The Maine Sportsman June 2022 Digital Edition

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2 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Sporting Camps & Lodges — A True Maine Tradition — Spencer Pond Camps Rustic Family Friendly Lakeside Housekeeping Cabins Dogs Welcome - Pet Friendly Open May thru November

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Bowlin Camps Lodge

Located in Township 5, Range 8, Maine, Bowlin Camps Lodge is a full service sporting camp, open year round with nine comfortable cabins with indoor plumbing. Situated on the last piece of real wilderness left in the lower 48 states and adjacent to thousands of acres of the Katahdin Woods & Water National Monument lands, Bowlin Camps offers a true wilderness experience without sacrificing comfort. Registered Maine Guides and staff work hard to ensure their guests have an enjoyable, safe stay in the Big Woods of Maine.

Anglers Bowlin Camps Lodge has everything a fishing enthusiast could ask for, and something for every class of fisherman.

The East Branch offers some of the best fly fishing in Maine, with naturallyreproducing brook trout, landlocked salmon and smallmouth bass. Hundreds of lakes, streams and ponds make up the watershed of the area. Since the spring of 2010, at least 250,000 Atlantic salmon fry have been stocked from the shores of Bowlin Camps Lodge each year.

West of Bowlin Camps Lodge lies Baxter State Park, 235,000 acres with excellent fishing for brook trout, salmon and lake trout/togue in over 40 ponds,

and Grand Lake Matagamon, a few miles upriver from camp, that runs to a cold 95 feet deep.

Snowmobilers Bowlin Camps Lodge is one of the highlights of the North Woods of Maine, with well-groomed trails and an accessible location. Stay in the woods in one of the nine cozy cabins, directly on North ITS-85 trails. Cabins are kept toasty warm while their guests are riding the trails. Kitchen staff will fix breakfast and lunch, and take your reservation for dinner!

Just passing through? Stop in and warm up in the heated lodge with a public bathroom, perfect for your sledding group to fuel up, warm up, and be on your way. Or stop in for breakfast or for their famous grilled, homemade round-

bread sandwiches, hot soup and chili, and whoopie pies. During snowmobile season, the kitchen is open seven days a week, 9 AM to 3 PM, serving breakfast and lunch. Dinners are by reservation only and require 24-hour notice.

Hunters Traditional Maine deer hunting along the Penobscot River is an experience to remember – true wilderness hunting in remote but accessible T5-R8 and surrounding unorganized territories.

The area has a healthy herd of deer with some big old bucks that have never seen a human. Bowlin is adjacent to the thousands of acres of the Katahdin Woods & Water National Monument protected lands, allowing the bucks to grow to huge sizes, with some dressing out well over 200 lbs. and scoring consistently in the 140 range.

Deer this size do not grow big by making mistakes, so the hunter must be flexible, determined and ready. There are no attractants or food plots. A week in the woods after these deer will teach you a lot about yourself. No wimps allowed on this hunt!

Bowlin Camps: Ph: (207) 267-0884, info@bowlincamps.com; www.bowlincamps. com, P.O. Box 251, Patten, Maine 04765

Spencer Pond Camps Established in 1901 by Mose Duty, a trapper and guide for the William Tell Hunting Club, the Spencer Pond Camps are operated May–November and staffed 24/7 by Glen Horne and Holly Todd, who are both registered Maine Guides. They provide a family and petfriendly atmosphere in a remote, quiet and extremely scenic location.

The camps are located on the north shore of Spencer Pond, just north of Spencer Bay on Moosehead Lake. To the east, rising majestically out of the pond, is Little Spencer Mountain.

Behind the camps are logging roads to Little Spencer Pond, Lobster Mountain, Eagle Mountain, Big and Little Kineo Moosehead Lake, Big Duck and Little Duck, Golden Road, and Tom Young and Kidney Ponds. The remoteness of the area provides almost private fishing and hunting, with proximity to thousands of acres of forestland and Moosehead Lake.

The pond has perch, bass, bullhead and brook trout. The Roach River and Moosehead Lake are minutes away, offering trout, salmon, bass and togue fishing. Numerous brooks and beaver flowages provide plenty of opportunities, as does the West Branch of the Penobscot River.

For hunters, game abounds in the area’s ridges, mountains and swamps, with little pressure from competing hunters. Bear, moose, deer, grouse, and spring turkey hunters are welcome.

Photographers enjoy frequent sightings of moose, bear, loons and eagles. For hikers, more than five miles of trails extend from the camp yard. Both of the Spencer Mountains, White Cap, and Kineo provide a challenge for the more avid hiker.

Six fully furnished cabins do not have electricity and are nonmodernized; however, they are completely comfortable and functional.

Cabin rentals include a fully furnished housekeeping cabin, canoe, kayaks, sailboat, rowboat, mountain bikes, all linens, seasoned dry firewood for your wood stove, “camp wood for the fire pits, dishwashing soap, matches and toilet paper. Every cabin has rocking chairs, games, a library, woodstoves, screened porches, and a charcoal grill.

Life here comes at a slower, simpler pace. There is no Wi-Fi service, and the owners pride themselves on an electronic-free camp yard. Cell phone coverage is sporadic at best. Plumbing is “out back,” and relaxation is everywhere.

In the spring, fisherman, hikers, and bird watchers abound. In the summer, guests swim along the shore during the day, and toast marshmallows at night. Seaplanes take guests up for rides. Depending on schedules, Holly is a massage therapist, and we now offer massages and Spa treatments upon request. As both are Registered Maine Guides, we offer guided hiking, canoe trips, fishing and hunting, as well as wildlife tours.

Autumn brings couples, those who enjoy the foliage and hiking in cooler weather, along with the loyal hunting clientele. And, winter brings snowmobiling and ice fishing. We now offer winter rentals and snowmobile rentals as well as guided snowmobile and ice fishing trips.

Reservations and more information can be found at www.spencerpond. com; 207-745-1599; reservations@ spencerpond.com. www.MaineSportsman.com

4 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

Editorial

Parker v. DIFW Challenges Ban on Sunday Hunting, and Guess What?

It’s Not a Frivolous Lawsuit!

The suit characterizes Maine’s ban on Sunday hunting as “an historical and religious anachronism that hamstrings DIFW’s natural resource management and safety goals.”

On April 27, 2022, Virginia and Joel Parker of Readfield filed a civil lawsuit against the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, claiming the state’s prohibition against Sunday hunting violates the Maine Constitution.

The challenge to Maine law is based on Article I, Section 25 of the Constitution. This constitutional amendment, approved by the state’s voters only nine months ago, is known as “Right to Food” amendment. It declares that residents have a “natural, inherent and unalienable right to food,” including the right to harvest food of their own choosing, for their own nourishment, so long as the harvesting can be done without trespass, theft or poaching.

Now the courts will have an opportunity to decide an issue that has had hunters, non-hunters and property owners tied up in knots for decades.

Sunday hunting is a “third rail”-type subject, the expression coming from electrically-powered subways in which a third rail supplies the high-voltage power, and therefore cannot be safely touched.

Although some observers likely muttered something about “frivolous lawsuits” when they first heard the news of the court filing, the facts are as follows: 1) Maine attorneys would lose their license to practice law if they filed frivolous lawsuits; 2) The ban on Sunday hunting is a remnant of the “Old Sunday Law,” which prohibited even such activities as shopping on the Sabbath; as such, in the words of the lawsuit, the ban on Sunday hunting is “a religious and social construct that does not fit into any of the Amendment’s exceptions”; and 3) Most of the other Old Sunday Law restrictions have long gone away.

Some of us remember that until 2015, hunters grocery-shopping on the way to camp on Sundays could not purchase beer until noontime.

We give this lawsuit 35 – 65 odds, which are a lot better chances than many are predicting.

If the Parkers prevail, will the state see more posting of private land?

Perhaps, but the fact is, that trend is happening now, regardless of the current Sunday ban.

Will safety in the woods be compromised? No – thanks to mandatory hunter safety courses and the use of common sense, walking in the woods during hunting season is arguably safer than walking down a Lewiston or Portland sidewalk at any time of year.

A tip of the Maine Sportsman’s cap to the Parkers for bringing this issue to a head, and for arranging for it be deliberately and dispassionately decided – strictly on legal grounds – in a court of law.

¶

On the Cover: In June, many smallmouth bass are still spawning and feeding in the shallows, providing fast action for anglers using surface lures early in the morning and again at dusk. The current state-record bronzeback is 8 lbs., caught in 1970 in Thompson Lake by George Dyer of Augusta. Will that record be broken during the summer of 2022? www.MaineSportsman.com

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Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 595 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Carol Lund carol@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR: Deb Lund Carter distribution@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Almanac by Will Lund.................................................... 14 A Ranger on the Allagash by Tim Caverly.................. 73 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves..................... 76 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia.................. 49 Big Woods World by Hal Blood..................................... 48 Central Maine by Steve Vose....................................... 62 Cooking Wildly by Kate Krukowski Gooding............... 56 Downeast Region by Jim Lemieux............................... 65 Editorial.............................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by William Clunie...................... 28 Jackman Region by William Sheldon.......................... 20 Jottings by Jon Lund........................................................ 8 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon......................... 74 Letters to the Editor.......................................................... 6 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes....................... 47 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour................................... 12 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose............................... 61 Midcoast by Tom Seymour........................................... 64 Moosehead Region by Tom Seymour......................... 68 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.............................. 41 Nolan’s Outdoor World by Nolan Raymond............... 55 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie............................ 53 Outdoors & Other Mistakes by Al Diamon.................. 79 Quotable Sportsman by Will Lund.................................. 9 Rangeley Region by William Clunie............................. 44 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers............................. 80 Saltwater Fishing by Barry Gibson................................ 37 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth..................... 60 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews.................. 58 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard............................. 70 Smilin’ Sportsman by Will Lund...................................... 80 Snapshots in Time by Bill Pierce.................................... 13 Southern Maine by Val Marquez................................. 57 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie.................... 66 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery................. 10 Tidewater Tales by Randy Randall............................... 63 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller.................. 59 Trading Post (Classifieds)............................................... 81 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour....................................... 32 True Tales from the Warden Service by Ret. Lt. Doug Tibbetts.72 Vermont by Matt Breton............................................... 40 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.............. 42

GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

ATVing in Maine by Steve Carpenteri......................... 24 Boating by Ron Dupuis.................................................. 34 Moose Hunting in Maine by Michael Penney............. 23 Maine Moose Lottery by Steve Carpenteri................. 19 GUEST: My 2020 Turkey Hunt by Jake Guay................ 52 GUEST: No Poisonous Snakes in Maine by Mark Robson.51 GUEST: Past Fisheries Mistakes by Spencer Belson ..... 31 GUEST: Timber Management Improves Deer Hunting

by Staci Warren.............................................................. 46 GUEST: Versatile Muddler Minnow by Dan LaPointe .27

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6 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

Letters

and these were definitely mountain lions.

Steve Hill – Bowdoinham, ME —

To The Editor

Knows His Mountain Lions To the Editor: I am 65 years old, and I’ve been hunting and fishing all my life. I am writing to describe my two encounters with mountain lions in Maine.

While deer hunting in Somerville one fall, just off Route 105, I headed into the woods to still-hunt an area where my friend had seen a large buck the day before. I took cover in a large blow-down, well hidden, that overlooked a ridge leading down to some thick, swampy growth.

After about an hour, I spotted a brown animal, between 40 to 50 yards away. I raised my rifle, and through the scope I saw a large cat that I estimate weighed 100 pounds. It had a huge head and a three-foot tail. I watched for a full five minutes as it sniffed the ground and then walked down the ridge away from me.

Encounter #2 occurred in Hope, Maine on an early winter morning. I was headed out ice fishing, slowly driving down a camp road, when I saw a large brown cat in the middle of the road, no more than 50 feet ahead of me. I hit the brakes, grabbed my camera and jumped out of the truck, but the animal had walked into the woods and disappeared.

I am an experienced woodsman. I know mountain lions when I see them,

From One Brother to Another To the Editor: Congratulations, brother, on earning your Maine Guide patch on April 13, 2022.

Now I hope you’ll let me teach you how to catch bass on plastic worms and spinnerbaits, since you seem to want to use only surface lures such as Jitterbugs and Dying Flutters.

Mike Lund, Farmingdale, ME

Will Lund, editor of The Maine Sportsman and one of Maine’s newest Registered Guides, is happy using surface plugs for largemouth bass. He claims he does not need to learn how to employ plastic worms and spinnerbaits like those preferred by his brother Mike, who is a better angler. Mike Lund photo

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Lampreys Do Affect Maine Fish To the Editor I enjoy reading David Van Wie’s “Sporting Environment” column each month in The Maine Sportsman. In a recent piece (May, 2022), he stated that sea lampreys are not harmful to other native inland fish species in Maine. I wanted to share some personal experience that has been confirmed in several publications regarding the historical impact of sea lampreys in Sheepscot Pond.

In 1984, we purchased a cottage on Sheepscot. At that time, many of the game fish we caught in the pond had lampreys attached to them or lamprey scars on them. The problem was acknowledged by several sources, including the Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

For example, in Harry Vanderweide’s “The Book of Maine Fishing Maps,” Harry wrote: “There is also a problem with the lamprey eel, a parasitic fish that attaches itself with a sucker-like mouth to the side of a host fish.” And from DIF&W’S 1992 Sheepscot Lake Survey: “A long-term department program to prevent lamprey eels from entering the lake by closing the fishway during the spawning migration has met with some success. Data collected by department fisheries biologists show the incidence of lamprey eel attack on Sheepscot Lake’s gamefish is declining.”

I do not dispute that sea lampreys may be beneficial in some watersheds in Maine. However, a broad declaration that they are universally beneficial in Maine does not acknowledge the problems that were experienced on Sheepscot Pond.

Jerry Scribner – Belgrade, ME

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David Van Wie responds: Thanks for reading my column, Jerry, and for sending along your comments.

What I learned in researching the sea lamprey issue is that fisheries biologists have misunderstood lampreys for many years and are just recently (in the last 20 years) starting to appreciate their role in the ecosystem. In fact, nationwide there (Continued on next page)

����������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 7 (Continued from page 6)

is a growing awareness of the value and importance of many “rough fish” (non-game) or “trash fish” that are in fact native to the ecosystem and therefore deserve respect and protection, even as sportsmen and -women focus more on game fish.

Many popular game fish are not native to our waters (e.g., brown trout, smallmouth bass, even lake trout and landlocked salmon were often stocked in waters where they were not native); therefore, they can sometimes be very disruptive to other native species (lake trout stocked in Sebago Lake is a prime example).

What I suspect might have been (and may still be) the case in Sheepscot Pond is that sea lampreys, which are native to the rivers, got landlocked in the pond, not unlike what happened in the Great Lakes. Adult lampreys die after they spawn. But when the young lampreys turn into immature macrophthalmia and try to go out to sea, but can’t easily migrate downstream to the ocean (due to a dam, for instance), then they are

forced to look for a host species in the lake. And they could possibly look for spawning opportunities in the lake’s tributaries.

I don’t know if this is what happened, or if adult sea lampreys resident in the lake ever successfully spawned, but it would be interesting to learn what happened over the years. Sheepscot Lake may not be the only lake where this happened. Given that lampreys are native to the rivers in Maine, the cause of the problem was not the lampreys (which were always there, long before camps and recreational anglers), but that dams were constructed, blocking up and down migration for many species, including sea lampreys. By closing the gates during spring migration, DIFW is preventing lampreys and other species including alewives from getting into the lake now.

But free passage up and down for all native species would return the ecosystem to more of its original balance.

David Van Wie —

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8 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————

Early Experience Spawned Publisher’s Love of Fishing My older brother, Mort, and I were born in Plattsburgh, New York, where Dad was employed at a paper mill. When summer came, we moved to a primitive camp on the shore of Lake Champlain. We had electricity, but no running water. We hauled buckets of water from the lake for washing, and lugged jugs of water from a nearby farm for drinking.

Mort and I learned to row in a long wooden boat that was hauled out on the sandy shore in front of the camp.

The boat had two middle seats and two pairs of oarlock sockets and two pairs of oars, so both of us could row.

When we could recruit two other boys, with four rowing the boat would fly.

Our first fishing was for yellow perch

along the rocky shore of Rouses Point. Dad would set up our outboard on the transom, and away we’d go. Our motor was an Elto 1-3/4 hp single-cylinder two-cycle engine that shook the boat when it ran.

Mort and I each had a long bamboo pole nearly as long as the boat. Not to be confused with elegant split bamboo rods, these were solid bamboo poles. We were pretty young and small kids, so the poles seemed long and heavy. A length of fish line was tied to the tip of the pole. No reel was needed. If we had a fish on, we simply swung the pole into the air, lifting the line and perch. Then we set the fish down onto the boat.

Bobber – A Great Telltale

We attached a colorful cork bobber partway down the length of the line. At the end of the line were a small sinker and snelled hook.

We chugged our way from the beach in front of our camp to a rocky area along Rouses Point, where we set the anchor. We then baited our hook with a nightcrawler, and swung our poles out at right angles to the boat.

A bobber was a great help in still-fishing from an anchored boat, because although the boat might swing in the wind, the worm and hook would pretty much stay in one place, rather than being hauled back and forth by the movements of the boat. The bobber was carefully painted in bright red and yellow paint to

make it easy to spot.

The bobber lay flat on the surface of the water until a fish started to nibble on the angleworm. If the fish nibbled on the bait, the bobber stood on end. If the perch was hooked, the bobber sank out of sight, and it was time to hoist the perch into the boat.

The rods seemed heavy to us youngsters, and we rested the bamboo pole on one gunwale and tucked the other end of the pole under the opposite gunwale. It was a simple and productive arrangement.

Preparing Perch to Eat We understood that the perch should be dispatched as humanely as possible, and we learned to hold the perch with its head up and back against the web between the thumb and forefinger.

We stuck our thumb into the perch’s mouth and pried it back,

breaking the fish’s spine and killing it quickly.

Dad often brought along a bait-casting rod, and made an occasional cast and sometimes hooked a smallmouth bass.

A wood box in the boat for the fish kept the perch clean.

We usually brought a mess of yellow perch home for supper. We learned to prepare perch by skinning them. We held the fish in one hand with the head toward us and belly down.

With a sharp knife in the other hand, using a sawing motion we started a cut behind the spine, cutting a strip of skin and the backbone spines, up to the head. Then we cut the head off. Next, we put aside the knife and, starting at the head end, peeled away the skin and the guts that followed.

Telescoping (Continued on next page)

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We issue twelve printed catalogs per year, each with a different selection of approximately 350 books. We welcome requests for specific books not listed in our catalogs. We have a very large stock, and if we don’t have the book you want, we will let you know when we get a copy.

Send us your mailing address, and we will send you a copy of our current catalog.

Callahan & Co., Booksellers P.O. Box 505 Peterborough, NH 03458 603 924-3726 | ken@callahanbooks.com www.MaineSportsman.com

����������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 9 (Continued from page 8)

Bristol, and Level-Wind Reel In time, still-fishing with bamboo poles started to lose its charm, and we moved on to trolling. We each were given a telescoping Bristol steel rod and level-wind reel with “Portage Pastime” marked on the side plate. It was not fancy, but had a click, which you turned on and off by sliding a button on the side plate.

Our favorite trolling lure was a treble hook red and white feather jig with a spoon that turned slowly, causing the

jig to rotate, flashing alternately, red and white. The spoon was marked “J.T. Buell, Whitehall NY.” We usually added a nightcrawler to the lure, which caused the perch to keep hitting the jig until they were hooked.

Mort extended his rod out one side of the boat and I had the other. When we hooked a perch, we usually skidded the fish along and hoisted it aboard.

When we added a sinker ahead of the jig, we sometimes hooked a walleyed pike or a bass, and Dad stopped the Elto to allow us to bring the fish in more carefully.

Letters

(Continued from page 7)

Final Word on Randy Randall’s “Tearing Down the Family Camp” Column To the Editor: I very much enjoyed reading Randy Randall’s recent article in the Maine Sportsman about the sad business of tearing down the family camp.

I checked with Randy and confirmed

Sometimes Mort or I tried bait casting, but our reels did not have any drag, and we tried to make up for the deficiency by gently pressing a thumb on the spool of the reel, which was sometimes successful, but more often caused a backlash.

Genuine Bait-Casting Reel Then one Christmas, we each received a genuine baitcasting reel – a Pflueger Akron, which featured an adjustable drag, bringing about a real improvement in our casting.

I proudly brought my Pflueger Akron along when we moved

The publisher’s WWII-era Jitterbug, featuring a plastic lip and refurbished with long-lasting boat paint.

to Maine, and used it when bait casting for smallmouth bass on Lake Cobbossee.

My favorite plug was the Jitterbug. My early Jitterbugs had yellow plastic mouthpieces, signaling that they were made in wartime, when metal was hard to come by.

My Jitterbug received

that the Swan Pond he mentions in the column is Swan Pond in Lyman.

My husband and I moved to Oscar Littlefield Road in Lyman in 2007. We are not on the shore of Swan Pond, but right across the street.

We feel so lucky to be where we are because we enjoy the pond so much. We have two kids now, ages 9 and 11, and we love to swim and fish in the pond.

We are fortunate enough to hear the loons on a daily basis when they return each year.

I have a friend who had a camp on the pond growing up in the 1960s.

Quotable

Sportsman

by Will Lund

“Washington State had its bear season shut down in 2022 because of anti-hunting attacks. New Jersey also saw their season closed. Here in Maine, we are fortunate to have dedicated bear biologists and a Commissioner who believes in science and sound wildlife management. But that will not stop anti-hunting groups from coming after us with another referendum.”

Fundraising message from Maine Wildlife Conservation Council (mainewildlifecoalition@gmail.com), whose directors include Maine Sportsman columnist David Miller.

—

The Slam-a-Mander

“Say hello to the Slam-a Mander – the most versatile swimbait on the market.”

Press release from FishLab. Sometimes you’ve just got to give credit to the folks in the branding department!

— “On April 12, the Biden administration issued a waiver from the Clean Air Act to allow the sale of gasoline containing 15% ethanol (E15) during

such hard usage that the original paint wore off, and I applied boat paint to restore the original green, black and white “frog” color scheme. It lasted for many, many years.

¶

While visiting here a while back, he commented on how he remembers the whippoorwills. He found it hard to believe I’d never heard one.

I was thrilled when I finally heard some whippoorwills while out turkey hunting in Dayton.

Last year, my kids and I counted 42 lady slippers right behind the house.

Unbelievable! I just turned 43 last week. We’re looking forward to seeing how many we get this year. Maybe we can get to 43!

Holly Wooldridge – Lyman, ME

¶

the summer months. However, the unintended consequence of the waiver could inadvertently put a harmful fuel prohibited for use in recreational vessels into your boat’s gas tank.”

BoatUS, in a recent press release reminding the public that it’s illegal to use 15% ethanol fuel in boats and offroad vehicles, and that customers may not notice the small “E15” label affixed to fuel pumps.

— “Sorry, Champ, Fido, Bear and Buddy – your classic names are nowhere to be found on the list of 2022’s Top 10 dog names.”

Based on survey results by Camp Bow Wow, which claims to be North America’s top pet care franchise, with 200 locations. The ten most popular names?

Luna, Bella, Charlie, Cooper, Lucy, Max, Daisy, Bailey, Milo and Sadie. www.MaineSportsman.com

10 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Books Worth a Read We are fortunate to have a bunch of outdoor writers in Maine, and it’s a good thing that some write books to share their vast experience in the field and on the stream. We learn from them and, perhaps more important, we learn from the mistakes they recount in their writings. And it’s always better to learn from someone else’s mistakes than from our own.

I’ve selected three books that are written mostly about Maine hunting and fishing, and I happen to know the three authors, so I can vouch for their veracity. Though outdoor humorist Ed Zern once said that fishermen are born honest but they get over it, the writers featured below, though perhaps known occasionally to indulge in slight exaggerations – particularly on the size of a fish or the distance of a shot that downed a partridge – they are honest as can be.

I’ve selected the reviews in order of receipt of books. The books are very different from each other, so I can’t say which one is “best,” and I leave that judgment, if it’s to be made, to you.

1) Appalachian Grouse Dog: A Boomer’s Memoir by Dennis LaBare, Bill Horn & Helen Stacy LaBare. Foreword

by Steve Smith, illustrations by Gordon Allen. Catamount Press, 2021. Hardcover, 135 pages.

The LaBare family had a camp on Big Lake near Grand Lake Stream, and Dennis often fished GLS. That’s him framed in the beauty of the fading sun. He’s bird hunted and fly fished all over Maine.

Dennis’s family had a camp on Big Lake at Grand Lake Stream in Down East Maine, and he’s hunted and fished all over Maine. His first book, Tagewahnahn: The Landlocked Salmon of Grand Lake Stream, was written in 2006, and serves me well whenever I fish that area. Stacey’s map of the stream is the best there is for finding one’s way around.

This book is about three people and a bird dog of great skill, demeanor and personality that deeply affected and influenced the three writers, particularly primary author Dennis LaBare.

This is the story of a relatively new bird hunter (Dennis), his first upland gun dog – an English setter named Commander – who turned out to be such a special animal that he provides the force of the book not only to Dennis, but to the new hunter’s friend and mentor (Bill), and his eventual and current wife who “adopted” them all (Stacy).

Dennis LaBare with a St. Croix River smallmouth caught fishing with Weatherby’s Lodge owner Jeff McEvoy. Dennis now lives in Tennessee and still fishes from his Grand Laker canoe. www.MaineSportsman.com

Entering Dennis’s life at a particularly difficult and vulnerable time, Puppy became not only the principal author’s near immediate salvation, but also a very favorable and quite loveable friend and companion for over 15 years.

And even after Commander’s passing, he still serves as a guiding light in so many ways for Dennis and Stacy.

Under Bill Horn’s able tutelage, Dennis and Puppy worked through their prospective times of retraining and adjusting until they became a consummate team in the uplands – as hunter, and as finder, pointer, and retriever of birds.

Dennis is, by Stacy’s account, one of the very best and highly skilled bird hunters around, and she echoes her Maine veterinarian’s statement that Commander truly was the “dog of a lifetime.”

A very good read – you will laugh, cry, and mostly smile as you read the nicely written, and heartfelt, words.

2) Favorite Flies for Maine: 50 Essential Patterns from Local Experts,

by Bob Mallard. Stackpole Books, 2021, Hardcover, 128 pages. Numerous photographs.

With three books already to his credit, Bob Mallard decided to write a flythemed work to round out his resume, which already includes several whereto and conservation-oriented books. I’m (Continued on next page)

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A former computer software consultant, Bob Mallard opted to drop all that and pursue a career in fly fishing. He owned a fly shop on the Kennebec, is a Registered Maine Fishing Guide, and has written three previous books on fly fishing.

glad he did, because it is a fun book packed with information and fly patterns proven to be effective in Maine waters. And elsewhere, of course, too. He is one of the founders of the Native Fish Coalition, and is very active in brook trout conservation in Maine and around the country.

The first chapter, Maine, holds information so concisely and well-done, it alone is worth the price of the book.

Bob’s summary of fly angling in the Pine Tree State includes a brief history of some of Maine’s storied waters, the fish that swim therein, and the folks who fling flies to entice and catch them. Very good reading.

Mallard highlights the various flies that he and others have used with success for all of Maine’s native and non-native species of game fish. He tells about the original tyer of the fly, its history, and his personal experience with the fly, and he shares the tying recipe, so all of us can replicate the artificial bait. He also tells us where and how to fish each fly, and this is based on his many years

I introduced Bob to Lefty Kreh at the 2017 Virginia Fly Fishing Festival and Wine Tasting, but Lefty often was distracted by admirers who stopped by. With us was Emily Bastian, an avid outdoorswoman, who was in the Fly Fish America booth with Bob, the publisher.

on Maine waters.

A good example of the book contents is the chapter on the Golden Retriever, a woolly bugger-like streamer tied by a mutual friend of ours, Jim Finn, formerly of Virginia and now in Wisconsin. I didn’t realize Bob knew, and had fished with Jim, until I read his new book on best flies to fish in Maine. Jim comes out to fish Maine with Bob on occasion.

3) On the Wrong Side of the River: Stories from a Maine Guide, by Carroll Ware. North Country Press, Unity, ME. Soft-cover, 111 pages.

At the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta, Lila and Carroll Ware staff the booth of their longtime company, Fins & Furs Adventures, an outdoor destination travel business.

Carroll and wife Lila are Master Maine Guides, run a destination travel service in addition to their first-rate school for would-be registered Maine guides, and managed Bosebuck Camps in Western Maine for a number of years.

Two nicer people can’t be found.

During those decades, Carroll met a lot of people – sports from all over the world – and he saw and heard a lot in sporting camps, fishing and hunting lodges, as well as on the water and in the field on two continents. He put some of those interesting or humorous or sad or unique or all-or-most-of-the-above stories together in this easy-reading book.

He admits to sometimes being on the wrong side of the river, and learned from those mistakes and experiences.

Early on, Carroll discovered that “… often my misadventures gave me the unusual ability to become a pain in my own [backside].” This book discloses, in a rolling series of short entries, some of

those self-inflicted pains, and those of others along the way who were themselves huge pains in the backsides to those around them.

Some of the vignettes Carroll recounts are funny, some are sad, and some are both – sort of like life. His wealth of encounters with the outdoors and sporting folks is a target-rich environment for the tales he shares in his book. Very nicely written – it’s as if you’re sitting and chatting with Ware on the front porch of a log cabin at a hundred-year old Maine sporting camp overlooking a pristine, clear, coldwater lake. This little book will entertain you and enlighten you immensely.

Lila and Carroll Ware were general managers of Bosebuck Camps, a storied Maine sporting camp on Aziscohos Lake near the Rangeleys in Western Maine.

Some of the stories in the book had their genesis here.

As for Lila, his partner in life and business, Carroll ends his book by saying a really nice thing about her: “Did I mention that I am the luckiest SOB on this planet?”

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

12 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Wildlife:

Black Crappie

by Tom Seymour

It seems that every year I learn of another new crappie water. Illegal introductions account for many of these new fisheries, but we can’t discount crappies’ own predilection to migrate from one watershed to another by every available means.

No matter how they arrive, once introduced, black crappies reproduce wildly, quickly establishing themselves in their new homes. It doesn’t take long for crappies to reach desirable size, either. Also, most any newly-established fish species tends to produce many individuals of larger-than-usual sizes. In the case of crappies, this means 12- to 16-inch fish – whoppers in anyone’s book.

Black crappies belong to the family Centarchidae, which includes sunfishes and basses. Maine isn’t part of their native range, and all crappies here stem from introduced populations, which raises a question in my mind. Black crappies aren’t the only kind of crappies. White crappies grow considerably larger than the black variety, so why didn’t whomever introduced crappies to Maine in the first place, many years ago, choose white crappies rather than black crappies?

If you’ve ever watched those crappie-fishing shows on TV, you have no doubt seen people catching the larger white crappies. In the south, they even have crappie tournaments, and people take these as seriously as others do bass-fishing tournaments. Either way, I love the comments these anglers make when madly reeling a protesting crappie across the surface. Things like, “Don’t he cut up?” and “Ain’t he a big one?” add flavor to the shows. The size of the fish being landed has little to do with these often-colorful comments.

School’s In Schooling fish, black crappies travel together in large groups. These are often comprised of year-class individuals,

www.MaineSportsman.com

which means if you are catching mostly small fish, move on and find another school consisting of older, larger fish.

These schools range about in search of baitfish, which often leads them to spend time around bottom structure – places where baitfish hide.

Crappies eagerly take artificial lures as well as natural baits. For me, their willingness to strike artificials negates any need for natural baits. A confirmed ultralight spinning enthusiast, I catch all the crappies I want on panfish jigs. Any small lure will score, though, even the ubiquitous Swedish Pimple. I even knew a fly fisherman who did well nymphing for crappies.

In Maine, crappies spawn beginning any time between late April and midJune, depending upon how far north you live. Spawning often takes place on the submerged, streamside brush typical of slow-moving streams and small rivers. Fish leave their lakes and ponds and enter these streams, after which they return to the pond. But not all of them return. Some fish will remain until early summer. Schools of larger individuals tend to spawn and return to the lake or pond before smaller fish enter the rivers and streams.

Once back in the lake, these newly-returned crappies become ravenously hungry, and schools of them prowl areas of rocks, ledges and shoals. I’ve even found them all around the shore of a small island. So for sizzling action on big crappies, choose the post-spawn time.

One Line While Maine law permits the use of

two lines, fishing two rods for crappies causes more problems than it’s worth.

I admit to falling prey to the two-rod practice, and every time that happens, I regret it.

It’s unusual to catch one crappie here, one there. Rather, when you catch one, you are likely to catch a lot more.

And there’s where the problems begin.

I’ll sometimes set one rod in a rodholder, with the jig just dangling off bottom, while actively fishing with a second rod.

It never works out that you catch one fish on one rod and then another on the other rod. More often than not, a crappie will take the lure on the static rod while you are already reeling one in on the active rod. This leads to immense tangles and even lost fish.

It’s far better to use just one rod, and save the other for a backup in case the lure gets hung on bottom during a feeding frenzy. In that case, just pick up the second rod and continue fishing, returning to the process of freeing the stuck jig once the big feed winds down.

Crappies bite in several different ways. If using spinners or small spoons, they will knock the lure with a vengeance. But when using jigs, the bite may manifest as nothing more than a light, nearly imperceptible “tic.” Sometimes, though, a crappie will take a jig on the way down, and the way to take advantage of that is to watch for any sudden stoppage of the line as the jig sinks, then strike hard.

True utility fish, black crappies have become a favorite year-round sportfish of Mainers.

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“Snapshots in Time”

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

The article below appeared in the June 22,1916 edition of the MAINE WOODS newspaper. It shares the misadventures of a party that had intended to enjoy a DAY of fishing on a remote pond in western Maine.

Somehow even today, the occasional ill-prepared or overconfident outdoor enthusiast manages to “get turned around for a bit.”

Below, the situation was made far worse by the family’s chauffeur, who had implied that he was “woods wise,” and then wandered off in search of a solution.

To become separated, unless it is the guide who has also left strict instruction not to move, is always a bad idea. This would have truly been an embarrassing incident for the poor guide, who surely

suffered some relentless teasing from his guiding colleagues back at camp.

And then, as if not already bad enough, it made the newspaper!

Two lost parties are never better than one.

We can learn a lot from the “timeless” mistakes found in history, and that of course is not limited to those made in the great outdoors.

Bald Mountain Camp, Mooselookmeguntic Lake “Lost in the wilds of Maine” came near causing a big excitement in this part of the Rangeleys, and there is quite a story connected with “what might have been.”

Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Whail, their chauffeur and guide started across the lake to follow the trail through to Richardson Pond, where they intended to cast a fly, catch trout enough for lunch, and watch the deer feeding on the lake shore, and then return in the early evening.

Last winter, the lumbermen made new logging roads and the trail to the pond was changed.

The chauffeur took the lunch with him – all but the tea and a few oranges that were in the pack.

Somehow, when the party came to the crossroads, they went in different direction.

Mr. and Mrs. Whail and guide found their way back to the shore of Mooselookmeguntic Lake before midnight, but the wind was blowing such a gale, they decided to stop at a vacant camp until daylight.

It was a tired, hungry party that reached here for breakfast, to find Mr. Ellis had sent men to hunt them up. Finding where they had gone on the trail, the men thought they might have got lost and come out at Upper Dam, so returned to wait until daylight and to arrange for more to join in the hunt.

Knowing the chauffeur claimed to have spent much time in the wilderness, they were not surprised at

Bald Mountain Camp, circa 1910.

the middle of the forenoon to get a telephone call saying he came out at Upper Dam, and as he had lunch for three with him, the excitement was over.

The laughable part was learned later when he got ready to place the telephone call, he discovered there was but 25 cents in his pocket, which paid for only this message, asking “What time does the boat go?’’ He only learned it would be two hours, also that to follow the telephone poles to Beards (at Bemis) was only 10 miles, decided to hike it, and as the walking along the railroad track was good for the next 12 miles to Oquossoc he kept on. Those he met who would have

gladly given him a free boat ride or paid the price of a railroad ticket, but had no idea he was the lost man everyone was telephoning and talking about.

He himself declared, “I was not lost – I only took the longest way home, and talk about deer – why, I did not suppose there were as many in the state as I met and saw.”

Bill Pierce’s addendum: I bet his employers, Mr. and Mrs. Whail, did some “Wailing” at him for getting himself separated from their party AND with all the food! Be sure to get outside and make some great Outdoor History of your own. Just don’t get lost! www.MaineSportsman.com

14 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

“The Bow of my Kayak Slowly Submerged as I Paddled for the Finish Line.”

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Ben Randall’s Account of the St. George Canoe Race, in March

“As for the St. George race, I had a good result. I was in the first pair of boats to head down the racecourse. I got an early jump to avoid any issues on the tights spots, and never saw another boat the entire trip.

“I was in a fairly stable flatwater boat, but I had never paddled it in whitewater. After the first few rips, I was confident the boat was stable and handled the waves well.

“In the quickwater section below Ghent Bridge, I hit something rather hard. Not much later, I felt cold water at the seat of my pants. I tried to convince myself it had come in around my kayak’s cockpit skirt, but after the final big drop it was obvious the water was now halfway up my thighs.

rock, but I would easily believe it was a piece of rebar. Luckily, my time in the top section was enough to hold up.”

—

Although our publication has long operated patch clubs to recognize inland anglers who catch trophy-size fish, Ben Randall competed in the St. George race in March, with water coming into his kayak through a hole in the hull. Photo: Judy Weatherbee, Digital Cobwebs

“With over a mile of flatwater to the finish, I decided that bailing would cost me the race. Instead, I just kept taking big strokes, as my bow slowly submerged and started plowing water until I managed to cross the line.

“When I pulled ashore and popped the skirt, the water was up to the tops of my legs, nearly half-filling the boat.

Turning it over, I saw a big thumb-sized hole (the hull material was just gone) at my footrest, followed by a long scrape that terminated in another crunched hole under the seat.

“I am guessing it was from a sharp

Eric Collette of Hollis caught and released this monster striper in the Saco River last June. Photo: Mike Robert

as well as those who successfully take large bucks, bears, moose and turkeys, until now we have not paid sufficient attention to a deserving group of Maine sportsmen and -women; namely, saltwater anglers.

(Continued on next page)

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 15 (Continued from page 14)

We are setting out to remedy that situation, by establishing a new patch club to honor saltwater anglers and their boat captains who return to port having caught (or having caught and released) especially large fish.

Here is a draft list of the weights and lengths of the trophy fish that will qualify the angler to apply for membership in the new trophy club: • Black Sea Bass – 2 lbs. or 18” • Bluefin Tuna (commercial) – 500 lbs. or 93” • Bluefin Tuna (recreational) – 100 lbs. or 50” fork length • Bluefish – 10 lbs. or 30” • Blue Shark – 120” (see note at end, re: sharks) • Cod – 4 lbs. or 24” • Cunner – 2 lbs.

• Cusk – 8 lbs.

• Haddock – 4 lbs. or 24” • Halibut – 41” • Mackerel – 2 lbs. or 18” • Mako Shark – 90” (see note at end, re: sharks) • Monkfish – 12 lbs.

• Pollock – 14 lbs.

• Porbeagle Shark – 200 lbs. or 87” (see note at end, re: sharks) • Redfish – 2 lbs. or 14” • Red Hake – 4 lbs. or 24” • Sculpin – 2 lbs.

• Shad – 21 lbs.

• Spiny Dogfish – 11 lbs. or 36” • Striped Bass – 20 lbs. or 40”

Successful ocean fishermen will receive this Maine Sportsman Saltwater Anglers Club patch.

• Tautog – 3 lbs. or 16” • Thresher Shark – 300 lbs. or 148” (see note at end, re: sharks) • White Hake – 20 lbs.

• Whiting – 2.5 lbs.

• Winter Flounder – 2 lbs. or 16” Note: To encourage the prompt release of sharks, The Maine Sportsman will accept clear photographic evidence of length to support an application under this new patch club program.

Are you an experienced saltwater fishing captain or saltwater an(Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

16 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 15)

gler? What are your views on these draft qualifying weights and lengths? Email the editor (Will@MaineSportsman.com) before June 22, 2022 and let us know your opinions. The new patch club will go live on June 30, 2022, and applications for saltwater trophies – both “keepers” and “catch and release” fish -- will be available on that date.

—

Two Minutes with a Maine Guide:

Common Mistakes Made

by Beginner Canoeists

by Lisa DeHart

River Guides love showing people the paragon of wildernesses travel known as canoe tripping. You sit down, carry 100 pounds of gear at a clip, and there is no uphill on a river – it’s either flat, or it’s flowing downhill in a beautiful rapid.

Here are hints on how to enjoy the magic by avoiding some common mistakes.

• Too many miles. Don’t map out 50 miles a day, every day. First and last days will be 1/2 days on a river, guaranteed. You got to get there, you’ve got to get back, and you could get a flat tire on either end. Realistically you make about 2 miles per hour in a canoe. Relax, and see more than the first 8 inches in front of your paddle.

Although this photo appears to show the author’s husband, Maine Guide Jeff DeHart, in a relaxed pose, in reality he is working hard to demonstrate proper canoe safety, including 1) wearing a life jacket; 2) having all the gear in the canoe securely tied down; and 3) sporting a pair of Bean boots on his feet, should he need to step out. Lisa DeHart photo

• Don’t dress for the weather you want – dress for what could be out there. Take decent rain gear … yes, you need the pants … yes, we all hate wearing the pants, but you got to have them.

Bring a head net – black is the only color you can see through. For shoes, wear something that ties securely on your feet.

I’ve rescued people – not in the group I was guiding – only to find them barefoot when they got to shore because they were wearing Crocs or flip-flops because their feet were going to get wet. Wet feet is the easiest issue to solve when you get to camp. Standing at the edge of a river, in

a place that has a kill ratio like the North Maine woods, with your outfit gone and you in bare feet, is a much, much harder issue to solve.

• Tie in any gear you want to keep.

Get a good cinch strap and put it around the cooler, so it won’t pop open in a capsize, and then tie it into the boat. No one ever thinks they’re going to capsize.

• Last but most important, wear a life jacket. One of the scariest things I see as a parent and as a Guide are small children in a boat wearing life jackets while the parents are not. If that boat goes over, your child will become your flotation device. If you ever see me in boat not wearing a life jacket, it means I’m being held hostage by kidnappers and I’m trying to send you a message.

—

Tie On your Lure or Hook Using a Palomar Knot A palomar knot is simple to tie; it’s small; and it’s strong. It’s especially effective with newer braided lines.

Here’s how it’s tied: 1. Pass the line through the hook eye and then back through again to form a loop.

(Continued on next page)

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June 2022 Sunrise/Sunset

2. Tie a simple overhand knot using the loop of line you just made.

Portland, ME

3. Then, pass that same loop back over the hook or lure.

4. Snug the knot tight by pulling on the tag end of the line and the standing end of the line simultaneously.

Snip the excess tag-end line.

Illustrations: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission —

Northern Harrier – a Graceful Flyer Northern harriers are slender, long-winged and long-tailed hawks.

They are found in open areas – both in flat marshes and level, dry fields.

This type of habitat allows them to search for prey, then wheel down to catch it.

Maine Sportsman contributing photographer Josh Beane captured this stunning image of a brook trout’s distinctive wavy back pattern, called vermiculations. This fish was photographed in the headwaters of the Kennebec, near Bingham.

The species can be recognized by the wavy lines, or vermiculations, on their dark, olive-green back – the same pattern that’s created when the sun shines through rippled water, casting shadows on a stream’s rocky bottom.

The result is an effective camouflage, enabling the brook trout to avoid predators from above, such as kingfishers and herons.

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Satellite Communicators Getting Smaller and Smaller

As shown in this great photo by David Small of Bangor (“Photos By Chance”), they are extremely graceful flyers.

—

What are Vermiculations?

Brook trout – especially those found in Maine’s cool, clear waters – show distinctive markings and coloration.

We’ve noticed that satellite communicators are downsizing. Two recent models, the Garmin inReach Mini, and the Spot X, fit easily into a small pocket in your clothing or pack.

Folks who travel in the many areas of Maine’s wilderness that don’t offer reliable cell phone coverage have begun carrying satellite units.

Before purchasing a device, figure out how you plan to use it. The most basic models allow others to track you. The next step up are units that allow you to send and receive text messages. And finally, the most complex (and expensive) models offer voice service and even internet access.

(Continued on next page)

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

RISE

5:00 4:59 4:59 4:59 4:58 4:58 4:58 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57

SET

8:17 8:18 8:18 8:19 8:20 8:21 8:21 8:22 8:22 8:23 8:24 8:24 8:25 8:25 8:26

DATE 16 Thu 17 Fri 18 Sat 19 Sun 20 Mon 21 Tue 22 Wed 23 Thu 24 Fri 25 Sat 26 Sun 27 Mon 28 Tue 29 Wed 30 Thu

RISE

4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:57 4:58 4:58 4:58 4:58 4:59 4:59 5:00 5:00 5:01

SET

8:26 8:26 8:27 8:27 8:27 8:27 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28 8:28

June 2022 Tides Portland, ME DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

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

HIGH AM PM 12:50 1:33 1:27 2:11 2:05 2:51 2:45 3:34 3:29 4:18 4:16 5:04 5:06 5:50 5:58 6:38 6:54 7:27 7:52 8:17 8:49 9:07 9:44 9:57 10:38 10:48 11:33 11:41 — 12:28 12:35 1:23 1:31 2:19 2:28 3:17 3:28 4:17 4:30 5:17 5:33 6:15 6:36 7:12 7:39 8:07 8:39 8:58 9:34 9:45 10:24 10:29 11:10 11:11 11:53 11:51 — 12:33 12:29 1:11

LOW AM PM 7:17 7:16 7:55 7:54 8:33 8:34 9:14 9:18 9:57 10:05 10:41 10:56 11:27 11:49 — 12:15 12:44 1:05 1:42 1:57 2:38 2:49 3:33 3:41 4:25 4:32 5:18 5:25 6:12 6:19 7:06 7:15 8:01 8:11 8:57 9:11 9:55 10:15 10:53 11:20 11:51 — 12:25 12:48 1:29 1:45 2:31 2:40 3:26 3:30 4:15 4:15 4:59 4:57 5:41 5:37 6:20 6:16 6:57 6:53

www.MaineSportsman.com

18 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac (Continued from page 17) Garmin inReach Mini inReach Mini’s manufacturer describes it as a “go-to connection for maintaining off-the-grid contact.” This palmsized satellite communicator is intended for uses such as hiking or mountainside hunting, where size and weight are important. inReach Mini allows the user to send and receive text messages, track and share their journey and, if necessary, trigger an SOS alert to contact an emergency response team.

Spot X Spot X is described as a two-way satellite messenger device. The unit connects to the user’s smart phone via Bluetooth wireless technology, allowing the user to access those individuals who are included on the phone’s contact list, and permits easy communications with family and friends. Like the inReach, it has a feature allowing direct connection with search and rescue personnel in a life-threatening situation.

What about you, readers? Do you or fellow outdoorsmen use satellite communicators? Is the coverage in Maine adequate? Are you required to establish and pay for an account, and if so, what’s the cost to acquire and use the device? Let us know, and if you allow it, we will share your insights with our readers in a future issue.

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Dealing with Rolled, Twisted or Sprained Ankles

by Stacey Wheeler, RN Bowdoin, ME Wet rocks, slick logs and slippery docks are the culprits in most ankle injuries in the Maine outdoors. A sprain is a stretching or tearing of a ligament, and treatment approach – and healing time – depend on the severity of the injury. Keeping an Ace bandage in your first aid kit will help to provide support to your injured ankle. Wrap your ankle as shown to the right.

Three Grades of Sprains • Grade 1 (mild)- small tear, sore with minor swelling.

• Grade 2 (moderate)- larger tear, painful, swelling, hurts to move or touch the ankle.

• Grade 3 (severe)- complete tear, significant swelling and bruising, unable to walk, mimics a fracture.

Swelling may not occur immediately. Walking on any sprain could cause more damage, prolonging healing and increasing chances of long-term complications. Call someone for help.

Follow the so-called “PRICE” method for first aid for the first 24-72 hours:

Photo by Stacey Wheeler

Protect – prevent further injury with a wrap, splint or brace.

Rest – alleviate pressure and allow healing.

Ice – Wrap an icepack in a towel.

Apply for 20 minutes on/20 minutes off.

Compression – keep wrapped with an Ace bandage.

Elevation – keep leg elevated above the level of your heart to reduce swelling Most sprains heal on their own with time, but medical evaluation may be necessary to rule out fracture.

Source: AllinaHealth

Prevention: • Slow down.

• Be aware of surfaces you are walking on.

• Wear appropriate, supportive footwear.

You don’t have to let a sprain slow you down too much. As illustrated by the photo of my ankle secured in a brace at the top of this page, you can still get do some fishing while you heal.

Stay active, stay safe!

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 19

Maine Moose Lottery June 11!

by Steve Carpenteri

The Jackman Moose River Region will host the 2022 Maine Moose Permit Lottery drawing on June 11, in conjunction with the first-ever Jackman Region Moose Lottery Festival.

The one-day festival will celebrate the region’s outdoor sporting and forest products heritage.

Organizers plan a day of fun-filled ac-

As applicants’ names are drawn, they are assigned to their highest choice of available WMDs until all allocated permits are awarded. If a name is drawn and all of the preferred WMDs are filled, the applicant is assigned to a district as geographically close as possible to his or her first choice. tivities to highlight visitors’ weekend escape while exploring the region’s legendary outdoor attractions.

Local businesses will be featuring live music, events and festival

specials to celebrate this popular event.

The festival will include a moose calling contest, demonstrations, instruction, competitions, children’s activities, food

vendors, crafts, and sale of local maple products.

For an update on the Jackman Moose Lottery Festival, call Cheryl at (207) 6682111.

Those who do not attend the in-person drawing can view lottery results at mefishwildlife.com at 6 p.m. on June 11.

By the Numbers According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 43,637 Maine residents have applied for a moose permit, while 23,329 applications were submitted (Moose Lottery continued on page 22)

www.MaineSportsman.com

20 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Who Gets the Whizzer?

The author thoughtfully contemplates his eventual demise, and the confusion that will accompany the distribution of his estate’s antique – and unique -sporting goods assets to his heirs.

The questions keep rolling.

“So, what are you going to do with this?” my offspring inquire while fondling my sporting gear.

“Planning to use it this spring,” I reply while blowing a decade worth of dust up their nostrils.

I’m playing coy. I know what their beating around the bush for. They want to know who gets “the Whizzer”

when I’m gone.

I have three generations of sporting gear dripping from floor to ceiling shelves in my basement. The larger items graduate to the garage. When I’m gone and the dumpster is backed up to the house, I’m sure they’ll have a few puzzled looks while wading through my stuff.

Yup, they’ll find a few head-scratchers. Growing up, we

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had little in the way of “bought” fishing or hunting gear. That meant hand-me-downs for a resourceful lad like me.

Homemade Lures “Homemade” usually meant building something without store-bought raw materials. We made do, or went without.

The kids may find a few hand-whittled (Continued on next page)

“The Whizzer” has proven its value on the author’s multiple boats. Nothing more than a Big-Boy Whiffle Bat with both ends cut off, it fits nicely into most rod holders and excels in high wind situations. Simple-tofollow written directions keep operational questions to a minimum. No instruction manual needed. The author says he is contemplating adding a scope for improved accuracy. Guaranteed to generate interesting conversation. Bill Sheldon photos

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 21 (Continued from page 20)

wood hula poppers.

My early ones were a little rough and wobbled to one side. But to the untrained eye, they looked like the shiny plastic ones sold

by Fred Arbogast.

A good scrounge job turned up a discarded hula popper box, into which I quietly slipped my jackknife whittled version. All painted up, they looked pretty good. Most important, they caught largemouth bass.

More Surprises When they get to trolling spoons, another surprise awaits.

Back in the late 1990s, I did a few fly-in trips to Canada for Northern pike. Unwilling to spend the money for the recommended trolling spoons, I found a brass kick plate off an old door.

After a fair amount

of cutting, shaping and hammering, I had an assortment of brass hardware to drag through the water. A set of offset fins at the end gave the spoon all the action it needed to catch fish.

So much so that the Canadian guide we were using nicknamed the spoon “Door Hinge” in broken French/English.

Years later, a guide on Raquette Lake in New York smiled from ear to ear, as the door

hinge accounted for enough lake trout to top the leader board in a local fishing tournament. Let’s hope these hammered spoons avoid the dumpster.

More Questions They may wonder why the oars to my drift boat weigh a ton.

In case they read this column, it’s because I hollowed out the handle and filled the inside with 10 pounds of bird shot, from the oarlocks to the handle.

Why waste good

bird shot? The oars are heavy to move around, but they are perfectly counterbalanced when in the oarlocks and in rowing position. I’m hoping they give them a try before replacing them with lighter, more-physically-demanding-to-row plastic oars.

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Before they throw away my old fiberglass fishing rods, they might take note that “Classic Glass” is making a comeback. A guy I fished with last month had a brandynew fiberglass fly rod.

My father had a brush cut all his life.

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22 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Jackman Region (Continued from page 21)

During the long hair era of the 1970s he assured us kids the “buzz cut” would come back in style. Sure enough, his grandkids all have buzz cuts. Same theory holds true for my old sporting gear.

Old Okay?

Not everything I plan to pass on to the next generation is a hodgepodge of kick

plates, bailing wire and hopelessly outdated sporting equipment.

My homemade landing nets use fish line, not bailing wire, to attach the net to the frame.

I’m hoping they won’t let the age of my gear scare them. I mean how bad can it be? My good car is 92 years old and runs like a top.

Almost have my 1950

Jeep pick-up ready for use. The 1973 boat has a 1981 motor ... practically new by my standards.

“The Whizzer” They’ll have to wade through all that before they find “the Whizzer.”

Fortunately for them, I had this homemade device lettered with instructions. No confusion on the proper use of this family heirloom.

I first spotted a “whizzer” while fish-

ing with guide Chris Russell on the Kennebec River. It’s simply a whiffle ball bat with both ends cut off. It kept clients from dribbling all over his boat while urinating.

I thought it was sheer genius, so I made one for my drift boats. I added some decals and an all-important flow chart. This eliminates any confusion, and avoids having to field embarrassing questions.

Moose Lottery

Why Separate Seasons?

Antlerless moose (cows) have more bearing on population dynamics, so the MDIFW issues antlerless-only permits as a way to increase, decrease or stabilize moose herd populations.

Wildlife Management Districts that can only sustain limited cow mortality are allocated fewer antlerless permits, while those with population sizes and structures that can support higher cow harvest while still meeting management objectives, are allocated more.

The 2022 Southern Maine moose hunt constitutes a slight variation on this theme because of the area’s low overall moose density. In this case, all permits are for either-sex moose. Per landowners’ recommendations, the season now runs concurrently with the November firearm deer season, to increase hunters’ chances of success.

The drawings for resident, non-resident, and adaptive unit permits will be held separately.

How Winners’ Choices are Prioritized As applicants’ names are drawn, www.MaineSportsman.com

¶

increased harvest of moose) will benefit the herd in the long run by reducing density and decreasing predation by winter ticks. MDIFW increased the number of hunting permits in the western half of Zone 4. Biologists will carefully collect data from all moose harvested, including the animal’s age, antler spread, winter tick count and other information.

(Continued from page 19)

by non-residents, for a total of 66,966 applicants.

Overall, 3,480 moose permits will be allocated in 2022, including 1,050 bull permits for the first season (Sept.

26 to Oct. 1) and 1,580 bull permits for the second season (Oct. 10 - 15).

Eight hundred and sixty antlerless moose permits will be issued for the Oct. 24 - 29 season, and 40 either-sex permits will be issued for the Oct. 31 to Nov. 26 season.

November 29 has been designated as Residents-Only Day. In 2021, 3,969 moose permits were issued, resulting in 2,607 moose harvested, for an overall success rate of 66 percent.

To my knowledge, no one markets “the Whizzer,” so homemade fit perfectly in my skill set. Those attempting to build their own Whizzer would do well to purchase the big boy one-size-fits-all wide whiffle ball bat, as opposed to the skinny yellow version.

Who gets “the Whizzer” will be in my last Will & Testament.

A bull moose bugles during a misty daybreak. Photo by Aaron Smith, Ashland (maineman333@outlook.com)

they are assigned to their highest choice of available WMDs until all permits are awarded. If a name is drawn and all of the preferred WMDs are filled, the applicant will be assigned to a district as geographically close as possible to his or her first choice, unless applicants have indicated they are not interested in any other areas.

For districts with a September and October season, permittees will be assigned to the September season until all September permits are filled, and then subsequently to the October season, unless permittees have indicated they only want the earlier month.

Based on preference and availability, applicants will also be issued either a bull-only or antlerless-only permit, unless a permit is for the November season, which allows for the taking of either a bull or cow.

If an applicant is not drawn for a resident or non-resident permit, the applicant will be entered in the adaptive unit hunt lottery (unless applicants have indicated they are not interested in the adaptive unit hunt). Adaptive unit permittees will be assigned a week and either the north or south section of the adaptive unit.

The adaptive unit hunt is a multiyear experiment to determine whether increased hunting opportunities (and

Notification Process Each successful applicant will be notified by mail and e-mail within a few weeks of the drawing. The list of winners’ names will also be available online. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified.

Purchasing Your Permit Successful applicants are required to pay for their permit within a designated period. Applicants can pay for their permit and update their information online quickly and easily.

Permit fees are – Resident: $52; Non-resident: $585.

Permits are mailed out approximately two weeks before the applicable season begins.

Who Can Shoot a Moose?

Only the holder of a valid moose hunting permit and his/her sub-permittee may hunt, shoot or kill a moose.

The sub-permittee may not hunt unless the permit holder is present. The permittee may authorize an alternate sub-permittee to participate in place of the original sub-permittee, but must notify the MDIFW in writing no later than five (5) business days before their hunt begins.

Other individuals may accompany moose permit holders, but only the permit holder or licensed sub-permittee may hunt or kill a moose.

For more information, log onto www.mefishwildlife.com and click on “Hunting & Trapping.”

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 23

Moose Hunt – Should You Self-Guide, or Hire a Guide Service?

by Michael Penney, Auburn, ME To be selected for a coveted moose permit is exciting. It’s a great feeling to have beaten the odds.

So now what?

Should you plan your own hunt, or hire a guide service? My wife and I have taken both approaches over the years. Starting with the self-guided hunt, let me tell you what we’ve learned.

Self-Guided Depending on the district and season you’ll be hunting, the first thing you need to do as a self-guiding hunter is to nail down where you will stay during the hunt. If you are lucky enough to have a camp available in your selected district – either a friend’s camp or one of your own – then you are lucky again. However, most hunters will have to reserve accommodations. You should take care of this quickly after you are drawn, as there are only so many available in each district, and they fill up quickly.

While online reviews and photographs can help you make a selection, I recommend visiting your chosen place in person to make sure it meets your needs and expectations. Simply put,

pictures can sometimes be deceiving.

Planning the Hunt Once you’ve secured accommodations, then you can start planning the hunt itself. How will you be hunting? Will you be driving the roads looking for moose, or is it a season when you might be able to call the animal to you?

If it is a late-season cow hunt, then calling will not be a great option. In that situation, you’ll be driving the roads looking for your quarry.

Regardless of your method of hunting, you will need to know the area, and which roads are passable.

Scouting trips are a great way to do this, but that requires time and equipment. Apps like On-X hunt can be useful, or you can use the DeLorme’s Maine Atlas and Gazetteer to look over your area.

Scouting and Sighting In But apps and paper maps have limitations in the Maine woods, where timber-cutting is ongoing. Those sources may not show all roads, and won’t tell you the conditions of the roads that are shown. They will also not show specifically

inadequate firepower.

Take it to a range and sight it in, to refamiliarize yourself with the gun and to ensure it’s shooting accurately.

One of the many advantages of hiring a guide is having someone to lug out the heavy moose quarters if conditions and terrain require it. Here, Bryce, the author’s 2021 guide from OMM Outfitters in Eagle Lake, lugs out a portion of the author’s late-season cow moose. Photo by the Michael Penney

where moose frequent, or even if there is habitat that will hold moose.

To maximize your chances for success, therefore, find time to scout your chosen area, looking for moose sign, access points and road conditions, and likely habitat.

Plan to use a rifle that’s as large a caliber as you can comfortably handle – you will not want to spend hours tracking a moose that’s wounded because you used

Clothing and Gear Bring clothing to deal with any type of weather – autumn in Maine is famously unpredictable, ranging from periods of tropical heat, to the first snows of the season.

Meal planning is also a challenge – you will need to provide food for your party for the duration of your hunt.

Specialized gear is also required if you are successful in dropping a moose. Simply put, a moose is a whole lot bigger than a whitetail deer. Even a yearling can weigh between 250 and 400 pounds.

Hauling Out the Moose Moose frequent bogs and clear cuts.

They don’t always cooperate by falling dead in the road for easy retrieval. An animal that is anywhere from 250 to 1,000 pounds requires a lot of human resources and some mechanical means of moving it. Winches, a come-along, snatch block and other equipment are necessary items for this purpose.

You may also need a trailer.

A lot of people try to retrieve their moose whole, but you should be prepared to quarter your moose if necessary.

Other items required for retrieval include rope (lots of rope), field dressing equipment, sleds, carts, chainsaws for clearing paths, game bags if quartering is done, and flashlights or headlamps if you are working after dark on your moose.

You get the idea – there is a lot of equipment needed for your hunt. There is a lot of preparation and thought that needs to happen before your hunt date.

Different Tack in 2021 Until the 2021 season, my wife and I had always planned our own hunts. However, following an unsuccessful 2019 hunt (a late-season cow hunt), we took a different tack when my name was drawn in 2021. We decided to try our first guided moose hunt.

To select a guide, do your research of guides in your zone, looking for success rates and client testi(Moose Hunting continued on page 26) www.MaineSportsman.com

24 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

ATV Run-and-Gun

by Steve Carpenteri

Maine’s turkey season lasts through June 4. To that, add groundhog hunting, and fishing for trout, salmon, bass, perch and crappies, and it becomes clear that when ATV enthusiasts hit the trail, it should be for many more rea-

This time of year offers many hunting and fishing opportunities, so pack up your ATV for whatever sports await you – or maybe two or three different activities in a single day, in the woods and fields adjacent to the same trails! sons than just covering ground through the woods.

ATV SXS 6-Wheel 8-Wheel 232 Jericho Road, Berlin, NH (603) 215-6002 www.JerichoOutdoors.net

In fact, no matter where you live in Maine, there are trails that lead to some exceptional spring sporting opportunities.

Plan Ahead Any ATV excursion requires some pre-trip planning that includes routine maintenance, fluid checks, tire inspections and fill-ups.

Every ride should be-

gin and end on positive notes, so it’s up to the operator to ensure that his or her machine is in top working order, fully functional and primed for a long day of exploratory riding.

With all of this in mind, the rider should decide the destination for any given day, and then consider all op-

tions. Will there be places to stop and hunt turkeys or shoot woodchucks? Will there be streams teeming with native brook trout or ponds where landlocked salmon, bass or panfish might be on the agenda? In nearly every case, the answer will be a resounding “Yes!” which means riders must pack the proper gear for their chosen sport.

For hunters, this includes camo clothing, shotguns, rifles, binoculars, calls, ammunition, licenses and (Continued on next page)

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©2022 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Some vehicles depicted may include optional equipment. BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or, in USA, call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. In Canada, call the Canadian Safety Council at (6131 739-1535 ext 227. Read the Operators Guide and watch the Safety DVD before riding. Wear appropriate protective clothing and helmet. For side-by-side vehicles, fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Never engage in stunt driving and avoid excessive speed. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Side-by-side vehicles and ATVs are recommended for drivers aged 16 and older, and passengers aged 12 and older only. For off-road use only. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Always ride responsibly and remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 25

SPRING is Your GO TIME.

Plan ahead by packing all the gear necessary for a successful hunting or fishing trip along the trail.

Photos by Steve Carpenteri (Continued from page 24)

tags. Anglers, meanwhile, will need the appropriate bait, lures and tackle, boots and bug-proof clothing, and perhaps even a small trailer to haul a canoe, kayak, collapsible boat or tubing gear.

Traveling with an ATV allows for a wide variety of packables appropriate to the day’s sporting goals, but it’s always a good idea to sit down before your trip and make a list of must-haves to ensure an enjoyable, productive outing.

Rain gear, food, water and emergency supplies should come first on any list, followed by routine maintenance and repair tools, maps, a compass and a GPS – and pre-trip notifications to anyone remaining at home in case something should go awry.

When to Go Maine’s ATV riders should be aware that many established trails in the state are closed during “mud season” – that nebulous period between spring and summer when most of the state is under siege due to heavy rains, run-off and mud. When are Maine’s ATV trails open?

Conditions around the state vary, and the decision to

open trails is made by the property owner and/or the club or organization that maintains the trail system.

Most years, these trails don’t open prior to May. Most “trail closed” signs have an opening date of May 15 or later, which is perfect timing for readers of this June issue of The Maine Sportsman.

Questions about trail availability? Contact the landowner or the local ATV trail management team.

Certain sections of particularly difficult trails may remain closed into early June, so don’t assume that all of the state’s trails will be open to ATV traffic on the same day.

Covering the Basics Thanks to Maine’s varied topography and wildlife diversity, it’s possible to enjoy some early-morning turkey hunting and midday fishing adjacent to the same ATV trail, capped by an afternoon of woodchuck shooting in the remote corner of a secluded farm pasture. In some cases, a rider can enjoy a full range of outdoor experiences within a few miles of the same trail.

It’s simply a matter of recognizing opportunities as they arise, and showing up equipped to participate. Maine (Continued on next page)

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26 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

ATVing in Maine (Continued from page 25)

is replete with small brooks, ponds, lakeshores and farm fields where fish and game are essentially by-

passed or overlooked by casual riders who are focused only on the next horizon.

All of this, of

course, should be done with the knowledge and permission of the landowner, which means the rider will have to do some legwork prior to embarking on such a sporting

adventure. A couple of test rides should reveal a number of options for hunting or fishing, at which point the rider should approach the landowner with his or her request. Certainly be aware of unsafe situations, posted land and other restricted areas.

Most landowners along established ATV trails will place posted signs where access is denied, but even in these cases it may be possible to gain permission to fish and even hunt in spring. It never hurts to ask!

¶

Moose Hunting (Continued from page 23)

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Always wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Yamaha recommends that all Side-by-Side riders take an approved training course. For Side-by-Side safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ROHVA at 1-866-267-2751. Read the Owner’s Manual and the product warning labels before operation. Avoid excessive speeds and never engage in stunt riding. Always avoid paved surfaces and never ride on public roads. And be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs; it is illegal and dangerous. Models shown with optional accessories. ©2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved • YamahaMotorsports.com

ATVing, Fishing, Hunting, Hiking & Wildlife Viewing!

monials. Talk to references.

Guides are expensive, so decide how much money you can spend. Different packages are available, so book what you can reasonably afford.

We decided to go all-in, and selected an all-inclusive package. If you can afford it, we recommend that approach. It allowed us to bring only ourselves and our personal hunting equipment.

And we had a blast! We had the services of a first-rate guide, and great accommodations and meals. We learned more about moose and their habits, and didn’t have to worry about all the scouting, food and equipment preparations listed above. It made last year’s hunt truly the hunt of a lifetime.

We saw 36 moose, compared to one in 2019, and we harvested a large healthy cow on the last day of the season. It was so much less stressful than a do-it-yourself hunt – I can’t tell you how much more enjoyable it was. It will likely be our “go-to” hunt in the future, as long as we can afford it.

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¶

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— Guest Column —

The Versatile Muddler Minnow

by Dan LaPointe The Muddler Minnow (or simply, “Muddler”) is an extremely versatile pattern. It can be fished near the bottom of a stream or pond, or it can be greased and fished on top to imitate a grasshopper or adult Stonefly.

It was originally designed many years ago by Don Gapen as a sculpin imitation to be fished down near the bottom.

The most distinctive aspect of this pattern is the deer hair head. When deer body hair is cinched down tightly, it flares, due to the individual hairs being hollow.

Gapen’s original was tied quite rough, and was only trimmed a bit to give it a rounded shape. Today, most of us tiers trim the head precisely to give it a bullet shape. I give them a bit of a hump on the top, while I cut the bottom of the head flat. This forces the fly to push more water over the top of it when stripped on the surface, creating disturbance on the water like a bass bug. The brook trout in small

Original Muddler Minnow pattern. All photos: Dan LaPointe

ponds often find this irresistible.

The Muddler has spawned many variations.

Accompanying this column are three photos: 1) the original Muddler; 2) the Turck’s Tarantula with its rubber legs; and 3) the BOS – Bruce’s Old Standby, named for my old fly fishing mentor, which has become one of my favorite remote trout pond patterns.

Fishing this pattern can be as varied as tying it. When fishing streams, if I want to fish it subsurface, I send it out untreated, without any sort of floatant. This allows

Turck’s Tarantula

the fly to move around in the water column, but without sinking straight to the bottom like other streamers will.

If I want to imitate a grasshopper in mid- to late summer, I grease the fly up with good floatant and throw it toward the bank or upstream, as you would with a dry fly.

The Muddler is also a great trout pond fly. As an example, I was guiding an older gentleman several years ago on a remote mountain trout pond. It was late June.

There were a few fish coming up, but they

were being a bit fussy, so I had him using some smaller dry fly patterns. He was casting and fishing them as gently as possible, trying to imitate the real thing, without too much success. He said he was going to try an old trick he learned years ago.

He took one of my BOS patterns and greased it up generously to keep it floating high. He then started fishing it like a bass bug – really giving the fly some popping action – and sure enough, he began catching some nice brook trout.

Tying the Muddler Because of the deer hair collar and spun head on the muddler, I put this fly in the realm of advanced tying. The tail and wing are of opposing sections of turkey wing, and are tied down as you would a wet fly wing with a pinch wrap. This is not as difficult as it seems – just a little practice, and most intermediate tyers can accomplish this technique.

The trick to making a good muddler is forming the collar and head. Start with a piece of deer hide with hair that contains short, hollow tips. Note – When purchasing deer hair, take it out of the package if you can, and really inspect it. You want to look for hair with short hollow tips – this will allow you to flare the hair when you tie in that short collar. If you are ordering material over the phone through a fly shop, tell the person taking your order what you are going to be using the deer hair for.

(Muddler Minnow continued on page 30)

BOS (Bruce’s Old Standby) www.MaineSportsman.com

28 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Which Floatants are Best for Keeping Your Dry Flies Riding High in the Water?

By this time of year, the dry fly season is well under way for fly fishers in Maine.

While some anglers scoff at anyone professing to prefer dry fly fishing above all other methods, most confess that watching a fish come to the surface to slam a dry fly ranks right up there at the top of an angler’s list.

I must admit, I like dry fly fishing for salmonid, or casting surface flies for smallmouth bass, better than any other kind of fishing, as long as the fish are rising for flies.

If they won’t take it off the surface, then I’ll adapt and employ any other kind of fishing that produces fish on

Many different types of floatants are available, including dips, sprays and powders. Try a few options until you find one that works well for you and your style of fly fishing. the end of my line.

My least favorite kind of fishing is when I am forced to sit and watch a bobber or indicator, waiting for the fish to make the first move. I prefer to be the one to initiate the strike by some form of action … casting to likely spots, stripping my line in to entice the fish into hitting it, or carefully mending my line to keep the fly steady in the current.

I don’t ice fish, troll, or bobber fish anymore, just because I find that I cannot just

sit there and watch until something happens.

I would much rather be actively working my line, lure, or fly to get the fish to bite it.

I don’t knock anyone else for trying these static methods, they are just not for me.

Fly Materials Some of the flies I tie or purchase have foam incorporated into their construction, including poppers and divers with a foam head, or grasshoppers with a foam body, or other flies that have parts of them that are

made with materials like highly-buoyant foam.

Some of these flies don’t ever need the help of a good floatant (fly dope) to keep them riding high on the surface of the water.

Most other flies will need to have an application of some kind of this floatant solution to keep them floating.

Even some of my flies that contain bits of foam in their construction, still need a little floatant solution to stay on top of the water.

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One particular material, CDC, can only handle a powdered floatant. Sticky products, like Gink (gink. com) and others that are a thick, gel type of solution, will clump the fragile CDC material and actually make it sink unnaturally.

Just for a matter of ease, I think I can safely say most of the powdered floatants are made of a silicone product that can be applied to any fly to make it float. The powder I use, “Frog’s Fanny,” works great on all dry flies and only seems to require a reapplication of the powder about every ten to twenty casts under normal conditions.

The powdered solutions work better than the gel floatants when a fly is already wet and you don’t want to take the time to really dry the fly off before reapplying the solution.

The Dip I found that Loon Products (LoonOutdoors.com) “Fly Dip” works the best for me to keep my flies on the surface. It also keeps the fly floating for a longer time between applications than other products … sometimes up to fifty casts.

I especially like the “Dip” because of its ease in reapplication – simply dry the fly a bit, dip it into the bottle, pull the fly out, shake it off, and you are ready to fish.

(Continued on page 30)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 29

www.MaineSportsman.com

30 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 28)

One downside to the powdered solution and the liquid “Dip” floatant is they both leave a fine, almost translucent, white powdered coating on the flies. After a few casts, the flies go back to their original color.

I guess if the fish are being super picky, anglers could just treat their flies with the gel floatants and be happy to know the flies are retaining their color at all times.

keep flies floating.

There are many fine companies that produce great floatants.

Find your own product, one that works for you, and have at it, but don’t get stuck on one until you’ve tried a big sampling of the others. You might be surprised to find another product that works better than your current favorite.

I believe I have tried out all the floatants available, but still must give some of the other fly treatment solutions a whirl. There are

Other Solutions Anglers have plenty of choices when it comes to solutions to

Muddler Minnow (Continued from page 27)

Stacking and Spinning When tying the body and wing, be sure to leave about a quarter of the hook shank behind the eye exposed to make the head and collar. I do not try to spin the collar with one clump of hair; rather, I use a combination of stacking and spinning techniques.

First, turn the vise so the hook is upside down, and tie in a clump of deer hair with the tips pointing toward the hook point but extending no farther than the hook point. Hold the clump firmly as you bind it down to keep it from spinning.

Then turn the fly right side up and tie in another clump of hair to form the complete collar. You can adjust both clumps at this point with thumb and forefinger, to distribute the hair evenly

Shown are some of the author’s many “solutions” for keeping his dry flies floating. There’s no need to apply floatant to foam-headed divers like the black and orange one shown to the right of the box. William Clunie photo

pre-fishing treatments that you apply the day before you go fishing that are supposed to be really effective. I just don’t ever think of applying them until

I’m on the water.

Maybe the best time to apply this pre-fishing solution is when I’m fluffing up my old flies that have been bunched up in

around the hook. This technique is referred to as stacking.

Pull the butt ends of the hair up and back and make several wraps of thread in front to help hold all this hair back towards the hook bend. Now advance the thread toward the hook eye a little.

For the third and final bunch of hair, incorporate the spinning technique. This bunch should be about the same in size or just a bit bigger than the two previous bunches. Clean the hair of shorts and fuzz and cut off the tips – you should have a bunch about three quarters of an inch in length. (If you cut this clump too short, it will be hard to handle.)

Forming and Trimming the Head Tie this bunch in with two soft wraps. Now, as you pull the thread tight, keep wrapping around with the thread to help spin the hair around

my fly vest all winter.

When I get the flies out before the season, I’ll treat them as I’m organizing for the new season.

¶

the hook shank, making just two more wraps of thread.

Next, advance your thread carefully through the hair to the hook eye, and push all this hair back with your thumb nail or a hair stacker. Use your thumb and two fingers to pull all this hair back and build a neat thread head – this will hold the spun hair up and back.

After applying some head cement, you can go ahead and trim the hair to the shape you like – just be careful not to cut the collar. I use a razor blade to shape the head, and finish with the scissors.

A registered NH guide, Dan LaPointe owns Dan’s Fly Shop and Guide Service, in Gorham, NH.

¶

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 31

— Guest Column —

Learning from Fisheries Mistakes of the Past

by Spencer Belson, Age 16

In Sebago, salmon fishing can be divided into two time periods – before togue, and after togue.

In years past, I dreamed of catching the numerous sixpound brook trout Carrie Stevens encountered at Upper Dam, or the monster 22.5-pound salmon pulled from Sebago in 1907, or even the countless blueback trout that inhabited the Rangeley Region before the introduction of other species. That was, until I realized none of this is possible today, because of errors in judgment made by past generations.

As a member of the youngest group of anglers, I have a lot to look forward to in my fishing future. Maine has countless incredible angling opportunities, and with the lifetime license I purchased before my 16th birthday, I’ll be able to enjoy the fisheries of this great state for years to come. That is, if we don’t make the same detrimental errors as we have before.

Good Intentions; Detrimental Results Years ago, believing they were improving Maine’s fisheries, biologists introduced invasive species to many of the state’s pristine waters. In some places, these introduced fish had negative effects on the native species.

Such was the case of the Arctic charr in Rangeley, which were

completely wiped out when landlocked Atlantic salmon and rainbow smelt were stocked from other parts of the state.

Other times, the alien species managed to somewhat coexist with those indigenous to that body of water, but still had harmful impacts on the native populations.

Sebago Lake – Case Study In Sebago, salmon fishing can be divided into two time frames: before togue, and after togue, with the salmon populations after togue being far smaller, both in numbers and size of fish.

When fisheries biologists stocked togue in the 1970s, their goal was to diversify angling opportunities, and to rebuild fish populations after a drastic decline due to 1960s DDT spraying. Now, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife admits to their mistake, and has established bag limits targeted at depleting the populations of these salmon competitors.

Whether or not these measures are working is unclear.

The truth about this situation is that no one is to blame; those that advocated for the nonnative species truly believed they would improve

our fisheries.

One could claim that all of these issues could have been prevented with advanced testing that would have shed light on just how destructive those stocking practices would have been. But we must accept the fact that this was not how things were done back then. Still, we can learn from those mistakes in order to conserve the fisheries of tomorrow.

New Approach?

It is undeniable that, now more than ever, there is a movement to protect native fish.

Catch-and-release practices have become as common as the 12-fish stringers of yesteryear. Barbless hooks have made a splash in the world of fly fishing, and rubber nets help protect the slime coatings on more delicate species.

Most impactful of all, though, is the increased education of outdoorspeople.

No doubt anglers would be unwilling to adopt these practices unless they understood the benefits the practices will have for the health of our fisheries.

Last summer, I took a 6-year-old boy out fishing. When I suggested he take the largemouth bass he caught all on his own out of the water for a photograph, he de-

The author holding a Sebago togue. While these lake trout may have increased the overall fishing opportunities in the Big Lake, many anglers believe it was an error to introduce what proved to be a direct competitor to landlocked salmon. Belson photo

You can learn a lot about the future of fisheries management by taking a very young kid fishing, says the author. Belson photo

clined. “Let’s keep it in the water,” he suggested. “I don’t want to hurt it.”

The youngest generation in today’s world is far more conservation-minded than those of the past. While not many years ago kids would be excited to take their catch home, children

now prefer to release their fish for others to enjoy.

We should be optimistic about the future of fishing – a future that will only be possible if we manage our fisheries responsibly today.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

32 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Early June Prime Time for Trout, Salmon For the best June fishing, get out on the water as early in the morning as possible, says the author.

You’ll enjoy calm water, light winds, and plenty of fish within reach of fly rods, trolling bait or spoons on lead-core line.

Ice-out, early-season salmon and trout fishing has its moments, especially during those brief periods of time when fish key in to smelt runs. By the time water warms and fish go slightly deeper, the vast majority of anglers move on to other pursuits.

For me, the end of the spring season signals the beginning of some of the year’s best fishing.

By early June, salmonids have gone deeper, but not too deep. A fly rod and sinking line suffice to get the bait or lure down to the fish. Toward month’s end,

downriggers and leadcore lines come into play. Still, on cool mornings, a fly rod and sinking line will do the job.

This late-spring, early summer trolling comes with a different twist from early spring trolling, in that now, streamer flies become far less effective.

Streamers perform best when fished at a fast clip, so the wings compress and embrace the body, giving the illusion of a speeding smelt. But now, with fish 20 – 40 feet down, it becomes difficult to troll a streamer fly at the proper speed.

So now we switch to

live baitfish and wobbling spoons. Bucktails and single-hook trolling flies work well now if fished a few feet behind a dodger. The dodger imparts action to the bucktail, making it an effective lure.

Note that the closer to the dodger, the faster the action. I sometimes place the bucktail perhaps three feet or so behind the dodger in order to partly curtail the action. This only happens when adding a small shiner, hooked through the lips, to the bucktail. In this case, the dodger serves mostly to flash and shine, attracting fish to the baited bucktail.

Mornings Best Another nice thing about trolling in June is that with warmer

A fly rod, sinking line with dodger and bucktail take fish in June. Tom Seymour photo

temperatures, early morning trollers enjoy comfortable conditions, compared to the frigid fishing of early spring. Besides that, the calm water of early

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morning provides better fishing than when the wind blows. It’s far easier to handle the boat in the still of the morning, and also, even the slightest tap from a fish cannot escape an angler’s notice on calm water.

Morning fishing also excels because fish remain in the shallows, chasing baitfish. The timespan from dawn until about 10 a.m. mark the best fishing hours.

I often fish multi-species waters, where trout, togue and salmon live. In the early morning, all three species present (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 33 (Continued from page 32)

themselves in relatively shallow waters and even along the immediate shoreline. I have taken togue while trolling with a fly rod when I am located only a stone’s throw from shore.

Speaking of togue, nothing fights better than a togue, caught on a medium-weight rod in the cold water of spring. Togue are strong and powerful, and I believe they can fight as hard as any trout or salmon that ever lived. So for the best of this late-spring, early summer fishing, get out on the water as early as possible.

You’ll be glad you did.

Streams, Too The rivers and streams stocked by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife see concentrated angler participation in early spring, soon after stocking.

But when June rolls around, fishing pressure lessens considerably, at least until fall stocking begins. That’s

a mistake, because lots of catchable trout remain.

By now, water levels have lowered, and it takes a certain amount of finesse to catch a trout in the clear water of June.

Again, early mornings are best. Whether employing lures or bait, make sure to use thin-diameter lines.

Also, use stealth when approaching a stream.

Begin fishing close to shore, extending the distance as needed.

Since these trout have lived in their present locations for several months, they will be fully acclimated, even to the point of homing in on available food sources, including aquatic insects and where present, hellgrammites.

In fact, hellgrammites, while renowned as smallmouth bass baits, are remarkably effective on trout in streams and rivers. I even take fish on the artificial hellgrammites offered by Leland’s Lures, makers of Trout Magnets.

To learn if hellgrammites are present in your local stream, do a stomach sample survey from trout you take, or, barring that, wade out in the flow and turn over rocks.

If hellgrammites are there, you will find them clinging to the bottom of the rocks.

June is known as a rainy month, and this works toward angler’s favor. Brooks and streams that may have become nearly too low to fish get recharged

by June’s rains. This influx of fresh water raises the oxygen content and lowers water temperature, both of which cause trout to become active and to move about the stream in search of food. I have enjoyed some of my most productive trout fishing in June, just after a driving rain.

Every month has its highlights, but June ranks as the most pleasant and productive.

¶

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34 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Etiquette at the Boat Launch

by Capt. Ron Dupuis, Yarmouth, ME

One of the unwritten rules: Don’t socialize at the ramp and block its use by others. There is nothing worse than someone in front of you launching their boat and then taking out charts to start planning their day’s cruise. Not the place to do that!

Popular boat ramps can be very busy places. Boat launch areas follow a set of unwritten rules for launching and retrieving boats. Many of the boaters at the ramp have been waiting all week to get their boats in the water and they

are anxious to get underway, especially on hot summer days.

I have heard boat launches referred to as “circuses without ring masters,” and when these conditions are present, tempers can flare.

There are cer-

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tain procedures boaters can follow to help things go smoothly at all stages of the process – prior to launch, while launching, and later when they return to the dock and back up their trailers to retrieve their boats from the water.

Starting Early Boaters can perform some simple checks at home even before getting in the

Especially on hot summer weekend days, there’s a lot going on at a boat ramp. Preparation and respect for others result in smooth and efficient launch operations. Impatience and a lack of preparation, on the other hand, can make the facility resemble “a circus without a ringmaster.”

Photo credit: BoatTest

truck to head to the ramp. Make sure all documentation, safety equipment, and mechanical systems are in working order before leaving. Boat registra-

tions should be on the person or on the boat, as well as updated registration decals on the boat, and license tags on the trailer. Make (Continued on next page)

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sure all items of safety equipment, such as life jackets and fire extinguishers, are on the boat, and ensure all running lights are functional.

If possible, check your battery and even your inboard engine or outboard motor, especially before the first launch of the season.

And oh yes – make certain the drain plug is in place, to avoid any embarrassing moments. And speaking of small, critical objects – make sure you have the boat keys!

Prior to Launch When you arrive at the launch, before backing the trailer into the water, make certain your gear – fishing rods, pails, nets, ice, clothing, and lunch – is loaded on the boat. Stow all straps, attach fenders to the dock side of the boat, and ready bow and stern lines for quick use once you are afloat. Most folks disconnect electrical connections between trailer and vehicle, to avoid any shorting caused by water. And again, place the boat keys on the console where they are easy to find.

Everybody’s Watching The actual launching of the boat can be a source of a great deal of stress. Everybody is watching, and you want to do everything correctly so you don’t delay those waiting behind you.

Although it’s possible to launch solo, it’s always best to have a friend with you to assist. After waiting your turn, back your trailer slowly into the water, keeping an eye

for pedestrians or other boats at the launch.

After one person disconnects the winch hook and slowly pushes the boat into the water, the other person can use the bow line to ease the boat down the dock and tie it off. The vehicle driver can now pull forward and then park the truck in one of the elongated vehicle-and-trailer spaces.

If you have friends who’ve arrived in a separate vehicle, make certain those guests park in designated areas, rather than taking up spaces reserved for trucks and trailers.

Most boat launches provide these parking spaces.

Retrieving Your Boat at the End of the Day The recovery process should be the opposite of launching.

Pull the boat up to the dock. The vehicle driver heads to the truck and trailer, while the crew member gets the boat ready to be pulled.

(If you are alone, get the gear ready before approaching the dock, tie up, and then get your truck.)

The order of retrieval is based on vehicles and trailers in line, not waiting boats.

When it’s your turn, ease the trailer into the water, snap the winch hook onto the boat, and pull the boat onto the trailer. Slowly move the truck up the ramp, again watching for pedestrians and other boats, and then move into designated areas to secure straps.

Efficient launchings and retrievals of boats require proper preparation, as well as respect for other boaters. There are some definite DON’Ts at the

dock to ensure tempers are kept in check.

These unwritten rules include: • Don’t socialize

at the ramp. There is nothing worse than someone in front of you launching their boat, blocking access

to the ramp, and then taking out charts to start planning their cruise. Not the place (Continued on next page)

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• Don’t prep your boat in the launch area.

Preparation should be completed before backing the boat into the water, and again before pulling it out.

• Refrain from power loading boats onto the trailer. If the cement launch does not extend far enough out, the propeller wash can erode

sediment at the end of the launch and make a huge hole, which will then affect how boats are launched.

A day on the water can start off great and end well if boaters are prepared at the launch. Courteous and respectful boat launchings and retrievals can help keep stress levels in check.

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 37

Salty Panfish: Fun from Docks & Piers!

Maine’s coastline features thousands of saltwater docks, piers and bridges that can provide outstanding light-tackle action starting this month.

Mackerel, small “harbor” pollock, cunners, and flounders are some of the more cooperative species that lurk in the waters around these shoreline structures.

For maximum sport, light spinning tackle can’t be beat.

My “dock outfit” is a six-foot freshwater rod, fairly stiff, with a matching reel loaded with six-pound mono. Six-pound line will handle just about any fish that’s likely to latch onto your bait or lure, although you may be a bit under-gunned if a bluefish or striper shows up unannounced.

Terminal tackle should be light. The fish you’re most likely to catch will seldom weigh over a pound, so light-wire freshwater

hooks in the #3 to #8 range and a selection of split shot and small bank sinkers will cover most situations when you’re using bait.

Small chrome-plated jigs and shiny spoons will fill the bill as far as artificials go.

Mackerel Top Targets I would bet that more people fish for mackerel from town docks, commercial piers, bridges, and floats than any other species in Maine.

Schools of these pint-sized gamesters swarm into the shorelines in late spring, and can often be taken right into October.

Macks can be very obliging during a good “run,” and it’s often easy to fill a pail with them.

A small, fixed-hook diamond or “mackerel” jig is the most popular lure, and I like the quarter-ounce model made by Bead Chain Tackle, which in my opinion offers the best

chrome plating, and I tie it directly to my line. I’ll cast it out, let it sink eight or ten feet, and retrieve it moderately fast with a rhythmic jigging motion of the rod tip.

Mackerel can actually become finicky at times, and if so, try switching to a tiny, silver Kastmaster-style spoon. The undersized treble hook can be a bit of a pain to remove from the fish’s jaw (a pair of fishing pliers really helps), but the lure’s action really seems to attract mackerel, and they’ll often

bite aggressively, even when they’ll refuse a jig.

A piece of fresh bait, though, is probably the deadliest offering for macks, particularly in busy harbors. A thin strip of clam neck, fish belly or squid – or a piece of sandworm – on a small hook can work wonders.

Again, tie the hook directly to your line, and clamp on a couple of split shot above it. You can cast the bait out, let it sink, and retrieve it slowly, or simply lower

it straight down and gently jig it. You can also attach a bobber four feet or so above the hook, cast the rig out, and still-fish it. A lot of mackerel sharpies in Boothbay Harbor bobber-fish from the town dock and do really well.

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Saltwater Fishing (Continued from page 38)

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Mackerel are probably the most sought-after species by dock and pier fishermen in Maine’s bays and harbors. Small jigs, baits and lures are keys to success. Barry Gibson photo

some sand or gravel bottom adjacent to the structure, as you won’t catch many in the black muck found under most municipal piers.

A piece of clam makes a good flounder bait, but seaworms are primo. Thread a short piece of the worm, say an inch and a half long, onto your hook so that it just covers the bend, with a little left hanging.

In my opinion, the best flounder-catcher is a two-hook “hi-lo” rig armed with a pair of long-shanked Chestertown “flounder” hooks and a one- to two-ounce bank sinker attached at the bottom. Cast the rig out and let it sit on bottom, moving it a bit with the rod tip every so often in order to catch a flounder’s eye.

Flounders, believe it or not, are primarily sight feeders.

Pollock & Cunners Small “harbor” pollock congregate around shoreline structures in summer, and provide

good sport on ultralight tackle. A small piece of clam or mussel, or a periwinkle meat, fished just off bottom will do the trick, although pollock will often hit a small mackerel jig or sabiki rig as well.

If the dock or bridge you’re fishing from is over rocky bottom, you can probably catch cunners. Again, small pieces of clam or a periwinkle meat on a light-wire #8 hook will work. Cunners have small mouths and sharp teeth, and are notorious bait stealers.

Consistently hooking them as they peckpeck-peck comes with practice.

In short, pier, dock or bridge fishing is an art. Most of the fish you’ll catch are admittedly on the small side, but with a light rod and down-sized terminal tackle, you can enjoy plenty of sport and perhaps even a tasty meal!

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 39

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40 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Hex Hatch: “Casting a Spell” The hex hatch, if you luck into it, is exciting to fish. Suddenly there are fish everywhere, including normally reclusive deep-water-feeding browns, rainbows and brookies.

The instant you hook a fish, there is connection that feels thunderous – shockwaves that spread through the line, vibrate along the rod, and land in the body.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s a tasty panfish, a good bass or a memorable trout.

Once you’ve felt it, you want to feel it again and again.

Even more exciting is a fish caught on the surface – a top water lure for pike, a Jitterbug for bass, or a dry fly. In that moment, the spell is cast and the angler doing the hooking is hooked. I can still feel the lightning bolt when I think back to the first rainbow I caught that was feeding on hex (the famous mayfly, Hexagenia limbata).

The hex hatch is a rare and wonderful thing that occurs from mid- to late June into early July in some of Vermont’s waters.

These mayflies require clean, slow-moving or still water, with a muddy or sandy bottom to burrow in, where they live in their nymphal stage for up to two years before emerging.

The nymphs swim to the surface to hatch, where they are vulnerable to fish that are feeding on these massive one-inch chunks of protein that have to www.MaineSportsman.com

dry their wings before taking off for the trees.

The mayflies change to their final form, known to anglers as a spinner, and mate over the water, usually around sunset. The female will land on the water to deposit an average of 4,000 eggs that drift to the bottom; the hex lifecycle is then complete.

Fishing the Hex Hatch The hex hatch, if you luck into it, is exciting to fish for a couple of reasons. The first is that there are usually bugs everywhere and they aren’t that hard to match.

In my opinion, getting the size right is key, with color and shape coming in after that. Second, fish of all species key in on this hatch. Normally reclusive deep-water-feeding browns will rise for these bugs on the surface, rainbows and brookies go crazy, as do bass. Lastly, the most magical aspect for me is that it feels like hunting for fish.

Because there are bugs everywhere, these fish will often cruise and grab a few at a time.

These bugs hatch on a pond or slow section of a river, so drifts aren’t too tough. The patient angler will watch for this, see a fish grab a fly or two so

the direction is known, then hopefully make an accurate cast to lay out the fly in the path of the fish and await the strike.

I’ve yanked more size 8 flies out of the mouths of hungry trout than I care to recall. Thankfully, I’ve learned to calm down just a bit. The anticipation of the fish coming to your fly makes two seconds feel like a half hour.

Hex seem to hatch on calm nights, and that often means the flycaster can see the trout’s snout come out of the water and take the offering. My tendency was to make an aggressive hook set, but now a simple tightening of the line and lift of the rod tip is sufficient. Then the surge comes.

If it is a good brown, the first move is down, and the fight is on. Rainbows seem to take to the air more.

In either case, I hope my clinch knots are good and that my 3x tapered leader holds while I try to get the fish in my net!

Secrets Folks who know the when and where of a hex hatch are pretty tight-lipped about it. My uncle claims to have removed me from his will for taking one fella with me to my

A rainbow caught from shore during a hex hatch.

Photos: Matt Breton

A hex on the water -- a tempting meal for any fish.

uncle’s secret spot, but I might be back in there after a great trip the two of us took after brookies and salmon.

I’m in no hurry to find out my status in his will, since I love to fish and hunt with the guy.

In any case, without burning spots, any number of ponds in Vermont have hex hatches. Some of the bigger lakes do as well, but these hatches might be spotty in terms of location on the body of water.

Same goes for rivers like the Lamoille and Winooski; the water needs to be relatively still with the right bottom. Lake Eligo and Lake Caspian are well known for their hex hatches.

Noyes Pond in Groton State Forest is another bet; for that you’ll need to schedule a trip and rent a row boat through VT State Parks at Seyon Lodge (https://vtstateparks. com/seyon.html for more info) as they are the only boats allowed

on this flyfishing-only, native brook trout pond.

That magical first rainbow during the hex hatch, the one that cast a spell that had me fishing well past my bedtime for weeks in a row, showing up at work with my waders on, with black circles under my eyes that match my coffee? I showed up late one June evening and stood on shore with a fly tied on. Those fat yellow bugs were fluttering on the surface, and I saw one disappear into the maw of a fish. Then the same fish down slurped another.

In range, I made a decent cast out ahead, and waited while the world spun round, then managed to stay calm as the trout took my fly. I played the fish and managed to net it while my heart exploded and my arm caught fire; I haven’t been the same since.

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 41

Hunting and Fishing – Once Again Rich Men’s Sports?

In years past, the author’s father hunted caribou in Newfoundland and Labrador for about $2,000 per trip, all travel and outfitter costs included.

Now, those trips cost a minimum of $12,000, just for the outfitter. And a non-resident deer/elk combo tag in Montana currently costs $1,000 – for the tag alone!

I enjoy reading 19th and early 20th century exposés of hunting and fishing.

For Maine history, there is plenty of literature about “sports” and their guides. The common theme is that of wealthy men from Boston and New York who hire guides, stay in lavish lake hotels, and bring photos of big trout and moose back to the city to brag to their mates, whether or not they were the ones who caught/shot the trophies.

The Rangeley, Moosehead and All-

agash regions aren’t special in this regard, though. Whether it was Maine, New Brunswick, the Adirondacks, Alaska, or Africa, hunting and fishing were sports for rich men.

However, that changed in the mid- to late 1900s, in the days before massive regulation, since during that time opportunities abounded and made hunting and fishing trips accessible to most middle-class enthusiasts.

The writer rented this F-150 from its owner through the website Turo, when he and his father went mule deer hunting in Idaho. It was half the price of getting a truck through any of the airport rental agencies.

Not Like the Old Days Unfortunately, today, I believe, we are reverting back to having outdoor sporting trips being mostly for those top income-earners. The times of $500 fishing trips to Quebec are gone. My dad hunted caribou in Newfoundland and Labrador several years in a row at about $2,000 per trip, all travel and outfitter costs included.

Now those trips cost a minimum of $12,000, just for the outfitter. A non-resident deer/elk

combo tag in Montana is $1,000 now – just for the tag!

Many of the desirable hunts in the West take hundreds, or thousands, of dollars in application fees over the years to even draw the tag. Quite a few western states make you buy a hunting license (usually over $100) just to apply for a tag that you likely won’t draw. And then if you want to buy preference or bonus points, or apply for a “special draw” to increase your odds, it is

more and more money.

The average new rifle price is probably close to a $1,000 now.

Scopes are $300 for anything decent. Don’t even get me started on the price of ammo and reloading components … if you can even find them! Fishing jigs, because of the fancy metal they are made of now, aren’t cheap.

Bass fishing crankbaits and jerk baits currently average close to $15 apiece.

(New Hampshire continued on page 43)

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42 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Reloading Solves the Ammo Shortage Problem There is something extremely satisfying about reloading your own ammo. You can customize each cartridge to your specific firearms, you’ll save money, and you’ll avoid the sinking feeling of arriving at your local gun shop and seeing all the empty shelves that formerly held boxes of new ammunition.

If fly fishers tie flies all winter to use during the following open-water fishing season, then hunters should be reloading all summer (and shooting) for the upcoming hunting season.

I do know some anglers who don’t tie flies … they have enough money to afford the expense of purchasing all their flies. I guess hunters could do the same, but buying enough ammo to practice with can really add up, and premium hunting ammunition costs have skyrocketed recently.

I used to buy bulk ammunition for target practice and only reload when I needed highly accurate handloads for hunting.

These hunting loads I produced (and still do) were made with precision, and I used only top-quality ingredients – incorporating premium bullets (Nosler Partition or Barnes Triple X) and loading the cartridges with extreme care to make them perform perfectly in each particular rifle.

My reasoning was that target ammunition was so inexpen-

sive I could hardly save money by producing huge numbers of target ammo. Purchasing cheap target ammo made more sense than spending the time to reload it.

Hunting ammunition, on the other hand, was expensive – so making a small batch of handloaded hunting ammunition paid off for me.

Nowadays, ammunition prices have increased dramatically.

Even target ammunition isn’t cheap anymore, while premium hunting ammo prices are out of this world.

In addition to high

Putting top-quality, accurate ammunition together is a money-saver and an enjoyable and affordable hobby. William Clunie photo

prices, we are also seeing a disturbing trend of ammunition shortages that has shocked the shooting world.

Go into any sporting goods store and see for yourself … the shelves that were once well-stocked with lowpriced ammunition are bare, and what’s left is seemingly overpriced.

So how does the average hunter go about getting around the problem of overpriced ammo and bare shelves? Go back to the reloading bench, start making your own ammunition, and never worry about shortages again.

Reloading Purpose A few years back, I decided that I might want to increase the output of my reloading, so I replaced my single-stage reloading press with a Lyman “progressive” reloading press. My old single-stage press worked slowly … I had to pull the lever on each case to remove the old primer, then again to resize the case, then after filling each primed case I would have to re-insert it into the press to insert the bullet and crimp the case.

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With the progressive press, a reloader has the advantage of preforming all these steps in one pull of the lever, because of the several stages built into workings of the more modern press.

Each time the lever gets pulled, you shove an empty case into the press and watch as a fully-loaded cartridge falls out of the press – it’s kind of like an assembly-line all rolled up into the single action of pulling the lever. It’s like a “onearmed-bandit” slot machine in Las Vegas, except that you are a winner with each pull of the lever.

Get Started Like new fly tiers, beginning reloaders will do best to have someone show them the ropes – how to set up their gear and put the pieces all together.

It really is a lot like tying flies – you can slap things together and get by, or you can have someone help you, making sure things are done right, and the outcome will be as safe as possible.

There are several places around that will (Continued on next page)

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help, but not every gun shop sells the equipment or components.

I called L.L. Cote’s in Errol, NH. The fellow in the gun room said they have a good supply of reloading equipment and components available, and that he would be happy to help get someone started.

The one thing I would highly suggest

is that you order the primers you will need NOW. There sure has been an ammo shortage, but I think the primer shortage has been going on longer, and isn’t getting any better. Try to get on a back-order status, and purchase the primers as soon as they come in (if that option is available).

Another item that new reloaders will

New Hampshire (Continued from page 41)

Hand Me Downs I’m lucky in the sense that I grew up in a household full of guns and gear and lures. My dad has shared his stockpile of stuff with me over the years. But how can someone new (especially someone young, who doesn’t have access to all this stuff) afford to start out? They certainly can’t afford to hire a guide who will outfit them, either. Striper guides in Maine are charging $400 for half a day of fishing, for goodness sakes!

Established outdoorsmen tend to love gear. Also a notable characteristic of woodsmen is their propensity to stockpile (aka, “horde”). “You never know when you might need that,” they say. I encourage people, especially in this day and age of high prices, that as you upgrade your gear, instead of having tackleboxes full of spoons and hooks rusting away in your basement, donate them to someone new to the sport. They won’t care – or even know – that it’s not the latest and greatest advancements.

have to attend to is a sturdy work bench. I built mine out of 2x4’s, and made it extra heavy to handle the pressure of cranking a reloading press … it’s not excessive, but you don’t want the bench jumping around while you are trying to carefully manipulate the components (powder, slugs, cases and primers).

Storing powder and

primers will also take a little forethought. I like to keep these two items separate and away from moisture, excessive heat, or any kind of condensation.

I keep my primers in the safe (with an electronic dehumidifying bar) and the powder in a cool/dry metal cabinet that has chemical dehumidifying agents protecting against moisture. I have used

Your Pentax binoculars and Bushnell scopes, though not Swarovskis and Leupolds, still work and will be appreciated by others – a much better use than collecting dust under the gun bench.

Money-Savers If you are one of the lucky ones who has the ability to take a hunting or fishing trip, there are a few tricks I’ve used to cut the costs. For those of you who only dream of these trips, maybe they are closer in reach than you think.

Traditional lodging is expensive now. It is hard to find a motel room, even a mom-and-pop type of place in a small town, for less than $150/night.

And even if you do, the only accommodations it comes with is a small microwave, and a fridge big enough for a six-pack. Airbnb, Vrbo and Craigslist offer many “vacation” rentals. The sites have many remote offerings of camps and cottages right in the middle of the outdoor action. And they can be very reasonably priced. If you are going with a group, you can split the cost of the house/camp rental. You can save even more money by buying groceries and

the same powder and primers successfully for over five years now, and I’ve had zero problems with primer or powder failure.

Above all, don’t be overwhelmed or intimidated with all this information. Go to a qualified gun shop and get started. Let me tell you, if I can do it, you certainly can.

¶

doing your own cooking.

Rental cars are a headache. Not only are their prices at an all-time high, but their availability is low. There are also plenty of horror stories of guys who reserved a F-150 for their hunt, only to arrive at the Enterprise counter and be given the keys to a Honda Accord.

Turo is like the Airbnb of vehicles.

People rent their personal vehicles out to travelers. You can get vehicles at a fraction of the rental car cost. And in more populated areas, you’ve got a huge variety of options. You can find off-road lifted vehicles, trucks with caps for bed-camping, or even vehicles with extra throw-ins like trailer-hitch storage platforms, mountain bike racks, tents and sleeping bags, unlimited miles, and free delivery to the airport, One last money-saving tip is to attend events like this spring’s State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta, and talk to folks at the outfitter booths.

If going on a guided trip is what you’re looking for, many outfitters will run a discounted “show special” if you reserve the trip in person at the booth.

¶

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44 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Rangeley Region Fly Rod Choices Vary What angler in the world doesn’t need another fly rod? Sure – you can get by in most situations in Maine with a 5-weight and a 7-weight, but what if you had an unexpected chance to go steelhead or pike fishing? What if you’re targeting a narrow forest stream for small trout? Or what if you want to experience the nostalgia associated with casting a vintage bamboo rod?

How many fly rods should one angler own? This is the question many newer anglers ask themselves – a question some experienced anglers ignore because they don’t want to think about it.

The truth is the number of fly rods an angler needs varies depending on the types of fishing they pursue.

Most trout and salmon fishing in Maine can be accomplished with a 5- or 6-weight rod, but if anglers like to fish saltwater, muskies, pike or smallmouth bass, they will need a few other rods that are more appropriate for each kind of fishing.

I don’t think I’m unique in my love of experimenting with various new (or old) fly

fishing equipment. I started fly fishing with an old fiberglass rod when I was a teenager, moved to a graphite rod later in life when I got serious about fly fishing, and then tried a number of rods for different applications – bamboo just for the heck of it, a switch rod for steelhead and salmon, a 7-weight for casting big streamers and large surface flies for pike and big smallmouth bass, a 3-weight fiberglass rod for small streams, and a delicate 5-weight for dry fly fishing.

I am even looking for another rod, if you can imagine that … like I need another rod. I guess I don’t actually need another rod – I just want to get

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it because, as many others like me have said, “You can never own enough fly rods.”

Typical Fishing Season A typical season for me in the Rangeley Region includes a wide variety of fishing.

I like to mix it up, but also have a few types of fishing that keep me coming back repeatedly.

There are two types of fishing I would label as my “mainstays” – pond fishing for brook trout with my Thomas and Thomas 9-foot, 5-weight, and smallmouth bass fishing with a G. Loomis 9-foot, 7-weight. I do this kind of fishing once or twice each week throughout the season.

I have a 10-foot, 5-weight nymphing rod from Táin that I always carry with me in case the trout aren’t hitting surface stuff if I’m on a stream. I also take my Hardy 11-foot, 7-weight switch rod for larger rivers. If I know I’ll be fishing a narrow brook for small trout, then the 3-weight, 7-foot fiberglass rod from Fenwick will do.

Some days, I take my Headwaters 5-weight,

A wall full of old bamboo fly rods demands close inspection from this angler. It’s a well-known and accepted fact that a person can never have too many fishing rods. Photo: Allen Brook Farm Tackle, Appleton, ME

9-foot bamboo rod to the pond for dry-fly brookie fishing.

I had the opportunity to cast a new Orvis H3 rod last year, and I immediately fell in love with this awesome casting tool. It was outfitted with a sink-tip line, and I was throwing heavy streamers with Laurin

Parker from Western Maine Guide Service (www.westernmaineguideservice.com).

Laurin was right when he commented, “Once you cast this rig, you’ll just have to own one.”

New Rod I’m not committing to anything right (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 45 (Continued from page 44)

now, but when I get this new Orvis H3 rod, I may never need another rod. I know, it sounds silly, but I really feel I’ve got it all covered for now.

After Laurin helped me perfect my sink-tip fishing technique, I tried doing the same thing with my G. Loomis 7-weight, and I was underwhelmed.

The new rod will make fishing with the sink-tip line easier. I just love throwing big streamers and divers with sink-tip line … the heavy tip goes to the bottom and slides right through without snagging, while the big flies ride about

two feet above the bottom, avoiding almost all snags. When the fish aren’t slamming surface stuff, two feet off the bottom is right where I like to be.

The new Orvis H3 will also do well with floating line on bigger rivers and lakes. The rod I tried in 7-weight was amazingly light for its size, and comes in “D” or “F,” meaning “Distance” or “Finesse.” I’ll go with the H3d, just because that’s what Laurin had me casting that day.

Looks like I better order this rod soon, now that fly-fishing season is well underway in the Rangeley

Region.

This new rod will get a good workout, as will the other rods in my quiver. Out of all the rods, the G. Loomis 7-weight and the Thomas and Thomas 5-weight get the most use. With that said, I still get a tingling in my wallet every time I’m in a small fly shop and I see any old bamboo rod hanging on the wall. There’s just something about old bamboo rods that fills me with a euphoric nostalgia that is so intoxicating, I can’t resist … I’m a sucker for tradition, the kind that permeates the Rangeley Region.

¶

Trophy Gallery

Small Kid; Lunker Trout Bryce Gilpatrick, age 5, was out fishing with his Dad on Long Pond in Parsonsfield on May 7, 2022 trolling a sewn smelt, when he caught this 7.75lb., 28-inch brown trout, earning Bryce his Maine Sportsman “One that Didn’t Get Away” patch.

The fish was weighed by Jeff Cutting at Jordan’s Store in Sebago. Photo by Amanda Gilpatrick

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46 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

Timber Stand Improvement for Better Deer Hunting

by Staci Warren

Have you ever hunted a piece of property with mature trees and no underbrush, thinking you’ll have the best view of an oncoming deer? I have, and it’s pretty darned boring.

The place seemed dead. Not even a squirrel around to annoy me. That’s because that part of the forest wasn’t a bedding cover or feeding area, but just a passthrough during the night.

I have hunted areas that have been managed through careful, thoughtful selective-cut timber harvesting where I see owls, squirrels, rabbits, turkey, partridge and even deer, all in one sitting. Mature, nut-producing oak and beech trees are left for food, while other less healthy or ready-toharvest trees are selectively removed, making room for younger trees to grow, keeping the life cycle of the forest going.

Harvested land provides for a healthy habitat. Within a fiveyear period, most slash from harvesting will have started to decay, lower vegetation will have started to grow, and wildlife numbers will have started improving.

I’ve also hunted over new or within five-year clear-cuts, which have taught me that deer don’t always travel that perfect road you’re perched on, but rather travel the edge, staying inside www.MaineSportsman.com

The experts agree: Mature trees with no undergrowth may look good in photos, but it’s not great for the animals of the forest. Instead, the habitat that supports the greatest wildlife diversity includes young and regenerating trees.

This photo of a doe and fawn, taken with the author’s SpyPoint game camera, demonstrates the value of new growth, which serves to hide the younger deer from predators, while providing both mother and fawn with low browse.

new dense cover, the product of new growth sprouting on hardwood stumps. This provides browsing and cover for deer, turkey, and upland game such as grouse and snowshoe hare. And we all know someone who’s hunted moose over a one or two year old clear-cut, because moose browse on the new hardwood growth.

If your land has a mixed wood species, you can treat each area that will benefit different species. Hardwood growths of nut-producing oak and beech benefit deer, bear, and turkey. Growths that have been selectively cut offer cover under newer growth for deer and their spring fawns, snowshoe hare, grouse, and woodcock.

Snowshoe hare also benefit from softwood such as fir or shrubbery for cover and habitat, so working within

a mixed border might be beneficial. Aspen and birch cuts offer great sources of food and cover for grouse and woodcock. Get to know your land so that you can decide what you want to improve.

In recent years, there’s been a surge in articles from various prominent deer hunting groups giving advice on using timber stand improvement to improve deer habitat. However, many of these articles don’t use actual timber stand improvement methods such as harvesting as a way to achieve a healthy biodiverse forest. “Timber Stand Improvement” is defined as opening the canopy and selectively releasing preferred trees so that new growth and ground vegetation occur.

The one thing no one should do is cut down a perfectly

New-growth softwood provides areas for the ruffed grouse to nest.

Staci Warren photo

healthy ten-year old tree by hinge cutting it, or by girdling a tree and spraying it with herbicide in the name of habitat improvement. While large timber companies use herbicides, it’s done in a controlled and regulated manner through the Department of Environmental Protection. I highly discourage landowners from grabbing an offthe-shelf herbicide and possibly overusing it. It’s not good for you, the wildlife, or the habitat. Many of the herbicides have warnings on their labels concerning use near water or pets. If you use sound timber stand improvement methods, herbicides are unnecessary.

Whether you own 5 acres or 50, you can make changes to your property that will improve habitat for wildlife that you want to

have in your backyard, be it deer, turkey, or songbirds, without the hack-and-spray method. Many landowners opt to have their land professionally harvested and managed, or if you don’t own a large parcel, you can also do a little bit at a time on your own.

There are some great tips in a free downloadable publication titled “Focus Species Forestry” from Maine Audubon for patch cutting in 2-5 acres that will benefit deer, rabbits, and forest birds.

Doing it yourself does have limitations.

Before you just start cutting down trees, there are several factors that you have to consider, such as any existence of a body of water, a brook or wetland, types of trees on your land, and what types of wildlife do you want to attract. There are environmental protections in place concerning water and wetlands, and how much you can cut or disturb.

Depending on how much land you own, you may want to steer clear of those sensitive areas, or leave it to the professionals to help you manage the land. There are lots of good reads from biologists reports on the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website. One in particular, from wildlife biologist Kelsey Sullivan on “Habitat Management (Timber Stand continued on next page)

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Bring a “First Aid” Kit, but Carry an Emergency Kit I’ll admit it. I didn’t carry a first aid kit with me for years. The kit I bought was too bulky to carry while bird hunting with my dog, and I couldn’t envision myself needing it while I sat in a deer stand with cell service and my truck 300 yards away.

But I do explore remote areas and accidents happen, so I eventually put together my own emergency kit. I didn’t want a “first aid” kit, but I wanted a kit that could mean the difference between life and death.

And it needed to be small enough to always carry with me. When deciding what to include, I asked myself two questions: 1. Could this item save a life, for a time-sensitive injury?

2. Could this item help me survive a couple of nights in the woods until rescuers find me?

Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment, and alcohol pads got a big fat no, so I don’t include them in my kit. Of course, you cannot be fully prepared for all emergencies, but you can be prepared for the most common emergencies. Hypothermia is the top threat to outdoorsmen in Maine, so I wanted to include items that would keep me somewhat warm.

I also included items that

The author assembled this emergency kit for her own use. It weighs only 9 ounces, so she knows she has no excuse not to carry it. C. Holmes photo

would help me signal to rescuers if I were lost or unable to get out of the woods (e.g., broken leg) and lastly, I wanted items that could stop a large wound from bleeding out.

Timber Stand (Continued from page 46)

for Upland Wildlife Managing,” notes that “the greatest wildlife species diversity in forest habitat stands is found in regenerating and young forest communities.” Further along in the paper,

Here’s what I came up with: 1. Emergency blanket 2. Package of hand warmers 3. Lighter 4. Whistle

5. Signal mirror 6. Single serving of aspirin and antihistamine 7. ChapStick-sized roll of duct tape 8. Tourniquet

he lists resources and information on federal and state cost share programs that he says in some cases help offset the expense of managing for wildlife.

Managing your land for the improvement of wildlife is possible, and without hacking it down or spraying herbicides. In keeping with the phi-

That’s it. The blanket, hand warmers and lighter can help keep you warm, the whistle and mirror can help you be found by rescuers, the aspirin and antihistamine can help someone having a heart attack or allergic reaction, the tourniquet can stop you from bleeding out, and duct tape has many useful purposes. All the items are very small and lightweight. The entire kit weighs only 9 ounces and is smaller than a Nalgene bottle.

You can keep tons more stuff in your vehicle’s emergency kit- water, a tick remover, flashlight, and rubber gloves.

For my dog I always keep Q-tips to clean debris from his eyes, and a pair of fishing forceps to remove porcupine quills. I have used the latter twice (bad dog).

My emergency kit is not perfect for everyone, but it’s a good starting point, and I urge you to put together your own kit.

You need to strike a balance between size and necessity, while being honest with yourself. What size kit are you willing to always carry? What items are critical to you personally, for the situations you are commonly in?

¶

losophy of management, your wildlife will only thrive long term if you equally manage to encourage populations of predators such as coyote, fox, fisher, and bobcat. Even great habitats are at risk if there isn’t balance. But that’s for another column.

¶

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48 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Why a Peep Sight?

by Hal Blood My first deer rifle was a Winchester Model 94 30-30. My father passed that gun on to me when I was 10 years old and ready to try my hand at killing a deer.

That first gun was special, as I was the 3rd generation to carry it. It was my grandfather’s gun. I don’t know if he bought it new or not, but it was made in 1936.

It had the typical “buckhorn” sight, but also had a Lyman peep sight on the tang. This sight was a flip-up type that was folded down on the tang, and my father never used it.

He just shot with the buckhorn open sight.

I remember flipping the sight up and looking through it, trying to figure out how it worked. It didn’t make sense to me that there were two types of sights on a gun.

Consequently, I kept the peep sight folded down and never used it either. I shot several deer with that gun throughout my teenage years, and it worked great as long as the whitetails were standing or walking. I shot at a lot of running deer as well, but never cut a hair on any of them.

Hunting at the Lodge When I was 16 years old, I was invited to hunt at a family lodge on Frye Mountain, down in Knox.

The subsequent seasons I spent deer hunting there formed the foundation of my hunting career. There were a lot more deer there back in the 1970s than there were in southern Maine where I lived.

There were about a dozen guys who hunted at the lodge, but usually the group

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numbered between 6 and 8 on any Saturday.

One of my fathers’ cousins, Stanley, took me under his wing and showed me the mountain. There was a lot of territory for me to roam, and very few other hunters. A usual day of hunting consisted of sitting an hour or two in the morning, then going back to the lodge for breakfast. After that, we would do a few “pushes, which basically entailed the old guys sitting at crossings while the younger guys would still-hunt a ridge toward them. I guess looking back on it, we may have been in the gray area of the driving-deer law. We didn’t look at it that way, though, since we never made noise – we just still hunted.

One of the guys in the crew was extremely accurate, and never missed a deer – whether or not the deer was running. Bottom line – if Richard was shooting, we were going to be dragging!

After switching to a peep sight, the author shot this nice buck, which graces the cover of his first book.

A Peep Sight Lesson I was amazed that he could do that, as not many others in the group could shoot running deer. One day while we were sitting around in the lodge, I saw Richard’s Remington 760 carbine, which was leaning against the wall. It had a peep sight on it, so I asked

him if I could look at his gun.

He consented, so I picked it up and looked it all over. I looked through the peep, and asked him how to use it. First, he told me that he had taken the aperture out to make a larger hole. Then he said, “Just put the (Big Woods World continued on page 50)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 49

Can a Deer’s Nose be Defeated?

Spring and summer of 2001 were dedicated to scouting, tree stand preparation and shooting. I had cast my eyes upon a beautiful adult buck with an 11-point rack and a huge body. The buck had been feeding in a newly planted alfalfa field nearly every night in the month of September. Opening day was coming, and the wind was supposed to be perfect for the evening sit. Confidence soared as I climbed into the stand at 1 p.m. No deer were spooked on the way in, and the field was empty. Phase one of my plan went well.

As the afternoon progressed, the normal groups of dogs entered the field, long before the older bucks. With an hour of daylight to go, I knew the adult

The big 11-point, heavy-bodied buck came hurriedly toward the author’s stand. However, when he hit the path Joe had walked in on, he stopped, stood stock-still for more than 15 minutes, and then backed deliberately away, never to be seen again. bucks would show up soon.

The bucks almost always entered the field from the two runs near my stand. I quietly stood in anticipation. This might be where I went wrong.

Like he was late for work, my hit-list buck appeared, on the run toward my stand. His pace was hurried, but his guard wasn’t down.

As the old boy got closer to the field and my shooting lane, I raised my bow arm and readied myself to draw. When the old buck hit the spot where I’d walked in, nearly five hours earli-

er, he stopped. There’d be no further progress, and no shot. The buck purposefully licked at his nose, something nervous deer do to help catch scent particles and identify a potential threat. His instincts told him not to move, and he listened.

For 15 or 20 minutes, the buck stood motionless, just five yards from my shooting lane. As the sun dropped over the horizon and light faded, the old boy backed up five yards, on the exact same path he

came in on, turned, and walked out of my life, never to be seen again. I couldn’t beat his nose.

Will We Ever Win the Battle?

Getting winded by any deer is disheartening.

Getting winded by a mature buck, especially a giant that would “make the wall,” is devastating. Many times, I’ve been close to getting a chance at a great buck, but their nose beat me.

Bowhunting big bucks is an up-close and personal game that re-

quires near perfection in scent control. What does that “perfection” look like?

Human scent is a bi-product of myriad bacteria that live on human skin. Odor is created when sweat comes in contact with those bacteria. Sweat alone doesn’t smell if it’s produced by certain glands. Sweat from eccrine glands produces no odor. Eccrine glands cover most of the body and help keep us cool when our bodies overheat. Sweat from apocrine glands is the sweat that does produce odor. Apocrine glands are found in armpits and the groin area, under hair follicles. When this sweat comes in contact with (Continued on next page)

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50 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Big Game (Continued from page 49)

bacteria on the skin, odor is produced.

There are many reasons this sweat can produce bad/alarming odors. The food we eat, personal hygiene and medications are among the factors that can change odor. Men seem to produce the most odor, because we also have more hair follicles than women.

However, the bacteria on our skin is the main culprit.

How do we overcome this, or at least keep our scent and body odor to a minimum? Showering with quality unscented antibacterial soap is key!

Focusing on problem areas like armpits, the groin and head are imperative. Consider washing these areas multiple times.

Shaving hair short

also works, by allowing sweat to evaporate more quickly, thus reducing the time bacteria are moist and producing odor. As recently as 2017, I literally shaved my entire body before deer season. Extreme? Yes, but it works!

Clothing that comes in direct contact with the body should only be worn once, then washed. Moisture-wicking material is important to keep the moisture away from our skin. Outer layers should also be washed regularly and stored in a tight container to keep foreign odors from contaminating them. Don’t forget to wash or spray boots.

Hunters who sweat heavily may want to look into an-

tiperspirant sprays or unscented deodorants. Attention to diet is also important in reducing body odor.

Foods like onions, garlic, red meat, asparagus, coffee and alcohol, can all cause sweat to smell differently.

Even stress or illness can cause an increase in body odor. A happy, clean life is a good thing for deer hunters.

No amount of cover scent, scent-killing sprays or scent-locking clothing will take care of odor if we aren’t willing to start at the source. All of those products can help to reduce odor further, but they won’t work on their own. Our bodies, sweat, activity levels and hygiene are the most important parts of any scent-eliminating equation.

The bottom line is that we’ll likely never truly beat the nose of an old, season-hard-

The author believes he’d never have gotten a chance to kill this buck, had he not been completely obsessed with scent reduction. The buck was killed in extremely thick cover, at just 20 yards. When there’s no wind, scent can pool up, and that means any deer getting close will wind a hunter if scent reduction/elimination isn’t practiced diligently.

ened buck. Experiments on penned deer tell us their noses are one of the best in the woods. Those same experiments also tell us

that we can fool them.

However, we need to start from this point if we want to be successful.

¶

Big Woods World (Continued from page 48)

bead on the deer, and shoot.”

That seemed simple enough, so I asked him if the deer was running, how much would you lead them? He said, “If it’s under a hundred yards, just swing with it and put the bead where you want to hit.” Again, that seemed simple enough.

Those simple instructions were responsible for my transition to shooting a peep sight and the death of countless bucks over my lifetime.

Setting Up a Big Woods Rifle Stanley had given me a Remington 721 bolt action .270 with a scope and I had been using it instead of the 3030. When I began hunting in the Big Woods, I realized that with a 24” barrel and snow constantly interfering with visibility through the scope, that it wasn’t the best choice of gun. I decided to buy a 7600 carbine and set it up with a peep sight, like Richard’s “deer slayer.”

Back then, the Williams peep sight was the popular choice of most hunters, so I bought one and put it on my new pump. That fall, I shot the buck that graces the cover of my first book. That www.MaineSportsman.com

The author’s company, Big Woods Bucks, carries this customized peep sight, which is manufactured by Skinner.

set in motion my love for the 7600 carbine and the peep sight. Richard’s simple lessons proved right, as I have shot plenty of bucks on the run by swinging with them, with the bead where I want to hit. I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel – I just had to learn from an expert. That is called passing it along to the next generation.

Recently I found that Skinner sights began making their peep sight for the 760 and 7600. After looking them over, I decided to switch to one.

Not because the Williams didn’t work; rather, it was because several times I bumped my Williams against something and knocked it out of alignment.

It was an ongoing issue, as because it was made of aluminum, the set screws wouldn’t stand up the bump. The Skinner sight is made of steel and does not move.

Andy Larson, who owns the com-

The publisher of The Maine Sportsman, Jon Lund, has always been a big fan of peep sights. For a classic Model 94 Winchester he gave his grandson, Nick, he fabricated this sight from a hacksaw blade. W. Lund photo

pany, explained to me that the design came about as rifles are carried in scabbards out west, and other peeps wouldn’t stand up to sliding in and out of the scabbard.

Quite often, people ask if I would ever switch to a scope and my answer is always, “Not if I can help it!” I was so impressed with this sight that we now sell our own Big Woods Bucks model on our website. These sights come with no aperture; it’s what is called a “ghost ring.” This allows more light through and doesn’t block your view at close range.

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 51

— Guest Column —

Everyone Knows There are No Poisonous Snakes in Maine

by Mark Robson, Hampden, ME

I moved my boot forward. The rattling got louder.

I moved my foot back to its original position, and the rattling stopped. Clearly, this creature was warning me not to get any closer.

As a young boy, I was interested in everything the outdoor world had to offer.

Mesmerized by nature, I developed a strong connection with the outdoor world. In grade school classes, all I could dream about was getting out of class and fishing in streams and walking through the woods.

In the summer of 1969, I was 12 years old. On a beautiful day in June, I accompanied my parents to take a look at a parcel of farmland my family had just purchased.

The land was located in Southern Maine, about 40 minutes from Portland.

We walked together into the old farmstead along a discontinued town road.

Looking closely, we could make out the locations of the farmhouse, the barn, and multiple pastures. A huge lilac bush was located adjacent to the old cellar hole. Stone walls lined the perimeter of the property, along which many abandoned apple trees grew.

“The Unmistakable Sound of a Rattlesnake” The cellar hole was lined with huge granite blocks and various old rough-cut boards that randomly covered

the few remaining floor joists. The sun warmed the granite blocks beneath our feet.

As I leaned over in an effort to see the bottom of the old cellar, I heard the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake. I called to my Dad and asked him to join me, but he waved me off, since he was deeply engrossed in looking at other aspects of the property.

I tossed an old board into the cellar hole to see if I could hear the noise again. To my surprise, nothing happened. I stepped away from my granite block to grab another object, and I heard it again. Every time I walked or jumped from the top of one granite block to another, I heard the rattling sound.

I yelled once again to my Dad and told him that I thought we had rattlesnakes in the cellar hole. I told him the sound was the same sound I’d heard on nature shows on television.

My Dad replied, “Everyone knows there are no poisonous snakes in Maine.”

I asked him how he could be sure, and he told me that the last known rattlesnakes were seen in the 1930s.

I was forced to move

on and explore the rest of the property.

Returning to the Scene Twelve years later, in 1981, I found myself on the same property, hunting birds in October.

I was slowly making my way through a row of old apple trees.

My goal was to catch a bird sitting in one of the apple trees. The brush at the bottom of one of the fields was thick, so I moved steadily toward a rise where the undergrowth was less dense.

At the highest elevation, I climbed on top of a large rock pile. I had only taken a couple of steps when I heard a distinctive rattling sound off to my right – the same sound I’d first heard in 1969. I quickly moved a few steps ahead, to increase the distance between me and the noise. Then I slowly turned around so I could scan the area behind me.

The “Black Rock” Was There, Then Not I looked closely.

Nothing seemed amiss, except I noticed a large black rock about seven feet away. I stared at it. Why would a black rock be situated in an area dominated with gray stones?

I started to move

The author was confused by the sight of the creature rattling its tail, since all the rattlesnakes he’d seen on television growing up were tan in color.

This one was dark, nearly black. Photo: Matt Miller, The Nature Conservancy

one of my boots forward. The rattling noise got louder. I moved my foot back, and the noise stopped.

This black object couldn’t be a rattlesnake, I thought. Everyone knows rattlesnakes are tan in color, not black.

I raised one leg in the air, but did not step forward. As soon as the position of my leg changed, the rattling sound resumed.

It was clearly a warning for me to not move forward again.

I looked quickly around to make certain there were not more snakes nearby.

When I turned back to see the “black rock,” it had disappeared.

I crossed the field, headed for my car, and drove directly to my Dad’s house to tell the tale. He listened intently as I explained what I had seen and heard during my bird hunt on his lot. He said if we do have rattlesnakes on the property, it actually makes the property even more special.

Research Reveals Black Color is Common After doing ex-

tensive research, I learned that Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes are very dark in color, and often look like a cow patty when coiled. The tan rattlesnakes we see on television are from much warmer climates, where a darker color would cause them to get overheated. The dark color of the Eastern Diamondbacks allows them to warm their bodies more efficiently in the sun in the northern climes I told only a handful of family members about my experiences in 1969 and 1981.

Now, I am telling you.

Many skeptics will still say, “There are no poisonous snakes in Maine.” Well, they can believe whatever they choose, but I am absolutely certain what I saw and heard were Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes.

They are here, as they have been for hundreds of years.

I count myself fortunate to have witnessed one of the marvels of our natural world.

¶

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52 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

My 2020 Turkey Hunt

by Jake Guay, Age 14, Phillips, ME “Alright,” my grandfather (“Pops”) whispered as he set his phone down. “What do you say we stay till ten and then we go get some chow?”

Turning to our lonely hen decoy, Henrietta, I nodded.

“Sounds like a plan,” I answered in a hushed tone.

We had been sitting in this field for around three hours, waiting for a tom to come courting for Henrietta.

Pops gave me the cue to yelp again, so I set the call in my mouth and beckoned in the strange language of turkey hunting. For 30 minutes, we waited in silence until a quiet and defensive “putting” began emanating from my left. Confused at the sound, I turned to my grandfather.

What is that?”

“What’s what?” He responded.

“That sound over to my left – is it a hen?”

He listened hard, then nodded – “Yup!” At that, I began to putt back at her, unsure of my best plan of action.

“Wait, wait,” said Pops. “Let me handle this.’’ He then began to make some excellent counter-putts on his box call, sharp and hard, in order to agitate the hen. Soon after, however, the hen left without so much as an angry putt, and the day continued.

Unusual Sighting For another halfhour, the wait dragged www.MaineSportsman.com

Jacob Guay, then age 12, and his 2020 MASTC award-winning trophy wild turkey.

on. Suddenly, after yelping for the fifth time in the hour, I heard a strange rustling to our right.

The following series of events was all a blur. From the corner of my eye, I noticed something jumping over the thorny bramble that concealed us.

In half the time it took me to blink, I caught a glimpse of an airborne shadow the size of a Boston terrier. No sooner had I glimpsed the creature than it landed with a startling crash, and dashed out of sight.

“What was that?!’’ I said, exhaling a breath of pure adrenaline.

“I missed it!” replied Pops. “What did

it look like?”

“It looked like a tiny dog with no tail or ears,” I explained, trying to remember details of the strange creature.

“It sounds too small to be a coyote, but what about a bobcat?”

“Yes, that’s what it was!” I exclaimed, as quietly as I could.

“He must have been stalking Henrietta until he saw her swaying unnaturally,” Pops speculated.

Thrilled to have figured out the mystery, I sat back and thought, Wow! A bobcat! Seeing that bobcat had given me a whole half-hour of stamina.

The moment

passed, and I called once more.

After stretching my cramped joints, I thought to myself. What a day. I heard a live hen and saw a bobcat!

Just then, a loud putting match broke the silence. I froze.

Moving my head slowly to the right toward the noise, I saw two hens emerge from the tree line and advance on our decoy. I looked at Pops and raised the alarm.

“HEN!” I whisper-shouted.

“Where?”

Pops asked.

“To your right!

Stay still!”

Looking for the hens, I slowly turned my head and saw the

only thing that could make my heart beat any faster – the edge of a majestic fan.

“TOM!!!

DON’T MOVE!” I whispered, remembering not to breathe until the time came.

When I momentarily could not see the blue or red of the turkey’s head, I propped the camo Mossberg 20-gauge up on my knee. The tom was advancing fast. From behind the stump, the tom gave a low gobble. Splaying his elegant fan, he walked around to the left side of the decoy to meet her inanimate gaze. A breeze that would be sure to sway Henrietta’s body to the right was building. I could feel the adrenaline tearing through my veins. Now was the time.

“Shoot, shoooot!”

Pops whispered from my right. I trained my sights on the bird’s neck, remembering everything Pops told me. “Safety off!” he reminded me.

Okay, Aim where feathers meet neck.

Finger on the trigger. deep breath, aaand, “Click.”

“Racket!”

Pops urged.

Racket?

“Rack it! Slide the action!” he said, gesturing to the pump on my gun. Cautiously, I pushed the pump as far as I could without making noise. I aimed and prepared to shoot once more.

(Turkey Hunt continued on page 54)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 53

Sheltering from the Economic Storm Due to the current economic situation in this nation, I’ll be hanging onto my 2010 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, at least temporarily setting aside my search for any other type of camping vehicle. Even though I could probably sell my truck for a small fortune, I would then have to turn around and purchase a newer vehicle for a very large fortune. I don’t want to tie myself down to a huge, monthly payment – I’m happy right where I’m at. I can do everything I need to do with the versatile Tacoma.

The one thing I will do for certain is purchase a cargo van as soon as our economy returns to normal and vehicle prices stabilize. I have faith in Americans … we have come through some challenging times, and I know we can do it again.

So, in the meantime, I’ll stick with my original set-up with the Tacoma; a really great four-wheel-drive pickup with a wonderfully comfortable memory foam mattress in the bed of the truck and a huge, screened tarp over the whole truck. The huge tarp is called “The Roadhouse Tarp,” from Slumberjack (slumberjack. com), and it covers my whole truck to provide a bugproof place to camp out of the rain.

In times of financial instability, sometimes it’s best to make the most of what you’ve got. Dreaming and planning about your next vehicles, however, doesn’t cost a thing!

The huge “Roadhouse Tarp” by Slumberjack shelters campers and their vehicle from rain and insects. Photo: Slumberjack

Where to Go The screened tarp can be easily set up in a campground or out in the willy-whacks.

If the selected location is situated just right, I can drive the truck in and out from under the tarp covering by simply raising one end of the screen and slowly creeping under it with the truck. Once the truck is under cover, I can get in and out of the truck cab, climb in the bed and set up the sleeping area, put a small table out for a cooking area, and set up chairs for lounging – all in the rain-free, bug-free zone provided by the tarp.

The trick to finding the right spot to set up the tarp starts with plenty of 550 cord (paracord) or some other kind of rope, and two trees that are of good height and

spaced apart twice as long as the truck. By backing up to the trees and attaching each end of the center line of the tarp, I can raise the whole tarp up like a huge pup tent. From there, the rest of the cord is used to tie the tarp down to stakes or other trees. Be sure to bring a small hatchet to pound in the stakes or tent pegs, and use more stakes if needed.

I like to find spots out in the woods where nobody else will be bothering me when I go camping, fishing, or hunting. Remote campsites are ideal because they usually have some mature trees spaced just perfectly for what I need.

The commercial campsites are similar, but they feature too many people for my comfort.

I probably will do this kind of camping

arrangement several times throughout the summer months here in Maine, as well as lodging in some of the wonderful hunting and fishing camps this great state offers.

Maybe next year the economy will improve, and I’ll make the move to a camping van.

Why the Camping Van? Some folks might ask, “Why is Clunie thinking about getting rid of the truck and going for a van? His present camping vehicle sounds just fine.”

Well, let me explain. My sweet bird dog, Ginger (a Hungarian Pointer or Vizsla), can hardly live without me. My wife and I are similarly attached to this lovely dog, and don’t want to leave Ginger alone.

Camping in Maine is great – we can take her with us most anywhere.

Out-of-state travel is another story – she can’t fly with us, so we are required to travel by car.

Finding dog-friendly motels is difficult, but can be done … but what we like to do is simply pull over wherever we stop, without having to spend the time searching for a motel that allows dogs.

The truck doesn’t offer a canine-friendly place to sleep overnight, so I’m eventually going to get the camping van.

Fuel costs will increase a little, but at least we can all comfortably sleep in the back of the van wherever we feel like stopping. The van can also double as my hunting vehicle, as long as I install a set of aggressive tires and attach a (Continued on next page)

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54 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Off-Road Traveler (Continued from page 53)

good winch. Most vans have frames similar to trucks and are pret-

ty sturdy, as long as you aren’t planning on driving them through

Trophy Gallery

Patrick Welsh of Hampden caught and released this trophy smallmouth bass on April 16, 2022, earning himself a Catch & Release club patch. Fishing from his kayak, Patrick was using a Square Bill crankbait on Swett’s Pond in Orrington. The big fish weighed 4-1/2 pounds, and was 20 1/4 inches in length.

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swamps and muddy holes. Most of the places I drive are good logging roads, so I’m not worried about using a van for camping.

Now if I can get a van with four-wheeldrive … that would be the supreme rig for Maine adventures.

I’d just switch back to

Turkey Hunt (Continued from page 52)

“Click” “Harder!” Pops whispered, feeling rushed by the approaching breeze.

I worked the action, and heard the shotshell entering the chamber with a “chlk” noise. There!

I raised the shotgun and fired.

“BOOOM!!!”

The recoil pushed my head back, and sent the big bird reeling. My grandfather raised his 12-gauge auto: “BOOM!” I added a final shot, and it was lights out for the tom.

I stood up and turned to Pops.

“We did it.” I said, with a big smile on my face.

“We sure did, buddy.” he said with a laugh. “When I first held you as a baby, I promised you this day would come.”

some smooth-riding street tires for longer, out-of-state, highway travel.

¶

I nodded. “What a day!” With that remark, I walked onto the field and packed away our decoy into her bag. Over my shoulder I could hear my grandfather commenting on the bird.

“Look at those spurs!” he hollered. I moved to exchange the decoy bag for my bird, and he asked, “Are you sure you can carry that?”

“Heck, yeah!” And I did.

That day two years ago will be etched in my mind forever, and if I ever need to be reminded, I can just read the M.A.S.T.C. plaque on my wall: Maine Antler and Skull Trophy Club Awards Banquet #2 Largest Trophy for 2020 Turkey, Typical Category Jacob Guay Score: 68.375

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 55

Support the Tackle Shop Down the Street We’ve all experienced the charm of a quaint local bait shop.

You know what I’m talking about – it’s an independently-owned business. The lures they sell have withstood the test of time, and the photographs on the wall prove their value. Some of the tackle is brand new stock, while some of it looks ancient.

These shops are few and far between nowadays. Folks believe it’s easier, and possibly cheaper, to go down to the “big box” store to pick up what you need.

There’s a tradeoff, however. If you go to a local tackle shop, you’re not just buying a product. You also have the chance to learn from experienced anglers, and gain some helpful advice.

David Garcia, the owner of Naples Bait and Tackle, knows the value of a locally owned bait shop. Garcia has owned Naples Bait and Tackle for over 40 years. Having fished in locations all over the world, he can attest to the importance of a shop where anglers can learn from locals.

As Garcia says, “There aren’t many shops like this around anymore. I’ve been here for over 40 years, and I have good customers. People want to come where they can get gear that they

When you shop at a local bait shop, you can purchase great products but also gain invaluable insight into what works on area waters, and what does not. In the words of David Garcia of Naples Bait and Tackle, “It’s not just the lure you buy; it’s how you rig it.”

A sampling of the fishing gear selection found at Jordan’s Store in Sebago.

All photos: Nolan Raymond

know works.”

Time-Tested Gear Naples Bait and Tackle is the kind of shop where you might gain some intel on the latest salmon lures, or hear about the owner’s fishing trip to

Labrador. No matter what you learn, you’re bound to leave with some flashy lures and a smile on your face.

Naples Bait and Tackle has survived nearly half of a century of change in the Naples Causeway

The sign out front of Naples Bait and Tackle.

area. A shop like this is priceless to local anglers and visitors alike. On top of selling time-tested lures and gear, the owner or staff are happy to give clients any advice they could want. The shop also sells used gear. I

The Jordan’s Store sign, in Sebago.

lose a lot of big spinners while trolling for togue, and used ones are a great way to get set back up.

Many Good Local Shops in Maine I mention Naples Bait and Tackle because it is the closest tackle shop to my place on the Raymond Cape. As many can attest, there are other, similar shops across the state to serve the angling community.

In the lakes region, some independently owned shops, including Dag’s Bait and Sporting Goods in Auburn, Unc’l Lunkers in Bridgton, and Jordan’s Store in Sebago, all boast locally proven gear and staff who advise anglers on how to use it to catch fish.

Franchise outdoors shops also have their place. They carry many brands and different sorts of items.

If you know exactly what you want, or perhaps are looking for more entry-level gear, you can find what you need.

A local shop, however, will supply you with the experience and advice of some seasoned outdoorsmen who know what works, and what doesn’t. In the words of David Garcia, “It’s really not the lure you buy; it’s how you rig it.” I believe that statement applies outside of fishing, as well.

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56 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Summer Salmon and Leek Spread With many graduations, summer parties, and gatherings in the early summer, it is always nice to have something different on hand to surprise your guests.

This is one of my, “Oh no, company is coming – what do I have?!” appetizers.

It’s a delicious salmon spread to make on the spot, way ahead and freeze for unexpected company, or just because.

Do not be afraid of the coconut milk – when the spread is done, you cannot even taste it.

Also try this – fill the spread into small, freezable, well-sealed glass jars and pop them into the freezer, and Voila! – an appetizer for unexpected company. It freezes and thaws like a dream!

Enjoy, and Bon Appetit!

— Ingredients: • 1 lb. landlocked salmon, filleted with skin on

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• • • • • • • • •

1 large bay leaf 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or lard) ½ cup white leek, thinly sliced 1 cup coconut cream* 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped 1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped 1 tablespoon Salmon Furikake Seasoning** ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt 3 avocados, halved

Directions: Place salmon in large sauté pan, skin side down, and pour in enough water to just cover. Add bay leaf and bring to gentle simmer. Poach salmon for 5 minutes until just cooked. Remove from liquid and set aside to cool. Remove skin, cool, and give to your dog. ;-) Place coconut oil in medium pan and sweat leeks on gentle heat for 5 minutes, until softened but not colored. Remove and set aside on plate to cool.

Break salmon up and place in food

processor, along with leeks and remaining ingredients. Pulse a few times until the consistency you like.

Serve into halved avocados and a wedge of lemon to squeeze over. Or with your favorite veggies or flatbreads.

Cook’s Notes * Put can of coconut milk in fridge the night before you want to make the spread. To open, turn coconut milk can upside down and pour watery liquid off into separate glass container. Use in smoothies and soups, as it’s delicious!

Place the remaining thick cream in food processor. **Salmon Furikake Seasoning is my goto for Salmon Bowls; rice, splash of fish sauce, salmon and top with this seasoning for a quick, delicious meal! They are in Asian stores and online. I love their Wasabi one too!

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 57

Bogs, Brush and Bugs Produce Southern Maine Wild Brookies If you want to catch wild brook trout in Southern Maine, you will have to locate waters that are difficult for other anglers to access, and you’ll have to get there before anyone else. Wild brookies are aggressive feeders and are easy to catch, compared to brown trout.

If you see beaten trails along stream banks and bobbers hanging from limbs, then wild brookies that were in the stream either ended up in a fry-pan, or they have retreated deep into the bogs and swamps near headwaters.

Heavily Fished Waters Anglers who want to catch trout that were recently stocked will do well in high-pressured waters. Likewise, fishermen who enjoy fishing for holdover trout, including brown, rainbows and brook trout, can seek out the rivers and ponds listed in the stocking report in the April issue of The Maine Sportsman. Those spots will do well, offering great fishing opportunities.

I do most of my fishing on these waters that receive annual stockings, because they have “hidden treasures” in the form of large holdover trout.

However, anglers need to take a different approach to catch these larger, survivor-class trout.

First, to catch these holdover trout,

If you want to find wild or holdover brookies in Southern Maine, you will have to boldly go where few other fishermen dare to tread – along difficultto-access streams that flow deep, dark and cold though headwater bogs.

This stocked brook trout is colorful, but wild brook trout are usually darker-colored, with deep-red bellies. To find hard-fighting wild brookies, anglers must fight brush and bugs in deep-dark bogs where trout are undisturbed by throngs of anglers. Val Marquez photo

savvy anglers need to fish during low light days. Rainy days can produce big trout, because the rain allows fishermen to remain undetected. Rain also covers the sound and vibrations of lures, bait and or fly lines hitting waters around them.

On sunny days, larger class trout have learned to dart to safety, deep in their bomb-shelters, at the slightest sound or vibration outside of the normal rhythm of water around them. Sun casting an angler’s shadow over the water will also spook trout.

Wild Trout Waters What is a “wild trout” here in southern Maine? For me, any trout that is born and evolved in natural waters (brooks, streams, rivers and ponds) is a

wild trout. Yes, most likely their ancestors were stocked downstream, but to me the second generation is indeed wild. These second generation fish have never seen a fish pellet or concrete wall.

Where can you find them? Your best bet is deep headwater bogs – places where no sane angler would venture.

A place where thickbrush, bugs, ticks and mud is commonplace – that’s where wild brookies survive and live for generations, remaining safe from human influences.

Locating these bogs is simple – they are easy to find on Google Maps or other mapping sites. You need to look for brooks, rivers or streams; then follow these waters upstream on the map; they will usually lead to a swamp or bog. If

that river system is on the stocking list and receives annual stockings with brook trout, circle it.

Migration Upstream You should never underestimate a brook trout’s ability to migrate upstream. Years ago, I was helping Hal Blood, a Maine Master Guide, place bear bait in Jackson. We were on a rough logging road high on a mountain, miles away from any major streams.

Hal stopped his red beat- up Tacoma truck and showed me a trickle of water with a onefoot pool – there were small brookies feeding in the pool. I learned two things – Tacomas are tough trucks, and trout can migrate unbelievable distances.

After living on the Mousam River all

my life and studying where and how stocked trout evolve over the years, I can tell you with confidence that once stocked trout become accustomed to their new environments and learned to feed on available food, some of their numbers will migrate throughout the stream.

The trout that relocate in sections of the river that receive fishing pressure or offer poor water quality, don’t survive long.

However, trout that migrate to locations where it’s difficult to fish (bogs, no fishing areas, or catch-andrelease waters) will flourish and reproduce.

These un-fished waters are where the holdover trout live.

Anglers who want to catch larger class browns need to fish these areas using some of the methods mentioned above. Anglers who are looking for wild brookies need to locate and fish deep, dark bogs.

According to IF&W, there are an estimated 22,248 miles of stream habitat in Maine that hold brook trout, the majority being wild brookies. So there are sustainable populations of wild brook trout here in southern Maine. Your best bet to catch them is in brooks that flow through bogs, where brush and bugs hover over deep, dark waters.

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58 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

A Slow Runner Hangs Up His Spikes for Good If you can physically run but don’t, the author’s advice is to start. If you once ran but have now stopped – persevere in your efforts. If you were previously a runner and now are physically unable – join the author in his fond memories.

I’m not a runner anymore.

Halfway into my 60th year, I’ve let that part of my life go. But I did so reluctantly, and it’s hard to write those words. Running is the purest form of self-propelled travel across the landscape.

And losing it is harder than I want to admit.

Starting Slow and Easing Off My high-school coaches used running as punishment. And we players took it as just that – something to be avoided if possible, other than the short sprints necessary while playing ball-focused sports.

It’s fair to say I hated running.

So, it was several years before I began to sporadically run long distances without the motivation of an angry guy with a whistle around his neck. I ran slowly and painfully in those days – flat-footed, and pounding along the edge of paved roadways.

The idea was to gain some sort of aerobic endurance. I imagined myself as Larry Benoit, training to track down the biggest buck of my life along steep, snow-covered mountains. It wasn’t lost on me that it was a deer-hunting book www.MaineSportsman.com

that inspired me to start running.

I lived in Portland back when the pedestrian trail was completed to circumnavigate Back Cove.

And I would drag myself around the 3.6mile loop with views of Portland’s skyline – but with thoughts of mountain ridges in the Maine North Woods.

Later, I found the circular foot-trail around the perimeter of nearby Mackworth Island in Casco Bay. On sultry days, I would end my run at one of the pocket beaches accessed by the trail, plunging into the frigid salt water.

Upon returning home to Oxford County, I got odd looks from my rural neighbors when I ran the back roads. In my hardscrabble hometown, utilitarian family and friends figured I must not be working hard enough if I had energy at the end of the day to trot along the roadside. I ran less often.

Running for a Different Reason I began running again – not to be able to chase deer, but to avoid an early death.

Having children relatively late in life had a galvanizing effect. And watching the early, rapid decline of

aging parents and relatives – with multiple cardiovascular problems – scared the hell out of me.

Farmington was runner-friendly. There were trails along the farm fields that bordered the Sandy River. A converted railroad bed, the multiuse Whistle-Stop trail, stretched from Farmington to Jay. Titcomb Mountain, the local ski hill, had miles of steep Nordic ski trails to explore. And local footrails through public woods connected to a larger network of snowmobile and ATV trails.

After a while, it was easier to get past the pain during a run.

I got stronger, and the daily jog stopped being a chore. It wasn’t just medicine anymore. I ran more frequently, and farther. A shortened stride and quickened pace got me up off my heels to run more lightly.

Which is not to say that I ever ran fast.

Body-type, genetics and disposition ruled against that. Short, local road races and triathlons built my motivation, if not my speed. Finishing in the middle of the pack for my age-class was a gold medal for me – a badge of honor.

After running for 25 years on hard pavement and gravel trails, the author has reluctantly decided to focus on biking and swimming – activities that inflict less wear and tear on his knees and hips.

Life as a Runner Early-morning loops through town kept me sane through the stormy years marked by the failing health of parents and the demands of growing children. Trail running in Mount Blue State Park and the Bigelow Reserve tested whatever physical or mental endurance I could build.

And I ran after deer too, in the mountains north of Rangeley, and through the remote border hills along the headwaters of the Moose River.

I felt like an athlete in a way that other sports could never replace.

It all must have inspired my kids somehow, because they both ran for the cross-country team in high school. Running is an activity that will stay with them for much longer than soccer or any other ball sport.

The Treachery of Failing Body Parts Twenty-five-yearold habits die slowly.

But an accumulation of failing body parts gradually made running very slow and painful again. I might have gotten past the bad knee, but the hip replacement and the deteriorating, arthritic back made me resort to increasing my swimming and biking as fitness tools.

If you can physically run but don’t – my advice is to start. If you once ran but have now stopped – persevere in your efforts.

If you were previously a runner and now are physically unable – join me in my fond memories.

I love to bike and swim, but it’s not the same. It’s not what eons of evolutionary adaption designed the human body to do best.

It’s not being a runner.

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Trapping Stories In January it is cold, especially so at night.

However, Bruce Gould would not turn the heat on in his truck when he and Dam McAllister went beaver trapping, because Bruce believed if you got out of a warm truck into the cold, you would feel the cold a lot more.

Here are a couple of stories that were told to me by Dan McAllister, a well-known and highly respected Maine trapper.

The Great Maine Wolf Around 2007 or 2008, Wally Jakubas, who was the head biologist at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W) Bangor office, called me about a wolf that had become a problem outside of Patten.

The people had been afraid of it until it was caught in a barrel trap set for bear.

IF&W transported the wolf to a menagerie in the Newport area on Route 7 where other wild animals were kept for public viewing.

Dan was told that when they put the wolf in a cage, someone had left the back door open, and the wolf went right out that door.

Wally and Jim Connolly (of the Augusta IF&W office) called Dan because the wolf had started killing some farm animals around Newport, and they wanted Dan to help trap it. Dan had some 3N double long spring traps that should have been strong enough to hold

it, but they didn’t want him to use them. They wanted him to use #3 soft catch traps (the kind that has rubber laminated jaws), to minimize any chance of the wolf getting injured.

Dan had to meet with them and the Newport Chief of Police. The Chief of Police said to set the traps on his property, as the wolf had been seen there several times.

Dan set several traps on his property, but after a couple of days the wolf hadn’t returned. The Chief said one of his deputies had been seeing it occasionally and the deputy was going to try to catch it with a net gun they had (the kind used to net humans).

Dan also set several traps where the deputy had been seeing the wolf.

That night around 2 a.m., Jim Connolly called Dan and said that he had caught the wolf in one of his traps and to come over immediately. The IF&W personnel sedated the wolf, and Dan removed the trap. One of the deputies got all excited about how the wolf had chewed apart a steel trap, when actually it was pieces of

rubber that the wolf had chewed out of the trap’s jaws.

IF&W transported the wolf down to the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.

Dan and his wife Sally went down to Gray to take some pictures of the wolf and were informed that it wasn’t there anymore.

IF&W had become worried that if it escaped down there in Gray, there would be bigger problems. They were told the wolf had been sent to a wolf facility in New Hampshire.

Trapping Buddies Dan said he and Bruce Gould trapped together for about 20 years. They started trapping around 1982 or 1983.

Back then, beaver trapping was done in January, and they liked to check their traps at night using a flashlight because it was easier to see if you had a beaver in a trap under the ice than it was in daylight.

In January it is cold, especially so at night. Bruce would not turn the heat on in his truck because he believed that if you got out of a warm truck into the cold, you would feel the cold a lot more.

Dan McAllister – one of Maine’s best-known trappers, and the reliable source of the two stories retold here by David Miller.

One night off Route 139 on Basin Pound between the Maine towns of Brooks and Monroe, they split up to check traps on Marsh Stream, the inlet and outlet of the pond. For some reason, that night Bruce wanted to leave his parking lights on. Dan told him not to do that, since the battery would go dead. Bruce left them on anyway.

Dan went up the inlet while Bruce went down to the outlet to check the traps. Dan had six sets to check, and what a haul!

Out of the six traps checked, he had two super and three blanket beavers.

Dan got them on a sled and was having a hard time getting the sled back to the truck because of the weight of those large beaver.

Bruce showed up and asked what was taking Dan so long.

Then he saw the load Dan had. Bruce had only one large beaver.

When they finally

got back to the truck, of course the battery was as dead as a doorknob. And there was no way to find someone to jump them at that time of night.

Bruce suggested jacking the back end of the truck up so Dan could spin the tires to get the engine fired up.

Dan said no – instead, he started pushing the back of the truck with the snowmobile, and they got the truck rolling fast enough so they could pop the clutch and jump-start it.

Dan got home after 2 a.m., and had to go to work at 6 a.m.

Note: Dan and Sally were awarded the 2020 Lifetime Outdoor Achievement Award by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for living a life dedicated to the Maine outdoors and serving as outstanding mentors to the next generation of sportsmen and women.

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60 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Angling Hot This Month for Many Species Whether you are after bass, lakers, or even giant Northern pike, and whether you prefer trolling, spin-casting or fly fishing, the author tells you where and how to entice some dynamic action on the other end of your line.

June typically spells phenomenal angling for those who love to chase smalland largemouth bass.

The spawn is on, and fish are in the shallows guarding nests and providing great sport on our local lakes and ponds.

Back when I was a kid, my dad and I spent many hours working the shoreline casting Mepp’s spinners and a plethora of other lures toward the shoreline, with great results. As I got older, I preferred trolling hardware and bait on Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, C-1), targeting lake trout and the occasional salmon. Now I seek bigger and better fish, so targeting species like northern pike, introduced to many waterways illegally, is a great thrill. These species are all on the

agenda this month on this region’s waters, providing great sport and memories.

June Bassing So many of our local lakes and ponds hold excellent smalland largemouth bass populations. The big lake, Sebago, is an exceptional fishery for both species of bass.

Each summer, tournaments are held on the lake, and they attract many participants.

Last June, while on a Covid-imposed workfrom-home schedule, I had a great idea. I’d enjoy my lunch break casting a fly from the end of my dock, working the fly toward the shore. We always have bass spawn along our sandy and gravely shoreline, so I was confident I’d connect.

I grabbed my 4-weight rod and tied

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on a small streamer, a Supervisor pattern, and headed out on the dock. After my second or third cast, stripping the fly close to the bottom, I latched onto a feisty two-pound smallmouth. It sure was fun playing that bass on the light rod, and it gave me a guilty pleasure fishing while working, well, on my lunch break!

I had fun with the fly and plan to target bass like that more often. I’ll likely take my canoe and work the shoreline with streamers again. A popper on a floating line would also work well.

Working the shoreline and casting into it produces well this month. Almost any lure will catch fish if it’s dragged through a bass nest. I prefer heavier spoons, as they cast well and sink quickly. Dardevle lures are perfect for this type of fishing. I bet you have a few of those in the old tackle box.

Thompson Lake (Map 5 A-2) in Poland is another top bass lake for June anglers to hit. While it is built up, there are quite a few stretches of undeveloped shoreline to target.

Another of my favorite bass lakes is

Young Evalyn Carano of Massachusetts boated this hefty lake trout while she and her family were guided by the author on Sebago Lake. Photo by Tom Roth

Little Sebago Lake (Map 5, C-2). Little Sebago has great structure and rock piles to target bass, both during spawning and non-spawning periods.

To the north, Lake Auburn (Map 11, E-4) is my prime bass pick this month. Virtually undeveloped, Lake Auburn has some great sandy stretches that are dotted with bass beds this time of year.

Laker Action Lakers are always on the bite on Sebago Lake, Thompson Lake and Lake Auburn.

If you want numbers, both Sebago and Thompson Lakes produce well. If you want a chance at a big fish, I’d recommend Lake Auburn and Sebago Lake.

When targeting

lakers, I employ two methods. Primarily I run two downriggers just above bottom, and use bait or lures.

Smelt and shiners work well when trolled slowly – 1 to 1.5 MPH. Lures dragged faster to give them good action are also in my arsenal. I prefer Northeast Troller spoons or Mooselook wobblers in copper, nickel or orange patterns.

If things are slow with the downriggers I’ll pull out the big Flatfish and drag it behind using leadcore line. Hitting sandy humps and letting the Flatfish dig into the sand proves irresistible for many lakers, and I seem to get bigger ones this way.

I like green frog patterns or orange flatfish (Continued on next page)

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using this technique.

Pike Pleasures Northern pike have been illegally introduced in many area lakes and are now established, so why not fish for them? Recently, fellow Sebago guide

Dan Hillier has been having a blast casting big streamer flies to pike in the shallows of Sebago Lake. Targeting weedy and shallow patches of water, he tries to spot them in the lake’s crystal-clear water and cast in front of them. Nothing beats a pike on a fly rod!

Another big pike destination in this region is Sabattus Pond (Map 12, E-1) in Sabattus. Sabattus has long been a top ice fishing destination for these toothy creatures, but summer angling for them is equally productive. Try big spoons or plugs, or give Dan’s

fly method a shot.

Another top pike water in the region is Taylor Pond (Map 11, E-4). Since there’s no public launch, you will need to know someone to get on the pond, but the abundant northerns will be worth the request.

June signals the

start of summer, and our lakes and ponds will quickly get busy.

June also hosts the best bass angling of the season, but big lakers and pike are on the plate, as well. Get out on the water and give these fish a try.

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MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: Black Crappie by Steve Vose

The Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) is a species native to the Eastern United States and Canada.

Due the popularity of the Black Crappie as a sport and commercial game fish, illegal stocking efforts quickly expanded the fish’s range to all 48 contiguous United States, including Maine.

Also known as Calico Bass or just plain Crappie, the Black Crappie possesses a rich silvery-olive to golden brown coloration overlaid with a pattern of dark black blotches. The laterally compressed body and dorsal fin spines make the Black Crappie closely resemble bass and sunfish species.

The largest Black Crappie caught

Questions 1. What is the native range of the Black Crappie?

2. Due to illegal stocking, where can Black Crappies now be found?

in Maine was a 3 lb., 9.76 oz specimen pulled from Messalonskee Lake by Quinn Warren in 2012.

Breeding typically occurs in spring in nests built by the male. Males build nests by using their tails to create shal3. What other names does the Black Crappie go by?

4. How much did the largest Black Crappie caught in Maine weigh?

5. When do Black Crappies spawn?

low depressions in sheltered waters near shore. Female crappies deposit eggs in these depressions. Males release milt to fertilize the eggs, and eggs and sperm become randomly mixed.

After spawning, the male guards the nest until eggs hatch 2-3 days after initial fertilization occurs. As fry grow into fingerlings and finally adults, they feed on a progressively larger and wider array of plankton, crustaceans, insects and small fish.

Black Crappies reach maturity between 2 and 4 years, with those hatchlings fortunate enough to evade predators living for up to seven years in the wilds and fifteen years in captivity.

6. What do Black Crappies feed on?

7. How long does it take for Black Crappies to reach maturity?

8. How long do Black Crappies live?

Answers on Page 75

Trophy Gallery

Gavin Kronholm of Searsport was 13 years old when he achieved the coveted 2021 Maine Grand Slam, including this impressive 10-pt. buck, certified by Belfast Variety on Rte. 52. Gavin also scored a 21.5-lb. turkey in Northport, a bear in Franklin, and a bull moose in Allagash.

He was accompanied on his hunts by his father, Jerod.

Kyle Griffis of Fulton, NY (shown on the left) bagged this 911-lb. bull moose in Stockholm, ME (Zone 3) on October 1, 2021, using a Kimber .300 WSM. The rack had a maximum spread of 43” and featured 19 points. With Kyle is his son Matt. The hunters were guided by Rob Estes of Lugdon Lodge, Eagle Lake.

Joshua Gauthier of Hebron used a crossbow to earn his Biggest Bucks in Maine patch with this impressive 11-point, 221-lb. buck taken October 4, 2021. The weight was certified by Bradley Pratt at Northland True Value in Turner. www.MaineSportsman.com

62 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

A Successful Turkey Hunter Reveals His Secrets The 2021 spring turkey season was truly epic. Due to the pandemic, I had much more time available to get out in the spring turkey woods scouting and hunting these biggame animals. I hunted throughout May with an assortment of friends and family, and just about everyone walked out of the woods hauling a longbeard. As a group, we harvested 13 turkeys – enough to keep us all well supplied with turkey nuggets, turkey meatballs, turkey meatloaf and turkey taco mix for months.

Secret to Success; Lessons Learned If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – if you want to consistently shoot turkeys, you must stay mobile. As a long-time deer hunter, I first started hunting turkey using the same tactics I used when deer hunting – find a location with good sign, sit in a spot with good visibility, and wait. While this tactic does also work with turkeys, I have seen my success rate skyrocket by stalking, listening and spotting. I must thank my kids for forcing me to change my tactics, for their average time sitting still is around 20 minutes.

One of my favorite time to hunt turkeys is when it is lightly raining. “Turkeys love the slop,” is one of my www.MaineSportsman.com

The author’s favorite turkey-hunting position is sitting with his back to a large tree, shotgun resting on his right knee, with the butt of the gun firmly held in position under his armpit. This way, he can use his box call, and employ minimal movement to shoot. Hiding is also easy – he says with a small piece of burlap and a couple of clothes pins, he is practically invisible, even from a turkey’s sharp eyes.

The author’s brother Matt Vose and Matt’s daughter Brianna Vose with Brianna’s two-turkey harvest from 2021 Youth Day. Steve Vose photo

favorite sayings. If old tom sees movement, the jig is usually up; however, a hunter can typically use adverse weather like wind and rain to his or her advantage to mask

movements and sneak to within range of a good shot. Rain hitting the leaves helps mask the sound of movement, and cloud cover creates dark shadows in the woods, also fa-

cilitating stealthy movements. Finally, rain causes all kinds of different bugs and worms to be washed out of cover, and the turkeys are typically out in droves looking

for these tasty morsels.

Walk through the woods like a turkey is around every corner.

Slowly and carefully peek over that hill, around that field corner or that bend in the road, and you’ll rarely be surprised. Like other predators, you must use edge cover.

Never walk down the middle of a field or road, and only stray a few feet from good cover when stalking.

Before calling, scan for good places to set up – brush pile, large tree, or stump. That way if a gobble suddenly erupts, you can quickly get into a good shooting position.

New and old hunters alike will benefit from taking time before the start of the season to practice their preferred shooting positions. My favorite position is sitting with my back to a large tree with my shotgun resting on my right knee and firmly held in position under my armpit. In this position, I can use my box call and employ minimal movement to shoot.

This setup is simple, requiring only a lightweight seat cushion if the ground is wet.

With a small piece of burlap and a couple clothes pins, a hunter can practically disappear from a turkey’s sharp eyes in seconds.

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Cody was a Good Dog A mile from the camp, Dad stopped the Jeep and opened the door. Cody jumped out. “What’s this?”

I asked. “He likes to lead,” replied Dad. And sure enough, the collie ran ahead of the vehicle, all the way to camp.

Collie dog – free to a good home, the little scrap of paper said.

My sister found the ad on the bulletin board at Hannaford’s.

Free. Good home.

Sounded right.

Ever since Mom had died, Dad had lived alone. Ruthie and I thought he should have a dog.

“You should get a dog,” we told him.

“What do I want a dog for?” he scowled.

“A dog would be company. It’s not good to be alone.”

“I’m alright. I don’t need no dog.”

Ruthie grabbed the slip of paper and showed it to Dad. “Come on,” she said, “we’ll go together.”

Dad Meets “Colby” They found the apartment on a Biddeford side street and knocked on the door.

“We’ve come to see the dog,” she told the boy who answered. “Mom,” he yelled. “People here about the dog.”

A middle-aged woman greeted them and said, “We can’t keep him. Landlord made a fuss. He’s a good dog.” Then she nodded at the teenager and said, “Get Colby.”

The boy brought a medium sized col-

lie-like dog. “You take good care of him?” the lady asked.

Dad looked at the dog. Growing up, our family dog was a farm collie. Wonderful dog.

Protected us kids, and was one of our family, Dad leaned over and patted Colby’s head. “You want to come home with me?” he asked. And Colby did.

Made For Each Other For sure there was some collie in him somewhere, but maybe some spaniel and a little corgi. Hard to tell.

Dad registered him as a collie, and changed his name to Cody.

“Colby” didn’t exactly roll off your tongue, and Dad couldn’t remember it anyway, so he just called the dog Cody.

We quickly discovered they deserved each other. They were like bachelor roommates, each living independently.

Dad didn’t ask much of Cody and Cody didn’t need much from Dad. They got along.

Dad had no desire to walk the dog. He just let Cody out, and Cody came back and barked at the door to be let in. At night, Cody slept at the foot

of Dad’s bed. During meals he lay under the kitchen table.

Cody Leads the Way to Camp The months went by, and the two became inseparable – in their own way. Dad never had a leash for Cody. He just let him go and trusted him, I guess. When we told Dad that was not fair to Cody and that he could get hurt, Dad just shrugged. “He knows where his supper dish is.”

I rode to the camp with them, and when Dad turned onto the camp road he stopped, opened the door, and Cody jumped out.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“He likes to lead,” Dad said.

Sure enough, Cody ran ahead of the Jeep leading the mile to the pond and the camp.

I said, “When did he start doing that?” Dad replied, “Oh, one day he asked me to let him out of the Jeep, and I did.”

Almost Lost Dad almost lost Cody once. He was visiting an old friend in Standish, and as usual he just let Cody out of the Jeep. When the visit was over, he called for Cody, but the dog didn’t show up.

Cody, a collie owned by the author’s father, offered invaluable companionship to the aging widower. Randall family photo

Dad waited and called and waited and became concerned. He grew very anxious. He began driving all the side streets, and about a block away he found Cody beside the road.

No dog was ever happier to see Dad slow to a stop and throw open the Jeep door. Dad scolded, “What a scare you gave me,” and he ruffled Cody’s ears.

Encounter with Law Enforcement The years rolled on. Dad and Cody lived summers at the camp. One fall we drove to Presque Isle to visit relatives, and Cody roamed the woods and the potato fields of Aroostook. So Cody would be seen, Dad cut a hole in an orange knit hunting cap and pulled it on over Cody’s head.

They were on their way to camp when a flock of turkeys strutted across the Gould Road. Cody jumped into Dad’s lap, blocking the steering wheel.

Dad slammed on the brakes.

Right behind him was a police officer.

She flipped on the blue

lights and approached Dad and Cody.

Dad did his best to explain about the turkeys and about Cody getting excited. The officer listened.

“Mr. Randall,” she said, “your dog could have caused an accident.” Dad said, “I know it.” She said, “Get one of those car barriers, and make Cody ride in the back, okay?”

“Yes Ma’am,” Dad said.

He never did buy a dog barrier.

When Dad died, we took Cody in. He lived with us another two or three years, and like Dad, we let Cody do his own thing and we didn’t ask too much of him. He’d been a wonderful companion for our father during his last years. In their own way, they needed each other and they got along – friends to the end.

The day we had to have him put down, I sat in the car and cried and cried. I kept repeating, “He was a good dog – a good dog.”

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64 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Tom Homes In on the Elusive Stripers Tom struck out in his search for stripers in his area last year. This year, the stars are aligned, he’s got his fishing hotspots selected, and he’s ready for action.

For me, it seems that striped bass are always someplace that I’m not. This stands especially true now that I live in a different part of the Midcoast region from where I grew up.

Last year saw me casting from shore on the Penobscot River in Winterport, a river town south of Bangor.

I was assured that if I just hit it right, sooner or later the stripers would cooperate.

Despite spending considerable time at this spot, I never got a bite.

It was difficult to fish very far down because of the powerful current. I would cast upstream, and only by reeling like mad as soon as the lure hit the water, could I get anything like a decent run before my offering was swept downstream.

My host told me that since the removal of an upstream dam, the current’s flow had increased considerably.

In fact, when the tide ran at full tilt, it was hard to keep up with it

by running.

I did see fish at this spot, but most of them remained out of casting range. Fish that were close enough to cast to never bit. Perhaps they were shad, a fish that would not respond to the large plugs used for stripers.

Old Favorite By late summer, my enthusiasm waned, and striper fishing no longer interested me. This was in part due to the lack of success earlier in the season. Besides that, other fish had taken my interest.

Instead of striper fishing, I spent some time mackerel fishing off the Rockland Breakwater.

This place, an old favorite, never fails to produce.

Besides that, being one mile out across the mouth of Rockland Harbor, mackerel run larger than those taken closer in. After a good day’s mackerel fishing, I’ll have broiled mackerel cooked on the grill and

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slathered with lemon juice, for a week or until the fish run out, whichever comes first.

Also, since trout – and salmonids in general – are my first love, I devoted the balance of my free time to pursuing them. Some newly found streams produced for me, and lake fishing gave up salmon and togue.

June ranks as one of the better months for lake trolling for togue and salmon.

It wasn’t a bad year for me in general, considering that I spent so much time familiarizing myself with my new fishing and hunting territory.

In fact, it will probably take another year or so to become fully acquainted with my new outdoor surroundings.

But that excites me, in that it is physically and mentally stimulating to research new places and then visit them.

Only later in the season did I rediscover another good striper location. I have fished from the Fishermen’s Float at Fort Point on Cape Jellison in the past for mackerel, harbor pollock and stripers, but somehow had put it out of my mind in recent years. That was, until I learned that people were catching big stripers

Andy Collar holds one of the elusive striped bass that Tom has been unable to catch. Tom Seymour photo

off the sandspit at the very end of the point at Fort Point State Park.

By the time this information came to me, it was too late in the season to bother, so I determined to hit Fort Point, perhaps this month, when stripers first begin to filter into the northern reaches of Penobscot Bay. For those who might wish to try this spot, be forewarned that there is a dangerous rip current off the point, so wading is not advised. See Fort Point State Park on the DeLorme Atlas, Map 15, A-2.

Swan Lake According to trapnet survey results from last fall’s trapnetting by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), Swan Lake has a thriving salmon population. Numbers are up, and these in-

clude many good-sized fish. Besides that, the lake has an over-abundance of togue, and anglers are requested to keep any legal togue they catch.

Also, DIF&W stocks Swan Lake with brook trout in spring and fall. Between April and May of 2021, the department released 800 7- to 10inch brookies, followed by 500 14-inch trout in November. Note that these lengths are averages, and some fish can run much larger than stated.

According to my buddy Tony Wieman, who lives on the lake and spends lots of time ice fishing in front of his house, while last year was a banner season for togue, brook trout were far and few between. This means (Midcoast Report continued on page 67)

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Two Downeast Counties Offer Exciting June Fishing Spin-casters and fly-rod anglers can find plenty of salmonid action on a multitude of waters this month.

Hancock and Washington County both offer fast trout action in June. According to Region C fisheries biologist Greg Burr, “With this winter’s poor ice conditions – which limited ice fishing – there will again be more trout and salmon held over to the spring fishery.”

By referring to DeLorme’s, The Maine Atlas, as well as the 2022 Maine stocking report, anglers can be informed as to where trout are being stocked in Hancock County and Washington County.

Pond Trout Action An excellent water to catch a few spring brookies is Salmon Pond (Map 24, D-5).

One water that should offer outstanding fishing results is Molasses Pond in East Brook (Map 24, C-3). Molasses Pond is 1,252-acre water with a maximum depth of 47 feet. Molasses was stocked in the fall of 2021 with 500 12-inch brook trout, 42 14inch salmon, and 34 16-inch salmon.

This 10-acre pond receives an annual stocking of 300 brook trout, and is open to general-law-fishing regulations. According to fly-fisherman Jim Sohns of Bucksport, hiking into this small pond takes only about 10 minute walk from Route 182. It can be reached by a foot trail that begins at the ex-

treme western end of Spring River Lake.

The trail is sufficiently wide and clear to enable anglers to carry in a canoe or kayak.

Brook trout in the 6-inch range are the norm, with a few 12- to 14- inch trout taken by skilled, persistent anglers. Although most of the pond is fairly deep, some shallow

areas with large underwater boulders are found in the eastern section. Trout here feed on smelts, shiners, leeches, dragonfly nymphs and newts.

Another new trout water is Williams Pond, T28MD. It is a small, 19-acre pond in eastern Hancock County (Map 24, A-5).

This was stocked in

the fall of 2021 with 250 13-inch brook trout.

Williams Pond provides fine water quality for brook trout, but pickerel are present and probably limit the fishery.

To get there, take the Beddington CCC Road from Rte. 9, “the Airline,” at Beddington, and bear left in the general vicinity of Gould Brook. The pond is in the Narraguagus River drainage. There is no publicly owned boat landing.

(Downeast Region continued on page 67)

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66 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

How Do Timber Harvest Rules Protect Water and Habitat?

This month, let’s look at timber harvesting regulations and how education, outreach and enforcement protect our environment.

Maine’s timber harvesting rules are designed to protect our water quality and maintain essential habitat. Limits on clearcut size and requirements for forest regeneration are aimed to maintain a diversity of habitats and a sustainable forest resource.

The Maine Forest Service’s full formal rules can be found in Chapters 20 through 30, including Forest Regeneration & Clearcutting Standards; Statewide Standards for Timber Harvesting and Related Activities in Shoreland Areas; and Forest Operations Notification Standards.

A summary booklet called The Forest Rules of Maine- A Practical Guide for Foresters, Loggers and Woodlot Owners (2017) hits the highlights.

In addition, a helpful companion booklet called Best Management Practices for Forestry: Protecting Maine’s Water Quality explains both the enforceable regulations as well as recommended “BMPs” for protecting water quality in shoreland areas and near protected natural resources such www.MaineSportsman.com

Small and large landowners ask, “Why are the timber harvesting regulations so complicated?”

The answer is that in a state as large as Maine, simple one-size-fits-all solutions are rarely satisfactory to anyone.

Although it may not always look pretty, branches laid down on skidder trails can slow soil disturbance, rutting and erosion. Photo: Maine Forest Service

as streams and wetlands.

Education and Outreach Patty Cormier, Director of the Maine Forest Service, emphasizes the agency’s focus on ensuring com-

pliance through education and outreach.

“Our agency focuses on educating and informing landowners to reduce the possibility of violations,” she said. “When violations do occur, however, we have a responsibility

to uphold the law. We take this and our other responsibilities very seriously.”

Landowners who wish to harvest timber are always advised to hire a professional forester and a certified logger with good repu-

tations for respecting and understanding the regulations.

In Maine, professional foresters must be licensed by the state, which requires passing an examination and demonstrating relevant experience. Foresters hold a college-level degree that prepares them for the science and practice of managing a forest for multiple uses, including growing trees for commercial harvest, managing wildlife habitat, protecting ecological functions, and allowing for recreation and other land uses.

Foresters work with landowners to develop land management plans to achieve the landowner’s specific goals. They determine the value of the standing timber, plan and schedule harvests, and arrange for transportation and sale of the wood products in a dynamic marketplace.

Maine has a Certified Logging Professional program to train loggers and operators to work safely and in a manner that protects, enhances and sustains the forest. Loggers harvest the trees, haul the wood to a landing, cut the logs to different lengths, sort the wood into different species and grades, and load the wood for transport to mills. They are the boots on the ground, and must comply with (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 67 (Continued from page 66)

the rules on a day-today basis.

It typically works best when professional foresters and certified loggers work together to be sure the harvest is done properly, consistent with Maine’s forestry regulations.

Who Enforces the Regulations?

The Maine Forest Service has primary responsibility for enforcing timber harvesting standards.

Local code enforcement officers also have responsibility for town-specific timber harvesting ordinances and zoning regulations under Maine’s Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act.

One of the more common violations they see is when a landowner fails to prepare a harvest plan with a licensed forester and then creates clearcuts larger than 20 acres that don’t meet required separation zones.

Penalties for these violations might range from $2,000 to $30,000, depending on the scope and severity of the violations.

Other typical violations include: • Improper timber harvesting in the Shoreland Zone, especially in Resource Protection areas within 75 feet of a great pond; • Failure to adequately stabilize ex-

Midcoast Report (Continued from page 64)

that the bulk of those larger brookies released last fall remain available to

Downeast Region (Continued from page 65)

Bigger Waters An excellent bet to catch brook trout is Fox Pond. This water is found along Route 182 between Hancock and Cherryfield (Map 24, D-5). This small 77-acre brook-trout water was stocked last fall with 1,350 hatchery brookies of the 7- to 12-inch variety, and should be stocked this spring with 400 10-inch brookies. According to Ian McKay of Bucksport, bait fishers often use worms and bobbers to fish for trout along the shorelines.

Once Fox warms up, fly-rod trollers use small streamers such as a Hornberg, a Little Brook Trout or a Gray Ghost to catch brookies. Wet flies such as the Copper John or a Woolly Bugger, when fished slowly on a wet line, can produce trout in the 10- to 12-inch range. A small beach at the eastern end provides a location from which to launch a small boat or canoe. Fox Pond offers a boat launching site and an ample amount of off- road parking.

Another water that should once again offer outstanding fishing results

posed soil on skid trail approaches to water crossings resulting in sedimentation of water bodies or the disturbance of stream banks and stream channels; and • Failure to get necessary permits for constructing bridges, culverts or stream crossings, or damage from improper sizing, installation or erosion control.

Any of these violations can result in a hefty fine.

Why So Complicated?

It is common to hear people complain, “Why are the regulations so complicated?

Why don’t we just ...?”

Their suggestions

range from a one-sizefits-all rule like “Ban clearcutting” to a more general “Take each situation on a caseby-case basis, and use common sense.”

In a state the size of Maine, a simple, one-size-fits-all rule rarely makes sense.

What works in southern Maine doesn’t work up north. A large landowner might have more technical resources at his or her disposal than a small landowner.

And if a state agency or town applies the “case-by-case” approach, people might say “We get a different answer every time – you’re just making it up as you go along.”

When an agency proposes new or revised regulations, they typically get swamped with comments. Everyone has a “Yes, but…” exception. Many are helpful and make good sense.

So, the agency makes adjustments, finds compromises, or carves out reasonable exceptions.

And the rules get more complicated. The pages pile up. Such is the nature of the public process.

In the end, the rules are important to protect our forest resources, our water resources, and our wildlife.

¶

anglers this year in open water. By the way, Tony’s largest togue measured 24 inches – not a bad fish at all. Another angler whom Tony met had taken a 5-pound togue in the relatively shallow

water near the south end of the lake.

This presages good fishing this year, so if you can, try to hit Swan Lake.

is Molasses Pond in East Brook (Map 24, C-3). Molasses Pond is 1,252-acre water with a maximum depth of 47 feet. A good road goes by the north end where a swimming area, beach, and boat launch site is available for public use. The shoreline is moderately developed with camps. Theis pond provides acceptable habitat for salmonids.

White perch provide an excellent sport for anglers here. Perch in the 10- to 11-inch range are often part of a daily catch. Smallmouth bass are also present, providing anglers with warm-water excitement throughout most of the summer months.

Molasses was stocked in the fall of 2021 with 500 12-inch brook trout, 42 14-inch salmon and 34 16-inch salmon. The good news on this water is that many of these salmonoids may still be available for June anglers to catch.

This is only one of several other success stories that I will share with you in my future columns where Region C biologists have drastically improved the fisheries of Downeast waters.

Three small, isolated Washington County brook-trout ponds create June brook-trout excitement. The three

Spectacle Ponds in Deblois are newly stocked kettle-hole ponds (Map 25, C-2). These waters were stocked in spring 2021 with 700 11- to-13-inch brook trout. Anglers can access these waters from the Schoodic Lake Road that goes through the barrens off the Hatchery Lake Road. A short carry of 50 feet will bring you to the pond. The Spectacle Ponds are located in behind Pineo Pond.

The pond splits into two basins, each being less than 10 acres and no more than 16 feet deep. According to Region C Fisheries Biologist Greg Burr, “These ponds are producing nice-looking brookies.” Both of these ponds have carry-in access.

The third pond, a secluded water, is Upper Spectacle Pond in T19MD. It was stocked in the fall of 2020 with 850 7-inch brookies (Map 25, B-4). This pond has a carry-in trail that is approximately 400 feet long. Upper Spec. is approximately 25 acres and is 30 feet deep. This pond also contains yellow perch and chain pickerel. Anglers may find additional excitement by fishing for these warm-water fish.

¶

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

68 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Take Time for Wildlife Watching When it comes to fishing, I admit to having a one-track mind.

When it’s time to get out on the water, other concerns become less important.

However, the outdoor world holds many rewards, and it behooves us all, once in a while, to take time to consider the wider perspective.

One of the great things about being an outdoors person is that we get to spend time in situations where we can experience up-close and personal encounters with wildlife. I sometimes forget this, being mostly concerned with three kinds of wildlife – trout, salmon and togue. But there are many other critters out there that warrant our interest.

The Moosehead Region ranks as a prime wildlife-watching area. In fact, area guides cater to eco-tourists – people who visit the area solely for the purpose of viewing wildlife

The author says he’s usually interested in only three kinds of wildlife – trout, salmon and togue. So every so often, he has to remind himself to look around and enjoy the rest of Maine’s natural world, from moose and eagles to Canada jays and mink.

Cow moose such as this are always a possibility for wildlife-watchers in the Moosehead Region. Eric Holbrook photo

amidst magnificent scenery. And rarely are these visitors disappointed. Never seen a moose? Then take a trip with an area guide, and your chances of seeing a moose, or even many moose, improve dramatically.

Moose aren’t the only wild animals you might encounter on a wildlife-viewing trip

Keep an eye out for spruce grouse out pecking grit from paper company roads. Tom Seymour photo

to the Moosehead Region. Bobcats, coyotes, snowshoe hares, whitetailed deer, mink, bald eagles and spruce grouse are all possibilities. And while any month has its retinue of dominant wildlife species, June ranks as prime time. Wild parents now have their newborn young in tow, making for even more interesting viewing.

Day Trip If you are a do-ityourselfer, a day trip can prove fruitful. The vast network of paper

company roads in and around the Moosehead Region offer many hours of driving through a variety of terrains, from steep mountainsides, wideopen regenerating clearcuts and lowland marshes, to streams, rivers, ponds and beaver flowages. If you are unfamiliar with the road system, make sure to state your intentions at the gate when you enter North Maine Woods property. Ask the gatekeeper for suggestions as

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to where you might go, and check out any available maps. Road conditions change frequently, and roads are sometimes opened or closed without notice.

Dress appropriately. Even in June, cool weather can dominate early mornings and evenings. Also, bring enough food and water to tide you over in case of a breakdown.

And note that many areas lack cell phone coverage.

However, places where you can get a signal are clearly marked. Finally, don’t forget binoculars and cameras, since you may come upon an unforgettable scene at any turn of the road.

Caveats and precautions aside, it pays to begin your drive as early in the day as possible. This is when game animals are most active. The same goes for dusk, but by then you probably need to be heading out of the woods. When driving past cut-over areas, slow down or stop and scan in all directions for moose. On the other hand, you may find a moose standing just around the next bend in the road. Be ready at all times for a chance encounter.

The Critters While moose rank as a big draw, other wildlife species demand our attention as well. For instance, spruce grouse, a denizen of the northern (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 69 (Continued from page 68)

conifer forest, have little fear of man. If pursued, they will often walk away rather than fly. Male spruce grouse have black breasts, with white barring on each side, a shorter tail than ruffed grouse and a small comb of red skin above the eye.

Females are a shade of rust-brown, with barred breasts. The

north woods are home to spruce grouse, and you probably won’t see them anywhere else.

Another interesting bird you are sure to encounter is the gray jay, or Canada jay.

These little guys frequent the many public campsites throughout the region, waiting for visitors to have a lunch at the picnic tables, at which point the bird comes near,

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calling and begging for table scraps. It must be a lucrative business, since I’ve never seen a skinny gray jay.

Gray jays are gray and white, and they lack the head crest found on blue jays.

Be sure to stop at stream crossings, especially where larger streams cross, and get out to inspect the area.

You may see a mink hunting for trout. If

you happen to see small, wet tracks on streamside rocks, a mink has probably just passed. I once watched a mink hunting underwater. It poked rocks with its snout, tail fanned out as if feathered. When the mink climbed out on the bank, its fur was compressed, and it appeared to be a much smaller animal. On slow-moving streams,

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If you haven’t done so already, why not take some time to view the wonderful wildlife of the Moosehead Region?

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70 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Winchester’s New Shotgun Gives Lefties Cause for Rejoicing Every year, American arms manufacturers tumble onto the market a plethora of new or improved products. Sometimes they come forth with completely new designs.

At other times, they merely apply technical advancements to long-proven systems, making what’s old, new again.

These annual releases may go well beyond firearms themselves and include clearer, more powerful sighting systems, improved ergonomics and finishes, developments in ammunition, and introduction of all manner of accoutrements. Sometimes the spring floods include clothing and footwear for shooting sportsmen, and these days the announcements even pertain to such items as sound suppressors and muzzle brakes.

Winchester is on to something positive with this nod to the many who fire their shotguns from the left shoulder, says the author. Any southpaw, he opines, should celebrate these additions to the marketplace.

The brand new Winchester Super X4 for left-handed shooters promises to be a game-changer in the limited world of firearms for lefties. Photo credit: Winchester Arms

For this year, Winchester Repeating Arms should win the prize for providing a significant segment of the wingshooting population with what American Rifleman magazine said was “reason to rejoice.”

In its section on new shooting products for 2022, the magazine

said of Winchester that “for the first time ever, the company is producing left-ejecting versions of its 12-gauge Super X4 semi-automatic shotgun.”

Southpaws are the most underserved portion of the shooting public, bar none.

This is especially true when it comes to shotguns. Left-handed riflemen can learn to operate a bolt-action backwards. They may learn to duck the hot brasses ejected from a lever-action. However, shotguns offer few workarounds.

Very few makers offer any semi-auto-

matic or slide-action (pump) shotguns for anyone who shoots from the left side.

Some lefties opt to use side-by-side or over/ under break-action shotguns. But even these offer less-thanideal service, in that their operating lever pushes to the right, thus forcing the shooter to push across the bulk of the firearm.

We can only guess at how many left-handed wingshooters give up the sport out of frustration with their weapons.

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genuine options for the tens of thousands of affected shooters. The Super X represents long success for Winchester, pre-dating the company’s departure from Hartford, Connecticut to new facilities in Columbia, South Carolina in 2006.

The Super X4 descends from the gas-operated Super X-1 made by Winchester between 1974 and 1981. In 1999, Winchester brought out the Super X2, which added a threeinch or three-and-ahalf- inch chamber, and removable Invector choke tubes.

2006 saw the introduction of the Super X3 and what evolved into 25 variations on a theme. Desirable changes to the Super X3 led to the Super X4 in 2017 for the 12-gauge version, and 2019 for a 20-gauge.

The introduction of the Super X4 left-handed version on the show circuit last winter brought the number of variations of the Super X4 to 12, and probably even more with the number of different camouflage paint schemes to be had.

If a manufacturer offers a left-handed firearm, likely it comes with few or no options.

Current makers just do not invest many resources or efforts toward the left. Even makers of specialty arms for female shooters invest practically (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 71 (Continued from page 70)

nothing in producing for an even larger number of shooters— the lefties. Women certainly are a growing portion of gun buyers, but they are small in number compared to those who shoot from the left side.

At its advent, the Super X4 appears to be a worthy turn of the market.

Great Opportunity Winchester offers the left-handed Super X4 in five different versions. All may be acquired with threeinch or three-and-ahalf-inch chambers, making it an outstanding choice for waterfowlers, turkey hunters, and even deer hunters. Both 26” and 28” length barrels with a ventilated rib, TruGlo fiber optic sight, and full, modified, and improved cylinder choke

tubes are available.

The version that Winchester calls “Standard” uses a black synthetic stock and forearm with textured surfaces at the gripping points. The waterfowl-, and yes, turkey-suitable versions come fully finished in either Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Habit, Mossy Oak Bottomland, or Realtree Max-7 camo patterns.

The Field version stands out as something even more special. It maintains all the features and options of the other variations, such as the Inflex Technology recoil pad with spacers to adjust the length of pull, and the crucial ambidextrous safety switch that anyone can safely and comfortably operate. The Field version’s buttstock and forearm are Turkish walnut with a

rich oil finish. This is the shotgun that looks most like its Super X-1 predecessors.

Unfortunately, the left-handed Super X4 is not available in 20 gauge. At least, not yet. A tremendous market exists for the smaller gauges, and Winchester could sell a boatload. Hopefully, the company will offer a 20-gauge version in the near future. Likewise, the model could be improved with an availability of slug barrels for deer hunters.

In any case, Winchester is on to something positive with this nod to the many who do their shooting from the left shoulder.

Any leftie ought to be celebrating this addition to the marketplace. The Super X4 is a fine start.

¶

Trophy Gallery

Zone 4 Produces Trophy Moose Dustin Howes of Morrill, Maine earned his Maine Sportsman Moose Hunter’s patch, using a 7mm Remington Magnum in Zone 4 on October 11, 2021 to drop this 726-lb. (dressed weight) bull moose. The antlers featured a 40” spread, and 15 points.

www.MaineSportsman.com

72 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Counting Our Ducks For a number of years, my working partner was warden Bill Pidgeon. Every September about a week before the opening of waterfowl season, Bill would get excited and have an obvious spring in his step, since duck hunting was his favorite event. Of course, these duck expeditions were law enforcement functions, but to fit in with the hunters and maintain our cover, we were obligated to act like hunters and make a decent attempt at shooting some ducks, and once in a while we would down one for Bill’s black lab, Bernie, to retrieve.

I wasn’t crazily obsessed with this waterfowl initiative, but to keep peace I tagged along and got into the swing of things as best I could – this included getting out of bed before daylight, and being severely admonished if I was tardy.

Bill would warn me to be ready in the morning, but getting up that early after being out late the night before was hard to deal with. In fact, my wife was more than a little alarmed when, one dark morning, someone rapped on our bedroom window and yelled, “Get out of bed, you SOB – we’ve got to get going!”

And we didn’t go hunting only in the morning; we also had to go in late afternoon.

We would take either www.MaineSportsman.com

The author was so certain of a righteous bust that he filled out the court summons in advance – all except the defendants’ names and addresses, which he planned to complete when they all met at the boat landing. his canoe or my sixteen-foot open boat, depending where we were going. We would utilize the boat on larger bodies of water, and used a camouflage cover for concealment.

Carlton Bog on a Windy Day One particular afternoon, we hastily decided to go to Carlton Bog in Troy, and take my boat, since it was a rather long paddle and also the wind was blowing some.

We hurried down to the boat launch with an unmarked truck that we had borrowed from the wildlife division, launched, and proceeded over into the eastern arm of the bog, put out our tollers, and concealed our boat as best we could.

There was one hunting party already there, and another one arrived shortly after we did. A few blacks were flying, along with several small groups of teal that were darting here and there in typical teal fashion.

Late in the afternoon, we all did a little shooting. I blasted at a squadron of teal, but came up empty. We really didn’t care about downing any birds, but wanted to make it look like we were trying.

As it typically hap-

pens, just before and after sunset, the birds become much more active, and the two other parties got to do some shooting. As the legal closing time approached, we would often pop up like we were going to shoot but would be a little late, as if we did not see the ducks in time.

Violations Aplenty Right at sunset, one of the parties picked up and headed off towards the landing. We did not believe there was a real need to check them, as their activities appeared to be all above board, and it looked like it would be in our best interest to stay with the other group and just pick up when they did, and follow them back to the landing.

That turned out to be the case, as they stayed in place well past legal shooting hours. They kept blasting away in the twilight, with fire coming out the ends of their barrels.

Since it was obvious we would be addressing some violations with these two guys, I decided to save a little time and make out a couple of court summonses in advance, leaving the names blank, as we

could finish up down at the landing. In addition to shooting late, they had also failed to make an effort to retrieve some birds.

When it became so dark that further hunting was not possible, they started to pick up and we followed suit, timing it so we could follow close behind them all the way to the landing.

Up the Bog Without a Prop Things were working just as planned as I headed into the wind at a safe distance behind our hunters. My 15-horsepower (I won’t mention the make) outboard I’d been using since the previous spring was running fine, even though I did not care for it and all summer had wished I had my old 20-h.p.

Johnson back.

Some weeds fouled up my prop, so I stopped and put the motor in reverse to spin the weeds off. However, things didn’t sound just right.

When I pulled the motor back into forward gear, the motor revved up but nothing happened. I turned the throttle back and tipped the motor up; to my surprise there was no longer any prop at the end of the shaft. I

said, “Bill, quick! Yell to those guys ahead of us – they don’t know who we are, and we can get them to give us a tow.” Bill tried, but with the combination of wind and their motor running, they could not hear us, and kept going out around the point.

Two Options, Both Bad There we were, adrift, in the dark with the wind blowing us back towards the east end of the bog. Our hunters had ridden off into the sunset, and we were in a fine fix, with the realization that there were only two options available.

We had a portable radio, so maybe we could get ahold of someone to come retrieve us, or we could drift back into the marshy east end of the bog and wade through waistdeep water and walk through the woods up to the Rutland Road; there was no question that would be our second option.

After numerous attempts on the radio, we made contact with Warden Norm Gilbert, and after making us grovel, he and Warden John Ford got a boat and came to our rescue.

I was surprised Bill was accepting our predicament much better than I was, and creatively stated, “I guess we were counting our ducks before they quacked.”

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 73

When is a Canoe – a Canoe?

In 1966, when voters approved the referendum to create the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, their intent was clear. First, the State’s narrow strip of property, termed the “Restricted Zone,” was to be managed as wilderness. Second, the Allagash was to remain as a renowned canoeing experience.

During the formative years of the Waterway, Director Lawrence Stuart of the Maine Parks and Recreation Commission was the administrator who brought associates together to hammer out management details. As one can imagine, there were strong opinions from all sides of how the area should be operated, but eventually agreements ensued, and compromises were made.

For example, Chamberlain and Telos Lakes ended up with few watercraft restrictions, while outboard motors were banned on Allagash Lake. Another constraint to ensure a wilderness experience stipulated that any device with a motor was not allowed within the lake’s mile-zone from May to October. During the winter months, snowmobiles may be driven to the high-water mark of shore, but not onto the lake. Motorized ice augers were also banned on this most remote location.

A third specification, designed to ensure the river corridor as a canoe destination, stated that from Lock Dam north, only canoes and kayaks were allowed. And outboard motors were restricted to no larger than 10 horsepower.

During early discussions and establishment of rules, the question arose of how to define a canoe. According to Stuart, the Maine legislature got involved, and after a couple of days of discussion, finally endorsed a rule that simply stated, “A canoe is a form of a small watercraft long and narrow, sharp on both ends, or sharp on one end and blunt on the other, usually propelled by paddles or small motors, and having no sails.”

This obscure definition gave wiggle room for folks who wanted to bring a variety of crafts onto Allagash waters.

Some vessels were homemade, and others were rowed sport boats that looked nothing like a traditional canoe. With

measurements of 15 feet 4 inches long, 43 inches wide and with a transom width of 32 inches, it was clear these crafts were not meant to be paddled.

In attempts to circumvent the original canoe definition, there were those who registered what in effect were boats as canoes with their town clerks.

In the early 1980s Allagash Rangers were experiencing all sorts of innovative designs that did not even remotely provide a reasonable representation of a canoe. But the officers were hampered by the original rule, which was vague and hard to enforce.

To ensure that the Bureau met the expectation of original legislation, in my role as Supervisor I thought it best to clarify the state’s canoe definition.

For several days, I randomly measured the width and length of watercrafts on the Allagash and in surrounding communities. My effort was to simplify what a reasonable person would identify as a canoe.

Eventually I determined that the width of canoe-type crafts averaged eighteen percent of the length. To allow homemade crafts that were truly intended to be paddled as canoes, a rule was adapted as follows: “The width at the widest point shall not exceed 20% of the craft’s overall length, nor shall the tran-

som, if any, exceed 26 inches in width.

Measurements shall be the outside of the hull, but shall not include gunwales, rub rails, or spray rails, if any. 12 Maine Revised Statutes, §1872.2 This rule clarification gave rangers a workable tool to ensure a quality river canoeing experience. If a watercraft clearly could be viewed as canoe, measurements were not needed. However, if a vessel was of sport boat size or larger, then ranger had the measurement tool to fulfill their duties.

Students Build a Canoe for Rangers In the middle 1980s, the Bureau of Parks was experiencing difficult budget times, and yet the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW) needed a proper canoe for the Eagle Lake Ranger to patrol a water body that often became very rough. My good friend, Legendary Maine Guide Gil Gilpatrick, came to our rescue.

At the time, Gil was an instructor at Skowhegan’s Regional Vocational Center, where he taught Outdoor Resources.

When I explained our need, he offered to have his class build a Grand Lake Strip Canoe for our use. It was a craft that was not only durable, but beautiful to see, and performed well for many years.

Gil Gilpatrick’s Class turning canoe over to Supervisor Tim Caverly.

Today, people traveling the Allagash can rest assured they are contributing to a traditional canoeing experience.

Maine Guide Alexandra Bennett poling a canoe

Conover

Tim Caverly (www.allagashtails.com) has authored ten books about Maine’s northern forest.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

74 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

My Old Penobscot Wading Staff Telling Stories Again By the author’s last count, 13 boat ramps from Mattawamkeag to Bangor give him and his fellow river rats plenty of options for ramp-to-ramp day trips in search of Penobscot River smallmouth bass.

However, proceed with caution – one afternoon, the author watched a motorboat operator destroy the motor’s lower unit on a submerged rock.

“Here, I made you guys wading staffs,” offered Lenny Potvin.

“You’ll need ’em.”

So began my first trip to the Penobscot River over 20 years ago. With camper in tow and a new wading staff, we headed north until we landed at the Big Eddy Campground – two incredible developments that have stood the test of time.

First, the wading staff. Potvin made the four-foot-long stick from a piece of clear ash. Potvin, an off-the charts talented woodworker, didn’t just hand me any run-of-

the-mill scrap. He tapered it from one end to the other, radiused the edges and ends, and installed a narrow bungee cord on the handle end.

The bungee wrapped tight for a handle. When the bungee was unraveled and connected to my wading belt, the staff would float harmlessly downstream just out of my way. Worked like a charm. I still use that staff daily for walks and whenever my feet hit the water. Deep gouges in that clear ash reflect decades of hard use.

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West Penobscot River That long ago trip also fed my fascination with the Penobscot River in its entirety. Both the West Branch Penobscot and the East Branch have enough water to keep water rats like me amused for a lifetime.

Anglers flock to the river from Ripogenus Dam to the Abol Bridge to test the legendary allure of Maine’s fabled salmon river. This month, a prolific mayfly hatch attracts legions of fly rod enthusiasts sporting floating lines and match-the-hatch flies.

It’s rod bending salmon sipping bugs off the surface that draw wader-clad anglers deep into Maine’s north country. Access to the river requires sharing the iconic Golden Road with the logging industry and the resident moose.

On one trip up the Golden Road, we had to come to a complete stop while a cow moose got down on her front knees and casually licked some salt out of the middle of the road. Up here, 18-wheel log trucks and 1,500-pound

The author takes an M&M break on the Penobscot River. It’s one of the few things that interrupts his fishing. The river also has a lot of great places to pull over and have a shore lunch. It takes about a pound of the author’s favorite peanut butter M&M’s to power his drift boat for the day.

Bill Sheldon photos

moose own the road.

Everybody else can tip-toe around them.

Much has been written about this fabled stretch of water, and the internet abounds with details.

In its entirety, the Penobscot has much to offer.

Anglers like myself tend to view the water through the narrow prism of fishing only.

But adrenaline junkies hardly care about the fishing, and gravitate toward the worldclass white-water rafting.

Canoe and kayak trips fit nicely into the schedules of folks listening to the song of the paddle. Both day-tripping and extended destination tours keep the self-propelled crowd satisfied.

Medway to Bangor In Medway, the East Branch Penob-

scot and the West Branch Penobscot merge and form “The” Penobscot River.

As the water warms up, the smallmouth bass bite increases, and river fishing hits a summertime sweet spot. With multiple boat ramps located along Route 2, one can easily pick a section of the river to float.

While floating, we often run into a fledging eagle population.

We notice they seem to follow our raft as we bobbed our way downstream.

Once, while we were reeling in a fish, two eagles swooped within a rod’s length of landing on us.

We later learned from a local that folks have been feeding the eagles with fish, and the sharp-eyed birds (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 75

The Penobscot River, especially from Medway to Bangor, keeps smallmouth bass fishermen busy during the summer months. This bronzeback couldn’t resist grabbing a popper presented on the business end of a fly rod.

(Continued from page 74)

are starting to associate boats and the possibility of a free meal.

We’ve chosen not to feed the eagles, concerned we would interfere with the natural order of things.

The most difficult access is below Weldon Dam in Mattawamkeag. I am required to slide my raft down what seems like 100 concrete steps (in the interest of accuracy I’ll count them someday –

I promise).

However, the results are worth it.

Aside from picking up an occasional landlocked salmon, I’ve found the bass fishing here to be superior to that experienced in the lower sections.

The current is a bit gnarly, with lots of structure. Some friends of mine decided to make this stretch of river in a 10-footlong aluminum Jon boat. They ended up

punching a hole in the paper-thin aluminum. The lower sections smoothen out a bit, making them better suited for canoes, kayaks and aluminum vessels.

Access Galore The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map book does a good job of identifying boat ramps along all sections of the river. The Golden Road parallels the West Branch, and with minimal bushwhack-

The Penobscot River smallmouth bass fishery provides great family fun. Here, the author’s wife Denise tangles with a healthy-sized smallie. After a quick photo, we released the feisty bronze back to fight another day. The river is a great place to introduce family members to the sport of fishing.

ing this route provides miles of access. Route 2 covers much of the lower Penobscot.

At my last count, 13 boat ramps from Mattawamkeag to Bangor give us river rats plenty of options for ramp-to-ramp day trips. I did watch a motorboat operator

Wildlife Quiz Answers: Black Crappie 1. The native range of the Black Crappie includes the eastern United States and Canada.

2. Due to illegal stocking, Black Crappies can now be found in all 48 contiguous United States, including Maine.

3. The Black Crappie is also known as

Discover the

Katahdin Region

the Calico Bass or just plain Crappie.

4. The largest Black Crappie ever caught in Maine was a 3 lb., 9.76 oz.

5. Black Crappies spawn in the spring.

6. Black Crappies feed on a wide array of plankton, crustaceans, insects and small fish.

destroy his lower unit on a submerged rock one afternoon, so proceed with caution.

I’m thankful my old wading staff will get a chance to poke around the Penobscot for the umpteenth time this season.

¶

(Quiz on Page 61)

7. Black crappies reach maturity between 2 and 4 years.

8. Black Crappie hatchlings fortunate enough to evade predators live for up to seven years in the wild, and fifteen years in captivity.

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76 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Juggling June Junkets June angling options throughout Aroostook County are totally weather-dependent and alter radically year to year, and often week to week. Conditions this month mirror spring much more than summer over the Crown of Maine, and “whimsical” would best describe day-to-day climate and waterway conditions.

Each spring I receive emails, texts and phone calls from out-of-state and southern Maine anglers requesting advice on when to travel north for early, top-rate wade-water fishing with fly rods. My response seldom varies – pack up, drive up, and offer a short prayer for Mother Nature’s cooperation any time after the first week of June.

At least a couple of the

When trout fishing Prestile Stream, says the author, now is a great time for wet flies such as a March Brown, Silver Doctor or Parmachene Belle, or size 8 or 10 streamer fly patterns like a Black and White, Magog Smelt or Herb Johnson Special.

Anglers experience plenty of action trolling streamer flies on the Aroostook River this month. A Magog Smelt works well, as this photo illustrates. All photos

by Bill Graves

half dozen prime trout streams should be productive, with water levels safe for comfortable wading and clear

Allagash Lakes Region

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Aroostook Rivers, as well as the Prestile and St. Croix streams, all deserve some attention this month.

Boats, or Boots?

From its source waters – the creeks, brooks and marshes of the Mooseleuk forests – the Aroostook River’s serpentine flowage passes near or through no fewer than a dozen villages and towns.

There are over half-adozen maintained boat ramps, and at least 50 sites to launch a small boat or canoe. Innumerable other spots allow parking and streamside access for fishermen in hip boots or chest waders to access some really productive brook trout action throughout June.

While June may be summer down south, it exhibits the last tendrils of spring here in “The County,” and high, quick flowage dictates trolling or float and cast tactics for the first week or two of June. Jon boats or moderate size V-hulls in the 12- to 16-foot length are common craft, but many locals favor long, stable canoes. My 21-foot Maine Freighter from Two Rivers Canoe in Sherman accommodates a trio of anglers with comfort and safety.

Best Baits Tandem streamers or 4X- 6X long singles yield action with the (Continued on next page)

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 77

As water levels decline on the Aroostook River throughout June, dry fly fishing improves. Here, Roger Shaw and Tom Tardiff traverse the uneven bottom and swift current to reach a pool with rising trout.

(Continued from page 76)

same patterns used on local lakes, but hardware provides faster action and larger fish.

Among my proven favorites are size 44, 8 and 81 Sutton spoons in silver or bronze/silver, copper, pounded Mooseleuk Wobblers, Al’s Goldfish, Little Cleo or Kastmaster lures. I always rig an 8- to 9-foot, six-weight fly rod with a floating line with a box of size 12 or 14 dry flies just in case.

It’s fairly common to spot an early-season surface hatch while trolling. These erratic, random hatches usually last less than 30 minutes this early in the season, but the action can be fast and furious if you’re prepared. Just drop anchor in a convenient casting location, not too close, and offer a light Cahill, Mosquito, Adams, Gray Slim Jim, or Henryville Special.

Aroostook River trout average 10 to 14 inches, but there are some speckled brutes broaching 18 inches and longer.

As the month progresses, Aroostook River levels will drop,

A long, stable canoe is the perfect vessel for trolling, as well as anchoring and casting to hatches in all depths of water on the Aroostook River this month.

and many trolling stretches will become perfect wade-and-cast pools. Trout will stay well dispersed until hot July temperatures sap and warm the waterway, driving the fish to deep holes, ledge seeps and creek inlets. Chest waders allow access to more holding runs, but hip waders are fine for some. With either choice, a sturdy wading staff offers stability, as the stream bed is very rocky, slippery and uneven.

A few productive stretches to explore afoot or afloat include the islands below Washburn, several pools upstream of the Caribou dam, pools above and below Little Madawaska River’s inlet, and around the islands between Grime’s Mill and Goodwin, upstream of Fort Fairfield. Delorme’s Gaz-

etteer Maps 64 and 65 will offer an overview of the locations I’ve identified. On those maps you will see boat launches and approach roads that place anglers right alongside both banks of the river.

Picturesque Prestile Having lived the first 18 years of my life fewer than 100 yards from Robinson dam and bridge, there’s not a stretch of the stream I’ve not fished or duck hunted. June water levels are generally accommodating for wading and casting flies on 80% of the Prestile Stream, and trout are widely dispersed through every pool, run and riffle. It’s a great time for wet flies such as a March Brown, Silver Doctor or Parmachene Belle or size 8 or 10 streamer fly patterns like

Water levels remain high and fast during early June on Crown of Maine rivers and streams, and trolling offers great trout fishing, as writer Bill Graves demonstrates.

a Black and White, Magog Smelt or Herb Johnson Special.

Once July arrives, only a handful of pools support float fishing, but right now a fairly long stretch above the Mars Hill Pond and another above Robinson Pond each offer dependable paddle-and-cast outings.

Both locales feature easy canoe launching, and they are perfect sites for using an electric motor. A long run of well over 100 yards below the Robinson Bridge will offer prime wade-and-cast fly fishing most of this month.

It’s likely you’ll experience an evening hatch after a warm, sunny

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day, so some dry fly action may be at hand.

Another easy-toreach spot with ample parking and short walk to the water is the stretch between Young Brook inlet and the Bridgewater Boundary Bridge. Lots of slippery, wobbly rocks here as well, so I recommend felt-soled or metal-lugged boots.

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78 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

With regional streams continuing to run high in early June, it’s often necessary to fish a weighted fly like this leech pattern to enjoy consistent action.

Random hatches occur throughout June along the Aroostook River. Here, having a dry fly rod rigged and at hand allows Mike Wallace of Freeport to stop trolling, and cast to rising trout.

Tom Tardiff of Robinson joined Bill Graves casting streamers on a small Presque Isle pond and accomplished double hookups a couple times.

Tony Sullivan of Presque Isle prepares to release one of several brookies taken on small streamers last June on Echo Lake.

Bill Graves of Presque Isle displays a footlong brook trout before release. This fish was one of several taken casting wet flies on regional ponds in June in The County.

The County (Continued from page 78)

there will still be a few fiddleheads along the shoreline to pick early in June.

DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 58, grid B-4 overviews most of the segments of the Prestile I’ve mentioned, and a closer look will help determine a few of the back roads that access other prime sections of what I consider to be perhaps the finest, often-overlooked limestone streams in New England.

¶

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It’s All in Your Head I like skulls. I carry one with me wherever I go, because I find it to be a convenient container for my eyeballs and brain, not to mention my beard and what’s left of my hair.

I also find skulls to be quite decorative. I have a nicely mounted coyote skull that my grandson found while hunting in Massachusetts and gave me for Christmas. It sits on a bookshelf in my living room and is useful for scaring small children.

A few months later, my stepson was bow hunting and happened upon a fine beaver skull. His wife didn’t want it displayed in their house, but my spouse expressed no such qualms.

While hiking, she once found part of a deer skull. It got added to the collection that now included a snapping-turtle skull and an alligator skull, both souvenirs of a trip to New Orleans.

Neighbors renovating their ski camp found a squirrel skull above the old ceiling. They immediately called to ask if I wanted it. I did.

There’s a cow skull in the woodshed, somewhat the worse for wear.

Tough to Explain It’s difficult to explain my attraction to skulls, but I think it has something to do with stripping away everything but the bare essence of a being. Without the padding, it’s tough to tell dogs from coyotes, bobcats from house cats, or monkeys from politicians. But I digress.

We met a local artist who regularly incorporates animal skulls in her work.

I bought my wife one of her pieces that includes what might be a woodchuck skull. She got even by buying me a plate with a shroud and the skull of an … I dunno. I’m just glad I didn’t meet whatever it was when it was alive.

Apparently, it’s illegal to own a human skull, which means most people (with the possible exception of magazine editors) are harboring contraband inside their heads.

For some reason, there are rarely any arrests for this offense, but I don’t feel inclined to push my luck. I haven’t attempted to save any relics from the remains of dead friends and relatives. I content myself with a realistic, half-size, plastic skeleton. I tell ill-behaved young

Our columnist discusses the joys of skull collecting.

“With skulls, it’s tough to tell dogs from coyotes, bobcats from house cats, or monkeys from politicians.”

visitors that’s all that’s left of the last kid who mouthed off at me.

Dead Guy Whiskey A minister of my acquaintance passed away, and his family gave me a beautifully crafted ceramic skull that he kept on his desk. On close inspection, I discovered a small section of the top lifts out revealing a fine hiding place for cookies.

Our house is cluttered with Mexican Day of the Dead paraphernalia. There’s a skeleton-decorated bottle (sadly, empty) of Dead Guy Whiskey on my desk.

My collection of flasks includes one decorated with skeletons and a skull that lifts off for easy pouring. I have a bank in the shape of a skull that’s full of pennies. The upstairs bathroom has a small statue of a skeleton squatting on the back of the toilet, a reminder of the consequences of not eating enough fiber.

It’s not all kitsch. We have a nice print of a Leonardo da Vinci drawing of a human skull that we bought at Windsor Castle in England. Doesn’t get classier than that.

Malibu Barbie Heads We also have some fine-looking highball glasses with skull and cross-bones designs and a large pastel done by an artist friend showing two skeletons sitting on her couch, apparently discussing matters of concern in the afterlife.

I have a mason jar full of Malibu Barbie heads (as close as you can get to Malibu Barbie skulls), their hair art-

fully arranged, and their smiling faces conveying a contentment with their situation that one rarely experiences when viewing similar jars full of beets or green beans. A friend made it for me after seeing something similar in a Quebec City art gallery. The original cost about $700. The version she constructed from yard-sale purchases ran her less than 20 bucks.

And there’s a shrunken head in the (irony alert) living room, encased in a snow globe. Very festive.

Some people have trouble getting it through their thick skulls that this sort of décor isn’t morbid. Morbid would be having a collection of mummified feet or a jar full of other people’s toenails. A few skulls scattered about are just a gentle reminder to always be aware of what we’re made of. And to take your calcium pills.

This column was inspired by a piece I wrote for Down East magazine’s website several years ago. I was fired shortly thereafter. Email me at aldiamon@ herniahill.net.

¶

Trophy Gallery

Blaine Cardilli is known as Maine’s “Redneck Preacher.” Blaine’s prayers were answered on Day 2 of the state’s 2022 spring wild turkey hunt, when he chased four jakes away from his decoys, then called this big tom more than 200 yards through the woods to within firing range. www.MaineSportsman.com

80 • June 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Smilin’ Sportsman

The Four Stages of Life 1) You believe in Santa Claus.

2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.

3) You are Santa Claus.

4) You look like Santa Claus.

—

Not a Bribe The small-town sheriff was writing out a very expensive speeding ticket to the Massachusetts driver, who owned an automobile dealership in Boston.

“How would you like a nice new fancy sports car?” asked the salesman.

“Certainly not!” the sheriff replied, indignantly. “That would be considered a bribe!”

“How about if I sold it to you for a discount?”

“How much of a discount?”

“Oh, let’s say you can have one for ten dollars.”

“Great! In that case, I’ll take two!”

www.MaineSportsman.com

Responsible Employee

Personnel manager: “We need employees who are responsible.”

Job applicant: “Well, I’m your man!”

Personnel manager: “What makes you say that?”

Job applicant: “Well, in my last two jobs, whenever anything went wrong, my coworkers said I was responsible.”

—

Prayers Answered Eb: “Well, God finally answered my prayers about me winning the $15 million Maine State Lottery.”

Flo: “He did?”

Eb: “Yep! He said, ‘No!’” —

There are Limits Husband: “Do you love me?”

Wife: “Yes, Dear, with all my heart.”

Husband: “Would you die for me?”

Wife: “No, Dear – mine is an undying love.”

¶

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • June 2022 • 81

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MOOSE HUNTERS ZONE 5 MASARDIS HOME FOR RENT Sleeps 5. Book your hunt ASAP, clean, comfort. $1000 per week. 207-790-8087, aohara744@gmail.com.

KENNELS: BRITTANYS Simply the best personal shooting dogs and family pets. Pup-

November through March. Forty years of excellence. Call after sunset 856-935-3459

PARMACHENEE CLUB ON 2-ACRE ISLAND FOR SALE Gated access to 1,000s

(Continued on next page)

MLS #1507153 • $310,000

MLS #1510541 • $549,000

Field Trial & Hunt Test Bloodlines True Gun Dog Labs Owls Head, Maine Puppies, Started & Finished Dogs

David Eaton

(207) 542-1485

www.MillPondRetrievers.com

— St. Albans, ME —

SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE

Sportsman’s Paradise on 14 beautiful acres with mature apple trees and Spectacular Views of the Mountains and Big Indian Lake. This property offers direct access to the ATV & Snowmobile trails, with many acres for Hunting and close to Indian Lake Boat Landing for year round outdoor fun! This private home boasts 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths with comfortable living areas including an open porch with outdoor kitchen for entertaining.

Huge 4 bay 54 x 40 garage with one drive through bay, to securely house all of your toys!

With an added bonus of a 1 bed/1 bath apartment/guest house above the garage. And if that is not enough there is a 24 X32 Pole Barn for a workshop and equipment storage!

Efficient and flexible, this home has a metal roof, multiple heating sources, a backup generator, new heat pumps and you own your own propane tanks! Move in ready, mostly furnished! Live in Paradise or find your home away from home for all the seasons! $625,000.

Yvonne Myer, Realtor Maine Real Estate Experts | 887 Roosevelt Trail, Windham ME (207) 485-4670 | YvonneSellsMaine@gmail.com | www.YvonneMyer.com www.MaineSportsman.com

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in new roof and pilings on steel beams.

Spectacular views and one neighbor. Includes shared lot at landing

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of acres of prime hunting, fishing and snowmobiling! 5 furnished cabins with over $150k

for dock and parking $475,000. 207-491-4771 —————————

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

“The County to The Coast”

DEVELOPER’S DREAM 6.6 acres, 370ft. road frontage on Whittier Road in Farmington, Maine, just off Routes 2 and 4. Electricity on site, four water hookups and four sewer hookups, Tax Incentives possible.

207-474-0778

WANTED SKI DOO, ELAN OR TUNDRA Any Condition. Have Cash. Will Travel. Call Or Text 207-522-6940

(207) 532-4500 www.FirstChoiceRealEstate.com

THREE STORY COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN WESTERN ME US Rt 2. Event venue, fishing lodge, restaurant potential. Paved parking, grassy boat launch on Androscoggin River. $149,500.

207-562-7564 —————————

The Genuine.

The Original.

Serving the Bangor Area Since 1948

¶

Residential & Commercial Garage Doors & Openers Sales, Service & Repairs

Be Sure to follow 56 Liberty Drive Hermon, ME

(207) 848-2866

www.overheaddoorofbangor.com

The Maine Sportsman on Facebook & Instagram!

SPORTSMAN’S HEAVEN ON SEBEC LAKE

SPORTSMAN’S OASIS CALL 860-830-4398

PHOEBE ISLAND close to shore EASY ACCESS with 22 ACRES on shore 3 SUB-DIVIDABLE LOTS 1,800 ft. road frontage 2 private ponds and another BRAND NEW HOUSE. Build up to 20 more COMMERCIAL SPORTING CAMPS or use as a FAMILY COMPOUND. Maine MLS # 1516847

(207) 943-5225

Check Out More Properties on Our Website!

www.dewittjonesrealty.com

120-acre parcel of pristine land in Paris, Maine, currently used for hunting. Thick cover, water and bedding provide optimal conditions for wildlife. A private pond, trails, views, mixed terrain and extensive road frontage are only some of the fine qualities of this land.

Claim your piece of Maine. Listed at $425,000. MLS#1519467.

Emily Fontaine, Broker/Realtor® Coldwell Banker Realty Office: 207.282.5988 Cell: 207.944.4263 emily.fontaine@nemoves.com www.EmilyFontaineRealEstate.com www.MaineSportsman.com

LAKE VIEW PLT – Private 2.53+/- acre lot on Schoodic Lake. 485’ of water frontage, private boat launch and beautiful views of Katahdin. Two camps, garage, and shed makes for a great family retreat. Get ready to spend your summers enjoying life on the lake.

MLS #1524729 – $699,000 BROWNVILLE – Well maintained Victorian home with three bedrooms, two baths, nicely landscaped yard, and two detached garages. MLS #1526932 – $164,900

MILO – Beautifully maintained, spacious, farmhouse sitting on 84+/- acres. Mixed amount of fields and woods. Easy access to ITS snowmobile trail. Heated sun room overlooks front yard, mature apple trees and flower beds.

Screened in area on back deck. Detached barn with a baker. Very private location which borders two roads. $439,000 – MLS #1526839 BROWNVILLE – 120+/-acres with small unnamed pond and Alder Stream going through the back corner. Great location with lots of privacy. Located on seasonal road with easy access to the recreational trails right from the property. Schoodic Lake just a short distance. MLS #1485874 – $199,000 GARLAND – 1.46+/-acre shore front lot on Garland Pond. Possible owner financing. MLS #1359259 – $69,900

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LAND FOR SALE IN AROOSTOOK COUNTY 100 acres – Perham, ME .............$150,000 40 acres – Connor, ME.................$60,000 Home for Sale – Perham, ME ....$200,000 2 bedrooms, 1 bath 1800 acres – Winterville, ME ..$1,350,000 47 acres – Perham, ME .................$94,000

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Never Miss Another Issue!

Subscribe to The Maine Sportsman today by calling (207) 622-4242 or going to our website www.MaineSportsman.com/Subscribe

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Discover the versatility and convenience of Northeastern’s Camp and Cabin kits.

Perfect for vacation homes or retirement retreats, these log cabin kits are easy to build and very affordable. They feature simple, open designs and come complete with pre-cut Eastern White Pine Logs, insulated doors, windows, rafters, roof sheathing and subflooring, plus step-by-step instructions.

(207) 455-8340 • realty@mfx.net www.highmeadowrealtytrust.com

Just imagine relaxing in your very own Northeastern log retreat!

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

SANDY RIVER PLT – Rangeley Overlook – This 1 acre building lot located in a desirable subdivision with protective covenants, well maintained roads and underground power. Lot is lightly wooded and has easy snowmobile trail access from your door.

Deeded access to the HOLA association waterfront on Rangeley Lake offering small boat launch, marina, swimming area with dock. Just 3 miles from Rangeley Village and 7 miles from Saddleback ski area. MLS #1518070 – $65,900 DALLAS PLT – Rangeley Overlook – This 1.4 acre building lot is located in a desirable subdivision with protective covenants, well maintained roads and underground power. Lot is lightly wooded and easy snowmobile trail access from your door. Property has deeded right to Rangeley Lake at the HOLA association waterfront. Super spot just 2 miles from Rangeley Village and 6 miles from Saddleback ski area. MLS #1524732 – $79,000 RANGELEY – Million dollar views from this hillside lot in desirable Rangeley West Subdivision!

Enjoy the generous 1.78 acre parcel with building envelope designed to maximize the panoramic Rangeley Lake and mountain vistas. Super location handy to Mooselook/Rangeley Lake boat ramps, vibrant Oquossoc Village, plus direct access to snowmobile trails from your door. MLS #1485712 – $114,900

10 Ames Road, Kenduskeag, ME

1-800-624-2797 • (207) 884-7000

www.northeasternlog.com

Mt. Chase – Two quaint cabins with picturesque trout pond in front. Separate shower house with toilet. Private setting on 5.4 acres at the foot of Mt. Chase just off Mountain Road, great ATV and snowmobile area. $149,000

Grand Falls – This cabin was landed on this lot two years ago and ready to finish off and use.

This 41 acre lot sits high on a hill with great views on Lord Brook Road. ATV and snowsled from this location. Take a look. $79,000

Springfield – Rural living in a quiet neighborhood on Park Street.

Part of this house has been nicely refinished. Along with about half of the interior having been redone, the foundation needs to be repaired. $49,000

Winn – Located on a rural country road, Old Military Road, this cute home is 10 minutes from Lincoln’s downtown. Needing some updating and barn offers plenty of room for storage. Well worth taking a look at- call today. $109,000

Burlington – A nice, seasoned driveway and a 16’x24’ concrete pad. Madagascal Pond is a good warm water fishery and excellent direct access to ATV and snowmobile trails. $79,000

Benedicta – Big acreage year round access and electricity available at Benedicta Road.

Low taxes. Small beaver flowage and high ground just behind it, wonderful locations for a cabin/ home. Loads of great recreational opportunities. $169,000

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Maine Sportsman is Growing!

The Maine Sportsman is seeking an experienced, self-motivated

CONTRACT AD SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

to assist businesses and organizations in promoting products, services and events. Qualifications include a proven sales record, superb customer service, fluent in English, and access to computer and phone. Knowledge of the outdoors a plus. Training and contacts provided, monthly commission, and bonus potential.

Send resume and introduction to nancy@mainesportsman.com. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lee – Looking for some privacy but still need year round access and electricity? This lot is well wooded, fairly level and ready for you to take a peek at on Old Steamboat Road. $37,500 Lee – 4.3 acres lot on hardwood ridge, nice views, snowmobile and ATV trails, fishing and skiing nearby, electricity available, owner financing, sited on Skunk Hill Road. $18,900 Lincoln – 1.56+/- acres, field, electricity available, 4 lakes in 1 direction, all of Cold Stream Ponds in another, few miles from downtown, corner frontage on Transalpine Road and Folsom Pond Road. $19,900 Lincoln – A nice lot on the high side of Route 6. Surveyed with driveway already in place and electricity available. Plenty of room for a small home or mobile home on the currently cleared driveway. $17,500

R E A L

E S T A T E

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

1-800-675-2460 Call any of our brokers to work for you!

“Tate” Aylward ............. 794-2460 Peter Phinney............... 794-5466 Kirk Ritchie................... 290-1554

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

www.MaineSportsman.com

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