the NH Department of Fish and Game is a big success story. We are Lucky to Be Here Now The department has compiled and posted online historical data dating back to 1922. In addition, the state’s White Tail Deer Assessment of 2015 illuminated the past, while itemizing goals for 2016-2025. My take-away from the study is that we live in arguably the best time period to be

a deer hunter in NH. Consider that the lowest point for the herd was 1974-1983, when an average of 2,485 total deer were taken annually – a success rate of about 3%. By comparison, in 2020, 13,044 were taken, for a success rate of nearly 15%. Going to the Source Wanting more information from the source, I spoke with NH Game Management Plan Supervisor Dan Bergeron. The author of the plan, Bergeron was for nine years the NH Deer Biologist, and continues to act in that capacity. He told me that after the deer population bottomed out in 1983, the State Legislature turned game management over to Fish and Game. The Department divided the State into 15 (now 20) Wildlife Management Units, and developed plans to increase the size of the herd. Once numbering about 40,000, the herd has since increased to 100,000, resulting in better success rates

Dan Bergeron, NH’s state deer biologist, is shown with a live buck he immobilized, ear-tagged and relocated in 2019. Stuck behind a fenced industrial area in Amherst, NH, the whitetail was malnourished. Earlier this year, the now-healthy deer showed up on a trail camera, 20 miles away.

and an economic boost for businesses associated with deer hunting. It’s a great, but perhaps underappreciated, success story. Things Look Good for This Season While preliminary results from the 2021 season are just coming in, Bergeron is optimistic, based on three factors: mast crops (such as acorns and beechnuts), winter severity, and spring green-up. For instance, 2018 was a banner year for hunters, with 14,313 whitetails harvested, because 2017 had a good mast crop, a low WSI (winter severity index), and an early green-up. In 2018, the WSI was higher (i.e., the winter was more severe), and green-up was later, resulting in a lower harvest of 12,306.

Pre-season predictions this year, therefore, were for a big harvest of deer, considering the mast crop (good), the WSI (low) and the green-up (early). This season, savvy hunters have been seeking out travel corridors with good cover and feed in WMUs L, M, D2 West, G West and J1, where deer numbers are high, and opportunities abound. Challenges Remain Even amid all this positive news, Bergeron, in his role as a scientist and planner, has concerns. First off, development and land posting in southern WMUs poses a challenge, since these factors hamper the department’s ability to rely on hunters to decrease deer numbers in cer(Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 73 (Continued from page 72)

tain areas to maintain the herd at healthy levels. Second, a lack of funding for departmental programs makes planning and management more difficult. Despite an influx of federal funding, matching state funds remain unapproved. In addition, there are no regulations protecting deer wintering yards, and every hunter knows that a couple of hard winters can wreak havoc on an unprotected herd. Impact of Pandemic Even Covid-19 has

an impact on hunting. For instance, a jump in the hunting license sales numbers in 2020 and 2021, and the welcome revenue from those licenses, may not sustain itself into the future, if folks revert to their previous non-hunting activities. Further, Covid-19 resulted in many Department employees retiring, with several positions still unfilled. Stewards of Wildlife Resources Bergeron wants us out there hunting and enjoying the wildness that NH offers. In his words, “I truly believe that know-

Colin Klein of Madbury, NH with a nice doe he called in with his father, Dan, on Youth Weekend.

ing what’s involved in managing wildlife enables us to understand why decisions are made and makes us all

Our guest columnist, Nate Grove, enjoyed considerable success during NH’s 2020 deer season.

better stewards of the wildlife resources we love.” In my opinion as a hunter, the Depart-

ment is doing a super job for us, and I hope you all had opportunities for success this season.

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74 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

’Tis the Season for Budget Cocktails Al offers practical advice on how to cut down – on cost, not quantity. Maine doesn’t want you to do much drinking. To prevent overindulgence, the state decided years ago to set liquor prices at a ridiculously high level. If the average person couldn’t afford to get hammered, all the attendant problems with alcohol – rowdiness, aggressiveness, slovenliness – would be eliminated, leaving a social fabric as unsoiled as bridal linens. Didn’t exactly work out that way. Enterprising Mainers got their booze from basement fermentation tanks, backyard distilleries and, most of all, from New Hampshire, where the price is low and the selection extensive. The pandemic put a dent in that cross-border trade with the Granite State, but also shut off sales to Canadian tourists, who had long ago discovered even Maine hooch was cheaper than their local (government-run) packie was offering. It was pretty much a wash. But this isn’t a column about the unfairness of high alcohol prices. It’s a column about how to enjoy high-quality cocktails without high prices. And the best part is it’s all legal. The liquor industry attempts to project a classy façade. Guys in tuxedos. Gals www.MaineSportsman.com

in evening gowns. In Maine, there’s not much of that, because who owns a tux, anyway? It’s not like that would be useful gear for a woodland expedition. Unless you’re James Bond. So, break out the sweatpants and ratty t-shirts. This is quality drinking in low-rent style. Good, Cheap Bloody Mary Let’s start with vodka. The high-end stuff is triple distilled, which makes it taste not all that different from the low-end plastic jugs of Orloff, Popov and Tsar’s Horse’s Finest Choice. This is particularly true if you’re mixing your vodka with other stuff. Such as in a Bloody Mary. In a Bloody, if you can taste the vodka, you’re making it wrong. The key to a Bloody that tastes as good as Tito’s but costs as little as possible is the other ingredients. Start with the mix. You could make your own, which would take a lot of time and cost money you could be spending on an extra jug of Czar Nicholas’s Backwash Special. Instead, do this: Buy a large bottle of Zing Zang. It’s the mix most bars use. Its shortcomings are that it lacks horseradish and heat. So, add some

of both. After a heaping spoonful of horseradish and several jolts of hot sauce, it’s time to make this Bloody something more than a bargain-basement substitute for what you’d be served in a real cocktail lounge. Open a bottle of Guinness Stout and float a healthy dash on top of the drink. (Use old-fashioned bottled Guinness for this purpose, not the canned stuff with nitro.) Now squeeze a slice of lemon across the drink and add half a pickled egg for garnish. A pickled egg? Cheap. Delicious. Easy to make. Also, classy as hell. Manhattans on a Budget You can’t drink Bloodies all day, so it’s time to move on to cocktail hour, when the refinement level has to be cranked up a notch. Martinis? Don’t be silly. You can’t fake martinis. But you can fake the martini’s older cousin, the Manhattan. The key to an inexpensive Mannie isn’t the whiskey. You can get by with mid-price bourbon (Evan Williams, Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace) or rye (Bulleit), if you spend a little extra on the other key ingredient, the vermouth. While Martini & Rossi or Noilly Prat make for

When available, fresh cherries, halved and pitted, add a “healthful and refreshing” finish to a Manhattan, states the author.

adequate cocktails, they don’t say classy like Antiqua Formulae or Carpano. But the good news is you can save money by using less of them than of their cheaper relatives. Mix your Mannies three or four to one, whiskey to vermouth. A half-ounce of quality vermouth will cover up for two ounces of indifferent bourbon, rendering a drink that’s distinctive and distinguished. Cherries and Bitters Now’s not the time to skimp on the cherries or the bitters, either. The finest cherries for a Manhattan are fresh ones, but good luck finding them this time of year if you don’t live near a Whole Foods. If you do, however, pit the cherries and let them soak in the bottom of the cocktail glass while you’re sipping away. By the time you reach the dregs of your drink,

you’ll have a healthful and refreshing treat to complete your cocktail experience. Without fresh fruit, the answer is Luxardo or other premium cherry brands. Pricey, but worth it, if you don’t want to be called out for serving cheap bourbon to start with. Angostura is the world’s default bitters, but you can earn more compliments on your bartending skills by substituting Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Own Decanter Aromatic Bitters. Same idea as Angostura, but more oomph. Or go wild with Woodford Reserve spiced cherry bitters. Less aroma, more taste. Another workaround is to skip the vermouth altogether, and substitute port. This makes a drink called a Ruby Manhattan, and it’s sure to make your snobbier guests forget about (Outdoors & Other Mistakes continued on page 76)

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 75

Smilin’ Sportsman Seeing Red Farmer’s Market customer: “Excuse me – Is this tomato genetically modified?” Farmer: “Who wants to know?’ Tomato: “Yeah, who wants to know?” — Who’s That You’re With? Eb: “I have an imaginary girlfriend.” Flo: “You know, you could do a lot better.” Eb: “Thanks, Flo.” Flo: “I wasn’t talking to you – I was talking to your imaginary girlfriend.” — Breathless Response Eb: “I went out for a run this morning, but I came back after a few minutes because I’d forgotten something.” Flo: “What had you forgotten?” Eb: “I’d forgotten that I can’t run for more than a few minutes.” — Substitute Me for Him Eb: “My twin brother called from prison the other day, and left me a message on my phone. I’m not certain I should call him back.” Flo: “What was the message?” Eb: “Well, he started out by saying, ‘Hey, Eb – Do you remember when we always used to finish each other’s sentences?’”

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76 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

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Bit NEW $100, T-Bar Hand Auger $35, Sled $40, Jiffy 10” Blades NEW $50, Call 207400-6239. — WANTED

(Continued from page 74)

that low-rent bourbon. Sandeman Rich Ruby Porto mixed three to one with whiskey will elevate your bartender rating to high class. Even if you’re not quite as classy as you appear. Al Diamon subscribes to Hemingway’s dictum, “Write drunk; edit sober.” He can be emailed at aldiamon@herniahill.net.

Wildlife Quiz Answers: Yellow Perch (Quiz on Page 48)

1. Yellow perch belong to the Percidae or perch family of fishes. 2.

The primary defense weapon of the yellow perch is a dorsal fin, containing several sharp spines that help protect the fish from predators.

3. The native range of the yellow perch runs across the eastern United www.MaineSportsman.com

States and Canada.

4. The male yellow perch releases milt onto the female’s eggs to fertilize them. 5. The biggest yellow perch caught in Maine weighed 2.12 pounds. 6. The average weight of an adult yel-

low perch is 5 to 8 ounces.

7. The mating season for the yellow perch runs from April to June. 8. The average life span of a yellow perch is 9-10 years. 9. Yellow perch are preyed upon by bass, walleye and northern pike.

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 77

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We’re Looking for Listings in the North Maine Woods!

Chuck Johnston • (207) 227-2305 • cbjohnston72@hotmail.com 515 Main Street, Presque Isle, ME • (207)764-4600 www.bigbearrealestatecompany.com

❈ MERRY CHRISTMAS! ❈

SALEM TWP – With fifteen acres set back into the woods, you will have beautiful mountain scenery right out your large bay window. This home has potential to expand to more bedrooms. Large open kitchen with hand-selected wide pine flooring throughout with live edge countertops, and hand crafted stained glass and wooden cupboard doors. Massive wide-open dining and living areas. Bathroom comes complete with a jacuzzi tub and tile shower. This home is full of character with half log-style steps of the stairway which leads to a private loft area, and sunk-in, pentagon-shaped sunroom. The detailed design of the tile floor compliments the glow of all the natural light that surrounds you! The garage door in the walk-out basement offers plenty of storage area. Located only 30 minutes from Sugarloaf or 10 minutes from its neighboring town, Kingfield! MLS #1513037 – $429,900

Farmington – 63 acre or 67 acre lots sold separately or combine as they abut each other. Located at the end of town maintained road. Private location. Recently harvested. $95,000 per lot.

Roxbury – 29+/- acres. Rugged, steep terrain and good road frontage on Route 120. Half of lot recently harvested. Small stream. Property lies at the base of the 1,985’ Patridge Peak. $49,900

Rumford/Peru – 321 acres. View from Lovejoy Hill/Burgess Hill, South Peak are simply amazing. Recently harvested. Snowmobile trail (17N) passes through lot. Good access. $295,000

Pembroke – Over 3,000’ on Pennamaquan River and 1,000’ on the Lake this 113-acre woodlot is wonderful. Approx 600’ of frontage on a town-maintained road with power. $220,000

Nicatous Lake – Butterfield Island. A private self-sufficient 8 acre island with historic cabins from the 1920s and 30s and a newer main cabin. Move right in, fully furnished. Boat house with dock on mainland. $615,000

Hancock County - Over 800 acres with 5,400 sq. ft log cabin completely surrounding Fox Pond. Miles of maintained trails. Adjacent to 20,000 acres of conservation lands. www.foxpondestate.com. $4,300,000

WELLINGTON – Cute two room camp in the beautiful Maine countryside! Camp is fully wired and power is available at the street. Driveway is already in place, and the camp is just waiting for you to come put the finishing touches on. Leave right from the camp and hit the ATV trails! Taxes are TBD. MLS #1512343 – $69,900 EMBDEN – 4.64 acre surveyed lot is located on a year round, town maintained road with power available at the street. The seller has soil tested the lot and the report is available. This would make a great spot to build your new home or camp on. There is a small unnamed brook/ runoff not shown on maps. Only about 40 minutes to Sugarloaf and 10 minutes to the Embden Pond public boat launch. MLS #1513044 – $32,500 HARMONY – Almost 9 acres of land on a town maintained gravel road, in the peaceful Maine countryside. Power is available at the street. This would make a great spot to put your hunting camp or year round home! MLS #1510991 – $25,000 CONCORD TWP – 5.40 surveyed acres of high and dry land on the Pleasant Ridge Road. Beautiful spot and very well-wooded. Potential views of the surrounding area are possible. This property is only a few minutes drive to downtown Bingham and the Kennebec River boat launch. From this location, you can explore thousands of acres of the north woods. Excellent fishing, hunting, ATV and snowmobile trails are at your fingertips. MLS #1507163 – $39,000

Caratunk – 1,064 acres. Views of the Kennebec River – Wyman Lake, Moxie Mountain -east & Bigelow Mountains -west. Interior gravel roads and groomed snowmobile trail. $625,000

John Colannino Broker & Forester

CONCORD TWP – This is a great opportunity to own 3.38 surveyed acres of water frontage on the gorgeous Kennebec River. Gravel driveway in place along with a gravel pad. Easy access from Pleasant Ridge Road in Concord. You can build your home or camp on this property or just park a camper and enjoy the sound of rushing water. This stretch of the Kennebec River holds a wild, self-sustaining population of trophy rainbow trout. Also enjoy close access to ATV and snowmobile trails. MLS #1507091 – $79,000 WELLINGTON – Hunter’s paradise! A whopping 580 acres of land - a rare find. There is a gravel pit within the property and frontage on both Higgins Stream and Buzzell Brook. Property offers 3 miles of interior roads. This is truly a piece of Maine’s beautiful outdoors and waiting for you to come and explore. MLS #1369861 – $490,000 CORNVILLE – If you are looking for a nice property to build your dream house or cabin, this is it. This 2.5 acre property offers nice views, with hardwood trees. Driveway in, soils test complete and power at the road. Don’t wait, come take a look. MLS #1493158 – $29,990 12/21

Beauty runs deep. So does our land sales experience.

Milo – Private wooded 58.5 acre lot with public road frontage, power, and good internal access. Not far from the town of Milo and the Piscatquis River. $69,000

AFM Real Estate 40 Champion Lane | Milford, Maine | 04461 O: 207.817.9079 | C: 207.266.7355 John.Colannino@afmforest.com For more information on available properties please visit:

www.AmericanForestManagement.com www.MaineSportsman.com

78 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Four Season Lakefront Rentals on Mattanawcook Pond Brand new, fully furnished units have full kitchens and sleep 4+ people Located in the center of Lincoln, ME ITS Trails Nearby Free WiFi and parking, on-site laundry, and all the comforts of home

Book Now for Snowmobiling & Ice Fishing Trips!

(207) 403-9229

www.waterfrontlincoln.com

Restaurant and Kitchen are a “Turnkey” Property. Available Immediately.

Carroll PLT – Cute little cabin with substantial makeover right on Main Road. Walls and ceiling are insulated, new windows, knotty pine interior, 100 Amp electrical. New metal roof, new privy and gray water bed for sink. Possible Owner Financing. $44,900

Lakeville – Lots of well wooded land. This cute cabin is located at the end of a private road with no through traffic on Spaulding Pond Road. Situated in a wonderful area for many of Northern Maine’s recreational activities. Ready for you today. $70,000

Lakeville – Spacious inside with a covered porch and large back deck. Two sheds. Solar and generated power. Two driveway entrances for your convenience on Birch Hill Road. Extremely low taxes and access to dozens of lakes. $109,000

Lakeville – 52 acre lot with rustic cabin sits at the top of the hill offering breathtaking 180 degree views of area lakes and hills. ATVing and snowmobiling are at your door step on Vista View. Set it up for solar and live here year round. $89,000

Grand Falls – This cabin was landed on this lot two years ago and ready to finish off and use. This 41 acre lot sits high on a hill with great views on Lord Brook Road. ATV and snowsled from this location. Take a look. $79,000

Prentiss TWP – Sitting on 43 acres in a nice wildlife area, the cabin has been lived in, year round, the past few years right on Rosewood Haven. Put the work into removing the mold, put down a floor and turn this into a nice, little hunting cabin. $49,900

Restaurant Should be Owned and Operated by a Chef. Favorable Terms. Please Contact Don: (207) 730-2594 mdsrangeleysaddlebackinn@gmail.com

Caryn Dreyfuss, Broker • (207) 233-8275 caryndreyfuss@morton-furbish.com www.realestateinrangeley.com

RANGELEY PLT – Very well maintained 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath home in quiet location and lots of privacy. Made to look like a log home without all the maintenance, stick built with 2x6 insulated walls and standing seam metal roof. Lots of sun all day long with southwest facing exposure and filtered views of Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Fully year-round with ample storage and multiple outbuildings that include a detached 1.5 car garage and large storage shed. MLS #1514196 – $349,000 RANGELEY PLT – Fantastic opportunity to own 10 wooded acres on the Bemis Road. Build here and ATV from your door, explore miles of back woods roads, hike the AT, close to fly fishing on the Causeway. Parcel has been surveyed, soils tested, power available at the street. Year-round town maintained road, low plantation taxes. Super location for your full time home or get away camp. MLS #1513156 – $99,900 SANDY RIVER PLT – BEAVER MT LAKE WATER ACCESS! 2.34 acre wooded land parcel offers potential views of scenic Beaver Mt Lake! Several possible building sites to choose from and a babbling brook to enjoy. Located directly across the road from deeded lake access with small boat launch. Town maintained year-round road, plus low plantation taxes. Nice spot close to Rangeley amenities, Saddleback ski area. Don’t miss out on this one - inquire today! MLS #1475451 – $85,000

www.MaineSportsman.com

Mattamiscontis TWP – Nice 2 plus acre lot on the Penobscot River. Driveway has been installed. Enjoy all this water front lot has to offer. $39,900 Mattamiscontis TWP – Nice 2 plus acre lot on the Penobscot River. The lot has a driveway installed. Enjoy all this lot has to offer. $39,900 Carroll PLT – This lot was recently selectively harvested. Driveway in place, a year round road, electric available and a small Tolman Brook at one edge- its too good to pass by. POSSIBLE OWNER FINANCING!! Come look today. $39,000 Lincoln – Nice year round waterfront lot on Folsom Pond. There is a informal road association that has maintained the road. Electricity is at the street. Take a look today. $67,500

R E A L

E S T A T E

5 LAKE STREET, P.O. BOX 66, LINCOLN 207-794-2460 www.cwalakestreet.com E-mail: cwa@cwalakestreet.com

1-800-675-2460 Call any of our brokers to work for you! “Tate” Aylward ............. 794-2460 Peter Phinney............... 794-5466 Kirk Ritchie................... 290-1554

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR PROPERTIES VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT CWALAKESTREET.COM

�� The Maine Sportsman • December 2021 • 79

www.MaineSportsman.com

80 • December 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

THAT SKI-DOO FEELING Discover it. Share it. Repeat. 2022 MXZ-X

Visit Your Local Ski-Doo Dealer for Current Offers! AUBURN Wallingford Equipment 2527 Turner Road 207-782-4886 www.wallingfordequipment.com

FORT KENT Fort Kent Powersports 377 Caribou Road 207-834-3659 www.fortkentpowersports.com

LINCOLN Lincoln Power Sports - Access Auto 265 West Broadway 207-794-8100 www.lincolnpowersports.com

AUGUSTA North Country Ski-doo 3099 N. Belfast Ave. 207-622-7994 www.northcountryh-d.com

GREENVILLE JUNCTION Moosehead Motorsports 13 Industrial Park 207-695-2020 www.mooseheadmotorsports.com

LEEDS Reggie’s Kawasaki Ski-doo 255 US Hwy 202 207-933-4976 www.doitatreggies.com

CARIBOU Plourde & Plourde 11 Laurette Street 207-496-3211 www.plourdeplourde.com

JACKMAN Jackman Power Sports 549 Main Street 207-668-4442 www.jackmanpowersports.com

WILTON Mountain Side Powersports 912 US Route 2 East 207-645-2985 www.mountainsidepowersports.com

DETROIT Huff Powersports 284 North Road 207-487-3338 www.huffpowersports.com

WINDHAM Richardson’s Boatyard 850 Roosevelt Tr, Rt 302 207-892-9664 www.richardsonsby.com

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