The Maine Sportsman - January 2019 by The Maine Sportsman - Digital Edition

Sportsman The Maine

January 2019 • $4.99

Snowmobiling in Maine Youth Snowmobiles & Purchasing a Used Sled Pages 17 & 23

Harvesting Ice on “North” Millinocket Lake Page 46

ICE FISHING 101 Page 25

Coyote Control

Pages 29, 51, 63

Hunter Injured When Firing Cap Explodes in Pocket Page 5

2 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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Grand Lake Lodge

Grand Lake Lodge, with its six cozy cabins, sits right on the shore of West Grand Lake, in Grand Lake Stream. West Grand Lake offers miles and miles of pristine waters – the perfect habitat for landlocked salmon, lake trout and smallmouth bass, with waters so crystal-clear that anglers say you can see the fish before you catch them! Morgan and Tara Rosenberg are in their inaugural year of ownership. They cannot wait to welcome back Grand Lake Lodge returnees and meet new guest setting foot here for the first time. They look forward to providing the same great accommodations right on the water and a short walk to the stream as did the previous owners of 15 years, Chris & Lindsay Wheaton. Local Registered Maine Guides offer guests top-notch fishing/hunting experiences on and around the 31 lakes that make up the Grand Lake Watershed. West Grand Lake is open for

fishing from ice-out through October 1, and stays open for catch-and-release angling from October 1st – 20th. Grand Lake Stream, a world-class landlocked salmon fishery, is open from April 1st through October 20th, and offers a three-mile-long, fly fishing-only stream full of healthy landlocked salmon. Hunting for white-tailed deer, birds (grouse, woodcock), moose and black bear is phenomenal. Guides are available to assist hunters in navigating the thousands of acres of remote land surrounding the lodge. Each of the six comfortably-heated cabins offers a screened-in porch, with a shoreline view, fully-appointed kitchen, full bath

with shower, BBQ and bonfire pit to relax around during the evening, sharing the day’s adventures with each other while star-gazing that’s unlike anything you ever see in the city. Grand Lake Lodge boasts gorgeous scenery and abundant wildlife. making it the perfect family vacation destination. Guest will enjoy fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, exploring, and swimming, all included with their stay. Motorized boats are available for rent, or guest can dock their own. For non-guests who are just spending the day, our equipment is available for rent to access the many islands and explore hidden beaches, satisfying their adventurous spirit. To book your next fishing trip or family vacation, call GLL at (207) 796-5584, email to info@grandlakelodgemaine.com, or visit website at www.GrandLakeLodgeMaine.com.

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4 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Editorial

Time for Public Funding for DIF&W We agree with George Smith (see “Capitol Report,” December 2018 issue of The Maine Sportsman) – it’s time to demand that the legislature implement public funding for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W). The department needs dedicated and consistent funding to continue providing the facilities and services the public expects and has come to rely on. Currently, money from the sale of hunting, fishing and trapping licenses pays for many essential positions: the public information staff at the Department who answer the phone and respond to questions about fish and wildlife; the folks who ensure that birds and other animals are there for viewing; the state employees who develop boat ramps used by recreational boaters; the biologists who protect loons, seabirds, bald eagles, lynx and cottontail rabbits; and the wardens who rescue you when you are lost while hiking. The Department’s landowner relations program is but one example of an activity that benefits all users of the outdoors – whether or not they purchase a license to conduct their activity. In fact, fewer than 25% of Maine’s 1.4 million residents purchase licenses from the Department to help pay the bills. The wide range of unfunded services the public expects from the Department has a real cost. Years ago, the legislature learned in a report that conservation of non-game species cost an estimated $191,000 per year; technical services to other agencies was valued at $150,000; public assistance (responding to requests for help and information from the general public) cost $140,000; land acquisition, conservation and management for recreational uses such as nature study, cross-country skiing and hiking required expenditures of $180,000; assistance to other law enforcement agencies (such as state police and sheriffs) was valued at $81,000; and search-andrescue for lost and missing persons cost the Department $422,000. The total of these unfunded costs to the Department was $1.16 million – and those numbers have only increased with the passage of time. Fish and wildlife brings $1.1 billion per year into the state, and we believe at least some of this money should be returned to the Department to maintain and enhance fish and wildlife conservation activities. Years ago, then-Governor King made a commitment that 18% of the Department’s budget would be covered by the General Fund. Since then, that level of funding has been provided, only in some years and not in others – the amount is always subject to the vagaries of the budget process. Other states are already ahead of Maine on this score – the most recent being Georgia. That state just enacted a new law, effective July 2019, titled the “Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act,” which directs that up to 80 percent of all monies received from sales taxes assessed at sporting goods stores be dedicated to the stewardship fund, to pay for the protection of conservation land, including wildlife management areas. The Maine legislature has tried loon conservation license plates, special lottery tickets and other “voluntary” funding mechanisms, but now it’s time to implement a predictable, reliable source of revenue. We need to allow the Department to repair and maintain its infrastructure, rather than having to seek emergency funding when a crisis occurs, such as occurred several years ago when the Casco fish hatchery, constructed in 1955, predictably broke down. The budget for the Department is $46 million, but license fees bring in only $39 million. There is no one else to do the critical conservation and search-andrescue work performed by the Department – it’s time for legislators to step up and implement the funding mechanism necessary for the Department’s stable operation. This goal should be a top priority for the incoming legislature.

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Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 556 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Linda Lapointe linda@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices. All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Phone: 207-622-4242 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 Almanac by Will Lund........................................................ 11 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves......................... 29 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia...................... 56 Bird of the Month, by Erika Zambello............................... 12 Capitol Report by George Smith..................................... 15 Central Maine by Steve Vose........................................... 51 Downeast Region by Jim Lemieux................................... 36 Editorial.................................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by Lou Zambello........................... 49 Jackman by William Sheldon........................................... 38 Jottings by Jon Lund............................................................ 7 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon............................. 46 Kate’s Wild Kitchen by Kate Krukowski Gooding........... 55 Letters to the Editor.............................................................. 5 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour....................................... 28 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose................................... 53 Midcoast Report by Tom Seymour................................... 35 Moosehead by Tom Seymour.......................................... 33 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.................................. 43 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie................................ 23 Outdoor Chronicle by Ed Pineau..................................... 54 Quotable Sportsman by George Smith........................... 16 Rangeley Region by William Clunie................................. 60 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers................................. 68 Saltwater by Barry Gibson................................................. 65 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth......................... 40 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews...................... 52 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard................................. 58 Smilin’ Sportsman: Adults & Kids by Will Lund.................. 68 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery....................... 9 Southern Maine by Val Marquez..................................... 61 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller...................... 48 Trading Post (Classifieds)................................................... 69 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour........................................... 41 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.................. 63 Young Maine Sportsman by Luke Giampetruzzi............ 45

SPECIAL SECTIONS

Ice Fishing in Maine by Jon Lund..................................... 25

CORRECTION: Gould Pond (Sidney) Closed to Ice Fishing

On the Cover: The mighty Mt. Katahdin appears to loom over these riders on Millinocket Lake, even though the mountain is more than ten miles to the north/northwest. Here, Mike McVey and Taylor Walker take in the views of Baxter Peak, South Peak, Chimney Peak and Pamola. Photo by Taylor Walker

In our December story, “Ice Fishing Preparation and Technique,” on page 25, we mistakenly included Gould Pond in Sidney in our discussion of Central Maine waters available to ice fishermen. In fact, Gould Pond is covered by a special fishing law, and is designated “Cl” [closed to ice fishing]. Thank you to Sportsman reader Gary Sirois for bringing this error to our attention. www.MaineSportsman.com

Snowmobiling in Maine by Shane Brown........................ 17

Letters

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 5

To The Editor

Hunter Injured When AA Batteries in Pocket Cause Muzzleloader 209 Primer to Discharge

To the Editor: I suffered an injury while in-line muzzleloader hunting this season, and I am trying to spread the word to help others, especially young hunters, avoid this happening to them. I was hunting in New Gloucester on the last day of the 2018 season, when I heard a loud bang and experienced a burning pain in my thigh. My first thought was that I’d been shot, but no – my rifle was pointed in a safe direction, and I knew I was the only hunter in the area. I could feel blood running down my leg. Peeling down my wool pants and long-johns, I could see a hole in my thigh, about ¼-inch in diameter. Then I put my hand in my pocket, and found two warm, slightly charred AA batteries for use in my GPS. I also noticed the inside liner of my pants pocket had a hole burned through it, but there was no corresponding hole in the outside of the pocket. I quickly figured out that a 209 primer had somehow been set off by the batteries. I got a ride back to a relative’s farmhouse, and then cleaned the wound and looked for the primer – I figured it must have fallen down inside my pant leg and landed in my sock or boot. However, a careful search revealed no primer. So I sought medical help at Urgent Care. The doctor was not a black-powder hunter, and I had to show him a YouTube video so he

understood. An x-ray revealed the primer – embedded in my thigh! Who knew a primer had that much potential force? It blew out a hole on the inside of the heavy pocket lining, then traveled through two pairs of long underwear and into my leg, ending up an inch down into the muscle. I had to return to the doctor’s office two days later to have it surgically removed. The moral of the story – Don’t keep batteries and primers in the same pocket. But how was the charge ignited? The accompanying photo may help explain what happened.

The battery on the right is a normal battery, while the battery in the middle is one of the batteries that caused the problem. The round donut-shaped piece is an insulator, and it fits over the positive post. The outer cylinder is negative or ground. The round insulator prevents electricity from passing from the positive post to the negative cylinder, but it is very thin, and in this case it must have worn through. I have made many small sparks touching the two batteries together with a paperclip. The primer in my pocket must have caused a similar spark. I believe this is how the primer discharged. My purpose in writing to The Maine Sportsman is to let other hunters know that this unlikely result can occur. So be cautious with primers, and especially don’t let them come in incidental contact with batteries. Melvin Heath - Poland, ME —

Snipe are for Real To the Editor: Next season I will again be traveling to Maine to hunt grouse and woodcock. I’m hoping to sneak in some snipe hunts before the other seasons open up. I have hunted snipe a great deal here in Florida, so I think I know the habitat to look for. Any tips as to public lands that may be worth a look? I have been researching the coastal areas from Bar Harbor up to Lubec, but am mobile and open to suggestions. Dave Borras - Islamorada FL Editor’s response: I remembered that our “Central Maine” columnist, Steve Vose, had hunted snipe, so I asked his advice. Here’s his response: I hunted snipe on a state Wildlife Management Area that borders Merrymeeting Bay a number of years ago, using waders and my 20g with #6 steel shot. You really have to time the tides – if the tide is too high, you can’t wade effectively; too little and the birds wouldn’t flush, as there was simply too much cover. If I had to do it over again, I would get a canoe and take turns shooting and paddling with a friend. Again, time the tides, as that entire area turns into one giant mudflat at low tide. Good luck, Dave, and please report back on the outcome of your efforts. Steve Editor’s Note: See more on snipe in “Birds of the Month,” page 12. —

Harbor Pollock in Southern Maine? To the Editor: I’m an avid reader of Tom Seymour’s articles in The Maine Sportsman, and have always wanted to try fishing for harbor pollock. I will be in southern Maine in early to mid-November of next year. I’ve read his ar(Continued on next page)

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6 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Letters to the Editor (Continued from page 5)

ticles on harbor pollock in the mid-coast region. Any idea if this species is prolific in the area between Kittery and Portland? Any information is appreciated, and please tell Tom to keep writing those terrific articles. Joe Cedrone - Dedham, MA Tom Seymour responds: While I seldom venture south of Rockland, Maine, I’m sure that harbor pollock come in down around the area from Portland to Kittery. Try fishing from floats and public landings, where permitted. These pollock prefer structure, and often hang under docks and floats. Here in the Midcoast area where I fish, huge schools hang near the ferry landing in Lincolnville, and they remain there until it becomes so cold that fishing is more punishment than fun. However, things are changing. In mid-October I went pollock fishing, thinking they surely would be in by then, and found not a single pollock. But I still caught fish. A big school of horse (large) mackerel was in the same place where harbor pollock should have been. That was unheard of. A few mackerel often hang around until November, but nothing like the immense school I encountered. So even if the pollock aren’t in where you fish, you may still have fun with mackerel. By the way, I gave a bunch to a friend and he smoked them and gave me some. They were among the finest smoked fish I’ve ever tasted. – Tom —

Using My GreatGrandfather’s Compass -“North is Still North” To the Editor: Let me relate for Maine Sportsman readers a story about using my great-grandfather’s compass. Legal shooting time had passed. The woods were growing darker and darker. We had to get out before there was no light at all. I pulled Granddad’s compass out of my coat pocket and let the needle settle. East was that way. That direction should bring us to the road. My compass is over one hundred years old. It belonged to my great grandfather, the doctor, so it was a good one. What they called a hunter case. Like on an old pocket watch, the cover snapped closed. I could barely see the small north-pointing arrow, but it was enough. I plowed through the thick pines, then checked the compass once more. “This way,” it said. “East is over there.” I picked up my pace, anxious now to reach the road before total darkness. Up a short rise, and we stepped out into the road. The truck was to the right. I breathed a little sigh of relief, glad to be out of the woods and secure in knowing where I was. My grandfather used that little compass most of his life, then it passed on to my dad and then to me. Not everyone would use such an old instrument. I never knew my great grandfather the doctor. He died before I was born. But I knew my grandfather well. I owed him a lot for having taught me how to hunt and fish and camp and canoe.

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Carrying that little compass is like having Gramps along with me again. I like that the compass still works as good as it ever did. Some things don’t change. North is still north. The woods and the animals and long winter nights are the same now as when great grandfather and grandfather hunted these hills. Admittedly their Maine was a more rural place with fewer people and fewer cars and more horses and more dependence on the land. I sometimes wish I lived back then when life seemed simpler. So I carry Granddad’s ancient compass and think about the old days and old ways and how both of those men depended on that little north-pointing needle to lead them safely home. One of my children will inherit this little compass when I’m no longer here. Then maybe they’ll pass it on to their children. I’m sure it will point the way for them as faithfully as it has for all of us who have trusted its little needle in years gone by. Our world, even in Maine, seems to be changing too quickly, and maybe not always for the better. Granddad’s compass hasn’t changed, though, and that gives me confidence. North is still north. Randy Randall - Saco, ME

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Skilled Floatplane Pilot Makes Stealthy Approach from the Air The small floatplane hovered just behind and downwind of the Rangeley boat. It was descending and moving quietly, the engine barely idling. The occupant was intent on spotting something on the pond. The object of the scrutiny was us. It was the early 1960s, and Dad and I were fishing Redington Pond. The wind was blowing briskly from the upper end of the pond toward the dam. Since the wind that day made it difficult to cast, we would motor up to the shallow end of the pond, cut the engine and let the craft drift slowly toward the dam, as we would cast our flies. The system worked well, and we enjoyed fast action. When the boat neared the dam, we would reel in our lines, hook the flies onto our reels, put our flyrods down and motor back up to the shallow part of the pond before shutting off the motor and drift downwind again.

Because I’d been focusing my attention on operating the outboard motor, I had not heard or noticed the silent gliding descent of the single engine float plane, until it was quite close.

Our engine was a Johnson 2 ½-horsepower that moved us upwind steadily. Pond Created to Float Logs Redington Pond, east of Rangeley Lake (Delorme Atlas Map 29, E-2), had been formed many

years earlier when a log-driving dam was constructed on the stream to create a head pond. Water was released from the

pond each spring to float pulp logs down Orbeton Stream to the Sandy River, from which they headed farther downriver to a

paper mill on the Kennebec. Years later, an earthen dam was constructed, enlarging the pond. Brookies and Browns The pond was shallow and fertile, and had sufficient cold water flow to provide good trout habitat. A narrow gauge railroad track followed the stream valley. According to local lore, on one occasion a cargo of brown trout was being carried by the railroad, and a few brown trout somehow managed to escape into the pond. The brown trout thrived along with the native brookies, and a few of the brownies grew large. Two major tributaries flowed into the pond, and, we were told, brook trout spawned in one and brownies (Continued on next page)

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8 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Jottings (Continued from page 7)

spawned in the other, with neither species gaining the upper hand. No Trolling The pond was subject to a “fly fishing only” regulation, which required the angler to cast and retrieve the fly. Thus, trolling was not permitted. Because I was focusing my attention on operating the outboard motor, I had not heard or noticed the silent gliding descent of the single engine float plane, until it was quite close, and the pilot throttled up his engine speed and began to regain altitude, at the same time, banking off to his left, away from us. Only then did Dad and I realize that the floatplane was undoubtedly

piloted by a warden, who suspected that we might be trolling rather than fly-fishing. He had to fly low enough to see that as we motored upwind, our rods were in the boat and our lines were not in the water. Perhaps he was disappointed, or maybe he was relieved to learn that he was watching law-abiding anglers. Dad and I were happy that we’d been fly-casting lawfully. Big Pond Lost to Washout Unfortunately, the earthen dam was never planted with grass and other vegetation. Some years later, an unusually heavy rainfall brought on a flash flood, causing

the water to overflow the outlet spillway and wash out the entire earthen dam. Only the remains of the older log-driving dam could be seen, providing a much smaller pond. The pond’s outlet, Orbeton Stream, is currently the site of major efforts to re-establish a run of Atlantic Salmon in the Kennebec Watershed by planting eggs in suitable gravel beds. The Navy later acquired the land surrounding Redington Pond, and it became the site of the Navy’s survival training facility. I believe the area is currently posted. Perhaps some of the Navy top brass find time to stop by and check out the fly-fishing. I hope some of the enlisted personnel get a chance to wet a line, too. It came as a surprise

to me to learn how quiet a small plane can be when gliding in at the hands of a skilled pilot. It should be a warning to would-be poachers. An Innocent Runner? I am reminded of the story, probably folklore, of two anglers who were traveling in a pickup truck leaving a popular fishing spot. A State Fish and Game warden stepped into the road and signaled the driver to stop. As the truck came to a stop, the man in the passenger seat popped open the door, jumped out and ran like a scared deer toward a nearby field. He was young and speedy. He crossed the field and ran into the woods, with the warden in hot pursuit. In the dense growth, he couldn’t run as fast, but moved as quickly as

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he could. After a while, he stopped to catch his breath, and heard a voice call out, “Hold it right there!” He stopped, and the warden caught up with him. The Warden demanded to see his license. The man searched through several pockets and eventually came up with a small card from his breast pocket, which he handed to the warden. The warden looked the card over carefully, and handed it back and said, “This is a valid fishing license. Why did you run from me?” The man replied, “Well, I have a license, all right, but the old guy who gave me a ride in his truck – I don’t think he has a license!”

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Cross Over the River: Ghosts of the Rappahannock The small white flies hatched and rose, surrounded by an eerie mist that wafted skyward in the early morning. The sun’s first rays illuminated the beating wings of the mayflies as they struggled free from their watery birthplace; in a few hours or days, the river would be their tomb as well. I stood midstream, mesmerized by the combination of natural events flooding my senses, enhanced by the surrounding sound of the gently flowing river. My fly rod, cradled in one arm like a rifle at rest, felt cool and damp—and all too familiar. My gaze moved upriver and, with my other senses following, I detected the subtle yet distinctive rumblings of an army on the move. I remembered that this area, so peaceful now, played a major role in the Civil War, almost 153 years ago. The ghosts from the past seemed very near today. “Rising and Falling Water” The upper Rappahannock River between Fauquier and Culpeper Counties in Virginia was about a foot or two higher

than an angling opportunity; its many faces glinted with the sun’s reflections. And the surrounding woods, framing its borders, seemed full of shadows, some gray, some blue, and the trees seemed alive…..

Smith Coleman was a school teacher, outdoors outfitter and fishing guide when we flyfished the Rappahannock years ago. A long-time Virginian, his family had ancestors in the American Civil War on the Southern side. All Photos by King Montgomery

than normal. “Rappahannock” in the Algonquin language means “rapidly rising and falling water.” Last year the river had carried too little water because of drought— the year before, too. The rains finally came and raised the river, and by tomorrow or the next day it would live up to its native name. But today the fishing was good, and smallmouth bass, fallfish, rock bass and numerous pumpkinseed, bluegill and redbreast sunfishes rose readily to the fly. The aerial antics of the hooked bass contrasted with the dogged runs of the bream.

Today the fishing was good, and smallmouth bass, fallfish, rock bass and numerous pumpkinseed, bluegill, and redbreast sunfishes rose readily to the fly. The aerial antics of the hooked bass contrasted with the dogged runs of the bream.

Muddler Minnow, and Foam Popper Smith Coleman and I entered the river at the Rappahannock River Campground, near Richardsville, a 30-minute drive from Fredericksburg and further still from Smith’s home near Port Royal. We were in jeans and light wader boots with felt soles that grip moss-covered rocks. The fish were taking surface flies; some sipped them like trout while others smashed them with abandon, sending water exploding upward in all directions. Fortunately, this was the most violent act this day, because we quickly and gently

released all the fish we would catch. Smith worked a Muddler Minnow on top, drying the fly with several false casts before shooting the line gently to the target. The Muddler has been around for many years, but I fished a new topwater fly made of space-age material, closed cell foam and feathers. The foam popper was matching the old Muddler Minnow fish for fish – it was one of those days. A river can be a barrier or a connector, a deterrent or a lifeline; its water can bring life or death, pleasure or fear. Fishing here today, the river provided more

MG Thomas J. Jackson earned his nickname “Stonewall” at the First Battle of Manassas in Virginia in 1861 when he encouraged his troops by standing firmly in front of a Union attack “… like a stone wall.”

Union Army Attempts to Avenge Chancellorsville In mid April 1863, General “Fighting Joe” Hooker’s Army of the Potomac moved south across the Rappahannock in an attempt to flank General Robert E. Lee’s smaller and more dispersed Army of Northern Virginia. Hooker had replaced the hapless Burnside after his last debacle at Fredericksburg in December 1862. Lee and his trusted and most able commander, General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, led their outnumbered and out-gunned forces to a stunning victory at the nearby battle of Chancellorsville. Routed by the grayclad Confederates bursting on them suddenly through the forest, the Federals had to retreat back across the Rapidan and the Rappahannock (Continued on next page)

The Manassas National Battlefield Park is a large expanse of hallowed ground in Northern Virginia. Bull Run creek runs through it. Not far from Washington, DC, this site is worth a visit if ever you’re in the area. www.MaineSportsman.com

10 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

I photographed the breaching of the last dam on the Rappahannock River just above Fredericksburg from about 1000 yards downstream in February 2004. Now American & hickory shad, striped bass and a number of fishes migrate freely up and down river.

The 20th Maine’s commander Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain became a Major General, and led the Union contingent that received the Confederate surrender at Virginia’s Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865.

Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 9)

in early May. Return to the Present The shadows resumed their natural form; the drums I thought I heard were nothing more than the water’s smack against a hollowed-out tree wedged in the river along the far bank. “Another one!” exclaimed Smith, who had moved upstream a bit and switched to a black, beadhead Woolly Bugger. I reeled in my line, moved up to him and handed him my net, which soon held a fat smallie. “They’re still holding along the seams between fast and slower water,” he explained. “But they’ve gone deeper and won’t come up for the surface flies.” Smith knows these things because, in addition to being a schoolteacher, he is an angling guide and fishing instructor based out of Fredericksburg. “Buggs Bunny” I clipped off the popper and tied on a white, iridescent Buggs Bunny, a beadhead streamer tied by my friend Jim Brewer of the Virginia Sportsman magazine. I cast it upstream where a pocket of emerald-green plants grew beside a current break, retrieving and mending the line to keep it as tight as possible. When the fly passed near the vegetation, a bass took it and tail-walked across the water. I always get a thrill www.MaineSportsman.com

out of catching smallmouth bass. Inch for inch and pound for pound, they are among the fightingest freshwater fish that swims, and they, like their trout cousins, live in some very beautiful places. Source: Blue Ridge Mountains The Rappahannock River flows almost 185 miles from its spring-fed source on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Fauquier County, to the Chesapeake Bay between Stingray Point and Windmill Point. At its beginning, the river bubbles up from the limestone, gurgles along while slowly building size and velocity, and arrives at its terminus almost four miles wide. It has many faces over its winding course, from babbling brook to scenic stream to tidal river below the fall line at Fredericksburg to saltwater as it nears the bay. And, fortunately for the fish and wildlife within its influence, the Rappahannock runs relatively free and clean over its entire course, since the dam was removed in February 2004. The Rappahannock is one of the most unspoiled rivers on the East Coast. Its vibrant life-force seems to connect time as well as terrain, carrying me back to the river’s role in a nation’s search for identity and definition.

“Cross the River and Rest” On the night of May 2, 1863, after his brilliant flanking maneuver turned the tide of battle against the surprised Army of the Potomac, “Stonewall” Jackson was mistakenly wounded by a picket of his own men. He was taken to a field hospital at Wilderness Tavern, and placed in the care of his friend and corps surgeon Dr. Hunter McGuire. Jackson’s left arm was amputated and, for the next several days, he seemed to be recovering. However, shortly after being moved to Guinea Station 10 miles south of Fredericksburg, the General developed pneumonia, for which there was no cure at that time. Despite the best efforts of Dr. McGuire, Jackson died on Sunday May 10. His last words were, “Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.” Could Jackson’s river marking heaven’s boundary be the Rappahannock? This beautiful, relatively unspoiled place supports a diversity of plants, from the simplest mosses and lichens to stately oaks and pines, fish of many kinds, and game and non-game species of animals. Its winding track is home to bald eagles, blue herons, kingfishers, and ospreys. Smallmouth bass, other sunfishes, catfish, fallfish, suckers and chubs swim its clear waters, while deer, turkey, foxes, and raccoons roam its banks and drink its wa-

The plaque on the Camden monument honoring soldiers from the area who fought in the American Civil War 1861-1865.

ters, and ducks and geese abound. This is prime water, with its runs, riffles, and pools for smallmouth bass, the sunfishes, and the aggressive fallfishes. A small boat ramp is located on the Culpeper County side of the river at Kelly’s Ford. The ford served as a major crossing site in both directions for Union forces at the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and other battles. Brief Taste of Gunpowder Around noon, Smith and I waded back toward the canoe launch ramp, talking about the river and its role in the American Civil War. Before turning inland toward the truck, I paused on the high bank overlooking the river. There were no sounds of fighting now, but I felt a brief sensation—a taste of gunpowder, adrenaline, bile, and fear that I had experienced 50 years ago as a young airborne infantry officer in Vietnam. The feeling passed, and was replaced by one of peace, caused partly by the sight, sound, and feel of the Rappahannock River, and partly by knowing we are all free today because of the sacrifices of so many others before us. “By the way,” said Smith as we approached his Jeep, “my great-great uncle was Dr. Hunter McGuire, ‘Stonewall’ Jackson’s chief medical officer.” I paused, goose bumps

rising on my bare arms, and thought I saw the shadows move once again along the river and in the trees, and the ghosts of the past flickered at the edge of consciousness. For many Americans, this ground and river is their final resting place, their home; we would do well to remember it. ****** Many Maine regiments fought in the American Civil War, and casualties per capita were among the highest in the Union Army. One of the storied units from the Pine Tree State, the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, stands out. Badly handled by superior Confederate forces at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, the 20th Maine exacted satisfaction by thwarting the Confederates’ attacks to turn the Union left flank at Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg in early July 1863 – the beginning of the end for the insurgent forces. The 20th Maine’s commander, Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, became a Major General, and led the Union contingent that received the Confederate surrender at Virginia’s Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. He later served as Maine’s governor, and president of Bowdoin College, where he is honored by a statue and museum, and he is buried there as well.

Almanac

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 11

Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

“Snapshots in Time”

Excerpts from the Annals of Maine’s Sporting Past Submitted by Bill Pierce, of the Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc, Maine Here is an interesting article from the Rangeley Lakes newspaper of Thursday, January 14, 1897. At the time, guides were not licensed in the state, and this article captures some of the comments on the debate by some highly-respected woodsmen of their day who earned modest but happy living in this capacity some 120 years ago. A vocal and active proponent of licensing guides in Maine was the noted columnist and sporting tourism promoter Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby. It is fair to say that Crosby was perhaps the greatest promoter and ambassador for sporting-related tourism the state has ever known. She operated the exhibits in major cities up and down the eastern seaboard for the Maine Central Railroad, and her widely-circulated and very popular column kept traveling sportsmen satiated with stories of Maine’s outdoor bounty. She believed that securing return visits by sportsmen was crucial to the economy of

the state and that licensed guides providing quality experiences to their sports was the key. She was right, of course, but guides of the day wanted less government interference, not more, and it is fair to say that some of her most cherished friendships suffered. For her efforts in getting the Guide Bill passed, she was ceremoniously awarded Maine Guide Badge #1. Although her “guiding” was mostly done by taking VIPs fishing, where she fished as well and was accompanied by other guides in support, the visionary Crosby was the real deal as far as her hunting and fishing skills are concerned. The Outdoor Heritage Museum in Oquossoc has a permanent exhibit sharing some of Crosby’s gear and original photographs and the Phillips Historical Society has her Guide Badge #1 in their collection. Enjoy the following, and remember to re-up your licenses in January, and then get out there and make some outdoor history of your own!

Ever the angler and promoter, Cornelia T. Crosby is shown here with two local guides, pointing out a nice salmon after arriving at the Town Landing in Rangeley from a trip on the lake.

Question of Licensing Guides

January 14, 1897. Guides, camp owners and hotel men from Rangeley, Dead River and the West Branch of the Penobscot came on to attend the meeting of the association, and held an informal meeting in the State Library about noon. The question of licensing guides was talked over, easily at first, but emphatically later on. As a rule, these men oppose the plan. They believe that a glib-tongue novice in the woods who has attended a few cooking school lectures will stand a better chance of passing a successful examination than the best of the old guides, who have read but few books, except the book of Nature.

January 4 Deadline for Biggest Bucks Applications February is The Maine Sportsman’s “Biggest Bucks” issue. Our publication will list the names of lucky hunters who bagged a 200+ pound whitetail (field dressed) during the 2018 season and who mailed in a “Biggest Bucks” application and received a patch for their hunting jackets.

J. D. Huntoon of Rangeley said that if a liberal license fee—a fee of from $25 to $50—were exacted from the guides and the money thus obtained were devoted to stocking the lakes and streams with fish, he believed it would work well. H. M. Pierce of Eustis believed such a plan would be beneficial. A. B. Haynes of Norcross, who has a camp on Jo Mary Lake, was opposed to the idea. The talkers would get through with honors, and the silent men would have no show. Jock Darling, who is still looking ill, though he says he is better—had no ideas to advance on the subject. Jock says there

To ensure your name is included, your application for the Biggest Buck club must be postmarked on or before Friday, January 4, 2019. Applications can be found at www.MaineSportsman.com; click on “Patch Club Forms,” and then, under “Biggest Bucks Club,” click on “Download.” —

is game enough for everybody in Maine. Therefore, the present laws are good enough. From these talks it appears that the guides as a rule believe that any change in the system will work lasting injury to the good men, and produce no results of a beneficial nature. Most of the hunters who come to Maine have their favorite guides. They will take these and none else. These hunters also recommend guides to the new visitors, so that a license will do a guide no good. Visitors want guides—not licenses!

What a Difference a Year Makes – This Year’s November Deer Season the Snowiest in Recent Memory On either side of the Thanksgiving holiday this past November, heavy snows blan(Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

12 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

Meet Maine’s Newest Game Wardens: Warden Megan Miller

(Continued from page 11)

keted many regions of the state, especially in areas south of Greenville. Four-wheel drive and low range were required for getting in and out of hunting camps. Areas where logging is not active this winter featured deep snow and unplowed gravel roads, with the only snow compaction coming as the result of passing snowmobiles. Quite a difference from last year, which saw frost due to cold weather, but no measurable snowfalls. The change was dramatic, as demonstrated by these two photos of an abandoned slate pit in West Shirley, which provided quite a different sight compared the same time last year.

Game Warden Megan Miller grew up in the small town of Pittsfield, Maine. She was raised on a horse farm, and spent most of her youth outdoors around the farm. She knew from a young age that she wanted a career that allowed her to work in the outdoors.

• If you are hunting in heavy falling snow, check your hood before flipping it over your head – it’s probably full of snow. • Walking through heavy snow is the equivalent of walking up a steep hill, so plan your time accordingly. • For hunting in falling snow, a lens caps for your scope is a good investment. • In deep snow you can walk quietly – but so can the deer. • Wet hands equal cold hands, so bring along at least one more pair of gloves than you think you’ll need. • The remote Maine woods are breathtakingly beautiful during and just after a heavy snowfall. —

Wolves Cooperate to Solve a Problem; Dogs Do Poorly

Maine Warden Megan Miller

Slate pit; November 2017

Same slate pit; November 2018

Warden Miller graduated from Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, and Somerset Career and Technical Center, Outdoor Recourses program in Skowhegan, Maine. She was a white water guide in The Forks for Adventure Bound the summer before she attended Unity College. She graduated from Unity College in May of 2016 with her Bachelors of Science in conservation law enforcement. Warden Miller had the opportunity to work for Wells Police Department as a reserve officer during the 2015 and 2016 summer seasons. In the fall of 2016, Miller attended the 31st Basic Law Enforcement Training Program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro, and graduated in December of 2016. She went on to graduate the 2017 Advanced Warden Academy at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro, Maine. She told the Sportsman, “I enjoy getting out into the woods and waterways of Maine to protect the resources and serve the people of our state.” Warden Miller currently serves as the district game warden in the Mars Hill patrol in Aroostook County.

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by Will Lund

• Right after you tell your son that deer never walk down woods roads in daylight, you’ll come across deer tracks made a few minutes earlier, right down the middle of the woods road.

According to the New York Times, researchers at the University of Vienna tested dogs and wolves in their ability to cooperate. To obtain a food treat, two of the tested animals had to pull ropes attached to different ends of the food container. To succeed, the two had to pull the two ropes at the same time. Without any training, five out of seven pairs of wolves mastered the challenge at least once, while only one of eight pairs of dogs succeeded a single time. The test results may demonstrate why wolves have survived the challenges posed by humans for hundreds of years. —

Bird of the Month Uncommon Game Species by Erika Zambello

Some bird hunters in Maine pursue turkeys or waterfowl, while others seek ruffed grouse or woodcock to bring to their dinner tables. However, a quick perusal of past and present Maine hunting laws gives rise to a few questions for most mainstream hunters, such as: • What’s a Common Snipe? • A gallinule? • A Sora? • A rail? Yes, in fact these are birds people formerly or currently hunt, native to Maine but ranging as far south as Florida. 1) Common Snipe: This one is a little tricky to correctly categorize. Originally, wildlife biologists thought the same species of snipe (a relative of the woodcock) ranged across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Diminutive birds, they sport bills that appear absurdly long for their tiny heads (in fact, the name “snipe” comes from the word “snite,” which itself is another name for “snout”). Mottled brown and tan colors provide perfect camouflage. Modern genetic analysis, however, has (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 13 (Continued from page 12)

Common Snipe

lent evidence to a claim that Wilson’s Snipes are actually a separate species, and they were officially split from their Common Snipe cousins. In Maine hunting laws, any reference to “Common Snipe” could and should be changed to “Wilson’s Snipe.” Still, they are not particularly common game birds. According to Kelsey Sullivan of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, hunters only harvested around 100 Wilson’s Snipes in 2017. 2) Gallinules – There are two species of gallinules in the United States: the Purple and Common varieties. While Purple Gallinules are generally confined to the Southeast, Common Gallinules can make it as far as Maine in the summer months. Common Gallinules look like little dark chickens. They use their giant feet and toes to swim around and step on aquatic vegetation while feeding in fresh and brackish water bodies. However, if you were thinking about hunting gallinules in Maine… don’t. Although they are listed in the hunting law booklet, readers will notice there is no open season include. That’s because harvest of either of these species in Maine has been illegal since 2003.

Purple Gallinules

3) Soras and Virginia Rails – These birds also look like little chickens, and – like gallinules – they live in marshes and wetlands. Ever heard the saying “thin as a rail?” The phrase may have originated with the family of rail species, so thin they could easily walk through reeds without catching their feathers. Soras spend the breeding months in the northern United States, into Canada, and across the two countries all the way to the Pacific Ocean. About the size of a robin, they are nearly impossible to see unless they briefly venture onto floating plants or dart out from the safety of the marsh grasses or cattails.

Soras

By contrast, the bills of Virginia Rails are both longer and redder than those of the Soras, and this species’ length falls between the size of a robin and that of a crow. Rails aren’t wildly popular with bird hunters, though they cause a palpitation in the heart of birder watchers. In 2017, researchers estimate that a combined total of only about 500 Virginia rails and Soras were harvested in this state. Neither waterfowl nor well-known upland game birds, these avian species remain a challenge for all but the most intrepid outdoorsmen and women. When seeking legal (Continued on next page)

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14 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 13)

Virginia Rail

birds within specific seasons, hunters can use eBird.org to see where snipes, gallinules, and rails have recently been spotted. —

Canada Geese Won’t Head South Unless They Have To by Nick Lund, Maine Audubon

Everyone knows that many birds fly south for the winter, but have you ever thought about why? It takes an incredible amount of effort to fly so far – between South American and arctic Canada, in many cases – and so it’s not a journey these birds do on a whim.

The answer is food. As spring warms the northern hemisphere, birds follow the good weather to take advantage of the new bounty of insects, fruit, and flowers. The abundance of food in the northern summer means that birds have plenty to feed their young, and so many migratory species nest in the north to take advantage. Insects disappear when winter comes, and so the birds need to move on if they want to keep eating. They head south again in pursuit of the sun. That’s the way it is – but that doesn’t mean that’s the way it will always be. In short, birds won’t migrate if they don’t need to. For proof, consider the Canada Goose. For millennia, Canada Geese nested on open tundra in the far north, and spent the winters in the ice-free parts of what became the United States. Before the 1980s, about 45% of all Canada Geese spent their winters in Florida or the Carolinas. However, the past three decades have seen a dramatic shift northward, and now about 70% of all overwintering Canada Geese are found in the Chesapeake Region, with winter numbers growing in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In fact, fewer than 4% of Canada Geese now choose to make the trek all the way down to Florida and the Carolinas.

Current Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits

Not surprisingly, humans are responsible for this shift. An unintended result of the drastic change in landscapes has meant that many Canada Geese can find food and nesting habitat in new areas. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “larger fields and widespread use of mechanical harvesters in the north have created secure feeding sites with an abundance of high-energy, carbohydrate-rich waste grain in close proximity to sanctuary provided by state and federally managed lands.” Humans have created new breeding areas for geese, as well. The open space and short grass found in arctic tundras have been convincingly replicated by golf courses, highway medians, city parks, suburban lawns, and even the tops of some buildings. Canada Geese have adapted to nest in all these places, foregoing the annual arctic visit altogether. Human factors have resulted in an increase in Canada Geese numbers in Maine, in all seasons. The species was extirpated from the state in the early 1800s due to constant hunting pressure, but has rebounded after increased regulations, changes in agricultural practices in northern Maine, and decreased ice along the coast. While ice and snow still keep Canada Geese from wintering in the interior of the state, warmer temperatures along the coast (water temperatures in the Gulf of Maine in August 2018 were a full 5 degrees C above the average August temperature between 1985 and 2012) have permitted their winter numbers to grow, especially in southern Maine.

January 2019 Sunrise/Sunset Portland, ME

Source: mefishwildlife.com

www.MaineSportsman.com

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

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

SET 4:16 4:17 4:18 4:19 4:20 4:21 4:22 4:23 4:24 4:26 4:27 4:28 4:29 4:30 4:31 4:33

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

RISE 7:08 7:07 7:06 7:06 7:05 7:04 7:03 7:03 7:02 7:01 7:00 6:59 6:58 6:57 6:56

SET 4:34 4:35 4:36 4:38 4:39 4:40 4:42 4:43 4:44 4:46 4:47 4:48 4:50 4:51 4:52

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 15

Moose Turds Mary Wichenbach’s moose turd art is flowing faster than … well, faster than moose poop. The headline for Deidre Fleming’s article in the Kennebec Journal grabbed my attention: “Moose Turd Artist Pooped.” Winchenbach lives in Somerville, and her moose turd business has taken off since a video of her at the Common Ground Fair went viral, viewed by more than 3.3 million people, and resulting in more than 2,000 orders for the moose turd art from her business, Tirdy Works. According to Fleming, moose turd art is also sold in Alaska, although I don’t remember seeing any during my three visits to Alaska. I did see lots of moose. Winchenbach began making moose turd items in 2005. “I had way too much time on my hands and one day when I was in the woods, I found a pile of turds and jokingly thought, ‘How funny would it be to put eyeballs on it and call it a head?’ So I did.” They dehydrate the turds and shellac each twice with polyurethane, so the turds are safe to handle and clean enough to hang on your wall or even your earlobes. Winchenbach collects moose turd on her own property and from a nearby bog. The most popular moose turd product is their poo-poo clock, which has turds placed between the numbers to indicate one-turdy, two-turdy, etc. They’ve just created a new character based on Forrest Gump, which they are calling Forrest Dump.

I have to thank my friend Deidre for alerting us to this poopy business! Private Lands Permission Should permission be required to hunt private land? John Holyoke, the Bangor Daily News’ outdoor reporter, wrote a thoughtful and provocative column questioning whether Maine hunters should be required to get permission to hunt on private land. It’s been a long time since I hunted on any private land without the permission of the landowner, even if the land is not posted. In fact, I work to develop good relationships with all of those private landowners who allow me to hunt on their property, because I believe that is a very special privilege. For years I’ve encouraged hunters to do the same thing. You probably know

that in most states you cannot hunt on private land without permission. And for many years Mainers have had a great opportunity to hunt private land without permission. But times are changing, and I think we need to give some thoughtful consideration to whether this principle also needs to change. After groups of outof-state hunters hunted my own woodlot in deer drives, I posted it so that local families with kids could hunt the land without worrying about these deer drivers. Posting Becoming Common When I was a kid, we could hunt anyplace. No land was posted. But in recent years, for many reasons, posting of private land has become common. Quite a few landown-

ers have posted their land because they are angry about people who trash it. I can relate to that. Every other week I used to fill a bag with garbage and another with bottles and cans walking the road beside my woodlot. I really hate road slobs. There are a lot of elements to this issue. For example, the public does not have the right to access private land to get to moving water – our brooks, streams and rivers. However, we do have authority to access lakes and “great ponds” over unimproved property. And there is a major issue concerning the big woodlots in the north woods. If permission is required to hunt on pri-

vate land, we should consider giving large woodlot owners the opportunity to allow it without permission. There are a variety of ways they could publicize this permission. I am concerned that we might lose a lot of hunters who will give up without the ability to easily access private land. There’s also the possibility private landowners – as they do in other states – might start charging hunters for access. I don’t think we’re at the place where we need to change our laws yet, but I would like to hear from groups representing private landowners, as well as from my friends who own private land, as (Continued on next page)

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16 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Capitol Report (Continued from page 15)

to whether they think we need to change our laws and require permission to access private land. Wild Critters Fill Our Yard A gray squirrel just sprinted by my office window with a huge red apple in its mouth. I can’t remember a time when we had this many gray squirrels in our yard. And the other night as we pulled into our driveway, two racoons took off, running in front of us as they headed to the woods. Of course, every critter in the woods spends time in our yard in Mount Vernon. This spring Linda and I were enjoying breakfast while watching out the large kitchen window to enjoy her flower gardens, when three snapping turtles waddled up from our stream to dig holes in her garden and deposit their eggs there. One time I was fishing in the brook behind my house, and a huge snapping turtle chased me right out of the brook. We never enjoy looking out and spotting skunks or porcupines on the lawn. The skunks have dug up a lot of holes,

and the porcupines are downright dangerous. I had a dog once that never figured porcupines out. He got stuck with lots of quills five times. We used to have a lot of beavers that would come out of the stream and cross the lawn to eat our apples. The problem is, after they eat the apples, the stupid beavers chop down the tree. I had to put metal sleeves around all of our trees on the lawn. One night I drove into the yard to see a huge beaver with a very big red apple in its mouth, right in the driveway. I wish I could have gotten a photo of that. Water Snake As Long As George Is Tall We have lots of water critters in our stream beside the house, including muskrats and otters. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of water snakes, some of which are huge. And my wife Linda hates snakes. One year she created a beautiful flower garden right along the stream, but a huge water snake spent a lot of time in that garden. I couldn’t catch

Quotable

it, so eventually I shot it. When I held it up, it was taller than I am. Even after I killed it, Linda never set foot in that garden again. This year we have a doe and fawn that wander around the yard almost every day. We have a lot of deer this year in Mount Vernon. A short time ago Linda picked up a couple hundred apples on the ground and put them in a pile in the field across the road. The next morning they were all gone. Linda is avid gardener, and lots of critters, including deer, are very challenging. We used to have quite a few moose in our neighborhood, but I haven’t seen one for many years. And of course we often hear the coyotes howling. This year we were surprised and irritated to have three dozen turkeys hanging out in our yard and getting into Linda’s gardens. Very few hunters hunt turkeys, which have become a great nuisance from many people. Only 500 hunters are hunting turkeys this fall. I’m thinking it might have been a mistake to have reintroduced them to Maine. Originally they thought they would only

live along our southern coast below Portland, but I’ve seen them even up in the north woods. Our cat used to kill red squirrels and chipmunks, but these days he grabs them behind the neck, carries them around, and then drops them so he can chase them again. We really don’t like red squirrels – they often get into the house. Providing a Home for Critters In my first book, A Life Lived Outdoors, I tell a lot of stories about all the critters that got into our house over the years. Under one end of the house, there was just a crawl space rather than a full basement, and the animals could get in there. We had everything, including skunks and raccoons, in the basement. In the book, I tell the story of the time I got sprayed right in the face by a skunk. Linda threw my clothes away! Eventually we foamed the walls and that, thankfully, stopped those critters from getting in. But it is still not unusual to go downstairs to my workshop and see a red squirrel or chipmunk sitting there. We also have bears

Sportsman

conflicts and misuse of woodland owners’ property by the public. The bill received widespread support, but fell victim to the wrangling over the state budget and was not funded. We expect that bill to be back next legislative session.”

“Our code of Fish and Game Laws is complicated, unfair and in some places contradictory. It really makes lawbreakers unknowingly owing to its complex rulings. What Maine needs is a simple code, easily understood and practically universal in scope. The law should treat all parts of the state with equality, and must do away with selfishness and spite legislation.”

Tom Doak, Maine Woodlands Director, November 2018 —

by George Smith

Robert Maxcy newspaper column, March, 1928 — “One bill that would have helped woodland owners was funding for continuation of the Landowner Relations Program in the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department. It would have provided $150,000 per year to reduce www.MaineSportsman.com

“The team identified loss of mature conifer forest as a major limiting factor on efforts to increase the numbers of deer in northern, western and eastern Maine. ‘Our results suggest that northern Maine is losing the potential for future replacement of viable areas for wintering deer,’ the researchers say. The substantial rates of loss and fragmentation documented show that ‘habitat conservation strategies that rely on reserves and ignore land use effects on the intervening lands may not be effective.’” University of Maine research report, Fall, 2018

in Mount Vernon, and they’ve been seen on our road, but I haven’t seen one in our yard. And then there are the birds. We have everything from beautiful warblers to eagles and ospreys. As avid birders, Linda and I are in a perfect spot. We have seen two dozen species of warblers right in our yard. Woodchucks were very destructive to Linda’s vegetable gardens, so I shot all of them. One year we had three that were coming by regularly and I killed two, but I couldn’t get the third one. We were headed out for a trip, so our neighbor came down with a live trap, caught the woodchuck and transported it away. But when we got back home, a neighbor came up to tell us that he had seen a bald eagle flying up the road carrying a woodchuck, and the eagle dropped the woodchuck right in our yard and it ran off. Great, I thought, now eagles are delivering the woodchucks to us. And just so you know, I wouldn’t live anywhere but right here in Mount Vernon, surrounded by wild critters!

“The state has allowed the hunting of moose by permit since 1988, but this year, in a reflection of the fact that there are fewer moose out there, the number of permits issued by lottery was just 51.” New Hampshire story by John Koziol, Union Leader Correspondent — “Hunting when the weather is warm can pose medical concerns for hunters. Many of these concerns center on insect bites.”

Grand View Outdoors, 2018. —

“Al Cowperthwaite grew up to become the executive director of the North Maine Woods, a 3.5 million acre working forest that is also open to the public for recreation. But he notes that fishing in the North Maine Woods has fallen by 40 percent over the last decade, and hunting is less than half what it was in the 1990s.”

Maine Public Radio

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 17

Youth Sleds by Shane Brown Most of the major snowmobile manufacturers offer youth sleds, and in my experience the quality and reliability of these models designed for youngsters has improved over the years such that now, with proper care, these small snowmobiles will last for many, many years. So let’s jump right in and see what the market offers! 120 Class – Starter Sleds Entry-level sleds are referred to as “the 120 class” – it’s the starter sled for really young kids, designed to introduce them to the sport of snowmobiling. One great model is offered by Arctic Cat and Yamaha. Each company offers a 120 under their brand name, but in reality it’s the very same sled, done up in the colors and

Sensing a niche market between the entry-level 120 class (for 4 to 6 year olds) and full-size adult sleds, Arctic Cat and Yamaha have introduced brand-new mid-size youth models, designated the 200 class, designed for 7, 8 and 9 year old riders.

Drew Bellanger, 7 years old, carves tight turns on Eagle Lake with his 200 series Arctic Cat. Stacy Belanger photo

graphics of one company or the other. Polaris also offers a

Yamaha SRX120 (Photo: Yamaha)

120 class sled, and it’s comparable in features, size and performance to

Arctic Cat ZR120 (Photo: Arctic Cat)

the offerings of Arctic Cat and Yamaha. The 120 class is great

for kids in the 4 to 6 year old range, depending on their size and abilities. The machines’ engines are tuned down to control top speed. They produce about 5 horsepower, and are capable of doing 7 to 8 mile an hour. Not Made to Bust Through Deep Snow The Arctic Cat and Yamaha sleds offer a 120cc, single cylinder four-stroke motor, centrifugal clutch, 4.5 inches of front travel suspension, and 4.5 inches of rear travel suspension. The Polaris offers a slightly different suspension set-up, with 3 inches of front travel and 7 inches of rear travel. These 120 class sleds don’t require a lot of snow – they are capable of running comfortably in as little as 3 inches of powder. At the other end of (Continued on next page)

Polaris 120 Indy (Photo: Polaris) www.MaineSportsman.com

18 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The

Wide World Arctic Cat of

— Visit Your Local Arctic Cat Dealer for the Latest Promotions — CARIBOU Plourde & Plourde 11 Laurette Street 207-496-3211 plourdeplourde.com

GORHAM White Rock Outboard 351 Sebago Lake Road 207-892-9606 whiterockoutboard.com

SKOWHEGAN Whittemore & Sons 257 Waterville Road 207-474-2591 whittemoreandsons.com

EAST LEBANON Northeast Motorsports 451 Carl Broggi Hwy. 207-457-2225 nemotorsportsofmaine.com

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

BERLIN, NH Jericho Motorsports LLC 232 Jericho Rd 603-752-7424 jerichomotorsports.com

SIDNEY Kramer’s Inc. 2400 West River Road 207-547-3345 kramersinc.com

Snowmobiling in Maine (Continued from page 18)

Arctic Cat ZR200 (Photo: Arctic Cat) the snowfall spectrum, however, they are not designed to handle deep or drifted snow, so as snowfalls approach 12 inches in depth, parents or supervisors will need to pack down the trail first, using a larger sled. The 120 class machines have short, 67-inch tracks, and are not intended or designed to handle deep or heavy snow. These are great sleds that will provide your kids with years of enjoyment, and they will provide parents with great times as you watch them do circles around the house! Next Step – 200 Class As kids grow and learn to handle more powerful machines, parents have a couple of options. There are up-

grade kits available to boost the horsepower of the 120-class engines, or parents can try to move the kids into full-size machines. However, Arctic Cat and Yamaha sensed the potential of a niche market, and in response they developed a mid-size youth model, designated the 200 class. These are brand-new products for the industry, and they offer a stepping stone between the 120 and the adult-sized sleds. As is the case with the 120s, the 200s made by Arctic Cat and Yamaha are the exact same machine under the differing colors and graphics – they both run with Yamaha motors under the cowlings. (Continued on page 21)

Hurry to Your Local Yamaha Snowmobile Dealer for Details! JACKMAN Jackman Powersports 549 Main Street 207-668-4442 jackmanpowersports.com

RANGELEY Rev-It-Up Sports Shop Route 4 207-864-2452 revitupsports.com

TOPSHAM Woody’s Performance Ctr. 70 Topsham Fair Mall Road 207-729-1177 woodysyamaha.com

*Offer available on approved purchases of new 2015-2018 Sidewinder, Apex & SRViper models made on the Yamaha Credit Card issued by WebBank, member FDIC. Subject to credit approval as determined by WebBank. Available to cardholders of the WebBank Yamaha Card. Account must be open and current to be eligible for this offer. 0%, 1.99%, 4.99%, or 7.99% APR with Minimum Payments of 1.40%, 1.48%, 1.62%, or 1.76% respectively of the purchase price balance, based on your creditworthiness, are effective until the purchase is paid in full. Minimum Interest Charge $2 per month. Standard APR 15.99%-23.99%. Offer valid through 12/31/18. Cannot be combined with customer cash offer. Customer cash offer good on select Yamaha Snowmobile models between 11/1/2018 through 12/31/2018. See dealer for additional customer cash available on prior year models. Always wear an approved helmet and eye protection. Observe all state and local laws. Respect the rights of others. Ride within your capabilities. Allow extra time and plenty of distance for maneuvering. Do not perform stunts. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corp, U.S.A. All rights reserved.© 2016 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

www.MaineSportsman.com

Yamaha 200 SnoScoot (Photo: Yamaha)

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 19

— Rangeley Lakes Region —

RANGELEY SNODEO January 24–26, 2019

Snowmobile Races January 26th at Stephen A. Bean Airport

featuring Rock Maple Cross Country, Tame the Track Vintage, and a Youth Snowmobile Race For vendor info, contact Jonny at (207) 320-1989

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20 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 21

Snowmobiling in Maine (Continued from page 18)

While some might consider the 200s to be nothing more than 120-class machines on steroids, a closer look reveals a number of upgraded features and capabilities.

provides a higher top speed as kids grow and improve their skills and

abilities. The 200s are designed with the 8 to 9 year old rider in mind, and they offer a nice transition as kids continue to grow and head toward

full-size sleds. Talk to your local dealer is you are interested, since distribution numbers are somewhat limited, and in past years

the youth sleds have sold out just after the season gets underway. See you on the trails!

More Features; Increased Capabilities For example, as opposed to the manual pullstart on most 120s, the 200s offer electric start, and also hand warmers to help ward off the cold. The 200s are capable of running double the speed of the 120s. Mechanically, they use a traditional CVT belt drive system – the same system as that found on full-size sleds. This more conventional set-up will provide mechanics with the ability to tune the machine more precisely to the rider and to the expected conditions. While the 200s have the same front suspension travel as the 120s, they offer the greater capacity of 8.5 inches of rear travel, and a substantially longer track – 93 inches. The end result is a sled that’s capable of handling deeper snow with ease. They feature reliable four-stroke motors, and their larger displacement

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22 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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OQUOSSOC Oquossoc Marine Inc. 87 Carry Road 207-864-5477 oquossocmarine.com

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

TOPSHAM Woody’s Performance Ctr. 70 Topsham Fair Mall Road 207-729-1177 teamwoodys@outlook.com

LEWISTON Central Maine Powersports 845 Main Street 207-689-2345 centralmainepowersports.com

GORHAM, NH Absolute Power Sports 471 Main Street 603-466-5454 absolutepowersportsnh.com

LINCOLN Richard’s Sport Shop 239 W. Broadway 207-794-3363 Visit Us on Facebook

LITTLETON, NH Littleton MotorSports 515 Union Street 603-444-5003 littletonmotorsports.com

Always wear an approved helmet and eye protection. Observe all state and local laws. Respect the rights of others. Ride within your capabilities. Allow extra time and plenty of distance for maneuvering. Do not perform stunts. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corp, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Smoothest Riding. Most Versatile.

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HODGDON Tidd’s Sports Shop 154 Calais Road 207-532-6476 tiddssportshop.com

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Visit Your Local Ski-Doo Dealer for the Latest Promotions! AUBURN Wallingford Equipment 2527 Turner Road 207-782-4886 wallingfordequipment.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COLEBROOK, NH Lemieux Garage Inc. 161 Main St 603-237-4377 lemieuxgarage.com

GREENVILLE JUNCTION Moosehead Motor Sports 13 Industrial Park 207-695-2020 mooseheadmotorsports.com ©2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Products in the United States (US) are distributed by BRP US Inc. Always ride safely and responsibly. *Observed HP measured on internal Dyno test in optimal conditions for 2-stroke engines.

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 23

Purchase a Used Snowmobile with Confidence For most folks, purchasing a new snowmobile can be a huge financial commitment. In order to make the most of those hard-earned dollars, many snowmobilers who can’t afford a new model purchase used sleds. If a used sled has been used lightly and maintained properly, a subsequent purchaser has the benefit of getting a machine that’s had all the bugs worked out of it. Many used sleds run just as good as new, and in some cases they may still be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. If snowmobile enthu-

siasts purchase the right used sled, they should enjoy many happy miles on the trails. They are able to take the money saved and put it toward registration, riding gear and gas. Inspect; Research A thorough process of inspecting the used snowmobile helps avoid having costly repairs added to the total expense of the purchase. Problems noticed during the inspection of a sled should be brought to the attention of the owner, and either repaired or offset by a reduction in purchase price. Used sled buyers

will find that every one of the numerous snowmobile-manufacturing companies produce great sleds. One make really isn’t any better than the other, so the decision shouldn’t be based on brand name alone. Likewise, every company has produced at least one model that has not fared well under the real-life, tough conditions that Maine winters provide, so keep tabs on these less-than-desirable machines and steer clear of them. Consumer Reports magazine is an excellent guide, and even industry

experts use this information to track models that haven’t held their value. Other guides are the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) appraisal guidebook, and Kelley Blue Book. Armed with these guides, a used-sled buyer will know the current value for each model, and more important, which models to avoid. Matching Game Remember that purchasing a used snowmobile is a simple process of eliminating the sleds that don’t meet specific criteria that you, the potential buyer, have deemed im-

portant. Start by making a list of possible snowmobile purchases from classified ads, Internet searches or other sources, and see what used sleds are available at nearby dealers. Call each of the snowmobile owners on the list and ask them not to warm up the sled before the inspection. A snowmobile that won’t start cold should be avoided. Touch the engine block before starting the machine to make sure the owner hasn’t warmed it up. If he has, avoid this sled, cross it off the list, (Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

24 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Off-Road Traveler (Continued from page 23)

and move on to the next one on the list. Collision History? Once a sled is found that will start without being warmed up, check to make sure the snowmobile hasn’t been in a collision. Obvious signs include a dented or cracked cowling, and bent or uneven handlebars or skis resulting from a high-impact accident. Check for cracks in the plating or powder coating on the skis and handlebars. Sometimes if they’ve been bent back into shape, the outer coating of chrome plating or paint will be chipped or cracked. At this point take the sled for a ride and feel if the handlebars and skis are aligned, but only after making sure the brakes are safe (see below). Moving On Move on to the next machine if there’s any indication of an accident that has bent the handlebars. Steer clear of a sled that has been in a high-impact accident.

This type of accident causes an accordion effect, loosening and damaging more than is visible to the eye. Next, the machines left on the list will need to be checked for wear and tear items. Components that have suffered normal wear and tear can be fixed or replaced, but be aware of this cost when calculating the final purchase price. Thoroughly check the brakes and make sure they are working properly (before the test ride). Check to see that the brake fluid isn’t dirty or gummy, and that the reservoir is full. Brake fluid should be a light amber color. If it looks like dark honey, it needs to be replaced, and it might mean the owner has been neglectful. Replacing a track is expensive, too. Check for cracked rubber, dry rot or missing spikes (track studs) on studded tracks. The absence of a few spikes is normal, but if there are more than a few missing, it might mean

By following the steps outlined in this article, a prospective purchaser of a used snowmobile can complete a thorough inspection and test-drive of the sled, and if it passes, the new owner can confidently enjoy many care-free miles on the trails. Clunie photo

that the track is old. An old track with a lot of missing spikes needs to be replaced before it fails on the trail, twenty miles from nowhere. Replacing a track can cost up to $1,000. Keep Checking If the engine has a liquid cooling system, check the fluid color and level in the radiator. Cooling fluid should be green and filled to a point between the high and low mark. If the fluid is a brown color,

THE POWER TO

PERFORM The BOSS Snowplow. No one knows more about snow plowing equipment. No one! Contact your local BOSS Snowplow retailer at one of these locations:

BOWDOIN J.L. Custom Fab, Inc. Rt. 201 (North of Topsham) 207-666-5800 jlcustomfab.com www.MaineSportsman.com

DOVER-FOXCROFT Rowell’s Garage 191 East Main Street 207-564-3434 rowellsgarage.com

EAST MACHIAS Johnson’s Town Line Auto 1060 Main Street, Rt. 1 207-255-4996 johnsonstownline.com

this could mean rust and big trouble. Avoid costly repairs by moving to the next sled on the list. The clutch is another item that should be checked during the test drive. Make sure the clutch engages firmly and doesn’t make any unusual sounds. Visually, a worn clutch will be covered with burned rubber powder from the worn belt, and will need replacing soon. The clutch has been stressed, so take into consideration the cost of working on the clutch and replacing the belt. Check for rust in a sled with a metal gas tank. Even if the sled has a plastic gas tank, check the fuel to see if it’s discolored. Rust or coffee-colored fuel is a sign of a corroded metal tank, or bad fuel in a plastic tank. Both problems can clog fuel lines and carburetors, requiring expensive shop time. If the owner has treated the sled with Stabil or another quality gas treatment during storage, then this won’t be a problem. It’s always good to simply ask the owner if they used gas treatment during storage. If they don’t know what the product is, skip this one.

Carburetor; Suspension Carburetors that are covered with grime could be leaking, and in need of repair. Problems with hesitation during the test drive could indicate a problem with the carburetors. Fuel-injected systems can have dirty fuel problems, too, and the same type of hesitation will be noticed during the test drive. Bearing down on the machine with full force and then releasing the weight is a good method for checking the suspension system. Some resistance should be felt in the suspension while putting pressuring on the sled and during the release. No resistance means an expensive repair job. Likewise, a severe binding during this test could mean a bent shock and the same kind of repair cost. Enjoyable snowmobiling can only happen when the rider is satisfied that the sled is in sound mechanical condition. Once the deal is finalized and your sled is registered, get a firm grip on the handlebars, gently press the throttle and hit the trails with confidence.

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 25

Take Some Kids Ice Fishing by Jon Lund Kids were standing on the ice, clustered around the grown-up who was frying hotdogs over the Coleman camp stove. But one small youngster was on the outer edge of the cluster. Every now and then, he’d look over his shoulder. He was checking out the ice fishing traps spread out on the lake. After a bit, he edged away from the cluster, and began quietly moving toward a trap – a trap with the flag up. Then someone yelled “Flag!” and the older, faster kids began to leg it toward the flagged trap. They were faster than the little kid, but he had a head start, and got to the flagged trap first and grabbed it and held it up,

Often, the best ice-fishing locations for kids are warmwater ponds, where yellow perch, white perch, bass and pickerel are plentiful. To kids, the size and variety of fish doesn’t matter much, so long as there is lots of action. letting the spool spin. After short interval, the spool stopped spinning, and the kid put the trap down on the ice, took the line in his right hand and gave a yank, and said “The fish is on!” And then the fight was on. Soon, he had a pickerel flopping on the ice, and everyone cheered. Fun for Kids and Grown-ups Alike Ice fishing on a warm winter day is a grand opportunity to take kids ice fishing. If the young anglers want to invite their friends, just make sure

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you have their parents’ OK, and that they will have enough warm clothing and warm, dry boots, and mittens. A cold youngster is not going to have fun, and if there is action, ice fishing can be fun for kids and grownups alike. Simple Gear Equipment can range from fancy to primitive, and still work effectively. Years ago, before tipups or ice fishing traps were common, anglers simply tied their line to a piece of bush or shrub on the ice, and checked the line when a fish made the

shrub move. A tip-up with a reel will increase your chances of success if you are using live minnows, because many fish will run with the minnow then stop and swallow the bait. If you don’t have any ice fishing gear, borrow some from a buddy, or check the used market if you want to go low-cost. Anglers often buy the latest equipment to have the best stuff, and are willing to lend or unload their old equipment. Try Craig’s List or Uncle Henry, or local second-hand shops.

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Cutting the Ice How to make the hole (Continued on next page)

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If cost is not an issue and you want to buy new, there are lots of suppliers of ice fishing gear, including some first-class tip-ups made in Maine, such as Jack Traps, Heritage and Butler.

All of our products are handmade in Maine of the ﬁnest materials Order online at www.HeritageTraps.com (207)843-5460 HeritageTackle@yahoo.com

Shappel & Otter Pack Baskets & Liners Old Town Trading Post Just 1/2 Mile East off I-95 Old Town/Hudson Exit 197

207-827-7032 www.MaineSportsman.com

26 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Ice Fishing in Maine (Continued from page 25)

in the ice? Years ago, most anglers used a chisel, or “spud,” to cut the hole, and cleared away ice chips with a “skimmer” (a dipper with holes in it). An old ice chisel can still be used for your outing. Just make sure it’s sharp and has a lanyard to keep from dropping into the hole as it breaks through, and that the lanyard is tied to your arm. The successor to the chisel was the manual

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auger, and many a hole has been cut with the ice augers. Power Equipment Many ice anglers have now moved to the motorized ice augers. These are especially handy if you expect to have many people taking part and plan to cut a lot of holes. A friend of mine uses a battery-powered auger, and swears by it, stating that it’s quiet and

trouble-free. I have even used a chainsaw. After making sure you have good traction with your boots on the ice’s surface, plunge-cut a four-sided hole that tapers slightly, which makes it easier to lift out the ice-pyramidchunk. Ice fishing is Fun for Kids Kids will enjoy ice fishing if a few suggestions are followed: 1. There must be fish to be caught, lots of fish being more fun (Continued on next page)

Sebago Lake & Cumberland County Derby 2019 Sebago Lake Area Derby February 16 & 17, 2019 Free Fishing Weekend

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Kids Ice Fishing Derby March 2, 2019 Range Pond • Poland, ME

Visit our website to register and learn more! — The Maine Sportsman —

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 27 (Continued from page 26)

than just a few. In much of the state, this means choosing a warm-water pond, where yellow perch, white perch, bass and pickerel are plentiful. To a kid, the size and variety of fish doesn’t matter much so long as there is lots of action. 2. If you are the organizer of the outing, you should scout out the location beforehand to make sure there is action this year. You should find out what kind of bait will provide the best results. In many warm-water ponds, worms will do the trick. 3. If a child wants to invite a friend, let that happen. This may be a good time to recruit more parents if they will be needed to supervise. Make sure each child has parental permission. Residents and nonresidents 16 and over must have a fishing license. 4. Kids should be checked to make sure each has warm clothing and footwear, including waterproof boots if there is water on top of the ice.

There should be a place for a cold youngster to warm up, be it a car with a heater, a fire in a firepot or a warm place on shore. Something to sit on is also helpful. 5. The kids should participate as much as possible in the process. If it is not practical for them to assist in cutting the holes, they might be consulted in locating the holes. Kids should be encouraged to help select the bait and help rig the bait for each hole. Have handwarmers and dry towels available for cold hands. 6. No one should “own” a rig or hole, but after a “flag” has been spotted, the first kid to the hole gets to set the hook and haul in the fish. If one youngster is getting too much of the action, an adult – by one means or another – should encourage the youngster to share the good fortune. Taking turns is always a possibility. Showing the child how to jig for fish may be a good diversion. Check the regulations as to the number of holes per person allowed.

7. A parallel activity should be planned for times when the action slows. This could be skiing, skating, sliding, exploring or other games. Snowmobiling is a possibility, if it can be shared. 8. There should be eats. Kids are always hungry. This could be as simple as hot dogs heated in a frypan on a Coleman gas stove, or warming up a stew. No need to make it complicated. A thermos with warm cocoa will be welcome. 9. If a campfire is planned, bring a firepot to minimize the debris left behind. Gathering dead and dry fuel along the shore may be acceptable if you’re in an area without shorefront development. Plan to bring your own fuel if there is any doubt. 10. When it comes time to deal with the catch, bear in mind the state’s fish consumption advisory. Jon Lund is publisher of The Maine Sportsman

Ice-fishing is fun for all ages. Here, Anna Morrow shows her excitement at pulling a nice brookie through the ice at Mt. Vernon’s Minnehonk Lake. David Morrow photo

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Maine Wildlife:

them without giving a second thought.

Possum Folklore Anyone who has ever viewed an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies has heard references to possums; namely, “possum innards.” Possum innards were a favorite meal for the Clampett family. Only one thing was wrong – in real life, no one would ever consume possum innards. Possum’s omnivorous nature sees them by Tom Seymour eating, among other things, carrion. That alone would cause the most hardy, cast-iron palate to protest. Opossum, Didelphis marsupialis, also But Hollywood too often refrains from known as Virginia opossum, or, ’possum, is allowing facts to get in the way of a good North America’s only marsupial. yarn. Possums, though, do make good eats, In Maine, most people just call them so I hear from southern friends. However, “possums.” everyone agrees that possums are oily, re Possums give birth prematurely to up to quiring special preparation. 14 young, after which the babies spend be- Possums are ubiquitous in their native tween two and three months in the mother’s habitat and thus are widely available. As fur-lined pouch. such, according to one friend who hails from Upon leaving the pouch, young possums Alabama, possums are imminently edible. often ride on their mother’s back in the I’ve never eaten a possum, but would jump same manner as loon chicks hitching rides at the opportunity to try properly cooked on mother loon’s back. Possums may have possum. Just leave out the innards, please. two litters each year. It seems reasonable to presume that A book on New England wildlife pub- eventually, a time will come when Mainers lished in 1986 by U.S. Department of Agri- no longer consider possums as something culture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest exotic or foreign. It’s even possible that once Experiment Station, contains a map show- they become more widely accepted, people ing possum’s range in New England. At that will begin utilizing possums for sport, pertime, possums were present only in extreme haps even hunting them with hounds. southern Maine. During the intervening Fearless Pogo years, possums have extended their range, and they now inhabit Central and Midcoast Several years ago a friend who lived in in-town Brooks, Maine, mentioned seeing a Maine. In fact, possums have become so well strange-looking animal on her front deck. established that the Maine Department of We decided, given the description, that the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has initiated visitor was a possum. a hunting season for them. There is no bag In time, the possum became a frequent visitor to my friend’s deck. The reason for limit on possums. To my knowledge, few, if any, Maine this was that my tender-hearted friend rouhunters actively hunt possums. This prob- tinely set out food for stray cats. The posably has much to do with lack of knowledge sum was drawn by the food. of the animal. Are they good to eat? How This began in early winter, and I sugshould they be prepared? These and similar gested to my friend that by late winter, the questions tend to keep Maine possums safe possum – which she named, “Pogo” – might assume a new appearance. Wildlife books from harm from human hunters. Despite not being hunted to any significant degree, Maine possums face a number of dangers. In addition to being prime fodder for predators such as coyote and fisher, possums frequently end up as roadkill. Indeed, my first possum sighting occurred several decades ago when I spotted a perfectly flat possum on a road in Belfast, Maine. It took a moment to discern the poor critter’s identity, but the gray fur and long, rat-like tail confirmed my identification. Since then, road-killed possums have Pogo the possum often ate cat food from a bowl, shoulder-to-shoulder with stray cats on begun appearing with such frequency along the back deck. Photo credit: Andrea McMaine roads that most people can identify Guire, Brooks, ME

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tell us that in cold climates such as we enjoy here in Maine, possums often lose their ears and even part of their naked tails to frostbite. So we waited. It was a typical winter, with several prolonged spells of subzero temperatures. The possum kept showing up at the feeding station and despite bitterly cold weather, ears and tail were perfectly intact. We supposed that the critter had found a sheltered place to escape from the cold, perhaps under someone’s house or in an outbuilding. Wherever it stayed, this particular possum waxed fat, healthy and apparently, happy. The most surprising aspect of this was that the possum fed during the day and often at times when cats were present. My friend noted that the possum and the cats were by no means offended by each other’s presence, and often sat at bowls of cat food together. In fact, Pogo became a regular at my friend’s cat Smorgasbord, as welcome as any of the cats and as well accepted. Possum Habits In their original range, possums are considered poultry thieves. How a slow-moving possum can catch a fast-moving chicken puzzles me. But possums have other interesting habits too, including “playing possum.” When threatened, and especially when cornered, a possum will release a noxious odor and then keel over as if dead. This usually suffices to convince any potential enemy to leave. After sufficient time has elapsed, the possum slowly “comes back to life,” none the worse for wear. Unlike my friend’s resident possum, Pogo, the daytime-foraging possum, possums mostly hunt at night, seeking birds and small mammals and, of course, garbage from any unsecured container. Possums slow down in winter, reducing their trips afield. But possums do not hibernate, and as such they will walk about in winter. In their native range, most everyone recognizes possum tracks. But here in Maine, it will probably take a long time before we stop marveling at those strange tracks in the snow. New Wildlife Maine has seen an influx of non-native wildlife species over the past several decades. Some, like eastern coyotes and emerald ash borers, have negatively affected the ecosystem. Others, such as songbirds extending their range northward, have received a hearty greeting. Possums appear innocuous, and it seems likely that most people will find these curious newcomers interesting, and in fact welcome.

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 29

County Features Fish Through the Ice & Predators Over Bait For devout ice drillers in the Crown of Maine, January 1st is more than just the beginning of a new year – it’s opening day of ice fishing on some of the most productive winter waters in the state. A few lakes and ponds open as soon as a safe thickness of ice forms, but that day varies greatly from waterway to waterway, and year to year. Usually even the big lakes are safe as the new year begins, but safety needs to be the prime goal of any winter venture up north. Longing for Long Lake Month to month, year after year, Long Lake of the Fish River chain of lakes is the destination for lucky local anglers, as well as southern Maine fishermen and truckloads of sports from out of state. Consistent action is the reward, and perhaps – just perhaps – the next strike or flag will be the salmon or trout of

Jenn Pelletier of St Davis is an avid ice angler, and she and her husband haunt Long Lake frequently from ice-in to ice-out. Here, she shows off part of the cure for the winter blues. All photos by Bill Graves

a lifetime. A three-pound brookie or a five-pound landlocked are certainly major goals on any angler’s bucket list, and Long Lake is a likely spot to accomplish this. Downrigger fishing in the summer is good, spring trolling is better, and ice fishing is likely the best for the chance of hooking a wallhanger.

Getting out early in January, as soon as the season opens on many lakes and a safe layer of ice forms, can be very productive, as Dave Ash proves with success during the first week.

It’s been my opinion that no matter where you ice fish, the earlier in the season you can venture out on a safe layer of ice, the better the action is likely to be. My winter results on smelt, trout and salmon seem to provide better action and larger fish during January, especially if I fish prior to the annual tournament the last weekend of the

month. Don’t get me wrong – I catch fish all winter at Long Lake, and there are peaks and valleys in the action, but sooner is better, according to my fishing log books. Rooms, Gear and Shacks Available There are several businesses from Sinclair to St., Agatha that

Lee Shaw of Nashville relaxes in the warm comfort of a smelt shanty while hand-jigging for early season silver slivers during opening week on Long Lake.

rent lakeside cabins and rooms to visiting anglers, and sportsmen can also rent snowmobiles by the day or week. Long Lake is a huge expanse of ice and snow, and while it’s not a must to have a snowsled since so many good fishing spots can be easily accessed from closely adjacent shoreline roads, it’s a plus for those who wish to explore. There are also fully-equipped ice fishing shanties available for rent, some with electricity, and often the local fishermen plow access to walk or even drive to many popular fishing locations. Hot Spots and Times While some areas receive steady pressure due to easy access or their reputation being yearly “hot spots,” crowding isn’t a problem due to the vastness of the surface area of the lake. Sinclair Cove remains a popular area for smelt (Continued on next page)

On relatively warm days in Aroostook -- any day above 32 degrees -- it’s fun to gather a group and visit a favorite lake for an outing. Someone is bound to catch a fish. www.MaineSportsman.com

30 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The County (Continued from page 30)

Luck is all well and good, but Darren Bailey of Houlton sets traps with a bit of technology too, using his fish finder to check bottom contour and spot fish.

jigging. It’s simple to reach and fish with less than a fifty-yard walk from the main road. A n other popular location for smelting as well as setting tip-ups for trout and especially salmon is Van Buren Cove. Farther north are Golf Course Brook and Paulette Brook, likely smelt and trout spots, while Cyr Cove near the big island above the public boat launch is a salmon hole. Smelt jigging usu-

As soon as safe ice forms on the huge surface of Long Lake, small villages of fishing shanties pop up in several locations. Some, like this beauty with all the amenities, are for rent. What better way to spend an evening after a long day at work or a weekend afternoon?

ally peaks at dusk and throughout early evening, but pieces of cut-up fresh smelt can produce action all day long. Portable fishing huts allow visitors to fish any location they like, move from spot to spot if the action lags and best of all, fish at night to relax after a long day at work. While live bait such as minnows and smelt seem to attract larger gamefish, handjigging with lures such as the indispensable Swedish Pimple

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works too, and keeps you occupied between flags. Good Restaurants, Too! There are also two fabulous restaurants near Long Lake – the Lakeview, up on the hill in St. Agatha, and Long Lake Sporting Club, halfway along the western shoreline. I’ve fished the water in front of the Sporting Club from ice huts, and have been rewarded with dependable inside handline and outside tip-up action. To reach this fishing winter wonderland, use Route 161 between Caribou and Fort Kent, then turn onto 162 just past Guerette. Delorme’s Atlas Map 68, C-3 and C-4 offers a great overview

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Urban Edge Angling Frequently, ice-drillers need to travel at least half-an-hour to wet a line unless they live on a lake shore, but there are a handful of Aroostook towns and villages where residents can be fishing in fewer than 15 minutes. Presque Isle, my home town is one of those fortuitous locations, and Arnold Brook Lake, a man-made estuary, is a productive spot for urban edge ice fishing this month. One would surmise that a productive lake close to civilization would be crowded and soon fished out, but thanks

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Smart ice anglers use a fish shanty to stay warm and fish at night. Smarter sports make their hut portable, so they can easily move from spot to spot and lake to lake.

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to an excellent, planned and thought-out stocking program and special limit restrictions, Arnold Brook provides a great year-’round angling destination. Brook trout are the quarry, only two to a customer, and many chose to catch-and-release to lengthen fishing time. This is a great spot for youngsters and novice winter anglers who often find a couple of hours of frigid, frozen fishing to be enough. Arnold Offers Lots of Fish A short drive from Presque Isle’s Main Street via Chapman and Niles Road (see DeLorme’s Map 65, E-1) will have you in a spacious plowed parking area overlooking the lake. At just under 400 acres with a maximum depth 12 feet, Arnold is a simple lake to fish, and because of a liberal fall stocking with 1,000 or more 13” brookies and a few larger breeder fish, early results are almost guaranteed. A couple of times each season I see a pickup arrive, drive out onto the plowed ice trail and park. Some random worker gets out, drills a couple of holes, sets out (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 31

Jered Young of Mars Hill is such an avid coyote hunter that he has constructed a comfy hut to hide in, which overlooks a distant bait site. (Continued from page 30)

two tip-ups, gets back in the truck and eats lunch while watching for a flag. What better way for an outdoorsman to spend lunch hour? Bait and Wait For hunters who are experiencing withdrawal from the aroma of burnt gunpowder already and can’t get a cure from paper or clay targets, how about a bit of predator hunting? While calling fox or coyote from a portable blind or makeshift hide of natural elements is an option, food is a far better attractant. Get a discarded beaver carcass from a local trapper or viscera from a legally-tagged deer or moose, or beef remnants from an area butcher shop. Place the offal in a 5-gallon bucket, add a gallon or two of water and freeze. Stake the pail out along a field edge (the stake and weight of the ice keep predators from pulling the pail into the woods and out of sight), load your favorite long gun, sit and wait. It won’t take long for a hungry coydog or fox to scent the food.

If you can layer enough clothes to stand the cold, sit outside. As an alternative, many hunters now use portable ground blinds, and a few even build small shelters similar to a fish shanty for comfort. Throughout Aroostook, rural-edge farm fields and woodlots abound with canine predators. Choose Your Weapon and Your Hour For a greater challenge, use a bow or handgun. However, most winter hunters use flat-shooting long range rifles with excellent scopes, since a lot of shots are illuminated by moonlight rather

Ben Leblanc, owner of Ben’s Trading Post in Presque Isle, doesn’t get a lot of time off, but a day off during January often turns into a varmint hunt, often with a bit of success.

than daylight. This challenging sniper-style gunning is readily available within 30 minutes of any home in Northern Maine, and these wily quarry are plentiful. The agri-fields and pastures around Monticello and Littleton are good options to investigate. Check the DeLorme Atlas Map 59, D-3 & D-4, and E-3 & E-4, get landowner permission, set up far away from buildings, and play the bait-andwait game for some thrilling winter shooting.

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 33

Moosehead Monster Brookies Await Early-Season Anglers Several years ago, quite unexpectedly, Moosehead Lake brook trout began reaching mammoth proportions. And while some are taken in the summer with rod and reel, the greatest percentage come through the ice, starting January 1st. Dawn at Beaver Cove on Moosehead Lake – the eastern sky fringed with red and orange, no wind, and the mercury hovering at 10 degrees. A flag pops and hearts beat fast. After a memorable tussle, a 4-pound wild Moosehead Lake brook trout slides out on the ice. Scenarios such as this play out at various points around Moosehead Lake on January 1, opening day of ice-fishing season. With a little planning, anyone could place themselves in the lucky angler’s position. Quite unexpectedly, Moosehead Lake brook trout began reaching mammoth proportions several years ago. The reason for this happy situation isn’t completely understood, but on the other hand, perhaps it doesn’t pay to look a gift horse, or trout, in the mouth. While open-water fishing gives up many of these brute-sized brook trout, the greatest percentage come through the ice. This makes sense, because ice-fishermen greatly outnumber open-water anglers. For people around Moosehead Lake, ice-fishing season is the season, and everyone greets opening day with great enthusiasm. Workhorse Togue While visions of giant brook trout attract hardwater anglers to

Moosehead Lake in January, chances of catching a trophy trout, while better than anywhere else, are not necessarily guaranteed. So while waiting for a trophy brookie to come along, anglers get plenty of exercise chasing flags just the same, because togue, the workhorse game fish of Moosehead Lake, fill in the gap. The lake was once overrun with togue, and in response the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife (DIF&W) liberalized laws and allowed anglers to keep many more togue than usual. The regulations have tightened a little, but still remain generous – anglers may keep five togue per day between 14 and 18 inches. Only one of those may measure greater than 18 inches. And to those who eschew togue, claiming that they taste “muddy” from feeding on the bottom, they have not tried Moosehead Lake togue,

because there is absolutely no muddy or other disagreeable taste. After all, Moosehead Lake has such great depths that togue seldom stay directly on bottom. Instead, togue and other coldwater game fish lay suspended in the water column. And their depth correlates to wherever smelt congregate. Besides being handsome fish and great battlers, Moosehead togue have light-orange flesh and a mild taste, somewhat similar, at least in my opinion, to brook trout or perhaps even Arctic char. So if you have stayed away from togue because of some perceived fault, give them another try – they may become a new favorite. Needed Tools As always, I recommend that newcomers to Moosehead Lake employ a local guide, since these people know the lake intimately and are keenly aware of where fish are

Happy angler with 22-inch Moosehead Lake brook trout. Photo by Eric Holbrook

biting at any given time. Guides supply everything needed, including snowmobiles with which to reach the charmed spots. But others, choosing to go solo, do well, too. There are special considerations, though, for

fishing this area. While this isn’t usually a problem in early January, it can be toward month’s end. That is, ice depths may be such that a standard ice auger bit cannot extend deep enough (Continued on next page)

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34 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Moosehead Report (Continued from page 33)

to reach water. In such cases, an extension bit is necessary. Snow often reaches significant depths, too, and for that reason, anglers should use the tallest ice-fishing traps available. The higher

the flag extends, the less snow we need to shovel in order to make it visible. Which makes it now appropriate to remind ice anglers to bring with them another often-needed item – a snow shovel. Finally, when fishing

Moosehead Lake, smelt make top choice for bait. Fortunately, bait dealers throughout the region, including in Greenville and Rockwood, always have plenty of smelt on hand during the winter season. A live smelt, hooked lightly just behind the dorsal fin, presents an irresistible snack for all of Moosehead’s game fish.

Winter Vacation While towns in the Moosehead Region see lots of activity in summer, winter brings legions of winter-loving visitors. The region ranks as a top-choice destination for all winter sports. In Greenville, for instance, business booms as skiers and snowmobilers flock to the area.

Restaurants, pubs, motels and sporting lodges do a brisk business once the snow flies. Of all the outdoor activities other than ice fishing, snowmobiling stands at the top of the list. Local snowmobile clubs keep trails wellgroomed and in addition (Continued on page 37)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 35

Three “Destination” Waters –

Lake St. George, Swan Lake and Alford Lake Nothing brings outdoors folks out in numbers as much as the prospect of ice-fishing for trout, salmon and togue. In many instances, hardwater anglers who are intent upon fast-and-furious action hit destination waters in droves. “Destination waters” is a phrase coined by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife (DIF&W) to describe mostly warmwater ponds that are heavily stocked with coldwater game fish. These places receive many more fish than other waters of the same size, far exceeding their stated carrying capacity. The reason for this? It’s because DIF&W intends for these fish to be taken out sometime during the ice-fishing season. Most destination waters are stocked in late fall or early winter, and by the time ice forms, fish have become ravenous. Additionally, most destination waters contain some retired broodstock fish – large specimens that have outlived their prime years for reproduction. Often, these fish represent the biggest ever taken by anglers, and some are destined to be mounted on the wall as cherished and long-remembered trophies. The fantastic fishing enjoyed on destination waters explains their universal appeal. Families, both young and old, visit these places for angling fun as well as family get-togethers. All in all, destination waters fill a great need, allowing people who don’t have access to more storied waters to gain access

Lake Saint George is currently bursting at the seams with some beautiful brook trout and salmon. With a healthy forage base of smelt, the salmon soon acquire that signature football shape, with thick, deep bodies, and heads that appear small in comparison.

Chris Robinson holds a hefty Lake Saint George brook trout, taken during DIF&W’s 2018 trapnetting session. Photo credit: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

to great fishing on a local level. Here in Midcoast Maine, two red-hot destination waters, Dutton Pond and Levenseller Pond, remain open yearround. In the past, anglers needed to wait until January 1 in order to fish these places. But now, both waters are open January 1 through December 31, meaning that it’s okay to begin fishing as soon as safe ice forms. This is a good thing for anxious anglers who can’t wait to get out on the ice. Find Dutton Pond on the Delorme Atlas, Map 14, A-3 and see Levenseller Pond on Map 14, C-3. Salmon Waters Besides those who concentrate upon destination waters, many ice fishermen have one quar-

ry on their minds, that being landlocked salmon. Fortunately, the Midcoast region has several fine salmon waters. Saint George Lake in Liberty stands as the crown jewel of salmon lakes in the Midcoast region. Here, stocked salmon often remain in the lake long enough to reach trophy size. Fish condition, that being their overall health, shape, size and appearance, is excellent. With a healthy forage base of smelt, salmon soon acquire that signature football shape, with thick, deep bodies and heads that appear small in comparison. These are the fish that every angler seeks, and at Saint George that wish often becomes reality. Each year, DIF&W sets trapnets at Saint George to monitor the salmon and brook trout

populations. And while recent years have seen excellent results regarding size and numbers, the 2018 trapnetting has revealed that many more large salmon and trout now swim in Saint George’s deep, icy waters. Both size and numbers reflect a boom in salmon and trout. And while DIF&W isn’t quite sure what to attribute this to, they want anglers to know that Lake Saint George is currently bursting at the seams with some beautiful brook trout and salmon. Because of the high numbers of predators, DIF&W has evidenced concern that these large, hungry fish may impact the lake’s forage base. And that can in turn, can result in a less healthy salmon population. The answer, according to fisheries biologists, is to

harvest the prey. And so DIF&W encourages anglers to try their luck at Saint George this winter and help reduce trout and salmon numbers in order to restore a healthy balance between predators and prey. I’m sure that Maine Sportsman readers are ready and willing to do their civic duty and harvest some of these whopping salmon and trout. And DIF&W won’t even need to ask us twice. Saint George Lake has a 1-fish daily bag limit, a 2-line per angler limit, and a 16-inch minimum length limit. The bag limit on brook trout follows general law regulations, with a 2-fish-perday maximum. Swan Lake Swan Lake in Swanville holds salmon, togue and brook trout. Average large togue run between 2 and 4 pounds, with double-digit fish showing up occasionally. Brook trout, although present in numbers due to regular stockings, seldom carry over from one year to the next, and thus don’t frequently attain any great size. Salmon, though, at least at present, have once again come to the front, and 3- to 4-pound fish have become increasingly common. A growing smelt population and low stocking numbers have served to grow big salmon. Salmon condition fluctuates over the years, depending upon the health of the smelt population. At present, we are on the upward-facing side of the cycle. (Continued on page 37) www.MaineSportsman.com

36 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

January Ice Fishing Downeast Produces Results “The early bird gets the worm” was a familiar saying in my family. This saying was no more evident than how my siblings and I would get first choice of our ice-fishing equipment for the day. The boy who got up the earliest on Saturday usually got the best gear. So what do birds and worms have to do with ice fishing? Well, fishing surveys reveal that the most productive angling days are during the first two weeks of the ice-fishing season. One of the best bets to guarantee early ice-fishing success is to rely on the up-to-date on-line Maine stocking report for Hancock and Washington County, and then refer to DeLorme’s Atlas for pinpoint location information.

Cathance Lake’s 2,905 acres and 75-foot depths provide excellent habitat for salmon. This lake is stocked annually with 1,000 8-inch salmon. In the words of fisheries biologist Greg Burr, Cathance is a “terrific salmon fishery.” Small Trout Ponds Walkers Pond in Brookville is an excellent early ice-fishing spot to set up a few ice traps in January (Map 15, C-3). Walkers, because of its small size, usually freezes solid by January 1. Hatchery personnel stocked 700 12- inch brown trout and 500 13inch brook trout this past fall. This water produces a few browns in the 2- to 3- pound category and some 15-to 16-inch brookies each winter. Anglers at times sit out the day catching a variety of warm-water fish. Most folks set their traps along the west shoreline, however, easy access and

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hold-over brownie and brookie action can be had by fishing the east shore. Although ice fishing for trout can at times be slow, at Walkers it’s often worth the wait. Jacob Buck Jacob Buck Pond, a 190-acre water in Bucksport (Map 23, D-2), also offers quality ice fishing each January. According to avid Jacob Buck Pond fisherman Zack Herbest of Bucksport, splake and brook trout are the most targeted species; however, anglers also catch salmon and pickerel. One hundred 12- to 14- inch brook trout were stocked here in the fall. Consequently, folks should experience some fine winter angling. Additionally, folks might catch some of the older-class brookies or splake. Special regulations on Jacob Buck include a onefish limit on trout, and a minimum length of 14 inches. There is no size or bag limit on pickerel or

bass. According to reliable reports from several Bucksport ice anglers, some heavy white perch in the 1-½-pound category are also caught each winter. Winter fishers can gain access to this pond by driving out the Jacob Buck Pond road to Barbour Drive. Parking is available at the public boat launch area. Green Lake Green Lake is another outstanding salmonid water in the Greater Penobscot Bay Region (Map 23, C-5). Folks often have good luck fishing for salmon off Jellison Brook. Fishing around the nearby islands or close to the shoreline can also provide fast action. Trophy lake trout are often caught in the east part of this lake. Hard-water anglers fish for togue in water depths of 45 to 50 feet. Togue in the 4- to 8-pound range are often part of a day’s

catch. The majority of gamefish anglers drill ice holes in the “the Narrows.” This region also harbors a well-established population of bass, white perch and pickerel. Ice anglers usually have their best luck icing stocky togue and spirited salmon in January; however, several experienced fishermen mentioned they had caught several trophy lakers last February. Access to Green Lake can be gained by following Route 1A east from Ellsworth. Cathance Lake Cathance Lake (Map 36, E-4) in Washington County is a popular ice-fishing water for landlocks. Its 2,905 acres and 75-foot depths provide excellent habitat for salmon. Cathance is one of the most consistent salmon fisheries in Washington County; in the words of fisheries biologist Greg Burr, it’s a “terrific salmon fishery.” Salmon caught by ice anglers typically range from 17 to 19 inches, with average weights in the 2(Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 37 (Continued from page 36)

to 3-pound range. Occasionally, anglers ice fish weighing over 3 pounds. This lake is stocked annually with approximately 1,000 8-inch salmon. Brook trout are also a targeted species for ice anglers on this body of water. Winter anglers catch wild brookies that were produced from the inlets. Fish in the 10- to 12-inch range are typical of a day’s catch, with a few 14- to 16- inch brook trout caught by hard-water anglers annually. Smelts or worms are the usual bait to entice these beauties. Even though salmon are the principal game fish caught on Cathance, brookies are also a highly-prized gamefish caught from this water. Folks often catch trout by fishing worms in 3 to 4 feet of water, while other anglers increase their chances of catching a salmon by fishing a smelt just under the ice.

This typical Downeast brown trout is being held by Warren Giles of Bucksport.

Easy access can be gained at the well-maintained boat launch off Route 191. Many anglers are successful by fishing around Todd Island, which is approximately one mile from the landing. Open-water Fishing An additional winter option for sports in the Greater Penobscot Bay Region is fresh-water fishing. Yes, open-water fishing in January is a real possibility. One productive water that’s open all year long is the Orland River (Map 23, E-3). It contains firstrate deep pools where an

Moosehead Report (Continued from page 34)

to local trails, which offer stunning views of mountains around the lake, more energetic riders may wish to take advantage of The Moosehead Snowmobile Trail, a 166-mile loop that circumnavigates Moosehead Lake. This route encompasses Greenville, Kokadjo, Northeast Carry, Seboomook, Pittston Farm and Rockwood. Then we have Route 66 and the ½ Loop. At 55 miles, this trail includes parts of the Moosehead Lake Snowmobile Trail and hits upon Greenville, Kokadjo and Rockwood. For those who desire easier riding, ITS 85S, Maine Snowmobiling Trail Railroad

Midcoast Report (Continued from page 35)

Swan Lake boasts a fine parking lot across from the boat landing on Route 141. The area in front of the boat ramp usually features suitable ice thickness well ahead of the rest of this windswept lake. The water here isn’t deep enough to hold togue, but brook trout and the occasional salmon frequent the area, and anglers usually catch their share. Also, this makes a good place to sit in the car and watch for

angler can experience good brook trout fishing. According to DIF&W stocking report, hatchery personal dropped off 400 10-inch brookies in the spring, and 150 13-inch brookies last fall. Hopefully this stocking trend will continue. The Orland River was stocked last spring with trout. This author and many other spring anglers enjoyed catching their limit of fish. I have also been catching 13- to 15-inch fall brookies, even if the line guides on my rod and my hands were frozen. Brook trout are

Warren Giles of Bucksport holding several trout, including a 22-inch, 3-pound brookie pulled a local river.

stocked between the Upper Falls Road and Alamoosook Dam. Warren Giles of Bucksport mentioned that he fishes this

Bed, beckons. This is one of the region’s widest and straightest trails. And for the more adventurous, ITS 85S connects to a number of other trails. These represent only a small sample of the excellent snowmobiling opportunities afforded by the historic Moosehead Lake region. Hunting, Too Hunting rabbits (more accurately – snowshoe hares) has become a popular wintertime sport in the Moosehead Region. Local guides take clients out on hunts with their rabbit dogs. For those who have never participated in this specialized sport, the first time can be a real thrill. Hares, when pursued by a baying hound, run in circles rather than in a straight line. flags on bitterly cold days. Alford Lake Finally, according to stocking records, DIF&W began stocking Alford Lake in Hope in 2015, when 100 11-inch salmon were released. Then again in 2016, DIF&W released 100 8-inch salmon, and in 2017, DIF&W stocked 100 14-inch salmon. So by now, any of these fish could have reached sizeable proportions. However, due to the instant success of the salmon-stocking program, ice-fishers manage to take a significant proportion of

water faithfully, as do many of his friends.

Key to success is to find a high spot near where the hound first took the scent. From then on, it’s a waiting game. Hearts pound as the hound music grows closer. With shotgun at the ready, the shooter keeps an eagle eye on the nearest open spot, where, hopefully, a pure-white snowshoe hare will come bounding along ahead of the hound. Rabbit hunting is an exhilarating, highly active sport. Besides that, a day’s limit of 4 snowshoe hares makes for some memorable wild meals. No matter your preference for outdoor activities, the Moosehead Region has something special for you this winter.

salmon present each year. The good news is, the lake’s abundant smelt crop sees excellent growth rates on salmon and brown trout. Last summer I took a 16-inch salmon that had been stocked the previous year. The 2-inch length gain, plus a fat, healthy appearance, attested to the lake’s potential to grow good-sized fish. Find Saint George Lake on the DeLorme Atlas, Map 14, B-1; see Swan Lake on Map 22, E-5; and locate Alford Lake on Map 14, C-2 and D-2.

www.MaineSportsman.com

38 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

A Warden in the Heart of Bunny Country We slowly motored to the end of the plowed road. Fortunately, the plow truck had created an impromptu parking area when it spun around and headed home. Snowshoe hare hunting in remote areas comes with many challenges. On this particular day, driving in another two or three miles would have saved me some ibuprofen. With that said, I, along with my son Matt and Guide Art Corson strapped on snowshoes and started up the long incline that we hoped would lead to fast bunny-busting action. Winter offers many solid outdoor activities

I came to appreciate the professionalism and respect both parties showed. The warden didn’t embarrass the guide in front of his customers, and the guide, in turn, had done his due diligence and knew we possessed licenses and were in complete compliance with the law. here in the Jackman Region. On this day, we chose to pursue long-footed, furry speedsters using a time honored tactic – hounds. During the last half dozen or so years, I’ve really developed a healthy addiction to listening to a pack of canines deciphering the whereabouts of the elusive Lepus americanus. Following the song of the beagle, I find it ul-

tra-interesting to listen in real time to the chess matches that ensue. Oftentimes the hounds, usually three or four deep, seem to have the white fur ball just a few steps ahead of them and well under control. Song of the Beagle Then, without warning, the hounds go silent, as the rabbit gives them the slip. This causes the hounds to regroup, and as guide Corson says,

“Figure it out.” Those who underestimate the cunning of these cagey snowshoe hares need to spend some time listening to this game of cat and mouse. There’s no lack of rabbit covers in the Jackman Region. On this cold day, we let the hounds loose on the east side of Route 201 between Moscow and Caratunk. A glance at page 30 of DeLorme’s Atlas shows

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these two large townships and the many miles of gravel access roads that reach into the heart of bunny country. With so much area to cover, I’ve realized it’s well worth it to hire a Registered Maine Guide. Since I started hiring Corson, my success rate has skyrocketed. A good guide not only has dogs capable of finding and getting hares moving, but knows which covers will reap the best harvest. Our motley crew plowed through the virgin snow one step at a time. Personally, I enjoy the snowshoeing aspect of the journey. Once the (Continued on next page)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 39 (Continued from page 38)

dogs start moving bunnies, I usually plunge off-trail and penetrate deeper into the snow-covered woods in an effort to intersect Maine’s largest rabbit. The hares tend to run in large circles that don’t always cross a logging trail or backwoods highway. I like to get in where the action is, find a concealed spot and wait for ole’ long-ears to come flying by. New Gun In the past, I’ve used one of my 20-gauge shotguns loaded with number six shot. This load has worked well for me. However, this year I’m upping the challenge a bit with the purchase of a Savage Model 24. For those unfamiliar with this older (pre-1968) firearm, it has two barrels in over/under configuration. The bottom barrel is bored for .410 shotgun, while the top

barrel is chambered for .22 magnum. I’m anxious to see how this new firearm performs in the field.

eye. Heck, I thought, that could save me a lot of huffing and puffing. However, the official emblem on the side of the truck told me I’d be sticking with the snowshoes. Yup, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, also known as the local game warden, pulled up next to us. The friendly law enforcement officer got out and started chatting with the three of us. After some small banter, he unloaded his snow machine and headed uptrail to check out a couple of ponds producing complaints of reckless snowmobile usage. I thought

Lunchtime Visit Around lunchtime, my stomach lets me know it’s time to eat, especially with the high caloric intake required when busting trail using snowshoes. Another “guide advantage” became evident as we say that Corson had a great lunch cooking on the tailgate of his hound-hauling truck. While we were chowing down on homemade beef stew, another vehicle approached. The new Ski-Doo in the back of the truck caught my

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(Continued on page 42)

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40 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Ice Anglers – Start Small This Year The new year provides some great fishing and hunting action. Small ponds freeze up early, and a few species are still legal to chase, so there’s no excuse to stay inside and get cabin fever this month! Ice-anglers rejoice as another season has begun! Hunters still have some quarry available, too, as we usher in the New Year. For anglers, the key is to start on small ponds where ice is safest, and wait for the big waters to freeze solid. Sebago Regional Angling Last year was the first in a while that the big lake (Sebago) froze solid. We had the shack out and were fishing in January, but local anglers know big lake ice thickness is unpredictable. Small ponds nearby provide some great early action, so concentrate on those. Trickey Pond in Naples (DeLorme Atlas, Map 4, B-5) is quick to freeze (but always be safe, and check the ice before venturing out). Trickey offers

a smorgasbord of fish, including splake, brook trout and salmon. Heavily stocked, Trickey Pond delivers for ice fishermen, and its clear, spring-fed waters hold these species well. In October, Trickey Pond received its winter dose of 50 13-inch brook trout, so they are ready and waiting! Close-by, another pond – or, better put, series of ponds – that freeze up fast due to shallow water depths is the Otter Pond chain (Map 5, D-1). Otter Ponds #2 and #4 received a whopping 900 brookies this past fall to entice winter anglers. This is an easy spot to fish, as anglers can park along Route 35 and walk the old railroad bed. Abundant small brook trout and easy access make this a great spot to bring youngsters fishing.

Range Pond State Park Open ALL-YEAR! • Enjoy ice fishing (only plowed access to Lower Range Pond). Early Fishing permits available for access before gate opening at 9 A.M. Stocked with Brook and Brown Trout • Kids only ice fishing Derby March 2nd sponsored by Kittery Trading Post and Sebago Rotary Club • 2018 State Park Passes now available to purchase at the park! • 2 miles of groomed x/c ski trail, 1.5 miles of groomed snowshoe/ walking trail and 4 miles of additional trails • Park and Ride snowmobile access to Southwestern Maine • Remember, the park is open to hunting; special rules apply

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Parker Pond in Casco (Map 5, B-1) is another “quaint” pond just below Pleasant Lake. This pond is only stocked in the fall, so winter anglers should take note. Parker received 200 13-inch brookies this past October, and they should be worm-hungry by now. Crystal Lake in Gray (Map 5, B-3) received a liberal allotment of 250 rainbow trout and 285 brook trout. Crystal Lake, also called Dry Pond, is another easy place to take kids angling. It features a nice parking lot off of North Raymond Road. Auburn Region To the north, Taylor Pond (Map 11, E-4) freezes early as it is shallow, but a lack of public access makes this spot hard to fish unless you know someone who lives along the shoreline. Despite being choked with weeds in the summer, Taylor produces well in winter months, mostly due to the illegal introduction of northern pike. Brought in a number of years ago, the pike thrive in the pond and make for some exciting winter angling. While they may have impacted the bass population, they seem to leave the big ones alone, as whopper bass are caught through the ice, along with the decent-size pike. Picturesque Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester (Map 5, B-3) is stocked in the fall with

Young angler Anthony Correa of Freeport shows off a lunker smallmouth bass taking while fishing on the Range Pond Chain. Photo by Tom Roth

brook trout and brown trout, and is on my list to watch for safe ice conditions. A small fraternity of anglers also fish for the lakes big smelt by handline. Latch onto a Sabbathday jack smelt and you will be hooked forever – pun intended. One of the most popular early season spots is the Range Pond chain in Poland (Map 5, A-3). Many anglers make it a New Year’s tradition to fish one of the three Range Ponds. These ponds are heavily stocked with a variety of trout. This past October, more than 2,200 trout were stocked in Upper, Lower and Middle Range Ponds. By the numbers – Lower Range Pond received 300 11-inch brown trout and 190 14inch brook trout; Middle Range Pond received 650

13-inch rainbow trout, 333 14-inch brookies and 325 13-inch brownies; and Upper Range Pond took in 300 13-inch rainbow trout, 375 14-inch brook trout and 150 13inch brown trout. Quite an impressive fall stocking for this popular chain of ponds! With a boat launch area, state park and some roadside access, the Range Ponds is a must-visit spot this winter. Right next door to the Range Pond chain is Tripp Pond in Poland (Map 5, A-2). Although it’s technically a pond, most locals refer to it as Tripp Lake. You will see anglers dot the side of Route 11 in Poland to access this shallow water fishery, thanks to a decent dose of brown trout that are (Continued on page 42)

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 41

Ice-Fishing Has Universal Appeal More people catch more trout, salmon and togue while ice fishing than when open-water fishing. Here’s why. Not everyone who fishes owns a boat, limiting their access to lakes and ponds during the open-water fishing season. But when solid ice forms, everyone who wants to get out onto the ice has the opportunity to do so. The end result? Weekend crowds on our popular lakes in winter greatly outnumber weekend crowds during the open-water season. What’s more, angler numbers matter regarding overall catch figures. With more people on the ice throughout the winter season than on the water during the open-water season, it naturally follows that more salmonids are pulled out of our lakes and ponds in winter than in summer. Being aware of ice fishing’s popularity, fisheries biologists from Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) carefully monitor the winter catch on popular waters, in order to accurately manage the resource. Creel surveys represent one of the tools at a biologist’s disposal. Here, department staffers go out on the ice and check anglers’ catch. And since ice-fishers are relatively stationary, it’s easier to check them than it is to go out in a boat and check on people moving about on open water. Hardwater Tips When ice fishing, it’s what’s under the water that counts. Except for jig

Use ultra-thin, low-stretch monofilament for your leader. Tie the hook directly to the line – no barrel swivels or snap swivels needed. Then, depending upon the size of baitfish used, attach one or two non-toxic sinkers, at least 12 inches above the hook. Try a single sinker first, and if it doesn’t send the bait slowly down toward bottom, add one more.

Attention to terminal gear accounted for this handsome togue being pulled through the hole in the ice. Photo credit: Eric Holbrook

rods, ice fishing requires handlining fish, the same as people did years ago while on the ocean jigging for codfish. Rather than grasping individual the line in our hands, we use ice-fishing traps, or “tip-ups,” to hold our lines and to signal when a fish has taken the bait. Modern traps are ultra-reliable. Flags no longer freeze in their holders, and larger spools allow for more line-holding capacity. And that’s the extent of it. Essentially, traps are traps. They

serve to hold the line. However, they have nothing to do with attracting fish to the bait. That’s why underwater components are of critical importance. After all, the bait does not move any significant distance from where it was dropped, straight down, through a hole in the ice. As opposed to when casting or trolling, baits fished through the ice are subject to the most severe scrutiny by passing fish. This means that anything that looks unnatural may

limit the number of bites. Often, people ice fishing the same area have differing results. The angler fishing for trout and using heavy leaders, big swivels, too-large or thick

hooks and large, bright sinkers, cannot expect to fare as well as someone who uses thinner, less obtrusive lines, and who uses smaller-size terminal gear such as swivels and sinkers. Gearing Up Consider this: In open-water fishing, we know that trout are often leader-shy, requiring precise presentations when casting. Why, then, wouldn’t these same fish exhibit the same leader-shyness in winter? The answer is, they do. This mandates that we use the thinnest diameter leader possible. Fortunately, modern 6-pound-test and even some 8-pound-test lines are designed with a very thin diameter. Also, special ice-fishing lines have very little stretch. My favorite is Berkeley Trilene Micro-Ice. This type of line allows for more positive hookups because of its lack of stretch. Incidentally, I also use this line for open-water fishing with ultralight gear. Micro-Ice line is also low visibility – something important in ice fishing. So rig trap lines (these can be anything, including braided casting line) with a 10 -12 foot length of leader. Then tie (Continued on next page)

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42 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Trout Fishing (Continued from page 41)

the hook directly to the line – no barrel swivels or snap swivels needed. Depending upon the size of baitfish used, attach one or two non-toxic sinkers. For these, I like the British-made Dinsmores Stealth Egg Shot. These oval sinkers range in size from 1 (tiny) to AB, one size larger than our BB shot. I purchase these sinkers from my local fly-fishing shop. Also note that Eagle Claw offers colored tin sinkers. However, the paint easily chips on the Eagle Claw variety. Dinsmore sinkers require needle-nosed pli-

ers to attach to leaders. However, I often use the hemostat I carry for removing hooks from fish, and they work fine. Also, these sinkers are colored in earth tones of green and dull brown and are very unobtrusive. Try a single sinker first, and if it doesn’t send the bait slowly down toward bottom, add one more. Sinkers should be at least 12 inches above the hook. And with that, the terminal gear setup is complete. Bait Types No matter where in Maine you fish, it pays to try to duplicate what-

Jackman Region (Continued from page 39)

it odd that while we were right handy he didn’t ask any of us to see our licenses. Corson said it was his duty, as a Registered Maine Guide, to make sure that his clientele had the proper licensing and followed all the appropriate rules and regulations. After thinking about this I came to appreciate the professional respect both parties showed. The warden didn’t embarrass the guide in front of his customers, and the guide, in turn, had done his due diligence and knew we were in complete compliance with the law. We witnessed professionalism in the middle of nowhere. Snowmobiles Rule Now that readers know that a warden can show up on a snowmobile just about anywhere, it’s time to check the registration, slap the throttle, and responsibly enjoy some of the region’s unmatched snowmobile trails. It’s no secret that the hamlet of Jackman serves as a “hub” of sorts for snow jockeys looking to lay down some responsible miles.

Sebago to Auburn (Continued from page 40)

stocked each fall. This past October, 400 11inch brown were stocked, but most winter anglers are after the 50 17-inch browns that were also stocked. New Year’s Hunting Hunters are still active this month. Snowshoe hare hunters take center stage as beagles chase these white changelings all across the regional landscape. Nothing gets www.MaineSportsman.com

ever baitfish occur naturally in the lake or pond. Fish are used to feeding upon these and if, for instance, the pond has a large golden shiner population, using a golden shiner won’t arouse suspicion. Conversely, although smelt serve as a sort of universal baitfish in Maine, using a live smelt in a water where smelt aren’t present seems a waste of good smelt. Better to use whatever occurs naturally. Familiarity with the water you plan to ice fish helps a great deal. Whatever baitfish appear when checking stomach contents in summer, will also be present in winter. If you lack first-

hand knowledge, contact DIF&W and order one of their lake survey maps. Or visit mefishwildlife. com and click on “fishing.” Once there, click on “Lake Survey Maps.” These maps bear no relation to DeLorme’s Maine Fishing Depth Maps, but rather are compiled by DIF&W. The text lists all fish species present, including the various baitfish. It’s interesting to see how fisheries management has evolved on these waters. For instance, the text may mention when stocking of certain fish species began and in some cases, why it ended. The maps themselves are from DIF&W

surveys, many of which go back many years and were updated for current users. Baitfish aren’t the only effective baits, either, especially when fishing for trout. Earthworms (not nightcrawlers, which are too big), hooked only once and fished directly on bottom with a slack line, have universal fish appeal. I once watched a man using earthworms catch several brook trout, while others only feet away, using live baitfish, caught nothing. So remember these tips, and hopefully they will increase your catch. Happy fishing!

For some really good ride-planning, check with the Jackman Chamber of Commerce (JackmanMaine.org). This year, the website features a snowmobile trail report that is updated daily. It also suggests multiple locations, such as Eustis, Rockwood, Greenville, Pittston Farms and even spots over the border in Canada. It also has multiple links to businesses that cater to the snowmobile crowd. That includes the all-important lodging, dining and a host of other local resources that make the difference between a successful visit and a failed stay. The site details valuable information for those looking to cross the border and sample Canadian snowmobiling first-hand. For those who may have forgotten to register their snowmobile, Bishops Store, located on Main Street, can take care of that. Bishops has served travelers and sportsmen since 1950, and stocks everything winter travelers might need. They also make one heck of a pizza. Another must-visit website, www.BorderRidersClub.com, has much-needed trail maps and other need-to-know information. Take note of the trail mileage to and from

Jackman before hitting the trails. This chart gives trail runners accurate information critical to planning day trips.

a hare hunter as excited as the closing-in sound of a hare hound baying. Hare season runs through March 31. Crow hunting starts back up this month on January 17. It’s a great way to keep the smoothbore shooters happy after bird and waterfowl season closes. All you need is a handful of plastic crow decoys, a mouth or electronic crow call and a box of shotgun shells. Find a field and set up in the treeline, preferably early in the morning. Start calling, and watch the inquisitive

birds roll in. Coyote hunters inhabit their heated shacks and stand watch over bait piles. These stalwart hunters enjoy some good sport while helping the wintering deer population. The new year provides some great fishing and hunting action. Small ponds freeze up and a few species are still legal to chase, so there’s no excuse to get cabin fever this month!

Master Maine Guide Art Corson and customer Brian Vandal take a few minutes to enjoy the sunshine and discuss where the next snowshoe hare might show up. Listening to the dogs sing while chasing these oversized rabbits rates as part of the fun.The Jackman region has miles of great real estate flush with a healthy hare population. But, beware, during daylight hours it takes either boots on the ground or a sharp nosed beagle to get these bunnies up and moving. Bill Sheldon photo

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 43

Three NH Ice Derbies You Don’t Want to Miss It seems to me that I always hear about some great weekend ice fishing derbies on the Monday after they’ve taken place. Of course, there are some huge derbies that are made into quite the spectacle with media attention, but there are also lots of small-scale local derbies that only get social media (private Facebook) attention, with the only advertising being word-of-mouth and pictures of fish, posted after their completion. Many of the specific dates for these derbies aren’t decided until just a couple weeks before—or less. And some still may change with the weather and snow conditions, and for that reason it’s hard to stay abreast of their registrations. Here is some information on three derbies, which should serve to whet your appetite. Keep them on your radar, and use them as inspiration to either participate in these derbies or to identify other worthwhile ice fishing derby/fundraising events in your area. Lake Umbagog Ice Derby The Stateline Snowmobile Club puts on a relatively small, but growing, ice derby on the interstate water of Umbagog. The lake is home to perch, pickerel, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, brook trout and salmon (which can’t be taken through the ice). Access to the lake can be found at the state boat launch on Route 26, about seven miles east of Errol. From there,

The Washington Volunteer Fire Department’s derby features separate youth and adult categories, and offers cash prizes as well as items such as rods, snowshoes, grills and trail cameras. The Umbagog derby ends with a huge cook-out, while the NH Rotary Derby is simply the largest ice-fishing contest in New England.

Lake Umbagog is a renowned smallmouth fishery. An ice angler on a typical day can expect dozens of flags with smallmouth this size on the other end. There are some 3+ pounders every now and then, too.

the lake extends almost eight miles north, with good fishing just about everywhere. Last year’s total cash prize was listed at

$1,000, but if my memory serves it right (which it may or may not these days), there were some great additional prizes contributed by L.L. Cote’s

in Errol. Perhaps the best part of this derby, though, is that included in your registration is access to a tremendous on-ice

cookout, with hot dogs, burgers, homemade chili and of course, hot cocoa. This can usually be found somewhere in front of the boat launch in Sargent Cove. There are roads and a “parking lot” plowed to get you there easily. Umbagog is a fairly shallow lake, with most of it being less than twenty feet deep; therefore, it usually freezes well and thick. Most people drive their vehicles onto the ice to wherever they’ll fish. That said, caution should still be heeded, here, as trucks and snowmobiles have gone through before. In fact, this writer wouldn’t advise anyone take a vehicle anywhere near the north end of the lake, as there are multiple winding river channels that cause ice to remain thin. It is important to note that since this is an interstate body of water, it has special rules. Specifically, you can only have five lines per person, rather than the usual six lines in most other NH waterbodies. Also, per the rulebook, “That portion of Umbagog Lake north of a straight line between Molls Rock, Errol, New Hampshire and the red post between Spillman and Glassy Coves, Magalloway Plantation, Maine shall be closed to ice fishing,” to protect trophy trout that might spill down from Rapid River. The date for this year’s tournament is not listed yet, but last year’s was at the end of February. Keep an eye on the state’s ice tournament (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

44 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

New Hampshire (Continued from page 43)

page for updates: wildlife. state.nh.us/fishing/ tournaments-ice.html. Visit the State Line Snowmobile Club’s Facebook page for more details. Meredith Rotary Club Derby The NH Rotary Derby is the largest ice derby in New Hampshire – and, for that matter, in all of New England. Technically, it spans the entire state. Anglers can enter any fish freshly and legally taken from any NH waterbody. Most of the action usually takes place in the Lakes Region of the state, though, with Meredith hosting the weigh station on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. This year’s derby will take place February 9th and 10th. Given the size and grandeur of this derby, some hefty

prizes are awarded to the luckiest anglers. There are seven eligible fish categories: lake trout, rainbow trout, yellow perch, white perch, black crappie, pickerel and cusk. The top five heaviest fish from each category are hung on the board for all to admire. Each day, the top five anglers of each category are awarded $500, $200, $150, $100, $50, respectively. Then, at the end the weekend, the names of the seven anglers who caught the biggest fish in each category for the weekend are entered into a drawing for additional grand prize money. Three names are drawn, winning $3,000; $5,000; and $15,000! Needless to say, a skilled or lucky angler could make some big money fishing this derby!

And it is possible to win multiple prizes each day, since it’s not uncommon to see an angler’s name with several fish hanging on the leaderboard (in the same or different categories) at the end of the day. To get more information, register, and check out last year’s winning fish, visit the Meredith Rotary Club’s website: meredithrotary. com. Washington Area Derby The Washington Volunteer Fire Department hosts and an annual ice derby on “all legal lakes and ponds in Washington, NH.” Halfmoon Pond, Lake Ashuelot, Island Pond and May Pond are the most popular waterbodies, but there are several other ponds to explore, as well. This is a great family derby, as it is communityoriented and focuses on (Continued on next page)

A young angler shows off the variety of species that can be taken on the small Halfmoon Pond in the Washington, NH ice derby. His haul includes crappie, perch and bass.

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Ice Fishing for White Perch For several reasons, white perch are among my favorite fish to target while ice fishing: • First, they fight hard; • Second, they are abundant; and • Third, they make great table fare. White perch are easy to find in small lakes and ponds, because they’ll usually be in the 30- to 40-foot basins where the food they eat – bait fish and aquatic bugs – congregate. Also Found in Big Lakes When I am targeting white perch on big lakes, I will refer to a depth map, or even better, find a topographical map of the lake I am planning to fish. I look for water between thirty and forty feet deep. As is the case with ponds, lake basins can be extremely productive, especially if the lake has a good population of smelts. Lunker white perch will position themselves low in the basin. There they will wait for a school of smelts to swim over, at which point they will attack the school. Inside turns or walls of a basin are also good, because perch will push bait fish into those ar-

Lake basins that hold smelt are extremely productive for white perch. Lunker perch will position themselves low in the basin, where they will wait for a school of smelts to swim over and then attack the school.

White perch fight well, are plentiful, and provide some really good eating, especially if you can catch enough for several meals. Luke Giampetruzzi photo

eas and then attack the school. Stay Mobile, and Use a Flasher Ice anglers need to stay mobile, because biglake white perch are nomadic. Since the fish are constantly on the move, setting up in a single spot after catching a few fish is not always the best idea.

New Hampshire (Continued from page 44)

some different kid-friendly species, such as pickerel, perch, hornpout and even dace. There is an adult competition category and a separate youth category. Prizes are awarded a bit differently than most typical derbies, too, featuring winners for both heaviest and longest fish in different specie categories—and even a smallest pickerel

A flasher (fish-finder) can be extremely helpful in locating a school of perch. For example, sometimes the school of perch will be suspended 10 feet off bottom, and it would take a long time to figure that out if you didn’t have a flasher. Spoons; Jigs Perch can be finicky when it comes to spoons

and jigs, and they can display different moods. Some days they want subtle baits, like a tungsten jig, while on other days they will take bigger spoons or jigging lures like Swedish Pimples or even Rapala jigging raps. The bigger the spoon, the easier it is to fish, since larger lures sink faster and get down more quick-

prize. There is also a unique “most-species” award. This is a derby focused on catching lots of fish and having fun with friends and family—but there are some great prizes, too. There are several $500 and $250 prizes awarded each day for the biggest and longest fish overall. Then, those who win the different species categories are awarded with different prize packages, with items such as rods, snowshoes, grills and trail cameras.

ly to where the fish are holding. For patterns and colors, I like chartreuse, white-and-red, and pinkand-white, and I always have some smelt patterns to for when they are keyed in on them. And typing your jig with a perch eye worms or a baitfish head never hurts – it adds a little scent that might get a more aggressive reaction. White perch are more aggressive on early and late ice, because oxygen levels are high. Rods; Line When it comes to fishing rods, I like a very flexible rod that I can detect light bites with, and a second rod that’s a little more stiff, to handle bigger spoons and jigs. I usually spool them up with 4to 6-pound test line. Having multiple rods doesn’t hurt because when you are on the fish you don’t want to be spending time tying on new jigs, especially when it’s cold out. Smelts on a trap work good too, but smelts are expensive, and you can’t catch nearly as many perch in the same amount of time as you can by jigging.

Last year, the derby took place in the middle of February, but this year’s dates have not been posted yet. Check the Washington Volunteer Fire Department Annual Ice Fishing Derby Facebook page, or the Town of Washington’s website (washingtonnh.org/Pages/ WashingtonNH_ Fire/ifd) to find more information. At just $6 per day, or $10 for the weekend, this derby shouldn’t be missed!

www.MaineSportsman.com

46 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Ice Harvest” Grabs Bill’s Attention For years I’ve owned a monster of an “ice saw.” It fits nicely with my collection of antique tools. Big, sharp and mean-looking, the five-foot long cutting edge looks like it could easily tear through the thickest of ice. Unfortunately it sports a thin coat of rust from lack of proper attention – a forgotten relic from a simpler time. While researching lodging options for this winter’s snowmobile ride, I ran across a cold-weather activity that really caught my attention. Libby’s Camps, located on Millinocket Lake (DeLorme Atlas Map 57, D-1), has an annual “ice harvest.”

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The concept of packing sawdust over ice dates back to ancient civilization. Archaeologists in China have unearthed “ice pits” dug in the seventeenth century B.C. (Of course, the ice had long melted, but parts of the infrastructure remained intact!) The Libbys use their stored ice throughout the summer at their camps. In fact, Matt Libby told me they usually have ice left over from the previous year. It’s become a yearly tradition to drink a “toast” using the previous year’s leftover ice. Millinocket Lake My own interest in, and experience at, preserving ice comes from owning a woodworking shop. We make oodles of sawdust and shavings. Out back, we have a small building into which we blow our shavings and

sawdust. Often some of the sawdust ends up outside the building. During the winter we plow up snow and ice. The sawdust leaks out onto the ice, and the combination of wood dust and ice usually preserves an ice patch well into the summer – amazing. Ice Fishing So, while I wile away my time watching ice melt, others with more ambition might do well to take advantage of this winter’s ice in a more productive and modern manner. The ice fishing season starts January 1, and hard-water anglers have two Millinocket Lakes from which to choose. The folks who stay at Libby’s cabins can literally start drilling holes right out in front of the camps. This northern Millinocket Lake (Map 57, D-1) has a reputation for produc-

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ing quality brook trout and landlocked salmon. The remoteness of this water results in a lack of angling pressure. Getting to Libby’s during the winter requires taking groomed trails that connect the camps to the Interstate Trail System (ITS). It’ll take two miles of off-road snow travel from the Oxbow Road to reach camp. It makes for a great ride. Their website offers directions and contact information for more details. “Other” Millinocket Lake The “other” Millinocket Lake (Map 51, E-2), is easily accessible where Millinocket Lake Road and the Golden Road merge on the causeway that separates it from Ambajejus Lake. A boat ramp located on the north side of the causeway gets steady use. At 8,960-acres, the “south” Millinocket Lake produces plenty of ice for hard-water anglers to survey. With depths running as deep as 86 feet, Millinocket Lake offers a variety of species to target. Experts call Millinocket Lake a “two story” fishery. That means the lake’s deep sections readily support cold-water fish, while the extensive shallow portions of the lake cater to the warm water species. A note of caution: This lake has a rocky shoreline and tricky ice conditions, especially near the pump house on the southern end of the lake. Please use extreme care when navigating on the surface (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 47 (Continued from page 46)

of the ice. It pays to obtain a depth chart map to better target a particular fish. While salmon and brook trout capture the lion’s share of the holes drilled in this water, a tasty togue pulled from a deep hole certainly tastes good. I’m still using my old, tattered Maine Fishing Maps, Volume 1 – Lakes and Ponds for depth related information. Although the 25-year old book may seem outdated, I figure the depths haven’t changed. Eventually I’ll purchase one of the many fishing map apps available as a quick download to the increasingly valuable iPhone. Until then, I’ll continue to show my age and use my book. One often-overlooked game fish, white perch, seem to really like Millinocket Lake. This plays right into the hands of anglers looking

for some sweet, white, flakey fillets sizzled to perfection in a cast iron pan. Once again, depths maps help find the warmer water where this table fare swims. New England Outdoor Center The folks at New England Outdoor Center (NEOC) have cabins located on the south side of Millinocket Lake. The NEOC people have done a great job at making it easy for the “Average Joe” to do some winter recreating. It goes without saying that good lodging can make or break a trip. The NEOC folks really excel at offering packages geared to individual needs. If someone needs a guide, they’ve got it covered. As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, their snowmobile rental program rates as first class. For anyone who doesn’t ride on a regular basis, it makes sense to rent a

snowmobile rather than borrow or buy. For the occasional rider, expenses to purchase can mount up if you factor in registration, insurance and summer storage of a snow machine and a trailer. Trail runners looking to explore the extensive snowmobile trails can certainly do so with an easily-obtainable trail map and a GPS. I say GPS because many of the intersections now have GPS data to help trail runners keep real time track of their ride. The Katahdin Region Chamber of Commerce (katahdinmaine.com) has a wealth of helpful information and links to successfully recreating in Maine’s premier region. In fact, many of the outfitters make it easy to book an adventure online. And just for kicks, before ice-out, I’m planning to see if my antique ice saw really works.

Katahdin Country has plenty of opportunities for hard-water fishermen looking to match this young man’s catch. Fisheries experts tell me that many of our lakes rate as a “two story” fishery, meaning that the lake has a diverse temperature range that accommodates both warm and cold water species. Needless to say, Katahdin Country anglers have plenty of choices. Lenny Potvin photo

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Fox Trapping In times past, fox and mink trapping were the “big deal” animals for a young Maine trapper to take. Now, with the arrival of the coyote in the northeast, the coyote has taken its rightful place today at the head of that list. Once coyotes move into Maine, the fox population dropped. Before the arrival of the gray fox and coyote, Wiley the Red Fox was the craftiest of the furbearers to catch in Maine. Mink were also portrayed that way (I believe because of their value) by older trappers, but were not very hard to take once the animal’s habits were learned. Back then, very little substantive information on trapping any furbearer was available. Effective trapping methods were well-guarded secrets learned over many years in the field. Today there are many ways to learn about different species, their habits and methods of capture. Today’s trapping magazines, booklets, DVDs and online videos are readily accessible to help educate inexperienced sportsmen and women about furbearers and the methods of trapping them. The Foxes Many trappers still consider the red or gray fox to be among the more difficult species of furbearers to trap. The gray fox is thought to be more aggressive; therefore, many trappers see it easier to trap than the red. www.MaineSportsman.com

The track of a red fox shows relatively small pads, and its track pattern is in a straight line. Their print is similar to that of a large house cat, but more elliptical, and the claws show. Trapping either fox does require more effort than many other species of furbearers, with the exception of the coyote. Foxes have many similar habits to the coyote. Fox trapping for either the red or gray species requires care in trap preparation, location selection for trap placement, and the use of lures and baits. Tracks; Scat Telling which fox species is in an area requires scouting by a trapper. In general, the tracks of gray fox are larger than that of a red fox, and the tracks appear side by side, as they do not place their back foot where the front foot was, like a red fox. The track of a red fox shows relatively small pads, and its track pattern is in a straight line. Their print is similar to that of a large house cat, but more elliptical, and the claws show. The scat of both appear about the same, although the gray’s is normally darker in color; when aged, they both generally turn whitish. Their habits are similar to all canines, in that they mark their territory by urinating on objects at regularly-visited places. In general, the gray fox prefers a brushier and more forested area than the red. The gray fox also is not afraid to get its feet wet, so it is commonly

found in wetlands. Unlike the red fox, a gray can readily climb trees. The red and gray both eat a wide variety of foods, such as small mammals and birds, insects, fruits, nuts, berries and carrion. Mice are an important food source in the winter. Trapping The number 1 ½ and 1 ¾ size coil spring traps are those most commonly used today for trappers targeting both the gray and red fox. If one is trapping where both foxes and the coyote are found, then the 1 ¾ size trap (beefed up) and the larger number 2 trap is needed. Some of the older versions of number 2 traps are not of the quality required to handle coyotes, although in their day they were and still are fine for the fox. If one is in doubt of a trap’s suitability ask an experienced trapper. A trap should be staked solid if a coyote may possibly be taken in the set. Remember traps in Maine have dimensional restrictions in some trapping zones and are

Photo credit: S.P. Rankin Trapping Supplies

require to be staked solid with special placement requirements, due to the issues involving the threatened Canadian Lynx. Ensure compliance of all land trapping regulations by reading the Trappers Handbook issued annually by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Fox are most commonly taken in dirt hole, urine or scent post sets, and flat sets. They may also be taken in cubby sets. A solid trap bed is required for all canine trapping, because of the sensitivity of a canine’s foot. They can detect the slightest movement of things underfoot. The dirt around the trap needs to be packed solid to ensure trap stability. During our cold weather, however, trapping care must be taken to reduce any chance that a trap will be frozen down in place, preventing it from functioning. One must remember that a fox does not weigh much – far less than a coyote – so attention to the traps pan tension is required. Waxed dirt, peat moss or sifted dirt with calcium chloride mixed in are all used in an attempt to keep traps operating in the winter. In general, lures most commonly used are a gland-based scent and or fox urine. There are many excellent lure and

scent manufacturers out there. Their products are available through trapping magazines. With that said, the best way to obtain them is by going to trapping rendezvous and conventions. There you can talk to experienced trappers to learn about the different lures, their uses and application. Dispatching; Skinning Dispatching of a fox is normally accomplished with a .22 short or CB to the head. Some trappers stun a fox with a sharp rap to the bridge of the nose, then lay the fox on its side and place a foot heel on the rib cage right behind the shoulder. This method should not be tried with a coyote. Fox pelts are handled cased. Care must be taken while skinning, the head so that the ears, eyes, mouth and nose areas are not damaged. Once all fat and flesh has been removed, the pelt is stretched, fur side in, until partially dry, then turned fur side out and placed back on the stretcher until dry. Care must also be taken when turning the pelt, as the fox’s skin is thin and easily torn. Author’s note: Some readers will be interested to know of other species of foxes found in North America, but not in the Northeast. Two foxes are found in the western part of the country – the swift and the kit – and a third one is located in the far north – the white arctic fox, which in reality is a color variation on our own red fox.

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 49

Clunie is “Swinging” into the New Year For many years now, the bulk of my fly fishing desire has been directed at presenting dry flies to salmonid, or poppers and sliders to eager smallmouth bass, all on the surface of big rivers, lakes, ponds, streams or little brooks. Over the course of time, I’ve slowly come to the conclusion that I need to branch out and learn other ways of catching fish with my fly rod. I worked at nymphing and found that it sure does catch fish, but that type of fly fishing doesn’t excite me much. I like it when a fish really slams the fly on the surface. Even though trout supposedly eat most of their meals below the surface – some say 90 percent – I like taking them on the top. I also have been out-fished by several anglers who easily caught more fish nymphing while I stubbornly stayed with my surface flies. Nymphing, which is likely more effective than surface fishing on most occasions, just doesn’t do it for me. I’ll try it as a last resort, only when I’ve extensively slapped the water with a boxfull of dry flies. I don’t have anything against nymphing – I simply like fishing on the surface so much more that I hardly ever do any nymphing on a regular basis. I know it must seem strange – even though I know nymphing might be more productive, I still cling to my surface presentations ... that is, until I learned about the art of swinging flies.

The “swinging” technique starts with a cast at a 45-degree angle to the current, aiming slightly downstream and across to the opposite shoreline. The water’s current will cause a big bow in the line, and the subsurface fly will start swinging through the current, until it ends up directly downstream from the angler. Swinging Flies After a few years of swinging or chunking huge flies (it’s sometimes called “chunking” or “chunking meat” because of the somewhat awkward casting of huge bait fish imitations), I’ve finally decided that I like it ... not as much as I like fishing with dry flies, but pretty close. Most of my swinging happens in moving water, although some folks also cast big, subsurface flies in lakes and ponds. However, in still water the lack of current won’t allow the fly to “swing.” I have learned to enjoy the gentle sweep of a streamer in moving water and also like

getting creative with ways to entice fish into hitting a subsurface fly on the swing. Hoards of fly fishers before me have perfected this “swinging” or “chunking meat” technique. There’s a trick to it and I’m still learning something new each time I go out. And that’s really key in all of this – getting out as often as possible is the only way to shorten the learning curve. The swinging technique starts with a cast at a 45-degree angle to the current, aiming directly to the opposite shoreline. The current of the water will cause a big bow in the line and start the subsurface fly

swinging through the current to a position directly downstream of the angler. At that point the angler should let the fly hang in suspension for a short count, maybe five to ten seconds, and then start stripping line in. A variation to this would

be to simply pick the line up from the downstream position and cast it immediately to the other side of the river at the same angle described above to repeat this process. Testing Techniques In the past, I have occasionally tried swinging streamers and caught some fish, but I never really got good at it and never fully engaged myself in it to see if it worked well. This past fishing (Continued on next page)

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50 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 49)

season I started using a two-handed switch rod (Demon Switch) from Hardy (hardyfishing.com) and found that I really enjoyed the effective way the big rod rolled out the line without having to false cast. The two-handed rod allowed me to simply pick the line up at the end of the swing and in one motion roll it out to restart the whole process again – no false cast, no back cast, just one, smooth roll cast. Let me tell you... the Hardy Demon Switch Rod makes this swinging technique so much easier. I’m sure it has saved my shoulder from damage by avoiding the extra effort and time required for one-handed casting. On a side note, this two-handed casting also works real slick with nymphing. Most nymphing rigs can turn into a tangled mess after a few one-handed backcasts if the angler doesn’t watch out. The two-handed technique avoids a line-tangling

backcast, laying out awkward nymphing rigs so smoothly that it really minimizes any tangling problems. Swinging Details I hope folks realize that nothing in fishing is set in stone – personal experience will help in all situations rather than taking what I mention and holding it as “gospel.” Here’s a quick list of things to try on your own if you haven’t already discovered these fine details and variations of technique. 1. O c c a s i o n a l l y make a cast upstream and strip in line fast enough to “twitch” the offering and hopefully entice a hit. 2. Be sure to use a leader with a heavy butt so the big flies turn over properly. 3. Mix up the swing by alternating a smooth swing with one that has a few quick strips to produce a bite-enhancing twitch to the fly. 4. Don’t forget the short pause at the end

The author uses a 5/6-weight, “Demon Switch Rod”, by Hardy for taking landlocked salmon like this one, on the swing. William Clunie photo

of the swing – most hits occur during this pause. 5. In most situations, the 45-degree angle works best for casting direction, putting a fly in the zone at just the right speed. 6. Practice casting heavy, wind-resistant flies; these big flies need an extra punch and may require a rod and line that can handle it. I use a 7- or 8-weight rod and a line that’s made for this technique...I

use RIO Products line (rioproducts.com) and have always been satisfied. 7. Match flies to the water clarity and changes in atmosphere or weather conditions – on dark and overcast days, use a dark fly; on bright, sunny days, use brightly-colored flies; when fishing dark or colored water, use dark flies; and in clear water, use bright flies. 8. Learn what depth the fish are hanging, and

weight accordingly. 9. Always keep hooks sharpened. It only takes contact with a few rocks or tough-jawed fish to dull a hook. For the same reason, be sure to check the leader and tippet often for abrasion damage. So get out this fishing season and give swinging flies a try ... and get ready to enjoy it.

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 51

Coyote Night Hunt If you are using a handheld call along a frozen lake or bog, once you spot a coyote working the tree edging, stop calling immediately and allow the motion decoy you’ve set up on the ice to do the rest of the work. The coyote night hunting season began December 17, 2018 and it will remain open until August 31, 2019. For those who have access to heated hunting shacks, the cold nights can be spent in relative comfort, peacefully reading, listening through ear buds to a ball game or playing video games on your cell phone. Folks can choose their own way to chase coyotes, but hunting from a heated shack isn’t nearly as physically challenging as pursuing coyotes at night, without the protection of some form of enclosure. For myself, I enjoy the exposure to the extremes of nature – setting up on the evening of a full moon, on the edge of a desolate and deserted frozen pond, and then attempting to call a coyote in close enough for a shot opportunity. Won’t Run Out Into Open Don’t expect, however, to see one of our crafty Maine coyotes recklessly charging into a call across the empty white expanse of ice. Instead, coyotes will creep in, 15-20 feet inside of the timber, exposing themselves to the barren lake surface only after closing to within easy striking distance of the perceived “prey.” Hunters who set up back from the lake’s surface 20-30 yards in the woods will frequently

enjoy more success than hunters who sit right on the lake edging. Motion Decoys Coyotes are crafty and unwilling to give away their position unless it is absolutely necessary. This is where a motion decoy and remote controlled calls work wonders, as they can be set out on the lake surface to draw coyotes into the open for a shot opportunity. If you are using a handheld call, once you spot a coyote working the tree edging, stop calling immediately, and allow the motion decoy to do the rest of the work. A motion decoy can be something as simple as a piece of fur or feathers tied to a stick with a short length of cordage and allowed to blow in the breeze. Account for the Wind Predator hunting experts will tell beginners that the most important piece of equipment they can bring on a coyote hunt is a length of thread tied to the end of their rifle barrel. The thread moves in the slightest breeze, serving to remind hunters to always be extremely cognizant of wind direction. This simple device is so helpful that I tied a short length of string on my son’s rifle, allowing him to see how the wind is blowing and gaining an understanding of how that might affect his

hunting chances. Control Your Scent Profile Many hunters fail in their efforts to shoot coyotes because they have not taken sufficient steps to control their scent profile. When the stakes are high and we are chasing whitetails, it is easy to invest the time and energy required to control our scent. When hunting coyotes, however, maintaining that same level of discipline can be difficult. Even a basic level of scent control, when hunting coyotes, will often go a long way in allowing hunters to put more fur on the ground. No-scent soaps and deodorants are effective, but should be used each day 3-4 days before hunting to ensure that residual smells from scented shampoos and body washes are eliminated. Also, wear hunting clothes no more than two outings before rewashing in no-scent laundry soap, drying and then storing in sealed plastic bags with spruce or pine boughs. The better job you do at scent control, the more coyotes will see their last Maine winter. Positioned for Success Experts say to call for 30 minutes maximum before moving on, but I have enjoyed success shooting coyotes and fox in calling sessions lasting over an

Ten year old Manimal Vose, shown here with his first coyote.

hour. I prefer these longer calling sessions, especially during the legal hunting hours between sunrise and sunset, as on several occasions these longer calling sessions have convinced a tentative bobcat to investigate. Upcoming full moons for the period December through March include: 12/22/18, 1/21/19, 2/19/19 and 3/20/19. Adjusting to the Light Hunters can improve their night sight by understanding that our eyes adjust to the dark at intervals. After just 2 minutes, our eyes partially adapt to the dark; however, they take fully 20-30 minutes to reach 80% visual capacity. Further, the remain-

ing 20% can take up to 2 hours to obtain. This means that when hunting at night, it is critically important to maintain light adaptation, because once lost it takes a long time to re-obtain. If you must turn on a flashlight or predator flood light, be sure to close one eye to maintain at least partial light adaptation. If a coyote steps out onto the snow-white surface of a frozen lake with a full moon shinning down, his silhouette will be immediately apparent, presenting a good shot opportunity. However, if that coyote sticks to the wood line and hides in the shadows, shots become much more tricky. Predator flood lights are handy tools that allow hunters to take shots (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

52 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Hikers are Extending Their Season Two inches of frozen slush, bitter temperatures and a heavy west wind were not enough to keep the two deer hunters at home on a November Saturday. The sound of each step they took was an amplified crunch that I could hear at 50 yards as they approached my parked truck. We exchanged notes on the morning hunt. The father-son team had kept watch on a well-used deer trail next to a nearby power-line. Despite their heavy clothing, they could barely speak until they had warmed up a bit. Their faces were bright red from the wind, and they were still shivering from the morning vigil. “You’ll freeze out there,” said the older man. He gestured at my light jacket and summer hiking boots. “Unless I keep moving,” I replied, as I slung my rifle over my daypack and nodded in agreement. “It’s more like taking my rifle for a nice winter hike than a deer hunt.” Popularity on the Rise Not so long ago, most Maine hikers hung up their boots in late October when winter came to the high peaks. But in recent years, destinations like Baxter State Park, the Bigelow Preserve and the Appalachian Trail have seen an influx of winter hikers that extends all the way until mud season. These fourth-season enthusiasts still enjoy uncrowded trails – but it has become less lonely out there. Most of them don’t carry a deer rifle

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Cold weather hiking requires an understanding that 1) physical exertion provides the heat source; 2) adding and removing layers allows you to manage that heat during different levels of exertion; and 3) good traction on snow and ice makes the whole thing possible.

Here, the author is ascending a well-packed winter trail -- so well packed, in fact, that snowshoes are unnecessary. Micro-spikes, cleats or creepers help maintain traction on the snow’s surface. Andrews photo

and hike off-trail, but I’ve always been contrary that way. The arrival of the Maine Huts and Trails system, along with the Appalachian Mountain Club’s wilderness lodges, has bolstered the winter hiking crew. Warm nighttime shelters provide great jumping-off spots for winter day-hike enthusiasts. Traction, Layers and Movement Most three-season hikers – and deer hunters, for that matter – already own all the gear they need for safe and comfortable winter dayhikes. The cold weather and snow mostly require a different mindset from warm-weather pursuits: • Physical exertion

provides the heat source to keep the cold at bay. • Multiple layers of light clothing manage the heat at different levels of exertion, and • Traction on snow and ice makes the whole thing possible. Traction Rules the Day Winter conditions require more traction than the average trail hiker will need in the other three seasons. But popular trails will only rarely be deeply buried in snow. Regular traffic from other hikers and snowshoers usually creates a narrow, compacted trail bed for travelers. Ironically, these compacted trails are often much easier to navigate than the rocky, eroded summer trails

that lie underneath. Modern snowshoes with improved bindings, lightweight construction and metal traction teeth, permit effortless travel over these types of winter trails. The small shoes forgo flotation in favor of traction – which is exactly what is called for here. But even lightweight hiking snowshoes may be overkill on well-trod hiking trails. In fact, many winter trail-hikers make do without the flotation deck of snowshoes altogether. Kahtoola Microspikes™ have changed the face of winter hiking in Maine and everywhere else. These mini-crampons attach effortlessly to everything from running shoes to serious winter backpacking boots.

More importantly, they stay firmly attached over miles of rough terrain – something their predecessors cannot truthfully claim. Layering Reality Reliable traction permits winter travel at a more consistent effort level. But even mild mountain hikes include steep uphill sections that can cause overheating. I’m as guilty as the next person of simply loosening a collar or removing a hat and pressing on through the sweat and heavy breathing to the top. But the purpose of wearing layers of clothing is to be able to remove and add layers as conditions dictate. Stopping to remove an outer layer on a steep slope, before overheating occurs, is the answer to remaining warm on the rest of the hike. Perspiration is the biggest enemy – avoid it all costs. It will rob your body of warmth once the effort level is reduced. This may mean strange sights on the trail. Hikers ascending steep slopes might wear only a base-layer shirt – despite sub-freezing temperatures and a stiff wind. At the top, the outer layers will be replaced as needed. A good rule of thumb is to start your hike feeling slightly chilled. This includes the feet. Leave the heavy winter hunting and ice-fishing boots at home. Overheated feet quickly become frozen feet on winter hikes. The Furnace Within Us Everyone fears the (Continued on next page)

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 53 (Continued from page 52)

cold. It’s something we are taught from early childhood. Dire warnings about “freezing to death” haunt those of us who venture outside at this time of year. Of course, what kills people is severe hypothermia, not cold weather. And hypothermia – an inability to maintain minimal core body temperature – can happen at any time of year. Heat retention and moisture management make up half of the solution. Heat production during long-term exposure to winter weather is also vital. Your body is a furnace. It may be your only heat source on extended

self-propelled outings. By controlling the amount of movement and exertion, we control our own thermostat. Speed up to warm up, slow down to cool down. The risk of hypothermia can be controlled by choices we make in clothing, activity level and fuel/fluid intake. For almost any given weather condition, there is a combination of these three factors that insures maintenance of a normal body temperature. If we choose wisely, even severe winter weather can be endured safely. Finding the right combination and setting aside our irrational fear of the cold is the key.

Central Maine (Continued from page 51)

that would normally be exceedingly difficult in low-light situations. High powered predator lights like the “Wicked Hunting

One reward for winter hikers are expansive, memorable vistas, like this one from the summit of Bigelow Mountain, in Wyman Township north of Carrabassett Valley. Andrews photo

Lights” are durable and relatively cost-effective, with scope-mounted models starting at around $150. Hunting coyotes is an exciting sport. To get in on the action in Central Maine, check out Dresden Bog (DeLorme Map 13, E-1) off

Route 22 in Dresden Mills and Alna. The bog is part of the 862-acre Erle R. Kelley Wildlife Management Area (WMA), and includes a nice mixture of wetlands and woodlands.

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: Common Opossum by Steve Vose

The Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis), also known as the Virginia Opossum or simply “possum” in North America, is the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the United States and Canada. Possessing a pale face, rounded ears, a pink, pointed nose and a coarse, grizzled gray overcoat, the possum closely resembles a rodent. Through seemingly rat-like in appearance, possums actually are closely related to the kangaroo and koala. Their adaptive nature, flexible diet and prolific reproductive habits make possums successful survivors in diverse locations and conditions. Though originally only found in South America, possums have been steadily moving northward over the last several decades, a trend scientific observers attribute to climate change. The range of the possum currently stretches across North, Central and South America.

Adapted to survive in a wide variety of rural as well as urban environments, possums gather together in family groups in underground burrows or even under houses. Being nocturnal (night-loving) creatures, possums seek dark, secure areas to sleep during the day where they are protected from predators. The possum has a large number of nat-

Wildlife Quiz Questions: 1. By what other names is the Common Opossum known? 2. What is the native range of the possum? 3. Describe the physical appearance of a possum.

4. 5. 6. 7.

ural predators, including owls, eagles, dogs, coyotes, bobcats, foxes and house cats. Humans also kill a large number of possums by hitting them with their automobiles as the animals cross the road. When threatened, the possum will mimic the appearance and smell of a dead animal. This involuntary response (like fainting) causes the animal’s teeth to become bared and saliva to foam around the mouth. Its eyes close and a foul-smelling fluid leaks from the anal glands. The animal typically regains consciousness after a few minutes, once the threat disappears. They are highly prolific breeders, and female possums often give birth to large numbers of young – as many as 14 “joeys” in a single litter. A possum’s lifespan is unusually short, with most living only one to two years in the wild, and about four or five years in captivity.

Being marsupials, possums are closely related to what two Australian animals? What creatures are predators to the possum? What does the possum do when threatened by a predator? How long do possums live?

Answers on Page 59

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54 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Turkeys, Turkeys, Turkeys – Enough, is Enough is Enough! Normally, I am a composed, light-hearted, logical and thoughtful fellow. When it comes to turkeys, however, I’ve had it – I am turning into an old complaining codger. An oversexed tom damaged a car in a Westbrook parking lot. Apple crops have been demolished by flocks of juveniles. Lawns are being scratched bare by broods of hens, and windshields all over the state have been smashed by low-flying jakes. In short, it’s time for the laws to change! “Like Vermin” Turkeys are ruining my deer territory; from the blueberry farm in Fayette, to the big woods of North East Carry, to the mountain top in Vienna. Turkeys are simply everywhere. They are like vermin. They are pests. They serve nothing to the social good. As The Wife says, “When did they become a

Ed says it’s time to take the bull by the horns – or in this case, the tom turkey by the spurs – and liberalize the turkey hunting laws, as he vents about shot restrictions, bag limits, short seasons and the tagging process that burdens hunters pursuing these “oversized, ‘fowl’ creatures.”

Turkey numbers have increased dramatically, and the author believes Maine hunters should ask their legislators to authorize the use of BB shot, allow “tagging” of birds electronically using their smart phones, and provide a longer season, to offer more hunting opportunities and control the burgeoning populations of the big birds. Ed Pineau photos

protected species? There should be a bounty on them!” You cannot drive by fields in my home town in central Maine without seeing the oversized fowl. Heck, two out of every three days in the summer, I have to wait for them to get out of my driveway. Change the Laws! It’s time for Inland Fisheries to admit their

turkey project is out of control. There are too many turkeys, and too few hunters. It is also time for the department to support changes to the laws. For example: • Waterfowlers can use “BB” shot on geese. For turkeys, we are restricted to #4, 5 & 6 shot. Turkeys are twice as big as geese – just an observation. • Who cares if they

are shot in the tree? Grouse taste the same whether shot on the wing, on the ground or perched in a tree. • Why can’t I use my smart phone to “tag” a bird instead of driving all over to find a station? • Why isn’t the bag limit increased for those who want to stroll in tick-infested woods in pursuit of these nasty birds? • Why isn’t the sea-

son longer? • Why doesn’t a big game license include taking turkeys, instead of having to pay for yet another hunting permit? A few more folks just might hunt the critters if the permission was a part of their license. A quick calculation tells me it’s a lot cheaper and easier to harvest a bird at the grocery store at 39 cents a pound, than drop another $20 for the permit, and a tank full of gas chasing around to tag it. The new legislature is in town in Augusta, and it is time to take action. Hunters, call your Representatives and your Senators and let them know it is time to take the bull by the horns – or in this case, the bird by the spurs – and motivate the department into allowing hunters to exercise some population control over these “fowl” creatures!

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 55

Venison Tenderloin and Brussels Sprouts Happy New Year!!! Can you believe it’s 2019? Let’s start the year with a new spice, vegetable or animal each month. Who will keep my scorecard? Well this month we are serving up a very earthy plate. Between the Mousam Forest Medley Mushrooms, Brussels Sprouts and Sunchokes, there is nothing better than a

good Bordeaux, peppery Cabernet or a complex ale to make this meal complete. Are you even familiar with sunchokes, a/k/a Jerusalem artichokes, sunroot, or “earth apple”? They’re in the sunflower family and they are cultivated for their tuber. I love the nutty flavor!!! All my friends will attest to the fact that

if it’s something different, I will try it. This was the case when I discovered sunchokes at the Falmouth Farmers Market. Max first sold me sunchokes, and I have been hooked ever since. Write me if you’d like my Spicy Sunchoke Chips recipe. Bon Appétit and Happy New Year!!!

Venison Tenderloin Crowned with Mousam Forest Medley Mushroom Marsala Cream Sauce This luxuriously rich creamy sauce is slightly sweet with a finish that reminds you of cooking on a campfire. Marsala wine is a fortified wine produced in Sicily. It has an unmistakable flavor and deep color, and is used to create rich sauces. Ingredients • 1 tablespoon butter • 1 tablespoon Fiore olive oil • 1 large shallot, diced fine • 8 oz Mousam Forest Medley Mushrooms, thinly sliced • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 cup Marsala Dry Cooking Wine • ½ cup game stock • ½ teaspoon thyme, ground • 1 tablespoon flour • 2 tablespoons sour cream • 2 teaspoon Thyme, freshly chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried) • Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste Preheat Grill to high. Heat butter and oil in sauté pan over low heat. Add shallot and a pinch of salt, sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are barely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk game stock, thyme and flour and then pour over mushrooms; stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium, stir in sour cream and Marsala Wine. Cook 5 minutes, scraping up bits off bottom of pan. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust for seasoning. Sear tenderloins, heavily on both sides for a red cool center. 2 minutes per side, or to your liking. Serve mushroom sauce over tenderloin and Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sunchokes and Bacon.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sunchokes and Bacon Ingredients • ½ pound bacon, halved, cooked and chopped • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 8 sunchokes, thinly sliced • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

• Smoked Sea Salt Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place bacon on stoneware baking sheet and cook about 15 minutes. Remove to plate lined with paper towels. Meanwhile, in a zip bag, combine olive oil, Brussels sprouts, sunchokes, and Smoked

Sea Salt, toss to combine. Place on baking sheet and roast about 20 – 30 minutes. Toss once during roasting. Remove from oven, and serve with bacon on top.

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56 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Joe’s Evolving Approach to Deer Hunting I watched lots of bucks go by my stands in 2018. Many of these bucks were very nice 2½ and 3½ year old bucks. In the past, I would happily shoot most 2½ year old bucks, as well as every 3½ year old buck with a rack intact. However, with a wall full of heavy beamed, talltined bucks that dressed over 200 pounds, and a couple of shelves covered in European mounts of the bucks that didn’t make the wall, I’m now looking for special bucks. Don’t get me wrong – shooting deer is still fun, and I love doing it. However, I’ve reached a point where 120” bucks just doesn’t get my heart pounding like they used to. I was fortunate to draw a bonus doe tag in 2018, and when I shot my doe, the adrenaline

I believe in shooting whatever size buck or doe makes you happy, so long as it’s legal. I let a number of medium-size bucks go by my stand this past fall, and I learned a lot about myself by not pulling the trigger on bucks I would have gladly killed just a year earlier.

The author has a wall full of trophy racks, and now finds little satisfaction in taking small or medium-sized bucks. He asks readers to assist him in coping with his changing philosophies on deer hunting.

rush prior to the shot was amazing. I still get excited when I know the

safety is coming off and the gun will be fired. The appreciation I

have for that 126-pound doe is immense. Its death means my wife, friends and I will eat some excellent venison this winter.

I’d enjoy the venison from a buck, too; however, a small rack and less than 200-pound body disappoint me these days. Shoot What Makes You Happy Whether it’s during a trophy deer hunting seminar, in the form of an email or on the Maine Deer Hunter’s page of Facebook, hunters constantly ask me what makes me decide to pull the trigger. My answer is always; “It depends.” I tell other deer hunters to shoot whatever makes them happy, as long as it’s legal. Harvesting a doe last fall was awesome for me. That’s because I was fortunate to draw a bonus tag. Had I not had the bonus tag, I certainly wouldn’t have killed her on the 30th of October. Instead, I would have waited on a 4½ year old buck until I nearly ran (Continued on next page)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 57 (Continued from page 56)

out of time, and then tried to shoot a doe at the end of the season. I would not have been happy harvesting a yearling or 2½ year old buck at any point in the season. I’ve taken lots of heat for comments like that, and I’m not sure why. There’s nothing wrong with hunters shooting yearling or 2 ½ year old bucks. They just don’t make me happy anymore. To me, they are tomorrow’s trophies, and letting them grow to maturity has always been my desire. After shooting my last young buck, I was actually disappointed as I walked up to it. That feeling is never something a hunter should feel when approaching a harvested animal. My History with Hunting When I was just starting out, like many other young boys beginning to hunt, I cut my teeth on birds, frogs and other small animals with my BB gun. I was

proud of every kill I made and that pride drove me to kill even more. As I hit my teens, the small animals weren’t very exciting anymore, so I shifted my attention to rabbits, squirrels, grouse and deer. Harvesting these critters made me very happy for a long time. As I entered my twenties, deer became a priority in hunting; however, I still enjoyed hunting small game and waterfowl. In my late twenties, yearling bucks became boring. I wanted to shoot giants. In 1998, I harvested my first adult 200-pound buck. I was hooked, and my deer hunting life changed. This past season, I knew a buck with less than a 130” rack and under 200 lbs. wouldn’t make me happy, so I held out. It wasn’t as painful as I surmised it would be. Passing multiple 2-3½ bucks was actually fun, and felt rewarding. In fact, I learned a lot by

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not pulling the trigger on bucks I would have gladly killed just one-year ago. Even 2-3 year old bucks act different than yearling bucks. Their body language and mannerisms are just different. They’re much more cautious. New Feeling When the Trigger is Pulled Over the past few seasons, I started feeling a little bad when shooting deer. The feeling isn’t there with small game or waterfowl, but I do feel a little bad when I kill larger animals like deer. Perhaps we become more cognizant of death and our own mortality as we age. Why it affects

some of us more than others is something the experts likely can explain. I just know the feeling isn’t one that makes me feel good about killing deer. Call me soft, I guess. That feeling is what’s causing me to raise my standards. Walking up to a deer I’m unhappy with, just magnifies that feeling of disappointment and remorse. Walking up to a doe we’ll be happy to eat causes zero bad feelings, and just a little bit of remorse for taking a life. Walking up to a downed buck that’s sporting a huge rack and big body, and there’s only excitement. Understand my confusion now?

Every hunter should be happy with the harvest they make. Of course the harvest isn’t the only thing we should focus on; however it’s a huge part of what we do. If there’s a sadness when the deed is done, it’s normal. A life has been taken. When that feeling is coupled with disappointment, it can be downright depressing and cause a hunter to question why they do it. I’ve loved deer hunting since I can remember, and want to keep it that way. Perhaps our readers can help me figure out a way to keep this fresh and exciting?

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Nostalgia Sells a Lot Firearms I make lists. Silly as it seems, I draw satisfaction from checking off accomplishments from lists of long-term goals, shortterm goals, weekend chores, Christmas wishes and household projects. I even make a list of the books I read each calendar year. Many of these lists stand the tests and changes of time. I keep working on them and ticking off the achievements as life moves along. In the fall of 1965, I made a list of all the firearms and related stuff that I dreamed of owning someday. Sitting near the back of Mrs. Taylor’s freshman English class, my mind drifted away from the lesson and toward some of the things that truly stirred me. Using a fountain pen and the pages of a spiral-bound class notebook,

Every time I look at the Harrington & Richardson Model 999 pistol, a wave of satisfaction washes over me. I feel like I am 15 year old again – the age when I first added that firearm to my lifetime wish list.

I recorded the rifles, shotguns and pistols, along with their accoutrements, that I most desired. Some of the items, such as a Ten-X brand shooter’s coat and Lyman sight inserts, relat-

ed directly to my place in several competitive junior marksmanship programs. Other items, like a “rifle chambered for .375 Holland & Holland Magnum,” had more to do

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with my youthful aspiration to hunt big game in Africa. I got through Mrs. Taylor’s English class and took the notebook with me. It still gets exercise from time to time. I have not yet gotten a Remington Model 700 BDL, nor a .375 H&H Magnum, but many of the items on that list have come my way.

TV Star Years before Mrs. Taylor’s class, the favorite TV show among my crowd was “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon.” In the 1950s, we devoted part of our Saturdays to watching the fearless Sergeant Preston chase miscreants across the Yukon Territory by dog sled or on his gleaming black horse Rex, but always accompanied by his faithful wonder dog Yukon King. The sergeant’s sidearm that he used to great effect was a break-action Webley & Scott Service Model in .455 caliber. This pistol served British Imperial military and police forces from 1894 through the end of World War II. I admired the romance of the hinged frame ejection of spent shell casings and the deliberate reloading of six fresh cartridges before slamming the frame shut. Sometime between the fade-out of the Sergeant Preston television (Continued on next page)

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 59 (Continued from page 58)

series and the making of my wish list, I discovered that Harrington & Richardson produced a .22 caliber revolver that somewhat replicated the look and action of the Webley service revolver. I was hooked. Founded in 1871, Harrington & Richardson was a major American manufacturer of rifles, shotguns and especially pistols and revolvers in .22, .32, and .38 calibers. They also supplied large amounts of military arms during World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict and Vietnam. In the 38th edition of the Blue Book of Gun Values, S. P. Fjestad called Harrington and Richardson, “A manufacturer of utilitarian firearms.” The hinged frame H&R Model 999, also called the “Sportsman,” holds nine .22 long, short, or long rifle cartridges in a fluted cylinder. The six-inch barrel mounts a distinctive ventilated rib similar to a shotgun. Long Search In production from 1953 to 1986, the “Sportsman” came from Harrington & Richardson’s shops in Gardner or Worcester, Massachusetts. Lifting a lever concealed by the rear sight causes the barrel to pivot on the hinge and activates automatic ejectors which expel all nine cartridges at once. When the ejector pops back into place, the cylinder is ready for reloading. A tiny screw

located above the muzzle raises and lowers the front sight blade for elevation adjustments. Left and right screws adjust the rear sight for windage. The six-inch barrel and beefy walnut grips make the Model 999 appear larger and less dainty than other .22 caliber revolvers. To me, it was and remains the image of the .455 Webley. Seeing the Model 999 for the first time in a Harrington & Richardson catalog, I knew I wanted one. It made the wish list as one of the first entries under the heading for pistols. My desire for one was piqued when my college classmate, Mike DuBois, bought a brand new one at Kittery Trading Post in the spring of 1972.

Life moved rapidly in other directions, and I never purchased a Model 999, despite buying numerous other items on my original list and a host of things not on any list. But I never stopped admiring the old H&R from afar. A couple of months ago, things changed when I visited Marshall’s Firearms in Boscawen, New Hampshire. Thinking to swap a mint condition but unwanted Remington Model 1100-G3 shotgun for something more interesting, I went to see what Brad Marshall might have in stock. As expected, he set a value on the shotgun less than I hoped for, but not low enough to make me haul it back home. I was mulling over a couple of Ruger

Wildlife Quiz Answers: Common Opossum (Quiz on Page 53)

1. The Common Opossum is also known as the Virginia Opossum and simply possum. 2. The native range of the possum currently stretches across North, Central and South America. 3. Possums possess a pale face, rounded ears, a pink, pointed nose and a coarse, grizzled gray overcoat. 4. Possums are closely related to the kangaroo and koala. 5. The possum has a large number of natural predators including owls, eagles, dogs, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, house cats. In addition, humans kill a sizeable number each year through auto mobile strikes. 6. When threatened, the possum will mimic the appearance and smell of a dead animal. 7. A possum’s lifespan is unusually short, with most living only one to two years in the wild, and about four or five years in captivity.

semi-automatic .22 pistols when I spotted the H&R at the very end of the cabinet. Crossed Off the Wish List The sight of it rolled back time. I knew instantly that I would make the trade even if I lost money. The hardly-used Model 999 came with its original box and papers. My mind turned the clock back to 1965 as I said to Brad, “I found it.” Brad took the shotgun and I took the pistol plus some cash to make up the difference. No doubt I lost money on the deal, but no matter – every time I look at the pistol, I am 15 year old again and just getting

started. With me, the Remington shotgun sat unused and unappreciated. The H&R now stands on the front line in the on-going war with destructive porcupines and red squirrels. It is also perfect for plinking expeditions down by the pond. A wave of satisfaction washes over me whenever I notice the Harrington & Richardson Model 999 checked off that worn old wish list. Time now to find my easy chair and watch a DVD recording of Sergeant Preston and Yukon King.

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60 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Running Rascally Rabbits Returns to the Rangeley Region Just before the winter of 2007, my older, darkfaced little beagle Ebony passed away. Her younger kennel mate, Molly, seemed baffled by the absence of her companion, and the loss became obvious on our jaunts to the woods that hunting season. She had always hunted with Ebony, and had depended on her to do the bulk of the job of chasing rabbits. My father told me years ago that I should never allow a young beagle to exclusively run with older, trained dogs. He said to occasionally take the new dog out and get them running rabbits on their own so they learn to hunt solo as well as with other beagles. Solo hunting with Molly just didn’t work that first year without her kennel-mate Ebony. I took her to thick sections of woods loaded with rabbit sign, and watched as the cute beagle wagged her tail, sniffing the hare tracks. She acted all excited about the fresh sign, but never started barking or running on the tracks. The sweet little beagle might have been confused, but I was even

My young beagle Molly was not accustomed to hunting by herself, and seemed bewildered about what to do when she found rabbit tracks. So I did what any thoughtful dog-owner would do – I consulted with Wayne James -- a self-taught dog psychologist, and one heck of a trainer.

Hare hunter Ryan MacDonald takes a well-earned rest after hunting with his beagles all day. William Clunie photo

more bewildered. Later that season I decided I needed to take some drastic measures to correct Molly’s

hare-hunting issues. A veterinarian handles my dog’s medical maladies, but where should someone go for something like this – a dog psychologist? Professional Help A good dog trainer uses animal psychology, even if they don’t know it. Wayne James, owner of Motley Mountain Kennels in Industry, trains beagles for some of the top field-trial names in the state, but wouldn’t consider himself a dog psychologist. I took Molly to Mr. James, the veteran dog trainer, and asked about her difficulty with solo hunting.

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“You need to get her in the middle of the most rabbit-infested woods around as often as possible,” said James. “Eventually she’ll come around. There’s no secret to it; it’s just a matter of repetition. She already knows what she’s supposed to do; she’s run rabbits before, so just keep taking her out until she gets over it. The more she gets out, the sooner she’ll get back to runnin’ again.” Psychologists call this “flooding,” a method of overcoming someone’s fear of something unreasonable. If a patient fears riding an elevator,

the psychologist has that person ride an elevator so much that it overcomes their unwarranted fear of elevators. Mr. James added another training tip, echoing the advice my father had offered years ago: “Once you get her runnin’ with other dogs, you have to take her huntin’ solo to finish her off. You can’t let her keep huntin’ with another kennel mate, or she’ll become dependent on that dog. A pup needs to learn how to do it all on its own, as well as hunt with other dogs.” Training Tips Motley Mountain Kennel’s proud owner showed me several of his own handsome dogs, and some that he was currently working with. I probed for further training tips and techniques that the helpful dog handler might offer to make sure a young beagle becomes a top-notch hunting dog. “Most failures with rabbit dogs come from folks that don’t form a bond with their pet,” said James. “They take the beagle out of the kennel to hunt, but that’s the only time they work with the dog. When someone brings their dog here for me to train, I go one-onone with the dog. I work with the animal from 5 a.m. until dark. I get the dog to follow basic commands before anything else. They’ve got to learn to come without question, unless they’re on a rabbit of course. All of my dogs learn to get into their own kennels, too. It makes transporting and working with them so much easier for me.” Mr. James teaches

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 61

USA Archery State Championship Held in Sanford USA Archery, governing organization for the USA Olympic Archery Team, sponsors a Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) program designed to increase skill sets that will, hopefully qualify kids for the Olympic team. And adults aren’t left out – Adult Achievement Programs are available as well. Black Sheep Archery held the USA Archery JOAD State Championship on November 10 and 11, 2018 at their range on Cottage Street in Sanford. Over 80 archers from all around New England gathered over the weekend to fling arrows with hopes of a gold medal. The shooting lines were diverse as to age, equipment and expectations. USA Archery has classes and divisions for everyone from 6 years old, to 70+. Equipment ranges from bare bow and compound to Olympic-style recurve – there’s a diversion for every skill level. Black Sheep Archery has seen an increase in the number of youngsters joining their JOAD program. More archers are becoming involved in the sport – many are young adults, a large proportion of those are girls, thanks to publicity resulting from movies such as The Hunger Games. Archery is an equal opportunity activity. Black Sheep’s JOAD team, “North Star Rangers,” has about 40 archers participating. USA Archery offers programs geared for all ages, starting with the

Each archer earns pins and ribbons as they improve – not competing with others, but against themselves. Some get very good – including Sue Bock of Old Orchard, who started her archery quest in an adult archery program at Lakeside Archery, and later became a member of the United States Archery Team.

Sue Bock helps 10 year-old Karli Maling retrieve her arrows at the USA Archery State Championship at Black Sheep Archery in Sanford. Val Marquez photo

Explorer Archery Program, which is a beginner-level for younger kids. As they become older – around 10 years of age – then they move into the JOAD program that covers ages up to 20. Ten year old Karli Maling, a member of “North Star Rangers,” started in the Explorer Program, moving up to the JOAD program at the State Shoot, qualifying

for her lanyard and green pin. Other JOAD clubs competed at the Sanford shoot, too. Pioneer Archery, and Archery in Motion, both from New Hampshire, sent strong teams with archers earning pins. There were teams from Hall’s Archery from Connecticut, as well as On Site Archery, Ten Point Tips and Big Al’s Archery, from

Massachusetts. Maine JOAD team from Howell’s Archery in Gray had a large JOAD team at the shoot. Also, Lakeside Archery in North Yarmouth sent archers down. These archery clubs all offer this in-depth training that develops proper archery skills for new archers, introducing them to the exciting sport. Adults have their own

program, “Adult Achievement.” Both programs are geared towards improving archery skills. The overall purpose is developing archers to win Olympic and World Archery gold. Sue Bock, from Old Orchard, started her archery quest in an adult archery program at Lakeside Archery, and from there she has become a member of the United States Archery Team (USAT) and a top-ranked master in the nation. Not all JOAD archers reach national ranking, but most shooters earn ribbon and pins as they develop shooting skills. Each archer must score established points to advance to the next colored pin. Pins are attached to a ribbon on their quiver. Each archer gains pins as they improve – not competing with others, but against themselves. There are JOAD tournament held locally and at national level; Maine JOAD clubs travel and compete. It’s not all training – they also hold fun shoots. Targets can include zombies and balloons (I’ve never seen a kid – or an adult, for that matter – who does not enjoy busting balloons with arrows.) Parents should consider archery for their youngsters – it’s non-contact, teaches discipline, and features an even playing field for all kids. Most of all, it’s a lifelong sport. Maine Archery Association The “National Field (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

62 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Southern Maine (Continued from page 61)

Archery Association” and “Maine Archery Association” (MAA) have “Shooter of The Year” (SOY) events each Sunday. The venues are at local archery ranges and Fish and Game clubs. Archery ranges around Maine hosts these events. Participating shops and ranges are Lakeside Archery in North Yarmouth, North Berwick Rod and Gun; Black Sheep Archery in Sanford, Howell’s Archery in Gray, West Gardiner Fish and Game, and new this year, Old Town Archery and Survival, at 300 Main Street in Old Town. SOY tournaments are open to all ages and equipment, from longbows to high-tech compounds. There are age classes that will keep folk on an even playing field with others. Targets are NFAA blue and white, or Vegas face, and shooting line distance is 20 yards. Participating archery ranges offer two shooting lines on Sundays, 9 AM and 1 PM. Space fills quickly, so archers should

call ahead to registers for their preferred line. Score cards are turned in, and records are kept on the MAA website. Interested archers can check past results and information. The NFAA/MAA state championship will be held on March 8 to10, 2019 at North Berwick Rod and Gun. Check out the MAA web page for all the archery activities. Open Water Fishing Okay, not everyone is into archery, so consider open water fishing this month. Streams and rivers in southern Maine have winter fishing opportunities. Basically, winter fishing is like spring fishing except for cold weather gear. Many rivers have catch-andrelease regulations, so check the law book before fishing. On warm days, fish the Ossipee River in Freedom and Effingham, New Hampshire. I have a summer home there and know the area well. Downstream of the dam at the outlet from Barry Bay, fishing for salmon,

Rangeley Region (Continued from page 60)

pups to become accustomed to the leash and instills the “come” command before any scent training. Once they’ve got these basic commands down completely, he moves on to chasing rabbits. “Most pups will chase hare by sight at around 10 to 12 weeks,” said James. “I put them in an enclosed area with rabbits so they can chase them by sight. The rabbits outrun them, and they eventually learn to use their nose. Then they get accustomed to using their nose, and begin scent-trailing hare.” The Pay-off The sound of an over-excited young puppy squealing and barking as it chases a hare, never ceases to amuse me. I sometimes believe that the hare, almost as big as the pup, gets a kick out of it, too. For some reason the sight and sound of a little, pintsized beagle, trying to make big-dog barking noises, just gets me laughing. www.MaineSportsman.com

The author’s arrow quiver displays pins he earned in the USA Archery Adult Archery Program, and a patch from a NFAA field championship. Val is a good archer, but on this particular day he admitted to being the only one in his age division. Val Marquez photo

rainbows and browns can be productive any time, but I enjoy it during winter months. The Ossipee River flows from the dam to the Saco River in Cornish, Maine. With cold, fumbling fingers, I tie on the biggest, ugliest nymph in my vest, a pattern I tied in the nineties, one so ugly I never considered using

– a random hunch on my part. A 12-inch, rainbow engulfed it. The trout didn’t fight hard due to cold water temperatures. But considering the time of the year and conditions, it was worth the trip. All major rivers in southern Maine offer winter fishing. The dams on the Saco are always

good. A rapid section at the Route 25 Bridge in Standish is another spot to try. Sea run brown trout fishing at the outlet of the Mousam River in Kennebunk, and also along the Ogunquit River in Ogunquit, is good all winter long.

A pup that chases and howls after a hare also fills their owner with a sense of pride, and a vision of hunts to come. To a snowshoe hare hunter, the sound of beagles barking and howling while chasing a rabbit round-and-round the deep woods is music to their ears – a symphony of sounds from the natural world that soothes a savage soul. Last year I had a chance to hunt with a couple of local beagle owners, Scott Soucy and Ryan MacDonald, and their dogs chased rabbits all over the place. Our productive rabbit hunting can be attributed to only one thing – these guys put in their time training their beagles. It only took a few days of hunting with them to find their successful rabbit-dog training methods worked perfectly. Rabbit hunters enjoy chasing their quarry with beagles for varying reasons, but one thing resonates from each of them – an overwhelming love for their little rabbit-chasers.

Scott Soucy’s hunting partner, Tyler Mason, poses with rabbit running beagles, Gunner and Betty. Photo courtesy of Scott Soucy

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 63

Memories of 2018 in the Western Maine Mountains As I plan outdoor adventures and activities for the new year, I also think back on 2018, fondly remembering all that I’ve been blessed with throughout the past 12 months. Coyote Hunting January 2018 started off with a bang (literally). I have been so fortunate to have connected with a great group of coyote hunters from the Western Maine Mountains (WMM). Carthage hound man Bill Houghton works hard in the woods all day, and then hunts hard in the woods any day he isn’t working. Houghton’s dogs, a fine blend of running hounds, are top-notch coyote-chasers. They provide our group of coyote hunters with plenty of action throughout the winter months. As this winter progress, I see many other wonderful days of coyote hunting ahead, mixed with a sprinkling of hunting hare with beagles. I’ll also be sure to get out this winter and get a little ice fishing in. I don’t do it as much as I used to, but enjoy it if there are good friends and family there

After putting a 645-pound cow moose in the freezer, the author also took a 188-pound buck in the same week. Clunie photo

with me. This winter I will get out and hunt coyotes at night. I have been work-

Bill Houghton (l), Joe Steary (c), and Doug Lisherness (r) with their hounds and three coyotes for the day. Clunie photo

ing with a company (atncorp.com) that makes a nice night-vision scope that just might do the

trick for me this year. Fishing Season Fishing season for 2018 seemed way too

Mainers would do well to try out a two-handed rod like this “Demon Switch Rod” by Hardy, displayed here next to a nice landlocked salmon. Clunie photo

short ... spectacular days of spring and summer on rivers and ponds that didn’t seem to last long enough, even though I attempted to stretch the season by fishing into late September. I normally fish a little into October, but this year October was all about bird hunting. My one thought of October fishing got changed when we arrived at the shoreline camp – the pond where our fishing was to take place – to see that the water’s surface was frozen. Therefore, our planned “cast and blast” adventure turned into a blast-only event. One of my favorite spring and summer activities, of course, is any kind of fly fishing, but get me on a pond with a few brookies and it’s like heaven on earth. I spent countless days this year floating about and casting dry flies to surface-feeding brook trout. I tried out a threeweight fiberglass rod this year and found that I don’t like its super-slow action, especially when it comes to setting the hook. I almost like the gentle way it allows me to float (Continued on next page)

The author and his wife, Nancy Carpenter, at a campsite in an undisclosed location way back in Maine somewhere. Clunie photo www.MaineSportsman.com

64 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Western Maine (Continued from page 63)

a fly to the water’s surface, but missed so many fish hook-ups with the extremely “whippy” rod that I have set it aside for now. Fishing with a two-handed switch rod gave me plenty to think about this summer. Hardy (hardyfishing.com) sent me a 5/6-weight Demon Switch rod to work with and, I have found that it is the PERFECT type of rod for fishing

areas wherever there’s a lack of clearance for a backcast, or where the angler needs to repeatedly cast to the same stretch of water (such as in nymphing situations). The long rod smoothly delivers big flies or awkward nymphing rigs into likely water with accuracy and ease ... and with some amazing distance, to boot. This year I’ll be nymphing this spring and

swinging huge streamers in the fall with this long, two-handed rod from Hardy. I think Maine anglers do themselves a huge disservice by overlooking the two-handed rods. Maine waters are ripe for an explosion of spey casters adventurous enough to try this oldstyle of casting. Bountiful Hunting Luck, with a capital “L,” kind of sums up my 2018 hunting season. I got lucky and received a cow moose permit for Wildlife Management

District WMD) 2 this past October, and dropped a 645-pound cow a few hours into the first day. Ron Ricciardi, Maine guide and owner of North Maine Woods Guide Service and Pond Brook Cabins (pondbrookcabins.com), set me up in an awesome cabin on the shore of Eagle Lake, and also set me up in an area full of moose. Later that week, on the opening day of deer season, I shot a 188-pound, eight-point white-tailed buck at 8:30 a.m. I simply followed a

track to a huge swampy region. Then, rather than following the buck into the jungle-like swamp, I quietly skirted the outside of the swamp and found that the buck hadn’t exited the area. After calling and waiting a few minutes, I spotted the buck and fired – cleanly taking out the top of its heart at fifty yards. I think my most delightful days in the hunting woods in 2018 were spent walking around the autumn forests with my (Continued on page 66)

Get out and enjoy the lakes, mountains, rivers & woods in Western Maine!

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�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 65

Striper Spawning Encouraging Maryland’s Dept. of Natural Resources has posted their 2018 youngof-the-year (YOY) index for striped bass, and it appears the fish are reproducing in strong numbers. The 2018 survey index is 14.8, again above the 65-year average of 11.8 (Maryland’s 2017 YOY was 13.2). Most of the striped bass that migrate up along the Maine coast each season spawn in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in the early spring. The survey is conducted annually to track the reproductive success of stripers, and helps predict future abundance. The index represents the average number of young-of-the-year bass (those less than one year old) captured in 132 netting samples. During the 2018 survey, department biologists collected more than 36,000 fish of 55 species, including 1,951 young-ofyear striped bass. Results show that white perch and American shad also experienced above-average spawning success this spring. “Consecutive years of healthy reproduction is a great sign for the future of this iconic species,” Maryland DNR Fishing and Boating Services Director David Blazer said. “The survey results are encouraging and complement our efforts to conserve and protect the striped bass fishery for the benefit of anglers, commercial watermen and the species.” The department has monitored the reproductive success of striped bass and other fish spe-

Preliminary results from the Maryland striped bass survey suggest an average year class of young-of-year striped bass was produced in Virginia tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in 2018. This is good news for those of us who chase striped bass here in Maine. We need as many consecutive years of successful spawning in Chesapeake Bay as possible so the bass caught here, and all along the East Coast, are continually replenished.

Researchers from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources count juvenile striped bass and other fish netted at one the 132 sampling sites. Over 36,000 fish of 55 species were counted and released in the state’s 2018 survey. Photo courtesy MD DNR

cies in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay annually since 1954, making it one of the oldest fish community surveys in the nation. Twenty-two survey sites are located in the four major spawning systems: Choptank, Potomac and Nanticoke Rivers, and Upper Chesapeake Bay. Biologists visit each site three times during the summer, collecting fish with two sweeps of a 100-foot beach seine net. The fish are evaluated for age, size and other factors, and then returned to the water. Virginia Survey About Average Virginia also has a similar process for sampling the numbers of ju-

venile striped bass. Preliminary results from their survey, conducted by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), suggest an average year class of young-of-year striped bass was produced in Virginia tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in 2018. The 2018-year class represents the group of fish hatched this spring that could grow to fishable sizes in three to four years. The program recorded a mean value of 10.72 fish per seine haul in the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay, which is similar to the state’s historic average of 7.77 fish per seine haul. The 2018 value suggests that popu-

lation of juvenile striped bass has been stable. Professor Mary Fabrizio, who directs the Juvenile Striped Bass Seine Survey at VIMS, notes that the economic and ecological value of striped bass lends signif-

icant interest to the yearto-year status of their population. “By estimating the relative number of young-of-year striped bass,” she says, “our survey provides an important measure of annual and long-term trends in the striper population.” The VIMS survey samples 18 stations in the Rappahannock, York, and James River watersheds. Biologists sampled each site five times from late June to early September in 2018, deploying a 100-foot seine net from the shore. Each fish captured in the net is counted, measured, and returned to the water. These young striped bass usually measure between 1.5 to 4 inches long. Survey scientists in measured 1,875 juvenile bass at these stations in 2018. This is all good news for those of us who chase striped bass here in Maine. We need as many consecutive years of successful spawning in Chesapeake Bay as possible, so that the bass caught here, and all along the East Coast, are continually replenished. (Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

66 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Saltwater

(Continued from page 65)

Cod Picture Looks Grim Again I attended the New England Fishery Management Council’s Recreational Advisory Panel (RAP) meeting in November, and unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be much of a chance that recreational fishermen will be able to keep a single cod in the Gulf of Maine– again – in 2019. Preliminary data (May through August) indicate that the recreational sector might have “removed” (almost entire-

ly via the 15% mortality rate assigned to released cod) around 142 metric tons (mt) of cod out of the 220 mt annual recreational quota. The 142 mt may get bumped up somewhat when the final data for the fall comes in, but we will likely still be well below our quota. However, there may not be enough “cushion” to allow any possession at all in 2019. Haddock? It looks like the recreational sector will have taken only 600700 mt of its huge 3,358

Western Maine (Continued from page 64)

20-gauge double-barreled shotgun in hand. I see so many things in my jaunts through the woods, even if I don’t get a shot off I come home content at simply being so blessed with the time I have to immerse myself into the remote parts of this beautiful state.

Friday, March 29th Saturday, March 30th Sunday, March 31st 2019 Augusta Civic Center

mt quota for 2018, but I doubt the bag limit will increase much, if at all, from the 12-fish-per-person limit we had in 2018. The problem, again, is the release mortality for the cod we catch and throw back while we’re fishing for haddock. If the bag limit increased significantly, people would spend more time trying to catch their limit, and thus catch more cod in the process. At least that’s our government’s theory. So you see, cod drives the bus. This is really disappointing, but I’ll know more after the January

Maryland’s 2018 young-of-the-year striped bass survey had an index of 14.8, which indicates that spawning success in that area of Bay was above the average 65year average of 11.8. Graph courtesy MD DNR

RAP meeting when we’ll have all the 2018 data and perhaps some man-

Family Fortune Of course, my wife, friends and family reign as my own ultimate blessing here on earth. Sometimes they are along with me on the adventure, and I love it when I can share the outdoors with them. Our memories are solidly burned into the forefront of our brains, never to be forgotten. Vivid pictures etched into our minds that can easily be recalled to serve as wit-

agement consider.

measures

ness to some spectacular times afield. I hope these wonderful folks in my life realize how blessed I am to have them near, in the woods or on the water – or just sitting at home and reminiscing. With such a blessed year behind me, I can confidently go forth into the new year, overjoyed at the prospect of things to come in 2019. I’ll keep you posted.

The 39th Annual

State of Maine

Sportsman Show

NEW THIS YEAR: 3-Day Bracelet Only $15 — PLUS — PRE-SALE TICKETS AVAILABLE STARTING IN JANUARY $ 6 Picked Up or $5 Shipped — TICKETS AT THE DOOR — Adults $8, Kids Ages 5-12, Active Military & Seniors $6

Mark Your Calendars for Maine’s Premier Outdoor Show! Outdoor enthusiasts wait all winter long for the spring thaw and what better way to spend one of those spring weekends than at Maine’s biggest outdoor trade show,

the 39th annual State of Maine Sportsman’s Show!

Tens of thousands of outdoors-minded folks will gather for an entire weekend of everything outdoors March 29–31. There truly is something for everyone: over 100 exhibitors, kid zone, demonstrations, seminars, taxidermy, art, photography and carving contests, and LOTS MORE!

STATE OF MAINE FIREARMS AUCTION WILL BE HELD AT THE SHOW!

Sunday, March 31st at 12PM • Your Show Ticket Gets You Into the Auction

For Exhibitor or Seminar Registration, Contact Linda Lapointe at (207) 622-4242 or linda@mainesportsman.com

show.mainesportsman.com — STAY TUNED TO OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE FOR UPDATES! —

www.MaineSportsman.com

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 67

— The Maine Sportsman —

Trophy Gallery

Lily Mellor, age 10 of Searsport is an excellent marksman -- with her crossbow. Her 2018 hunting season was an outstanding success, with a spring tom turkey (shown here, her 2nd of 2 birds), a 272-lb. black bear and a 110-lb. doe, all harvested by crossbow.

Dave Madry of Bellevue, MI shot this 762-lb. bull moose in E. Middlesex Canal Grant Twp. on October 18, 2018. It was certified at the Kokadjo Check Station.

Delaney Woods of Peru, ME shot this 202-lb. buck in Peru on October 27 using her 7 mm-08 rifle.

Thomas Ray Leckrone of Dover, PA harvested this half-ton bull moose in T6R15WELS (Piscataquis County) on September 24, 2018. The big animal was registered at Raymond’s Country Store, North East Carry.

— GRAND SLAM — Sadie Theriault of Naples accomplished a rare feat this year -a Grand Slam. She is shown here with her 214-lb. buck, a 200-lb. black bear, a handsome tom turkey and an 854-lb. bull moose.

www.MaineSportsman.com

68 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Smilin’

Sportsman Smooth city boy: “Hey, Sweetie – What would you say to a little hanky panky?” Witty country girl: “I’d say, ‘Hi, little Hanky Panky!’” ••••••••••••••••••• A lady was driving west on Pritham Avenue in Greenville when a policewoman turned on her vehicle’s blue lights. The lady driver sped up. The policewoman sped up, too, and after a several-mile chase reaching speeds over 100 mph, the woman driver finally pulled over.

Send your best hunting & fishing stories, and your favorite jokes, to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com

“So what?” retorted the policewoman.

“Well, said the driver, “I thought you might be her, trying to give him back!”

She was let off with only a warning.

••••••••••••••••••• A man was trying to spice up his married life, so after he and his wife were done their dinner, he stood up and turned on some soft music on the radio. Then, while she watched, he slowly and dramatically took off his jacket.

“You’d better give me a great story about why you were trying to get away,” yelled the policewoman, “or else I’ve going to arrest you and take you to jail.”

“I do have a good reason, officer,” the drive explained. “You see, last week by husband ran off with a policewoman.”

Next, he smoothly took off his shirt.

“Is there anything else you’d like me to take off?” he asked. “Yes,” his wife replied. “My glasses!”

••••••••••••••••••• Two friends stopped at a Greenville restaurant for breakfast.

The Smilin' Sportsman Youth Edition Kids! Send your best hunting & fishing stories, and your favorite jokes, to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com.

Teacher: “Class, who can tell me what George Washington, Abe Lincoln and Christopher Columbus have in common?”

The pastor asked, “Does that sled work?”

“Sure,” the kid replied. “Give it a try!”

Little Johnny: “That’s easy, Teach – they were all born on national holidays!” ••••••••••••••••••• Jake: “That’s a funny salamander you’ve got. What’s its name?”

The pastor leaned down and gave the starter cord a few good pulls, but nothing happened.

Luke: “Tiny.”

The kid responded, “Sure it does! But first, you have to swear at it.”

Jake: “Why do you call it Tiny?” Luke: “Because he’s my newt.” ••••••••••••••••••• A pastor was walking down the street in Greenville when he saw a young boy beside a snowmobile with a “For Sale” sign on it.

www.MaineSportsman.com

He said, “Son, I don’t believe this snowmobile works!”

The pastor said indignantly, “Young man – I am a pastor! Not one swear word has passed my lips in more than twenty years!” “Just keep pulling,” the boy advised. “It’ll come back to you!”

After reviewing the menu, the first man asked the waitress for a quickie. After the waitress stormed off, the second friend said, “Uh, Bud, I think it’s pronounced quiche.”

�� The Maine Sportsman • January 2019 • 69

— TRADING POST — • Subscribers may place one free 20-word line classified ad per month (two-month limit) • 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 50¢ for each additional word • Check, money order, MasterCard or VISA (Credit or Debit) 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

SUBMIT AD AND PAYMENT BY THE 30TH OF EACH MONTH AND YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE.

CAMPS FOR SALE

CAMPS FOR RENT

CAMP WITH 166 ACRES IN ANSON, ME For more information contact Jerry at 207-9383533 or Pat at 207-7541187.

PARKMAN, MEBUCKS CROSSING WMD 17 Rental Cabins. Turkey, deer, moose, upland game. All amenities included. Great ratesnightly, weekly, monthly. $75/night for two people. 207-277-3183 ———————————

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DOGS MILL POND RETRIEVERS Field Trial and Test

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LAND FOR SALE LAND 8 LOTS On Rt. 15 Monson, ME. Direct access to snowmobile + atv trails from lots. 2 acres to 3.5 acres. $24900 to $ 34900. Packages or just lots. Text or call 207-831-7224 possi-

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ble financing. ETNA, ME - 3 LOTS Can be sold individually or together. All lots have great Hunting, ATVing and ITS 83 for you Snowmobilers. Lot #1 has 12.6 acres, price $22,130. Lot #2 has 12.8 acres, price $22,180. Lot #3 has 14.2 acres, price $23,340. Close to Newport & Sebasticook Lake, adjacent to Penobscot County Conservation Land. Phone 207-379-4426

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192+/- ACRES Guilford - 192± acres w/ views from Oak Hill (920’ in elevation) & in the shadows of 1,326’ Guilford Mt. overlooking First Davis Pond. Wildlife galore with evidence of moose & deer. Cut in 2011. $129,000

Kingfield - Camp on Tufts Pond. Mountain & water views, mature trees, 1,600’ of elevation, brook & remote pond! Ski, snowmobile, hunt, fish, relax! Sugarloaf close by. $599,000.

Bancroft Twp - Acreage on Mattawawkeag River. Camp just 200± feet from river w/exceptional frontage. Mature trees, easy access & special protection designated for Salmon & deer habitat. $124,900

Litchfield - Waterfront parcel with tons of diversity. Massive trees in park like setting. Mile plus frontage on Horseshoe pond feeding into Cobbossee stream. Extensive wildlife. $205,000.

5.25 ACRES OR 64 ACRES Pittsfield – Custom built cedar log home. Three floors of living space with 4-5 bedrooms and five baths. Large open rooms with cathedral ceilings andskylights. $299,000 with 5.25 acres or $325,000 with 64 acres. Greenwood - 283 ACRES - Views of the surrounding hills south and west from 1,300’ of elevation. Ledge outcrops, old stone walls and recreation opportunities. Gravel for access and internal roads. $215,000 Greenwood - 251 ACRES - Views of the surrounding hills, lakes and Mt. Washington. 32’x20’ log cabin shell. Good access & road system. Highest elevation is 1,620’. Recreation paradise. $229,000 Dover/Foxcroft - 93 ACRES – Affordable lot with small stream, good access, internal road system and 1,570’ Parsons Landing Road frontage. Recently harvested. Great area for recreating. Lot can be split. $70,000

Ten-year old Johnny Madigan shot this nice spike-horn on November 10, 2018. He was accompanied by Sherman Bradeen, from Carthage. Bradeen is known for taking youngsters out hunting, and sharing his skills and his love of the outdoors.

Calais - Scenic 45 acre lot on the 627 acre, 56’ deep Nash’s lake stocked with salmon. Over 1000’ of waterfront with peninsula extending into the lake. Good access. Private. Numerous coves, unique shorefront. $75,000

www.MaineSportsman.com

70 • January 2019 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Macwahoc - Ready to use open floor plan camp, loft, generator included, sited next to little pond, fish or hunt Molunkus Stream, easily accessible, low taxes, 4.2+/- acres on Smith Road. $34,500 Reduced to $29,900

Lakeville - Pretty view beyond a large clearing. Full time electricity, sewer and a dug well. Very well maintained and has taxes of only $66.44 annually. A great location. Easy to get to on Bearce Road and ready to use now. $24,900

Benedicta - 100+ year old farmhouse is stunning, hardwood floors, and beautifully handcrafted new woodwork. All new wiring, paved driveway, wrap-around porches, newer roof/siding right on Pond Road. This property is remarkable!! $429,000

Burlington - Farmhouse sits on nice 15.5 acres. Some open field and a small pond. Large rooms, some exposed beams and character. Some work done, needs some work but has lots of potential. You always wanted that small farm, here you go right on Long Ridge Road. $59,900

Topsfield - 30+/- acres of field, apple trees and a nicely wooded lot for a total of 143+/- acres. 2 bedroom home, plenty of storage, 25’ x 55’ barn & large lawn. If you are looking to homestead, this is an ideal property. Priced to move on South Road. $189,000

Lee - A beautifully renovated home with pretty frontage on a small pond. The owners have done a stunning job of turning this one time fixer-upper into a show piece. Priced appropriately and ready for you on Arab Road. $79,000

Burlington - Driveways, gravel pads and some clearing complete on these inexpensive 1.5 to 2.7 acre lots, owner financing, long frontage along Eskutassis Pond. $42,500 each Winn - 2.1 acres on a pretty stretch of the Penobscot River. Only ten minutes from Lincoln. Wonderful spot for a home or cabin with electricity available at the road. $29,000 Lincoln - Large modern lot with electricity available, ready to be shaped into your lakeside dream. Build your year round home or weekend getaway on Long Pond. $63,000 Lincoln - Electricity, privately plowed year round road and a very nice lakefront lot (and back lot) with many improvements. Clearing has been done, driveway is in and great frontage on Egg Pond. Buy now and beat the rush. $59,000

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

Nine-year old Sullivan Chapman shot his first deer this past season -- a 195-lb., 11-point buck. The whitetail was taken November 16, 2018 in Jefferson, ME. Photo by Sullivan’s proud father, Derek Chapman

A Subscription to The Maine Sportsman is the Perfect Gift for the Holidays! Buy a 1-year subscription (12 issues) and SAVE 60% OFF the newsstand price for a gift subscription!* YOUR SUBSCRIPTION: r One Year $30 r Two Years $49 Include your Check, Your Name ____________________________________________________________ Money Order or Your Address ___________________________________________________________ VISA/MasterCard info City ___________________________________State___________ Zip ____________ to: VISA/MC _____________________________________________ Exp. ___________ Phone__________________________________Email __________________________ The Maine Sportsman 183 State Street GIFT SUBSCRIPTION:* r One Year $28 r Two Years $40 Suite 101 Recipient’s Name _______________________________________________________ Augusta, ME 04330 Address _______________________________________________________________ City ___________________________________State___________ Zip ____________ Gift Card to Read: _______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ *You must purchase one subscription at the regular price to receive gift subscription discount.

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FISHING SEASON CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH

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