The Maine Sportsman - January 2017

The Maine

New Hampshire’s Crime of the Century Page 62

January 2017 • $5.70

Ice Fishing – It’s All About the Temperature Page 27

Snowmobiling On- and Off-Trail

Pages 17, 19, 21

Big Game Hunter Proposes Deer Season Changes Page 67

2 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 3

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4 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication Readership The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 532 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund

Good News on the Presumpscot River Early explorers on the northeast coast reported that all it took to catch codfish was to lower over the side a basket weighted with stones. When hauled back up, the basket would contain codfish.

That was before the rivers and streams were dammed to power sawmills, gristmills, paper mills and textile mills. Some dams were required by law to provide fish passage, but no one enforced the law.

Before the advent of electrical generators and transmission lines, waterpower was the key to industrial development, and the Presumpscot River was one of the country’s earliest and most extensively-impounded rivers. The first sawmills on the river were built in the 1660s, and the first paper mill in Maine was built on the Presumpscot in 1731. Migratory fish were stopped by the dams, and had nowhere to spawn.

The huge runs of salmon, shad and alewives vanished, and, gone also was the supply of young forage fish that had flowed into Casco Bay and the ocean. Deprived of a major source of feed, cod stocks diminished, and overfishing further reduced their numbers.

Migratory fish, including Atlantic salmon, once swam in the Presumpscot from Casco Bay to Sebago Lake. The construction of nine dams on the river ended that connection.

The removal of Falmouth’s Smelt Hill Dam in 2002 opened the lower seven miles of the river, but more barriers remained.

The next upriver barrier is the Sacarappa dam, and Sappi Fine Paper had a 2015 deadline to construct a fish passage. Sappi’s plan was to retain one dam and construct a concrete fish ladder. However that proposal left many questions unanswered in the view of people concerned about the long-term productivity of the river.

The riverbed has been repeatedly altered over the past 200 years, and Westbrook officials now envision a natural-looking riverbed that will draw whitewater kayakers and will be attractive to downtown shoppers and office workers, while providing effective passage for migratory fish.

Celebration Westbrook officials and a coalition of conservation groups are celebrating an agreement by which Sappi is given a two-year delay in providing the fish passage, during which time Sappi and municipal officials will develop a plan to achieve fish passage and provide recreational opportunities for Westbrook. The city is looking for ways to attract businesses and shoppers, having been hammered by the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs over the last twenty years.

Under this agreement, Westbrook will contribute toward the cost of the study.

Sappi will also provide funding toward the cost of the study, and will also pay for the work necessary to carry out the plan.

The agreement is subject to approval by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

While any postponement in providing access to migratory fish ordinarily is bad news, in this case it is good news – good news because the delay is coupled with a commitment to plan and carry out the best ways to achieve fish passage and also provide an economic boost to the surrounding community.

In today’s hackneyed parlance, it is a win-win for everyone. In the long run, when migratory fish can finally make the trip all the way to Sebago Lake, Maine residents and fish populations will be will be the big winners.

We urge the FERC and the DEP to approve the agreement.

We give a tip of the Maine Sportsman hat to Sappi, the Maine Department of Marine Resources, Conservation Law Foundation, Friends of the Presumpscot and the City of Westbrook for their determined efforts that led to this historic agreement.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Kelly Allen kelly@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER:Mike Moreau mike@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER:Chris Brawn chris@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices.

All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Advertising and business information: Phone: 207-622-4242 Fax: 207-622-4255 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

Allagash by Don Eno ........................................................ 43 Almanac by Will Lund ....................................................... 11 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves ........................ 41 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia ..................... 67 Bird of the Month, by Erika Zambello .............................. 13 Bowhunting by Chris “Bubba” Johnson ......................... 56 Capitol Report by George Smith .................................... 15 Danger in the Outdoors by David Van Wie ................... 25 Editorial ................................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by William Clunie ......................... 44 Greater Penobscot Bay by Jim Lemieux ........................ 39 Jackman by William Sheldon .......................................... 51 Jottings by Jon Lund ........................................................... 7 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon ............................ 47 Kate's Wild Kitchen by Kate Krukoski Gooding .............. 65 Letters to the Editor ............................................................. 6 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour ...................................... 27 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose .................................. 32 Midcoast Report by Tom Seymour .................................. 31 Mid-Kennebec Valley by Shawn Simpson ..................... 37 Moosehead by Tom Seymour ......................................... 49 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson ................................. 62 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie ............................... 34 Quotable Sportsman by George Smith .......................... 26 Rangeley Region by William Clunie ................................ 58 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers ................................ 53 Saltwater by Barry Gibson ................................................ 33 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth ........................ 36 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews ..................... 55 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard ................................ 70 Smilin’ Sportsman by Will Lund ......................................... 53 Smilin' Sportsman - Kids Edition by Will Lund ................... 43 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery ...................... 9 Southern Maine by Val Marquez..................................... 57 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller ..................... 54 Trading Post (Classifieds) .................................................. 74 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour .......................................... 45 Washington County by Steve Vose ................................ 68 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie................. 60 Young Maine Sportsman by Alyssa Sansoucy ............... 30

SPECIAL SECTIONS

Ice Fishing by Wes Ashe ................................................... 27 Nate’s 2015 Moose Hunt by Nate Fenderson ................ 73 Off-Trail Snowmobiling by Cathy Genthner ................... 17 Snowmobile Clubs by JP Falzone .................................... 19 Snowmobiles as Tools by Ron Joseph ............................. 21 On the Cover: Ice fishing in Maine gets underway in earnest this month, as soon as the surface is sufficiently thick. Also see the photo on page 48 depicting a contest between two of Bill Sheldon’s friends, one on a hand-auger, the other using a power-auger.

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Zone 23 Moose Hunt: Worst of Times; Best of Times To the Editor: My quest for a Zone 23 moose is through.

Although we were ultimately unsuccessful, it was still a great adventure.

I was fortunate to hunt with my best friend who lives in Brooks, as well as my two sons – the younger of whom was my sub-permittee – and another good friend from Connecticut.

We started our effort looking for sign and talking to local folks.

Most said we had a better chance of seeing Santa Claus.

The first week we came up short, but got some information that led us to the Palermo area.

The second week, we came upon some moose tracks and droppings, in an area known as Peavytown.

Then it started to get interesting, with fresh tracks in a big area – probably 600 acres – that had been cut a few years ago.

But we were not alone – another group in the area also held a Zone 23 tag.

Now the moose had pressure. The bull didn’t like it, and the fresh sign dried up.

On the third and final week, I was out on my 4-wheeler looking for any fresh tracks or sign.

Suddenly a big bull, with a nice rack – probably around 36”- 40” wide – a big-bodied brute, bolted when he heard my quad.

I jumped off, loaded my gun and tried to get a shot, but I did not have a clear shot, so no shots were fired. www.MaineSportsman.com

To The Editor However, it was amazing to see this huge, majestic creature cover so much ground in 30 seconds, and then completely disappear.

Shooting the bull would have been a bonus, but it was still a great hunt – memories I will not forget, spending time with people I love.

And at home was another person I love – my wife Kara, who lets me pursue my passion and encourages me to keep hunting, even when the hunting is slow, because she knows how important hunting is to me.

Dennis Giroux Voluntown, CT Editor’s note: Thanks for writing, Dennis. You were not alone in missing a moose in Zone 23, which runs northeast of Augusta toward Unity, Thorndike and Troy.

Although final figures were not available at press time, IF&W biologists believe that only 6 of the 25 permits issued in this Zone resulted in tagged moose.

Superpak License Does Not Include Crossbows To the Editor: Please let your readers know of the limitations of the Superpak license.

I read and enjoyed Chris Johnson’s recent article on crossbows.

However, one thing not mentioned is that a hunter must purchase a crossbow permit in addition to the big game permit in order to use a crossbow in the regular November hunt. This applies even to Superpak license holders.

I do not agree with

this rule. I should not have to purchase an additional crossbow permit for any season, since there is no special season for hunting just for crossbow.

During November’s season on deer, it shouldn’t matter how we harvest the deer so long as we hold a big game license.

[Name withheld upon request]

Sunrise/ Sunset Chart – A Modest Proposal To the Editor: I have been reading The Maine Sportsman forever and spent 20 years managing fishing, archery and camping at Kittery Trading Post. I have sold lots of issues for you!

As another reader commented in your December publication, the November issue’s Sunrise/Sunset table contained some inaccuracies.

I had a thought about how to improve the usefulness of the sunrise/ sunset table – it might be better if the table listed the actual time to legally hunt, much as is done in the Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife hunting law booklet.

That booklet lists times that incorporate the ½-hour before sunrise and the ½-hour after sunset – no math is necessary for sportsmen and sportswomen.

The chart should, however, include a note of caution to be mindful of decreased visibility either due to light conditions or due to an aging hunter’s visual limitations.

David Ganter Biddeford

One Writer to Another To the Editor: I can’t help but comment on Tom Roth’s excellent hunting article in the December issue of The Maine Sportsman. His

taking to the woods after gray squirrels with his grandfather’s .410-gauge Lefever shotgun brought back fond memories squirrel-hunting of my own experiences.

I, too, hunt with several of my grandpa’s shotguns, and there is something special about the continuity that connects me, in this modern day, to grandpa, who began hunting in the early part of the 20th century.

Kudos to Tom Roth for his informative article. By the way, I still can’t duplicate the sound Tom creates mimicking squirrel chatter by inflating his cheek and rapping the side of his mouth. But I’ll continue trying.

Tom Seymour Waldo, Maine

Unhappy with Woods and Waters Coverage To the Editor: Please pass this message on to King Montgomery, concerning his Part 1 column on the Woods & Waters National Monument.

This is the second time in as many months we have seen this publication praising the new National Monument.

I believe it’s wrong to support the monument.

What they are doing is developing the area, pretending it to be for the good of a vast majority of people who probably will not come or they will not even be able to find it.

Remember, they had to bus people up from the Portland area to voice their support of this project.

King praises Roxanne Quimby as though she is a noble person. How about a reality check of how she got the land, and her terrible treatment of those people who enjoyed it for years before she came along?

Also, look at the map that accompanied the article. There are four relatively-small areas that

real Mainers will be able to use for our favored outdoor sports.

Ms. Quimby should go back to California where she belongs. Too bad she came here in the first place.

David G. Mills Monmouth, Maine King Montgomery responds: Thanks for your letter, David.

One of the many wonderful things in this great country is that we freely can express our opinions on just about any subject.

And that’s exactly what we both have done here concerning the proclamation of the new national monument in Maine.

Yes, Roxanne Quimby, based on what I’ve read over the past decade or so, might not be the best “people-person,” and didn’t deal with the local folks in the Katahdin area like some would wish, but Ms. Quimby just gave the people of Maine, the USA and the world a pretty chunk of land to enjoy.

Her gift cost her $100 million, an amount of money I can’t even imagine. And she gave it all away with really no gain to herself, except perhaps to feel good about sharing some of what she has.

It appears we may hunt and fish on almost 40 percent of the land in the monument – those four areas you mentioned above. The right for us to hunt and fish is written into the deed of transfer between Ms. Quimby’s foundation and the U.S. government, so that the right can’t easily be taken away. To my knowledge, no other national monument or park in the nation allows sporting options to this degree.

Thanks again for your note, David. I hope you continue to read The Maine Sportsman and my “Sportsman’s Journal” column. You might not always agree with things you read, but remember – there always are many sides to any story.

King Montgomery

¶

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 7

Crossbows Appeal to Older Archers “Golden Years” is a hoax, a scam – except for the alternatives.

An old-time Augusta family physician, Doc O’Connor, loved to tell stories on himself. He was riding in the elevator in the Augusta General Hospital when a very attractive young nurse stepped in and looked him over carefully.

“Are you Doctor O’Connor?” she asked politely.

“Yes, I am,” he replied, expanding his chest and checking to see that his bow tie was adjusted properly.

“My mother has so many nice things to say about you!” the young lady responded.

Age Brings Compound Bow Challenges Among the many physical changes that occur when we get into the geezer years, is that our upper body strength starts to decline. You notice increased difficulty picking up or carrying heavy things.

For example, moving outboard motors from one place to another requires more care and planning,

The columnist’s second crossbow is a lightweight Man Kung, with a draw weight of 150 pounds and a velocity of 210 feet per second. Lund photo

or perhaps assistance.

Drawing back and holding a compound bowstring becomes more of a challenge. Of course, you can counteract some of the physical changes

back a bowstring all year long.

A Bow for Geezers An alternative is to try a crossbow, a device that has been around for thousands of years.

share any of the ground they have gained. The early season for bow hunters is a relatively recent phenomenon.

Perhaps it won’t take another thousand years

My lightweight crossbow shoots a short arrow 210 feet per second – slower than some modern crossbows, but I’ll accept reduced speed in return for manageable weight. by adopting an exercise regimen, but it takes a lot of grit and determination on the part of an oldtimer to keep drawing

In Maine, we move to new ideas slowly and cautiously, and traditional bow hunters have been reluctant to

to allow crossbows to be used whenever traditional bows are legal, but as more of our bowhunters approach geezerhood, it

will come faster. Some of the things we thought we knew about crossbows have proved not to be true. The effective range of crossbows is not significantly greater than for traditional bows, at least in my experience.

This notion may have originated with the heavy-duty crossbows utilized in siege warfare in the middle ages. But they had crossbows powered by steel bows (or limbs) as big as truck leaf springs that required a cranking device the size of a boat trailer winch.

Carrying a crossbow of that size and weight into the woods would require a couple of guides and a wheelbarrow.

Most modern crossbows nevertheless are heavy, but more about that later.

Craig’s List Find My introduction to crossbow use came with a Craig’s List purchase of a Horton crossbow. But in order to hunt legally with the new weapon, I had to attend a Crossbow Hunter Safety Course.

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Jottings (Continued from page 7)

First one has to have completed a regular bowhunting safety course. I had completed the required course, and I had the card to prove it.

The volunteer instructors did a good job of demonstrating the mechanics of crossbow functions, but it seemed to me that on the issue of safety and hunter ethics, there wasn’t much of information about crossbow safety that hadn’t been already covered in the bowhunting course. I

completed the course with the thought that the Crossbow Hunter Safety Course was the Maine Legislature’s idea of setting up just one more hoop to jump through for people who wanted to hunt with crossbows.

Requiring just one course for both regular bows and crossbows could save a lot of volunteer time and energy and some expense.

We did learn that the bowstring is under a lot of tension, and bears against the slide that holds and

guides the bolt (short arrow). Consequently it is important to sufficiently lubricate the slide to keep the string from getting hot from friction.

Crossbows Weigh In The safety course did afford the opportunity to look over and heft some modern crossbows, thereby learning information not available on catalogs. While some of the crossbows were elegant, powerful, and complete with scope sights. I found them too heavy to lug comfortably around in the woods.

Eight pounds and over.

Around the same weight as my Horton Crossbow. I

sold the Horton.

Some of the weight comes with the scope.

Given the limited effective range of a crossbow, I’d be inclined to skip the scope and go with iron sights. To do that without interfering with the flight of the bolt, the front sight is mounted on a small arch under which passes the bolt.

Going back to the used market, I found a compact crossbow, featuring an attractive wood stock and comfortable wood fore-end that keeps the shooter’s hand below the path of the string. It is a recurve bow with steel limbs. It weighs just over

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five pounds.

Compact Crossbow Specs Some research on the Internet reveals this used crossbow is a Man Kung, with a draw weight of 150 pounds and a velocity of around 210 feet per second. That is a slower speed than heavier, more powerful crossbows on the market today, but life is a series of tradeoffs, and I can accept a slower arrow in return for manageable weight.

The cocking mechanism consists of a strong braided cord and two pulleys, each with hooks that attaches to the sides of the bow, and double the pulling force needed to cock the crossbow. An automatic safety engages each time the string is drawn back.

Target shooting in the backyard shows me that the consistent accuracy is better than I could do with my old Hoyt compound bow.

As our deer hunters age and more of our deer hunting will be carried out in areas closed to firearms, I anticipate crossbow hunting will become more popular and accepted by other hunters and by the Legislature.

¶

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 9

Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument - Part 2 Some folks believe the new Woods & Waters Monument is a bad deal forced on us by the federal government.

However, now that it’s here, it’s time for sportsmen and -women to figure out how to make the best of the situation.

Here’s the penultimate paragraph from Part 1 of my column last month: “As people converge on the region, they will need lodging, food, gas, groceries, gear and equipment, guides and outfitters, medical facilities, information, and mostly, a welcoming community that will be glad to help them open their wallets while the visitors take to the woods and waters, if only for a few days.”

Hopefully, most folks will stay longer than a few days, and they’ll take advantage of what could become a Mecca for recreational tourism, including ecotourism.

The paper mills aren’t coming back, and the forest products industry in the area probably won’t ever attain the level of economic activity of days gone by, so something new needs doing – now.

There will be growing pains for local communities, but I believe Mainers’ stick-toit-iveness, coupled with hard work and patience, will pay off. It’s just some uninteresting woods and a river or two to some people around the new KWWNM, but to others in Maine, in New England, in the rest of the USA, and eventually to those from other parts of the world, it may be seen as a special place to visit – and spend money.

The new monument

some of the sites.

The East Branch of the Penobscot runs low by Lunksoos Camps. It was very near here where a 12-year old Maine boy, Donn Fendler, lost his way on Mt. Katahdin in 1939. He emerged after two weeks walking alone in the forests. Lieutenant Colonel Fendler, US Army Retired and Maine icon, passed away in the fall of 2016. Photo by Montgomery

local staff, the folks from Elliotsville Plantation, Inc. (EPI), and the National Park Service (NPS) are working on a master plan for development and evolution of the properties.

And in the process, they are considering the concerns of local businesses, sportsman and neighbors.

It’s important to remember that Roxanne Quimby acted to conserve,

creation of a national park and recreation area.

The “Katahdin Woods & Waters Recreation Area” was the EPI precursor to the monument, and its small staff, with help from volunteers and local contractors, did a lot of groundwork on the property. Susan and Mark Adams are recreation director managers for EPI, and they are two of the hardest working people I know. Their

fully support land use for outdoor activities, including our hook-andbullet sports.

Current and future outdoor activities include: • Camping: At least for now, the existing campsites, lean-to shelters, and the two communal primitive camping huts are available by bunk space with advanced reservations at no charge. Note that dogs

The new monument could become a major contributor toward improving the economy in this beautiful region of Maine. not preserve, the land she donated. In other words, she and her son Lucas St. Clair made sure sportsmen not only could visit the property, but use it as well.

Outdoor Activities in KWWNM Before the NPS began planning for the new park, a corporation, Elliotsville Plantation, Inc. formed several years under St. Clair’s leadership to support outdoor activities as well as the eventual

contributions in the property are impressive.

I remember the couple from five years ago when they managed Chewonki’s Big Eddy Campground on the West Branch of the Penobscot River. They know the new monument property well, and are working with the NPS and the local communities through listening sessions on the plan for the monument.

Both accomplished outdoors folks, they

are not allowed in the huts. Dogs are allowed on the trails and campsites on leash and must be attended at all times, and cleaned up after.

The park plan could call for expanding camping areas, and creating the infrastructure to support them; and construction of new camping sites on nearby private property is encouraged. When I visited the monument in early October, campers already were staying at

• Fishing: Waters within the monument boundaries are open to fishing according to the laws of Maine, and anglers need a state fishing license.

The Penobscot’s East Branch from Matagamon Dam downstream to Whetstone Falls is prime wild brook trout and landlocked salmon water; and a good part of the river flows in the park. The Seboeis River and Wasstaquoik Stream also are fine brook trout fisheries.

Smallmouth bass are found in warmer stretches of the East Branch.

• Hiking: Some hiking trails exist and a number of others probably will be planned – there’d good potential throughout the property. The planning process will take up to three years, so for now only existing trails will be maintained. I took a couple of short walks – yes, these brief excursions sites from roads actually are signed “Walk” – and I found them interesting and exhilarating. These forays, whether long or short, are best taken slowly and deliberately while looking down, up, and all around. Stop occasionally and smell the forest, take in the colors and hues, and feel what once was wild, and now is full of history.

• Hunting: Hunters need the appropriate Maine licenses and permits to use the designated KWWNM hunting areas on the east side of the East Branch Penobscot. The right to hunt these lands was written into the deeds (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

10 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 9)

before transfer to the NPS. Bear baiting, trapping, and bear chase dogs are not permitted, but “fair chase” bear hunting is allowed. Bird dogs are permitted. We saw deer scat on trails, moose tracks in marshy areas, and several partridge both in the monument and nearby. Volunteers from the Ruffed Grouse Society and EPI worked a parcel of the monument to improve habitat. I hope that trend of improving habitat continues in the monument, and that includes selective tree harvesting.

Hunting areas are highlighted in dark green on the map at www/nps.gov/kaww/ planyourvisit/maps.htm.

• Mountain Biking: Bikes currently are permitted on monument gravel roads and trails, and that probably will continue as the site develops and evolves.

Riding is the best way to negotiate those areas of the monument where motorized vehicles are not allowed. Bikes are not encouraged on the park ascents and decents of the International Appalachian Trail to Deasey and Lunksoos Mountains.

Barnard Mountain Trail is another hiking-only trail.

• Snowmobiling/ATVs: Designated northsouth sledding routes

on the eastern side of the Penobscot’s East Branch and one segment of ITS 85 on the river’s west side will continue to exist much as before, with possible slight alterations of course as the monument evolves.

Snow machines are not permitted in other parts of the park. ATVs would be allowed on the Hunt Farm Parcel, but surrounding landowners do not allow ATVs on their properties. Also NPS requires ATVs to be road-licensed and be operated by a vehicle license bearer.

Other outdoor activities include birding, wildlife viewing, nature/ landscape photography, and fall foliage-viewing.

A number of plein air painters already have found ripe territory at several of the scenic overlooks on the Katahdin Loop Road. The rivers and streams also are conducive to canoe and kayak adventures.

The East Branch of the Penobscot River was Thoreau’s route from the Matagamon Dam to the main stem of the Penobscot in 1857. There are several long portages required on the East Branch.

During my two days in the monument in late fall, I was taken with the beauty of the land and waters – the place

There are a number of black bears in and around the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument, and they have a propensity for using the new signs as scratching posts. Photo

by Montgomery www.MaineSportsman.com

just had a good “feel” to me, and I was pleased to be there in the early days of the monument’s existence. The views of Katahdin and associated mountains are stunning, and the landscapes as far as the eye can see, both near and far, are special to those of us who appreciate relatively untarnished pieces of nature.

Final Words The new Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument could become a major contributor toward improving the economy in this beautiful region of Maine.

It is no secret that tourism is our largest and most productive “industry,” and I see no reason why the coast should reap the majority of the benefits of visitors’ dollars. Areas of Interior Maine, particularly those parts in the North Woods and Downeast, have potential to draw tourists from near and far.

Maine is unique among the states in that the public – that’s you and me – “own” around six percent of the forests – about a million acres. The remaining 94 percent of forests in the Pine Tree State are privately-owned, and that’s around 17 million acres! Fortunately some of those landowners allow us, either free or for a fee, to recreate, and that includes fishing and hunting, on their property.

The Haskell Rock Pitch above the water-carved rock formation is gorgeous water, and in spring through fall can provide good fishing. For paddlers, this is a challenging stretch of the East Branch of the Penobscot. Photo by Montgomery

The 87,500+ acres that Roxanne Quimby purchased from forest products concerns was called in The Washington Post a “rounding error” in the vast scheme of things in comparison to the total of all privately-owned lands in Maine.

No doubt Quimby should have done a little homework on how these things work in Maine. She should have foreseen how closure of her property would not be well-received by some, despite the fact that her goal was, in her mind, a righteous one – to give her land over to be a national park as public land administered by the federal government.

Her gift was expensive – she paid $60 million for the properties, gave $40 million for building infrastructure and park maintenance, and has pledged another $40 million to further maintain and help the property in the coming years. That $100 million,

Lucas St. Clair, President of Elliotsville Plantation, Inc., and son of Roxanne Quimby, plays a nice fish on the East Branch of the Penobscot River. Lucas and his twin sister Hannah were born in Maine and have fished, hiked, canoed and camped in this area for years. Photo by Susan Adams

and that’s beyond generous by anyone’s reckoning.

Roxanne Quimby’s motivation is to conserve a beautiful piece of land so all may enjoy it. She views it as her gift to thank the state of Maine for being the original home of Burt’s Bees, and a place where she lived close to nature and offthe-grid for a number of years, raised her children, and learned to love wild places even more.

Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken overcivilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity. (John Muir, 1838-1914) Let’s have a few “wild” places in our lives, and share them with others who visit this beautiful state that all of us, even those of us originally from away, dearly love.

¶

When visiting the monument in October 2016, the author stayed at the Mountain Glory Farm near Patten. It’s a convenient and comfortable establishment. The area around the new monument will soon need many motels, inns, campgrounds and restaurants, and the economic impact should spill over into East Millinocket and Millinocket. Photo by Montgomery

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Almanac

���������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 11

Compiled and Edited by Will Lund

This Month

Upta Camp, Part 6 A light coating of new snow fell almost every night in the Greenville area during the 2016 Thanksgiving week regular firearms season finale, and it was very easy to get mesmerized by the variety of tracks in the seemingly-still woods each morning.

The bobcat’s in-line prints, the big paws of the coyote, a couple of partridge paths and concentrations of rabbit tracks were already in evidence, even shortly after daybreak.

The sights and sounds of the Maine woods came quickly back to us. We had forgotten how the ground shakes when several moose rise at the same time and lumber off through the trees. We had forgotten the excitement of coming across deer beds, vacated moments before, despite our best still-hunting efforts.

And we had forgotten the enjoyment of following a big buck’s track, knowing the animal is not far ahead and hoping it will be distracted and delayed by receptive does or by the need for a hillside nap.

Back at camp, we were also reminded of what a great education in life-skills a cabin provides, especially for young people and especially in a camp that’s off the grid. If all participants don’t pitch in, the results take the form of near-instant feedback: • If you don’t get up at night and refill the stove with wood, the interior of the camp will be freezing in the morning.

• If you have not brought a supply of wood

from the shed into the camp, it’s a cold, dark trip outside for more.

• If you leave food wrapped in foil out on the counter, it will be sampled by mice during the night.

• And if you stay up too late playing cards and imbibing, it’s difficult to get up in the morning.

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If the Other Guy’s Got It, It’s Too High-Tech

Overheard in the bar in Rockwood the other day: “I miss the old days of hunting and fishing, before trail cameras and all this new technology.”

“So you don’t like technology – are you hunting with iron sights?”

“Um, no. Actually I’ve mounted a day/ night 5-20x battery-powered scope that lets me spot deer during daylight and coyotes after the sun sets.”

“And how do you find your treestand before sunrise?”

“I follow the path designated in my GPS unit, the one with easy-to-use interface, boosted internal memory and high-resolution screen.”

“So when you say you don’t like new technology, you mean you don’t like any technology that you don’t yet own?”

“Yup.”

Drones – Still Prohibited Technology for Hunting And speaking of technology, drones (or UAVs – unmanned aerial vehicles) can’t be used as big-game hunting aids, say the wardens at Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

According to the department’s responses to “frequently asked questions,” Title 12 MRS §11216 prohibits the use of “aircraft” to assist a person on the ground in hunting bear, deer or moose. Another section of Title 12 defines “aircraft” as “a machine or device designed for flight.”

Therefore, according to the department, radio-controlled helicopters and airplanes are machines or devices designed for flight, and are therefore aircraft and can’t be used to assist hunters to locate big game.

—

Does Smoking Cigarettes Scare Deer Away?

One of our favorite websites, “Urban Deer Complex 2.0,” explored this question recently. Their conclusion? A very politicianlike, “It depends.”

They write: “In suburban America, [the issue] becomes complicated. If deer ran in panic at every little bit of human scent, they would have nowhere left to run in urban America. This has forced deer to create very complex view of humans and the scents associated with them.”

Further, “If whitetail smell cologne on a walking trail, they will most likely dismiss it and only become alert, with or without the human present. Take that same cologne scent and move it 100 yards off the trail, and the scent will most likely cause mass panic in the same deer.”

All we know is that one of the best friends of The Maine Sportsman shot his biggest deer ever while sitting on a stump south of Greenville enjoying a Camel Filter. He does (Continued on next page)

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12 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————— (Continued from page 11)

not smoke these days, and that’s a very good thing for his health, but had he not taken time out for that butt break those many years ago, he would not have seen or taken that buck.

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Rubber Landing Nets Especially for those anglers who release most or all the fish they catch, the new-style nets with rubber mesh are a great idea. The netting is designed to let you unhook a fish while doing a minimum of damage to the fish’s skin – the rubber mesh does not rub off the fish’s beneficial and protective slime the way the older-style nylon or knotted-string versions did.

Recently, rubber nets have been introduced with updated features, such as a “measure net” with inches marked out, so the fish can be measured quickly before it’s released; and clear plastic netting, which supposedly can’t be easily seen by the fish so the fish has less tendency to panic and make a last run for freedom.

Those who catch a large or active fish that fouls the fly or lure in the netting also report that compared to the old string design, the rubber netting is much easier to disentangle from hooks from the netting.

How Did My Rifle Get Its Designation?

Social Media Can Be So Anti-Social

• 30-’06 – Properly the Springfield 30-’06, the designation derives from the fact that it’s 30 caliber, and was adopted by the US Army in 1906.

• 30-30 – Originally the .30 Winchester center Fire or .30 WCF, the Winchester name was dropped when other manufacturers began offering rifles in the caliber. The first “30” refers to the caliber, while the second “30” derives from the standard load of 30 grains of smokeless powder in the shell. Smokeless powder was still a relatively new innovation when the cartridge was introduced in 1895.

It’s one thing to experience a painful and embarrassing event. It’s quite another if the event goes “viral,” permitting internet users around the world to post comments, some quite unkind, on various news sites.

So was the case last year when an Indiana woman went duck hunting with her dog. She was hunting by herself on an “apprentice” license, which permits a beginner in that state to hunt for a limited period of time without first having taken a hunter education course.

During a break in the action, the woman put down her 12-gauge shotgun down.

Somehow her dog stepped on the gun and it went off. Pellets struck the woman’s foot.

She received subsequent medical care and recovered.

The aspect of the incident that most acutely caught the nation’s (and the world’s) interest and attention was her dog’s name: Trigger.

But if the unfortunate woman thought her travails were over once she returned home from the hospital, she was proven wrong, based on the thousands of reactions posted to internet new sites about the situation.

A sampling: “After this incident, the two of them will be known as Trigger and Hop-along.”

“Guns don’t kill people; dogs kill people.”

“I’ll bet she names her next dog ‘Safety.”

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Maine Lingo

Stove – Past participle of stave. A wooden barrel that has had its staves smashed is “stove.” The description was gradually extended to other damaged items, such as “He stove up his truck” of “The dory was all stove in.”

(From Maine Lingo, by John Gould, 342 pages, published by Downeast Books, Camden)

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When to Wear Thermal Protection on the Water?

Doubt Cast on “120-degree Rule” Boaters, especially kayakers, canoers or those who use stand-up paddleboards, often have to make a decision whether or not to put on a wetsuit, drysuit or other thermal protection before heading out to sea.

One traditional way to estimate risk is called the “120 degree” rule.

Under this theory, the paddler adds the air temperature together with the water temperature, and if the total is below 120 degrees, thermal gear should be worn.

However, BoatUS, a national nonprofit boat owners association, recently raised questions as to whether this test was a safe one. The group concluded that rule could give folks a sense of false security in certain circumstances.

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 13 (Continued from page 12)

A recent release quoted boat safety spokesperson Ted Sensenbrenner as saying, “A paddler could mistakenly believe that if air temperature is the low 70s and water temperature is hovering around the low 50s, thermal protection is not necessary. That could not be further from the truth.”

The association recommends that boaters wear lifejackets at all times, and that paddlers bring thermal protection with them unless they are in a truly tropical setting.

“Especially in late fall and early spring, water temperatures are very cold, but the warm sun on your face hides the reality that going overboard could quickly lead to trouble,” Sensenbrenner said.

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Bird of the Month – Eastern Screech Owl

by Erika Zambello You’re hiking within the quiet woods of southern Maine; evening is falling. Snow and dried leaf litter crunch beneath your boots as you walk down a narrow trail, your breath billowing out as fine mist.

Then, the silence is broken by a high-pitched whinny – a strange, almost alien sound. Is it an escaped horse? An invasion?

No – you have stumbled upon an Eastern Screech Owl! Eastern Screech Owls are relatively small, shorter than 10 inches and weighing less than nine ounces. Most owls are secretive, but the Eastern Screech is so well camouflaged that it is rarely seen, and is identified only by its unique vocal trill.

As the name implies, they are found in the eastern part of the United States in nearly all forests, most commonly near water.

Historically they have required tree cavities in which to build their nests, but today will also raise young in nest boxes.

Screech Owls eat small mammals, as well as earthworms, insects, amphibians and reptiles.

My favorite aspect of these owls remains their distinct color patterns. Within the same species, there is a red and gray variety, known as “morphs.” While the gray morph practically blends into the tree bark behind its feathers, the red version appears so bright that the raptor resembles a tiny flame when asleep in a tree cavity or perched on a branch.

Personally, I prefer the red morphs!

Because they are active largely at night, it’s difficult for researchers to accurately determine their population numbers.

Partners in Flight estimates that there are 900,000 Eastern Screech Owls in North America; 95% of which live in the United

States. Both their varied diet and wide habitat preference makes this small species resilient to changes in their local environments.

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Book Review: Your Cuddly Cat is a Ferocious Killer Cat Wars, by Peter Marra and Chris Santella Reviewed by George Smith Every cat lover should read Cat Wars, by Peter Marra and Chris Santella. Turns out that cuddly cat of yours is a devastating killer of birds and other critters. OK, Linda and I have a cat too, so we’re with you on this.

One well-researched and professionally reviewed study reported, “Cats kill between 1.3 and 4 billion birds per year, with unowned (feral) cats causing the majority of the mortality (69 percent).

“Annual mortality for amphibians and reptiles is in the hundreds of millions,” according to that study.

Our cat seems to be killing fewer birds as he gets older. This summer he did quite a job on chipmunks, though. In the past he’s brought two birds into the house and released them alive. One morning Linda got up and noticed a chickadee sitting on her computer!

I’ve been particularly alarmed by the problem of feral cats here in

Maine. While Maine law is unclear, people are being allowed to capture feral cats, sterilize and clean them up, and release them back into the woods. Some local animal shelters are doing this.

In fact, the Humane Society of the United States, in a program they call “Managing Community Cats,” is implementing a TNR program: trap/neuter/return.

I thought this was illegal, but was informed by State officials that it is legal.

Maine’s law outlawing cruelty to animals defines cruelty this way: “Injures, overworks, tortures, torments, abandons or cruelly beats or intentionally mutilates an animal.” Note the word “abandons” in the definition. And yes, feral cats are put back into the woods and abandoned. How can that be legal?

The authors of Cat Wars report, “A case could be made that TNR makes life a bit more bearable for free-ranging cats, though it still leaves them to face all the challenges of living in an outdoor environment they are ill-equipped to face. But returning neutered cats to their colonies also returns them to preying on any animals they can catch and kill, an instinctive behavior they cannot resist. From a conservation perspective, this is unacceptable.”

“There is also the uncomfortable truth that TNR has repeatedly been shown to fail to reduce free-ranging cat populations,” the book’s authors note. Even PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), a radical (Continued on next page)

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14 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac (Continued from page 13)

animal advocacy group, opposes TNR. In Australia, more than 11 percent of the land mammal species endemic to that country have been wiped out – and another

21 percent are considered threatened – since European settlement there. The main culprits?

Feral cats and foxes brought to Australia by the settlers.

Last year, that country launched a five-year program to kill 2 million feral cats, mostly using a bait called Curiosity, a poison encased in skinless sausage designed to appeal specifically to felines.

In Minnesota and

South Dakota, it’s actually legal to hunt feral cats. But no, I am not advocating that here in Maine!

The authors of Cat Wars note that many people advocate, strongly, for keeping cats inside. “Indoor cats are healthier, less prone to

disease, fleas and mites, and are much more sociable.”

I’m hoping to get a bill restricting trap/neuter/ release for feral cats in front of the Legislature in 2017, for discussion and action.

¶

January 2017 Hunting & Fishing Information Grouse (partridge), Quail and Pheasant season ends December 31.

Gray Squirrels season ends December 31, but they can be taken through February 28, 2017 for those conducting falconry hunts.

Raccoon, Skunk and Opposum seasons ends December 31.

Snowshoe Hare season ends March 31, 2017 (February 28 on Vinalhaven) Fox season ends February 28, 2017.

Bobcat season ends February 14, 2017.

Crow season in WMDs 7 through 29 starts January 22, 2017 and runs through March 31, 2017.

Others: There is no closed season for coyotes (daytime hunting), red squirrels, porcupines and woodchucks.

Night Hunting for Coyote: Night hunting started December 16 and runs through August 31, 2017. To avoid violating Maine’s prohibition on Sunday hunting, night hunting for coyotes must cease at midnight each Saturday, and resume at 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

Hunting is prohibited at all times for cottontail rabbits, lynx, spruce grouse and ravens.

HOURS: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset, except for migratory game birds (1/2 hour before sunrise, to sunset) and raccoons (night hunting allowed in season).

See “Night Hunting for Coyotes” section above for applicable coyote rules.

Ammunition: Non-toxic shot only for migratory game birds.

January, 2017 Fishing Seasons and Rules If you are 16 years old or older, don’t forget to purchase your new 2017 license before going out fishing in January.

Go to www.eregulations.com/maine/ fishing/general-law-information, find the lake, pond, river or stream you want to fish, and interpret the codes that apply.

Look up the “S” (special rules) Codes.

Learn the open-water season, the ice fishing season (if any), whether you are limited to artificial lures, or catch-and-release, and whether there’s a slot limit.

SOUTHERN & EASTERN COUNTIES (Androscoggin, Cumberland, Hancock,

Sunrise / Sunset

Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford south of the Androscoggin River, Penobscot, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington, and York) – Unless indicated by special rule, Lakes and Ponds can be fished year-round, either open water or ice fishing.

NORTHERN & WESTERN COUNTIES (Aroostook, Franklin, Oxford north of the Androscoggin River, Piscataquis, and Somerset) – Lakes and Ponds: Unless otherwise indicated under the appropriate county in the rule book, closed to open water fishing from October 1 to March 31. Unless otherwise indicated under the appropriate county, rivers, streams and brooks are closed to ice fishing. Waters open to ice fishing are listed with an A or a B code, which defines the winter fishing season. All other waters are closed to ice fishing. ***** Atlantic Salmon can’t be targeted, and must be released immediately.

Current saltwater fishing regulations are found at www.Maine.gov/dmr/ recreational-fishing/regs-tips/index.html.

Tidal Chart

JANUARY 2017

JANUARY 2017

Portland, ME

Portland, ME

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

RISE 7:12 7:12 7:12 7:12 7:12 7:12 7:12 7:11 7:11 7:11 7:10 7:10 7:10 7:09 7:09

SET 4:17 4:18 4:19 4:20 4:21 4:22 4:23 4:24 4:25 4:26 4:27 4:28 4:30 4:31 4:32

DATE 16 Mon 17 Tue 18 Wed 19 Thu 20 Fri 21 Sat 22 Sun 23 Mon 24 Tue 25 Wed 26 Thu 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun

RISE 7:08 7:07 7:07 7:06 7:05 7:05 7:04 7:03 7:02 7:01 7:00 6:59 6:58 6:57 30 Mon 6:56 31 Tue 6:55

www.MaineSportsman.com

SET 4:33 4:34 4:36 4:37 4:38 4:40 4:41 4:42 4:44 4:45 4:46 4:48 4:49 4:50 4:52 4:53

DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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

HIGH AM PM 12:44 12:47 1:23 1:29 2:05 2:15 2:51 3:06

LOW AM PM 6:35 7:08 7:18 7:49

8:04

8:34

8:55 9:24 3:42 4:02 9:51 10:17 4:37 5:04 10:53 11:16 5:37 6:10 11:58 — 6:38 7:17 12:17 1:04 7:39 8:21 1:19 2:07 8:38 9:20 2:20 3:06 9:35 10:16 3:17 4:01 10:29 11:09 4:12 4:54 11:20 11:59 5:05 5:44 — 12:11 5:56 6:33 12:49 1:00 6:47 7:21

DATE

HIGH LOW AM PM AM PM 1:37 1:50 7:38 8:09 2:26 2:41 8:29 8:58 3:16 3:34 9:23 9:48 4:07 4:29 10:19 10:40 4:59 5:27 11:18 11:34 5:53 6:27 — 12:18 6:47 7:25 12:29 1:15 7:39 8:18 1:22 2:08 8:27 9:05 2:12 2:55 9:11 9:48 2:57 3:37 9:52 10:27 3:38 4:15 10:30 11:04 4:17 4:52 11:08 11:40 4:55 5:28 11:46 — 5:34 6:04

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

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

30 31

Mon 12:18 12:26 6:14 Tue 12:57 1:09 6:57

6:43 7:25

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 15

Trapping Restrictions to Protect Lynx Have Hurt IF&W Research “In 2015 the trapping regulations for several species were altered in order to reduce the chance of accidentally capturing lynx, which are listed as a threatened species by the federal government.

Unfortunately, these changes resulted in reduced trapper participation, and have made it more difficult for the Department to collect quality biological data on some species.”

That statement from Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was consistent with similar comments from Maine trappers, offered ever since the restrictions were put in place.

In an attempt to encourage more trapping and to help the agency collect the data their biologists need, DIF&W extended the 2016 furbearer hunting and trapping seasons for a couple of weeks, to allow more opportunity to pursue beaver and bobcat.

I asked James Cote, lobbyist for the Maine Trappers Association, for the group’s response to the department’s decision. Here is what James told me: “These are modest extensions to existing furbearer seasons – 2 weeks [for beaver] and 1 week [for bobcat] respectively. In light of trapper participation trends, we support these extensions as a means of sustainably managing furbearer (beaver) populations.

We have a great deal of respect for the amount of research and data that the Department provides in order to justify these changes, and trappers will enjoy the extra couple of weeks of opportunity. It’s clear that the anti-sportsmen

advocates don’t support these changes, and we need to prepare for forthcoming ballot initiatives, lawsuits, and legislation on hunting with dogs and trapping as they are initiating in other states.”

James is right on that.

After DIF&W advertised the season extension and other rules, it received a request from 9 people to hold a public hearing. That was done on September 26 in Portland, with 60 people in attendance. The agency also received 164 written comments about the rules. A majority of comments at the public hearing, and in the written comments, were in opposition.

Consider these comments from the two founders of a new group, WildWatch Maine, Karen Coker and Elaine Tselikis.

At the public hearing, Coker said, “I don’t believe that the hunting and trapping season extensions designed to appease trophy hunters or the commercial interest of fur selling trappers should be supported….

Hunting bobcats with hounds and snowmobiles and ATVs is cruel…. Maine’s bobcats should be protected, not persecuted.”

And from Tselikis, also at the public hearing: “The seasons to kill these animals for fun and profit granted by the Department to a small minority of special interests are already long enough…. Methods used to kill these keystone species are some of the most egregious and barbaric created by man and are increasingly despised by the public.”

Thankfully, the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council unanimously enacted the new rules,

just as they were proposed

by DIF&W. But you can be sure this battle will continue, both on and off the ballot.

Keep Maine Clean James Cote and I have teamed up with the Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) to launch a new statewide program called Keep Maine Clean (KMC).

Shelby Wright, Director of Communications and Development for the MRRA, is the director of KMC. Keep Maine Clean

will build an army of good folks who pick up trash along our roads and highways, in the woods, and along our lakes, stream, and brooks – something I’ve been doing for years in Mount Vernon. I’ve been writing about road slobs, and the proposed Keep Maine Clean program, for years, since Tom Doak of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine and I came up with the idea.

The Maine Resource Recovery Association is a nonprofit organization

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It’s a perfect place to house the program.

You’ll learn more about MRRA and Keep Maine Clean by watching the edition of our TV talk show Wildfire, when Shelby was our guest.

You can access that show at www.vstv.me.

And I hope you will join us in this important (Continued on next page)

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Capitol Report (Continued from page 15)

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Game Wardens Game Wardens spend less than half their time policing hunting and fishing activities.

Earlier this year, I asked the Maine Warden Service for the latest data on how they spend their time. Unfortunately, the most recent report was issued in 2013. Nothing since then. So that’s the report I obtained from them.

The 53-page report is interesting, and includes information about where their money comes from, trends in registrations and license sales, calls for service, and summaries of their work in each district.

But it’s how they spend their time that was of most interest to me.

Here is that information: • 28.5% Enforcement of hunting, trapping, and wildlife laws and rules; • 19.5% Enforcement of fishing laws and rules; • 14.9% Aministration/ Reports; • 10.9% Training; • 8.4% Enforcement

of watercraft laws and rules; • 4.9% Enforcement of snowmobile laws and rules; • 4.3% General law enforcement; • 3.2% Enforcement of ATV laws and rules; • 2.6% Search and Rescue; • 2% Wildlife/Human conflicts; • 0.8% Assisting other agencies.

While wardens may be best known for their enforcement of hunting, trapping, and fishing laws and rules, that work takes less than half their time.

I also thought it was surprising they spent only .8% of their time assisting other agencies, because I often read in the news of their involvement in everything from highspeed chases to murders.

Maybe that is included in the general law enforcement category, where they spent 4.3% of their time.

Funding 85% of the funding for the Maine Warden Service came from the sale of licenses, permits, and registrations. 9% came from federal funds, and 6% from other special revenue. Federal grant funds came from the United States Coast Guard, Department of

Homeland Security, and U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing program. 81% of their total funding was spent on personal services, which includes salaries, overtime, insurance, and retirement costs.

Inspections Game wardens report “inspecting” an average of 134,000 sportsmen and women every year.

Average annual inspections are: 36,000 hunters, 35,000 snowmobilers, 34,000 anglers, 14,000 boaters, 13,500 ATV riders, 1,500 trappers.

“Game Wardens are essentially the front door for the Bureau of Warden Service and often provide the only opportunity for sportspeople to engage in conversations with an IF&W employee,” notes the 2013 report.

“Inspections are critical to the mission of the Warden Service for both public relations and enforcement purposes.

Both share an equally important role for the future of the bureau.”

Calls for Service Game wardens got 22,285 calls for service in 2013. “Calls are generated from the public and can range drastically from a simple information request to the reporting

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of a fatal crash or a lost child,” notes the report.

Here’s how those calls broke out: 4,162 injured/ dead wildlife, 2,397 information requests, 1,952 Nuisance animals, 1,791 hunting, 795 ATVs, 543 Boating, 364 Trespass, 317 Snowmobiles, 197 Fishing, Search and Rescue Game Wardens received 391 search and rescue calls in 2013.

“Typical searches that game wardens respond to,” noted the report, “include lost children, overdue hikers, missing Alzheimer persons, lost hunters and anglers, overdue snowmobilers, and missing despondent individuals.”

Here’s how the 2013 search and rescue calls broke out: 88 hikers, 62 boaters, 61 mental health, 51 other, 35 lost child, 34 lost hunter, 27 snowmobilers, 16 lost angler, 8 suicide, 6 lost ATV rider, 3 aircraft.

Increased Drug Abuse I thought this summary from Division E was interesting, and certainly of great concern: “We saw an alarming increase of drug abuse in the field while performing our warden duties and tasks.

Wardens assisted MDEA this past year on numerous occasions with dealing with methamphetamine labs and synthetic bath salts. On three different occasions, while working ATV and snowmobile enforcement, subjects were found with large amounts of bath salts.

One incident led to an arrest after the operator dragged a warden down a trail, and we were lucky he received only skinned knees. Three men were arrested while a warden was working fishing activity in the Presque Isle area one night after observing them using heroin.

In addition, a felony marijuana apprehension was made along the East Branch of the Penobscot River.”

¶

—

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 17

Off-Trail Riding–

Boldly Riding Where No Snowmobiler Has Gone Before

by Cathy Genthner

Off-trail snowmobiling attracts many riders to northern Maine. Hewes photo

Maine has nearly 14,000 miles of groomed and marked snowmobile trails that take riders through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. However, some snowmobilers like to make their own trails, taking part in “off-trail” or “backcountry” riding.

Registered Maine Guide Cory Lathrop guides off-trail trips for Hewes Brook Lodge in Portage.

“My sense of adventure drew me to take the unridden snow, the ungroomed trail,” said Lathrop. “I think most snowmobilers who like backcountry riding are looking for the same thing. They want to get away from the sometimes heavily-traveled trail system. They want to ride in fresh snow that has no tracks. They seek adventure and want to see something they’ve

never seen before – to be challenged to do something that is harder and tougher than riding the same trails everyone else is riding.”

Guides Do the

have done navigation work to support loop rides from destination to destination by hauling fuel sleighs, cooking meals in the wilderness for the guests, and transporting all the gear

“If you are not prepared, there’s a chance you will not survive in the North Maine Woods,” said Lathrop. “We make sure our guests are prepared in advance, and on more than one occasion we

On long loop rides, guides navigate for the group, as well as hauling fuel sleighs, cooking means and transporting gear.

Advance Work Off-trail riding in Maine usually takes place on an unplowed road, or on a skidder trail that runs up a mountain or through the woods.

Snowmobilers will see how far they can make it with a lightweight, longpaddle track machine.

Backcountry trips guided by Hewes Brook Lodge are round-way trips (from the lodge and back), in which guides

(and extra gas) needed to get everyone safely out and back.

Guides use speciallybuilt snowmobiles that are modified for backcountry riding in all snow conditions. The guides are equipped with safety gear, first aid supplies, two ropes, emergency supplies and equipment. Guests are educated ahead of time about what to bring and what to do in the event of an emergency.

have said ‘No’ to a trip for those who are not prepared.”

Hewes to Tea Pond to Libby to Hewes The lodge has a goal for 2017 to complete a lodge-to-lodge ride all through the backcountry, beginning at Hewes Brook Lodge (Portage), then to Tea Pond Lodge (Eustis) and Libby Camps (Millinocket), and then back to Hewes Brook Lodge. Taking

a group of ten or more snowmobilers who will end up spending three straight days in the North Maine Woods requires significant preparation and planning.

“We have been guiding backcountry trips now for five years, upgrading our equipment as improvements are made,” said Phil Daggett, the owner of Hewes Brook Lodge. “The industry is changing with the type of sleds manufactured, and the new models feature improvements in fuel economy and suspension.”

“You still need to have the right equipment to go off the trail,” Daggett continued. “We have an Expedition Extreme Ski-doo sled that can go in deep snow due to its width and length of the track. It has an (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

18 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

One of the off-trail trips guided by Hewes Brook Lodge is to theabandoned steam locomotives in the Allagash. Hewes photo

Off-trail riding is for the more experienced snowmobiler. Hewes photo

Off-Trail Riding (Continued from page 17)

articulating rear so when you back up, the track goes to a 45-degree angle, rather than digging itself into the snow as most sleds do.�

200-Mile Trip One of the most memorable snowmobile trips for both Daggett and Lathrop took place several years ago, when they made their first 200

mile-plus backcountry loop from the lodge, traveling 100 miles south to the abandoned trains in the Allagash. “This had been a mission we had worked on for several years,� said Lathrop. “Phil and I had spent several hundred miles working on GPS tracks, used all our available gas on numerous failed

missions. The day we finally put it all together with all supplies needed to get back successfully, I was speechless when we pitched up over the snowdrift on Chamberlain Lake and could see the locomotives.�

Off-trail riding requires much preparation and experience to endure extremely harsh and rapidly-changing winter conditions.

It also requires a lot of land. In more populated, southern

With the guides transporting fuel, food and supplies, riders are free to enjoy the powder snow. However, participants must be prepared for rugged terrain and changing weather conditions. Hewes photo

areas, with a larger number of landowners, getting permission to ride off-trail can be difficult.

Northern Maine has the land mass and most often, a deeper snowpack.

In northern Maine, the season can begin earlier and extend longer. “Late in the season during the end of March into April, it is much easier riding with the snow conditions,� said Daggett. “We have all the snow that we are going

to have, it is warmer and we have more sunlight.

Some people prefer to do their sledding in March.

You can pretty much go anywhere then because there is a snowpack. Of course, it depends on the snowfall.�

For more information about Hewes Brook Lodge and Guided Backcountry snowmobile trips, visit: www.HewesBrookLodge.com.

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 19

Snowmobile Clubs Work to Attract Younger Members

by J.P. Falzone The snowmobile clubs across Maine that thrive and flourish are those in which there is the strongest sense of unity among members. Clubs rely on dedicated and passionate riders who roll up their sleeves and get involved, whether it’s a fundraising event, trail maintenance day, or helping organize a productive club meeting to address both current and future needs of the organization.

Many of the same members have been doing these types of things for some time, and are looking for ways to recruit the younger generation or riders to become more involved in the effort.

Some clubs would like to see the more junior crowd step up and become leaders, as those young people are the future of these organizations and can offer some fresh and different perspectives.

Some clubs report that younger members eagerly assist with projects such as trail clearing and bridge maintenance. Photo: Hillside Family Riders

“Old Man’s Game”?

“We have had some of the same people performing trail preparations and

Spear, Club President of the Hillside Family Riders in Lewiston.

“There are some great gentlemen in their 60s

need a break. We look to inspire the youth in the region who utilize these snowmobile trails to get more actively involved in

Money from snowmobile registrations and club memberships pays for trail maintenance and buys gas for the groomers. basically helping out in any way they can for a long time now,” said Eric

who have been doing this for most of their lives, and quite frankly, they

clubs such as ours.”

Marc Boynton, President of Blue Ridge

Riders Snowmobile Club, agrees. “Most people who show up to help are in their 50s and older.

A few of the guys are in their late 40s, but by and large it seems to be an old man’s game,” Boynton said, smiling. “Younger folks today would rather donate money and keep their time, or get their day back, so to speak, as their time seems to be of more value to them. I do understand it, as I didn’t join my first club until I was about 40 years old.”

Brian Dulong, Trail Master for the Lyman Snowmobile Club, has had the same experience with younger folks in his area. “We have about 30 members in our club, and the same five people show up to do the work when we have planned work days. The younger crowd doesn’t seem to want to put in the time. I am in my 30s, and another guy is in his 40s, but the rest (Continued on next page)

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Snowmobile Clubs (Continued from page 19)

of the crew who faithfully assist with our efforts are in their 60s and older.”

Encouraging “Freemobilers” to Help Out “I have tried to utilize more modern methods to reach out and attract the youth of today,” Dulong continued. “I set up a Facebook page to post trail work dates, but it has not worked out the way I had hoped.

“We don’t get many of the younger folks to attend club meetings either,” he said. “It’s always the older folks in the club who attend and support our endeavors throughout the year. We’d like to see this change, as it would be great to see them become more connected to our club.”

“We have had a couple of younger folks join us recently, and have been showing up at events such as trail preparation days, which has been great,” said Spear, from Hillside. “In fact, one member just turned 16

www.MaineSportsman.com

Members of Maine’s snowmobile clubs are working to encourage young riders to participate in planning meetings like this one. Photo: Hillside Family Riders

years old. He contacted me because he had just gotten his driver’s license.

He was excited, and wanted to know when the next trail maintenance day was planned so he could participate. It was tremendous to hear this, and I really wonder how we can get this type of thinking to multiply!” “‘Freemobilers’ – this is the term we use to describe people who don’t want to join clubs, don’t want to help out, pay their fair share, register their sleds, and basically want to ride for free,” explained Spear. “What some folks don’t realize is that money from these registrations and membership dues helps

fund such things as trail maintenance, and pays for gas for the groomers.

These are some of the reasons it’s so important to follow the rules, and to join and support local clubs as well.”

Rolling Pot of Gold Eric Spear and his club has been employing some new ideas to encourage membership of all ages, as well as getting younger members to attend club meetings.

“We hold club meetings twice a month and have something we call a Rolling Pot of Gold,” he said. “It starts with $25, and if we call a certain membership number they will win the prize.

Once the work is done, it’s time to get on the trails and enjoy Maine’s winter outdoors together. Photo: Hillside Family Riders

You need to be present to win, and if the person does not claim the prize it gets rolled over to the next meeting. It’s fun and encourages folks to attend the meetings.”

“This year we will also be holding a kickoff to the season event where club members can bring themselves and their families for a pizza and bowling night,” Spear continued. “This is something new we are trying as we want to make sure everyone knows belonging to a club is not just all about hard work and meetings. Yes, both are very important, but we need to have some fun as well so that there is a good balance of activities. I think it’s very important for younger people to understand this.”

Dan Bilodeau, Trail Master of the Perkins Ridge Sno-Travelers Club, also looks for ways to attract the younger generation. “We directmarket and talk up our success stories to anyone we see with a snowmobile,” he said.

“Riders have made quite an investment already, so on the trail we make every effort to introduce ourselves and hand out membership applications.”

“I have belonged to over 20 different clubs in Maine and New Hampshire,” said Bilodeau. “It’s quite a simple process. If you are going to ride on a regular

basis through a club’s maintenance domain, you should join that club, or at least volunteer to help them out with any work that’s needed.”

Young Folks Bring Chainsaws, Chaps, Hard Hats “Our club is really working hard to encourage the younger generation to become engaged, and I consider them an equal to anyone else in the club,” said Spear. “On trail work days, some of them have showed up with chaps and hard hats and want to use the chain saws. I let them go for it, as it’s awesome to see their enthusiasm. Heck, I’ll do other jobs like pulling brush; I don’t care, as it’s great to see them out there!”

“We have gotten some younger folks involved, but we really need for more of them to step up, join clubs, and become the leaders of tomorrow,” Spear concluded.

“I certainly respect them and their views, and would love to give them the floor at club meetings to hear what they have to say.”

“I feel strongly that more and more clubs should do the same. We need to let the future generations speak, share their ideas, and give them the opportunity to help chart the course for the future of Maine snowmobile clubs.”

¶

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 21

Snowmobiles: Indispendible Tools for Wildlife Work

by Ron Joseph Maine has a long and colorful snow machine history.

In 1908, Alvin Lombard, of my hometown of Waterville, built the first vehicle to travel across snow.

His patented machine, known as the Lombard Steam Log Hauler, was a steam-powered, trackwheeled vehicle with front skis. It was built to transport large loads of logs to rivers to be floated to lumber mills.

First patented in 1901, Lombard Steam Haulers became the forerunner of today’s snowmobiles.

They resembled 20ton snowmobiles, and featured a top speed of about five miles an hour.

Modern Machines and the ITS The roots of Maine modern day snowmobiles date back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, when Polaris began field testing snowmobiles in the Allagash River region.

After two days of training, I was given a truck and a snowmobile, and I was sent to northwest Aroostook County to share accommodations with IP loggers.

The popularity of snowmobiling has grown exponentially from its humble origins.

Now, thousands of snowmobilers each year explore Maine’s estimated 14,000 miles of groomed trails. Our state’s 4,000 miles of Interconnected Trails System (ITS) are nationally renowned, and attract snowmobilers from every region of the country.

Snowmobiling is a major economic driver for rural communities, especially in western and northern Maine.

In Jackman, parked snowmobiles at convenience stores and hotels often outnumber cars and trucks.

an essential tool in performing winter work.

In fact, beaver trappers, not recreationalists, were the earliest users of snowmobiles.

A great deal of warden, fisheries and wildlife work is performed with the aid of snowmobiles, including: • mammal winter track surveys; • deeryard documentations; • black bear research; • wood duck box maintenance and repair; • dead deer searches in April; • weekly snow station

measurements in each I&FW region; • searching for lost people; and • ice fishing creel census work.

Snowmobiles and snowshoes have become indispensible tools to biologists and game wardens.

Like other wildlife biologists who logged many, many hours operating a work snowmobile, the last thing I wanted to do on weekends was recreate on a snow machine.

Memorable Adventures My most memorable

snowmobiling adventures occurred in western Aroostook County in the winter of 1978. That year from January to early April, Kevin Stevens, my supervisor in Ashland, arranged for me to lodge and dine during the week at an International Paper Company (IP) outpost at Clayton Lake, approximately 65-miles west of Ashland.

I was 26 years old, and just beginning my wildlife career. In retrospect, being a wildlife biologist in Aroostook County during the winter of 1978 was one of the highlights of my 33-year career.

After I received two days of training and orientation at the Ashland (Continued on next page)

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state fish and wildlife office, Kevin provided me with a 4x4 IF&W truck, a Skidoo Tundra snowmobile, armfuls of topographical maps, a compass, snowshoes, an emergency survival kit, winter uniform clothes, felt-lined winter boots.

Then he said, “You’ll be working out of the IP office at Clayton Lake, and you’ll be bunking and eating with company loggers. I’ll be quizzing you on your French by the end of the winter.�

He then added cautionary advice: “Oh, and remember, when you’re driving across the American Realty Road (a major east-west logging road), be sure to yield to logging trucks. Loggers act like they own the road, and that’s because the logging companies they work for ACTUALLY DO own the road. If need be, bury the truck in a snow bank. The logging trucks will squeeze past you.

Don’t worry, they’ll stop, back up and pull you out with a chain.�

The scenario Kevin laid out in plain English happened several times that winter.

Advantages of Light Machines with Narrow Tracks Kevin joined me for days at a time. For much of that winter, though, when Kevin was back in Ashland, snowmobile excursions to remote deeryards required two machines, mostly for safety reasons.

Foresters and I snowmobiled many miles on unplowed tote roads.

Often, we were a great distance from our parked trucks.

The beauty of lightweight snowmobiles is that they don’t require a trail. If my Tundra became bogged down in deep snow, the machine following in my track would leapfrog me.

Lightweight snowmobiles with narrow tracks are also much easier to dig out of deep snow than heavier trail machines. “You Like Be Warm?�

In addition to safety considerations, foresters spent the day with me because the company they represented had a vested interest in making sure the deer yards being documented met criteria for zoning protection as P-FWs (Protection Fish and Wildlife), under standards of the old Land Use Regulation Commission, now replaced with LUPC (Land Use Planning Commission).

I recall one very cold winter day when the high reached minus-22 degrees Fahrenheit. We were near the end of a 20-mile snowmobile ride to a deer yard along the Big Black River in Township 14, Range 16 WELS - near the Quebec border in NW Aroostook County.

My FrenchCanadian colleague stopped his snowmobile at 11 A.M. to start a fire and have lunch. (We’d eaten breakfast at 5:30 A.M.) He strapped on his snowshoes, trampled down deep snow next to (Continued on next page)

—

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 23 (Continued from page 22)

a large standing dead white birch and motioned for me to join him.

My Johnson wool pants, caked with balls of snow, were as stiff as boards. The forester spoke very little English and I spoke very little French.

He said, “You like be warm?” I nodded yes. He struck a wooden match on his pants zipper and lit peeling birch at the base of the dead tree.

Within seconds, the oils from the birch bark ignited into a towering inferno. He stood there was his butt inches from the tree and then turned to face the flames.

I did likewise. Our snowmobiles and the surrounding snow were covered in a shower of fly ash. We warmed up with hot tea, quickly ate lunch and proceeded to the deeryard.

called for making a wide swing around the predator. During my career, I’d seen the rear end of many fleeing fishers. But I’d never seen one aggressively defend its kill by refusing to run.

Hunger is a powerful motivator.

We arrived at the parked trucks, backed each one to the high snow bank with tailgates down, and drove the machines onto the beds.

We barely made it back to Clayton Lake in time for 5 P.M. dinner.

Evan Moran, the FrenchCanadian cook, didn’t like late arriving woods workers.

And who could blame

him? The excellent cook’s long day in the kitchen began at 3:30 A.M. Ron Joseph is a retired Maine wildlife biologist.

He lives in Waterville.

¶

Confrontation with a Hungry Fisher-Cat Arriving at the Big Black River deeryard around noon, we snowshoed through the center of the deer wintering area (DWA).

I filled out DWA survey sheets which called for data on forest stand height, tree species composition, percent crown closure, evidence of deer browse, evidence of deer trails, snow depth and deer sinking depth.

By mid-afternoon, as the sun dropped below the spruce-fir canopy, the temperature dropped to minus-30 degrees. We decided to return another day to finish the deeryard documentation.

Retracing our snowshoe tracks, we came upon a large defiant “dog,” or male fisher. It was eating the head of a freshly killed 6-monthold deer.

The fisher refused to back down to two grown men. The only avenue back to the snowmobiles www.MaineSportsman.com

24 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Backcountry Rescue on a Snowmobile Trail The crash occurred on a remote snowmobile trail in Fort Kent on a January afternoon. A 68 yearold man was thrown from his sled and injured his legs. His condition wasn’t critical, but it was bad enough that he couldn’t drive his sled out. Fortunately, his friend was able to call 911.

Remote Rescue The problem was that the two men didn’t know exactly where they were, so they couldn’t direct emergency responders to the scene. “All they knew is they were somewhere between Fort Kent and Eagle Lake,” fire chief Ed Endee said, according to the Bangor Daily News.

“We had to find them.”

It wasn’t clear where to send the ambulance and where to start the search. Initially, the EMTs staged the rescue

effort from the north in Fort Kent, where they dispatched a rescue sled from a rural road. When the searchers eventually found the injured sledder much farther south, the ambulance had to drive 15 miles to a closer access point in Wallagrass.

At the accident scene, the EMTs loaded the injured rider onto a rescue

lucky he wasn’t more seriously hurt. Search conditions were good. Had the men paid better attention to their location, they could have guided the rescuers in more quickly. Chief Endee noted how this experience demonstrates the importance of staying aware of road crossings, time and distance travelled so you

When a snowmobiler is injured, it’s a challenge to get them to a road or open space where a Life Flight helicopter can land. toboggan equipped with first aid gear and capable of carrying the injured man accompanied by the EMT. It took about 90 minutes for rescuers to find the men and transport the injured rider to the ambulance.

The injured man was

can get help if you need it.

Quebec Connection A different pair of snowmobilers stranded in northern New Hampshire in March 2014 were equally lucky. Two Massachusetts women decided to take a short ride af-

MAKE SAFETY A PRIORITY! THIS WINTER, STAY SAFE WHEN SNOWMOBILING. ICE AND WATER CONDITIONS NEAR HYDROELEECTRIC FACILITIES CAN CHANGE QUICKLY AND WITHOUT NOTICE. Please respect authorized trails, signs and warning signals and pay attention to your surroundings.

Be cautious of guy wires and poles that may not be as noticeable during the winter season.

brookfieldrenewable.com/publicsafety

www.MaineSportsman.com

ter dinner near Pittsburg, NH on a Saturday night.

They soon got bogged down in deep snow off the groomed trail. Out of cell phone range, the women walked for several miles in the dark before picking up cell coverage from a tower in Quebec.

Their cell phone was able to make a 9-1-1 call, but because the phone

DANGER THIN ICE

was not enabled for international service, the Canadian dispatcher couldn’t call them back for more information.

According to WCVB-Boston, New Hampshire State Police and Fish and Game officers used data from the cell towers to estimate the women’s location and begin a search. The women were rescued several hours later, thirsty but unharmed.

Fortunately, they had adequate clothing and stayed on the trail until rescuers found them.

“Having the coordinates from the cellphone call assisted in these riders being located as quickly as possible,” Officer Chris Egan said.

“Such clues could make a significant difference in the outcome of a situation in which someone is critically injured, hypothermic or both.”

Remote Risks Snowmobiling has its inherent risks: crashes, rollovers, mechanical trouble, falling through ice, or simply getting lost

or stuck in deep snow.

Too often, alcohol and excessive speed are contributing factors, but even the most conscientious riders get in trouble now and then.

Those risks are compounded when you factor in that misfortune can happen miles from the nearest road, often out of cell phone range.

To make matters worse, riders may not be certain where exactly they are, making it hard to guide rescuers to their location.

Rescue Sleds When a snowmobiler suffers an injury, there is the additional challenge of getting the injured rider to a road or a safe place where a Life Flight helicopter can land. This is where “rescue boggans” are important assets.

These specially-equipped sleds can be towed behind a snowmobile to transport injured snowmobilers under even the least favorable conditions.

Many snowmobile clubs have purchased rescue sleds, often with the assistance of grants from the Maine Snowmobile Association (MSA). Recently, the Northern Timber Cruisers snowmobile club gave the Millinocket Fire Department a new Equinox Rescue Sled with additional funding provided by the Pioneer Hose Company. The sled was purchased through the MSA rescue sled program.

The Equinox sled is 96 inches long, 35 inches wide and 28 inches high.

It weighs just 130 pounds but has a maximum load (Continued on next page)

—

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 25 (Continued from page 24)

capacity of 1,200 lbs.

With a removable front hood, rear attendant bench and storage area, the low profile design allows for easier towing.

Millinocket already had an older rescue sled.

Now, with two sleds, EMTs can respond better to an accident involving multiple injuries.

Olympic-caliber Frostbite Getting stuck in the backcountry overnight is always a possibility, even when you are just out for a short ride with friends.

Just ask Rulon Gardner, the Olympic gold medal wrestler who got separated from his friends and ended up stranded overnight in

the Wyoming mountains in 2002. After crashing through ice in a river bottom and soaking his clothes, Gardner was lucky to survive a long night at 25 below zero.

The doctors had to saw his frozen boots off of his feet. Because of the severe frostbite, Gardner underwent several skin grafts. Pins inserted in

Being Prepared “Preparing for the worst” is essential when riding in the backcountry. Many things can go wrong, often under the harshest of conditions – cold, wet, remote and often in the dark. You can’t simply rely on a cell phone or count on having someone nearby to help.

The first step is com-

hear from you and when should they call for help?

Many successful searches start promptly because a relative knew to call a warden.

Nowadays a handheld GPS device (satellite, not just the cell phone type) or an emergency locator beacon are affordable options. But even these fancy electronic devices can

Snowmobile clubs have purchased rescue sleds using

grants from the Maine Snowmobile Association. his toes while the blood vessels and tissue healed.

Gardner lost the tips of several toes, but remarkably only one toe had to be amputated.

munication and planning.

Get in the habit of leaving a written trip plan with a friend or relative. Where are you going? How long will you be gone? When should they expect to

fail under cold, wet conditions, so it’s best to have a non-electronic backup option. Having a good old-fashioned paper map and a compass can help you figure out where you

Story, Kennebec Journal, September 24, 2016.

Quotable

—

by George Smith I think what that says is sportsmen and gun owners are a huge voting bloc.

We can swing elections and we can swing referendum campaigns.

David Trahan, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) executive director, after Maine rejected a ballot initiative requiring background checks for all gun sales and transfers. Kevin Miller story, Portland Press Herald, November 10, 2016.

— The moral of the story is simple. When you go to Fenway Park, a GPS is your best friend but when you hit the byways, always check a Gazetteer!

Piscataquis County Sherriff’s Office deputies, who found 22 dogs and their owners stuck in a motor vehicle on a snowmobile trail that their GPS led them onto. WCSH TV News Center, September 23, 2016.

— It seems every year there are more and more people who want to do something about coyotes – maybe they have small pets or kids.

Tom Logan, Stamford, CT urban wildlife specialist, complaining that the state makes it difficult to obtain permits to trap and kill coyotes. Michael Melia Associated Press

The higher success rate of out-of-state hunters, as compared to residents, may be attributed to the higher proportion of out-ofstate hunters using registered Maine guides for their hunts.

Lee Kantar, DIF&W’s moose biologist.

While 69% of resident moose hunters were successful last year, 97% of the 265 nonresident hunters got their moose.

John Holyoke story, Bangor Daily News, September 30, 2016.

— In 2015, the trapping regulations for several species were altered in order to reduce the chance of accidentally capturing lynx, which are listed as a threatened species by the federal government. Unfortunately, these changes resulted in reduced trapper participation, and have made it more difficult for the Department to collect quality biological data on some species.

DIF&W statement explaining an adjustment in 2016 furbearer hunting and trapping seasons, to allow more opportunity to pursue some species. Announced on 10/18/2016.

— Hunting bobcats with hounds and snowmobiles and ATVs is cruel …. Maine’s bobcats should be protected, not persecuted.

Karen Coker, co-leader of a new group, WildWatch Maine, at a DIF&W public

are and how to get help.

A rider’s emergency/ survival kit should also include first aid supplies, handwarmers, high energy food, water, a knife, a headlamp, a couple of flares, and a space blanket, and tarp or emergency bivy sack. Other items to consider include a lighter, firestarter, a folding handsaw, and extra gloves/socks/hat.

Some tools and a spare track for your sled are good to bring along also.

Winter in Maine can be dangerous if you aren’t prepared. Stuff happens.

Nobody wants to ride home in a rescue-boggan.

Sled safely.

¶

hearing on 2016 trapping rules and seasons, September 26, 2016.

— The seasons to kill these animals for fun and profit granted by the Department to a small minority of special interests are already long enough …. Methods used to kill these keystone species are some of the most egregious and barbaric created by man and are increasingly despised by the public.

Elaine Teslikis, co-leader of WildWatch Maine, at the same DIF&W public hearing.

— We laugh and say there are more deer in town than people. There is nothing normal and wild about the deer here…. They are almost pets.

Elaine Abbott, Eastport city manager.

The town requested a special archery-only hunt to reduce the deer population, which could be as high as 60 per square mile.

Deirdre Fleming story, Maine Sunday Telegram, October 23, 2016.

— The whole thing seems nuts. But if there is a hunt, I want some assurance that it will be safe, be humane, and be effective. I’d like to see professional hunters.

Peter Frowan of Dastardly Dick’s coffee shop in Eastport. The city ruled out a professional sharp-shooter because of the high cost. Same Deirdre Fleming story.

¶

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26 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Wildlife: Togue

by Tom Seymour

We call them togue, some call them lake trout or lakers, and others call them Mackinaw trout. But whatever they are called, Salvelinus namaycush is the largest freshwater fish found in Maine.

Near the southern end of its range, our Maine togue live in deep, dark water. This is partly attributable to limitations of their eyes – togue are extremely sensitive to bright light.

Consequently, except for dark days, early mornings and late evenings, togue inhabit deeper parts of our lakes. And for that same reason, Maine hatcheries raise togue in specially-lit tanks that are not illuminated by white lights. Were they not to do this, the fish would go blind.

In the wild, the murky waters of early spring just after ice-out allow togue to venture into shallow water. When the water mixes and clears, it’s off to the depths again.

Despite their often large size and tasty flesh, togue are unduly condemned as “mud fish” – muddy-tasting bottom feeders.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Togue are oily, even oilier than salmon and trout, and improper care (leaving a fish out, exposed to the sun, for instance) is wholly responsible for any bad-tasting togue.

Indeed, when properly cared for when caught and then correctly prepared, togue have a rich, sweet flavor. Broiling or grilling allows the oil to drip out. Pan frying whole sections of togue causes the fish to bake in its own oil. The same might be said for any large salmonid. If pan frying, at least use a fillet rather than a thick slice. The fillet can be skinned before frying. The skin contains much of the oil and removing it helps deter any oily taste.

Togue Quest When I was a young angler, my fishing was mostly restricted to brook trout in streams and brooks, and white perch in my grandpa’s 12-foot aluminum boat. We just didn’t have the boat or the gear to fish for togue. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that I bought my own boat and began experimenting with togue fishing.

Because I’d never caught a togue, it was unclear to me just where and how to go about it. But luckily, an acquaintance who had a reputation of being a big-time togue-slayer took me under his wing and showed me how www.MaineSportsman.com

the “pros” did it.

Following his instructions, I assembled my tackle. This consisted of a stiff rod formerly used for jigging for codfish, a large Penn reel (also a veteran of the high seas), about 200 yards of Ashaway braided Dacron line, and a set of gold-colored Dave Davis spoons about the same length as the rod.

Thus equipped, I headed north with my mentor to what he said was one of the finest togue ponds around.

We arrived very early in the season. Ice had only just gone out, and debris from last winter’s activity floated on the surface. We trolled with our Dave Davis, but never got a bite. In retrospect, we should have not concentrated our efforts on the deep water, but rather in 30 or 40 feet of water or even less. In early spring, togue chase bait quite near shore, and that’s where we should have fished.

My guru also showed me how to “sew” a bait on a line. This was a rather complicated procedure that used fine copper wire robbed from an armature to go through both lips and then get twisted on the line. This kept the bait’s mouth closed and also, helped keep it from spinning when trolled.

Modern Methods Today we have sliding hook rigs that are many magnitudes easier to deal with than the old sewing method I learned so long ago.

Also, dodgers – lightweight sheets of thin metal – have largely supplanted the huge old strings of spinners, and consequently, heavy rods better used for clothes poles are no longer needed.

Nylon braided line worked well because the heavy Dave Davis rigs went down to bottom without the need for additional weight. Today’s lighter offerings need leadcore line to accomplish the same feat.

Also, most people, me included, have turned to fishing for togue using a downrigger.

Downriggers take the lure or bait down to wherever the togue are, while at the same time allowing for the use of far lighter and sportier rods than those of yesteryear.

When togue fishing today, I use one fairly light rod on my downrigger and a slightly heavier rod with lead-core line as my second rod. And instead of the typical dodger-andbait method, I use just plain old lures on both rods. So even with the lead-core rod, a hooked togue is able to put up a fine account of itself.

During my first togue-fishing trip so long ago, fish locators were unheard of, except perhaps for the commercial fishing trade. So we trolled on a “poke-and-hope” basis. Today, we can see fish icons on our fish locator screens, and seeing these we can make an educated guess as to what type of fish the icons represent. This we can do according to size and also depth of fish. Fish locators tell us exactly how deep the fish is that we see on our screen.

So upon seeing a large icon in deep

water, or perhaps several large icons in deep water, we may safely assume that we have just passed over togue. On one of those cherished days when everything goes right and fish bite like mad, it is possible to note a fish icon and then predict when the fish will hit. This we do by estimating how long it will take our offering to pass near the fish. If and when it all comes together, we become nearlegends in our own time (or at least in our own minds!).

Togue Dave Two of my pals routinely fish East Grand Lake for salmon. These two eschew togue and avoid them at all costs. However, they have befriended an East Grand regular whom they know only as “Togue Dave.”

Togue Dave takes lots of togue and only keeps the biggest ones. A 6-pound togue to Togue Dave is like a 12-inch brook trout to me – nice, but nothing to brag about. However, Togue Dave taught my “never togue” buddies a thing or two about togue’s table properties.

Dave prepared for them his ersatz lobster.

It’s a simple dish made by steaming bits of togue and then dipping them in butter, the same as with lobster. My non-togue pals said it tasted great.

Maine is blessed to have so many deepwater lakes with self-sustaining togue populations. Just think, here we have oodles of lakes filled with Maine’s largest salmonid, and only a few anglers even bother with them.

It all seems a great shame to me. As long as I can still write, my plan is to continue to promote togue – not only a fun and challenging fish, but also as a fine fish for the table.

It just doesn’t get much better than that.

¶

The author admires a fresh-caught togue.

—

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 27

Water Temperature Plays Integral Role in Ice Fishing Success

by Wes Ashe There’s a secret water I frequent during the summer months that is absolutely teeming with critters – finned, winged and legged. If ponds had heartbeats, this one just threw down four Red Bulls and ran a fourminute mile, backwards.

This place is absolutely alive. At 300 acres and a maximum depth of just 8 feet, it’s a top-notch warmwater fishery – jam-packed and bursting at the seams with enormous yellow perch,

6-pound largemouths, sunfish on steroids, and black crappie that are scary-big.

On warm July evenings, it’s not uncommon to catch over 100 fish and a half dozen species in this productive little impoundment.

But, that’s during the summer. I was anxious to try fishing it when there was ice on top.

Hard-Water Expedition A handful of winters back on a blustery February day, I loaded

up the Tacoma with my sled, auger, traps and jig poles, and visited the secret spot. I knew full well I’d be overwhelmed with tight lines and erect neon flags all day long, so I made sure to swing by Mickey D’s for a couple of caloric Egg McMuffins en route. As long as I didn’t mind exerting some energy and sweating a bit, I imagined that a sweet and succulent crappie fry was in my immediate future.

At 8 a.m., I fired up my

aging yellow Jiffy auger and drilled a hole right on the outskirts of my most fruitful summertime cove. The auger labored through nearly three feet of solid ice, entered a small window of water, and then plunged into a soft and sludgy bottom.

When I pulled the auger blade out, a geyser of mud, plants, and aquatic bugs came with it.

Surprised by my

dirty extraction, I moved twenty feet and drilled again, with the very same result. Frustrated, I continued my search for water by moving in transects back and forth across the middle.

In no time at all, the unblemished white surface was replaced with a grid of chocolatecolored polka dots. By the end of my search, (Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

28 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Ice Fishing (Continued from page 27)

the only fishable water I ended up finding was a small 2-foot window in the very deepest sections.

Once I had a half dozen fishable holes cleaned out and ready to roll, I tipped my white marabou jig with a plump wax worm and started jigging.

Quiet – Too Quiet For a full two hours, I jigged my way around

the entirety of this historically-rewarding water. I even set a few traps with small shiners.

But I didn’t have one hit – not even a tap or a triggered flag.

I knew there were fish to be had. I’d lugged along a portable fish finder, and the screen lit up with dozens of fish sardined into the narrow band of water below.

They were there, but they weren’t interested in my bait. In fact, they were as motionless as glacial retreat.

It was exasperating and even a little bit eerie. I didn’t catch a single fish that day, nor did I land any on three subsequent trips to this ice-encased pond.

So how could a pond that provides such fast action during summer, completely shut down during winter? I was perplexed and wanted an answer.

Temperature is Key For fish, temperature is the master regulator, and each species has a range at which growth and survival are optimal.

In Maine, coldwater fish such as trout and salmon often retreat to greater depths during summer to seek cold water as surface temperatures skyrocket and become lethal. During winter, when water temperatures plummet into the 30s, trout and salmon can move freely throughout the pond, as

their distribution is more influenced by habitat preference and food availability.

Lake trout are the perfect fish to illustrate this point. In July and August, togue swim deep, and successful anglers need lead core line or downriggers to reach them.

During the ice fishing season, togue pursue smelt and other forage without temperature limitations, (Continued on next page)

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 29 (Continued from page 28)

and it’s not unusual to hook into them at various depths throughout the water column.

Temperature also plays a key role in the seasonal distribution of warmwater fish such as black crappie, largemouth bass, and pumpkinseed sunfish.

During the summer months, warmwater fish thrive along the vegetated shoreline in

temperatures that reach the high 70s and low 80s.

When winter arrives and ice blankets Maine lakes, most warmwater fish actually head to deeper water.

A Balmy 39° Water temperature just under the ice is a frigid 33°, but down in deeper water, temperatures can hold at a balmy 39°.

It’s a difference of just a few degrees, but it’s warm enough for feeding,

digestion and movement to persist, albeit at reduced rates.

In fact, the best crappie and perch fishing I’ve ever had is in January, hitting a jig right off the bottom in 30 feet of water.

I’m not a gambling man, but I’d bet with utmost certainty that temperature is the reason for the abysmal (nonexistent, actually) catch rates at the secret honey hole during the

winter months.

Warmwater fish can’t tolerate seasonlong temperatures in the low 30s without changing their survival strategy. Since an escape to deeper, warmer water isn’t possible, the crappie, perch, and bass simply shut down their metabolism in response to arctic-like temperatures.

Like black bears, they enter a hibernation of sorts. It’s likely a vegetative state,

a coma, where food and other resources aren’t essential.

In doing so, these warmwater fish are able to survive the long winter in a tiny, dark, and icy world, and that’s pretty extraordinary.

-Wes Ashe, Biologist

Fisheries

¶

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30 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Young Maine Sportsman with Alyssa Sansoucy Ice Fishing – Home AwaySport from for Home A Great Us Kids

183 State Street, Suite 101 Augusta, ME 04330

Now that hunting season is over, it’s time for ice fishing.

I have been ice fishing for as long as I can remember. I love catching fish all sorts of ways, but especially through the ice. I think it’s a really fun and different way to catch them.

I take part in a few derbies each year. Last

year I took 2nd and 3rd place at the first-ever Kennebunk Pond Derby in the kids division.

This year I hope to do a few more derbies, because I really like to compete against other people as we try to catch fish.

Cold-Weather Strategy On colder days, my

dad and I usually go to trout ponds. It’s part of our plan to not catch as many fish so we can stay warmer in the ice shack.

On days when the weather is warmer, we go to ponds where we catch more fish and don’t have to stay in the ice shack.

I usually go out every weekend after the ice becomes safe.

Out Early Typically, we get out on the ice before the sun even comes up. After we walk to the spot we want

to fish, my dad takes the ice auger and drills some holes. I follow behind and clean all of the ice out of the holes with the ladle.

After that, we both take some traps and bait to set up at the holes. Except for actually catching fish, the time we bait and set traps is my favorite part of the day.

Ice fishing can be tricky, because if you don’t yank the line and set the hook at the right time, you could lose the fish.

Eat What You Catch Any fish that we end up keeping, we always eat. I like any kind of fish and will eat any that is cooked, but my favorites are brook trout and bass.

If you have never tried ice fishing before, I encourage all kids like me to get out there this winter and try it. It’s something new to do, and it’s really fun.

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The author at the 2016 Kennebunk Pond Fishing Derby, where she took 2nd place and a 3rd place awards in the kids division.

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Tom’s Top Picks for Ice Fishing’s Opening Day Will we have sufficient ice on January 1 for us to go ice fishing?

That stands as the $100,000 question. Last year’s warm winter made early ice-angling a loss.

And although ice formed late in the season, it did not linger.

But hope springs eternal in the hearts of anglers, and so we plug along, planning for that first day on the ice when we can keep trout, salmon and togue under general law.

The following are by no means the only places where anglers might expect action, but they are some of my favorites – so allow me to present my top picks for places to hit on opening day.

Dutton Pond Dutton Pond in Knox has become what the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (DIF&W) calls a “destination spot.� That’s because DIF&W stocks the 35-acre pond with an amazing number of brown trout and brook trout. Additionally, the department releases broodstock trout – fish nearing or exceeding trophy size. So it’s easy to see why people from all over the Midcoast region flock to Dutton Pond on opening day.

As an example of what anglers may expect this year from Dutton: last November, DIF&W released 750 brook trout ranging from 8 to 13 inches long, 50 brown trout of 12 inches, and 20 broodstock brook trout averaging 20 inches. A similar number of fish should also be introduced

Dutton Pond in Knox should be a prime openingday ice angling destination. this year. Add to this any carryover trout from previous stockings (and there are good numbers of them), and it’s easy to see why many anglers consider this spot a prime opening day destination.

One caveat: Dutton Pond has become so popular on January 1 that the road in to the access point is lined with vehicles that arrived even before dawn. The main road, Route 137, will also have its share of parked vehicles. So in addition to finding a place on the ice, it is incumbent upon anglers to arrive early so as to find a parking place.

Look for Dutton Pond on the DeLorme Atlas, Map 14, A-3.

Megunticook Lake While 1,220-acre Megunticook Lake doesn’t present parking problems, it still offers anglers a chance to hook onto a big trout.

Both brown trout and rainbow trout here grow to surprisingly large proportions, with 4- and 5-pound fish of both species being taken each year.

Megunticook has more than ample places to park, as well as easy access points to the lake.

The two best choices are the public boat ramps on Route 52 on the east side of the lake, and the newly renovated ramp on Route 105 on the lake’s west side. From either point, anglers on foot may conveniently reach good fishing areas. Let’s look at the Route 52 access

point first.

Standing at the boat ramp, the cove to the left, Barrett’s Cove, has a sand bottom. While the water is not particularly deep, rainbow trout come in close to shore, so setting traps there can get an angler into some nice (as in 16- to 18-inch fish) rainbows.

And to the left of the boat ramp, it’s easy to see the boulder-lined shore bordering on Route 52.

Here, brown trout and rainbow trout come close to shore in 10- to 20-feet of water to prowl among giant submerged boulders in search of baitfish.

And directly across from the ramp, a long string of shoals called “The Fang� holds trout along its edge. Water here tends to freeze later than in other parts of the lake, so use extreme caution.

Flags may not fly quite as fast or as furiously as at Dutton Pond, but the chances of taking a trophy fish – one that has lived in the lake for several years – are always present. Find Megunticook Lake on Map 14, C-3 and D-3.

Swan Lake I hesitate to mention Swan Lake this year because, barring a continuation of the rainy weather we had late November and early December, water levels may remain at historic lows. Shorefront property owners who were late in taking their boats out of the water in late summer found their boats lying

on their sides on bare ground. For wintertime anglers, unless the lake refills, it’s a whole new ballgame.

The impact of this condition is that traditional hotspots may be gone. In other words, where we once fished in 45 feet of water, that same area may have only 15 or 20 feet of water. So we’ll need to adjust our habits accordingly. This especially affects togue locations. Probably those fishing closer to the lake’s middle will have the best results on togue.

Also, the area in front of the boat ramp on Route 141, a popular openingday site for brook trout, probably won’t have enough water to provide productive fishing.

However, the channel just out from the ramp but closer to the other side of the lake should still have sufficient water for fishing, and it may hold trout. In fact, it may hold lots of trout. But in order to find out for sure, we’ll have to go out and try it.

Since lots of folks fish along the boulder-strewn west side of the lake for brook trout, I also must mention that the water (Continued on next page)

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Mid-Coast

This summer, water levels at Swan Lake were so low that shorefront property owners found their boats and floats sitting on dry ground.

(Continued from page 31)

has receded down to a point where trout can no longer seek smelt among the boulders, given that the boulders are out of water.

Brook trout fishing, as I see it, with the possible exception of the channel down near the dam, stands as a hit-or-miss proposition.

Hopefully,

skilled anglers will prove me wrong. But at this point it’s hard to say what to expect, given the

circumstances.

Salmon anglers can always hit the lake’s middle and set their two (Swan Lake is restricted to two lines per person) lines just beneath the ice in order to intercept cruising salmon. In the end, who’s to say that this season may not eventually stand as one of the best ever? We’ll just have to wait and see.

At least now, people who travel to Swan Lake from afar will have a better idea of what to expect.

Sennebec Lake Sennebec Pond always struck me as a “sleeper” water. It has far more potential than meets the eye. Sennebec is a stocked water – DIF&W released 250 14-inch brook there last October. But that doesn’t tell entire story. The St. George River, which remains open to fishing year-round, gets heavily

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ Togue (Lake Trout)

The lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), also known as togue, laker, grey trout and Mackinaw, is a game fish inhabiting freshwater lakes throughout northern North America. A fish species native to Maine waters, lake trout prefer to inhabit deep, cold, oxygen-rich waters.

A slow-growing fish species, lake trout populations can be heavily damaged by overfishing, so DIF&W biologists closely monitor lake trout populations in Maine lakes. Maine anglers normally catch togue averaging between 18 to 24 inches and weighing 2 to 4 pounds. Occasionally, a fortunate angler will land a behemoth fish exceeding 15 pounds.

Beech Hill Pond in Ellsworth produced

stocked in spring with both brown trout and brook trout. And one popular section of river where both kinds of trout are released is at the mouth of the river where it leaves Sennebec Pond.

Some of these fish, instead of heading downstream, head upstream and find places to live in the lake. So for that reason, no one can say exactly how many trout await anglers at Sennebec Pond on opening day. My guess is that anyone choosing this 511-acre pond on January 1 will find themselves pleasantly surprised.

So whichever water you choose to hit this opening day, let me wish you the best of luck. And let us all hope for thick, safe ice.

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the current state record lake trout – a 31-pounds 8 ounce monster caught by Hollis Grindle in 1958.

Lake trout possess muted black to gray colored bodies overlaid with light spots. This dark pattern gets progressively lighter down the side of the fish, finally turning white on the fish’s belly.

The back of the lake trout sports a dark colored dorsal and adipose fin, while the pelvic fins are orange with white edging.

The lake trout’s tail or caudal fin is forked, easily distinguishing it from of its relative the “square tailed” brook trout.

Opportunistic feeders, lake trout prey on a wide variety of species, including alewives, rainbow smelt, crustaceans, insects and even small birds and mammals.

Lake trout spawn in the fall, returning

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by Steve Vose

Questions 1. By what other names is the lake trout known?

2. Is the lake trout native to Maine waters?

3. What kind of environment do lake trout need to flourish?

4. What is the average sized lake trout caught by Maine anglers? www.MaineSportsman.com

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each year to the same spawning area. Young lake trout (fry) hatch from the egg and hide in the gravel substrate until early spring, when they emerge and begin searching for food.

If able to successfully avoid predators, lake trout may live for more than 25 years.

Lake trout can breed with brook trout, resulting in a “splake.” This can occur naturally, but more commonly takes place in hatcheries where lake trout eggs are fertilized with brook trout sperm.

How big was the largest lake trout caught in Maine?

What do lake trout eat?

How old can lake trout live?

What is a “splake”?

Answers on

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Striped Bass, Cod in the News We had a pretty good striper season here in Maine in 2016, which included a lot of small fish that I wrote about in these pages several months back. However, fishery managers will be monitoring the condition of the coast-wide stocks carefully.

Back on October 15, the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources announced that the 2016 young-of-the-year (YOY) striped bass index, a measure of spawning success in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay, is 2.2, well below the 63-year average of 11.7.

The index represents the average number of lessthan-one-year-old fish caught in 132 samples taken in seine nets in Maryland waters.

Although some 90 percent of the striped bass that migrate up into the Maine coast each season originate in Chesapeake Bay, it’s not all gloom and doom. “While this year’s striped bass index is disappointing, it is not a concern unless we observe poor spawning in multiple, consecutive years,” said David Blazer, Maryland’s Fishing and Boating Director. “Very successful spawning years, as recently as 2011 and 2015, should more than compensate for this below-average year class. Nevertheless, the department and our partners will continue to work to maintain a sustainable striper fishery.”

Historically, striped

Most of Maine’s stripers originate in Chesapeake Bay, so we need to pay attention to “young of the year” (YOY) inventories performed by Maryland state biologists.

A graph of Maryland’s striped bass “young of the year” (YOY) index from 1954 through 2016. Note the mix of high and low spawning years, which average out to 11.7.

Courtesy MD Dept. of Natural Resources

bass have exhibited great variability in spawning success from year to year.

Large year classes are occasionally produced, but are often interspersed with average or belowaverage year classes.

One-year-old stripers in the very successful 2015 Maryland year class were found in abundance, so production should pretty much even out over the two-year span.

The reason for the low numbers of spawned striped bass and other anadromous species (fish that live in salt water but spawn in fresh) often is the result of environmental factors such as dry weather that

contributes to low river flows, a combination that hit the Chesapeake Bay area this past spring.

A normal number of breeding-age female stripers were found on the bay’s historic spawning grounds, but it is theorized that conditions just weren’t ideal for the sensitive striper eggs and larvae.

The state of Virginia also conducts a similar striper YOY survey each year, and it will be interesting to see what their results are. Stay tuned.

little problem with the recreational cod catch for 2016.”

As most readers know, cod stock here in the Gulf of Maine have diminished over the years. In fact, recreational fishermen

couldn’t even retain a single cod in 2015.

However, this past season the recreational sub-quota was adjusted upward by some 30% to 157 metric tons, an amount large enough so that fishery managers felt anglers could keep one cod per day in August and September.

Unfortunately, however, the number of angler groundfish trips jumped up this year (likely due to the higher haddock bag limit of 15 fish per person) so more cod were caught and released than in 2015. A 15% mortality figure is assigned to released cod, so when you add the number of cod kept, plus the number that supposedly died after release, it ends up being a lot of fish.

How many? Only preliminary catch data has been processed as of this writing, but it appears that the total number jumped from 74 metric tons in 2015 to 218 metric tons in 2016, just in the four-month period from May 1 through (Continued on page 35)

Too Many Cod Caught?

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34 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Biting the Bullet and Buying a New Vehicle In my column this month, with the New Year upon us, I would like to discuss the turmoil going on within me right now. I have decided to sell my 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche, but cannot make my mind on selecting a new vehicle.

I want to give the readers here a few of my ideas for certain models of vehicles, but also want to include them in the decision process by opening this discussion up on Facebook. If any readers out there would like to jump into the discussion, simply

www.MaineSportsman.com

Whatever vehicle I select must have the capacity to get me out of some dicey situations in the woods. message me on Facebook or email me at: william. clunie@gmail.com.

The Avalanche has been a great truck, and with only about 130,000 miles on it I think it will still be a great vehicle for the next owner. I am just ready for something different. Problem is, I have three or four distinct models, and can’t decide on one vehicle.

A good way to begin the selection process is to look at the various

likes and dislikes from the present vehicle and from vehicles owned in the past. Let’s start with some thoughts on vehicles that I’ve owned before, but only focusing on those that meet my present criteria.

Criteria for Selection I won’t concentrate on the finer details of a vehicle purchase like heated seats or electric windows. Rather, I will focus just on my basic needs in a vehicle so it

will perform when I’m doing the things I do.

So what do I do? The same things most other outdoors folks in Maine do – I hunt and fish, so I need a vehicle that can get me back in the woods a ways. I don’t need an extreme off-trail riding, mud slinging-type of vehicle used at a mud run, but my vehicle must have the capacity and ability to get me out of some dicey situations.

Therefore, first on the

criteria list is sufficient ground clearance. That rules out most sedans, low-rider trucks or other vehicle with a low stance.

I know that I could put a lift kit in to raise the clearance on this vehicle, but I’d prefer to start with a vehicle that has been manufactured and engineered with riding in the backwoods in mind.

For the most part this will be a search for the right truck or jeep with four-wheel-drive – I’ve long since given up on the thought of owning a van for back country travel.

(Continued on next page)

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 35 (Continued from page 34)

I used to have to think about whether or not I needed to haul a trailer for camping. I thought my wife and I might be doing a little camping and that I’d need a big engine or a truck bed for a slider, but the other day my wife, Nancy, told me she would much rather stay at a lodge, motel or rustic camp than sleep in a camper or tent again.

I really can’t argue with her on that one … so I will forget about the hauling capabilities for this vehicle selection process.

Narrowed Down So this “columnwriting and includingthe-reader” idea has started to work a cathartic kind of process on me as type out the words.

I realize now that I can forget about all of those other vehicles, focusing solely on a certain truck or jeep, or maybe an SUV. Looking at some vehicles I’ve owned in the past with the loose criteria listed above leaves me with a short list to start. Before

the Avalanche, I had a 1994 Toyota Tacoma, and before that a 1992 Chevy pickup. Nothing I owned before those vehicles would really fit the criteria, so let’s look at these two before going further.

I liked each of the two trucks for their abilities to get through tough spots, giving the edge to the Tacoma for its short wheelbase when attempting to navigate tight spots or turning around on narrow trails (something that always happens in the back woods).

I liked both vehicles because they could carry a load in the bed, and especially that I had a cap on them to cover the gear or provide a dry sleeping space if needed. Even though my wife might not ever again sleep in the bed of the truck, there will be times that I might do an overnight fishing or hunting excursion and need a nice dry sleeping space.

Elimination and Selection After reviewing the

The author’s old Toyota Tacoma was the perfect “Off Road Traveler” vehicle. William Clunie photo

brief discussion above, I find that I can eliminate the thought of a jeep or SUV. I like a covered truck bed for hauling gear, or to use as a dry emergency sleeping space, and when I remove the cap I can carry my ATV or snowmobile without hauling a trailer.

So this selection has come down to a fourwheel-drive pickup truck with a cap. I’ve had full-size trucks (the Avalanche and the old Chevy) and I can compare those pickups with the Toyota Tacoma.

The decision, for me, will

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trucks seemed to always need some kind of fixing.

Maybe it might be time to look at a full-sized Toyota Tundra?

If I may indulge the readers of this column, take a little time to visit my Facebook page (under my name) and message me with some of your thoughts and experiences in your own personal vehicle choices for back country travel. Let me thank you ahead of time.

Also look for a follow-up in this column once I have made my final decision.

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Saltwater August 30 of both years.

So it looks like we went well over our recreational quota, and this is going to be problematic for the 2017 cod season. Unless the final data changes drastically, which is unlikely, it is quite probable that we will see a prohibition on the retention of any cod again in 2017. A reduction in the haddock bag limit is also possible, in order to discourage anglers from taking as many groundfish trips this season as they did last year.

The final cod data should be crunched and new groundfish regulations posted later this winter.

Believe me, it’s not much fun to report all this, but I’ll stay on top of it and let readers know what happens.

come down to the choice between the two vehicle types listed here – a fullsized truck, or a smaller Tacoma.

Back when I bought the Toyota, high gas prices swayed me toward the smaller, four-cylinder Tacoma. I did like the extra roomy full-sized trucks, though; they offered more space in the cab for an extra hunting buddy, his gear, and a dog or two.

The smaller Tacoma never seemed to need any major repairs beyond general maintenance, whereas both Chevy

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Between the number of cod caught and retained by sport fishermen in 2016 and the number that is projected to have died after release, the recreational sector has very likely exceeded its 2016 quota, and we will likely face a complete cod prohibition in 2017. Barry Gibson photo

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36 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

January Cold Brings Ice-Angling Action To access Little Sebago Lake’s ice in pursuit of rainbow trout and brown trout, just follow the aptly-named “Angler’s Road” off Route 302 to the public boat launch.

Last year was a bit of a disappointment. Yours truly spent the better part of the fall building a new ice shack. It’s constructed of aluminum, and is my finest creation yet. I was dying to haul it onto Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, C-1) and get after togue.

However, because of the mild winter we had, Sebago Lake was just not safe enough, so my shack sat unused. While I appreciated the mild winter, I wanted to be on the big lake, so hopefully this year will be colder, at least until all the local lakes freeze.

There were smaller

bodies of water locked up safe enough to fish, and this region is blessed with so many angling options for the hard-water crowd. It just depends on what species you want to target – recentlystocked brook, brown and rainbow trout, monster lakers or marauding pike.

Sometimes picking a spot is the hardest thing about ice angling in the Sebago to Auburn region.

Sebago-Area Angling Little Sebago Lake (Map 5, C-3) is one of my favorite spring trolling waters. Besides rarely seeing another angler in early May, the lake is stocked with such a large

number and variety of trout. Rainbow trout and brown trout have been liberally stocked for many years. This great spring fishery is also a great ice angling destination.

Like many waters with high shoreline development, access to the ice is a challenge.

Ice anglers can park at the public boat launch and access the lake from there. Just follow aptlynamed Angler’s Road off Route 302.

Brown trout hold close to shore, while rainbows are typically found in shallow water – up to 20-foot depths. Set your traps in a variety of

locations, and move them when you find the magic depth.

Crystal Lake in Gray (Map 5, B-3) is another heavily-stocked, quick-tofreeze destination in this region. Rainbow trout, brookies and browns are heavily stocked. Dozens of brood stock brookies are also typically stocked in Crystal Lake. Easy access to Crystal is also found at the launch just off North Raymond Road.

The Otter Ponds in Standish (Map 5, D-1) are also heavily stocked with regular and brood stock brookies. This past fall, Both Otter Pond #2 and #4 were stocked with brook trout ranging in size from nine to 13-inches.

Sabbathday Lake (Map 5, B-3) in New Gloucester is another great ice-angling

destination, heavily stocked with brook and brown trout. Lunker brook trout brood stock fish are also commonly released here. Anglers can access the lake by the boat launch on the north end of the lake.

Auburn Region To the north of this region, the LewistonAuburn area has a variety of angling spots to try.

The Range Pond chain in Poland (Map 5, A-3) is one of the most popular ice-fishing destinations in this region, for good reasons.

To begin with, the Range Pond chain is only minutes from Lewiston, Auburn or any of the surrounding towns.

Second, Range Pond has several access points, either off of Skellinger Road, Route 26 or the (Continued on page 38)

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Angler Rene Lavoie of Lewiston prepares his trap for a Sebago Lake togue. Tom Roth photo

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 37

Webber Pond Provides Terrific January Angling Webber Pond in Vassalboro (Delorme Atlas, Map 13, B-2) offers exciting fishing this month for a variety of species, including brook trout, brown trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white perch, pickerel and, to keep the younger crowd entertained, plenty of yellow perch that keep the flags flying even when action on more popular species slows.

In January, the vote for the most popular species depends on who you ask. Annual stockings of both brook trout and brown trout excite a large number of anglers, but Webber’s bass fishery is top-notch, and the pond gives up trophy fish every year, especially largemouths.

White perch have a following here too, although the vast majority are taken by anglers targeting trout or bass first.

Annual stocking of a few hundred fish supports Webber’s trout fishery.

For each of the last three years, the pond received 500 brook trout and 600 brown trout measuring 12 to 14 inches in length when stocked. Prior to those years, the state stocked a few hundred more specimens, mostly brookies. A 4-year-old brookie would be ancient, so likely none survive today in Webber from those stockings, but a few brown trout certainly survive to older ages.

Webber isn’t known as a trophy-trout water, but infrequently does give up browns in the 4- to 6-pound range. Twelve- to 16-inch trout prove more

Webber Pond is a productive warm-water fishery, with anglers consistently taking 3- to 5-pound largemouth bass and 2- to 3-pound pickerel. the norm, with enough fish, mostly browns, in the 18- to 20-inch class to keep things interesting.

Last year’s stocking of 500 14-inch brookies took place in mid-October, so ice anglers fishing near shore in shallow waters should see plenty of action from those fish this month.

While trophy trout prove rare on Webber, that’s not the case for warm-water species, particularly largemouth bass and pickerel.

Webber gives up 7-pound largemouths each season, and anglers consistently take fish in the 3- to 5-pound class, although not necessarily every trip.

Two- to 3-pound pickerel show up quite regularly as well, with 4-pound examples and even the rare 5-pound fish making an appearance.

The smallmouth bass fishery is decent on Webber, and white perch swim here in large schools of 9- to 11inch fish.

Webber covers a

surface area of 1,201 acres and reaches a maximum depth of 41 feet. Look for brook trout near shore in 1- to 5-foot depths this month. Largemouth bass and pickerel tend to run a little deeper, usually within a couple feet of bottom in 10- to 20-foot depths.

White perch hug bottom in deeper water still, usually in 20- to 40-foot depths, while brown trout and smallmouth bass can be found anywhere, including suspended over deeper water or even cruising just under the ice (although browns are far more likely to do so than smallmouths).

Smelts and 2- to 4-inch shiners both work very well on Webber.

Folks targeting big largemouths or pickerel often employ larger baits, such as 6- to 10-inch shiners or ocean smelts taken from tidal rivers.

month often head to Great Pond in Rome and Belgrade (Map 20, E-4).

The surface area of 8,239 acres makes Great Pond by far the largest lake in the Mid-Kennebec Valley Region, and it frequently produces fish to match, often among the heftiest specimens of several species taken hereabouts every year.

Northern pike head the list of big-fish attractions.

Fiveto 10-pound northerns are quite common, while

diehard pike aficionados seek 20- to 25-pound fish with a realistic chance to land such a brute over the course of a season.

Brown trout come in a close second, although a “trophy” brown trout is far smaller than a trophy pike. Great Pond produces several 8- to 12-pound browns each year, and occasionally larger fish show up, although a more typical brown here weighs one to four pounds.

Besides pike and browns, anglers have a realistic chance on any trip to land 2-pound white perch, 5-pound (Continued on next page)

Great Pond Anglers hoping to take trophy fish this

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38 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Mid-Kennebec (Continued from page 37)

smallmouth bass, 7-pound largemouth bass or 5-pound pickerel, all trophy fish by any Maine angler’s measure.

Sure, such fish are the exception, not the rule, but the lake produces

them every year.

The reason Great Pond produces so many big fish of different species is its enormous population of landlocked alewives and a variety of other baitfish, but

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Northern Pike fishermen head to Great Pond, located on Belgrade and Rome, in search of fish weighing more than 20 pounds. the easy availability of natural food can result in plenty of slow fishing days for Great Pond anglers.

Ingham Pond The productive fishing and easy access on places like Webber Pond or Great Pond makes them popular destinations for lots of people, and the crowds for some folks may be a turnoff. Anglers looking for a more tranquil experience might consider a place like Ingham Pond in Mount Vernon (Map 12, A-3).

While a stray fish or two is theoretically possible, Ingham Pond doesn’t support any viable trout or salmon fishery, which is a major turnoff to lots of local anglers.

On top of that, this 50acre pond is well off the beaten tract, so it takes a bit of work to get there.

Most anglers employ a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle to reach Ingham.

Northern pike and black crappies are the main attractions at this pond, although both species of bass, pickerel and white perch all swim here as well. With the

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many camp roads that circle the lake.

Finally, the Range Ponds are heavily stocked and produce some big trout.

The chain receives brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout, in addition to brood stock fish. Some of these fish grow to great size, and you never know when you may latch onto one.

For easy access to abundant fish, you can’t beat Beal’s Pond (also known as Crystal Pond) in Turner. Located just feet off of Route 4, Beal’s is stocked with brookies and brown trout, and anglers can easily walk all of the small lake to find a spot to set up. I didn’t fish Beal’s last winter, but I saw a steady number of fishing parties on the ice.

This small pond freezes quickly, so it’s one of the best early spots to try.

If big fish are on your list, several spots in the region hold lunker northern pike. Sabattus Pond (Map 12, E-1) is a top destination for pike anglers, and some impressive fish are iced each season. Fish topping the scales at 15 pounds are not uncommon.

Access to Sabattus is easy, and anglers can park trailers and vehicles at the boat launch site. You can find the launch easily from Route 126. Turn at the blinking light onto High Street, which will turn into Greene Street.

Bear right onto Elm Street, then turn right onto Lake Street which will run right to the launch.

Taylor Pond in Auburn (Map 11, E-4) is another top pike lake. A few seasons back I kept my ice shack there and enjoyed some nice pike angling.

pike, Ingham is more of a nursery area for the northerns. As a result, the pond is loaded with pike, but they tend to run very small.

Not so with the black crappies, however. This species does very well here, and anglers can expect to take a good mess of them in the 1- to 2-pound class. Crappies are wonderful eating and prolific spawners, so anglers shouldn’t hesitate to keep a mess.

¶

I even iced a few lunker largemouth bass.

Taylor Pond, like Sabattus Pond, was illegally stocked with pike, but now locals make the best of the bad situation by targeting these fastgrowing fish.

Unlike other area waters, Taylor Pond has no official access and there is no parking anywhere, so you have to ask landowner permission.

Anglers can easily access the lake by snowmobile off of the local trails that cross the pond.

Another top pike destination in this region is the Androscoggin River from Turner to Auburn. The mighty Androscoggin has an impressive pike population, and some massive fish are iced each season. One of the hottest spots is Gulf Island Pond, located off East Waterman Road in Auburn (Map 11, D-5). A dam created a pond-like area, and slower-moving water makes great habitat for pike and their prey fish.

To get into some prime pike habit from the north, anglers can access the river from Center Bridge Road in Turner (Map 11, C-5). Because of moving water, always be extra cautious when dealing with river ice.

Hopefully this ice fishing season will bring cold temps and plenty of ice for a safe and productive year. No matter your quarry – lunker lakers, assorted trout species or leviathan pike – this region has something to offer everyone.

¶

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 39

Pen-Bay Offers Outdoor Excitement Each Winter A new, sports-filled year begins January 1, 2017. The honor of purchasing my Maine SuperPack license always thrills me. Fortunately for me, hunting and icefishing opportunities abound in the Greater Penobscot Bay Region. By referring to Maps 15 and 23 on the DeLorme Atlas, hunters looking for sea ducks or rabbits in 2017 will find ample habitat in either category.

Sea Ducks Winter featherchasers set out decoys along the coastal waters of Penobscot Bay. It’s a sure bet that the old squaws, eiders and coots will give hunters good shooting prospects. Two of the most common localities where hunters find ducks plentiful are Flye Point (Map 15, C-5) and Naskeag Point (Map 15, D-5). These are customary sea-duck haunts; however, several more out-of-the-way settings feature fewer camouflaged hunters and equally high sea-duck populations.

One less-known place

Fishing ice traps in a line often spells success. Billy Brown photo

to find a few ducks is near the reversing falls at Steven’s Bridge in Blue Hill (Map 15 C-5).

A camouflaged boat-blind is the easiest and safest way to hunt this piece of water. Sea ducks fly from one side of the bridge to the other throughout the day, depending on the tide and prevailing weather conditions.

Another exceptional place where I have set up shore blinds in the past is found on Carlston Island on the adjacent

Salt Pond. Duck hunters usually access this water from Route 172. A short paddle from shore will get you to the island in a matter of minutes.

Prized Fisheries Hard-water anglers lower baits on a multitude

of Hancock County’s lakes and ponds. Fall stockings allow many of the waters in the Penobscot Bay Region to become winter playgrounds for ice fishers each January.

Access to these prized fisheries can be located

by referring to Maps 16 and 23.

Craig Pond in East Orland (Map 23, E-4) is one of these heavilystocked ponds. Craig should be a hotspot for anglers, with this year’s fall stocking of 1,100 9- inch brookies, and another 100 14- to 16inch brook trout.

Last winter, Eric Bowden mentioned to me that he observed one party of anglers catching salmon in the 16- to 18-inch range. Several members in Eric’s crew said they had fished the pond several times previously and had good luck icing 14- to 16inch brookies on each of their outings. The fatbellied, brightly speckled trout they reported catching weighed at least 1-1/2-pounds.

Anglers (Continued on page 41)

Typical brook trout caught from Pen-Bay waters. Marcin Chady photo www.MaineSportsman.com

40 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Aroostook’s New Year Outdoor Options I have some interesting ingrained memories of adolescence in the mid50s growing up in a small Aroostook village during long winters. Plowed roadside snowbanks were so high by February most years, a grown man could stand atop and touch overhead telephone wires between poles – not a good idea, but relevant to snow cover and time spent indoors. Before the era of snowmobile, kids’ outdoor entertainment consisted of skis, skates, sleds, snow forts and tunnels. Needless to say, there were a lot of indoor down time.

Some of my most vivid and precious memories are of weekend afternoon and evening sessions sitting at the big kitchen table beside the wood stove.

I listened intently to the Lone Ranger, Burns and Allan, The Shadow and Charlie Chan while watching my grandmother build hand braided rugs from scratch.

Years later, entering young adulthood and suffering severe cabin fever, it finally dawned on me how important a snowy

weather pastime truly is – there’s only so much fishing and hare-hunting in frigid conditions even the most dedicated sportsman can withstand.

Happy Hobbies Gram Rideout’s multi-colored and various-sized rugs not only helped her withstand winter boredom, but they were also very useful and appreciated family home furnishings. Some were used as gifts or even sold for a bit of extra cash.

Most Crown of Maine sportsmen need their own diversions to keep from going stir-crazy – why not make them self-satisfying and productive ones like Gram’s rugs.

I fill my early sundown evenings with fly tying and reloading shells. Both activities provide happy, blissful memories of past warm weather outings while yielding products for the upcoming seasons. It’s a way to pleasantly pass time and save me a bit of money as well.

Some winter days aren’t fit for man nor beast

outside, so why not be an inside outdoorsman – build a rod, carve a decoy, construct a canoe or enjoy any other of dozens of sports related hobbies.

“The County” endures at least a full month more of foul weather most winters than the rest of Maine, so make use of the down time. There are DVDs, books, on-line videos and even local classes offered in many towns teaching basic and advanced techniques for these pastimes I’ve mentioned, so while winter away inside. You might even find an old radio program for extra entertainment.

Cunning Coyotes One of the most challenging cold weather endeavors for Aroostook hunters is coxing a coyote within shooting range.

One tactic is to set up a bait site and snipe wily coy dogs from long distance. The nastier the weather and colder the temperatures, the more likely those hungry canines will turn to easy food rather than attempting to run down rabbits.

The benefit of being

able to hunt at night over bait sites makes this appealing for folks that work days all week. It’s a waiting game that requires patience and very warm, snow-camo layered clothing, not to mention a steady hand on a flat, fast varmint rifle with superb optics.

A more common and often-productive technique with less long-term sitting involves calling coyotes from nearby woodlots into open fields.

Use an injured rabbit call, manual or electronic, and set out a mechanical attractor to drive some of the cautious predator’s attention from your hide, and it’s possible to draw the quarry within even bow or handgun range.

Don’t discount urban-edge calling. I live just over a mile from Main Street in Presque Isle, and I hear and see coyotes in adjacent farm fields and sparse woods and brush between open land on a regular basis.

Just be sure to obtain landowner permission and that you’re outside any municipal compact zone regulating firearms

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Mike Wallace of Freeport spends many a winter evening tying flies and reviewing memories of summer fishing outings past and future to get through snow season.

Graves photo

before setting up.

Drive or snowmobile to a likely area, then walk or snowshoe the last few hundred yards to hide in a wood line, hedgerow or rocky field-island. Call heavily for two or three minutes, wait five, call again, wait ten minutes then call lightly, watching closely. If no coyotes show up to investigate the injured bird or hare calling and flopping fake animal within 30 minutes, 45 at the most, I pack up and move to another spot. Hopscotch hunting for cunning coyotes keeps things fresh and you’re less likely to turn into an ice cube or part of a snow drift.

In the Bridgewater region, I’d suggest agrifields along the Packard Road, Bootfoot Road or East Blaine Road as likely options. Delorme’s Atlas, Map 59, B-3 & 4 deserve exploration.

Another proven area with good coyote numbers and myriad fields interspaced with stretches of forest and second growth lies between Washburn and Caribou. Travel the McBurnie Road, then Bailey Road, and try out calling locations on either side. Calling success varies, but it’s excitingly interactive and very rewarding when canines cooperate.

Scopan Variety This expansive frozen boomerang-shaped waterway offers easy access from either end, is simple to fish and holds a variety of species. Open to drilling as soon as a safe layer of ice forms, Scopan provides an excellent spot for novice ice fishermen (Continued on next page)

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 41 (Continued from page 40)

and youngsters to enjoy success, as there always seems to be at least one group of finned quarry willing to feed.

The lake draws a lot of January attention from regional smelt jiggers who hustle to set up fishing shanties along favorite stretches, allowing comfort, warmth and most especially the chance to fish and relax evenings after a long day at work.

I’m a big fan of Maine’s feistiest little gamefish – they are fun and aggressive to catch on jig lines, and besides, they are very tasty. Scopan boasts a good population of Jack smelt, a name some sports attach to the larger 8- to 10-inch silver darters.

One of the most popular and productive spots to set up a permanent or portable hut lies about 50 to 75 yards out from the main boat ramp near a gravel bar in 15 to 20 feet of water. Start with a chunk of canned shrimp or piece of hot dog on the hook, then filet up your first smelt for fresh meat – these toothy, tiny carnivores love fresh smelt.

Landlock salmon and splake entice the bulk of ice anglers to Scopan, and generous annual stocking of 12- to 16-inch fish yield

some hefty winter catches. One and a half- to two-pound chrome-sided landlocks are fairly common, and 18- to 20-inch splake offer some memorable tip-up tug-of-wars.

Perch are also prodigious and a fun, feisty quarry on a light jigging rod – an interactive way to pass time waiting for a flag to fly.

Use Route 163 between Mapleton and Ashland. A turn onto the Walker Siding Road brings travelers to the main boat ramp near West Brook inlet. This is a top-rate smelting area

and worth setting a few tip-ups in the two nearby coves. Map 64, E-4 will guide newcomers.

Accessing the other arm of the waterway requires using Route 11 near Masardis and then Sterling Ridge Road to the other boat launch near Squapan Stream inlet. Map 58, A-3 & A-4 hold the bulk of the lake proper.

Proven drilling sites include the shoreline near Cold Spring Campsite, Sylvester Point, the mouth of Bogan Brook and my favorite, the shoreline opposite White Point in about 20 feet of

water.

Crowding is seldom a problem, and roads remain plowed all winter for close shoreline access.

However, a snowmobile offers complete exploration options.

Day or night, Scopan

delivers dependable action on tip-ups or hand line and the intriguing mystery of what species takes the bait next.

¶

Ken Lamb of Presque Isle and Dan Hitchcock of Portland suit up in winter camo and warm layers of clothing to spend an afternoon blending into snow drifts calling coyote and fox into long gun range. Graves photo

Mitch Wheeler of Bridgewater wears several layers of warm clothes to brave the nippy weather on a January trip to Scopan Lake. Splake and salmon like the one being pulled from the auger hole helped anglers keep warm with consistent trips to check out flying tip-up flags. Graves photo

Greater Penobscot (Continued from page 39)

here using worms, and small lures such as the Swedish Pimple, are often successful when trying to catch brookies.

The most prolific salmon areas on this pond are on the southwestern part of the shoreline, where ledges and shallow water afford excellent habitat for salmon. Although it is unlawful to catch-and-keep togue from this pond, those caught and released often exceed 5 pounds.

People can access Craig Pond at the landing near the west end of the pond, where they will find ample parking for vehicles and snowmobile trailers. To drive to the landing, take a right off the Craig Brook Fish Hatchery Road. Follow this road for approximately ½ mile to the pond.

Ken Lamb and Dan Hitchcock look over the fox and coyote waiting to be skinned and tanned from dozens of outings hunting over bait sites and using calls and decoys to bring the the wily canines into rifle range. Graves photo

Brown-Trout Waters A second well-stocked pond in the area is Walkers Pond (Map 15, C-3). Walkers produces a few hold-over browns in the 3- to 4- pound category each winter. This water was stocked last fall with 400 14-inch brook trout and 700 12-inch brown trout.

Even though salmonid fishing can be fast-and furious in January, many anglers are content spending the day catching a variety of warm-water fish. Most folks set their traps along the west shoreline; however, easy access and good brownie action can be had by fishing the east shore.

Ice fishing for these olive trout can at times require the patience of Job. Rabbit Hunting Another outdoor activity to please sports-minded people is rabbit (snowshoe

hare) hunting. Beagles are often heard in full chorus in January. Rabbit hunters in the Surry Region are finding more bunnies in the woods than in previous years. Several rabbit covers in this area that provide topnotch gunning lie along the dirt side roads branching off Route 176 in Surry, Map 23, E-4. Eric Peddle of Bucksport and his beagle frequently pick up a few bunnies each outing.

Several other locations exist here where streams with an abundance of cedar vegetation holds more than a few hares. This region features alder cover and a southern exposure that can provide for some exciting rabbit hunts this month. This area has been logged, creating good visual lanes for a hunter to get some clear shots at fleeing rabbits.

¶

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42 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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Snowshoes or Snowmobile – Winter Exploring is Fun January has arrived.

For many, it’s the start of snowmobile season.

By now, anxious groomer operators are looking for white, fluffy excuses to stay out late at night.

I appreciate the benefits motorized travel offers, including the ability to get to remote places quickly and in relative safely. There is no way I will be snowshoeing from Fort Kent to the old locomotives on the Allagash (DeLorme Atlas, Map 55, D-5). But on a sled, it’s a nice day trip.

As a winter survival skill, practice building a fire using a single match, using birch bark and cedar shavings, and shielding the initial flame to keep the wind from blowing it out.

My favorite way of getting around in winter, however, is on snowshoes.

Well, when I’m not snowboarding, that is.

For me, the mobility of snowshoes and the silent swoosh of each step make moving in the winter landscape more personal, more intimate.

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need to go far afield to get in some great and scenic snowshoeing. Some of my favorite places are only a short drive away.

Bran, Hunnewell and Wheelock Ponds For example, a little string of ponds in the St. John Valley runs west to east, paralleling the St. John River (Map 67, C-2). Bran, Hunnewell and Wheelock Lakes are hemmed in on the north by hills ranging in height from 1,200 to 1,500 feet,

and on the south by rolling forests of only slightly lower elevation.

Interestingly, the three lakes are not connected, but rather each empties via streams that find the few clefts in the hills, then feed the St. John River.

Even so, the three waterbodies do occupy what feels like a single wooded valley. In the summer, old woods rods, ATV trails and fisherman’s trails allow access for anglers and

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recreationists. In the winter, there is some snowmobile access, and you may see a local musher running a dogsled.

Winter Camping My first time going there in the winter was as a student at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, when our winter camping class snowshoed out and stayed the night.

When it comes to winter camping, late December and early January may be ideal times to give it a try.

The temperatures are often mild enough so that misery can be avoided with proper planning and equipment.

Along with pitching tents, students in our group practiced making snow caves and quinzees.

That is something I recommend as a fun activity for children.

They love piling up snow anyway, so why not turn it into something practical?

There are plenty of snowshoeing opportunities in the big woods.

While local clubs in the Allagash, Fort Kent and Eagle Lake area maintain some trails, the vast majority of the north woods contain no formal trail system. Rather, there are a network of roads for hauling wood and allowing recreational access, mainly for fourwheel drive vehicles going to private and commercial sporting camps.

Access on the some of these roads is not always easy, or consistent. Some main roads leading (Continued on next page)

A

t

A

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 43 (Continued from page 42)

from town are regularly plowed, although you may have to wait a day or two after a big storm.

You always have to be on the lookout for working logging trucks and harvesting equipment, too.

Pittston Farm For an adventure that involves something more that peaceful snowshoeing, consider snowmobiling to some of the great sporting lodges in the north woods.

Historic Pittston Farm, for example, (DeLorme Atlas, Map 48, D-3) welcomes snowmobilers at their lodge located on Seboomook Lake.

With 100 miles of trails connecting to Jackman and Canada, Northeast Carry and Rockwood, it makes for a great destination or adventure hub. It is also great place to stop for a hot and tasty meal.

Sighting in on winter hunting

some

Hare, Coyotes I have always enjoyed hunting snowshoe hare in January. Without the distraction of keeping an eye out for grouse, I can take my time and wander around looking for bunnies. The snow is usually not so deep that I am trudging through deep drifts, but there is enough white stuff covering the ground for me to have fun tracking hare.

Years ago, there was more snow in the late fall. I think most hunting scrap books that go back several generations will have deer camp photos taken in November that show hunters decked out in wool and flannel, displaying large bucks while standing a winter wonderland. I am not sure how often that happens these days.

Coyote hunting comes

into its own special winter season in January.

Hunting predators always has a different feeling, compared to stalking deer or moose. There is something unique about knowing that what you are hunting is, itself, also a hunter. And, hunting a night only added to the tension.

A Coyote Night Hunting Permit is required to hunt the coy-dogs at night, from mid-December through August 31.

Hunters are required to have in their possession a handheld, mouth-operated or electronic predator calling device.

To take down a coyote, almost rifle will do, depending upon the range you are shooting.

For hunters interested in dedicating some time to baiting and night hunting, long distance calibers like .22-250, .204, and .223 are good

choices. Because coyotes are suspicious by nature, the farther you can remove yourself from any bait you have placed, the better.

Finding Escape in Winter’s Peace January is the start of a new year, and so maybe we should each try out a new outdoor adventure or hobby? Wilderness survival skills are always useful. Winter is a great time to learn them, and immediately apply them.

We all carry with us a lighter or matches for starting a fire when we are out in the woods.

Maybe we can have a fire starter kit.

Why not see what you can do with a single match and a pocket knife?

Learning how to prepare starter fuel and kindling; how to properly use birch bark and cedar shavings; how to prevent the wind from blowing out the one chance you have start the

The Smilin' Sportsman A skunk, a doe and a duck walked into a restaurant for dinner.

After dinner, the waitress brought the tab.

However, the doe had no bucks, and the skunk had only a scent, so they put it on the duck’s bill.

fire – all fun and games when learning, but extremely useful when needed.

This may be the year to start snowshoeing for exercise? Or, perhaps cross-country skiing?

Both of these activities are becoming increasingly popular in Maine.

Along with recreational groups that get together, there more and more competitive race events, both for snowshoeing and skiing.

Fresh air and exercise are always beneficial. In the world today, there is also the added benefit of simply getting away from the 24-hour news cycle.

There never seems to be anything positive on the news anyway. So, why not leave it behind, grab the kids or some friends and head out? It is only January, after all. We have a ways to go before spring.

¶

Youth Edition

Kids! Send your best hunting & fishing stories, and your favorite jokes, to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Have you heard about the new restaurant on the moon?

Great food, but no atmosphere.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• As you saw over the holidays, some folks have got plastic Christmas trees now. And they are pretty realistic-looking – it’s hard to tell from the real aluminum ones!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• “What do you do for work?”

“I feed fish to pelicans.”

“How do you like it?”

“It’s not a great job, but it fills the bill.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• “Did you hear about poor Zeke? He got injured when he went to Africa to hunt elephants.”

“What happened?”

“He pulled a muscle carrying the decoys.” www.MaineSportsman.com

44 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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Fly Fishing Lessons for the New Year After giving David, a veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) who had never fished before, a few quick instructions on casting, I let him flail his streamer back and forth in the stream. I stood with my net at the ready and watched as he caught a small brook trout and a larger landlocked salmon.

At one point during the few hours of fishing, he seemed to be just standing there staring at the gently rolling stream.

I walked up to him and asked how he was doing

and he gave me the greatest reply. “I just now realized that this is the first time I have ever completely forgotten about my PTSD,� said David. “You were right – fly fishing has a real healing effect.

Just staring at the water seems to settle me like never before, and when I’m focusing on fishing, nothing else matters. I love it.�

With the arrival of the New Year, I’ve been thinking back on the fly fishing lessons of 2016, while also looking forward

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to 2017 with renewed hope and anticipation.

Some of the most vibrant memories from the past year, like the one mentioned above, come from fly fishing trips with the organization, Back In The Maine Stream (BITMS) (backinthemainestream. org), a non-profit group of veterans with disabilities that helps other disabled veterans heal through fishing.

I took a position with the board of directors of this excellent organization, and look forward to helping out where I can for years to come. I not only get to go fishing in some of the coolest places around New England, but the reward of watching my fellow veterans absorb the healing benefits of spending time on the water cannot be topped.

As a Media Representative for BITMS, I come in contact with a variety of donors who help to make our fishing trips possible.

I am routinely amazed at the generous and humble nature of our fellow man – it is just astounding.

Without these kind folks to help pay for the equipment, lodging, food, guides and travel expenses, our organization would not be able to operate. These kind folks really know the true cost of freedom and generously help pay it forward.

Donating to BITMS comes with the ease of knowing that every penny will be used to help disabled veterans go fishing, period. BITMS board members do not get paid; we are all volunteers. Please go to our website and check

!

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out the donor page to find links to some of our major donors and sponsors, or our Facebook page (BITMS Fishing Program for Maine’s Disabled Vets) to view some photos of our fishing events.

Although a big part of my job with BITMS revolves around connecting with these donors, our most ambitious drive for the New Year centers on a search for other disabled veterans in Maine who would like to join up with us and do some fishing.

Please call me at (207) 562-7564 for further information, or check the sites listed above.

Membership in BITMS is free, with the only requirement being some kind of serviceconnected disability of 10 percent or more, and a Maine residency.

Veterans should attend the monthly meetings to get to know the other members and enjoy some of the special features offered at these gatherings.

BITMS members are treated to fly fishing instruction for all levels of disability, fly tying instruction from top-notch tiers in the field, rod building classes, reel building classes, video entomology instruction and even raffles.

The fishing trips with BITMS are fantastic; lodges and guides open camps to take in our thankful group of fishing veterans. The fishing, food and lodging at these gorgeous places can’t be topped, but it is the warm (Continued on page 46)

b

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 45

Ice-Fishing Tactics for Trout and Salmon Ice fishing for trout, salmon and togue differs greatly from pursuing these same species during the open-water season.

First, with the exception of fall-stocked trout, fish won’t necessarily stay in the same spots as last summer. Salmon often cruise directly beneath the ice cover, seeking baitfish. Trout may show up almost everywhere, and even togue can often be found in much shallower water than where they live in summer.

Let’s consider fallstocked trout first. While many of these fish may spread out all over the lake, others will remain near the point of stocking, and there they will stay even after ice-out and into the following spring.

So the old notion of “Let’s get far away from the boat ramp before we begin fishing” often serves to work against us. This is especially true early in the season, when fall-stocked trout may linger near boat ramps and other stocking sites.

Small ponds, though, such as the various 12to 20-acre ponds often stocked for ice-fishing enthusiasts, are more apt to see trout evenly distributed around the pond. With larger waters, though, it pays to concentrate near stocking points.

Salmon Tactics When fishing for salmon, vary the depths of your baits. Wherever five lines are allowed (some specially-regulated waters allow only two lines when ice fishing,

Don’t always think you need to get away from the launch site to find fish – trout stocked this past fall often linger near boat ramps and other stocking sites. so check the regulations booklet), set two baits about one foot beneath the ice. This way, cruising salmon will easily spot them and hopefully, take them.

The other three lines should then be set at different depths, with one near bottom and the other two at mid-range levels. If one line seems to get the majority of strikes while the others go begging, re-set the other lines to the same depth as the one getting all the action.

Some lakes have their best times of day for salmon – times such as early-morning and late afternoon, when the majority of salmon bite. If a lake exhibits such a definite pattern in summer, chances are that the same will hold true in winter.

So the person who arrives late may have just as good or even better luck than the person who stuck it out all day.

Learning the schedule of any lake or pond just takes time. Or perhaps, someone already familiar with a particular water may happily share such information. It pays to listen to anyone and everyone who has fishing tips to offer. Sometimes such second-hand information constitutes a real gold mine of fishing advice.

Brown Trout Brown trout may enter extremely shallow

water in winter as they prowl about in search of smelt or other baitfish.

Browns, especially, are likely to frequent shorelines, including rocky shorelines where baitfish hide.

So set at least two baits in two or three feet of water near the shore.

These may become real “honey holes” during the course of the day. We might then set the other lines at varying depths, in the same manner as for salmon. However, in cases of ponds and lakes with muddy bottoms, we should try a different approach.

I’m certain that many readers have taken

brown trout that had bellies stuffed chock-ablock full of tiny snails.

It seems illogical that a trout would waste time on these little snacks rather than going for larger meals such as baitfish. But in this case, quantity makes up for the difference. And who is to say that those snails don’t pack a walloping dose of needed nutrition?

Anyway, snails inhabit flat, muddy bottoms. In open water, we usually avoid these often shallow, muddybottomed coves. But in winter these can turn into something like brown trout central.

Golden shiners

fished on bottom work well in these situations.

But earthworms (not nightcrawlers, but angleworms, or garden worms) take trout too.

Just make sure to let the bait, whatever it is, sit on bottom. Also, leave a bit of slack line so that if a trout only toys with the bait prior to seriously biting it, the fish doesn’t feel any resistance. After it takes the bait and moves off, then the line will tighten and the flag will fly.

Brook Trout Brook trout seek places where running water enters a pond or lake. These can be around the mouth of small streams and sometimes, even spring seeps. And if such a site has a sandy (Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

46 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Trout Fishing

Maine togue grow to a very large size, so be sure to cut a big-enough hole in the ice.

(Continued from page 45)

bottom, all the better. I’ve put my face down close to the ice hole in such situations and watched as brook trout took my bait.

Lakes and ponds with rocky bottoms are especially good for brook trout. Like brown trout, water needn’t be deep to hold brookies in winter.

One Midcoast lake has several shallow coves with rocky bottoms.

Even though depths only range down to about four feet, brook trout cruise the area, searching for

baitfish and aquatic insects. Trout taken here may have lots of nestbuilding caddis larvae in their stomachs.

For bait, golden shiners and earthworms work well on brook trout in winter. Smelt represent a prime bait, but at prices of up to $8 per dozen, it pays to only use smelt as bait in places where smelt are naturally present.

Otherwise, shiners and earthworms will suffice.

Of all the different trout, I’ve found brook trout the most persnickety

in winter. A brook trout will nibble and prod a bait, but refuse to take it.

For this reason it pays to use the least amount of terminal gear possible.

Avoid snelled hooks, with their heavy lines, sinkers and above all, swivels.

For hard-to-fool brook trout, try a small, say no larger than #8 hook, and no swivel or sinker.

If using live shiners or smelt, a small sinker may be required to keep the free-swimming bait down near bottom.

Togue Togue have a wideranging appetite and will fall for any number of baits. Live smelt are always a good attractant, but so are small suckers and large golden shiners.

Some togue anglers prefer to kill a large shiner, score it with a knife and then allow it to rest on bottom. The premise is that togue will smell the doctored bait and move toward it to take it.

While any of our Maine salmonids are capable of reaching large

sizes, togue constitute the biggest of all. For that reason, cut as large a hole as possible for these bottom-feeders.

And like trout, togue sometimes venture into relatively shallow, 15- to 20-foot deep areas under the winter coating of ice and snow.

We here in Maine are indeed fortunate to have so many fine kinds of salmonids to fish for in winter. Good luck in your efforts.

¶

Fly-Fishing (Continued from page 44)

and thankful friendships that really hook our anglers.

In addition to experiencing the outstanding fishing at these lodges, I get to also meet up with some of fishing’s top personalities. Although BITMS only accepts disabled veterans from Maine, we made an exception this past summer for one special military hero from away, the renowned fishing legend Lefty Kreh.

BITMS presented an Honorary Membership Award to Mr. Kreh not only for his outstanding lifetime of teaching others about fishing, but also for his time spent in the military with the U.S. Army.

Most folks know about Lefty’s lifetime of service to the fishing community as the world’s premier fly casting instructor, but not many have heard about his courageous efforts at the Battle of the Bulge during WWII. I just started reading Lefty’s autobiography, My Life Was This Big, and Other True Fishing Tales (Skyhorse Publishing; New York, NY, 2008; 262 pages), and am totally enthralled at this first-hand account of the gruesome task required of soldiers on the ground. My heart goes out to him and all veterans – and I will do everything I can with BITMS to help my fellow veterans in this New Year and beyond.

Another cool thing I get to do as a BITMS volunteer takes place at the outdoor sporting shows I’m able to attend. As a BITMS board member, I help man booths at various shows around New England throughout the year.

I really enjoy spreading the word about our veterans’ fishing program, and also meeting with some of the excellent folks in www.MaineSportsman.com

BITMS president Marc Bilodeau (left), presents Lefty Kreh with an Honorary Membership Award on the banks of the Androscoggin River, while Maine Sportsman columnists William Clunie and King Montgomery stand by. William Clunie photo

the fishing industry. The latest show, the Danbury, Connecticut Fly Fishing Show, featured some great vendors and a chance to attend some of the most interesting seminars.

One seminar, a casting instructional session with the famous Joan Wulff, offered attendees a priceless look into the casting technique that her many years of experience bring to common anglers like me. After having two greats like Lefty Kreh and Joan Wulff give me casting lessons, I have no more excuses!

So here’s my advice to both new and old fly fishers – read as much as you can find offered by these two fishing greats, Lefty Kreh and Joan Wulff. If possible, attend their instructional seminars and listen to their amazing array of a lifetime of fishing experiences.

And as you enter the New Year, make it a year during which you are the one giving rather than receiving … you will likely find that the best rewards come from helping others.

¶

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 47

Ice, Cold, Snow Create Winter Playground Dust covers the square red box tucked away in an unnoticed corner of my basement.

At barely 24 inches long, eight inches high and eight inches wide, it hardly seems large enough to hold much at all.

My dad built the box out of used pallets a few years before 1960 when I showed up on the scene.

Two rusty strap hinges, a latch that hasn’t seen a bit of lubrication in 60 years, and a repurposed handle from who knows where decorate the lid. For all its lack of monetary value, I consider it my all time favorite box.

It’s not the rough sawn finish or the sloppy cranberry red paint that makes it attractive, though.

And the craftsmanship is crude at best. But what makes it so special is that inside this ugly duckling of a box lies the whole net and sum of the Sheldon family’s icefishing equipment.

Yup, a take-down ice chipper and an assortment of wood ice tilts. Nothing fancy, just three pieces of wood and a small galvanized reel

include the Partridge Cove boat ramp located along Route 11, and the ramp located at the causeway between Ambajejus Lake and a sixth option – Millinocket Lake.

As far as which way to pull that sled or carry that old tackle box – look for the village of ice shanties that spring up atop the hard water.

Most of these folks have already staked out their turf but they usually welcome a few more tilts set by friendly transient ice fishermen.

Lenny Potvin hits the ice with his sled modified to haul just enough gear for a few hours on the hard water. Bill Sheldon photo

mounted to one end – quaint next to some of today’s fancy ice traps.

Ice-Fishing Upgrade A few years ago I decided to upgrade, and built an ice sled. I took five of the best tilts, reconditioned the wood, tacked on new felt flags and replaced the aging line.

After building a “cap” for a “Jet-Sled Jr.,” I set it up to carry a newlybought hand auger and a bait bucket. I even added

two jigging rods, built from my boneyard of old fishing gear.

The new ice-fishing rig promised a more organized approach to slipping away for a few hours and working the hard water. Often, it’s difficult to set aside large blocks of time for extracurricular activities, so setting up an icefishing sled that just required grabbing the rope and heading out seemed ideal for those

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quick forays that last only an hour or two.

The Katahdin Region has some easy access waters that appeal to the time-strapped ice angler.

The Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes (DeLorme Atlas, Map A-1) includes five water bodies northeast of Millinocket.

These five waters include Pemadumcook, Ambajejus, Elbow, North Twin and South Twin Lakes. The two most popular access points

Snowmobiles Soaring Those traveling through the Katahdin Region this month will surely take note of the increased presence of snowmobiles, and, with good reason.

The Katahdin Region has turned into a Mecca for motorized touring, largely due to its geographic scenery, a flawlessly groomed trail system and a network of lodges that cater to backcountry winter travelers.

It’s just amazing how far this industry has come.

(Continued on next page)

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48 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Katahdin Country (Continued from page 47)

Last season I upgraded to a newer machine.

Notice I said “newer,” not “new.” Anyway, on the shakedown cruise, my son Matt talked me into taking my original 1971 machine along.

Needless to say the old machine started right up.

Classic machinery has simplicity and charm that allows it to run forever if cared for properly.

Matt headed out on the new ride, with me following in his tracks.

I’d forgotten just how unstable a 1971 sled with bogey-wheel suspension handles. The machine battled every dip and dunk in the trail. Once I wrestled the “newer” machine away from Matt, the game got a whole lot smoother – in fact, “Cadillac” smooth.

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The Jo-Mary Riders snowmobile club has a stellar reputation for keeping the trails in the lower reaches of the Katahdin Region “Cadillac” smooth.

Because the club uses Five Lakes Lodge (www.5lakeslodge.com) as its headquarters, folks taking up residence in this 5-star lodge will have their finger on the pulse of local trail conditions.

Snow travelers also hang their hats at New England Outdoor Center (NEOC) (www.neoc.com) to combine luxury lodge accommodations and first-class trail running.

Once again, these folks cater to snow chasers with an abundant supply of real-time information and just about any need that arises.

Throughout the region, many mom and pop lodges also do an excellent job of pointing trail runners in the right direction. An internet

search and a perusal of The Maine Sportsman advertisers will turn up some very personable outfitters ready to help create a memorable experience.

Bunny Busting Hunters looking for a challenge this month need to consider chasing Lepus americanus. This month especially, the sport dovetails nicely with snowmobiling, because the trail system cuts through the heart of prime snowshoe-hare habitat.

Some snowmobilers simply strap a set of snowshoes and a shotgun to the back of their sleds before heading out. By traveling a little slower along the trail and keeping an eye peeled for bunny “runs” off the to the side, they are able to cover lots of ground before zeroing in on a bunny-rich patch of real estate.

The next part of the

game involves track and stalk. It’s work, and the hunter has to physically get the rabbit moving, as the nocturnal nature of these fast-footed fur balls encourages them to sit tight during daylight hours.

The surer bet for hopping action involves hiring a Registered Maine Guide who specializes in snowshoe hare hunting with hounds. I’ve found the best way to determine the passion of a rabbit hunter involves asking how many rabbit hounds they own. If it’s an insanely high number, figure they’re into it deep and hire them on the spot.

This month calls for a strategy that simply involves taking the Katahdin Region’s ice, cold and snow to full advantage.

¶

A ti Ac tive ve Bai aitts ts Refe Re Refe fere fere renc nces nc es Ava vail ilab abl ble le

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Darren Robinson and Lenny Potvin at the start of an epic race between a hand auger and a motorized unit.The gas-powered unit won in a photo finish. Bill Sheldon photo www.MaineSportsman.com

—

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 49

Moosehead Lake Offers Up Big Trout, Togue Maine has a precious natural jewel within its borders, and that jewel is 74,890-acre Moosehead Lake.

Known as a destination water for salmon, Moosehead Lake also contains some of the state’s largest togue, and also holds plenty of trophy-size wild brook trout. Of these three species, togue and brook trout occur naturally in Maine’s largest lake. Salmon are an exotic species, and while Moosehead has a breeding population, that population is supplemented by stocking.

Speaking of brook trout, as you’ve heard me say before, Moosehead Lake regularly produces brook trout the likes of which would startle the most stoic angler. Our big

The minimum length for keeping a Moosehead Lake trout is 14 inches, two inches longer than the 12 inches that most consider to constitute a really good-sized trout. lake regularly gives up 3and 4-pound brook trout, while even 5-pounders are not unheard of.

To draw some contrast to other waters, fellow Maine Sportsman columnist Lou Zambello once startled me when he said that most anglers have never taken a 12-inch trout.

That statement was hard to digest, because the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (DIF&W) regularly stocks trout of 12 inches and longer in waters throughout the state.

But Lou was probably referring to people who fly fish brooks and small streams rather than

those who ice fish lakes and ponds in winter and troll in open water.

Either way, let’s take Lou’s 12-inch figure as a baseline for what anyone might consider a good trout. Now compare that to those trophy trout in Moosehead Lake, and we see that Moosehead has something special going.

Brook Trout Somehow, the big lake’s huge brook trout don’t attract a large number of anglers. And that puzzles me. Perhaps the word hasn’t gotten out. But on the other hand, I frequently praise Moosehead Lake and its big brook trout in this column. And after all,

The Maine Sportsman is the best-known outdoor publication in New England.

So why don’t people flock to Moosehead in search of these huge brook trout? I just don’t know. I can easily envision people traveling from many hundreds of miles away just for a shot at a big Moosehead brookie.

Even if newcomers are unfamiliar with the lake, there are plenty of guides in the area to show them the ropes. In short, anyone with the desire to take what might rank as the biggest brook trout of their life has a good chance of doing so

on Moosehead Lake.

In the end, though, those who do come here with trout in mind have little competition, and that means a betterthan-even chance of catching a good brookie from Moosehead. And to put things in the proper perspective, the minimum length on Moosehead Lake brook trout is 14 inches, two inches more than the figure 12-inch baseline for a good-sized trout.

So if 14 inches is the minimum, that means that anglers in the know would probably be quick to release a just-legal trout in hopes of taking a far larger fish. Suffice it to say that Moosehead Lake presents one of the best chances around to take a truly large wild brook trout.

(Continued on next page)

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50 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Moosehead

For togue bait, there’s nothing finer or more effective than live smelt purchased from a local bait shop.

(Continued from page 49)

Togue Ice-fishing season on Moosehead Lake opens on January 1, but anglers must release any salmon they hook because salmon season on Moosehead doesn’t open until February 15.

This rule strikes me as unnecessary, and perhaps some day salmon fishing will open at the same time as that for trout and togue.

But for now, anglers can still go out on the ice

on January 1 and take togue and trout. Togue are found most anywhere in the lake because unlike other lakes, Moosehead Lake is so deep (246 feet maximum depth) that fish cannot live on the bottom. The key to taking togue, then, is to pay little mind to actual depth, but instead try to find out just how deep togue are holding.

In other words, while the water may be 200 feet deep, we might find togue

Brian Smith bagged this 194-pound buck in Machiasport.

hanging at 40 feet. It all depends upon where togue can find their favorite baitfish, smelt.

For places to set up for togue, the public landing at Rockwood is a good first choice. Waters off the landing hold plenty of togue in summer, and the same holds true in winter.

In fact, most any spot off the shore at Rockwood has good potential for togue.

At the other end of the lake, people take togue in deep water just off of Moose Island. Moose Island sits just slightly north of Greenville Junction. As for bait, local outlets sell live smelt. For salmonids at Moosehead Lake, there is no finer bait.

Wintertime Suggestions While it is possible for an angler on foot to reach productive areas of Moosehead Lake in winter, some of the more highly-touted spots require the use of a snowmobile. Those who don’t own a snow machine will find no problem in

renting a snowmobile from a local outlet. Just check the ads in these pages for more info on that topic.

So what about icefishing tackle? Well, the hand-cranked auger that does yeoman duty on other lakes may not work so well on Moosehead Lake. Often ice depths are such that people using power augers must add an extension bit just to reach down to the water.

So by all means, bring a power auger for that Moosehead Lake icefishing trip. Of course, early January may see only a scant foot or so of ice. And maybe not – it all depends upon the weather.

Another handy item for Moosehead Lake anglers is a snow shovel.

If deep snow blankets the frozen water, it may be necessary to shovel down to the ice surface in order to even begin drilling a hole. And then again come January 1, we may find the ice smooth and clear. But it never hurts to be well prepared.

Even ice-fishing traps may need some tweaking.

If deep snow is present, a trap will need an extralong flag. Also, make sure to fill reel spools to capacity with good, strong line. A 5-pound trout or a 10-pound togue can run off line at a pretty good clip, so do come prepared for the unexpected.

Next, a pop-up shelter may prove a benefit, especially if the wind gets a good fetch while coming down the lake. Any kind of wind breaker will help.

Finally, bring the warmest clothing possible.

You may meet with salubrious temperatures but then again, maybe not.

Anglers without snowmobile or ice-fishing traps should consider hiring a local guide.

Guides can supply all the necessary ingredients for a successful ice-fishing trip.

So good luck, and I do hope you are among those lucky souls who land a trophy Moosehead Lake brook trout or togue.

¶

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—

���������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 51

Ice Fishing, Snowmobiles and Coyote Hunting It’s no secret that by the time the New Year rolls around, temperatures in the Jackman Region plummet.

Considering that most folks visiting the region plan on recreating outside, I got to thinking about how best to play outside and stay comfortable.

A good friend of mine, Steve Carter, once made a comment when it started raining on a back-country hike near the northern tip of Baxter State Park.

As the loud drops of rain bounced off our packs, we stopped under a big pine to re-adjust our gear.

“There’s no such thing as poor conditions,”

explained Carter, “just poor gear.”

The thought stuck with me as we donned rain gear and dug out rain ponchos designed to fit over our packs.

Preparation made the rest of the journey a piece of cake. Even in the journal notes I put together a few days later, the word “rain” hardly received a mention.

Preparing for cold weather outdoor activities this month first requires picking one of the many cold-weather sports that keep Jackman Region sportsmen hopping this month.

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full throttle this month, and once again this season Maine’s trail system rates as one of the best in New England.

With over 300 miles of flat, clean riding available, snow travelers can choose between local runs in and around the hamlet of Jackman and farther expeditions to Rockwood, Greenville, West Forks or Pittston Farms.

The Border Riders Snowmobile Club (www. borderridersclub.com), a key component of the snowmobile industry in the Jackman Region, does an excellent job of trail upkeep, grooming (Continued on next page)

Ice fishing in the Jackman Region this month attracts anglers both young and old. This young lady keeps a close eye on her traps. Bill Sheldon photo

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52 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Jackman (Continued from page 51)

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and park vehicles with trailers while enjoying the trail system.

Should any sled issues arise while visiting the area, Jackman Power Sports, located right along Main Street, has a full service dealership that can help get that concern under control.

They also offer some real good insight into the real-time heartbeat of sledding conditions.

Most sledders have pretty snazzy-looking riding gear. Some time spent chatting with other riders or at a snowmobile

store will certainly present some solid options for correctly dressing for the trail. The point here – make the effort to do a little research on gear choice BEFORE heading out into the cold.

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Ice-Cold Fishing Every year I love getting out and doing a little bit of ice fishing.

One friend of mine said “it’s like adding ice to an already cold beverage – either you love it, or you don’t.”

Considering I’ve got proof that my first ice fishing adventure happened at age two, I’ll gladly keep up the tradition. I noticed in that photo that my mother had me pretty well bundled up.

The Jackman Region has an assortment of ponds open to ice fishing starting January 1, but please consult the rule book before heading to any water. That’s because many of the smaller ponds in the Region have a CI designation – Closed to Ice-Fishing.

Dressing for a day on the ice first involves really warm boots. Years (Continued on next page)

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f

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 53 (Continued from page 52)

ago felt-lined boots did a pretty good job keeping my feet warm. In fact, sometimes too warm – often my feet would sweat and then get real cold.

These days I prefer to layer up with socks, starting with a liner sock that keeps perspiration away from my skin, and then using a thick wool sock from Smartwool.

I’ve also taken a liking to tall socks that cover my calves.

While I do not own many items made of the high-tech fabrics available today, layers still get it done for me.

Smilin’

Earlier this spring, while fishing West Grand Lake, I had nine layers on including my life jacket – not to mention a chemical hand warmer in each pocket and each boot. It was a little bulky, but very warm.

Big Wood Pond in Jackman (DeLorme Atlas, Map 39, B-4) attracts lots of attention, especially opening day.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) does a solid job of stocking brook trout and splake to entice ice anglers.

Hard-water anglers looking to drift away

from the crowds of intown fishing can drill some holes in Spencer Lake (Map 39, D-4). This pond requires a little extra effort to access, but rewards those up to the challenge with a frozen body of water scenically located between Spencer and Hedgehog Mountain.

Cold-Weather Calling One cold weather sport easily overlooked is coyote hunting. Hunters gearing up with a white camouflage suit or simply hunkering under an old sheet do well setting up over bait while talking to the dogs by calling.

Once again, hunkering

down in the cold weather and waiting for a coyote in prime fur requires keeping warm from head to toe. Lots of heat goes out the chimney, so a wool hat with ear flaps is mandatory.

Coyotes like to show up in the most unlikely spots.

Finding some road kill and selecting an ambush site greatly increases the odds for a successful shot. They say coyotes live hungry and die hungry. They’ll have a hard time not investigating the smells of a free diner.

Let’s face, it’s not always easy to

conveniently pick up some road kill on the way to a coyote hunt. Fear not, as calling works pretty well. A quick internet search yields plenty of information.

For my own benefit I bought an inexpensive digital caller as a learning tool.

A dying bunny call will get the attention of most Jackman Region “yotes.”

Carter’s comment about utilizing the proper gear to offset lessthan-favorable weather conditions rings true during Jackman’s coldest month.

¶

Send your best hunting & fishing stories, and your favorite jokes, to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com

The husband came home late, and gave his wife his weekly wages.

“There’s only half your paycheck here,” said the wife. “Where’s the rest?”

“I bought something for the house,” explained the husband.

“What?”

“A round.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The prim and proper Portland lady owned two pet rabbits for many years. Sadly, they both died on the same weekend.

On Monday, she walked in to a Windham taxidermy shop, carrying the dead rabbits.

“Would you like them mounted?” asked the taxidermist.

“Goodness, no!” replied the lady. “Just holding hands.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The divorcee gushed at her handsome guide, “I’m sorry to keep staring, but you look just like my third husband!”

“How many husbands have you had, Ma’am?” asked the guide.

“Just two.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• A young woman had just moved up to Greenville. As she was leaving the town market and getting into her pickup, a local guy in tan Carhartts stopped her and said, “I heard you just moved into town. Let me know if you need a handyman!”

“In what ways are you handy?” she asked.

“Well, I live right around the corner!” he replied.

www.MaineSportsman.com

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54 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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Fur Sales and Trends, and Fur Handling Trappers may sell their furs to local fur buyers, or to regional fur buyers who have regular routes and pick-up points through several states.

Other trappers chose to ship furs directly to the big auction houses that deal in the international fur trade.

A few local buyers may buy fur “in the round,” meaning they buy the whole animal and they do the fur handling.

This costs the trapper a good chunk of his profit, because fur handling is the labor of removing the pelt from the animal, fleshing the pelt, drying the pelt, and – if required – getting it tagged. These are all things a trapper should know how to do and should do if a profit from trapping is to be realized.

This is especially true today with the low prices being paid for raw furs.

U.S. Trade Sanctions Hurt Maine Trappers The price of North American wild furs has always been a roller coaster ride for trappers, with the ups and downs of fashions and foreign markets. The current low prices are due in large part to existing sanctions imposed against Russia and the Chinese economy, as both countries are major users of our raw fur.

The low number of trappers in the field is a reflection of these current trends. Maine has approximately 4,000 licensed trappers, but currently fewer than 1,000 of them are actively trapping. When the fur prices again raise up, the number trappers afield will www.MaineSportsman.com

Many trappers prefer wood stretchers, as they feel a better-appearing pelt is produced. Several commercial wood stretcher manufacturers are located right here in Maine. increase.

The number of potential new trappers (as measured by those taking the state mandatory trapping course) has also decreased in the last couple of years. Attendance is down about 50% compared to the period several years ago when fur prices were up.

For the trapper to pay his bills, he needs to process his fur for the raw fur market.

Handling the Animal After the catch and the animal is removed from the trap, it should immediately be dried (if wet), and any burrs, debris and dirt removed.

Many who trap animals such as muskrat, mink, raccoon, beaver and otter wrap them in newspaper as soon as they get them to their vehicle to speed up the drying process – the paper will absorb a good portion of the water in the fur.

Another method of drying them in the winter is to roll them in snow as soon as they are out of the water, and then brush any remaining snow off the animal.

Care must be taken that a wet or damp pelt does not contact any object to which it might freeze, such as in the bed of a truck. This would result in some of the fur being pulled off when removing the animal frozen from the object.

Once an animal is brought into the fur shed,

it should be hung up to complete the drying process. Any remaining foreign materials in the fur should be removed.

A good quality wire pet brush is hard to beat for removal of anything in the fur. Any blood on the fur should be washed off with a mild soap and water prior to drying.

Removing the Pelt The next step is removal of the pelt. If one is supplying fur to a taxidermist, the taxidermist should be consulted in exactly how he wants it furnished. For example, some may not want the trapper to do anything to the animal – just freeze the whole animal until delivery is made.

For the raw fur market, some pelts are finished cased with the fur in, while some with the fur outside.

Currently only one animal – the beaver – is prepared with the pelt laid out flat, meaning that it has fur on one side while the other side is the hide or skin side.

The beaver is prepared so that it is oval in shape.

The major fur buyers can supply the trapper with a paper pattern, which should be transferred onto the drying boards to ensure that the proper shape is achieved for the actual size of the beaver being prepared.

Years ago raccoon were prepared in a like manner, but in a square shape. Today the raccoon

is cased with the fur inside.

The Maine furs that are furnished to the buyer cased with the fur side out are the coyote, bobcat, fisher, marten, and both the red and gray fox.

Those with the fur side in are the otter, mink, raccoon, muskrat, weasel, and the opossum.

Care is required while skinning, to ensure the pelt is not damaged, the proper cuts are made, and the tail properly opened on those sold with the tail attached.

After the pelt is removed, it must be fleshed, meaning that any fat, gristle and remaining tissue is removed. Good quality fleshing tools and sharp knives are required to do a proper job.

Fleshing tools and knives

Various fur-handling tools are those items used to prepare a pelt for the market. These include the stretchers used to dry the raw furs. These maybe made of wood or wire. Wire stretchers are manufactured by several different trap manufac-

Wood and wire stretchers

turers and are available through all larger trap suppliers.

Many trappers prefer wood stretchers, as they feel a better-appearing pelt is produced. The correct dimensions for making the various wood stretchers are available through several sources, with the National Trappers Associations Trapping Handbook being the one most commonly used by trappers who make their own. A trapper may also choose to buy one of each type commercially available and copy them.

Commercially manu-factured wood stretchers are available through trapping supply dealers and some fur buyers. Several commercial wood stretcher manufacturers are located right here in Maine.

A belly board is required when using wood stretchers, as it prevents the pelt from drying and shrinking to the board, therefore avoiding pelt damage during removal from the stretcher. A belly board is a long thin tapered wood wedge that is inserted length wise between the stretcher and the pelt on the belly side during the drying process.

Bottom line – if the pelt is improperly stretched or damaged, it will greatly reduce its value.

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o t s o p f m s B n n a t e

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 55

Fear and Loathing in the Maine Deer Woods As I lay immobilized on the operating table, the surgeon selected a scalpel and went to work on my right eye. The impulse to squirm away from that blade, even in my anesthesia-induced stupor, was very strong.

But the only other alternative was certain blindness – and it served as a powerful motivation to trust the wonders of modern medicine.

The surgery repaired a detached retina in my right eye. The retina had thinned and torn over time, detaching itself from the tissue that supplied it with blood and oxygen. This sometimes happens due to an eye injury, it’s a common occupational hazard for professional boxers.

But in my case, it was just part of the wheels falling off due to advancing age and faulty genetics. The prognosis for the condition, if left untreated, was complete blindness. That did not seem like a great alternative to me, so I ultimately submitted to two surgeries to repair the damage.

Recovery from that type of insult to the window of your soul can take a long time – more than enough time to intrude into Maine’s annual deer hunting season. And for a right-handed, righteyed shooter like myself – well, it seemed like not just the window but maybe the soul itself might be in danger.

Don’t Tread on Me Dedicated Maine deer hunters don’t let anything interfere with deer season. I suspect that the number of November wedding ceremonies is statistically much lower among deer hunt-

Jim Andrews was concerned that his eye surgery might mean “no hunting” for him this past season, but that was before he learned to mount a friend’s lever-action Marlin right-handed while twisting his head to look through the scope with his good left eye.

ers than it is among the general population. It’s also nearly certain that worker productivity in the state suffers measurably during the eleventh month.

Over the last 40 years, I personally have suffered faltering grades, lost jobs, fumbled personal relationships and other examples of mismanagement of my

learned to shoot left-handed before the season began. But I lacked a rifle with a left-handed or ambidextrous action. And 40 years of ingrained muscle memory proved too much to overcome – when I tried to mount my shotgun to my left shoulder, it felt so clumsy that I nearly fell over.

A complete lack of

to cross my path and allow me enough time to load and fire the scattergun.

By noon it was apparent that no deer in its right mind would allow itself to be within 500 yards of this staggering, cursing madman. I drove home to lick my psychological wounds.

Betrayal of Important

Nothing interferes with deer season in Maine. I suspect there are very few weddings in November if either the bride or groom is a deer hunter. life during November. At times, I have feared that my own dog wouldn’t recognize when I finally got home – all for the sake of deer hunting.

Extended Recovery Time But the eye surgery was an emergency and could not be scheduled for a more convenient time.

The anticipated recovery period went through deer season and well beyond.

As November approached, the vision in my shooting eye was a blurry mess. Looking through a rifle scope seemed to make it even worse. And open sights were out of the question.

A more resourceful hunter would have

depth perception due to the injured eye didn’t help the situation.

It began to dawn on me that hunting under these conditions could present a danger to myself and others. The deer, on the other hand, would be perfectly safe.

Hoping for Buck with Suicide Wish My mood matched the gloomy weather on the morning of opening day. I carried the shotgun but with an empty chamber. At my favorite deer stalking area in Oxford County, I stumbled through the brush, halfblind and now beginning to be angry.

I silently dared any buck with a suicide wish

Body Parts Five year ago, my 50 year-old right knee decided it would be a good time to take umbrage at a high school football injury, and the subsequent surgery. At that time, I was on the cusp of starting a 250- mile self-propelled trip from Kittery to Fort Kent. The knee swelled to twice the size of its well-behaved mate. Hiking and running became excruciatingly painful – even walking wasn’t all that great.

That cruel betrayal, like the failure of my eye, came completely out of the blue. It was as if my wife of twenty years suddenly woke up one morning and decided that my

high school dalliance with a prom queen in 1979 was just too much to bear any longer.

To add insult to injury, my new orthopedic surgeon – who was younger than my scar tissue – suggested to me that at my advanced age and condition “long-distance, strenuous hiking” should be avoided. He said it just that way – as if there were any other kind of hiking.

The Kittery to Fort Kent trip ended up being a complete success.

Adjustments had to be made – hiking the 100Mile Wilderness gave way to mountain biking, and summiting Bigelow Mountain yielded to canoeing Flagstaff Lake.

But I got to Fort Kent under my own power back then – surely I could overcome this temporary setback with my vision.

Veteran’s Day Revelation A friend loaned me his lever-action Marlin for the upcoming Veteran’s Day weekend. The rightside ejection wouldn’t be an issue if I reconciled myself to using it as a single-shot rifle.

But the biggest appeal was the scope that sat up high above a seethrough mount.

At the lowest power setting, the eye relief permitted by this set-up was significant. I learned I could mount the rifle to my right shoulder, close my traitorous right eye, and maneuver my head to a position where I could see through the scope using my left headlight.

I was sure if I fired the rifle from this position, there was a 50-50 chance the recoil would break my (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

56 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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January Offers the Best Time to Scout Big Bucks What’s a bowhunter to do in January in Maine?

Deer season is long gone and it’s the middle of winter. It’s cold, we’re focused on football and I know I’m tackling the honey-dew list to build up my “guy” vacation when the time comes. But this month, when I get the chance, I scout.

Because the reality is that beyond sheer luck, hunting trophy Maine whitetails and doing so successfully year in and year out can be a year-round job—and the postseason is the perfect time to start. Our bows may be getting dusty, but we can still “hunt” deer.

I find it unfortunate that today, folks are always looking for quick shortcuts to hunting success, which keeps gimmicks and strategies alive. And the archery industry is the guiltiest.

I’ll gun hunt with a 60year old Remington 722 my grandfather gave me, but when bowhunting, nothing I have in my setup is less than 3 years old.

Big advertising campaigns, doctored hunting videos and the lust for money by manufacturers all lead us to believe that—if we employ the newest and latest products—success will invariably follow.

But the truth is, the best method to consistently succeed is something we can all

do and it has nothing to do with new gadgets or technology or watching some guy or gal shoot big-racked deer on some Midwestern farm—it’s scouting. And January is one of the best times of the year to do so.

Rookie Mistake One year some time ago as a new bowhunter, I scouted a property up north in late July. My scouting ability at that time was limited, but I knew the more time I spent in the woods the more I’d learn.

He said, “Son, there’s a monster in those woods, so keep at it. I’m only telling you that because you were nice enough to help me.”

Looking back, he probably knew I didn’t have a prayer of harvesting that old buck, and he was right. He was surprised when I told him I had seen that buck a couple months prior while scouting there in the heat of July. I told him I had put my stand right where I saw him.

He smiled, and politely gave me a lesson

“Son, there’s a monster in these woods, so keep at it,” the old fellow told me. He knew I didn’t have a prayer of harvesting that huge buck, and he was right.

About ten minutes into some sparse woods in 90-degree heat, I came to a thicket and decided to plow right through. I jumped a buck 20 feet in front of me which had a velvet rack – to this day the largest rack I’ve ever seen. In my mind that was it – I was done. I had found the spot for my stand; I would put it up that day; and I had found my buck.

In the following months leading up to the season, that deer was all I dreamt about. I convinced myself I would become a success overnight. I couldn’t make opening morning, but the second day was cloudy and cold,

Self-Propelled (Continued from page 55)

nose. I didn’t take any practice shots.

November 11 found me deep in the deer woods on a hardwood ridge. The carpet of wet leaves made for a perfect still-hunting day. There’s nothing I love more than that www.MaineSportsman.com

and I walked in while it was still dark. Light came, and I couldn’t believe what I saw…or rather, what I didn’t see.

The thicket had practically disappeared, and I was sitting smack in the wide open. All the leaves and vegetation were gone, and I looked like large zit on the side of the tree easily visible from any of the 360 degrees of direction. I might as well have hung a big sign next to me that said, “Look at the Idiot Bowhunter.” I could imagine the deer telling

one another, “Hey, get a load of this guy!”

To make matters worse, after an hour a hunter came along with a dog. My mind was thinking I’m an idiot, but my mouth uttered “Hello.” He explained he had shot a doe the evening before and was going to track it. He was an older fella with years of weather written on his face, and he explained his eyesight wasn’t good.

I offered to help and he accepted. We found his deer and after we dragged and loaded it on his truck, out of appreciation, he said he wanted to tell me something he normally wouldn’t share.

which is the first principle of scouting in January – Don’t put your stand up based on what you see in July. So if folks plan on hunting a new property come fall, scout now, because the woods will look exactly like next fall after leaf drop.

Tracking in Snow The second reason for scouting now is because January offers snow on the ground, and we can find tracks. That alone gets me excited – just to see that these ghosts in the dark do exist.

I usually go out within two or three days after a fresh snow. This gives me the best opportunity to map deer trails and

that silent, slow stalking into the wind. It’s how I hunt deer, but it requires balance, depth-perception and sharp eyes to spot deer before they can spot me.

So instead of stalking, I sat stolidly in all-day-ambush mode on a small folding stool that I had packed in. My lunch, water bottle, extra clothing and a tiny paperback copy of Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the

determine feeding and bedding areas. Outside of the northern part of the state, deer won’t migrate too far from normal areas.

I usually start at the perimeter of a property if possible, marking all the major trails on the border. Then I follow the trails into the property, marking all major crossings and any rub lines I find from earlier in the season.

I also closely look for tracks of any big bucks that may have survived the last few months, and this is why I’m replacing batteries in my game cams instead of taking them down. There are differences between early and late season trails and food sources, but the major runs, funnels and bedding areas will only change slightly, particularly if you hunt the bottom half of the state.

For this reason alone, I choose many of my stand locations based solely on winter snow scouting.

I took everything that old fella told me to heart that day, and I have never scouted the same way since. I never did get that buck, nor did I ever see him or the old fella again, but I always hoped that maybe the two of them crossed paths and perhaps that beautiful animal is now on the old man’s wall.

¶

Sea” sat within arm’s reach.

From my left came the sound of breaking twigs and a flash of brown and white through the brush. I prayed that my 55-yearold right index finger wouldn’t suddenly fail on me, and I picked up the Marlin.

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 57

Jurassic Trout Swim in Southern Maine Waters If you don’t believe southern Maine is the ice fishing capital of Maine, just check the record books. All our major lakes produce large trout.

Mousam owns the state record brook trout (9 lbs., 2 oz.), while its sister Square Pond, to the north, produced the record brown trout (a whopping 23 lbs., 5 oz.). And be assured – other large trout remain in both waters.

Most ice anglers can’t handle these larger fish because they are not prepared equipment-wise to haul them in. Fishing through a small 8-inch ice hole is problematic – these larger Jurassic trout need a ten-inch or larger hole in the ice to retrieve them. The ice fisherman must also employ gear to match their size, including heavytest line. Most folks set up with general fishing tackle, say 4-pound test line. That lightweight gear just will not get the job done with these larger fish.

To fish for large trout, you need to set up with larger tackle. Equally important, you must have patience to wait them out. Your success rate will be lower than that of deer hunters.

Consider setting tip ups with large bait. Try hooking on four nightcrawlers or a 6- or 8-inch bait fish depending on the forage fish available (check with the local bait shop).

Other Options Sea run trout fishing in the lower Mousam River, as well as in the Kennebunk and Ogun-

To succeed in pulling trophy trout through the ice, you will need heavy-duty equipment, large bait and lots of patience. quit Rivers, is available during winter months.

Open-water fishing is an option for bored ice anglers. Years ago browns were also stocked in the York River; however they never seemed to survive or multiply.

York River is large but only runs a few miles.

It becomes an estuary located north of a bridge on the Scotland Bridge Road (see Map 2 in DeLorme’s Atlas). That bridge, along with a public boat launch site, offer access to good striped bass fishing during summer months.

Pylons underneath appears to be a good location to fish for sea runs.

If they exist in the York they may hold in the estuary upstream, there’s some deep dark water there.

JOAD Archery Option Archery continues

to grow in popularity in southern Maine, especially with our youth. Due to recent movies featuring archery, many new archers have been inspired to become involved, and most of those are young adults.

There are a large proportion of girls participating. Certainly, archery is an equal opportunity activity.

Southern Maine has programs geared toward youth archery introduction and improvement.

Adult programs are also offered, so folks at any age or skill level, from beginner to experienced, can jump right in and participate.

As a qualified USA Archery Level 2 Instructor, I have seen increasing numbers of youngsters join our program. USA Archery, the governing

organization for the USA Olympic Archery Team, has a Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) program to increase archery skill, with the goal to advance kids to our Olympic team – a lofty but attainable goal.

However, to make those goals a reality, one must start right with proper instructions, and that is what the JOAD program provides.

One JOAD student from Sanford, Emma LeConte, has placed in the top three in archery tournaments in New England. She set a new state record in her division.

It’s never good – or is it?

– when a student beats

the instructor. Emma has been beating me, and I’ve been shooting for over 50 years. I am truly happy with Emma’s progress; she shoots for Black Sheep Archery.

Here in southern Maine, Lakeside Archery, Howells Archery and Black Sheep Archery each offer in-depth training that develops proper skills for archers, introducing them to the exciting sport.

Adults have their own program, called “Adult Achievement.” Both programs are geared toward improving archery skills.

While the overriding purpose is to develop archers to win gold, of course most will not but they will become disciplined, skilled participants in this life-long sport.

JOAD shooters earn (Continued on page 59)

When he’s not ice fishing, open-water fishing on cold rivers or instructing young archers, the author searches bare, windswept winter ground for antler sheds. At the conclusion of the search he recommends “a campfire and some hot tea.” Marquez photo www.MaineSportsman.com

58 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Winter Hunting Produces Plentiful Hares, Fond Memories I have a bit of advice for those poor souls who have never hunted snowshoe hare with beagles…don’t delay any longer, because you are missing out on one of the most exciting outdoor activities in the state of Maine.

I started hunting hare with my father at a very young age, back in the winter woods of Northern Michigan. My wise father had me carry my grandmother’s empty single-shot .410 shotgun for one whole season, following him around

while he and his hunting buddies observed my safe gun-handling habits.

At some point my dad and his hunting pals concluded that my gun-handling methods seemed completely safe, and I began my harehunting career. Those days afield carrying that unloaded shotgun instilled in my mind the importance of safe gun handling, and built such an immense desire to hunt with my father and his friends that I still can feel it today, almost fifty years later.

I love standing in a snowdrift, deep in the woods, listening to the excited sounds of beagles howling after a hare.

The quiet snow falls and fills in the empty spaces among the spruce, cedar

and hemlock trees, and the chase carries on.

Though my father and his friends have passed, I still look forward to the first snow of winter, looking for rabbit tracks and sign wherever I travel in the woods. Nowadays, as I enter the thick, frozen conifer lowlands around the Rangeley Region, I load my own shotgun and vividly recall the empty shotgun of my youth and all that it meant.

Hare Habitat The Morton Cutoff Road (DeLorme Atlas, Map 28, D-2) provides access to large tracts of excellent hare-hunting acreage.

If logging operations remain active there, the road usually gets plowed up to

Lincoln Pond Road and beyond. If loggers have finished cutting in that area, the road becomes a snowmobile trail that runs from Route 16 at Wilson’s Mills (Map 28, E-1) all the way to Eustis (Map 29, B-2) where it meets Route 27.

Many bunny hunters only go as far as the end of the plowed Morton Cutoff Road and stop hunting at the point where it changes to a snowmobile trail. Hare hunters who carry their beagles in a crate on a tote sled behind a snowmobile, have access to all of the woods the whole length of the Lincoln Pond/ Tim Pond Road. Most of the time, snowmobiling hare hunters won’t see another hunter in that (Continued on next page)

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As a very young hunter, I carried around an unloaded .410 shotgun for an entire season, while my dad and his hunting buddies observed my safe gun-handling skills.

(Continued from page 58)

area throughout the day.

Another great advantage when hunting with a snowmobile comes when the dogs get on one of those rabbits that wants to travel to a distant swamp. Getting there with a snow machine sure beats a long-distance foot race in full hunting gear and snowshoes.

When traveling in the truck to these snowmobile trails on logging roads, be sure to take extra care.

Logging trucks can’t stop very easily, especially with a heavy load of wood.

Drive slowly, and pull over completely out of the way when meeting the huge trucks on the road.

Use channel 19 on the CB radio to keep tabs on the location of trucks as they travel these logging roads.

More Hare Snowshoe hare have a population cycle that slowly increases for a number of years, and then slowly decreases before reversing itself again. In recent years, it seems that the numbers

of snowshoe hare in this region have been increasing – despite the growing coyote and bobcat population.

Hunters everywhere can rejoice at this rabbit population growth – chasing snowshoe hare is a perfect way to shut cabin fever out of the long and cold winter months this New Year.

The side roads that branch off Route 16 north of Oquossoc (Map 28, E-3) provide small game hunters with plenty of rabbit-chasing covers.

Look at the map and follow Route 16 west, all the way to the New Hampshire/Maine border (Map 17, A-5). Check out any of the frozen, swampy land in that region to locate prime, winter, hare habitat.

Another area worth mentioning is the plentiful land that follows the course of Cross Town Road (Map 18, A-4 and A-5). This gravel logging road runs between Route 17 and Route 4, just south of Rangeley.

Look for frozen bogs on the many intersecting trails off from the main

Southern Maine (Continued from page 57)

ribbons and pins as they develop shooting skills. Each archer must score established points to advance to the next colored pin.

Pins are attached to ribbons on their quiver. Each archer gains pins as they improve.

They are not competing with others, but rather against themselves. However, there are JOAD tournament held locally and at the national level, and Maine JOAD clubs travel to compete in them.

It’s not all training – these archery ranges also hold fun shoots for all shooters. Some include zombies and balloons. I’ve yet to see a kid who doesn’t enjoy busting balloons and beheading zombies with arrows.

Parents should consider archery for their kids – it’s non-contact; teaches discipline; and all kids start on an even playing field. Most of all, it’s a sport that can be en-

logging road, as well as the coniferous growths leading to higher ground.

Some of the patches of evergreens on the hillsides tend to be quite thick, and full of rabbits.

Ice Fishing The Rangeley Lakes watershed offers a tremendous opportunity for open-water fishing.

Traditionally closed to ice fishing, the huge system of lakes and rivers in the region remains filled with trout and salmon when spring open-water fishing begins.

Even though Rangeley’s group of huge lakes remains closed to all ice fishing, folks in this region still have several ice-fishing choices on outlying bodies of water.

If ice anglers travel a little, they can find many lakes and ponds within a short driving distance.

Haley Pond (Map 28, E-5), right off Main Street in Rangeley, routinely gets stocked with plenty of trout. Traditionally a family ice-fishing spot, this little pond holds plenty of smaller fish for the kids – good for the pan and for teaching

This stark, beautiful winter landscape in the Rangeley area holds plenty of snowshoe hares. William Clunie photo

the young ones about ice angling.

Lufkin Pond (Map 19, A-2) and Toothaker Pond (Map 19, A-3), a few miles east of Rangeley, hold enough hungry trout to satisfy an ice angler’s appetite. The two icefishing ponds, located on opposite sides of Route 4, can be accessed within minutes of leaving the pavement.

Sturtevant Pond (Map 17, A-5), another great ice-fishing choice near the New Hampshire border, rounds out the list of ice-fishing locations

in the Rangeley Region.

Anglers find the lengthy drive to this border pond worth the trip – the quiet pond offers up brook trout, splake, yellow perch, chain pickerel, hornpout, and routinely gets stocked with landlocked salmon.

Tune up the ice fishing gear, clean the shotgun, and get ready for another awesome season playing in the winter snow in and around the strikingly beautiful Rangeley Region.

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Many southern Maine archery ranges host events as part of the “Junior Olympic Archery Development” (JOAD) program. joyed for one’s lifetime.

No child is ever turned away from a JOAD archery program due to money issues. The cost is minimal compared to other sports. Payment plans can be worked out when necessary, and all archery gear is provided.

MAA “Shooter of the Year” Maine Archery Association (MAA) holds “Shooter of the Year” (SOY) tournaments every Sunday. Local archery ranges around Maine hosts these events; most are in the southern part of the state.

Participating shops and ranges are Lakeside Archery in North Yarmouth, North Berwick Rod and Gun Club, Black Sheep Archery in Sanford, Howells Archery

in Gray, and West Gardiner Fish and Game.

SOY archery shoots are open to all ages and equipment, from longbows to high-tech compounds. There are age classes that will keep folk competitive with each other. Targets are NFAA blue and white or Vegas face, and shooting line distance is 20 yards. Cost is $15 for the event.

MAA is setting attendance records this year, so archers should call ahead to registers for their preferred lines. Shooting lines do fill quickly Scorecards are turned in and records are kept; see MAA website for locations and dates. Interested archers can also check past results and information at the site.

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60 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Region’s Trails Lead to Next Season’s Deer When Maine’s deer season ends, I immediately begin switching over to thoughts of coyote hunting with my buddies from Western Maine Coyote Control (WMCC). Like the other fellows in our group, I have been thinking about this year’s coyote hunting all year and can’t wait to get started … almost to the point of rushing through the end of deer season.

I go through all of my coyote-hunting gear and make sure that it gets loaded into a backpack for easy transport on my snowmobile. I strap the backpack on the rear of my seat on the sled; the sled has a small area for storage with a rail around it that works okay for holding the backpack full of gear.

The backpack gets loaded with extra clothes in case the temperature drops drastically or I get wet. I also carry extra ammunition, rope, food, water, winter survival bag, flashlight, GPS unit and lots of extra batteries.

Last spring I had a hunting buddy, Troy Houghton, install highrise handlebars on my snowmobile. I’ll also be looking into having a fellow from Farmington install a new seat. I want the material to be completely white to further camouflage the hunting sled.

Hopefully our winter coyote hunting efforts have slowed down the deer predation enough to make a difference. Quite a few deer hunters and a few of the guys that coyote hunt with WMCC (check us out on Facewww.MaineSportsman.com

book) around here have taken some great looking whitetails from the mountains that surround this valley … I truly believe our predator control efforts have helped.

Scouting Trails Now Most folks go snowmobiling in the Western Maine Mountain Region (WMMR) to take in the panoramic view of the mountains that surrounds this spacious valley. I enjoy the scenery too, but I always keep an eye out for new hunting territory.

Several snowmobiling trips have resulted in success in the deer woods the following year because I noticed a huge buck track while riding the trails in winter and then followed it up with a hunt the next fall. I’ve also found some excellent snowshoe hare country by searching the snow for a concentration of hare sign on the trails while snowmobiling, and later returning with my beagles.

Hunters looking for snowmobile trails that lead through deer country should start their search at the Maine Snowmobile Association’s website (MeSnow.com). Click on the trail maps for Oxford County, and follow along as they wind through this region.

A fine set of clearly-marked trails lace the mountains north of Dixfield (DeLorme Atlas, Map 19, E-2) like one huge spider web, and connect riders to another system of great trails in the Andover area (Map 18, D-3).

The system of equally impressive trails near Mount Blue (Map 19,

C-3) takes riders into the town of Temple (Map 19.

C-5). Either of these trail systems takes hunters through spectacular deer hunting territory. Scouting just adds another dimension to snowmobiling.

Hare Trails Snowmobiling hunters shouldn’t limit their scouting solely to new deer hunting territories.

The same trails listed above contain loads of the kind of cover that snowshoe hare enjoy.

While deer make their trails in both low-lying areas as well as high ground, most whitetails prefer traveling on the higher ridges in the area.

Snowshoe hare prefer a different habitat. When searching for hare – or rabbits, as many call them – look for trails that run through swampy lowland. Frozen swamps often hold some of the best rabbit hunting around, especially when the area has evergreen growth with a mix of dense new growth from recent logging activity.

Check with snowmobile clubs or small shops in the area for maps of local trails that sometimes don’t show up on the bigger maps. Frozen swamps dot the maps, with a system of secondary trails that take hunters into prime hare country.

A smaller secondary trail runs north of Holman Mountain (Map 19, E-2 and E-3), directly through some great hare hunting territory. Locals call this area the Siberia Swamp – a vast swamp that runs from the ridges formed by Holman Mountain all the way to Berry

Brandon Elliot, Troy Houghton, Bill Houghton, and the author stop for a photo op after a particularly successful coyote hunt in the Western Maine Mountains. William Clunie photo

Mills (Map 19, D-2).

Load a tote sled up with a dog box for the beagles and hunting gear, and ride these trails into the lowlands to look for rabbit tracks. Let the dogs go and get ready for action.

Hunters without dogs do well walking the trails and catching the sneaky rabbits as they meander along the thick brush that lines the edges of the trails.

Frozen Water Fishing Ice fishers dream of drilling the first hole of the season. Some of the best ice fishing comes the first few weeks of good ice, and again during the last few weeks at the end of the season. Anglers who get out there during these early and late parts of the season do the best, and hopefully they have taken all safety measures.

Worthley Pond (Map 11, A-3) gives up plenty of large fish each winter. A good portion of anglers on this pond focus on the southeast shoreline, while the rest seem to congregate near the north and west shore. Anglers here take big rainbow, brown and brook

trout with regularity. Access the pond at the clearly-marked public boat launch on the East Shore Drive.

Canton Lake (Map 11, A-4) doesn’t have huge fish, but makes up for this with a good supply of pickerel and white perch. When the trout won’t hit an offering, the other fish in the lake usually respond – an excellent choice for fishing with children.

This pond can be accessed at the public launch on the west shoreline, off Route 140.

A small parking lot sets across from the launch on the west side of the pavement. Being a hard place to find, a full parking lot might be the only indication that there’s a launch nearby.

When the ice fishing on Canton Lake gets going, anglers won’t have to search far to find great fishing locations – just look for the hoards of ice shacks, and listen for the whooping and hollering that comes when happy anglers start chasing flags.

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Crime of the Century–

Urban Cops Pose Problems for Rural Sportsmen It was coyote season, I was dressed in full snow camouflage, and I had several coyote mouth calls dangling from my neck.

Chapter 1: Motive Two winters ago, my friend Daniel and I decided to take a drive to Pittsburg, NH to do some coyote hunting. Pittsburg is the most northern and rural town in the state of New Hampshire, with a total population of about 800 people. It is the outdoors capital of the state.

Pittsburg has several winter deer yards surrounding the town and nearby areas, drawing in many coyotes to prey on the vulnerable deer. Daniel and I planned on using my Foxpro to call in a few different places where the coyotes frequent while in pursuit of those deer.

We stopped at an area about four or five miles south of the “town” and called in a clearcut for about half an hour before deciding to move on to our next calling location.

Chapter 2: Pre-meditation While driving north on Route 3, still about two miles south of town, I spotted something in the road, way up ahead.

Thinking that it was a domestic dog, I joked to Daniel, “Oh, there’s our coyote!” As we got closer, I realized to my shock that it actually was a coyote! It refused to leave the roadway until I drove right past it.

Seeing as how it didn’t seem to be in any hurry to go anywhere, and since it was on the edge of a deer yard, I figured there was a decent chance that we might be able to set up right close by and call it in. I drove around the corner and www.MaineSportsman.com

parked the truck. (I want to clarify here that I am not a “road hunter” by any means, and if you read my monthly Maine Sportsman columns you probably already know that, given my passion for exploring the unknown woods. That being said, I wasn’t going to let this convenient opportunity go to waste.)

Route 3 in Pittsburg is not what you would call a “busy” highway; however at the moment that we bailed out of the truck with our rifles, two vehicles passed by. (This note will become important in the future.) We crossed the road and climbed the steep bank on the other side to edge of the softwood. It was here (about 25 yards from the road) that we initially loaded our rifles and started working our way into the woods to try to find an

there. However, I tend to be overcautious, so I told Daniel I didn’t feel comfortable being that confined by development and that I was going to head back to the truck.

He agreed, but said he was curious as to how big the track of the coyote was for perspective, so he was going to angle back to where the coyote had crossed the road to get a look at the track and then he would be right along and meet me at the truck.

Chapter 3: Scene of the Crime As I approached the top of the bank by the road, I unloaded my rifle. As I put the cartridges in my pocket, I saw a car slam on its brakes as it came around the sharp corner. Another car after it did the same thing. I stood there for a minute and saw a third car do the same.

Apparently this is the uniform of a north woods domestic terrorist.

didn’t see any cars off the road. I came to the conclusion that the police officer must be there for whoever owned the black Silverado parked opposite of him: Me! I knew that I hadn’t done anything wrong, so I decided to just walk back to my truck as if nothing had happened (because it hadn’t). And if he was

“Stop right where you are,” the officer shouted, “and put the weapon down!” open area to set up in. After getting about seventy-five yards deep into the woods, I could make out the outline of a roof line through the trees. There was a destitute seasonal “camp” there, whose driveway wound around from the other side, so we had no way of knowing it was there when we’d walked into the woods.

Given NH’s law of 100 yards from an occupied dwelling and 15 feet from the traveled portion of the highway, it would have been perfectly legal for us to set up and call

Something was up: Did we spook a deer out of the yard and into the road? Did the coyote circle back out there?

I took a couple of steps out to the edge of the treeline and saw a police vehicle with blue lights flashing parked on the side of the road, across from my truck. Did someone hit a patch of ice and slide into the ditch?

I took a minute trying to figure things out. The police cruiser drove back and forth on that section of road a couple of times before parking again. I

looking for me, he would come and talk to me. I slung my unloaded .25-06 over my shoulder started down the bank and across the road. I got about to the yellow line when the officer cracked his driver’s door and vehemently commanded, “Stop where you are, and put the weapon down!”

Chapter 4: Detainment I was so taken aback I wasn’t sure that this was actually happening.

Weapon? What weapon?

My Remington 700 with a 14X Nikon scope and a bi-

pod? So here I was in the middle of the road with cars able to come around the corner at any second going 50 mph, and I was being ordered to immediately place my $700 rifle on the pavement and walk away.

Well, I wasn’t going to do that. I politely asked to be able to lean it against the hood of my truck, as I slowly made my way in that direction (all with it slung over my shoulder still and hands off it).

He either didn’t understand what I was asking or thought that he was in a dramatic episode of Cops, caught in a gang war in Los Angeles (probably both). Whatever his rationale, when I looked back from leaning the rifle against the grill of my truck, I could see that he was “taking cover” behind his driver’s door with his handgun drawn!

In his defense (very hard for me to do), I was ignoring his orders to “Take your hand off the weapon” (my two fingers on the end of the bipod) for fears of the rifle slid(Continued on page 64)

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64 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

New Hampshire (Continued from page 62)

ing to a crashing halt on the pavement. Eventually, I felt comfortable enough with its balance (and came to terms with the fact that it wasn’t worth getting shot over), and I followed instructions to slowly back away to the driver’s door (highway side) of the vehicle.

The officer then came out of “hiding” and holstered his firearm – but kept his hand on it. I heard him say into his radio something to the effect, “One subject apprehended and disarmed; one suspect still on foot, presumed to be armed.”

As the officer approached me, Daniel made his way around the bend in the road, walking towards us with his head down, oblivious to the scenario that was unfolding. The officer shouted the now-familiar command: “Stop where you are and put the weapon down.” Daniel, being the humorous goof that he is, promptly looked over his shoulder, looked back at the officer in astonishment, and said “Who? Me?” At about this time, I could hear sirens growing in the south. I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me! He’s called the cavalry!”

Daniel was ordered to lay his rifle on the pavement in the breakdown lane, which he did grudgingly. He was then directed to slowly approach us with his hands up and in plain sight.

The sirens grew deafeningly louder. As I turned to look at Daniel, a Border Patrol SUV came screaming around the bend, literally swerving to narrowly miss running over his rifle, then slamming on the brakes to stop the vehicle from hitting him! In a matter of seconds, before I even realized it, Daniel and I were both being frisked.

Chapter 5: Interrogation I was asked several times by the Pittsburg ofwww.MaineSportsman.com

ficer, “What are you doing out here with a weapon?”

Mind you, I am dressed in full snow camouflage and have several coyote mouth calls dangling from my neck! I told him exactly what I was doing, making my annoyance known. Officer Overzealous informed me, “There is no legal hunting season this time of year.” (New Hampshire, like many other states, has an open season on coyotes yearround, not to mention that it was also fox and rabbit season.)

The officer also stated, “It isn’t normal to see people on the side of the road with guns,” to which Daniel humorously informed him, “It’s [expletive] Pittsburg – it doesn’t get any more normal than that! What are you, from

Chapter 6: Breaking Point Once we’d been patted down and after initial questioning and accusations of breaking imaginary laws ended, the officer turned to the grill of my truck and picked up my rifle (without asking me if he could – or if it was unloaded). He then placed the rifle diagonally on the hood of my truck – with the muzzle pointed right at my neck! (I was standing by the driver’s-side mirror.)

This is when all humor left the situation and my frustration turned to anger. This guy is supposed to be a cop? He just broke the cardinal rule of firearm safety! Being a youth shooting sports instructor, I am perhaps at times overly sensitive to the treat-every-firearmas-if-it-were-loaded rule – but this was not one of those times. It was just

especially the one with the AR-15, to put a drive on the coyote, but they didn’t bite.)

Chapter 8: The Backstory Apparently one of those cars that drove by when we first got out of the truck to go into the woods contained a vacationing woman, who panicked when she saw our rifles, and sped straight to the police station in town to report what she had seen. It then went over the scanner as two suspicious armed men walking up and down Main Street in Pittsburg.

(Route 3 is Main Street in 9-1-1 address code, apparently.)

After a meeting with the Chief (at my request), we found out that Officer Overzealous was, in fact, as Daniel had presciently guessed, from Massachusetts – specifically, Quincy. And he, according to

Still without checking to make sure my rifle was unloaded, the officer placed the firearm diagonally on the hood of my truck – with the muzzle pointed right at my neck.

Massachusetts?”

The officer seemed to take offense to this, then proclaimed, “You can’t just be out here with guns near the road!” I tried to control my temper as I informed him of NH’s hunting-season laws, the hunting-near-right-ofways laws, and the open carry laws. He ignorantly scoffed at my facts – especially my telling him it was perfectly legal for us to walk the road with loaded rifles all we wanted, even though we’d gone out of our ways to keep them unloaded until we were in the woods.

During this exchange, seven – yes, seven – law enforcement vehicles had arrived on scene: the Pittsburg cruiser, five border patrol vehicles and a Colebrook cruiser.

There was even a border agent patrolling up and down the highway in full SWAT-type gear with an “assault” rifle at the ready. I was fully expecting to see a helicopter circling overhead!

a display of complete incompetence on the part of the officer.

I immediately launched into a scathing rant about his actions, in response to which he frantically repositioned the rifle to point the other direction (still not checking to see if it were loaded), knowing full well he had screwed up.

Chapter 7: Verdict At this point, the Colebrook cop laughed at the situation and immediately left, and the local Border Patrol agents quietly but urgently informed the officer that we had in fact done nothing wrong. The officer acted like he knew that all along and was just “doing his job.”

After running background checks on our drivers’ licenses, our firearms, ammunition and pocket knives were returned to us and we were told we were “free to leave.” (I tried to entice the Border Patrol agents,

the Chief (who is a Pittsburg native, longtime outdoorsman and former hunter-education instructor) “knows nothing about hunting or hunting laws.” The Chief took the fall for the officer’s actions, saying that it was “my fault for not educating my new officers better [there was another new hire from New Jersey, too].”

Chapter 9: Impact So why are urbanized law enforcement patrolling these extremely rural locations? The Chief said it was solely a matter of qualified applicants: “I’d hire you, if you applied. No one from around here applies – at least not anyone who has any qualifications.”

What kind of problem does this pose? Other than losing a half-hour of our hunting time, we suffered no penalties, continuing our day of calling coyotes before returning later to meet with the Chief. However, what

if we had been someone else – someone more vulnerable to intimidation or uncontrolled reaction?

What if I was an eight-year-old kid, hunting with my dad for the first time? Seeing and having a police officer react this way to something that I presumed was okay, since I was with my dad – could this have potentially ruined an entire lifetime of future hunting, for fear of being targeted or harassed?

What if we were older gentlemen, perhaps with medical issues? Could the intensity and stress of the situation have provoked a panic attack, or worse, a heart attack?

What if we had not been as disciplined in our actions? Newton’s third law states that “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” What if my immediate, unconscious reaction to seeing an unholstered firearm pointing in my direction was to point my own firearm back?

Hunters are under enough scrutiny as it is.

We are already being persecuted in social media and college campuses; the last thing we need is to have cars on a highway slowly ushered past two guys in snow camo getting frisked by law enforcement.

The Chief told us how he would have handled the situation, which is exactly how it should have been handled: “I would have seen you come out of the wood dressed as you were, drove up and asked you what you were hunting through the window of the cruiser; you would have told me coyotes; I would have reminded you to keep 15 feet from the road, wished you luck, and been on my way.”

I hope this article, the Chief’s response and the ending “what-if” points make their way to Officer Overzealous. I hope his reading of this will prevent any similar scenarios from playing out in the future. It could save lives.

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 65

Grown Up Mac and Cheese For a Cold Winter Day Grown Up Mac and Cheese with Maine Lobster I worked in Suisse Chalet in Arosa, Switzerland the summer of 1979. On my 25th birthday, my boss took me to a little town in the Alps called Medregen, for a fondue celebration.

The fondue was delicious, of course and we drank shots of Kirsch in the traditional way.

The restaurant used Gruyere, Emmantheuler and Apenzel in the dish. I obviously loved it enough to remember all the ingredients.

Because Apenzel is not readily available to everyone, I made one substitution.

• • • • •

• • • • • • • •

In small stockpot heat olive oil, sauté garlic and shallots for 3-4 minutes. Add lobster, stock and sherry and sauté until warm, about 2 minutes on low heat. Stir in pasta, add cheese sauce and heat until warmed through. Serve.

8 2 1 4 4 6 1 2

ounces of rotini pasta tablespoons salted butter cup whole milk ounce Gruyere cheese, grated ounces Emmantheuler, grated ounce shredded sharp cheddar cheese tablespoon olive oil garlic cloves, minced

2 shallots, minced 1 pound cooked lobster meat, chopped 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 tablespoons concentrated lobster stock* salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to instructions; do not overcook.

Melt butter on low heat. Add milk and cheeses. Heat until blended.

Serves 6

Lobster Mac and Cheese

* Email me for my Lobster Stock recipe.

You can use store-bought, but I have yet to find one that beats mine, especially in this recipe.

This is a versatile recipe in which you can substitute any red meat. It has been one of my best appetizers for drop-in company, since I make many ahead of time, and freeze them.

They thaw out quickly!

I love a variety of Raye’s Mustards to accompany the salami.

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well with clean hands. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a 3-inch diameter roll. Place each roll on foil, and pinch ends tight to close.

Place wrapped rolls in baking dish, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

• • • • • • • •

1 pound ground bear ¼ pound ground pork 2 tablespoons quick pink curing salt ½ teaspoons mustard seed ¼ teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon fennel seeds ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon black peppercorns (Tellicherry – nice kick)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add water to come halfway up the rolls. Place baking dish in oven and bake for 1 hour.

Cool before you unwrap. Re-wrap, and you can refrigerate up to one week. Or use plastic and foil wrap to freeze for up to 3 months.

All Maine Sportsman Recipes can be found online at www.blackflystew.com www.MaineSportsman.com

66 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

If You Were in Charge of DIF&W, Tell Joe What You’d Do If our readers are anything like me, they’ve dreamed about being in charge of our wildlife and fisheries department for a day, or at least being in charge long enough to make some changes. As I type this article from a cabin in rural Iowa, I’ve been bowhunting worldclass whitetails for the last week.

Anyone attending my trophy deer hunting seminars at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show has heard me refer to Maine deer hunting as a lightbulb, and Iowa’s as the sun! In just 10 days, my three hunting partners and I have seen 15-20 bucks in the 140”160” range. My friend

Let me explain what our new Maine deer seasons would look like if I were in charge.

Jay from New York took his largest archery buck ever, a 130” 8-point. My friend John tagged out with a 150” 13-pt. I killed a 140”-class buck on the 10th day. Iowa is a deer hunters’ dream!

While sitting in the stand here, I think about the ways Maine might achieve similar levels of deer hunting to what Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylvania are experiencing. With the severity of some Maine winters, is this even possible?

With our coyote populations as high as they are,

does that keep the deer population down?

How would our deer hunting community react to radical changes? Would hunters, landowners and the non-hunting community revolt, or would they embrace changes?

I care what our readers have to say. This is fantasy – a 100% fictional article written to evoke a response. I want to hear from you!

So here are some hypothetical proposals.

1) Expand opportun-ities, but shorten some seasons In my opinion, one of

NOW AN AUTHORIZED

the greatest reasons Iowa and Illinois have such great deer hunting and so many large bucks is that they don’t hunt with rifles. Taking rifles away from Maine hunters would not go over well, and I’m partial to my .280, so I wouldn’t switch us to shotguns.

In my opinion, the primary reason those states are so good is they don’t hunt with firearms during the rut or have long firearms seasons. I think Maine could handle this in the southern third of the state.

Before everyone

screams that this would take opportunity away, let me explain what our new seasons would look like if I were in charge.

Deer season would open in September for WMDs 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 29.

Instead of being open in expanded archery zones only, the first three weeks of the season would be open to all archers. On the date regularly archery season would normally open, we’d offer an early, two-week muzzleloader season for everyone wishing to participate. For the next seven weeks until December 1st, archery season would resume (for traditional archery and (Continued on page 69)

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68 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Perch Fishing and Coyote Hunting Break Up the Winter Doldrums I have heard tell of an old home remedy for people suffering from the general malaise associated with a Maine winter.

The ancient elixir consists of equal parts muscular torment drilling holes in the surface of an icy lake, frozen fingers and adrenaline when the fish are biting. If that doesn’t jump start the winter season then nothing will.

The deck thermometer registered -10 F. Now with the sun cresting over the horizon, the mercury still refused to budge.

Each deep breath of the cold dry air caused me to break into a coughing fit.

With the annoyance level of someone dragging their fingers down a chalkboard, each footstep creaked nosily across the snow’s surface, causing intermittent shivers up and down my spine. Peering through my ice-encrusted Oakleys, I could faintly see our destination, a small finger of land jutting out into the northern shore of Clifford Lake (DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 35, D-5). From previous trips to this location, I knew that an impressive yellow and white perch

locate a school, and soon we were hauling both yellow and white perch through the ice at a frantic pace. Even using jig poles tipped with small jigs, it still didn’t take long to deplete what originally had been a generous minnow supply.

After only about two hours of fishing, with bait gone and a bucket-full of fish, we packed-up our equipment and hiked back to civilization.

Returning back to the homestead, I had fun trying out the 10-second perch filleting method (Google “How to clean a perch in 10 seconds,” and see for yourself!).

Author’s son, “The Wildman” Vose, harvests his first coyote.

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mite convention. Despite initial complaints, the old workhorse managed to drill five holes, and in the process rattle every filling out of my head.

Our group spread out over the hard water, drilling hole after hole, our

combined efforts leaving the lake surface the consistency of Swiss cheese.

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Fish Chowder The trick to eating both white and yellow perch is to keep things simple. Frying fillets in butter or olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper is often a delicious option. One of my favorite ways to eat them is to make fish chowder. Here is my simple fish chowder recipe: Ingredients: -One Large Vidalia (Sweet) Onion -Six Large Peeled Russet Potatoes -An Ample Sprinkling of Old Bay -Three Teaspoons of Salt -One Teaspoon of Cracked Black Pepper -5-6 Strips of Finely Chopped Bacon Add enough water to these ingredients, to just cover everything. Bring the entire mix to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft. Gently lie (Continued on next page)

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 69

A small piece of thread tied to the end of the rifle barrel will help remind coyote hunters to be continually aware of wind direction.

(Continued from page 68)

on top of the potatoes 4-5 fillets of perch, pike, bass or other white-fleshed fish and continue to cook until the fish is done. Set the pot aside and add two cans of evaporated milk.

This amount should feed 6 hungry ice fishermen with room to spare.

Coyote Hunting Coyote hunters fail primarily because they do not pay enough attention to wind direction.

Perhaps the best hunting advice I ever received was to tie a small length of thread to the end of my rifle barrel. This simple tool allows me at any moment to observe wind direction. It also is serves as a constant, gentle reminder that to be successful, hunters must be continually mindful of wind direction. By constantly keeping the wind at the front of your mind,

success in the field will steadily increase.

Plan to encounter additionally difficulties when hunting unfamiliar areas. With no previous understanding of the topography, setting up for that “good” shot becomes difficult or impossible.

Pre-scouting therefore becomes critical. Spots hunted frequently can even be brushed out ahead of time with available cover materials or camouflage cloth.

Tag-teaming coyotes with another hunter is more fun, safer than hunting alone and increases the success rate.

With one person carrying a rifle and the other a shotgun, any reasonable distance at which the coyote appears will be in optimal shooting range.

Also, while one hunter manages the calling, the other can always be prepared to discharge their

Big Game (Continued from page 66)

crossbows). Our traditional Maine firearms season would begin on December 1st and run for two weeks.

Deer hunters would still have fourweeks of firearms hunting available to them, but there’d be less hunting with firearms during our rut when bucks are more vulnerable. The hope is that more bucks would survive to maturity. Having just two weeks of rifle season would likely reduce harvest numbers significantly. That might allow the state to offer more bonus doe tags if harvest numbers weren’t initially achieved (within the first three years). Perhaps bowhunters should even be offered an opportunity to harvest a buck and a doe in the same year, like their counterparts in other states?

Some readers might look at this structure and say it favors archers. Other dyedin-the-wool firearms hunters might feel like they’re being discriminated against.

However, I see this as an opportunity to expand our sport. Maine currently sells approximately 14,700 archery licenses and 14,000 muzzleloader licenses each year.

This structure would likely increase the numbers of deer hunters utilizing these

firearm should Wily appear!

Coyotes prefer to expend as little energy as possible in winter, frequently traveling roads and snowmobile trails to more efficiently move through areas with significant snowfall. This creates great ambush locations for hunters.

The Stud Mill road is a dirt highway through the vast Maine wilderness, providing access to thousands of miles of prime coyote hunting opportunities. One of my personal favorite spots is located in and around Cranberry Lake (Map 35, E2-E3). Following the impressive network of logging roads and wellpacked snowmobile trails makes walking, snowshoeing or cross- county skiing into the vast woodlands an easy endeavor.

¶

Theron Corliss bagged this 170-pound 5-pointer in November 2015 when he was just 10 years old.

11-year-old Theron Corliss and his 7-year-old brother, Jackson, proudly display Theron’s 668-pound 9-point bull moose he bagged in October this year.

methods.

I can tell you from over 30 years of experience, every dedicated hunter in our state who takes advantage of all these opportunities would learn a whole lot more about deer and deer hunting. We’d potentially create an army of whitetail warriors that surpasses those of today. Most good bowhunters are even deadlier with a firearm in their hands.

2) What about the kids and other newbies?

Under my new rules, we’d continue to offer opportunity for our youth. One of the best things a young hunter – or any new hunter – can experience is success. Currently we have a one-day youth season that allows all hunters under the age of 16 to shoot any deer. I’d change this law and allow firsttime hunters and those who’ve never harvested a deer to hunt under youth rules.

No longer would I have just one day like this. I’d offer this opportunity to our youth and the new/unsuccessful group for the entire season, if they purchased their license

by March 1st of the current year. Our biologists would need some lead time to figure the potential doe harvest into the any deer numbers.

This would obviously cause some pains for the rest of us. Initially at least, the re-

sult would be fewer any-deer permits. We’d know soon enough by looking at the total harvest, what the effect was, and we’d have an opportunity to adjust accordingly.

These are radical changes to what people hunting and living in Maine are used to.

Initially there’d be some issues. Some hunters would be unhappy. Some would love the changes and embrace them.

It would take time for landowners and non-hunters to accept a longer season and to shift the methods they use. Some may initially close their land; others might open it. Ultimately it’d be up to our community of hunters to live by the law, educate the uninformed and embrace the opportunities offered.

I’m a huge fan of feedback, and I pray our readers will email me regarding this article. Not everyone will be a fan, but some may love my ideas. Please remember, this is my fantasy and though it’s written with the insight of 35 years of hunting experience and trips all over the country, it might not be the answer.

Would Maine deer hunters be open to changes this radical? You tell me.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

I

70 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Ladies’ Rifles Inspired by Greek and Roman Mythology Almost a year and a half ago, this column covered design developments among shotguns made for women (see The Maine Sportsman, July 2015). High-end maker Caesar Guerini is leading the trend with their “Syren” line of guns built especially for the ladies.

Fit and handling characteristics remain vital to consistent wingshooting. And as women in increasing numbers join the ranks of hunters and shooters, manufacturers move to meet female-specific needs.

The same applies to rifles as to shotguns. A comfortable fit and ease of handling affect the rifle shooter as much as, if not

With an outstanding design for women but costing $14,500, the “Artemis” rifle is not only fit for a goddess, but it also remains priced for one, as well. more than, the wing shot.

Acknowledging the growing distaff portion of the market, arms makers recently began offering women some choices with specific features just for them. It is an acknowledgement of basic human physiology and the financial power of market share.

Hand-me-downs from grandad or brother or husband may work well enough for some women, but others need something more personal.

Buying a new or used rifle expands the options,

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but in a limited way, since so few firearms meet the physical needs of female shooters. For a preponderance of women hunters and target shooters, purchasing a firearm falls into the category of compromise between fit and feature. Most fall short of satisfactory.

Today, a few progressive rifle makers are rethinking stock design, weight, barrel length, recoil and caliber to craft new rifles for contemporary women. The results promise to make new generations better markswomen and happier consumers.

The Artemis Named for the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt, the Artemis comes from Kilimanjaro Rifles.

The 37th edition of the

Blue Book of Gun Values calls Kilimanjaro a “current custom rifle manufacturer established in 2010 with headquarters located in Honolulu, HI and manufacturing facilities located in Kalispell, MT.” With beauty worthy of its namesake, the Artemis offers women shooters top quality, innovation and performance, but at a very high price.

The Artemis retails for $14,500 without the upgrades and options. Seeing many in Maine during deer season is unlikely.

But there is no denying its bold design features that could influence the market.

Metal portions of the Artemis receive a ceramic coating over stainless steel. The company uses

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a process of “stealth lamination” to produce stocks of high grade American or Circassian walnut that reportedly perform like synthetic stocks. In all cases the company says that “weight and bulk are kept to a minimum.”

The company also says the Artemis is “designed by women for women – it features a classic profile stock geometry with toe-out and special cast in the butt-stock to move the recoil pad away from critical areas of the feminine anatomy.”

Another claim states that the “open grip is moved forward to correctly position smaller hands.”

Available for every cartridge from .22-250 to .505 Gibbs, and even wildcat cartridges by special order, it is disappointing that the Artemis is so out of reach of the majority of shooters.

Fit for a goddess, the Artemis remains priced for one, as well.

Lady Hunter A bit more reasonable along the pricing scale – where most of us mortals operate – are a couple of other fine rifles designed specifically for women.

The Lady Hunter, a version of the Model III by Savage Arms, is one rifle that could and should be seen in the Maine woods in the hands of women shooters of all ages.

With an MSRP of $899, the Lady Hunter fits more comfortably on the economic reality scale. It wears a walnut stock with feminine design features similar (Continued on next page)

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 71 (Continued from page 70)

to those of the Artemis.

Its 20-inch barrel helps keep the weight between six and six-and-a-half pounds. It also employs Savage’s popular Accu-trigger system, designed to provide precise pull-enhancing accuracy.

The Lady Hunter is offered in seven calibers from the varmint-getting .223 Remington to the all-around .30-’06 Springfield.

For those concerned about recoil, the .270 and .308 Winchester buck less than the .30-’06. But the .243 Winchester and 7mm-08 Remington do so even less, and they offer supreme accuracy. The 6.5mm Creedmoor round also kicks lightly while still offering some excellent long-range performance, Popular with Maine hunters since the advent of smokeless gunpowder 120 years ago, Savage rifles now offer benefits to a new and growing segment of the hunting and shooting population. The Lady Hunter arrives as a sound improvement to the Savage business model.

The beautiful Camilla by Weatherby is just one of several new rifles made just for women. Photo: Weatherby Arms

Weatherby’s “Camilla” Roy Weatherby’s Paso Robles, California company, now with its third generation of Weatherby family leadership, recently launched their own just-for-the-ladies rifle— the Camilla. Named after Roy’s wife, who sold her

rosewood forend and grip cap as well as Fleur-delis checkering, it appears almost as beautiful as the Artemis does, but at one-fifteenth the cost.

Weatherby’s all-female design team reduced the length of pull to 13 inches and also shortened

chester, 6.5mm Creedmoor, .308 Winchester and 7mm-08 Remington, the Camilla seems near perfect for hunting in Maine.

It does seem odd that none of the famous Weatherby proprietary calibers were included

The Savage and Weatherby rifle options for women are priced more reasonably on the economic reality scale. farm to finance the startup of her husband’s firearms empire, the Camilla incorporates the famous Weatherby quality into a design just for women.

At $849, the Camilla makes a superb choice and is similar to the Artemis and the Lady Hunter in many respects. With Turkish walnut stock,

the grip-to-trigger distance while sculpting the stock in female-friendly ways, similar to the two rifles mentioned earlier.

They then chose to offer their creation in four lower recoiling calibers, adequate for all but the largest North American game.

Offered in .243 Win-

in the offerings, since the .224, .240, and .257 Weatherby Magnums seem like natural choices when combined with a good, low-profile telescopic sight. Possibly these Weatherby small-bore, high velocity Magnums do not perform well in the Camilla’s short 20-inch barrel. Regardless, the

available choices provide sufficient accuracy and stopping power.

If only because of the steep price, I will probably never see a Kilimanjaro Artemis rifle, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, or Weatherby’s Camilla, or the Lady Hunter from Savage Arms, to any woman wanting a new rifle.

Finally, women have firearms choices that can facilitate their shooting successes. If Artemis herself looks down from Mount Olympus, or Diana, her Roman counterpart, looks out over the Seven Hills of Rome, they will smile to see what women hunters of today are up to.

¶

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72 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Nate Fenderson waited 17 years for a moose permit, but made the most of the opportunity. www.MaineSportsman.com

-0.4375 in

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���������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 73

— Special Feature —

Nate’s 2015 Moose Hunt

by Nate Fenderson It took me 17 years to be selected for the moose lottery. When my name was drawn in 2015, I felt like I’d won Powerball.

As a registered Maine guide working with OAC Guide Service, I’ve guided moose hunts in most of our state’s zones.

My top choice is Zone 7 – the Rangeley area, full of mountains and beautiful scenery. In fact, a few years ago we helped Robert Brooks harvest the current Maine state archery moose in Zone 7.

Friends and Family I gathered a team of family and friends to help harvest a trophy moose with archery equipment.

To find a trophy bull, we knew we’d have to get high in the mountains, off the beaten path.

September early season moose are generally found around water, but in October they move and head up to high secluded areas.

On Sunday before the opening day, my team – consisting of Jayson Allain, Justin Thibodeau, Deven Morrill and Rick Seavey – headed out to scout different highaltitude areas selected on the topo maps.

When we got back to the camp, we shared stories on what we’d seen while scouting. One area stood out – a spot was on top of a mountain, 3 miles off a dead-end road.

I decided we’d spend a majority of our week there.

I had a hard time sleeping that night.

In Place Before Sunrise We awoke to the smell of breakfast cooking, courtesy of my great

uncle Leo and my wife Janine.

My son Tyler was my sub-permittee. He won a permit in 2014 in Zone 4, harvesting a great bull.

Now it was his dad’s turn.

Together, the team hiked up the mountain in the dark.

It was very quiet, crisp and cold sky, full of bright stars. As we sat in the dark, we heard cows bawling in the distance.

Shooting time finally came, and the pace picked up immediately – we had

Return Engagement Given all the action, we returned the next day.

The morning started off similar to the day before – Jayson and Deven called multiple smaller bulls in range, but they were not trophies.

We hunted till noon, then moved to a different location. On the aerial topo, I’d noticed another set of old cuts on the back side of the mountain.

We worked out a plan – Jayson, Deven and Rick would go down to

he heard it again, much closer. Tyler looked up, eyes wide, and said, “Dad, he’s not far and coming fast – get ready!”

I asked Justin to make a few bull grunts, which he did. The woods got quiet.

Suddenly we saw a fir tree 75 yards out being thrashed back and forth.

Justin made one more cow call, and I could hear the bull walking through the small fir trees, grunting on his way to our location!

75 yards out , we saw a fir tree being thrashed back and forth. two cow moose calling about 75 yards in front of us, with bull grunts not far behind.

We moved into position, with Deven and Jayson making some of the first cow calls of the day. Tyler, Rick and Justin were in my back pocket with video cameras, ready to capture the action.

Forty minutes later, the first bull came into position, but it was not the bull we were looking for – 40 inches, and just a young guy.

After more cow calls, we heard another bull closing in. The small bull quickly left the area.

All of a sudden we saw a great bull – 50-inches plus – closing in. Then it just stopped. I readied myself for a shot, but the bull turned and vanished.

Later we called in six small bulls, but no mature bulls showed themselves. We hiked down the mountain and headed back to camp.

the trucks and meet me, Tyler and Justin on the road system on the other side of the mountain.

We figured we could cover more ground and eliminate a possible hiding place for any mature bulls.

About 400 yards walking along a ridge top, we came to an incredible spot for moose. There were rakings, big wallows and plenty of chewings on the red maple saplings.

There were two shooting lanes that came up to the point where we sat – perfect, because if a bull came in it couldn’t get behind us.

Tyler sprayed some cow-in-heat scent in the air and made a few calls.

Justin sat ready with the camera.

The King Appears We waited in silence for 30 minutes. Then Justin said, “I hear one grunting off in the distance.” Tyler had not yet heard it. I quickly made a few long cow calls and waited. Justin said

My heart beat fast as I readied my bow for a shot. We hadn’t seen the bull’s antlers, but it was acting like a mature bull, showing his dominance.

Suddenly the bull appeared 35 yards away, ears pinned back, swaying its head as it crossed my shooting lane.

I quickly drew my Obsession bow, centered the pin, and hit the release, sending the arrow to its mark.

Accurate Arrow The moose turned and headed back to where it had come from. Then the wood became quiet.

Justin and Tyler both asked, “Did you see the size of that bull’s antlers?” I said I was concentrating so hard on the moose I didn’t notice the antler size.

Tyler and Justin confirmed the arrow hit perfectly.

We waited 30 minutes, then started in on the track. We could see he’d been hit well.

Then we saw the bull,

lying right next to the fir tree he’d been thrashing earlier.

We called Deven, Jayson and Rick to come on up and see the bull.

None of us could believe the size of the antlers – the wide palms and long points

We sat down, reflecting on what had just taken place.

I wanted my wife and my great uncle to be part of this experience, so Justin and Rick went back to camp and brought them up the mountain.

For three hours, we sat next to the bull, sharing stories and enjoying the moment.

Near-Record Using a 4-wheeler and then a trailer, we got the moose out of the woods and headed to Oquossoc’s Rivers Edge Sporting Store to weigh and tag the moose. When we arrived, about 60 people rushed over to see the moose, guessing its weight and antler size.

The moose weighed 798 pounds and earned a Boone & Crockett score of 181 0/8 – just under the current state record held by our guiding customer Bob Brooks.

I thanked Tyler, Janine, Jayson, Justin, Deven, Rick and old Uncle Leo for all their support and help on the hunt. Whether or not I’d harvested a moose, this was about making memories and sharing time with those close to me in the Maine outdoors.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

74 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

CLASSIFIED RATES Subscribers may place one free 20-word classified ad per month, limited to three months. Items for sale must include a price. Real estate ads must include an address or location.

The regular rates are $15 for up to 20 words and 60¢ for each additional word. Include a black and white photo for an additional $10. Check, money order, MasterCard, VISA (Credit or Debit) and AMEX are accepted.

You may submit your ads by: • Phone: 207-357-2702 • E-mail: classifieds@mainesportsman.com • Mail: 183 State Street, Suite 101, Augusta ME 04330 • Website: www.mainesportsman.com

THE DEADLINE FOR FEBRUARY’S ISSUE IS JANUARY 4.

ALL LINE CLASSIFIED ADS MUST BE PREPAID.

FOR RENT PARKMAN, MEBUCKS CROSSING WMD 17, turkey, deer, moose, upland game.

All amenities inc. Great rates- nightly, weekly, monthly. $75/night for two people.

207-277-3183

ROCKWOOD, ME ON MOOSE RIVER Two well equipped, 2 bedroom CAMPS for rent, with access to ATV & Snowmobile trails, and boating into Moosehead Lake, depending on the season. Please check us out on TripAdvisor or call Rose or Dave 207-5340222 LAKEFRONT CABIN ON LITTLE NARROW BASIN of Upper Cold Stream Ponds.

4-season cabin with cable, internet, kayaks, canoe, access to ATV

& snowmobile trails.

Depending on season, can be rented nightly, weekly or monthly. Call Tate (207) 794-4208

$250,000. 802-738-3877

WATERFRONT HOUSE FOR RENT 3 bedrooms & 2 full baths, on Wilson Lake in Wilton, Maine, 5 min. from Farmington. Ice fishing for trout, salmon, bass from house. Close to ITS snowmobile trails. Close proximity to great bird, deer & moose hunting.

Western Maine is a great area for fall foliage.

Fully furnished- bedding provided.

Convenient to Sugarloaf & Sunday River- limitless outdoor recreation!

Book at Homeway.com Listing #4229889 or email: westernmainelakefront@ gmail.com

MACWAHOC 2 ACRE LOT Sonotubes, floor joists, pole and electricity in for 24’ x 24’. 500’ ft. frontage. $10,000. 207-854-8314

–––––––––––––––––

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY HUNTING/FISHING LODGE FOR SALE Active commercial hunting and fishing lodge with 7 cabins, 10 acres, 50 leased bait sites.

SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE TWO ACRES OF LAKEFRONT LAND FOR SALE with a beautiful view. On Great Pond in Franklin, ME. This is a sparsely populated lake, off the grid, very private location, yet 8 miles from Walmart, Home Depot, many other amenities. Highly desirable for Hunters, Fishermen, Snowmobilers and ATVers. This lot comes with a deeded ROW for direct access to Sunrise Trail, an old statewide railroad track.

The road/driveway is in, the soil test is done and it has been surveyed. Ready to go! Priced to sell at $59,000.

Email: macusmc@wwsisp.com

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ ANSWERS 1. The lake trout is also known by the names togue, laker, grey trout and Mackinaw.

2. Yes, the lake trout is native to Maine waters.

–––––––––––––––––

REAL ESTATE

ENFIELD, ME FIXER-UPPER 20’x24’, Unfinished Cottage surrounded by 16 ACRES in ENFIELD, MAINE. $35,000. Am willing to negotiate. Call RAY 207-794-6869 HOME FOR SALE On shore of Moosehead Lake, Harfords Point Road. 2 bedroom, .32 acres, 100+ feet water frontage.

2 Storage buildings. Year round. $250,000, FMI: 207-6957978 25 ACRES LAKEVILLE, MAINE deeded access to 5 lakes & ponds. Nice forest -not cut over. Small Cabin, Great Hunting, Fishing.

Snowmobile, ATV & Hiking trails. $35,000.

207-589-4726 –––––––––––––––––

WANTED WANTED: DEER/ MOOSE SHEDS BUYING any size deer & moose shed antlers/ racks or antlered skulls.

All grades bought by the pound. 802-875-3206

From Page 32

6. Lake trout eat a wide variety of species, including alewives, rain-bow smelt, crustaceans, insects and even small birds and mammals.

3. Lake trout need deep, cold, oxygen-rich waters to flourish.

7. Lake trout can live to be 25 years of age.

4. Maine anglers normally catch lake trout averaging between 18 to 24 inches, and weighing 2 to 4 pounds.

8. A “splake” is a fish resulting from the cross breeding of a lake trout and a brook trout.

5. The largest lake trout caught in Maine weighed 31 pounds, 8 ounces. www.MaineSportsman.com

—

————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Maine Sportsman • January 2017 • 75

Want to See Your Trophy Photo Published in The Maine Sportsman?

Send it to us along with all the details and you might see it in an upcoming issue!

Email production@mainesportsman.com or Mail to 183 State Street, Suite 101, Augusta, ME 04330 Photos to be published at Editor’s discretion. Not all photos may be published.

— FOUR-SEASON GETAWAYS — LEXINGTON TOWNSHIP

NEW PORTLAND

Classic log cabin on Long Falls Dam Road.

Garage, metal roof, furnished, gas heat. Snowmobile right from your yard to the trail! $74,900

Three room camp on wooded site.

Convenient to WUDLOV LQ .LQJĂ€HOG New Portland area. Power, privy but does have a soil test. $39,900

More Camps and Land Available. Call Janet Peruffo at

CSM REAL ESTATE

207-265-4000 • e-mail janet@csmrealestate.com 259 Main Street, Kingfield, ME • www.csmrealestate.com

Fishing & Hunting Moosehead Rockwood, Maine (Moosehead Region) FOR SALE BY OWNER All season easy access to Moosehead Lake. Year round log cabin a must see with a warm wood interior and only 100 yards from Kineo Landing and the public launch. Skiing on Squaw mountain is just 10 minutes away.

Sleeps 8 comfortably. Wood stove with newer 275 Oil tank, deep drilled well, 110 electrical service, cablevision, cedar log wood shed, mostly furnished with vintage hand-hewn beds and much more. If you have ever been to Rockwood, Maine you have likely driven by just beyond Kineo Landing.

Yearly Taxes $284.76. Easy maintenance and always year round access.

Private approved septic. $189,900 Contact Owner Walter at 508-737-1776

BUY MAINE WILD - NORTH MAINE WOODS Caribou/Chesuncook Lake

Newly constructed, 2 bedroom, 1.5 baths on 11+ acres within the gate system. 998’ private lakefront in T3R13.

Includes bunkhouse. Solar, generator, propane, septic, drilled well. Quality throughout. $365,000.

More Photos & Info at ForSalebyOwner.com, 24055780 or Call Owner at 508-237-0785

It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This Located in the “Switzerland of Maine�, a unique opportunity to own a piece of history in a vast wilderness preserve.

Two Story Wood Frame Camp known as “The Library�

Birch Island, Holeb Pond, ME • $125,000 Very unique two story wood frame building formally ĆľĆ&#x;ĹŻĹ?njĞĚ Ä‚Ć? Ä‚ Ä?ĂžƉ͏ůĹ?Ä?ĆŒÄ‚ĆŒÇ‡ Ä¨Ĺ˝ĆŒ ƚŚĞ Ĺ?ĆŒÄ?Ĺš /Ć?ůĂŜĚ ^Ć‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆ&#x;ĹśĹ? ĂžƉĆ? Ĺ˝ĹľĆ‰ĹŻÄžÇ†Í˜ >Ĺ˝Ä?ĂƚĞĚ ŽŜ Ä?ĞĂƾĆ&#x;Ĩƾů ϭϏͲĂÄ?ĆŒÄž Ĺ?ĆŒÄ?Ĺš /Ć?ůĂŜĚ͕ dŚĞ >Ĺ?Ä?ĆŒÄ‚ĆŒÇ‡ Ĺ?Ć? Ć?Ĺ?ƚƾĂƚĞĚ Ĺ?Ĺś ƚŚĞ ĹľĹ?ĚĚůĞ ŽĨ Ä‚ ώϯ͕ϏϏϏͲĂÄ?ĆŒÄž ^ƚĂƚĞ ŽĨ DÄ‚Ĺ?ŜĞ WĆŒÄžĆ?ÄžĆŒÇ€ÄžÍŠ Ć‰ĆŒĹ?ǀĂƚĞůLJ Ĺ˝Ç ĹśÄžÄš ĚĞĞƉ Ç Ĺ˝Ĺ˝ÄšĆ? Ä?ŽžžƾŜĹ?ƚLJ͕ Ĺ?ĆŒÄ?Ĺš /Ć?ůĂŜĚ͛Ć? ĹšĹ?Ć?ĆšĹ˝ĆŒÇ‡ Ĺ?Ć? Ä‚Ć? Ä?ÄžĹ?ĆľĹ?ĹŻĹ?ĹśĹ? Ä‚Ć? Ĺ?ĆšĆ? ĆŒĆľĆ?Ć&#x;Ä? Ä?ĞĂƾƚLJ ĂŜĚ ÄžÇ†ĆšĆŒÄ‚Ĺ˝ĆŒÄšĹ?ĹśÄ‚ĆŒÇ‡ ĹŻĹ˝Ä?Ä‚Ć&#x;Ĺ˝ĹśÍ˜

Ĺ?ĆŒÄ?Ĺš /Ć?ůĂŜĚ Ç Ä‚Ć? Ä?ĆľĹ?ĹŻĆš ĂŜĚ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞĚ Ĺ?Ĺś ƚŚĞ ůĂƚĞ ϭϾƚŚ Ä?ÄžĹśĆšĆľĆŒÇ‡ Ä?LJ ĹľĹ?ĹŻĹŻĹ?ŽŜĂĹ?ĆŒÄžĆ? Ä¨ĆŒĹ˝Ĺľ WĹšĹ?ůĂĚĞůƉŚĹ?Ä‚Í• EÄžÇ zĹ˝ĆŒĹŹ ĂŜĚ Ĺ˝Ć?ĆšĹ˝ĹśÍ˜ dĹšĹ?Ć? Ĺ?ĆŒĹ˝ĆľĆ‰ ŽĨ Ç ÄžÄ‚ĹŻĆšĹšÇ‡ Ć?Ć‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆšĆ?žĞŜ Ç Ä‚ĹśĆšÄžÄš ƚŽ Ä?ĆŒÄžÄ‚ĆšÄž Ä‚ Ć‰ĆŒĹ?ǀĂƚĞ Ć?Ä‚ĹśÄ?ĆšĆľÄ‚ĆŒÇ‡ ĚĞĚĹ?Ä?ĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ Ć‰ĆŒĹ˝Ç€Ĺ?ÄšĹ?ĹśĹ? Ć‰ĆŒÄžĹľĹ?ÄžĆŒÄž ÄŽĆ?ĹšĹ?ĹśĹ?Í• ŚƾŜĆ&#x;ĹśĹ?Í• ĹšĹ?ĹŹĹ?ĹśĹ? ĂŜĚ Ä?ĂŜŽĞĹ?ĹśĹ?Í– ĂŜĚ ƚŚĂƚ͛Ć? ĞdžĂÄ?ƚůLJ Ç ĹšÄ‚Ćš Ĺ?ĆŒÄ?Ĺš /Ć?ůĂŜĚ ĚĞůĹ?Ç€ÄžĆŒĆ?͘ DĞžÄ?ÄžĆŒĆ? ǀĂÄ?Ä‚Ć&#x;ŽŜĞĚ ĹšÄžĆŒÄž Ĺ?Ĺś Ĺ?ĆŒÄ‚ĹśÄš Ć?ƚLJůĞ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ ϳϹ ĹľĹ?ĹŻÄžĆ? ŽĨ ĆŒĹ?Ç€ÄžĆŒ ÄŽĆ?ĹšĹ?ĹśĹ? ĂŜĚ ĎŻĎŹ ĹŻÄ‚ĹŹÄžĆ? ĂŜĚ ƉŽŜĚĆ? all within a 5 mile radius. dŚĞ >Ĺ?Ä?ĆŒÄ‚ĆŒÇ‡ Ć?ÄžĆŒÇ€ÄžÄš Ä‚Ć? ƚŚĞ Ć?Ĺ?ĹśĹ?ĆľĹŻÄ‚ĆŒ Ĺ?Ä‚ĆšĹšÄžĆŒĹ?ĹśĹ? ƉůĂÄ?Äž Ä¨Ĺ˝ĆŒ ƚŚĞ ĞŜĆ&#x;ĆŒÄž Ä?ŽžžƾŜĹ?ĆšÇ‡Í˜ dĹšĹ?Ć? Ä?ĆľĹ?ĹŻÄšĹ?ĹśĹ? Ĺ?Ć? Ć?Ĺ?žƉůLJ Ä‚Ç Ä‚Ć?Ĺš Ĺ?Ĺś ĹšĹ?Ć?ĆšĹ˝ĆŒÇ‡ ŽĨ Ä‚Ĺś ÄžĆŒÄ‚ Ĺ?ŽŜĞ Ä?LJ͘ ŜĚ͕ Ç ĹšĹ?ĹŻÄž Ä‚Ä?Ä?ÄžĆ?Ć? Ĺ?Ĺś ƚŚĞ ůĂƚĞ Ď­Ď´ĎŹĎŹÍ›Ć? Ç Ä‚Ć? Ä‚ ĚĂƾŜĆ&#x;ĹśĹ? Ä‚ÄŤÄ‚Ĺ?ĆŒÍ• ŽŜĞ Ä?Ä‚Ĺś ĞĂĆ?Ĺ?ůLJ ĆŒÄžÄ‚Ä?Ĺš ƚŚĞ Ä?ĞĂÄ?Ĺš ĆľĆ&#x;ĹŻĹ?ÇŒĹ?ĹśĹ? ƚŚĞ ϭϲн ĹľĹ?ĹŻÄžĆ? ŽĨ Ç ÄžĹŻĹŻÍ˛ĹľÄ‚Ĺ?ŜƚĂĹ?ŜĞĚ ĹŻĹ˝Ĺ?Ĺ?Ĺ?ĹśĹ? ĆŒĹ˝Ä‚ÄšĆ?͘ Ć? Ä‚Ĺś Ĺ˝Ç ĹśÄžĆŒ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ Ĺ?ĆŒÄ?Ĺš /Ć?ůĂŜĚ ŽžžƾŜĹ?ƚLJ LJŽƾ Ç Ĺ?ĹŻĹŻ ŚĂǀĞ ƾŜĹ?ƋƾĞ ĂŜĚ ĆľĹśĆ‰ĆŒÄžÄ?ĞĚĞŜƚĞĚ Ä‚Ä?Ä?ÄžĆ?Ć? ƚŽ Ä‚ Ç Ĺ?ĹŻÄšÄžĆŒĹśÄžĆ?Ć? ƉůĂLJĹ?ĆŒĹ˝ĆľĹśÄšÍ˜ zÄžÄ‚ĆŒ ĆŒĹ˝ĆľĹśÄš Ä‚Ä?Ć&#x;Ç€Ĺ?Ć&#x;ÄžĆ? Ä‚Ä?ŽƾŜĚ Ĺ?ĹśÄ?ůƾĚĹ?ĹśĹ? Ä?ĂŜŽĞĹ?ĹśĹ?Í• ŏĂLJĂŏĹ?ĹśĹ?Í• ĹšĹ?ĹŹĹ?ĹśĹ?Í• ÄŽĆ?ĹšĹ?ĹśĹ?Í• ŚƾŜĆ&#x;ĹśĹ? ĂŜĚ Ć?ĹśĹ˝Ç ĹľĹ˝Ä?Ĺ?ĹŻĹ?ĹśĹ?ÍŠ KŜĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ žŽĆ?Ćš Ä?ĞĂƾĆ&#x;Ĩƾů ĂŜĚ ĆľĹśÄ¨Ĺ˝ĆŒĹ?ĞƊĂÄ?ĹŻÄž ÄžÇ†Ć‰ÄžĆŒĹ?ĞŜÄ?ÄžĆ?Í• Ĺ?Ć? ƚŚĞ DŽŽĆ?Äž ZĹ?Ç€ÄžĆŒ Ĺ˝Ç dĆŒĹ?Ć‰Í˜

dŚĞ Ĺ˝Ç dĆŒĹ?Ɖ Ä?ÄžĹ?Ĺ?ĹśĆ? ĹŠĆľĆ?Ćš ŽƾƚĆ?Ĺ?ĚĞ ŽĨ Ç‡Ĺ˝ĆľĆŒ ÄšĹ˝Ĺ˝ĆŒ ĂŜĚ Ĺ?Ć? ŽŜĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ žŽĆ?Ćš Ç ÄžĹŻĹŻÍ˛ĹŹĹśĹ˝Ç Ĺś žƾůĆ&#x;ͲĚĂLJ ƉĂĚĚůĞ ĆšĆŒĹ?ƉĆ? Ĺ?Ĺś ƚŚĞ Ć?ƚĂƚĞ ŽĨ DÄ‚Ĺ?ŜĞ͕ Ĺ˝ĆŒ Ä¨Ĺ˝ĆŒ ƚŚĂƚ ĹľÄ‚ĆŠÄžĆŒ Ĺ?Ĺś ƚŚĞ EĹ˝ĆŒĆšĹšÄžÄ‚Ć?ĆšÍ˜ dĆŒÄ‚Ç€ÄžĹŻÄžÄš Ä?LJ žĂŜLJ Ĺ?ŜĚĹ?Ç€Ĺ?ĚƾĂůĆ? ĞĂÄ?Ĺš Ç‡ÄžÄ‚ĆŒ Ĺ?Ćš Ä‚ÄŤĹ˝ĆŒÄšĆ? ƚŚĞ Ć‰Ä‚ÄšÄšĹŻÄžĆŒ Ä‚ ƉůĂÄ?Äž ƚŽ ÄžÇ†Ć‰ÄžĆŒĹ?ĞŜÄ?Äž ƚŚĞ Ć‹ĆľĹ?Ğƚ Ä?ĞĂƾƚLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ Ç Ĺ˝Ĺ˝ÄšĆ? Ĺ?Ĺś EĹ˝ĆŒĆšĹšÇ ÄžĆ?ĆšÄžĆŒĹś DÄ‚Ĺ?ĹśÄžÍ˜ &ĆŒĹ˝Ĺľ Ć?Ä?ĞŜĹ?Ä?Í• Ĺ?Ć?ůĂŜĚ Ć?ƚƾĚĚĞĚ ƉŽŜĚĆ? ĹŻĹ?ĹŹÄž ƊĞĂŜ ĂŜĚ ,ŽůĞÄ? ƚŽ Ć?ĹšĹ˝ĆŒĆšÍ• ĨƾŜͲĎůůĞĚ Ä?ĹŻÄ‚Ć?Ć? / ĂŜĚ // ĆŒÄ‚Ć‰Ĺ?ÄšĆ? ƚŚĞ ĆšĆŒĹ?Ɖ Ĺ˝ÄŤÄžĆŒĆ? Ć?ŽžĞƚŚĹ?ĹśĹ? ĆšĆŒĆľĹŻÇ‡ Ć?ƉĞÄ?ƚĂÄ?ĆľĹŻÄ‚ĆŒ Ä¨Ĺ˝ĆŒ Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ Ć‰Ä‚ÄšÄšĹŻÄžĆŒĆ?͘

ŽŜ͛ƚ ĹľĹ?Ć?Ć? Žƾƚ ŽŜ ƚŚĹ?Ć? ĆšĆŒĆľĹŻÇ‡ ƾŜĹ?ƋƾĞ͕ ŽŜÄ?Äž Ĺ?Ĺś Ä‚ ĹŻĹ?ĨĞĆ&#x;žĞ Ĺ˝Ć‰Ć‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆšĆľĹśĹ?ƚLJ ƚŽ Ĺ˝Ç Ĺś ŽŜĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĹŻÄ‚Ć?Ćš ǀĞĆ?Ć&#x;Ĺ?ÄžĆ? ŽĨ Ä‚ ĆšĆŒĆľÄž Ć?Ć‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆšĆ?žĞŜ͛Ć? Ä?ŽžžƾŜĹ?ĆšÇ‡Í˜ Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ ZĹ?Ä?ĹŹ ϾϳϴͲϴϳϏͲώϭώϯ

Open concept camp, partially wired for generator, year round access, electricity available, 10+/- acres RI ÀHOG DFUHV RI ZRRGODQG ORQJ LQterior road leading from Route. 2. $69,000

Burlington- Attractive 2 bedroom cotWDJH ÀQLVKHG LQWHULRU ZLWK SLQH H[SRVHG VSUXFH WLPEHUV ZRRG à RRUV ODUJH URRPV full foundation, septic, drilled well, 127’ along Madagascal Pond. $139,900

Lincoln- 51 acre commercial parcel bordering Lincoln Municipal Airport, small JUDYHO SLW LQWHULRU URDG $79 VQRZPRELOH WUDLOV HOHFWULFLW\ QDWXUDO JDV DYDLOable, 1,260’ on Penobscot River. $500,000

Mattamiscontis- 1LFH DFUH ORWV \HDU URXQG DFFHVV FORVH WR , /LQFROQ¡V DPHQLWLHV RZQHU ÀQDQFLQJ HQMR\ ÀVKLQJ SDGGOLQJ GXFN KXQWLQJ DORQJ WKH PDMHVWLF Penobscot River. $19,900 HDFK Lowell- Private 3.25 acre lot, driveway, large gravel pad waiting for a cabin or camper, privy onsite, beautiful recreDWLRQDO DUHD QLFH YLHZ RI ODNH ¡ RQ Eskutassis Pond

Lincoln- Well cleared 2.1+/- acre lot, ¡[ ¡ EXQNKRXVH SDUN DQ 59 XQGHUFRYer onsite, multiple outbuildings for storDJH ÀUH SLW SDWK WKH YHU\ QLFH IURQWDJH on Mattanawcook Lake. $55,900

Springfield- 38.5 acre parcel close to $79LQJ VQRZPRELOLQJ FROG ZDUP ZDWHU ÀVKLQJ 1LFH KLJK SLHFH RI JURXQG ZLWK ORWV RI SRWHQWLDO RZQHU ÀQDQFLQJ Good corner lot on Moores Road. $17,900

Lincoln- Year round accessible 1.9 to 2.58 acre lots, driveways, gravel pads, electricity available, ready for building, great VZLPPLQJ ERDWLQJ ÀVKLQJ RQ Caribou Pond HDFK Lee- Private location, ATV trail runs by, DFUHV ZLWK GULYHZD\ VQRZPRELOH trails nearby, great place for a camp WR KXQW WUDS ORFDWHG MXVW RII Route 6. $19,000 Medford- DFUHV GULYHZD\ JUDYHO SDG ODUJH FOHDUHG DUHD QLFH EURRN DV boundary, on ATV/snowmobile trail, close WR ODUJH FROG ZDWHU ODNH ORQJ IURQWDJH on Railroad Bed Road. $29,900

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 om

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 FORMATION ON OUR PROPERTIES VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT CWALAKESTREET.COM

www.MaineSportsman.com

76 • January 2017 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

FISHING SEASON CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH Stop by our Hunting & Fishing Store in Freeport, open 24/7

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Trusted gear. Legendary service. Expert advice.

All at our Hunting & Fishing Store.

Come in and check out our extensive selection of new and used long guns firsthand – available from over two dozen manufacturers. We can also special order firearms, ammunition, optics and more. Contact our firearms experts at usedguns@llbean.com or call 207.552.7728.

Check our calendar for free clinics & events at

LLBEAN.COM/FREEPORT www.MaineSportsman.com