The Maine Sportsman March 2020 Digital Edition

Sportsman The Maine

March 2020 • $4.99

Tactics Pages 54, 56

Non-Lead Ammo Page 5

Outhouse Stories

by George Smith Page 16

Ice Auger Options Page 31

Chasing the Fleet-footed Hare

Pages 69, 73, 74, 78

2 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Sporting Camps & Lodges — A True Maine Tradition — Guide Service • Seaplane Flyouts Brook Trout & Salmon Fishing Wild Ruffed Grouse, Bear, Deer & Moose Hunts

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BOGGY BROOK OUTFITTERS Booking Guided Fishing Trips, Bear, Moose, Turkey & Deer Hunts Lodge & Cabin Accommodations Master Guide Jesse Derr 207-667-7271 ~ jdcon@yahoo.com Branch Lake, Ellsworth, ME

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Housekeeping Cabins Guide Service Fishing • Hunting Family Vacations Boat Rentals Located in the Rangeley/Errol Area

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MAINE’S PREMIER HARE HUNTING LODGE! — Bob Howe’s Famous Beagles —

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 3

Libby Camps Libby Camps is located in the vast North Maine Woods region of Maine.

They specialize in fly fishing for native brook trout and landlocked salmon in small ponds and rivers; wingshooting for ruffed grouse and woodcock, trophy big-game hunting for black bear, moose and whitetail deer, as well as catering to snowmobile riders in the winter months.

Libby Camps is an award-winning Orvis-endorsed lodge in both fly fishing and wingshooting – the only lodge in the east that’s endorsed for both activities.

This endorsement is maintained by combining world-class fishing and hunting and exceptional service.

Libby Camps’ commitment to service and conservation has been recognized, with the camp receiving the 2006-2007 Orvis Endorsed Lodge of the year award and being a finalist for Orvis Endorsed lodge of the year in both hunting and fishing several times as recently as 2012, 2013, and 2018. The also won the Maine Tourism Hall of Fame Award in 2010.

Libby Camps has also been referenced in numerous books and magazines as one of the greatest fishing and hunting lodges in North America.

Libby Camps is unique in the Eastern U.S. in that it has two Cessna seaplanes on site to access remote regions as well as their ten outpost cabins. This allows sportsmen to fish for trophy native brook trout anywhere in and around the 3.5 million acres of the North Maine Woods or hunt a much broader region than at a typical lodge.

Ten guest cabins are spread out around the historic main lodge where everyone congregates for meals. Each cabin is rustic but offers all modern conveniences. Heat is provided by wood stoves; illumination is from propane lights; and each cabin has a full bathroom. Homemade quilts and Amish-

made rocking chairs and furniture put the finishing touches on these historic cabins.

Libby has been known for generations for providing their guests with food that is second to none. Dinners are served family style in the main lodge, and the homecooked breads, pies and treats have people coming back for more year after year. The Libby’s pride themselves on creating a family atmosphere, and guests will feel like part of the family as soon as they walk through the door.

For more information, visit www. libbycamps.com or call Matt J. at (207) 435-8274.

Rideout’s Lodge Rideout’s Lodge, located on 22-milelong East Grand Lake, has been operating for over 70 years. Their very long history has included notable customers such as L.L. Bean himself.

From their humble beginnings in 1947, they’ve grown to 15 fully modern cabins, a renowned restaurant, a fleet of superior quality rental boats, and much more.

Most importantly, Rideout’s has long been the standard for Maine fishing.

Early season anglers arrive at ice-out to troll for salmon, and similar techniques often result in netting large togue and healthy brook trout. Later, the bass spawn arrives, during which an experienced pair of sports can net up to 100 bass per day!

With their reliable, quality rental boats (16’ Lunds with Honda 4-stroke electric start motors), customers will have all they need for a successful and comfortable day on the lake. They also provide an orientation of the lake (with courtesy map) and the latest fishing report, and they can set you up with the proper lures and gear through their onsite tackle shop.

Many of their customers return ev-

ery year – some for over 35 years! If preferred, customers are welcome to bring their own personal boats. These are secured on their 215’ long dock … one of the longest docks in northern Maine.

Tucked into Davenport Cove, your boat will be safe and wind-protected even under the most adverse conditions.

Rideout’s also has access to an excellent selection of registered Maine guides, and again this year they will be offering sports the traditional shore lunch option while being guided out of a Grand Lake canoe.

They can easily accommodate large groups in their panoramic lake-front

dining hall and conference room, where fast, free wi-fi is always available – the perfect choice for family reunions or corporate retreats.

Most cabins have fully furnished kitchens for a budget-minded “cookyour-own” option. For a more carefree stay, book their full-service American Plan, where they provide all the meals and superb accommodations with room service.

Summertime brings sunny days for family time on their sandy beach, swimming, dock fishing, kayaking, canoe trips or just relaxing on the porch. They offer discounted family vacations, delicious meals and an ideal location with easy access for touring outlying areas.

Count on Rideout’s Lodge for an outstanding fishing and vacation experience. From their docking and rental boats to their accommodations and meals, customers want to book their next fishing trip, family vacation or corporate retreat there.

To arrange a trip or for more information, call 1(800) 594-5391; visit their web site: www.rideouts.com; visit on Facebook at Rideouts Lakeside Lodge; or email info@rideouts.com. www.MaineSportsman.com

4 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Editorial

Promoting Use of Non-Lead Ammo Will Require Leadership Lead is a heavy, malleable and inexpensive metal.

It is also not healthy for humans or other animals. Being a soft metal, lead easily breaks into fragments, such as when a hunting bullet fired at game hits a bone.

We now know, by examining x-rays of wound channels in downed game, that lead particles can be found as much as fourteen inches away from the wound channel, much farther than we had earlier assumed, contaminating meat previously thought safe to eat.

Moreover, when lead-core bullets and fragments are left in gutpiles in the woods, scavengers, including birds, consuming the remains of the game are likely to eat the lead, to their extreme detSource: Hornady.com riment.

Time for Action We believe it’s time to encourage Maine’s hunters to move from lead core bullets to non-lead alternatives. We support programs that will encourage (but not require) a transition to non-lead ammo.

The Maine Sportsman is not alone in this sentiment. The good folks at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) are planning a campaign to facilitate the use of copper ammunition.

And the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine is surveying its members to determine the level of support for movement in that same direction.

What will it take? As our publisher reports in his “Jottings” column this month, copper ammo is not routinely available in many of Maine’s gun shops. Businesses should be encouraged to carry ammunition that’s safer for hunters and their families, and safer for wildlife.

We will use our pages to report progress.

Bringing Facts to Consumers But stores stock their shelves to meet customer demand, and the best way to create demand is to educate Maine’s hunters. We will continue to bring information to our readers about scientific findings relating to the effects of hunting with lead. And we will be vigilant in our efforts to avoid any impression that a pro-copper, non-lead effort is somehow anti- hunter – in fact, a switch away from lead will encourage more hunters and non-hunters to consume game shot in our woods and fields, and that’s a good thing.

And finally, all consumers want a bargain. Copper ammo is currently more expensive than lead ammunition.

As demand and production ramps up, we believe copper ammo will become cheaper. In the meantime, some agency — public or private – needs to step up and appropriate funding or promotional resources to make copper ammo more affordable for all hunters.

We welcome your ideas and suggestions for how to take the first steps in this direction.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication

Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 570 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Linda Lapointe linda@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices.

All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Phone: 207-622-4242 Fax: 207-622-4255 Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Maine Sportsman, 183 State Street, Suite 101,­ Augusta, ME 04330 12-Month Subscription: $30 • 24-Month Subscription: $49

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Almanac by Will Lund.................................................... 10 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves..................... 34 A Warden’s Life by Warden Lt. Bill Allen (Ret.)............ 72 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia.................. 40 Big Woods World by Jeff Paradis.................................. 47 Bird of the Month by Erika Zambello............................ 14 Central Maine by Steve Vose....................................... 66 Downeast by Jim Lemieux............................................ 60 Editorial.............................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by Lou Zambello....................... 44 Jackman by William Sheldon....................................... 54 Jottings by Jon Lund........................................................ 5 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon......................... 38 Kate’s Wild Kitchen by Kate Krukowski Gooding....... 57 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes....................... 69 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour................................... 17 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose............................... 30 Midcoast by Tom Seymour........................................... 61 Moosehead by Tom Seymour...................................... 58 My Maine by George Smith.......................................... 16 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.............................. 78 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie............................ 62 Outdoor Chronicle by Ed Pineau................................. 51 Quotable Sportsman by George Smith......................... 9 Rangeley Region by William Clunie............................. 74 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers............................. 80 Saltwater by Barry Gibson............................................. 23 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth..................... 64 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews.................. 65 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard............................. 48 Smilin’ Sportsman: Adults & Kids by Will Lund.............. 80 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie.................... 71 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery................... 7 Southern Maine by Val Marquez................................. 73 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller.................. 68 Trading Post (Classifieds)............................................... 81 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour....................................... 52 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.............. 76 Young Maine Sportsman by Luke Giampetruzzi........ 56

GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

Basic Boat Gear, Part 2 by Bob Humphrey................. 18 Best Fishing Boats by Steve Carpenteri....................... 20 Life at the End of the Road by Bob Humphrey.......... 24 Snowmobile Safety by Steve Carpenteri.................... 26 Ice Auger Options by Steve Carpenteri...................... 31 Friendship 7 by Randy Randall..................................... 33 Double-Barrled Shotgun by David Putnam................ 37 State of Maine Sportsman’s Show Preview............ 42-43 Outdoor Recreation Workers by Mary Haley.............. 50 On the Cover: A coyote moves stealthily through the Maine woods, looking for prey ranging from rodents to whitetail deer.

Learn ’yote-hunting tactics in this issue from writers Bill Sheldon, Steve Vose and William Clunie.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 5

Non-Lead Ammo Worth the Extra Cost The death of five bald eagles caught public attention in Maine recently. Their death was attributed to lead poisoning.

So how did the lead get into the eagles? Investigators concluded the big birds were eating meat that contained lead.

Josh Reynolds, assistant editor of the Northwoods Journal, writing in the February 2020 issue, speculated that the eagle poisonings were the result of anglers ignoring the ban on lead sinkers. He urged fishermen to stop using the illegal lead sinkers. He also invited feedback.

I sent Josh the following feedback:

I carry copper bullets in the chamber and magazine of my rifle when hunting. As a result, my family – and our state’s wildlife – will be eating healthier food.

Hi Josh, I believe you are barking up the wrong tree in blaming the death of eagles on anglers using lead sinkers now banned by state law.

It may well be that some frugal or uninformed anglers are still using banned lead sinkers, but if a fish swallows a lead sinker, it would probably excrete the sinker along with other indigestible material.

Birds like eagles and loons don’t chew their food. They grind it up in their gizzard

with the aid of small stones that they have swallowed. The grinding process also grinds up any lead the bird has swallowed.

Most deer hunters assume that we are avoiding eating lead by discarding the venison along the wound channel caused by the bul-

let. Researchers have learned that a part the lead core of the bullet may break into fragments that may lodge several inches outside of the wound channel, and can be found in meat that most of us thought was safe to eat.

This breakup of the

lead core of the bullet has been confirmed by x-rays of deer carcasses. Researchers have also weighed the lead core of the recovered bullet and found that as much as one-third of the lead core is no longer present.

Lead is harmful to humans, especially growing children. Investigators have determined that in families who eat game, lead (Continued on next page)

Thor Delehanty gallanty poses for his dad, Zack, while they were ice fishing for brookies on Upper Range Pond in January. www.MaineSportsman.com

6 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

Jottings (Continued from page 5)

levels in the blood are higher than in families that do not consume game.

Non-lead ammunition is somewhat more expensive than traditional rounds, but considering the benefits to wild creatures as well as the benefits to human health, I believe it is a bargain. I have carried copper 30-30 ammunition during the past four deer seasons.

Jon Lund Hallowell Mark McCollough, a federal wildlife biologist, wrote a thoughtful column in the Northwoods Journal in 2014, outlining the problems caused by lead ammunition.

His column generated

www.MaineSportsman.com

some pushback, including the claim that the anti-lead movement was really an anti-hunting effort, seeking to end hunting by making it more expensive.

I was convinced of the health advantages of non-lead ammunition by McCollough’s piece, and bought a box of Barnes ammo for my 30-30. It hit the target at a slightly different point than bullets from my old Remington CoreLokt rounds, but close enough.

I don’t require bench-rest precision.

Like most Maine hunters, most of my shooting probably will be at distances of seventy-five yards, more or less. If I can consis-

tently hit a pie plate at that range, that should do the trick.

I am using up my old lead core ammunition in annual sighting-in sessions, and occasional target practice. I carry copper bullets in the chamber and magazine of my rifle when hunting.

My family and our state’s wildlife will be eating healthier food.

The supply of nonlead ammunition has increased in the past five years, and nonlead ammunition is now available from Federal, Hornady, Winchester and Remington, in addition to the pioneer, Barnes.

True, non-lead is somewhat more costly than traditional rifle fodder, but it is still a small item in the overall cost of deer hunting.

To check the local

The author uses Barnes 30-30 copper ammo in an effort to keep lead out of the food chains for humans and for scavenger wildlife. Source: BarnesBullets.com

supply of copper ammo, I visited Walmart.

They had none. The clerk didn’t know what I was talking about. At Dick’s, the clerk said they had none, and didn’t plan to get any.

A salesperson at Audette’s Hardware in Winthrop told me over the phone that they did not have non-lead ammunition in stock, but that they could get

it.

Gary Hamilton at Neilson’s in Farmingdale sold me a box of Barnes 30-30 (copper).

If our readers would like to learn more about this issue coming from concerned hunters, I’d suggest that you google HuntingWithNonLead.org for a wealth of detail.

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���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 7

Ducks, Ducks, Everywhere!

No waterfowl were injured by me in the making of this column, though hundreds flew within our view but, alas, out-of-range. So, you’re thinking, the old guy killed nothing on this trip and he wants me to read this article!

I suspect you’re also thinking, he’s going to tell us how beautiful the terrain was, what a unique history the area boasts, how really nice and interesting his companions in the blind were, how exceptionally good the dog was, and so on.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly what I’m going to do. I hope you like it. Let’s begin with the where, and how really special and beautiful it is…

Currituck Sound, North Carolina The sun rose early over Currituck Sound in the far north end of North Carolina’s Outer Banks barrier islands. The decoys, an eclectic mix of five or six species of water-

The iconic Whalehead Club in Corolla, North Carolina is a beautiful copper-roofed structure comprising 21,000 square feet. It was built in 1925 for a husband and wife who were avid waterfowlers.

The wife had been denied membership in the best gentleman-only shooting clubs. In response, the couple built the place so they could hunt the Currituck Sound together.

The sun rose early over Currituck Sound in the far north end of North Carolina’s Outer Banks barrier islands. The decoys, an eclectic mix of five or six species of waterfowl including Canada geese, were seductively floating within shotgun range. All photos © King Montgomery

fowl including Canada geese, were seductively floating within shotgun range in front of

A lone Tundra Swan tries to catch up with its buddies. These swans may be hunted with the proper permit from the North Carolina Wildlife agency.

the comfortable blind.

But Old Sol was taking its time, throwing bolts of oranges, reds,

and pinks over the marshy landscape, changing the look of sky, land, and water

Flocks of duck, geese, and swans coursed the blue skies over Currituck Sound, but they were not interested in testing my gun prowess, and mostly stayed away.

every few minutes.

It’s a gorgeous natural process I never tire of regardless of where I am.

Currituck Sound – it’s pronounced “Curry-tuck” by locals and incorrectly by most other folks who never have been there – is an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean that has become relatively cutoff from close contact with the saltwater.

This results in significantly decreased salinity in the water, and the whole area is very attractive to waterfowl that ply the Atlantic Flyway along the East Coast of the USA. Freshwater fish such as largemouth black bass, catfishes, and others also inhabit the sound, making the location not only desirable for ducks, geese, and swans, but also sportfishing.

The sound is 3 to 8 miles wide, and runs roughly north-south for about 30 miles. Its northern extreme is (Continued on next page)

Our duck hunting blind was well-made and very comfortable, and included a hidden berth for our boat. When the guides aren’t hunting, they are working on the many blinds. www.MaineSportsman.com

8 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————

I held up the camera and snapped this shot behind the blind. It shows the many miles of marshland. Numerous ponds and potholes dot the marshes.

The only ducks we managed to take were several mergansers, called fish ducks by locals. Bob shot both.

Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 7)

in Southeast Virginia, home to the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and some pretty good largemouth bass fishing that seems to improve each year.

Waterfowl hunting is also found there, as it is along the length and breadth of Currituck Sound.

By the way, in the native Algonquian language, “Currituck” means “Place of many wild geese,” and the early people hunted and fished in this region well before the arrival of European settlers. Interestingly, Maine’s own Wabanaki people were in the same loose confederation of tribes as the Currituck folks – small world, even back then.

By now the sun was high enough to legally shoot any ducks that happened by, but so far all we’d seen and heard were birds out-of-range.

There were plenty of water-

fowl around, but I’m sure nothing like back in the day when many duck hunting clubs dotted the shoreline of the sound.

A Little History Long before the hordes of vacationers swarmed over the Outer Banks, the sound hosted a number of hunt clubs, comprised mostly of well-to-do men from New England, New York and Philadelphia who flocked to the area to hunt the great populations of waterfowl, both migratory and resident. There also were several very active commercial waterfowl hunting operations that provided duck, goose and swan meat (and feathers) to mostly Northeastern U.S. markets.

One of the sport-hunting locations was at the iconic Whalehead Club in Corolla, a beautiful copper-roofed struc-

Currituck Sound duck hunting guides must have a vast array of decoys that include puddle ducks, geese, and sometimes swans. www.MaineSportsman.com

ture comprising 21,000 square feet, and painted a pleasing yellow color. It was built in 1922-1925 for a couple who were avid waterfowlers. It is said the wife was denied membership in the best gentleman-only sporting and shooting clubs, so the Knights built the place so they could hunt the Currituck Sound together. The structures and land eventually became the Whalehead Club in the early 1970s. It now is owned by Currituck County, and it’s a stunningly beautiful and tasteful museum.

The place I graciously was invited to hunt by my old friend Bob Brinson, who calls High Point, NC, home, has a storied history as well. The information for the brief story of the Historic Currituck Shooting Club below is from the current general manager Carl Ross. Carl has lived along the shores of Currituck Sound for a long time, and he is a

Cash the Wonderdog leaves the hidden boat and bounds into the blind for some head and ear rubs before settling in and waiting for the ducks.

walking encyclopedia of the history of this unique and special place.

In the mid-1800s, an avid duck hunter from New York visited Currituck County and was so impressed with the superb waterfowl hunting he purchased 3,100 acres of marsh and a beach for $1 per acre. The man returned to NYC and found a number of outdoorsmen who bought into what became, in 1857, the Currituck Shooting Club.

The property had a house that served as a clubhouse. Unfortunately, the American Civil War from 18611865 interrupted the club’s activities – the Northern gentlemen were not welcome in the South during those terrible years.

The Currituck Shooting Club incorporated in 1878, when a new, more elaborate clubhouse was completed, and members purchased more marsh and beach lands.

Canada geese decoys look like the real thing. These decoys are confidence builders and, when mixed with duck decoys, can bring in otherwise reluctant waterfowl.

Eventually the club owned 3 1/2 miles of beach and over 5,000 acres of marshland and maritime forest.

It was a waterfowling paradise, and some old records from the time document 5,000-7,000 ducks killed in a year.

The hunters shipped most of the ducks to New York in barrels that were transported by train.

Early members of the club included William K. Vanderbilt, John Pierpoint Morgan, Jr., George Brown Post, and several other wealthy luminaries of the era who enjoyed the rustic elegance of hunting and fishing on private waters in the Currituck Sound.

The clubhouse burned down in 2003, and the members sold the remaining beach, but kept the marsh to continue waterfowl hunting, preserving a tradition that began more than 165 years ago. And thanks to Bob, I was able to experience that when (Continued on next page)

Bob Brinson, foreground, and guide Drew Whitfield share a light moment. Drew did some magnificent calling that enticed some ducks, but not the usual numbers.

���������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 9

Tradition in Currituck County ends the hunting day at 4:20 PM. Bob scans the skies with five minutes to go, but the ducks had gone elsewhere.

(Continued from page 8)

I flew down several days before Christmas to join him on several hunts conducted pretty much the same as in those early days.

Cash the Wonderdog A new BFF of mine is Bob’s Black Lab Cash, one of two four-year-old siblings that Bob hunts in Currituck Sound. Law stayed home at Bob’s Black Dog Farm near High Point because of a probable muscle strain, so Cash was solo on our trip.

A very friendly and sweet animal, Cash showed me his hunting stuff when he flaw-

The Historic Currituck Shooting Club’s clubhouse sports some fun signs.

lessly retrieved two mergansers that Bob managed to down, one on each day of hunting. The Lab readily jumped into the cold water and followed the hand and arm signals given by Bob from the blind. Cash took to me too, and he readily sought and accepted head and ear rubs when he wasn’t fired up about the ducks that should have come to the decoys, but mostly didn’t. Sometimes it is just hunting and not killing, and that’s all part of the deal. Sort of like fishing and catching.

We stayed in a rented house on the sound in Waterlily, NC, a

Quotable

Sportsman

by George Smith

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

“Maine Fish and Game” magazine, March, 1928 — Using the collars, which send out a signal if they’ve been stationary, biologists can quickly respond to examine

pleasant little place that has a nice feel to it. We had after-hunt libations and dinners at the nearby Coinjock Marina Restaurant, where Southern hospitality and plain old good cooking are readily dispensed. The food was great, the service delightful, and our time there always provided a nice end to our hunting day.

I fell in love with Currituck Sound’s beautiful, diverse marshes with their array of various rushes, cordgrasses and, occasionally, cattails.

Waterfowl like the environment, too – over 25 species of ducks, and several of geese

The iconic Whalehead Club was built in the 1920s for a rich couple who loved duck hunting. This beautiful structure is owned by Currituck County and now is an outstanding museum featuring self-guided tours.

and swans live here at least some of the year, and there are resident birds as well.

Next season I plan to return and meet some of those ducks up close and personal, so I can watch Cash the Wonderdog do his engaging Black Labrador thing.

Information • Coinjock Marina & Restaurant, 252453-3271, www.coinjockmarina.com. A full-service marina and superb eatery.

• North Carolina Wildlife, 1-888-2486834, http://www. ncwildlife.org/. All you need to know about waterfowl hunting in the Tar Heel State.

moose that die during the winter, often determining a cause of death. In certain wildlife management districts during some winters, more than 50% of collared calves have died. The primary cause has been a load of thousands of winter ticks.

“There’s nothing else out there that we can detect that’s causing a problem with these animals,” Kantar said. “It’s [largely due] to winter tick. And we also know that [winter ticks] are primarily affecting calves that are trying to get through their first winter, and not adults.”

John Holyoke story, Bangor Daily News, January 1, 2020 — “A dark cloud hanging over the future of our Atlantic salmon is climate change. Maine is becoming warmer and wetter, based on existing data. Already, the climate Downeast has gotten warmer. To ensure survival, if not a return to abundance and health, of naturally reproducing salmon populations in

• Currituck County, NC, https://co.currituck.nc.us/ • Arcadia Publishing, www.arcadiapublishing.com. Several excellent books by Travis Morris on the duck hunting and the shooting clubs on Currituck Sound.

• Other websites: www.visitcurrituck. com/Things-to-Do/ Hunting/duck-hunting, www.currituck. com/hunting.html • Whalehead Club Museum, 252-4539040, good info at www.outerbanks.com/ the-whalehead-club. html

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these streams, there is no single remedy. Many different programs will need to be pursued at once, and with greater investment and coordination than in recent years. Even then, success may be at the mercy of forces outside anyone’s control here in Maine.”

Lloyd Irland and Matt Scott article, SAM News, January/February 2020 — “Eastern coyotes first appeared in Vermont in the 1940s, after breeding with Eastern wolves in Canada. They are larger than their Western cousins, and they are adaptable opportunists, living in areas that are well settled by humans as well as in remote areas. They now have a role as natural predators in the state’s ecosystem, but also have been highly controversial.”

Mark Scott, Vermont’s wildlife director; January 13, 2020.

www.MaineSportsman.com

Almanac

10 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

“Snapshots in Time”

Excerpts from the Annals of Maine’s Sporting Past Submitted by Bill Pierce, of the Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc, Maine

One of the great blessings of life, whether appreciated to its fullest or not, is the desire to listen while a worldly elder relates a good story about their experiences in nature. It fascinates the mind when great adventure is related that paints pictures in the listeners mind and makes one ask himself… “Could I have done that?”

What follows was published in the January 4, 1904 edition of the “MAINE WOODS” newspaper published in Phillips, Maine. It deftly illustrates the sheer pluck and toughness found in the Maine’s woodsmen of yesteryear.

As you read on, just imagine how

Maine woodcutters were a tough bunch. They performed skilled work under harsh conditions.

The author believes they would do very well on today’s reality shows such as “Survivor.” Photo credit: Outdoor Heritage Museum, Oquossoc

some of these chaps might do in a season of the TV show “Survivor,” (which

I think I’ve watched once). Tropical islands are for sissies compared to where these guys operated. I would watch the TV show if they decided to put those folks up around Katahdin in winter with an axe and a jack knife, and then stocked the Park with a couple of hungry “Indian devils” – a term used starting in the early 1800s to describe big-woods mountain lions that intimidated both the Native Americans and the more recent European arrivals.

Enjoy the storytelling of “Mr. Wright,” and be sure to get outside an make some outdoor history of your own!

Aroostook Farmer Treed by an “Indian Devil” Special Correspondence to the MAINE WOODS - December 28, 1900

Mr. Wright related a story that shows how dangerous it is for a tired traveler to go to sleep in the snow. He says that many years ago, when he was in camp near Chesuncook lake, a visitor named Ed Moore came there on some private business. In a week or two he received a letter from Oldtown saying that some of his family were sick and that his presence was desired at home.

He asked Mr. Wright to go with him as a guide some fourteen miles to where a Mr. Morrissey kept a tavern.

The men started down the lake on the ice, and after going about seven miles, Moore wanted to rest and as he was not used to traveling, Mr. Wright let him rest a while and then they started on. But not more than three miles more had been covered, this time on the land, when Moore said he was played out. So, he sat down on a snow-covered log, and in a minute or two was asleep.

The weather was very cold, and as Mr. Wright had made two or three ineffectual attempts to arouse the man, he finally hit Moore a smart slap on the cheek. Moore started up as angry as a wolf, and tried to catch Wright, who was a great runner, and made good time on the road, hoping that the exercise would warm Moore up. It had this effect, and they soon reached the tavern where a few drinks of hot whiskey

revived the men after their long tramp, though Moore was still angry because Wright had struck him in the face, but when Wright said he only hit him with the palm of the hand, and that it was very dangerous for a man to sleep in the snow Mr. Moore forgot all about, his anger and thanked Mr. Wright for his kindness.

Here was a case, Mr. Wright said, where one or two hot drinks do a man good, though he did not think it would be beneficial for a man to get drunk.

Here I remarked to Mr. Wright, “You have been so much in the woods that I would like to ask if you were ever troubled by Indian devils, wild-cats or the like?”

Mr. Wright said that, except an occasional fight with a bear or a moose, he had not been troubled much by wild animals, but that when a boy in Aroostook he had often heard his parents and neighbors tell of an adventure a new settler had with an Indian devil [cougar].

The settler had cleared part of a new farm, and one pleasant day in the fall he went into the woods to hunt up some timber, when he heard the unearthly screech of an Indian devil. He had been told about that kind of noise before, and had also heard it once or twice, so he thought he would climb a tree.

He clambered up about, fifteen or

twenty feet from the ground, when the Indian devil appeared and at once climbed up after him. The settler gave him several kicks with his cowhide boots, and though the animal bit his ankle once or twice, not much damage was done, but the man kicked so hard that the devil descended to the ground where he watched the tree all night. In the morning he disappeared, and the man went home.

As the weather was warm and the Indian devil had not drawn much blood, the settler suffered no serious inconvenience, yet he had an experience that he would not care to repeat. And though some people say that a panther or a wolf will not attack a man unless wounded or in defense of its young, yet here was a case where the Indian devil made the attack without any provocation.

Besides this, the writer once heard an Adirondack hunter say that a panther followed him three or four miles one night as he was returning from a distant store, and if he had not carried a. good lantern he said he had no doubt that the panther would have made an end of him. This hunter had made no attack or any pretense of an attack, yet the panther followed him for miles.

– H. M. Coburn

(Almanac continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 11 (Continued from page 10)

Wanted: Old Issues of The Maine Sportsman An effort is underway to “digitize” back issues of The Maine Sportsman, and the organization heading up the project needs issues of the magazine from 1972 through 1987.

They can be borrowed, carefully scanned and returned, or there may even be an interest in purchasing the copies.

Digitizing will allow, for example, readers to locate a specific article from years ago, or even find a relative’s or friend’s name in the “Biggest Bucks” lists from nearly 50 years ago!

Send specific information regarding availability of past issues to the editor at Will@MaineSportsman.com.

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SAM’s .22 Range Approved In December, the Augusta Planning Board approved a proposal by the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) to allow .22-caliber firearms to be used at SAM’s existing air gun and archery range at 2273 North Belfast Avenue in Augusta.

David Trahan, executive director of SAM, was quoted in the Kennebec Jour-

nal as saying the shooting range is private, won’t be open to the public, and would only be used occasionally, such as by Boy Scouts undergoing training by 4-H certified firearms instructors.

Further, Trahan stated the earthen berms at the site are high and are well-designed for safety.

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ATV Task Force Report Focuses on Landowners, Growth, Economics, Trail Funds Maine’s ATV Task force recently made public its report and recommendations, including limits on ATV sizes and weights. The report stressed the importance of private landowners who allow public use of their land.

The task force, comprised of 15 members representing a wide range of interest groups, presented six specific recommendations: • Limit the size and weight of ATVs that can be utilized on state-maintained trails in Maine to 65 inches wide and 2,000 lbs.

• Adopt Best Management Practices (BMPs) for construction and maintenance of state-funded ATV trails.

• Create a standardized annual trail inspection process.

Develop a collaborative communications campaign for landowners and ATV riders.

• Maintain a simple user-pay registration system, with one sticker type and price.

• Increase fees across all ATVs equally, having a differential for residents and non-residents and directing the entire increase to trail funding.

Maine has over 6,000 miles of trails of ATV trails, and registers over 70,000 ATVs annually. More information and the report itself are available on the state’s ATV Task Force website.

•

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How to Get your Trophy Buck Photo Printed in The Maine Sportsman

Each year the staff at The Maine Sportsman receives more than 1,000 big-game trophy photos, from moose andwhitetails to bears and coyotes.

How do you increase the chances that such photos will be printed in an issue of the magazine or featured on our web pages? Here are some hints: 1) Pose the animal and the hunter so as to convey respect for the animal; 2) Clean up visible blood; move animal to “clean” snow; (Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

12 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

Trauma Surgeon Offers Advice for Deer Hunters

(Continued from page 11)

Falls are more common than gunshot injuries

3) Get the available sunlight behind the photographer, illuminating the subject; 5) Be aware of man-made items around or behind the animal, and remove them if possible; 6) Tuck the animal’s tongue back in its mouth; and 7) Take several photos in slightly different positions, and send us the best ones.

Good luck to Maine’s many resident and visiting hunters, and keep those photos coming!

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Second Annual Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza Tuna Tournament Coming This Summer Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the second annual Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza tuna tournament will take place this year from August 5-8.

The Bonanza begins with a captain’s meeting and supper on August 5 under the tournament tent at Spring Point Ma-

Fins & Furs Adventures

TM

Last year’s Bluefin Bonanza tournament was a huge success.

rina in South Portland. Dinner will include a Downeast lobster bake provided

by Red Claw, along with adult beverages from Baston River Brewing and Distilling. The opening event also includes live and silent auctions and raffles.

Fishing begins at midnight, and anglers may fish continuously until 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 8. There are no limitations on fishing area, except that all fish must be landed at Spring Point Marina during open scale hours (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.) Over $12,000 in prize money will be handed out at the awards dinner Saturday evening, with a top prize of $6,250 and the Casco Cup for the largest fish.

All proceeds from the event will go toward scholarships at Maine’s seven community colleges and to support the Large Pelagics Research Center’s Tag-a-Tiny program.

For more information, check out the Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza on Facebook visit: www.bluefinbonanza.org or email bluefinbonanza@gmail. com.

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A Missouri doctor’s research has revealed that the most dangerous aspects of hunting are – tree stands!

Trauma surgeon Jacob Quick, MD reported that he sees about 30 major hunting accidents every year, but only a tiny fraction of those are the result of gunshots.

“We see everything from orthopedic injuries like broken legs and arms to intra-abdominal injuries — injuries to the liver, spleen, kidneys, those kinds of things — to chest injuries,” Quick said.

Quick, who is an avid hunter, said the most common cause of injuries is hunters who were not wearing a harness and fell from a tree stand.

What’s the second-most valuable piece of equipment after a good harness? A cell phone. “Always carry your cell phone with you,” Quick said. “Don’t put the device in your backpack and leave it on the ground because, if you fall, you may not be able to get to it.”

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Updated Loon Population Numbers Released Nick Lund, Maine Audubon

More than 1,400 volunteers ventured out onto lakes and ponds across the state this past summer to count Common Loons as part of Maine Audubon’s 36th annual loon count. The data has been collected and the numbers have been crunched, and we’re ready to announce an update on how the state’s populations are faring.

(If the Sportsman weren’t a print magazine, this is the place where I’d include a drum roll, to build tension. It’s difficult to build tension in print. One strategy, I’ve found, is to write a few run-on sentences, which set a fast-paced tone and induce a slight panic in the reader, helping to build anticipation and (Continued on next page)

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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 13

THE ORIGINAL CELEBRATES 100 YEARS! LCW1 (Continued from page 12)

withholding satisfaction for a few seconds and a few more and a few more until the reader is crazy with excitement for the big reveal, which comes now:) Total Number of Adult Loons: 3,129!

Total Number of Chicks: 372!

The 2019 numbers are right in line with the three-decade trend of growth in Maine’s population of Common Loons (see chart above).

The population was down in the 1980s for a number of reasons, including lead poisoning. Loons have no teeth with which to chew their food, and so they swallow stones from the lake bottom which mash up their food in a special organ called a gizzard.

Unfortunately, loons were often mistakenly ingesting lead sinkers or jigs dropped by fishermen and would be poisoned. Maine Audubon, working with Tufts University, has identified hundreds of Common Loons killed after ingesting lead. Public education about the dangers of lead tackle, and 2013 legislation phasing it out, have helped immensely.

The work of local lake associations has also helped by enforcing no-wake zones near loon nests.

Loons have evolved to become incredible swimmers, but have lost the ability to navigate well on land.

Because they can barely walk, they build their nests very close to the waters’ edge, making them vulnerable to washout from boat wake.

Slowing down near nests has helped many eggs survive.

So, our state’s beloved loons are doing great. However, sharp-eyed readers will notice a slight dip in population numbers from last year.

Maine Audubon biologist Tracy Hart says a number of local trends

impacted 2019 numbers, but that none are a long-term concern.

Most harmful may have been heavy spring rains that flooded some nests and caused egg loss.

Some loon counters also reported loons abandoning nests due to high concentrations of black flies in the early season, as well as more predation from Bald Eagles and other wildlife.

New this year, Maine Audubon received a number of calls reporting concerns about “wake boats,” which kick up a large enough wake for someone to surf behind the boat.

Several callers believed that even operating outside the 200’ no-wake zone, the wakes generated by these new boats could wash eggs out of nests when they reach shore. Something to monitor in the years ahead.

If you’re interested in counting loons on your local lake or pond this summer, please visit MaineAudubon.org.

3 1/8” x 1 1/2” 1/3 oz

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Becoming a Warden Are you interested in becoming a Maine Game Warden?

If so, you can attend a Maine Game Warden Career Information Meeting.

The Maine Warden Service is looking for new members who are dedicated to conserving Maine’s fish, wildlife, and other natural resources and protecting the people who enjoy them.

Join the Service at one of their informational sessions to learn how to become a Maine Game Warden, how you can prepare for the hiring process, meet current staff, and ask any questions you may have. The next hiring perioud will begin in April 2020.

The following meeting are scheduled for late February and early March: (Continued on next page)

4 NEW KITS TO CELEBRATE OUR 100 YEARS

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14 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

March 2020 Sunrise/Sunset

(Continued from page 13)

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

RISE 6:14 6:13 6:11 6:09 6:07 6:06 6:04 7:02 7:00 6:59 6:57 6:55 6:53 6:52 6:50 6:48

SET 5:31 5:32 5:34 5:35 5:36 5:37 5:39 6:40 6:41 6:42 6:44 6:45 6:46 6:47 6:49 6:50

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

RISE 6:46 6:44 6:43 6:41 6:39 6:37 6:35 6:34 6:32 6:30 6:28 6:26 6:25 6:23 6:21

SET 6:51 6:52 6:53 6:55 6:56 6:57 6:58 6:59 7:01 7:02 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:07 7:08

* Daylight Savings Begins Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 2:00AM

For this month’s tide chart, go to www.MaineSportsman.com/AdditionalLinks

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You will also receive special offers only available to our e-newsletter subscribers!

We promise to never share your personal information.

Go to www.MaineSportsman.com and click Newsletter to sign up!

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Don’t miss the Maine Professional Guides Association’s

41ST ANNUAL BANQUET & MEETING April 4, 2020 Jeff’s Catering 15 Littlefield Way, Brewer 5:00PM - Happy Hour/Cash Bar 5:30PM - Welcome Speech and Annual Meeting 6:00PM - Dinner SEATS GO QUICKLY! Email pgross@maineguides.org for reservations Send check to: MPGA, c/o Pat Gross 3 North Stonington Road, Stonington, ME 04681

See you there! www.MaineSportsman.com

Fort Kent – Tuesday, February 25 from 6-8 pm - Fort Kent Town Office, 416 W Main Street • Machias – Thursday, February 27 from 6-8 pm - Washington Academy Library, 66 Cutler Road • Gray – Saturday, February 29 from 10 am-12 pm - MDIFW Gray Office Conference Room, 15 Game Farm Road • Scarborough – Sunday, March 1 from 10 am – 12 pm – Cabela’s, 100 Cabela’s Blvd • Belfast – Tuesday, March 3 from 6-8 pm - Belfast Area High School, 98 Waldo Ave • Ellsworth – Thursday, March 5 from 6-8 pm - Ellsworth City Hall Council Room, 1 City Hall Plaza • Kittery – Saturday, March 7 from 10 am – 12 pm - Kittery Trading Post, 301 U.S. 1 Route One • Sidney – Saturday, March 7 from 6-8 pm - MDIFW Sidney Office Conference Room, 270 Lyons Road • Gray – Wednesday, March 11 from 6-8 pm - MDIFW Gray Office Conference Room, 15 Game Farm Road • Farmington – Monday, March 16 from 6–8 pm - Franklin Memorial Hospital, 111 Franklin Health Commons.

•

Portland, ME

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2020 Maine Moose Permit Lottery Application Process is Now Open Applications for the moose permit lottery will be accepted online only.

According to Maine’s DIF&W, the online application process is “fast and simple,” and you receive instant confirmation that you have successfully entered the lottery.

To apply online, go to mefishwildlife.com and fill out the online moose permit application. There, you will be able to indicate several preferences, including which wildlife management districts (WMDs) you are willing to accept a permit in, and if you would accept a permit in another WMD if your name is drawn and all of your top choices are filled. You will also be able to select your preferred hunting season, whether or not you would accept an antlerless permit, and your choice of a sub-permittee.

The deadline to apply for the lottery is 11:59 p.m. on May 14, 2020.

The 2020 moose lottery permit drawing will take place at Unity College Sky Lodge in Jackman, Maine on June 13, 2020.

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Bird of the Month (and of 2020) – Cedar Waxwing

by Erika Zambello

March may bring the first signs of spring to Maine, but Cedar Waxwings have flitted through our forests all winter long. This year, the American Birding Association (ABA) has named the iconic species the official bird of 2020.

When explaining their decision, ABA writes: “Famously gregarious, Cedar Waxwings are all about community. They share berries, they congregate at fruiting trees, they even occasionally over-imbibe.”

Cedar Waxwings are sleek and colorful, with black eye-masks, brown heads and chests, slate-blue backs and wings, and tails that appear to be dipped in yellow ink.

Their tall head-crests make even the silhouettes of waxwings look distinctive.

In the winter, the range of the Cedar Waxwing overlaps with the nearly identical, but much less common, Bohemian Waxwing. To tell the two species apart (with binoculars), look for white wing bars on the Bohemian species, and a yellow belly on the Cedar variety.

The waxwings are famous for their tendency to gorge on fruit. If berries are overripe, they actually begin to ferment. What happens when a waxwing eats too much of this fermented fruit? As the ABA references, the drunk birds can literally fall to the ground in a temporary stupor.

Overall, populations of Cedar Waxwings are holding steady at 52 million breeding birds, 70% of which spend at least part of the year in America. To spot one, pay attention to large flocks of birds in open woods or other mixed forests. Do you want the waxwings to spend time in your backyard? Plant fruit-bearing trees, like dogwoods!

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www.MaineSportsman.com

16 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Favorite Outhouse Stories A friend of mine and his wife have guided hunters and anglers all over Canada and South America.

And I’m very excited that my friend is now writing a book of his best stories. He’s been sending me chapters as he writes them, and I was surprised recently to receive a chapter about his experiences in outhouses. And his stories are very funny.

He inspired me to write some of my favorite outhouse stories.

And if you have some favorite outhouse stories too, I would love to have you send them to me with permission to share them my column. Please email your stories to georgesmithmaine@gmail. com.

Now, here are three of my favorite outhouse stories.

1. The Bear When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle had a camp at the north end of Moosehead lake.

One time, my family was staying in that camp when I headed out to the outhouse.

Just before I got there, I looked inside and spotted a bear.

I quickly decided I really did not have to go, and I ran back into the camp and told dad and he went out to deal with the bear.

2. Enjoying the View At our camp on Nesowadnahunk Lake, we have a bathroom.

But because there is no water in the winter, www.MaineSportsman.com

we also have an outhouse behind camp on the edge of the woods.

Dad always preferred the outhouse, and he would leave the door open so he could enjoy the view out over the lake.

He even wrote a short column about the outhouse, which is still posted on the wall there.

3. Another Bear!

My third outhouse story is not really about an outhouse – it’s about a portable toilet.

When my friend Les Priest and I were rafting and fishing the Karluk River on Kodiak Island in Alaska, every evening after our tents had been set up, our guides put our portable toilet out in the bushes.

One morning I finished using the toilet and stood up, pulling up my pants. Just then, I glanced behind me and saw a giant bear walking by about 10 yards away.

It occurred to me that if the bear had walked by in front of me while I was sitting on the toilet, I would not have had to go to the bathroom for a week!

Whitetail are Unpredictable Many years ago, I was hunting deer with my dad. When he joined me at my stand on a Friday morning, we worked out a plan.

Dad took up a position at the edge of the bog, overlooking a deer

while Dad circled them to take a stand about a quarter mail away along a brook where we thought they would run if I jumped them.

A bedding area was in between us, and that’s where I expected to find the deer.

trail, while I circled around him, trying to move something his way.

Crossing a meadow of wild grass created when a beaver dam had gone out, I heard a couple of deer in an oak grove up ahead.

Since I had no chance to sneak up quietly, I hunkered down, hoping they’d appear in the meadow and give me a shot.

Gradually I crept closer and closer.

Eventually, nearing the end of the meadow, I approached within 30 yards of one deer.

It was just on the other side of some thick spruce trees, making quite a racket as it pawed up acorns. I strained to see even a small part of the deer, but no such luck.

I could still hear the other deer too, farther up in the oak stand.

But I never saw either deer. Eventually, they wandered off.

I moved through the area, trying to push the deer back toward Dad, but couldn’t find them. I knew they hadn’t gone far, so I returned to Dad’s position and we discussed a plan, deciding I would swing behind the deer

Deer Don’t Push in a Straight Line It was a good plan, but things didn’t work out exactly according to our hopes – not unusual when hunting whitetail deer. Anyone who thinks two or three hunters can effectively drive deer with any degree of confidence and consistency is wrong. Nine out of 10 times, even the best plans fail. Our plan this day didn’t fail – it just didn’t work the way we anticipated.

We had just split up, Dad heading north up and over a ridge and down toward the brook, while I headed south to crest that same ridge and swing in behind the deer to move them toward Dad. I planned to stop on the ridge to give him time to get to his stand. Then I would move through the bedding area.

Surprise! As I crested the ridge, I heard a deer blow twice, somewhere between Dad and me. We had only split up about five minutes earlier, and Dad wasn’t more than a couple hundred yards away. I didn’t know if the deer was blowing at me or at Dad. Well, it turned out

the deer had spotted Dad. That blowing deer brought me to attention and got the adrenalin going.

Here Comes the Deer I stood still next to a tall pine, looking in the direction of the deer that blowed, and within seconds I saw a doe coming straight at me. I got the scope on her as she turned to her left about 40 yards in front of me.

The woods are thick here and there were few shooting lanes or opportunities. I had to make a quick decision.

I lowered the rifle and let her go. She moved off to my right.

Seconds later, on the same trail, a large rack appeared, also headed right at me.

That’s what I saw first – a beautiful set of antlers moving in my direction.

I snapped the rifle up, and the scope showed a huge buck.

But things happened quickly and there was not time for buck fever to set in – fortunately. At the same spot where the doe turned, the buck stopped and glanced the other way.

For some reason, he intended to go right, where the doe went left. In a split second, I decided this was my best opportunity, and fired just as the buck turned. He offered a good shoulder shot.

Bang! The new gun felt good. I glanced up, glanced left, glanced (Continued on next page)

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Maine Wildlife: Raccoon

by Tom Seymour

Different people view raccoons in different ways. The homeowner who finds trash spread all over the yard, or the suet feeder ripped down and destroyed, might consider raccoons nothing more than varmints – nuisances of the greatest magnitude. People who pursue ’coons with hounds, however, view the masked bandits as game animals, worthy of pursuit. And the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (DIF&W) considers raccoons as “big-game animals” and manages them as big-game animals, meaning that hunters must have a big-game license to hunt them.

My sentiments lie somewhere in between. To me, raccoons are more nuisance than anything else. But on the other hand, they have won my admiration because of their cunning ways. If we can say any animal is “smart,” then ’coons must rank at the top of the list.

And if raccoons aren’t really smart, they sure are clever. Just ask any oldtime ’coon hunter how creative they can be. If racoons are pursued by hound dogs and manage to escape, they will learn from the experiences and use that knowledge the next time hunters loose their dogs on them.

And sometimes it appears as if raccoons have a sense of humor. This becomes especially apparent when a ’coon leads dogs on a long, convoluted path, a path that leads through water, so as to disarm the dog’s sense of smell. In such instances, the ’coon appears to enjoy the attention.

My Maine (Continued from page 16)

right. Where did he go? Then I saw him, on the ground. In a matter of seconds our deer drive – in reverse – had worked. It was the biggest deer I’d ever shot, with a gorgeous eight-point rack.

I hollered, “Dad! We got him!”

And we had. The planned hunt – the deer drive – had worked, not as

Chicken Thieves A raccoon once caused me much consternation by its raids on my henhouse. One day, when going out to feed the chickens, I noticed a trail of feathers leading away from my poultry yard.

Close inspection showed that some animal had torn a hole in the poultry wire around the yard.

While I first blamed a fox on the loss of hens, it soon became apparent that a fox did not make the hole in the wire fencing. But what could have done it?

The mystery continued for some time, and finally it became plain to see that the only to stop these incursions was to sit on the henhouse roof and wait.

So one night, while I was firmly settled into my lofty perch, the sound of something approaching through the woods alerted me to danger. What was it? I was about to find out.

Soon, a huge raccoon appeared, and it began to worm its way through the hole in the poultry fencing. The mystery was solved. Knowing then the nature of the chicken thief, I marveled at the strength of a raccoon’s digits. I tried to tear a hole in the netting myself, but even with gloves on to protect my hands, I was unable to rip the wire fencing.

Simmering Volcanos Anyone who has seen a young raccoon knows just how cute and even disarming these animal babies can be. A tiny ’coon cannot do much damage to anyone or anything. But what about juvenile raccoons?

Ask anyone who has ever, with advance permission from DIF&W, raised

planned, but it worked nonetheless.

Dad jumped the deer and pushed them back to me. I thanked him for his effort after he arrived a few minutes later.

Deer drives don’t always work the way you hope – in fact, they seldom do. The key ingredients to a successful two- or three-man efforts are these: know your territory well, and be familiar with the habits of the deer that live there. Once in a great while, you’ll suc-

a raccoon from a baby to an adult, and they will tell you that while the very young are cute and adorable, the little critters are really simmering volcanos, ready to nip, bite, scratch and tear anything and anyone in their path.

The change from “cunnin’” and sweet to dangerous and destructive often happens overnight. One moment the pet ’coon clings to its human keeper like a kitten to its mother, and the next moment it is sinking its claws into flesh and biting and gnawing, all the while screaming like a banshee.

The bottom line is raccoons make lousy pets, and anyone thinking of raising one has a long, difficult road ahead.

Better to not even consider raising a pet ’coon.

The Wild Raccoons in the wild seldom if ever bother humans. Instead, they do everything they can to keep out of our way.

The only time raccoons threaten people is if and when the animal contracts the rabies virus. And then your run-of-themill raccoon becomes Kudjo, a slathering, biting, wild and frightening creature that will soon die because of the disease. But it’s what the infected beast can do while under the throes of rabies that concerns us. A rabid ’coon has the potential for great destruction.

Raccoons are omnivores and will eat anything they can get their paws on. And yes, ’coons do sometimes dunk their food in water before eating it. But if there is no water around, no raccoon that ever lived will turn down a meal simply because of lack of water.

One of a raccoon’s admirable traits, and this certainly is limited to the eye of the beholder, is their remarkable dexterity. Raccoons love crayfish and are able to open the crustaceans with their nimble claws and eat the flesh inside. It takes a person a bit of effort to open a crayfish tail and pop out the meat, but for ’coons it’s no great feat.

So all in all, raccoons cause us some discomfort when raiding trash or bird feeders, but that aside, ’coons are intelligent and sophisticated members of the greater family of Maine wildlife. ceed, as we did.

At Ballard’s Meats in Manchester, the buck weighed 214 pounds, my second “Biggest Bucks” patch in twenty years, and one Dad and I never forgot.

This story was published in Down East Magazine and my book, A Lifetime of Hunting & Fishing, published

by North Country Press.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

18 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Basic Boat Gear – Part 2

by Bob Humphrey Anchors While anchors are not required by law, you really should consider them as mandatory equipment. You can use an anchor to hold your boat on or near the beach while you picnic or explore.

It will hold you in place while you fish.

And if you’re cruising

In Part 1, Capt. Bob Humphrey covered life jackets, boat lights, fire extinguishers and distress signals.

In this concluding installment, he addresses anchors and line, electronics, a “survival kit” and more. along and your boat suddenly loses power, deploying your anchor is the second step to take, after ensuring everyone on board is wearing a PFD.

Choosing the right anchor type can be confusing, even for seasoned boaters. The three most common types are fluke, plow and mushroom.

Fluke or Danforth anchors are by far the most common and most popular for smaller boats. They

hold well under most conditions, are relatively lightweight and store flat. A fourpound fluke will suffice for boats of 16 feet or less, while an 8-pound anchor is recommended for boats 17-25 feet.

The plow anchor offers more holding power in a greater

variety of bottom conditions, but is heavier and takes more storage space. Much the same applies to similar claw anchors.

Mushroom anchors are designed more as permanent moorings, but smaller ones are also handy for temporary anchoring, particularly in mud or sand bottoms.

One anchor is good, but two are better. I carry both a fourpound Danforth and (Continued on next page)

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a small mushroom in my 20-foot aluminum boat.

This dynamic duo comes in handy if I want to keep my boat from swinging on anchor, and allows me to anchor near but off a rocky shoreline and still be able to retrieve the boat without getting wet. And a spare can come in mighty handy should you lose your primary anchor, which does happen.

Aside from poor knots, the most common cause of lost anchors is inadequate rigging. This is another area where the range of available options can be confusing and intimidating to the novice boater.

On one end is the anchor line or rode.

You can choose among poly, manila or nylon, with three-strand nylon being far and away the preferred choice due to its strength and elasticity.

Line of 3/8-inch diameter will suffice for most applications of boats under 25 feet.

Add Some Chain?

You also have the option – and it’s not a bad idea – to add a length of chain between your line and anchor. Six feet of 3/16-inch galvanized chain should do the trick. Chain is abrasion-resistant, and the added weight allows you to reduce required scope.

Note: “Scope” is the ratio of the length of your anchor line, to the water depth plus the height of the gunnel. The more scope you pay out, the more effective your anchor will be at holding. The recommended scope is 7:1, or seven feet of rope for every foot of water depth

If you use a ropechain rode, it’s advisable to connect chain to anchor and the rope with shackles, having a spliced thimble on the rope end. (Don’t worry; you can buy them with a thimble already spliced into the line.)

Lines Speaking of line, you should also have a bow line, stern line and maybe even an extra length of line sturdy enough for towing, just in case.

Survival Kit Many of you have probably taken a hunter safety class, which required you to compile a small survival kit that you’re supposed to take along on every trip afield.

When hunting season ends, move it from your hunting to your fishing/boating gear.

If you don’t already have one, get a waterproof container and add the following items: knife, matches or lighter, spare compass, whistle, water treatment product(s), a small flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries, signaling device, spare glasses and medications, large trash bag and paracord, food, first aid kit, space blanket, duct tape.

I didn’t mention food and water because you should always have a small supply on board, even for short trips. You never know when a short trip could turn into an unexpectedly long one; even an overnight.

You should also have, at the very least, a small set of hand tools and a multi-tool.

A knife, a pair of pliers and a screwdriver are often all you need to repair minor problems that might otherwise

result in a late return or an expensive tow.

Fishfinder/GPS Chart Plotter Yet another “option” that I consider nearly a necessity is electronics, with preference being given to a unit that features both fishfinder and chartplotter capabilities.

We could devote an entire feature to the various uses and applications, but the basics

should be obvious. The fishfinder will help you find fish and could save you from running up on the rocks. And the chartplotter will show you the way to your destination and – more important – back home.

Speaking of electronics, it almost goes without saying because everyone has one, but don’t forget your cell phone. You

can call if you need help, and while it won’t show you the fish, there are plenty of apps for navigation.

Education Yet another thing that’s not required, but probably should be, is boater education. If you’re new to boating, it is well worth the investment in time and money (many courses are available free, or (Continued on page 22)

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20 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Fishing Boat for Maine?

by Steve Carpenteri Boating in Maine can be a complicated (and expensive) undertaking, especially for sportsmen who want to take advantage of all of Maine’s many and varied angling opportunities.

Traditional canoes – and lately, kayaks – are ideal for the majority of rivers, streams and ponds that are small, shallow, difficult to access and full of rocks, logs and other shear-pin threats.

Maine also contains plenty of great ponds that are large enough to justify the use of a small (12- to 16-foot) boat and mo-

tor, although access is, once again, the greater challenge. Many small ponds have no public launch sites or feature only the most primitive gravel landings.

Many of these require a good deal of manpower to get to from the nearest road or logging trail.

While the excellent fishing usually more than makes up for the effort required to get there, practicality must also be considered: Is it worth damaging an expensive boat and motor by dragging it several hundred yards through the woods in

Refresh. Repower. Rebate.

OR

Contact Your Local Mercury Outboards Dealer for Details!

GORHAM White Rock Outboard, Inc. 351 Sebago Lake Road • (207) 892-9606 www.whiterockoutboard.com MACHIAS Whitney’s Tri-Town Marine 29 Dublin Street • (207) 255-3392 www.tritownmarine.com SHAPLEIGH Parker’s Boathouse 86 Emery Mills Road • (207) 636-2722 www.parkersboathouse.com All Repower retail sales must be completed between January 1, 2020 and March 31, 2020. ELIGIBLE ENGINES: Rebate - Outboard engines: 9.9 ProKicker, 15 ProKicker, 40 – 150 models (FourStroke, Pro XS and Jet) and 350 & 400 models. Repower sales only, i.e., units sold direct to dealers from Mercury Marine. Consumer Financing - Outboard engines: 40 – through 400 models (FourStroke, Pro XS and Jet).

Includes the new V6 and V8 models 175-300hp! EXCLUSIONS: Excludes boat package engines. All Pacemaker, Mercury Racing, Government, previously registered engines, donations, as well as engines sold for commercial, camp or resort applications and sales/registrations outside the United States are excluded. Professional Guide and Boat Club units are excluded as well. Also excludes any non-U.S. resident, or address outside of the U.S. Engines originally sold to a Boatbuilder are also excluded. Engines on the Angling or Sponsorship program do not qualify. Consumers are only eligible for one benefit on the qualified repower engine. OFFER VOID WHERE RESTRICTED OR OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Rebate amounts vary by engine model. Limited time promotional financing offer available through Medallion Bank and administered by Brunswick Financial Services Corporation. On all loans approved under this program, buyer has the option of making no down payment and no payments for 6 months. Interest will begin to accrue on the principle balance at the end of the promotional period, 7 months from the loan closing date, at the rate listed on the Simple Interest Note and Security Agreement.

For example, if the loan were for $10,000.00 for 84 months at a contract rate of 8.99% Annual Percentage Rate (APR), the regular monthly payment would be $160.84. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. Offer available to residents of the USA except in the states of Montana and West Virginia. Minimum amount financed is $5,000, maximum amount financed is $50,000.

Dealer sets actual sale prices. Both the promotional financing offer and the rebate offer apply to Engines purchased between January 1, 2020 and March 31, 2020 at authorized, participating Mercury dealers.

Standard 3-year limited warranty applies, and any applicable promotional warranty that may be offered and is within the program guidelines. All Pacemaker, Mercury Racing, Government, previously registered engines, donations, as well as engines sold for commercial, camp or resort applications and sales/registrations outside the United States are excluded. Also excludes any non-U.S. resident, or address outside of the U.S. Engines originally sold to a Boatbuilder are also excluded. Engines on the Angling or Sponsorship program do not qualify. Consumers are only eligible for one benefit on the qualified repower engine.

Promotional financing offer may not be assigned, traded, sold or combined with any other offer unless expressly stated herein. OFFER VOID WHERE RESTRICTED OR OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

www.MaineSportsman.com

order to reach prime trout water? Some anglers think so, although their boats end up paying the price for their enthusiasm.

Modern Launch Sites Provide Welcome Relief Modern, well-designed and maintained launch sites are comparatively rare in Maine, but they do exist, primarily on the state’s largest and most popular lakes. There is a certain joy to backing a trailer into the water and launching a large, comfortable craft for a day of trolling in water that’s over 100 feet deep, but these are the exceptions.

Coastal waters, of course, are a world of their own, featuring conditions that invariably demand large boats and (in some cas-

Center-console or bow-rider models are ideal for fishing and other activities on both fresh and sheltered salt water. Dan Armitage photo

es) multiple motors.

In a nutshell, there is no one “best” boat for Maine fishermen, but there is a great deal of room for overlapping use depending on the

wants and needs of the angler.

Paddle-Craft Benefits, Limits For most fishing situations in Maine, (Continued on next page)

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 21 (Continued from page 20)

a canoe or kayak will suffice, because each can be used on small streams, rivers, thoroughfares, secluded coves and ponds. In fact, if you’re cautious and prepared, these small boats can even offer limited applica-

tions on large lakes and coastal marshes.

However, small paddle craft may not be the best choice for the state’s largest lakes, rivers or bays, particularly when high winds or stormy weather turn smooth surfaces into raging whitewater. “Beating

the storm” can be an invigorating experience, but wiser heads usually take the more prudent course and go the long way around.

Too Much Boat?

To avoid owning a boat that spends most of its time wrapped (Continued on next page)

Stop by Your Local Evinrude Dealer for the Details!

PORTLAND Portland Yacht Services 100 W. Commercial Street • (207) 774-1067 www.portlandyacht.com ROCKPORT Yachting Solutions 56 New County Road • (207) 236-8100 ext. 116 www.yachtingsolutions.com WOOLWICH BFC Marine 126 US Route 1 • (207) 443-3571 www.bfcmarine.com ©2020 BRP US Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®,™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. Offer valid only to qualified buyers on purchases of engines bought for recreational use only. Excludes engines purchased under commercial, professional, and government programs. Offer is valid in North America only on new and unused Evinrude E-TEC® and E-TEC G2® engines purchased, delivered and registered between 2/1/2020 and 3/31/2020 at an authorized, participating Evinrude dealer. *7-YEAR COVERAGE: Subject to all exclusions, limitations of liabilities, and all other terms and conditions of BRP’s standard limited warranty and B.E.S.T. contract including without limitation the exclusions of damages caused by abuse, abnormal use or neglect (see B.E.S.T. contract for specific details of coverage and exclusions). Offer effective on all new and unused 15 H.O. and above Evinrude E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines. Eligible models will receive 7-year coverage (3 years of BRP Limited Warranty and 4 years of BRP Extended Service Terms [B.E.S.T.] coverage) subject to a $50 deductible on each repair. Benefit offered to Florida residents is a 7-year BRP Limited Warranty. Evinrude Jet Series engines are eligible for 7-year coverage offer on the upper unit only. The jet pump assembly will only receive a 3-year BRP limited warranty. All rigging components purchased on the same bill of sale as the engine will be covered under the same BRP Extended Service Terms as the engine. **$2000 REBATE: Offer is valid on all new and unused 150 HP – 300 HP E-TEC G2 outboard engines. Offer excludes inline 3-cylinder E-TEC G2 150 HP K models. $1000 REBATE: Offer is valid on all new and unused 200 H.O. – 300 HP E-TEC outboard engines. $750 REBATE: Offer is valid on all new and unused 115 HP – 200 HP E-TEC outboard engines. The consumer will receive a rebate, which must be denoted on the bill of sale, off the purchase price agreed upon with qualified, authorized Evinrude dealer. Rebates may not be substituted, transferred or exchanged for cash. Offer subject to change without notice. See your authorized, qualified Evinrude dealer for details. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may not be assigned, traded, sold or combined with any other offer unless expressly stated herein. OFFER VOID WHERE RESTRICTED OR OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

BAR HARBOR Bowden Marine Service 713 Norway Drive (207) 288-5247 www.BowdenMarine.com

THOMASTON Jeff’s Marine 2 Brooklyn Heights Road (207) 354-8777 www.JeffsMarine.com

HAMPDEN Hamlin’s Marine 581 Main Road North 207-907-4385 www.HamlinsMarine.com

WATERVILLE Hamlin’s Marine 290 West River Road 207-872-5660 www.HamlinsMarine.com

JONESPORT Moosabec Marine 3 Rosemary Lane (207) 497-2196 www.Moosabec.com

ROCHESTER, NH NECC Boats 144 Flagg Road (603) 335-1570 www.NECCBoats.com

*PROGRAM TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Consumer benefit for purchasing a new (unused, not previously warranty registered) Yamaha four-stroke outboard is based on horsepower as follows: (i) 2.5-300 hp is a choice of either a 24-month Yamaha Extended Service contract (choice offered in Florida is a 24-month Yamaha Limited Warranty), or a credit based on MSRP toward the purchase of goods and/or services at the authorized participating dealer that sold the outboard, at no extra cost to consumer (“Promotion Credit”); or (ii) 350 hp is a choice of either a 12-month Yamaha Extended Service contract (choice offered in Florida is a 12-month Yamaha Limited Warranty), or Promotion Credit. NO BENEFIT SUBSTITUTIONS. To be eligible, outboards must also have been manufactured since January 2013. Promotion is only applicable from authorized participating Yamaha Outboard dealers in the USA, sold to purchasing consumers residing in the USA. Promotion is limited to available stock in dealer inventory that is sold, PDI completed, delivered and warranty registered on YMBS by the dealer in accordance with Yamaha’s Promotion and warranty registration requirements during applicable dates. No model substitutions, benefit substitutions, extensions or rain checks will be allowed. Outboards sold or provided for commercial, camp, resort, rental, promotional/demo, government agency, competition, tournament or sponsorship use are not eligible. This Promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other Yamaha offer. Some exceptions may apply. See authorized participating Yamaha outboard dealer for complete details. Yamaha reserves the right to change or cancel this Promotion at any time. Other restrictions and conditions may apply. REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear. © 2020 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Our outboard motors are about a whole lot more than just the specs. A truly great motor delivers it all: PERFORMANCE, SAFETY, and the ULTIMATE EASE OF USE. Visit Your Local Dealer for the Models & Promotions!

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22 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Fishing Boat (Continued from page 21)

in plastic on the back lawn, carefully consider your options as well as the reality of your boating needs.

Are you really going to troll deep water all spring and fall while roaring around the lake towing tubers and skiers all summer? Or are you an occasional small-pond angler who only has a few weekend hours to spare for springtime trout and summer perch fishing? Can you honestly expect (and afford) to spend every weekend plying deep

coastal waters for the elusive, hard-fighting tuna?

The best boating decisions are made by those who understand and admit their recreational and financial limitations, balancing their desires against their leisure time realities. The tendency is to buy too much boat, rarely if ever use it, and then have it languish on a trailer in the back yard for several years before a “For Sale” sign finally puts an end to the dream.

Best Advice?

Start Small The more practical approach is to start small, with a canoe or kayak, perhaps add a gas or electric motor,

try a square-stern or sport canoe, and then trade up to a larger boat and motor if and when the time comes.

Keep in mind that all motorized boats of any size, including air-mobiles and personal watercraft, must be registered, which includes a lake and river protection sticker. There are gas, oil and maintenance fees to consider as well.

The boating curve usually ends in retirement with a large, seaworthy craft or a pontoon boat where fishing and other activities are gradually replaced by more leisurely pursuits, such as sunrise or sunset “cruises” and holiday partying.

Shallow-draft boats, like this open aluminum model, are good choices for Maine’s many small bass and trout ponds. Steve Carpenteri photo

There is no right or wrong boat for Maine waters. It’s all a matter of personal choice, practicality and affordability. Be realistic in your expec-

tations, and go with the craft that will best serve your boating and angling needs over the long haul.

¶

Basic Boat Gear (Continued from page 19)

Visit Your Local Honda Marine Dealer for Details!

ELLSWORTH Pirie Marine 53 Sunset Park Road (207) 664-0500 piriemarine.com MACHIAS Whitney’s Tri-Town Marine 29 Dublin Street (207) 255-3392 www.tritownmarine.com

LEWISTON Al’s Sport Center 1818 Lisbon Road (207) 784-7591 www.alssportcenter.com

PORTLAND Portland Yacht Services 100 W. Commercial Street (207) 774-1067 www.portlandyacht.com STANDISH Richardson’s Boat Yard 633 White’s Bridge Road (207) 892-4913 www.richardsonsby.com

*At participating dealers only. Qualifying retail customers may receive instant savings off the selling price of a Honda powered boat package or Honda Marine engine(s) sold for repower. This promotion is limited to new Honda Marine 40 HP through 250 HP outboard engines, 2014 and newer models, sold and delivered between January 2, 2020 and March 31, 2020 and registered by the Dealer in accordance with American Honda Motor Co., Inc.’s sales registration requirements. Only Honda Marine outboard engines sold for personal use qualify for this promotion. Fleet, commercial & government sales are ineligible. Engines sold under special pricing / promotions including (but not limited to) demo and tournament fisherman engines are also excluded. Honda Marine reserves the right to modify, amend, cancel or revoke, in whole or in part, this promotion at any time without prior notice. **Boat Show Only savings promotion can only be applied to eligible units sold by an Authorized Honda Marine Dealer at regional boat shows or open houses and delivered to the customer by March 31, 2020 and registered by the Dealer in accordance with American Honda Motor Co., Inc.’s sales registration requirements. Only units sold for personal, non-commercial use qualify. Units sold by Honda Marine under special sales programs, including Fleet Sales, Demo or Tournament Fisherman program are NOT eligible for this promotion.© 2020 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual. All Honda outboards meet EPA and CARB emission levels.

www.MaineSportsman.com

for a nominal fee).

You will learn how to use the required and recommended equipment described above, and they’ll also teach you things like rules of the road and proper boating etiquette – knowledge that is sometimes in short supply among novice navigators.

At the very least, the aforementioned items should help make your time on the water safer and more enjoyable. Some could save you a lot of time, aggravation and money; and a few might even save your life.

A focus on safety and preparedness will allow the captain and crew to relax and enjoy their boating and angling experiences to the fullest.

Photo: Bob Humphrey

*** Capt. Bob Humphrey is a registered Maine guide with fishing, tidewater fishing and commercial boat operator endorsements and a U.S.C.G. licensed captain who operates inshore and offshore fishing charters; see www. sportventures.net.

¶

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 23

“Trash Fish” Can Be Tasty!

The term “trash fish,” is often used disparagingly by saltwater anglers to describe something they’ve caught that has little market or sport value. Fish such as sea robins, skates, cunners, redfish and dogfish may not command much money at a seafood store, or fight very hard at the business end of a spinning rod, but they all have their places in the ecosystem and can make for tasty table fare as well.

Some of these “bycatch” fish have little chance for survival when cranked up from deep water even if carefully released, so it makes sense to seriously consider them for a fresh seafood dinner.

Take the sea robin, a bottom-dweller occasionally encountered in Maine’s coastal waters (they are different from sculpins, which are similar in appearance). Despite rumors to the contrary, they are not poisonous to eat or handle. True, though, if you get stabbed in the hand by one of their spines you can get a nasty infection if you don’t treat the wound properly right away.

Sea robin meat can be filleted off and is excellent in a chowder or deep-fried as “fish fingers.” In France, sea robin is the main ingredient in a classic bouillabaisse.

Several species of skates swim in Maine waters, and are some-

times caught from beaches by surf casters using natural baits in pursuit of stripers.

Skates are good table fare, and the wings are what you want.

Cut them off as soon as the skate is landed, and slice the meat into strips. Soak the strips for several hours in a solution of one-half cup white vinegar to a gallon of fresh water. The strips can be fried, or baked in a casserole with cheddar cheese, onions, peppers, mushrooms and cracker crumbs. The meat has been favorably compared to that of scallops in taste and texture.

Skate Wings in Black Butter If you’re into nouvelle cuisine (or want

Skates can be pests when you’re fishing for stripers or flounder, but many find “skate wings” comparable in taste and texture to scallops.

Barry Gibson photo

to give it a shot), try Skate Wings in Black Butter. You’ll need: • 2 pounds of unskinned skate wings • 5 tbsp. wine vinegar • 4 tbsp. butter

• 1 handful of parsley, finely chopped • Juice of one lemon • Salt and pepper to taste Parboil the wings for 25 minutes in one (Continued on page 25)

HANDS ON CLINIC & SEMINARS Join Peter & the SBT Crew at The Clambake Restaurant 354 Pine Point Road • Scarborough, ME

Saturday, March 21, 2020 • 9AM–5PM Early Season Specials!

Call (207) 284-4453 to Pre-Register

Raffles, Prizes & More!

SPECIAL RAFFLE:

Penn Reel 130 International

Food & Drinks!

Proceeds go to Thomas Behen Scholarship Fund

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US Route 1, Saco, ME 04072

Stripers & Tuna Seminar Also Touching Base on Ground Fishing & Shark Fishing Reps from Big Name Manufacturers, Dept. of Marine Resources, and Members of ABTA will also be there! $25.00 ADMISSION FOR THE DAY

For Information About Display Booth Space, Contact Saco Bay Tackle at (207) 284-4453 or sacobaytackle@maine.rr.com www.MaineSportsman.com

24 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

Saltwater Fisheries Management:

Life at the End of the Road

by Bob Humphrey There are certain advantages to living at the end of a gravel road. People pay you far less attention, leaving you to go about your business.

With less traffic it’s more peaceful, and the sound of an approaching vehicle stirs a curious alert.

There are also disadvantages. It’s the last road to get plowed after a storm and when the power goes out, the last to have it restored.

Meanwhile, those who live on the main

BAR HARBOR Lake & Sea Boatworks 204 Knox Road (207) 288-8961 www.lakeandsea.com

www.MaineSportsman.com

thoroughfares get more attention, and results.

While we have our big towns, Maine is still largely a rural state. That certainly has its advantages as well, but when it comes to marine fisheries, far too often it seems as though we here in Maine are regarded as living on a gravel road.

Groundfish Most folks are familiar with the demise of Atlantic cod stocks, primarily the result of commercial over-ex-

PORTLAND Portland Yacht Services 100 W. Commercial Street (207) 774-1067 www.portlandyacht.com

ploitation. The effects of strict cutbacks to save remaining stocks have rippled down through the fishery from full-time commercial fishermen to private recreational anglers, who are often an afterthought left to squabble over what, if any, meager quota remains.

In between are the commercial charter and headboat operators who, like commercial fishermen, provide a tremendous economic contribution to coastal and statewide

STANDISH Richardson’s Boat Yard 633 Whites Bridge Road (207) 892-4913 www.richardsonsby.com

communities, and who have also had to downsize, adapt or seek alternative means of employment.

But the burden and the punishment are not equally distributed along the Atlantic coast. Maine recreational and charter/headboat anglers have been without any catch-and-keep cod season for some time now (a token twoweek, one fish a day season in 2019 notwithstanding).

South of Cape Cod, recreational anglers enjoy a year-long season wherein they can catch 10 fish a day of 21 inches or greater.

The only bright spot for recreational and commercial charter boat operators in Maine has been the tremendous resurgence of haddock. But that has come with a price. Recent studies have shown significant catch and release mortality on cod from those targeting haddock. Had Massachusetts elected to increase their recreational cod catch, the National Marine Fisheries Service would have reduced bag limits and season length for haddock in Maine. That’s just one example.

Striped Bass Prior to 2016, Maine had a slot limit on striped bass, allowing anglers to keep one fish a day between 20 and 26 inches. It was widely regarded as one of the most progressive and practical programs on the east

coast, for several reasons.

First, it’s sound management. Removing younger fish has less impact on the population. One reason is that older, larger fish have a greater probability of reaching breeding age and status, and replenishing the population.

This framework was particularly well suited to Maine because smaller fish occur in greater abundance throughout the geographical range of Maine’s striped bass fishery. A slot limit allows anglers more opportunity to catch and, if they so choose, keep fish. This is particularly true in northern areas, where larger fish are all but non-existent. Increasing the minimum size limit decreases recreational opportunity and participation, which can have an economic impact on local, fishing-based businesses like guides and tackle shops.

Keeping smaller fish is also better for the consumer. A slot fish makes a nice meal for one to four individuals, depending on their appetite. Smaller fish are healthier to eat because they have had less time to accumulate toxins like PCBs and heavy metals.

In 2015, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) recommended a 25 percent reduction in removals by fishing for all states. The (Continued on page 25)

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 25 (Continued from page 24)

Maine Department of Marine Resources explored several options, including truncating the slot limit.

Ultimately, they chose to go with a 28-inch minimum, largely to be consistent with other states in the region.

Several very healthy age classes with high strong survival rates has resulted in a resurgence in smaller fish over the last three years in Maine. It certainly looked like conservative management efforts were about to pay off, and given another year or two of growth, Maine would be able to experience striped bass fishing that rivaled or even exceeded the heyday of the 90s.

That optimism faded when, in early 2019, ASMFC proposed further coastwide reductions in removal of striped bass. Some hope remains as the current pending proposal for Maine would retain a 28-inch minimum. But the top end would be truncated at 34 inches. This re-

moves the opportunity to take larger “trophy” fish, but represents a sensible approach to protect breeding age fish.

Meanwhile, commercial fishermen in Massachusetts are allowed to keep 15 fish a day of 34 inches or greater, and commercial catch limits are even higher in mid-Atlantic states. It would be fair to question if this resource is so imperiled, why is there any commercial fishery at all?

Sharks In 2018, the National Marine Fisheries Service Highly Migratory Species Program (HMS) began requiring recreational shark anglers to use circle hooks when fishing south of 41° 43’ N latitude (Cape Cod), a measure to reduce catch and release mortality on dusky sharks.

The HMS Recreational Compliance Guide stated that this is “the northern extent of the dusky shark’s U.S. Atlantic range...” Yet in 2019, this requirement was expanded

Saltwater Fishing (Continued from page 23)

quart of water to which you have added the wine vinegar. Remove from water and peel off the skin. Brown the butter without burning in a large skillet. When butter is coffee-colored, add parsley. Let brown for one minute, add lemon juice, pour over fish and serve.

Dogfish Dogfish are considered a pain in the neck by bottom fishermen targeting haddock and other more accommodating species. However, they are actually pretty good eating, and they’re the “fish” in traditional British fish ’n chips.

The secret to good dogfish (or any shark) meat is to bleed and gut the fish right after you catch it (you can skin it later). Soak it in the same solution you use for skates, as described above.

For authentic fish ’n chips, cut the meat into 3” by 5” pieces, wash in cold

to the entire Atlantic coast, requiring a costly replacement of hooks by those who, in all likelihood, will never see a dusky shark.

Hardly seems fair.

The HMS program also increased minimum length limits on mako sharks from 54 to 71 inches, and later to 83 for females, again to reduce mortality. While the species does occur in Maine, it is uncommon. Far greater mortality occurs in waters south of Cape Cod, where the monster shark tournaments of Long Island and New Jersey target makos.

Even that is a pittance compared to incidental catch mortality from the offshore commercial longline fishery.

Yet the recreational anglers and commercial charter boat operators of Maine must again bear an equal share of the burden. One could easily argue that given the scarcity of the species in our waters, it is an unequal share.

Bluefin Tuna Current regula-

tions allow a small quota of large or medium giant (trophy) size bluefin tuna to be caught by recreational anglers on the Atlantic coast. This carrot dangles tantalizingly over the heads of Maine recreational anglers, but few if any ever get to taste it. The quota is typically filled before bluefin tuna arrive north of Cape Cod, let alone show up in Maine waters.

Most of it is caught in waters where anglers have other options, like yellowfin and bigeye tuna, mahi, wahoo and billfish. There is a larger recreation quota for smaller tuna but like the striped bass, smaller fish are far less common in the northern Gulf of Maine. Without the other species that are available to our southern neighbors, offshore fishermen in Maine have few if any alternatives.

Again and again, Maine gets short shrift when recreational fishing policy is made.

It seems our voices are drowned out by those from more populous

water, and pat dry. Dip in a batter made from one cup flour, one egg, 4 tsp. beer, 5 tbsp. milk, and 5 tbsp. water.

Deep-fry in hot oil for four or five minutes.

Cunners Cunners, called “bergalls” in states to the south of us, are popular panfish that inhabit Maine’s rocky shorelines.

Although small (most run six to 10 inches), they provide fishing fun for anglers of all ages, from shore or boat. A periwinkle meat or small piece of clam or seaworm impaled on a #1 or #2 hook, with a split shot or two for enough weight to get the rig to the bottom will do the trick. Cunners have a fast, rata-tat-tat bite, so you need to be quick in setting the hook or they’ll steal your bait. There are currently no size or bag limits for these feisty little fish.

Cunners are admittedly bony, but if you take the time to fillet them carefully with a sharp knife and remove scales or skin, you’ll find their flesh is quite sweet.

and influential states along the Atlantic coast. Recent studies have shown the economic importance of recreational and commercial head/charter boat fisheries, which is even more important in states like Maine, where outdoor recreation represents one of the cornerstone industries.

We’re asked to share the burden of protecting this resource, but policy makers fail to consider the uniqueness of Maine fisheries, the relative lack of alternatives and the disproportionate impact that broad, coast-wide reductions in fishing opportunity have on our State.

Rather, because we live at the end of the road, it seems we get what’s left after everyone else has taken their share of that resource. It’s time the collective voices of recreational anglers and commercial charter boat operators in Maine are heard.

¶

Best way to prepare the fillets?

Simply pan fry them in butter. You won’t be disappointed.

Redfish Redfish, once an important commercial species and caught by the thousands of tons annually in the Gulf of Maine, virtually disappeared for a number of years, but they’re making a comeback. You’ll catch them offshore in 100 to 300 or more feet of water over rocky bottom, usually when you’re targeting cod and haddock.

These spiny, bright-orange critters range from about six inches to better than a foot in length. The 2020 minimum size for redfish is 9”, although there is no bag limit.

The white meat is mild yet flavorful. Carefully remove fillets with a sharp, thin knife and prepare them any way you would flounder fillets. Again, pan-sautéing in a little butter or olive oil works perfectly.

¶

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26 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Snowmobile Safety – Ice Gets Thin Toward End of Season

by Steve Carptenteri As we approach the end of another riding season, a major threat to the safety and enjoyment of snowmobilers is thin, soft or rotten ice.

This is especially true on thoroughfares, rivers and tradition-

The Maine Warden Service recommends that all new riders -- and those who want to brush up on their skills – participate in a certified snowmobile education course. al crossings that, just a few weeks earlier, were solid enough to provide safe passage.

In early spring these crossings can become treacherous, as temperatures increase

and ice thicknesses diminish.

Throughout winter, trail riders – both

snowmobilers and ATVers – must be aware of ice thicknesses and whether it is safe to ride across it.

The American Pulpwood Association has published a handy reference chart that (Continued on next page)

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provides a good ruleof-thumb for pond and lake ice thicknesses (see chart above).

Keep in mind that this table is for clear, blue ice on large lakes.

Riders should reduce the given strength values by 15 percent for clear blue river ice.

Also, remember that slush ice is only one-half the strength of blue ice.

If there is ever a question about the thickness or condition of ice on the trail the best recourse is to turn around or go around.

Riding to the bottom of an ice-cold lake in the middle of March is nowhere near as much fun as it may sound!

Slow Down; Watch for Obstacles Although snowmobiles are fun, the Warden Service reminds riders that sleds are heavy machinery, and operators must respect their speed and power.

Maine’s game war-

dens respond to nearly 100 snowmobile crashes each winter season.

According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the leading contributing factor was excessive speed. With more than 80,000 snowmobiles registered in Maine each year, driving at a safe speed has never been more important.

Maine Game Wardens traditionally urge the snowmobiling public to operate at a reasonable and prudent speed, obey all of Maine’s snowmobile laws and be mindful of others using the state’s intricate network of trail systems Not only does the Maine Warden Service continue to urge riders to slow down, but it also advises riders to allow appropriate time to cover long distances while riding to allow safe interactions with other (Continued on next page)

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Riders should remain vigilant as weather warms and the snowmobiling season starts to wind down, by carefully monitoring ice conditions. Crossings that were safe a week or two ago earlier may no longer support the weight of a snow machine.

Photo: Maine Snowmobile Association

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28 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Snowmobile Safety (Continued from page 27)

riders, negotiate difficult trail intersections and turns, as well as unexpected obstacles.

Certified Snowmobile Education Course – Mandatory for Youngsters; Recommended for All Snowmobile operators should also always know the area they ride in, travel at speeds that are prudent for current conditions, signal their riding intentions, give way to other snowmobilers, and never oper-

ate under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Because accidents, by definition, can be avoided, the Maine Warden Service recommends that all new riders (and those needing a refresher course) participate in a certified snowmobile education course. Maine law also requires a person 10 years of age or older but under 16 years of age to successfully complete a training program with that person’s parent or guardian prior to (Continued on next page)

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operating on land other than that owned or leased by their parent or guardian or on which they live.

These certification courses, which last six hours, are taught by qualified designated instructors who teach attendees how to properly and legally operate and maintain a snowmobile in the state of Maine. Laws, responsibilities and personal safety are also covered. Passage of a final exam is required, and students must attend every day of the class in order to receive a certificate.

Course breakdown includes proper operation and safety (Riding Skill-Equipment-Maintenance) (two hours); state laws (30 minutes); emergencies and survival (40 minutes): map and compass (1 hour); self-help first-aid (20 minutes); and Environmental-Landowner-Ethics (1.5 hours).

New courses are posted on the MDIFW website throughout the year.

Not only will these courses benefit Maine’s snowmobiling community, but much of the information provided will also be of great interest to hunt-

ers, fishermen, hikers, ATV riders and others who use Maine’s trails, lakes, ponds, rivers and coastal wa-

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To find a snowmobile safety course in your area, contact the MDIFW’S Recreation-

al Safety Division office at (207) 287-5220.

¶

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30 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: RACCOON by Steve Vose

The Raccoon (Procyon lotor), also known as the Masked Bandit or Trash Panda, is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. As a result of escapes and deliberate introductions, raccoons also roam through much of mainland Europe, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Japan.

Remarkably adaptable creatures, raccoons have extended their “natural” ranges and moved into urban centers, where some homeowners consider them to be pests.

The raccoon’s wildly variable diet of fruits, grains, vegetables, insects, eggs, chickens, squirrels, birds, fish, snakes, crawfish, worms, frogs, and mollusks allows it to thrive in woodland environments, and its ability to open latches and garbage cans means they can also easily access carrion and human garbage in urban environments.

Raccoons possess distinctive features, including a thick grayish fur, masked face, ringed tail and notably dexterous front paws. Typically, adults weigh around 20 pounds; however, a few extraordinary specimens have been

Questions 1. By what other names is the raccoon known?

2. What is the native range of the raccoon?

3.

4.

5.

What does a raccoon eat in the wild?

What are the four most distinguishing features of a raccoon?

How much does a typical adult raccoon weigh?

known to reach 60 pounds.

Scientists studying raccoons have determined that they are extremely intelligent, ranking above cats and just below monkeys on the mammal IQ scale. Raccoons taught complex tasks were able to remember the solution to problems years after they were originally taught.

Female raccoons give birth to two to five young, known as “kits,” in the spring. The kits stay with and learn from their mothers, and are raised by their mother until late fall.

The most notable natural predators of the raccoon include bobcats, coyotes, bears and large birds of prey. A large number also perish due to automobile traffic.

The average lifespan of a raccoon in the wild is 2-3 years, and as long as 20 years in captivity.

6. What are baby raccoons called?

7. What are the most notable natural predators of the raccoon?

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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 31

Maine’s Ice Auger Options

by Steve Carptenteri The concept of drilling through the ice instead of cutting or chopping with hand tools may seem like a new development, but history shows that the first ice augers were developed as early as 1840.

Those early creations were definitely awkward, unwieldy and cumbersome but like any new development they set the stage for future inven-

dangerous – techniques for cutting holes in the ice. Scariest of all, perhaps, was the basic woodsman’s axe, which could cut a large hole in a short time, but required exceptional skill to keep from slicing into a foot or ankle in the process.

Later came the “spud” – essentially a heavy, long-handled chisel made of iron pipe with a sharp,

The power auger may be the most important innovation in the ice-fishing world since the invention of the tip-up. Today’s anglers have fuel choices including mixed gasoline, lithium battery power and propane canisters. tors.

In 2020, a typical power auger used by ice-fishermen in Maine is lightweight, portable, powerful – capable of cutting a 6-, 8-, 10- or 12-inch hole through16 inches of ice in just seconds.

Thicker ice (5 feet or more) requires adding an extension to the unit, plus some judicious spud work to finally open the hole (and watch out for that geyser!), but it’s safe to say that the power auger is one of the most

important innovations in the ice-fishing world since the invention of the tip-up.

Axes; Spuds As recently as the 1970s, ice-fishermen relied on a variety of different – sometimes

(Continued on next page)

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32 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Ice Auger Options (Continued from page 31)

angled cutting edge that, for decades, was the universal choice among Maine’s winter fishermen. An experienced spud man could cut a clean, neat, 12inch hole in 3 feet of ice in minutes.

Don’t Forget Wrist Strap The trick was to

attach a loop of rope, rawhide or strapping on the handle of the spud to avoid losing the implement when striking water on the last, heroic chop at the bottom of the hole.

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most popular ice-fishing lakes. Most longtime winter anglers will admit to losing at least one spud through during the ice during their careers.

Hand-Auger Next came the hand-auger – an often-frustrating creation that featured a long, off-set handle and a cupped cutting edge that, when new at least, carved a nice, clean hole in the ice.

The auger also left a convenient pile of shaved ice on top that was ideal for setting old-style handmade wooden tip-ups or provided a secure base for new-age, criss-cross tip-ups that allowed the reel to be placed under the ice, which

prevented freezing of the line and trigger mechanism.

Chain Saws? Watch your Footing!

For many years, ice-fishermen who made their living in the woods used a chainsaw to cut their holes, which was not a bad way to cut through 2 or 3 feet of ice. The result was a nice, clean, square hole 12 to 20 inches wide.

Environmentally-conscious fishermen used vegetable oil instead of bar oil in their ice-fishing saws to minimize pollutants, but anyone who could afford a chainsaw could also afford an auger, and so the transition to the more modern method was

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an easy one to make.

Maine outdoorsmen are hard-core traditionalists at heart, but these days the power auger is gaining ground as the goto tool for modern-day ice-anglers.

Which Power Source?

For many years, power augers copied the design of traditional small engines, and were powered by a mix of gas and oil. The current cost for these units varies from $400 to $600 depending on engine size and bit width. These tend to work well on warm, sunny days, but sometimes start hard when they are poorly maintained or the temperatures remain below zero for long periods.

In recent years, 40volt battery-operated augers have become the rage among winter anglers. The best units cost $500 to $600 and are powered by lithium-ion batteries.

These units are capable of drilling as many as 100 eight-inch holes in 16 inches of ice before the battery runs out. Recharge time is about 3 hours.

Another new development is the propane power auger, which is fueled by a screw-in (Continued on next page)

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— Guest Column —

Ice Fishing Beneath Friendship 7

by Randy Randall This story is about ice fishing, boys growing up and space flight.

It was school vacation week, February 1962. We were ice fishing at the camp, and John Glenn had just done three orbits around the Earth.

My friends and I had convinced our parents to let us bivouac at the remote cabin for part of the school vacation week. None of us had access to a car, so we had to bum a ride from Grandfather, who drove us to the end of the camp road. There, we unloaded our gear, strapped on our skis and snowshoes, and headed into the lake.

“We Were Armed and Dangerous” The camp road was a mile. We were thrilled and eager because we were on our own. Footloose and fancy free – away from the constant scrutiny of our mothers, away

from nagging sisters and whiny little brothers. We were on our own and we loved every minute.

We’d been at camp many times with our parents but this time we were by ourselves.

We were armed and dangerous.

Haute Cuisine We unpacked our gear at the cabin and trudged out onto the ice to cut our holes and set out our traps.

We were alone on the lake with no one else around. We did our own cooking. Food for hungry boys consisted of hot dogs and beans, canned beef stew, flapjacks, fried Spam, coffee and donuts. None of us smoked but we all drank coffee.

At night we stoked the wood stove and played cribbage under the glow of the Coleman lantern. We never realized there were only 51 cards in

the deck. And when it was time for lights out, we snugged down into our sleeping bags and slept the sleep of youth and innocence.

We reveled in our four days of independence and self-reliance. If our parents worried, I don’t recall they ever said. Our mothers and fathers had all served one way or the other in WW II. They were children of the great depression.

My guess is they figured they had raised us right and that we’d be OK, no matter what. That show of confidence was a great gift.

Walter Cronkite on the Transistor Radio Dad snowshoed in Tuesday to get us.

That had been the plan, of course. There was no electricity. No cell phones. No other way to send a message.

On February 20, 1962, John H. Glenn, Jr., became the first American to orbit the Earth, when his Mercury spacecraft circled our planet three times.

162 miles below, the author and his young friends stayed unsupervised at a remote camp and fished through the ice. Photo: NASA, and J.R.Bassett

When he arrived at the back door, he was carrying Mom’s little transistor radio so he could continue to hear Walter Cronkite describe Glenn’s heroic mission. Friendship 7 had circled three times around the Earth.

Looking back, I don’t know what was more amazing – that John Glenn had orbit-

ed three times around the Earth in a space capsule, or that our parents had allowed us boys to go to the camp on our own and to grow up the way we did.

Either way, February 20, 1962 was a day to be remembered.

¶

Ice Auger Options (Continued from page 32)

propane cylinder like those used for outdoor stoves and heaters. Advantages include quick starting; no choking, priming or flooding; no mixing of fuel; and minimal fumes. The lower level of fumes makes it possible to use inside a three-sided shelter. These units cost about $400 for a 10-inch model.

Current vendors of power augers in Maine include the Kittery Trading Post, Cabela’s, L. L. Bean, and most local sporting goods stores and outdoor retailers. Manufacturer options may be viewed online by typing “power augers” Strikemaster’s 40V electric auger with lithium-ion batinto the subject line.

¶

tery will cut over 100 holes in 16 inches of ice before it needs recharging.

Jiffy’s 46X-Treme power auger runs on canned propane and requires no choking, mixing, or priming.

The Eskimo Mako gas-operated power auger includes a 6-, 8- or 10-inch bit.

www.MaineSportsman.com

34 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

March Fun in Aroostook’s Outdoors The month of March yields two significant factors for Aroostook sportsmen – first, days are dwindling for season-ending ice fishing; and second, rabbit hunting and more sun and less snow portend that spring, if not green grass, is still at least 30 days away.

Although I usually enjoy dependable smelt and larger gamefish action in early January, longer days, warmer sun and diminishing snow cover make March my most enjoyable time of the season. On top of the weather conditions, there are generally fewer anglers out and about, which means less pressure and more area to explore.

Truck to Carr Carr Pond isn’t really a remote waterway, but if you don’t

Longer days and warmer weather make March the perfect time for a family outing. Members of the Cushman clan of Mars Hill even bring along the family dog for a fun day on the ice. All photos by Bill Graves

live in Ashland or Portage, a bit of traveling is required to ice fish this often-overlooked locale. Although moderate in size at 323 acres, maximum depth 72 and a mean depth

of 27 feet, it’s the plentiful and wide variety of species that draw anglers. A handful of fishing huts dot the ice, but most sportsmen fish in the open and a small number

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Although a well plowed road passes closely to the west end of the lake and fishing access via snowshoe is possible, a snowmobile offers a great advantage. Using Route 11 from north or south, visitors need to exit onto Fish Lake Road to Fish River Checkpoint, then onto Rocky Brook Road for about 12 miles before turning left onto the Carr Pond Road. There are a few signs as well as mileage markers, but better look over Delorme’s Atlas, Map 63 for road overview and the pond in grid C-3.

Besides the favorite trio of brook trout, salmon, and lake trout, there are cusk, perch, a few whitefish and plenty of smelt. At least four brooks enter Carr Pond, and all are likely spots for a permanent or temporary shelter for handlining smelt. A fish hut is a must for evening smelt jigging, and dusk is often prime time. Use a piece of hot dog, sardine, or shrimp to catch the first one, then filet and cut into chunks – these carnivorous silver slivers really go for fresh meat!

There are no bad locations to auger holes and set traps for trout and salmon. I favor 15 to 25 feet of water with live baits suspended at least 8 feet deep. Anglers hoping to hook a togue need to locate a couple of the deep holes, at least 40 to 50 feet, and set your min(Continued on next page)

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 35

Dick Voisine of Fort Kent joined a group of friends for a late-season outing and was rewarded with a good sized togue.

(Continued from page 34)

March weather can be some of the most comfortable of the ice fishing season. Pick a destination that offers multiple species to catch, especially if youngsters and rookie adults are along. Smelt and perch are usually cooperative even when other gamefish won’t bite.

a big togue, use a native smelt taken on a handline right from the pond that outing.

nows 8-12 feet above bottom on at least two of the tip-ups. Carr Pond supports more than a half a dozen bait fish species, but for the best chance at

Notice Nickerson For some reason, Nickerson Lake in New Limerick seems

to get overlooked frequently in favor of several other nearby lakes in the Houlton region.

Cold weather anglers tend to give Drews, Cochraine, Bradbury and Spaulding more atten-

One of the pluses of March ice fishing besides the longer days and warmer weather, is the absence of deep snow that can otherwise hinder traveling and setting up on Aroostook lakes.

tion, possibly due to ease of access and the chance to visit without need of a snowmobile.

I suggest a trip or two to Nickerson, simply for the chance to hook brown trout or per-

haps a lunker togue.

The boomerangshaped Nickerson is an unusually deep waterway in some spots, over 100 feet, and hosts some brag(Continued on next page)

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Reduced snow cover aids two- and fourlegged snowshoe hare hunters this month.

Shown here are Thunder and Lightening, picking up the scent on a set of tracks and preparing to give chase.

Some years, thanks to warmer weather and longer days, reduced snow cover allows hare hunters like Tom Tardiff of Robinson to hunt without snowshoes. More rabbits are moving during the days, since it is mating season.

The County (Continued from page 35)

ging-size lakers. More to the point, this a great option for novice ice drillers and youngsters, because there always seems to be one species or another on the take. Pickerel, yellow and white perch, brook trout, salmon, smelt and even a few bass cruise the depths.

There’s a very liberal late-autumn stocking of brookies, some in the 16- to 18-inch range, as well as some brown trout.

Several sections of Nickerson can be reached from nearby plowed roads with a 5- or 10-minute snowshoe walk; however, a snowmobile will offer quick, thorough explo-

ration. The boat ramp end of the lake and the opposite tip are both 10- to 30-foot depths, perfect for gamefish tip-ups and jigging for smelt, perch, or pickerel. The two truly deep segments are on each side of the apex – this is one lake in particular where a portable depth finder will be valuable for setting lines.

If you’re a rookie to Nickerson, check the location of fish huts set out by the local sportsmen, and drill nearby.

A slow ride around the lake will help spot previously used auger holes – ice anglers can’t hide their hot spots. Look over

your DeLorme Atlas, Map 53, A-2. Route 2 or 2A from Houlton to Drews Lake Road will pass right by the lake shore. Locate the outlet and at least three creek inlets for likely trout and salmon holding runs.

The March Hare As I mentioned above, more sunlight hours, dwindling snow and increasing temperatures morph the Ides of March into more tolerable conditions. Add to these factors that mating season is in full swing for snowshoe hare, and it’s a good time to pursue these challenging – and very tasty – fast-moving balls of white fur. While a brace of beagles or a keen-nosed basset hound will be a great assistance, thanks to

Some Aroostook rabbit hunters prefer to get off the beaten path using a snowmobile. This crafty sportsman even figured a way to transport his beagles on the sled.

the increased travel activity to find a mate, a team or trio of walk, stop, look and wander-along hunters can enjoy consistent gunning.

Some folks favor a scattergun for a better chance at these fleet, hopping targets, while others try to ruin less meat with a .22 and head shots when the rabbits hunker down thinking they are hidden. I cheat a bit and lug an old Stevens O/U .22 and 20-gauge combo. Rabbit dogs save a lot of walking if the snow is still a bit deep, but often there are many second-growth fields and farmland wood lots where thighhigh boots and no snowshoes will suffice.

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within a 5- to 10-minute drive from the house. If you’re in Bridgewater, fire up the snowmobile and head northeast up the maintained trial that passes through town on the old B & A railroad track bed. Map 50, B-3 shows the area, roads and trails clearly. On the Presque Isle/Easton town line along the Conant Road, there’s another fine set of field edges, hedgerows and small wooded plots perfect for a pre-work outing.

Use the Vahlsing Road for access and work your way toward Tuttle pond. Check Map 65, sector D-3.

Between Fort Fairfield and Limestone via Route 1A, then the West Limestone Road there is a spot called Goodrich. The Mcrea Road will get hunters close, and then it’s just a matter of slow walking the sparse mixed wood lots, farm roads and grown over fields.

You’ll seldom see other hare hunters, but rabbits are plentiful. Look over Map 65, B-3 for this hare haven.

So auger a hole, bag a bunny, or just get out for a last snowshoe hike. Next month brings spring to most of Maine, while here up North we will endure a month of mud season!

¶

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 37

— Guest Column —

Why I Shoot a Double-Barreled Shotgun

by David Putnam The only good reason to shoot a semi-automatic shotgun is to reduce felt recoil, the kick. Goose hunters shooting 3.5-inch magnum shells take a beating!

The rest of us bird shooters and occasional clay-birders need to consider a side-by-side or over-and-under.

Here’s why: The double is more reliable.

When I shot skeet competitively for years, I used a 12-gauge Model 1100—the best-handling semi-auto. I liked that it reduced recoil on weekends during which we shot 200 targets. The gun could be counted on to malfunction at least once, so I carried O-rings to make my own repairs.

Reliability Problems with Semis Shooting a Beretta Model AL391 semi-auto in 12 gauge on a goose trip to Canada, the gun broke down and had to be sidelined. I shot a borrowed gun of the outfitter’s the rest of the trip.

Another AL391, in 20 gauge, got a shell stuck in the magazine on a duck trip. That was a hassle to fix! The cost to have Beretta re-

pair the 12 gauge was astronomical. The law requires that the gun be returned-shipped to a dealer, adding $40.

Now the only gun I own that I shoot in semi-auto is a 12 gauge Benelli, for goose hunting, and the 3” magnums.

Advantages?

Let me Count the Ways Here are a few other advantages of the double gun over a semi-auto: • They’re simpler, easier to carry, feel better in the hand, and they’re quieter to operate. Approaching a fence or re-entering a vehicle, just pop the double open to be 100% safe. Everyone knows a bent shot gun is a safe shotgun.

• When clay-bird shooting, it’s not uncommon to see the action of a competitive shooter’s gun remain closed after he’s shot doubles … which means he had three shells in the gun – a bad thing. (Embarrassing, to say the least.)

• It’s not always possible to see when a semi-auto is empty.

Many a shooter walks around with the action

of his gun closed. If a double gun’s action is closed, you can assume it’s loaded. And how about the shooter who unloads the shell in the barrel and leaves the magazine with two live rounds … and puts the gun in the car? Loading mistakes are easier to make with a semi-auto. (Got a beginner shot gunner in your group? Take note.)

• If you stick the barrel in snow or mud, the double’s far easier to inspect and clear.

Many a double shooter carries a string with a weight on one end, a gun-cleaning patch on the other. The process is much more difficult with the semi-auto.

More Reasons • Duck hunters will tell you they need the third shot of a semi-auto to shoot cripples. I think that they may have more cripples because they take their third shot at too great a distance, crippling a bird on the last shot.

Two shots are enough, and the double is faster and easier to reload.

• With the double gun, it is possible to capture the spent shells. A farmer’s field or duck blind is no

The simplicity, reliability and safety of double-barrel shotguns has the author singing their praises.

place to leave empties.

• Some semi-autos throw empties far enough to hit the man on the next station while trap shooting, an annoyance to some competitors, and who hasn’t shot next to a shooter in a blind whose auto loader spits gas and empty shells? At night on a trap field, the semi-auto belches flame!

• A double gun is far more forgiving. You can shoot old shells, last year’s shells that got wet, nearly anything that can be stuffed down the barrel. Not so with

semi-autos, which tend to be far more persnickety. The cost of shells has all of us scrounging for shootable ammo.

One of these days I’m going to be invited to a real “driven shoot,” on a British gunning estate, where only double guns are allowed. After all, when going in the bush after a wounded leopard, the indominable hunter doesn’t say, “Give me the semi-automatic.” He says, sagely, “Give me the double.”

¶

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38 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Winter Camping in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Over 20 years have passed since my first winter camp-out.

Since that epic winter weekend long since passed, I’ve learned a few tricks on how to thrive, not just survive, overnight stays in brutally cold weather.

Originally, I started as a chaperone for my son’s boy scout troop.

Yup, three adults, 12 scouts and 21 missing parents.

What could go wrong?

“Heck, winter camping badge, how hard can that be?” I thought to myself.

Not wanting to take any chances, I visited L.L.Bean and purchased two new sleeping bags. Yup, one rated to 0 degrees for the boy and a

-20-degree bag for the old man.

Fortunately, one of the scout leaders gave me some solid advice before the trip to Freeport. He encouraged me to spend the money for quality sleeping bags, and to purchase the extra-long model.

Gear Thoughts Following the scout leader’s advice, we stuffed our clothes deep into the bottom of our extra-long bags.

Come morning our body heat, combined with the “Bean” bags, had warmed those clothes just fine.

Of course, it takes more than a good sleeping bag to recreate in Northern Maine’s winter playground. I’ve experienced both a three-season tent and

an expedition grade four-season tent.

Pitching a tarp over my three-season tent made enduring the cold weather very doable. I just made sure to put plenty of space between the fly and the tarp. Of course, a four-season tent, specifically designed for winter use, saves carrying an extra tarp and ropes.

Four-season tents, heavier by nature, use the extra strong materials and poles to increase snow load ratings. This pays big dividends if a foot of wet snow coats the campsite. These heavy-duty expedition grade tents also have vents designed to control condensation.

Monument Camping The Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument has a perfect winter playground located along the west side of the Upper East Branch of the Penobscot River.

The North Entrance Gate, accessed by taking a left after crossing the Penobscot River on Grand Lake Road, has parking and an informational kiosk.

Currently, the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is part of the National Park Service.

Their website (www. nps.gov) links to a very detailed map of the trail system and areas that allow camping.

This recreational area boasts some

25 miles of groomed trails.

Snowshoeing is encouraged, but big shoes must walk outside of the packed ski trail.

The trails also accommodate the latest innovation in winter travel – fat tire biking.

The large-tired rigs seem to have caught the fancy of young and old alike. With a little searching, it’s possible to upgrade those bigboy tires with some studded tires!

Trail Etiquette It’s okay to just hike along the edge of the groomed trails too!

Winter wanderers just need to leave those ski tracks nice and smooth for the cross-country skiers.

I’ve spent some (Continued on next page)

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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 39 (Continued from page 38)

time plodding along at the Bait Hole Trail just south of Millinocket.

By plodding, I mean snowshoeing.

When a cross county skier comes swishing along, I usually stop and just watch the graceful artistry. It’s a pleasure to watch a good skier. To do that they need a smooth, groomed trail.

With multiple ways to access the parks backwoods campsites, it’s time to set-up and keep warm. For me, much of the challenge of winter camping revolves around keeping comfortable throughout the stay. As a result, I’m always trying something new.

Staying Warm William Clunie, a Maine Sportsman columnist, gave me the ingenious idea of throwing a few chemical handwarmers in my sleeping bag and anywhere else I needed a boost of heat.

Quite honestly, my minus-20-degree bag doesn’t need much help. It retains so much body heat that I usually end up sliding the side zipper down and letting in some cooler air.

However, those chemical warmers work great placed over the top of my toes. I’ve purchased socks that have a small pocket over the toe area that holds them perfectly in place.

This winter, I’ve experimented with some new gloves that combine new and old technology. These wool gloves have a sewn-in pocket over the fingers that holds a small

sized “Hot Hands” chemical hand warmer. The top half of the glove flips back when nimble – and I might add, warm – digits are needed to perform delicate functions.

Park Guidelines One line on the National Monument website deserves serious attention. Under “Camping Guidelines” it warns of “extreme weather conditions” and tells campers they must be “self-sufficient.”

It’s important to

understand that camping in cold weather brings out the weak link in both campers and their equipment.

What works on a sunny August afternoon may fail miserably during a single-digit March snowstorm.

Bring multiple ways to start a fire. I always carry an assortment of Bic lighters, waterproof matches and more waterproof matches.

The park does allow the gathering of dead or downed wood

in and around the campsites. I carry an aluminum folding buck saw that works, in my humble opinion, much better than an axe when cutting firewood.

Don’t underestimate the value of a good fire after packing in an assortment of camping gear over a frozen trail. While I consider a campfire icing on the cake, in a situation gone bad it could turn into a real lifesaver.

All the tent sites

and lean-tos require registration.

Bunk space in the primitive huts mandates reservations. Overnight parking requires a parking permit.

To help streamline the permitting process, contact EPI Recreation Manager Susan Adams at lunksoos@gmail.com or by phone at 207-8521291.

Staying warm and dry requires good planning, good gear, and common sense.

¶

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40 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

No Buck Last Year?

Let’s Fix That for 2020!

My 2019 deer season was interesting, to say the least. There was no scouting, little treestand or trail work, no planting of food plots or fertilizing of apple trees. Those are normal spring and summer activities for me. I only bowhunted once, and after just a few days chasing bucks with my rifle, I sustained an injury that negatively affected the rest of my season.

Despite all of the preparation and hunts that didn’t happen, I was still able to harvest a respectable 2-½ year old, 173-pound buck and a bonus doe.

My freezer is full of delicious, lean deer meat!

For deer hunters reading this who

didn’t encounter a buck to harvest after putting in all kinds of time scouting, prepping and hunting, you have my sympathy.

You also have my help.

Each year for over a decade, I’ve delivered Trophy Deer Hunting seminars at the annual State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta.

The late-March show (Friday Marcy 27 – Sunday March 29 this year) offers me and many of my fellow writers an opportunity to share stories and experiences with fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

For me, the show provides an excellent opportunity to meet readers, see old friends, make new friends and to share

Joe Saltalamachia invites readers to bring their questions, photos and shed antlers to his whitetail deer hunting seminars at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show, March 27 - 29 in Augusta. Photo credit: Unity College

my passion for hunting trophy whitetails.

I absolutely love delivering these seminars to audiences large and small. Some years, audience members ask

great questions, while other years there are no questions at all.

Story telling is easy, but I really like to interact with audiences thirsty for that one bit of knowledge or tip that will help them connect on that elusive, mature buck that’s escaped them thus far. I dislike standing in front of a group that’s content to listen to stories. I feel as though I’m talking at them and not teaching. I prefer to teach.

Come With Questions; Leave with Confidence My fondest memories of these trophy deer hunting seminars are of readers thanking me for teaching them something they

didn’t already know.

Readers have spoken with me about the success they’ve had after applying some of the techniques discussed during my seminars.

The absolute best seminars began or ended with a hunter who attended one of my previous seminars, and showed me pictures of a buck they harvested, using techniques or suggestions I’d made.

Just one or two such incidents make my entire year!

These conversations are even better when the buck is a first for the hunter.

Those really make me smile!

I’d really love to change things up this year. I want to hear (Continued on next page)

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more from the audience in terms of questions. What one or two techniques or skills have eluded hunters or possibly prevented them from connecting on the buck of a lifetime? Having a problem interpreting sign?

Struggling with scent control? Not sure how wide to make a shooting lane or when to cut it? There are myriad things we can go over.

Trust me, there are very few deer hunting topics, behaviors or techniques I haven’t researched or tried over the last 36 years.

The PowerPoint I use at the end of my seminars contains the basics of identifying big buck sign and the results of my last 20-plus years chasing them.

Talking about my perennial success and failure is nowhere near exciting as discussing those of our readers. My desire is to help each hunter who’s interested in raising their game to a level that will present them the opportunity to shoot a giant each year.

The photos I share of big buck sign and the bucks I’ve killed are still fun to look at years later. However, I enjoy looking at photos our readers bring, even more.

I’ve brought a few mounts in over the years, and lots of shed antlers. Few things at the Show excite me more than seeing someone carrying a giant shed antler, trail cam pictures of a monster buck, or a photo of a happy hunter who killed that giant buck.

Please bring your own sheds and photos to share with me before or after the seminars.

You’ll see the smile on my face get even bigger.

As a reminder, the vast majority of the big buck hunting I do, takes place on the midcoast of Maine. I’m not a tracker, hunting Maine’s big woods.

Though I do enjoy stories about tracking,

I’ve never done it. I prefer to scout, learn a buck’s pattern, set an ambush and kill him at close range with my bow or firearm.

I leave the expert advice on tracking to my friends Hal Blood and Lee Schanz. We’ll likely be presenting our White-Tailed Deer Symposium again at the show. We love answering questions from a diverse group of deer hunters.

This symposium is a great opportunity for those “hybrid hunters” to ask questions of both stand-hunters and trackers. The parallels are always fascinating to me, but the two techniques and the preparations for each, are vastly different.

See You at the Show As I mentioned above, the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show takes place March 27, 28 and 29 at the Augusta Civic Center this year.

We’re all looking forward to meeting readers and visitors, and to seeing old friends.

Please email me questions in advance, or ask me to discuss a topic of importance at the Show. Don’t forget to bring photos, shed antlers and stories to share with at the Maine Sportsman magazine booth. See you soon!

¶

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42 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

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44 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

What’s On Your Line?

Sometimes You Hook What You Don’t Expect If you fly fish long enough, you eventually hook all sorts of things you don’t expect, both animate and inanimate.

In the December issue of The Maine Sportsman, you may have noticed the photo of my daughter’s boyfriend, Will, holding a four-foot eel he hooked on a size-12 Prince Nymph. He is holding it nonchalantly, like it’s no big deal. I would have retreated up the bank while cutting off my leader to release the darned thing.

I have hooked my

Mollusks, flying animals, rocks, and even a 4,000-pound … well, you’ll just have to read the story to find out. fair share of strange things too. Several times while retrieving a streamer along the bottom I have pulled up small, rounded rocks. Somehow the hook point has gotten wedged into an indentation in the rock and up she comes, even though it seems impossible.

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passed? I am not sure how that happens. The same goes for frogs and crayfish that I snagged – they must react to the motion and grab the fly.

Interestingly enough, though, I’ve never hooked a dragonfly, even though they buzz around looking for flying insects. Tree swallows will briefly pick my fly off the surface during an evening hatch, but

they never get hooked.

Bat Encounter At Grand Lake Stream, I always fish under the bridge near Weatherby’s as it gets dark because of a few huge salmon that seem to hang out there and start rising in the dwindling light.

A small colony of bats also live under that bridge and begin to fly around as night falls.

One night I hooked one of them as I was

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casting. I felt bad for the bat but also for myself because how do you unhook a bat? I didn’t want to cut the leader and leave him flying around with the hook. I ended up bracing him (her?) against my foot and gently pulling. Fortunately, the hook popped free and the bat flew away, apparently no worse for wear. I hear of striper anglers hooking seagulls, and the commotion and opportunity for injury of both bird and human is considerable.

In southern Chile last year, fishing for browns on a private sheep ranch, I almost hooked a curious young alpaca on my back cast. So glad I didn’t catch his ear.

He would have spooled me for sure.

Prehistoric Catch I don’t want to neglect my strange piscatory hook-ups either.

I recently visited my daughter and newborn grandson in Florida (so much fun, but my daughter told me that at two weeks old, it was a little early to buy him a Zebco). Her house borders a small lake, and I launched her kayak with a fly rod rigged with my go-to fly (Cosohammer soft-hackle streamer).

It was slow going until something grabbed my fly and made a tremendous commotion on the surface, splashing water and weeds into my kayak.

(Continued on next page)

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 45

www.MaineSportsman.com

46 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

The Bowfin is a rare fish to catch on a fly rod even though they are found in many waters east of the Mississippi River. (Brian Whalen photo)

Will Folsum hooked and landed this eel nymphing with a Prince Nymph at the inflow to Dundee Pond. (Lou Zambello photo)

Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 44)

I eventually – and gingerly – hand -landed a fish I recognized from photos as a bowfin. The bowfin is a prehistoric fish found from Vermont’s Lake Champlain to Florida that lives in thick aquatic vegetation, grows to ten pounds, takes a fly, and battles before eventually tiring – an unexpected catch for me.

Florida Bay Ray In Damariscotta Lake fishing for bass, I have foul-hooked alewives (they don’t feed in fresh water) while they were splashing in the shallows spawn-

ing. They fight hard for their size, like miniature shad – to which they are related.

One fine March day on Captiva Island in Florida, I was wading and casting from shore, hoping to see snook, redfish, or ladyfish, when I hooked something huge that I fought for what seemed like an hour until I spotted a big ray rolling in the swells attached to my line.

I quickly cut the leader and set him free. I had no desire to try to unhook him, and he was way too big to weigh on my Zebco

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De-Liar fish scale (haha).

Biggest Hook-up The largest object I have hooked was in the town of Cortland, New York, at a small strip mall with a McDonald’s. Along the drivethrough access lane runs a nondescript, littered, local stream.

But this small water is a spring creek that runs cold all year long, allowing brown trout to thrive. I discovered this creek while dropping my daughters off at Cornell University for six long years.

One day, I became focused on making a long reach cast that would drop my dry fly along a brushy run

Another unexpected catch: The author caught this monster yellow perch with a 4-inch eel pattern designed for striper fishing.

where I could see the rises of a decent brown trout tight to the bank.

As I concentrated, the noises of the parking lot; car engines rumbling, radios blaring, and drive-thru speaker conversations just melted away. It was me and that brown, separated by the gentle current, gurgling as it flowed over shale.

I lifted my backcast so it would clear the bank and stripped out more line to lengthen my cast another two feet. At the full extension of my backcast, my fly found the car rack of a Subaru Outback.

I immediately realized what had hap-

pened, and like a Russian ballet dancer, I pirouetted toward the car, executed an deft roll cast designed to carry past the car, and the change in line direction yanked the fly free.

I immediately snapped the fly back towards me, and no one was the wiser. If anyone in the parking lot noticed the limegreen fly line flying through the air, they didn’t show it.

So, I have hooked and landed all sorts of unexpected creatures and rare fish, but the Subaru station wagon is the one that got away. Thank goodness.

¶

SATURDAY, MARCH 21ST 9AM–4PM

Gould Academy Field House ★ Exhibits • Seminars • Silent Auction • Raffles ★ Adults $5 • 15 and Under Free

Guides, Outfitters, Sporting Camps, Authors, Artists Equipment Manufacturers and Retailers This year’s theme is “Young Folks: Energizing the next generation of fly fishers and conservationists”. New seminars and presentations, casting area, kids fly fishing instruction and fly tying bench. Each young angler who completes a “passport” of tasks will be entered in a raffle for 1 of 2 rod and reel outfits.

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In far northern Aroostook County, the 2020 Long Lake Fishing Derby, which involved 1,600 anglers and spanned 10 water bodies, was a great success again this year, with youth and adult categories for trout, salmon, togue, cusk and perch. Diane Michaud came out on top in the “largest perch” category, with this 13-3/4-inch, 1 pound 4.4 oz. lunker.

Gabe Garland, age 14, of Ellsworth caught what he called the “perfect salmon” at Green Lake last March, using a shiner. Photo by Rob Garland, proud father

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 47

Always Have a Backup Plan

by Jeff Paradis As we sat that night for supper, five days of hunting in the Big Woods had passed.

With no snow on the ground, the conditions in woods were noisy. I could sense the frustration with the conditions in my hunting partner’s voice.

However, frustration is not an option for me in the Big Woods. It’s only a test of my resolve to push myself harder. With these conditions, I had already formulated a backup plan.

In the previous five days of hunting, I had found two small pockets of does. They were roughly 2-3 miles apart. The first pocket was less than a quarter of a mile from the tent. The second pocket was roughly 2 ½ miles north of the first pocket. Both areas had great buck activity.

I call these areas “honey holes.” One thing that I look for in a honey hole is what I call a “community ground scrape.” This is a scrape that multiple bucks will use as they pass through the area checking the does.

Making a Plan The first area that I’d scouted had one of these scrapes, and I was certain that the bucks would continue to travel through this area checking the does. This is where my backup plan would begin.

My plan was simple in nature. I would hike the quarter of a mile to the first area and still-hunt my way through it, making

I eased the rifle to my shoulder and looked through the scope to get a view of the heavy-bodied buck.

However, in the lightly falling snow, the lens on my scope was completely fogged up! At that point, my archery instincts kicked in. sure to visit the community scrape. Then I would hike to the second area and stillhunt it. Then I would work my way back to the first area and stillhunt it again to finish out the day’s hunt.

The next morning couldn’t come fast enough, and I was up at 4:30 am., eager to get started. I packed a few things in my pack for the long day ahead, making sure that I had a GPS and spare compass. I grabbed my gear, wished my partner good luck as I always do, and went on my way.

As I arrived at my first area, I checked my GPS waypoints and wind direction.

The wind being perfect, I slowly started my still-hunt. I peered through the woods, looking for any buck activity, movement or horizontal lines that could be a deer.

I stayed aware of the community scrape as I continued to the second location.

No bucks spotted that day, but there were two days remaining, and I had a feeling my luck was about to change.

Next to the Last Day Having hunted these locations for several days and having seen multiple does and fresh buck activi-

ty, I stayed persistent with my plan.

On the next to the last morning of the hunt, I got a feeling that I was close to my goal. It was like a sixth sense. All I knew was that this day was going to be different.

I awoke to a light snow falling. There wasn’t enough snow to track, but it quieted the woods down.

Something felt different this morning as I was heading out to my starting point.

As I came into my first area, the wind direction was in my favor again. This time, I started my hunt slower than normal by picking out 5-6 steps ahead for foot placement while keeping an eye out for deer. At times, it would take me more than an hour to go 50 yards. This is my style for hunting these honey holes, and it has worked many times for me.

When a Plan Comes Together As I was getting closer to the community scrape, I caught movement in the thick cedar growth in front of me. I could see that it was a deer, but could not tell if it was a buck or a doe.

I eased my gun into my shoulder to look through my 1x4 Trigicon scope. Instantly I knew that I had made

a grave error. I had been walking with my gun cradled in my arm, and my free hand had been touching the back of the scope, causing it to fog up.

I could still see the amber triangle reticle, so I looked over the top of the scope to keep an eye on the deer. As it moved through an opening at 50 yards, I could see that it was a very large-bodied buck, and he was heading my way.

Archery Instincts Kick In With my scope still fogged, I had to use my archery instincts.

I shoot with both eyes open, so I have a better field of view.

I could see the outer rim of the scope, and when the buck stepped into an opening and I saw his back leg outside of the rim, it was time to pull the trigger.

After the shot, I swung my rifle to the next opening in case he came through it, but nothing appeared.

I waited fifteen minutes, before slowly walking toward where the buck was. Suddenly, I spotted the white belly of a deer laying there so I knew my shot had found its mark. I gave myself a quick high five!

When I walked over to the buck, I discovered he had just

Persistence paid off for Jeff Paradis, shown here with the mount from his 235-pound, 14-point buck.

freshened the community scrape before headed my way.

The buck was a true Big Woods trophy, with 14 points and dressing out at 235 pounds.

I have always adapted to the situation and stayed persistent, never giving up. This is my style, and it has proven out time and time again for me!

Hal Blood Adds His Thoughts When hunting in the Big Woods, you must adapt to many things, from the weather to the terrain and logging operations that change the deer’s habits and locations.

Jeff has learned on his own through trial and error how to adapt his hunting tactics for consistent success.

I have always said “there is more than one way to skin a cat,” so to speak, or to shoot a buck. If you put your own personality into the way you hunt instead of trying to copy someone else to a tee, you will find out what will work for you, and success is certain.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

48 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Marlin’s Attempt to Update an Old Standby When a recent writers’ meeting at Kittery Trading Post adjourned and with lunch across the street at the Weathervane restaurant finished, a quick walk-through KTP’s upstairs gun room revealed an interesting new rifle.

As is often the case, a stroll through the gun room there inspires a purchase or the germ of an idea for a column.

The Ruger No. 1 in the glass display case did not disappoint.

Always popular in both the new and used markets, the No. 1

The .450 Marlin deserves more consideration than it receives. It offers plenty of knock-down power within the nimble framework of a lever action, and that’s a combination many Maine shooters just love. did much to cement the late Bill Ruger’s reputation for creative genius. But despite its enviable sales record, the Ruger No. 1 is not seen in the fields and woods of Maine as often as it should.

The example at Kittery Trading Post caught my attention for its caliber more than anything else.

Chambered for a cartridge called the

.450 Marlin, that particular Ruger No.1 represents a ballistic niche not so common in these parts.

With a few exceptions, shooters, especially hunters in Maine and the rest of New England, stick to cartridges in the .30 caliber class. The .270 Winchester and .280 Remington measure near enough to fit into the .30 caliber class.

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The exceptions might be anything 7mm, a couple of notable .35 caliber offerings, or perhaps the growing popularity of something akin to the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Moving up the diameter scale, the one exception embraced by some Maine hunters for 150 years is the .45-70 Government.

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 49 (Continued from page 48)

Designed for the military after the Civil War (hence the “Government” name), the .45-70 gained some popularity among Maine’s bear, moose and caribou hunters.

All these years on, some hunters prefer to use the heavier bullets offered by larger calibers.

Safety Measure Marlin started down the road of modern large-bore rifles almost 60 years ago with their development of the .444 Marlin. In 1972, Marlin produced the Model 1895 leveraction in .45-70 in addition to the similar .444. Both use heavy bullets propelled by straight-walled cartridges.

Worried that hand loaders might push .45-70 loads beyond safe pressures for older rifles, Marlin formed a partnership with Hornady, the ammunition maker, to produce the .450 Marlin. Revealed at the SHOT (short for “Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade”) Show in 2000, this new round is nearly identical to the .45-70 Government except that it cannot

fit into .45-70 or other chambers, owing to an unusually large belt around the bottom of the casing.

The Marlin/ Hornady team built the .450 Marlin, not from the .45-70, but rather by shortening the .458 Winchester Magnum case a halfinch, down to two inches. The bullet diameter is the same, and their factory load seats a 350-grain flat point bullet.

Based on the 24inch length of the Marlin Model 1895 rifle, the .450 will achieve 2,100 feet per second and 3,427 foot pounds of energy.

Shorter barrels such as the 18.5-inch on the “Guide Gun” version of the Model 1895 cut the muzzle velocity by 200 feet per second and shave 200-300 foot pounds off the muzzle energy.

As with all largebore rifles firing heavy bullets, a .450 Marlin is a close-to-medium-

range product. Beyond 150 yards, the bullet drops off the line of sight considerably. At 200 yards, the bullet will strike about seven inches below the line of sight. However, in much of Maine and the Northeast, where the woods are dense and the cover thick, this need not preclude choosing a .450 Marlin.

Limited Success That said, twenty years have passed and this Marlin-Hornady partnership has seen very limited success. So far, Hornady remains the only producer of factory ammunition, and that with only two bullet variations.

The original concern that handloaders were pushing some safety limits with the .45-70 and older rifles seems to have come full circle.

To get the best, most versatile performance from the .450 Marlin, shooters again turn to handloading.

Ruger offers the

No. 1 single-shot in .450 Marlin, as seen at the Kittery Trading Post. Browning offers it in the Browning Lever Rifle (BLR), and Winchester makes a version of the famous Model 94 in it, but Marlin has already ceased production the Model 1895 in .450.

New Model 1895s come chambered solely for the .45-70 Government, which is right where they started.

And that cannot be a good sign for the long-term health of the .450 Marlin cartridge.

The old Austrian firm of SteyrMannlicher is, so far, the only production rifle company to

include the .450 Marlin in its lineup of commerciallyavailable bolt-action rifles. No U.S. based company has taken that step.

Likely the .450 Marlin will remain thought of as a cartridge for lever guns, the Ruger No. 1 being the exception that proves the rule.

In any case, the .450 Marlin deserves more consideration than it generally receives.

It offers plenty of knock down power within the nimble framework of a lever action, and that’s a combination many Maine shooters just love.

¶

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Maine’s 44th Annual Twin City

GUN SHOW March 28-29, 2020

Saturday 9AM–4PM • Sunday 9AM–3PM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Lewiston Armory, 65 Central Avenue, Lewiston, ME • Sponsored by the Auburn Exchange Club Admission $8.00 per Person • Children Under 12 FREE with Adult

200 8’ Tables Available $55 Each

Exhibitors may set up 3:30 –7PM Friday and 7:30–9AM Saturday Guards on Duty 24 Hours Daily • Food Available at Show • Plenty of Free Parking

ALL FIREARMS LAWS WILL BE OBSERVED Applications for table reservation must be submitted on our official table application form obtainable from Jamie Pelletier, J.T. Reid’s Gun Shop, Phone 207-777-3579, Fax 207-333-3399.

www.MaineSportsman.com

50 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

Give Maine Outdoor Recreation Workers the Respect They Deserve - Part 1

by Mary Haley

How should guides, sporting camp staffers and others employed in the outdoor recreation industry respond when an uninformed person asks, “So, what’s your real job?” The author provides the correct answer is: “This is my real job, and I am proud of it!”

In 2018, tourists spent $9.2 billion in Maine. Tourism is among our state’s biggest industries, directly supporting 110,000 jobs.

A subset of the tourism industry, outdoor recreation, accounts for an astounding 4.8% of Maine’s economy. That’s more than double the national average, and the third-largest percentage in the country.

Imagine if it were a single company producing those statistics! The company’s employees would likely be well-paid, receive benefits and bonuses, and command the respect of their peers.

But that’s often not the case for the passionate people leading the way in outdoor recreation, including self-employed folks and independent contractors who put in 12- and 14-hour days and forgo family and friends during peak hunting, fishing and sporting camp seasons.

Challenges: Pay, Advancement Former Maine Tourism Association CEO Chris Fogg once drew attention to the fact that careers in tourism and outdoor recreation are sometimes considered “just low-paying seasonal www.MaineSportsman.com

jobs,” offering little opportunities for continuing education or advancement. Unfortunately, that reputation is spot-on about two things – they are often low-paying seasonal jobs, and they rarely offer opportunities for real advancement.

But the people who work, or have worked, in the outdoor recreation industry are among the brightest and most versatile of all professionals. Required skills range from medicine, navigation, education and risk management to meal preparation, group facilitation, crisis response and guest services.

In fact, in many outdoor recreation jobs, an employee may be required to demonstrate all those skills in a single day!

Pushing Back Against Stereotypes So why are outdoor recreation professionals forced to defend their career to clients, friends, and family who put them on the defensive by asking, “So what’s your real job?”

It’s because there is a lack of understanding and appreciation for the industry and its opportunity as a viable career path.

Improving the per-

ception of tourism and outdoor recreation jobs is a goal that can be addressed at three levels: schools, employers, and government.

Career Education Somerset Career and Technical School (SCTC) is one of 27 career and technical schools in Maine.

It serves five school districts in Somerset County.

It’s unique in that it offers one of only four “Outdoor Leadership and Skills” programs in the state.

Alanna Wacome, a program alum and a career counselor for SCTC, says most students sign up for the program because it sounds fun. But after completing the twoyear course learning outdoor skills, earning certifications, and engaging in career exploration, many students go on to work in outdoor recreation after high school.

Although she’s proud of the program and what it can offer her students, Wacome is concerned for the rest of the state. She identifies that outdoor recreation is underrepresented in career days, and it’s a nonstarter for guidance counselors.

Without information or guidance, it’s a wonder anyone is attracted

The author, fly fishing on the Kennebec. Fly fishing has one of the longer guiding seasons, and is a growing segment in the outdoor industry.

The senior final exam for SCTC’s Outdoor Leadership Program is a peer-led 5-day canoe trip on the Moose River.

to a career in outdoor recreation.

The workforce in Maine is getting older, creating statewide workforce challenges.

While a life in outdoor recreation may sound enticing, many employers struggle with high turnover and recruitment.

On average, the cost of hiring a new employee is $4,126, but in the hospitality and tourism industries, it’s even higher – $5,864 per employee.

In Maine, the length of the average contract for seasonal employment is about five months.

However, there’s

a good argument to be made that if an employer reinvested that cost into employee retention by offering benefits, bonuses, continuing education or higher wages, they would cultivate highly-skilled, dependable employees who would return yearly. Further, those benefits would be reflected in how they performed their jobs, resulting in more positive experiences for Maine’s visiting outdoor-oriented tourists.

Next month, Part 2 -the role of employers and the State of Maine.

¶

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 51

Olympic Athletes Memories of winters gone by come flooding back to me as I sit here gazing out the window at a late-season snowstorm.

It’s time for me to come clean with all my readers. It’s time for me to reveal a great failure in my life.

So here’s the unvarnished truth – Despite my obvious athletic prowess, I have never represented the United States in the Winter Olympics.

Winter Olympic Dreams Years ago, at a young and impressionable age, Island Boy and I trained to be Olympic Winter athletes. After watching the TV broadcast of downhill skiing, slalom, ski jumping, hockey, bobsledding and luge, we just knew we were up to the challenge.

Lacking national sponsors, and having no official place to train, we decided to make our own training facilities. You see, the terrain by my house offered two excellent areas – one for ski jumping, and one for a two-man bobsled run.

We’ve Got Modern Gear!

Mike’s mom had recently supplied him with new skis. These fancy skis had waxed bottoms, sturdy poles,

Down “The Big Hill” we came in our busted wooden toboggan, at speeds usually achieved only by meteors and rocket ships. I started to wonder if we’d be able to stop before we hit the house. I needn’t have worried.

and bindings that required to skier to wear actual ski boots. (His old skis, by comparison, had leather straps to simply wrap around your winter boots.)

Another cool characteristic of these new-fangled harness bindings was you could adjust the tightness of the harness binding to your ski boot. Mike, of course, cranked those harnesses as tight as they could get, so his skis wouldn’t fall off when he hit the ski jump.

The hill we were on was light on snow, but straight and steep. As Mike climbed up the hill, I was tasked with building the ski jump.

We’ve Got a Big Jump!

Having not much snow to work with, I had my jump crew (the

local neighbor kids) bring me more snow.

“More snow” was my mantra, since I wanted our jump to be a good launch to an Olympic career. “More snow!” I ordered as I built the jump while Island Boy continued ambling up the steep hill.

I lined the local kids on the upper side of the jump, so they could witness Mike “getting air” for the first time!

“OK!” I hollered up the hill.

Island Boy “Gets Air”!

Down the hill came Island Boy, like a streak of bundled-up lightning. When he was halfway to the jump, I noticed where the kids had taken the snow from. They had taken it from the

trail, directly beneath the jump. Now, rocks and gravel were the trail downhill from the jump.

Kinda too late to abort Mike’s attempt, I figured we should all give him moral support. As he launched from the jump, we all screamed in unison, “Extend!”

He really did great, until … he landed. His skis stopped dead, and we all witnessed a giant snowball rolling down the hill, with pieces of skis and ski poles scattering about the trail, accompanied by grunts from Island Boy. Aftermath Once the snow dust settled and the grunting stopped, we ran to his aid.

No severe injuries.

In fact, he could even

walk, after we pulled out the ski pole that had speared through his boot.

The judges did award him an 8.5 for effort.

Two-Man Bobsled This failed attempt got me thinking that instead of ski jumping, perhaps our winter sport should be the two-man bobsled.

On the other side of my house was a big hill with an 85% grade. Using great imagination, our family had actually named the hill, “The Big Hill.”

With my 4-foot toboggan, Mike and I pulled ourselves up to the top. We had to go through the woods because the face of the hill was too steep to walk up.

Faulty Equipment; Faulty Terrain Once at the top, we checked our equipment. The toboggan was in good shape, except for the last section, which was missing a 1½-foot wooden slat. We debated if this minor equipment problem would reduce our speed. We decided it wouldn’t.

What we didn’t take into account was years before we were born, some land surveyor had driven a 1” pipe into the ground to mark Dad’s property (Continued on page 53) www.MaineSportsman.com

52 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Tom’s Recipe for March Success The high, cold water of March carries special demands that if met, can spell the difference between failure and success.

Specifically, trout metabolisms have slowed to a snail’s pace, and this makes them reluctant to chase a lure or fly.

That’s because the calories realized from whatever food item they may pursue are usually fewer than the calories expended to capture it.

Trout still feed, but at a slower pace than during warmer times.

Also, anglers can trigger the strike mechanism, even if fish aren’t particularly hungry. But to do that, the lure or bait must pass within inches of the fish.

In other words, trout will bite anything they don’t have to chase. Knowing this and applying techniques designed to give trout “a deal they can’t refuse” can make trout fishing in March a winning proposition.

Bait Produces My favorite technique for taking early-season trout entails the use of live baitfish – golden shiners being a top choice. Trout that have seen and declined hundreds of flies and lures will often bite on a slowly fished shiner.

Here’s an anecdote to www.MaineSportsman.com

The water is chilly, and the trout are moving slowly. But – where regulations allow – if you present them with a live baitfish, you will likely head home with a full creel.

Allen Gallant took this brook trout on a shiner in late winter.

illustrate that point.

On one unusually warm winter day, fishing buddy Allen Gallant and I decided to hit some local yearround trout streams.

The water was only slightly higher than usual, and certainly fishable. Our first stop saw ice rimming the shore, so it was on to the next spot – a highly popular haunt.

There, we found scores of anglers. Every available space on the best pools was taken.

Not a fan of fishing

among crowds, I didn’t take my gear out of the truck, but Allen wouldn’t accept defeat.

The only remaining place to drop a line was off a bridge. I never fish from bridges because the ultralight tackle I use won’t allow for derricking a trout up through the air to the bridge surface.

Allen, however, uses medium-weight gear, with fairly heavy line. So if he were to get a bite, chances were that he’d be able to land his fish.

Allen hooked a lively shiner through the membrane behind the lips – a technique that allows the baitfish to swim in a natural manner – and lowered it down so that it bounced bottom.

A fish bit, but managed to steal the bait. Allen hooked on another bait and let that down, where a brook trout immediately grabbed it. Allen hooked the fish and then slowly reeled his catch up to the bridge and with prize in hand, we left the place, hap-

py as clams.

Baitfishing Techniques So why did Allen catch that trout, when legions of other anglers had tried unsuccessfully to hook it?

Because he did what was necessary for success.

That thought bears more space. It’s an old principle that I find valuable. That is, if fish are biting on smelt, use smelt or a good smelt imitation.

And if trout are taking aquatic insects during a hatch, use a fly to match the hatch.

And when fish hunker down near bottom during cold times, use live bait, either worms or baitfish.

Live baitfish represent a universal food source for trout. Art Flick once famously said that trout do not grow big on a diet of insects, meaning that the old bruisers in any stream or river probably got that way by eating flesh. Flick’s alternative was to use bucktails, such as black-nosed-dace, to imitate baitfish.

But I say, why not go one step further and employ the real thing? Note that changes to freshwater fishing regulations for 2020 include a ban on live bait in the North Zone. However, that’s (Continued on next page)

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 53 (Continued from page 52)

not as restrictive as it otherwise may seem, given that baitfish are still allowed on waters managed under the new S-11 code. No matter where you fish, make sure to check regulations for that specific water.

The bottom line for using baitfish is that nothing else comes close to being as effective. And in late winter and very early spring, when open-water fishing can be an exercise in futility because of super-chilled, high water, anglers using baitfish have the best chance of success.

Baitfishing Techniques My favorite lures, Trout Magnets, require a thin line (I use 3-pound test) to work properly. Most other ultralight spinning lures function best on light, thin lines, too.

Fly-fishermen know that anything but a long, extra-thin tippet will put down trout.

But when using live baitfish, that all goes out the window.

And that’s a good thing, since chances of catching larger-than-normal trout increase with the use of live bait. Still, we face a tradeoff with heavier lines because a too-heavy line won’t cast as well or as far as thinner lines. Fortunately, many of today’s new lines have the strength but not the thickness of lines used in the past. My suggestion is to find the thinnest 6-pound test you can find, and use that when fishing with live baitfish.

As for terminal gear, less is always better. Large swivels and the like only make your offering less attractive, so just tie your line directly to the hook instead.

Also, a fine-wire hook keeps the baitfish alive longer, and doesn’t impede the action as some of the heavier, thicker baitholder hooks do.

Outdoor Chronicle (Continued from page 51)

line.

Mike was to drive – he was the front-seater. I was the guy in the back, giving us the famous Olympic push off.

High-Speed Descent Down The Big Hill we came, at speeds only achieved by meteors and rocket ships. I started to wonder if we had enough trail at the bottom to slow us down before we hit my house.

I needn’t have worried. At the bottom of the hill, we came to a dead stop. The surveyor’s pipe came through the missing slat hole, poking me in the butt cheek. I vaulted over Mike’s head,

Finally, I usually just tie the hook to the end of the line and attach whatever size non-lead sinker conditions call for, about 12 inches above it. But sometimes, especially during high water, a much larger sinker is needed, and the best way to use that is to put the sinker at the end of the line and tie a hook to a dropper line, perhaps 12 – 14 inches above it. This will allow the bait to swim freely, at the same time keeping it near bottom, where it belongs.

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Seasonal Tactic Fishing for trout with live baitfish ranks as mostly a seasonal tactic. As water warms, trout will go on the prowl and will happily nail artificial lures. But in March, when conditions are at their worst, give live baitfish a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.

¶

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screaming “Mommy!” I landed on the ground, then ran home, holding my damaged rear end.

See You at the Show After these two life experiences, Island Boy and I decided we just might stick to hunting and fishing. They seemed a lot safer, and anybody can hunt and fish, right?

Boy, were we wrong about that, too. But that is another set of stories ….

I will see you all at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta the last weekend in March.

It’s always a great opportunity for sportsfolks like us to mingle, visit the exhibitors and learn from the seminars.

¶

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54 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Hunting Coyotes “Blind” The local weatherman predicted single-digit temperatures for the weekend ahead.

However, staying stuck inside a warm house seemed like a bad idea. Most of the time, I totally ignore weather forecasters.

A good friend of mine spent 25 years behind the cameras at a local TV station. He assured me that many dramatic predictions of disastrous weather came with a certain amount of embellishment. Lousy weather meant more folks “staying tuned,” and the station used the increased viewership to sell advertising.

I’m not staying home to help sell anything for some media executive. But, just in case my paranoia proved faulty and it did get ridiculously cold, I put together a plan.

I snagged my por-

table deer stand from the basement, grabbed a folding stool and threw my portable Mr. Heater buddy in the back of my Jeep. Oh, and a favorite hunting rifle slid nicely behind the front two seats.

Coyotes Rising With Maine’s coyote population rising, perhaps more than some of us care to admit, these “coyhounds” have started to attract sportsmen looking to exercise an itchy trigger finger.

Maine has a generous year-round season. And, for a small fee of only $4, offers a night hunting permit from December 16 to August 31. (As per usual, there’s no Sunday hunting.)

Coyotes present hunters with quite a challenge. Understanding the nature and habits of these canines goes a long way

towards the endgame of taking the slack out of the trigger.

Deer hunters can use many of the skills they employed in November to outsmart these cagey dogs. Coyotes have excellent noses, keen eyesight and radar-like hearing. Bring along a deer hunters’ mentality.

Preferring to hunt with the sun high, I selected a spot to set up my portable blind the night before, figuring not to make any commotion in the morning.

With the blind anchored 50 yards or so from the edge of a field against the shoreline of a small farm pond, I hedged my bets on a dog circling around behind me. The position gave me a good view of a ravine along the wood line that had fresh paw prints in crystallized snow.

I’ve had coyotes circle around behind

With coyote populations on the rise, Jackman Region hunters look to take advantage of this months increased “yote” activity. March marks the tailend of the coyote breeding season, which puts mating coyotes on the move. Shutterstock photo

me, and I must say it’s a bit unnerving.

Whenever possible, keep 360-degree visibility an option.

Cold Weather Habits Morning proved the weatherman correct – single digit temperatures but the wind direction I gambled on seemed to hold. I slipped into the blind and cranked my Mr. Heater on high.

Coyotes mate during February and March. With female coyotes going into estrus, the breeding season changes the habits of both sexes. In short, the need to breed makes both males and females extremely active.

Much like a wise old buck, males get territorial. With the increased activity, coy(Continued on next page)

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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 55 (Continued from page 54)

otes burn more calories. That alone makes the already hungry dogs more aggressive towards the goal of filling their belly.

Taking advantage of the coyote’s primary needs – breeding and eating – certainly increases the chances for success. By this time in the season, many of the inexperienced “yotes” have succumbed to deer hunters, trappers and the often-used dying rabbit call.

Electronic Calls Learning to speak “coyote” with a variety of vocalizations works well this time of year on these smart, survivor dogs. Those territorial males will often respond to some coyote “talk.”

Maine allows the use of electronic calls.

Units like my Extreme Dimension Wildlife Call or a Wildlife

Technologies Call come with a complete vocabulary and solid directions for use. The internet has plenty of good You-Tube videos to help hunters fast track to learning this new language skill.

The Jackman Region has its share of coyotes, but they also have some heavy,

thick terrain to hide in. Setting up on frozen ponds or lakes gives hunters some added real estate to view.

Setting out some bait (ideally fresh roadkill) so the hungry canine must venture out on the ice can tip the scales in favor of the guy sitting in a

warm ice shack. A solid combination of fresh meat and calling will lure these predators out of the woods and into the cross hairs.

Bright Lights

Many hunters feel

that nighttime activity increases this month.

That said, night hunting comes with its own set challenges.

It’s important, from a safety point of (Continued on next page)

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56 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Spring Turkey Hunting Right Around the Corner With April fast approaching, it’s about that time of year to put the augers away and break out the shotguns. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s still some ice fishing opportunities remaining, but I’m gonna be shifting my focus to turkeys.

Spring turkey hunting is among my favorite sports, for two primary reasons: 1) For me, it’s my last opportunity to get out and hunt before fall, and the weather is usually a lot milder than in November.

2) It’s very exciting. I love the idea of calling anything into a decoy, whether that means ducks, turkeys, coyotes or crows.

What makes calling turkeys into decoys really cool is that you can tell how much closer the tom turkey is getting every time you hit the call. That’s because your call sparks a reaction from the turkey to gobble back in response. While occasionally I have hunted turkeys that don’t make any noise when they come it, most of the time you’ll know

exactly when he’s coming and how far away he is.

Preparation is Now The preparation starts now. The best thing you can do this time of year is start scouting.

Keep an eye out for birds in fields. If you find a big flock of hens, chances are the toms will come around come hunting season, once the snow melts.

I recommend asking the landowner for permission a while before the hunt.

Most farmers consider turkeys a nuisance around southern Maine, at least in my experience.

Finding Out Where They Roost Maine has no shortage of wild turkeys, and no shortage of great habitat for the big birds. The turkey population is thriving, and I see more and more birds each spring.

However, finding turkeys can sometimes be the easy part. Once you find them, you will want to find out where they fly up to roost at night.

To lean where they

Jackman (Continued from page 55)

view, to set up the blind and ambush site during the day. Establishing some safe shooting lanes and an entrance and exit route all go with the territory.

Knowing this layout well will pay huge dividends once the sun goes down.

Many night hunters use a strong light with a red lens. The dogs seem less apprehensive under the red glare of artificial light. A good scope should www.MaineSportsman.com

The author and his grandfather, Peter Giampetruzzi, were both successful in last year’s wild turkey hunt.

are roosting, waiting until the very last minute of daylight.

Then use either a crow or owl call to get them to gobble back to you.

This will give the turkey’s position away, and also give you an idea of where to set up the following morning.

All About the Gobble Turkeys will gobble to almost any noise in the spring. Some people believe that the reason turkeys got the nickname “thunder chickens” is because if you go outside and listen during a thunderstorm, you can hear the gobbles of all the turkeys in the area.

Why they gobble to all these strange

noises, no one really knows, but crow and owl calls usually do the trick.

I like to use an owl call in the morning and a crow call in the evening. The idea is that the owl call isn’t such a piercing sound for them as soon as they wake up.

Once you have located a gobbler, you want to sneak in the following morning, carrying all the appropriate gear.

Tactics I like to set up at least 100 yards from where the birds are roosting, and I like to set up my decoys at about half the distance of my maximum shotgun range.

I usually use one hen decoy and one jake decoy – that combination seems to work pretty well. And you don’t need super-expensive decoys.

Calling – Less is More If you have scouted carefully and positioned your decoys properly, the next thing to do is to sit down, get comfortable, and wait for shooting time.

gather the man-made light just fine. I’d advise having a second person hold the light.

Don’t underestimate the value of a good light-man. Someone shinning the light into the back end of the scope causes all kinds of glare. A good, steady hand helps hold the jittery canines that few extra seconds needed to squeeze the trigger.

I got a few responses on that cold morning. I couldn’t clearly identify one distant dog, so I held fire. I just couldn’t

As soon as it’s shooting time or just a little before, that’s the time to start calling.

Give just a few clicks and maybe a purr, but remember – less is more when you’re calling turkeys. Too much calling can cause a gobbler to hang up, which means he will stay where he’s at and wait for the hen to come to him.

So call, and see if the tom responds. If he does, wait a little bit, and call again – maybe repeat this one more time and put the call down. You want to make it seem like another male came in, which will get the gobbler to try to come in and kick your jake decoy out of there.

Another important thing to remember is that there’s a little room for error with the calling. If you move and that turkey sees you, it’s game over. If you’re not in a ground blind, you have the stay motionless, try to cover up as much skin as possible, so it doesn’t give your position away.

¶

get the canine to take that one or two more steps.

Before long, I noticed movement in the ravine. I poked the barrel from my warm deer blind and nuzzled my thumb squarely on the safety and waited.

I eased the gun down as a flash of brown faded back into the wood line.

Don’t underestimate how quickly coyotes arrive – and disappear!

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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 57

Moose Stew and Stout Brownies How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions so far? Can I suggest another one? Try some new spices, sauces and marinades to stimulate your palette for an exciting 2020.

I know I can go crazy with herbs, spices, homemade curries and even crazier with wine and beer pairings! Yet they

really can be very simple as combining a few spices that you never thought of, or reducing beer in a stew broth to make it a heartier and comforting flavor. This is what I’ve done here, for both recipes!!!

Speaking of herbs and spices, come our Maine Sportsman Booth at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show, which runs

March 27 – 29. I’ll be there on Saturday March 28 between 11-1. Subscribe or renew, and you will receive a free gift! You will have several surprises to choose from.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Maine’s Hearty Stout Beer Moose Stew Maine, the never-ending wonderful winter! This real Maine stew will keep you warm, happy, and ready for all outdoor tasks and fun.

This Belgian Beer aged in bourbon

barrels is blended with Speckled-Ax, cold-brewed coffee from Speckled Ax, a Maine coffee roaster. The coffee is known for its stone fruit and dark berry flavors.

And the finished beer features rich notes

Ingredients:

In large bowl, add meat, salt, pepper and flour. Toss to coat meat.

Over medium-high heat olive oil in cast iron pot and in two batches, add meat and brown on all sides. Remove browned meat to bowl and set aside to rest. Add onion to pot and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes.

Add beer to deglaze pot, scraping browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add carrots, turnip, potatoes, game broth, tomato paste, allspice and browned moose meat, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to simmer, and cook for two hours. Periodically stir to prevent sticking. Enjoy with a wonderful Boule’ or any crusty roll (and of course an Allagash!).

Note: Being an oenophile, I love a hearty red wine with this, too!

• 3 pounds moose stew meat • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon pepper • ½ cup flour • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 yellow onion, chopped • 1 red onion, chopped • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 12 ounces Allagash Barrel & Bean • 5 carrots, sliced • 2 cups turnip, chopped • 5 potatoes, cubed • 8 cups game broth (or beef) • 6 ounces tomato paste • 1 tablespoon allspice, ground

of caramel, bourbon and coffee, which totally paired awesome with the allspice berries and tomato paste.

Dark Chocolate Allagash Stout Brownies I’m not a stout drinker, but that doesn’t mean I can’t eat it!

Allagash created Belgian Stout where there wasn’t one! It is so darn good in this brownie that it makes it a perfect March Madness dessert. You may taste the hint of raisin, and it definitely enhances the coffee and chocolate taste in this brownie.

I have to say that I did LOVE the Allagash Barrell & Bean to pair with dessert!

Ingredients: • ½ cup Allagash Black Stout • 10 ounces pure dark chocolate (100%

Pure dark chocolate) • 1 cup butter • 1 ½ cups sugar • 1 teaspoon Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste • ½ teaspoon kosher salt • 3 large eggs, room temperature • 1 cup flour Preheat oven at 250 degrees F. Line 9” x 9” baking pan with aluminum foil that hangs over edges. Spray with cooking spray.

Bring stout to boil and reduce to simmer and cook until reduced by half: about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In double boiler with 1 inch of water, melt chocolate and butter over high heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.

Pour melted chocolate into medium bowl and cool slightly. Add sugars, vanilla, salt and stout and mix well with wooden spoon. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined before adding next egg.

Fold flour into mixture and pour into baking pan. Bake one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 2 hours for before cutting. (or just grab a spoon!)

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www.MaineSportsman.com

58 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Another Great Year in Store for Moosehead Lake Moosehead regional fisheries biologist Tim Obrey has lots of good news for Moosehead Lake anglers.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), tasked with managing the fishery on Maine’s largest lake, utilizes a number of different methods to monitor, and thus manage, coldwater game fish in Moosehead Lake. These include creel surveys,

whereby fisheries workers spend days out on the ice, tallying up fish numbers, sizes and conditions, trapnetting (stationary box-nets with “wings” that direct spawning salmonids into the holding pen), gill nets and seins.

The results gleaned from these efforts indicate another peak year on Moosehead, with robust brook trout and landlocked salmon populations.

Also, overall condition of salmonids in Moosehead Lake remain in the top tier.

So here are some high points regarding what anglers can expect in 2020 from salmon, trout and togue in Moosehead.

Brookie Breakthrough For some years, ever since 4-poundplus brook trout began showing up in quantity, DIF&W has searched for spawning

areas in order to better understand this new trophy brook-trout fishery. One time-tested way was to set a weir on Roach River, a place thought to be a nursery site for these huge brookies.

But though plenty of brook trout showed up in the Roach, none were of a size that would raise eyebrows.

So the mystery continued.

This fall, however, DIF&W identified at

least one and possibly several more places in the lake itself where these monster brook trout spawn. This was, according to Tim Obrey, a great surprise.

These trout arrived at the in-lake spawning site in mid-November, and indications are that they remain in these near-shore areas through December.

Eleven of these trout were fitted with ra(Continued on next page)

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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 59 (Continued from page 58)

dio transmitters, and DIF&W suggests that anglers release any fish with an antennae protruding from its side, since data from these transmitters enable DIF&W to learn more about these trophy fish.

Finally, Tim Obrey says that brook trout, along with salmon, now have a better survival rate because of the efforts by DIF&W to thin the lake’s togue population.

Salmon Outlook Salmon condition in Moosehead also holds much promise for both hardwater and open-water anglers in 2020. While peak condition was achieved in 2017, Tim Obrey says that salmon remain at the top of their game.

One good indication of salmon health was revealed from trapnetting results at Greenville Junction. Obrey says that current numbers of stocked salmon show more 4-year-and-older fish than were noted in any of the previous 20 – 30 years’ worth of sampling.

The reason for this?

Again, it boils down to survival rates. Both

stocked and wild fish benefit from reduced competition from togue. This translates, according to Obrey, to at least several more years of red-hot fishing for salmon as well as trout.

The department began a program several years ago to reduce togue numbers in Moosehead and the effort was successful.

And while many people had misgivings at the time, the results stand beyond dispute.

Togue Rebounding Despite efforts aimed at controlling Moosehead togue, Tim Obrey says that anglers took more younger togue this past season than expected. This, though, shouldn’t present a problem because the annual togue derby – one of the methods DIF&W uses to control togue – serves to remove great numbers of the species from the lake.

One thing about the derby that wasn’t immediately apparent to me is that it is held in January, well ahead of ice-fishing season for salmon. All salmon hooked must be immediately released without being taken from

the water, so the derby has little or no impact on salmon, Obrey said.

Also, prizes are given for togue only. There are no categories for other species such as trout and salmon.

None of this means that larger togue are not present, because they are. And in fact, they are fat and healthy, as evidenced by the impressive number of large fish taken this past open-water season.

But of course togue, like salmon and brook trout, wax fat on a steady diet of smelt.

And Moosehead’s smelt population, according to Tim Obrey, remains stable.

Smelt Runs Numerous brooks running into Moosehead Lake host smelt runs, and DIF&W has selected one such brook at Lily Bay for sampling.

Results show numbers slightly below those from last year, but not enough of a reduction to raise any alarms. And, after all, that’s just one brook. Numbers in other spawning waters may equal or exceed last year’s numbers.

Also, the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition has, with as-

sistance from DIF&W, constructed and set in place a brook-trout spawning box in Lily Bay. This should do much toward helping brook trout in this section of lake.

The coalition also carries out other activities geared toward helping salmonids to prosper in Moosehead Lake. This is a case of local residents doing all they can to work for the good of the local fishery. Kudos to everyone involved.

A few years ago, DIF&W noted a scarcity of spawning sites in Lily Bay. Hopefully this latest effort by the coalition will do much to encourage spawning trout.

Readers may recall that smallmouth bass have invaded shallow waters in Lily Bay, and the bass compete with our native brook trout. So now, trout in Lily Bay should have a fighting chance against the spinyrayed, illegally stocked bass.

March Togue Madness March is a prime month to catch trophy togue in Moosehead Lake. Gone are the prize-minded crowds from the January

Eric Holbrook took this 26-inch Moosehead salmon at the tail end of the 2019 ice-fishing season.

togue derby. Now, people with a single-minded devotion to landing togue that may weigh in the double digits, spend time on the ice, hoping for a trophy.

Of course other fish bite well, too. Salmon bite as long as ice remains. Area guide Eric Holbrook proved that last spring when, fishing at the tail-end of the ice-fishing season, he took a 5-pound salmon not far from an open-water area.

While I don’t suggest that others venture on compromised ice, I mention this to demonstrated that the ice-fishing season isn’t over until it’s over.

¶

Wildlife Quiz Answers: Raccoon (Quiz on Page 30)

1. The raccoon is also known as the Masked Bandit or Trash Panda.

2. The native range of the raccoon is North America.

3. In the wild, raccoons eat a variable diet of fruits, grains, vegetables, insects, eggs, chickens, squirrels, birds, fish, snakes, crawfish, worms, frogs and mollusks.

4. Four distinguishing features of a raccoon are thick grayish fur, a masked face, a ringed tail and dexterous front paws.

5. A typical adult raccoon weighs 20 pounds.

6. Baby raccoons are called kits.

7. The most notable natural predators of the raccoon are bobcats, coyotes, bears and large birds of prey. www.MaineSportsman.com

60 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Abundant Lake Trout and Hike-in Waters Spell Success This Month Beech Hill Pond in Otis saw a big bag-limit change for togue starting a few months ago. Now, anglers can keep six lake trout under 23 inches. Prior to this change, anglers could keep only two lake trout under 23 inches.

Where’s the best place for me to set up my Heritage ice traps in March? And how should I decide?

Should I rely on the Maine stocking report to influence my decision? Probably not, because the best-stocked lakes and ponds have been heavily fished at is point in time.

Should I fish strictly for brook trout and salmon?

Probably, not! Therefore, this month I often target 1) lake trout; or 2) small, lightly ice-fished brook trout waters.

Lake Trout (Togue) If you also want to catch lake trout, a good bet is to set up your ice traps on Beech Hill Pond in Otis. Refer to DeLorme’s Atlas Map 24, C-1 to locate this water.

Beech Hill Pond has an abundant lake trout population, and a new fishing regulation. As of January 1, 2020, anglers can keep six lake trout un-

www.MaineSportsman.com

der 23 inches at Beech Hill Pond. Prior to this change, anglers could only keep two lake trout under 23 inches.

According to Region C fisheries biologist Greg Burr, “We are encouraging Beech Hill Pond anglers to keep six fish under 23 inches to enhance the growth and condition of the remaining lake trout.”

Burr explained the purpose behind the new rule is to make certain there’s a sufficient “forage base” to support all the sport fish in the pond.

“Anglers can expect a fairly high catch rate for lake trout and good catch and release fishing for landlocked salmon,” he said. “All lake trout between 23 and 33 inches must be released at once, and only one lake trout over 33 inches can be kept. It is catch-andrelease for landlocked salmon in the months of January and Feb-

ruary. However, salmon are fair game for March ice anglers.”

Trophy Togue This pond produces togue in the 8- to 10-pound range for cold-weather anglers on a regular basis.

Beech Hill Pond is a mid-sized pond containing 1,351 acres of solid water surface for winter anglers to set out their ice-fishing equipment.

A popular spot where togue are plentiful is located along the northeast shore, from School Cove to the outlet. Winter folks typically pull lake trout ranging from 3- to 5-pounds through the ice; however, keeping smaller lake trout will help stabilize the fishery.

Beech Hill Pond has good winter access due to the numerous camp roads on the north side of the pond that are maintained all year long.

Washington County Lakers Another lake where an over-abundance of togue exists is West Mushquash, locally referred to as “West Lake” (Map 35, A-3 and Map 45, E-3).

The large volume of cold, well-oxygenated water provides ideal

Beech Hill Pond in Otis is located 40 miles east of Bangor. Map credit: Topoquest

habitat for lake trout, salmon and brook trout. Fisheries for all three species are sustained through natural reproduction.

This lake has provided good lake trout angling for 19- to 22inch fish. Although 4to 6- pound lakers are taken regularly, they are not as common as years ago. Therefore, Region C biologists are recommending that the bag limit for togue be increased, to thin out some of the smaller lake trout. This lake, however, still produces a few trophy lake trout.

The brook trout fishery is small compared to that of the lake trout. Anglers catch a few 10- to 14inch trout, which are produced in several tributaries. West Musquash Lake has lightly-developed shoreline, superb water quality, and nat-

urally reproducing salmonid populations.

Access is via a Georgia-Pacific gravel road.

Hike-In Ponds One Mount Desert Island brook-trout water worth a day’s ice-fishing time is Lake Wood (Map 16, B-3). This 16-acre pond is now being stocked annually with brook trout.

Six hundred 7-inch brookies were stocked here in October 2019.

Brook trout, according to biologists, thrive not only through the winter, but live until the end of June, when the summer temperatures become too high for trout to survive.

Access is gained via a short walk down a dirt road off the Crooked Road near Hull Cove. General fishing laws apply, Daily bag limit on trout – 5 fish.

Long Lake in Mari(See “Downeast Region” continued on page 63)

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 61

March Teases Midcoast Anglers with Promise of Spring In my opinion – and in the opinions of fisheries biologists I’ve spoken with – any water that depends solely upon stocked trout should remain open to fishing year-round. That’s just making the best use of a public resource.

While ice fishing remains wildly popular in the Midcoast region, I would rather take one fish in open water than 10 through the ice.

Something about feeling the battle with a traditional fishing rod brings me to some of our open-year-round streams every time winter’s cold relents and the sun shines.

And occasionally, I’m rewarded for my efforts.

Trout – any kind of trout – rank as my favorite fish. Trout pictures hang on my living room and office walls, so my thoughts are never very far away from trout and trout fishing.

Pickerel are OK, Too But other species interest me as well, and in March, anything goes.

For example, one species that bites well as soon as pockets of open water develop around lake edges, chain pickerel, slam lures and live baitfish with remarkable vigor.

And despite icecold water, pickerel fight as well as during any other time of year.

Southern Exposure Simply finding

open water in March takes some effort.

Since south-facing areas of lakes and ponds see more concentrated sunlight, that’s typically where open-water areas first appear.

It doesn’t take long for both warmwater and coldwater species to detect the slight warming trend in these places. Pickerel, as noted above, make good target species now. But bass become active as well and though I don’t fish for bass specifically, lots of bass have taken my lures and baits while early season fishing for other species.

Trout, especially trout that were stocked the previous fall for the ice-fishing crowd, often hang near the point of introduction.

So if you know where the hatchery truck deposited its precious cargo last fall, make it a point to head there as soon as open water presents itself. Chances are, some of those fish will remain in the area.

Open-water fishing in March never rates as fast. Fish, with the exception of pickerel and in some cases, pike, won’t go far out of their way to chase a lure. You must land

your offering almost on top of a trout in order for it to bite.

Still, trout do move around, and the best way to take them now is rather basic. A live shiner, or smelt if available, fished below a small bobber, brings best results in March’s icy water.

So look to the south, throw out your bobber-and-bait combo, and settle down to wait for a bite.

Year-Round Streams The Midcoast region holds several streams and small rivers that remain open to fishing year-round.

Each one of these waters depends upon stocking, and without contributions from state hatcheries, a trout fishery wouldn’t exist. So it occurs to me that with this parameter in place, why are not all other stocked waters open to fishing year-round?

I’ve discussed this with our Region B fisheries biologists, and they tend to agree with me that any water that depends solely upon stocked trout may as well be open year-round. That’s just making the best use of a public resource.

The trouble is,

Carryover trout sometimes reward the intrepid angler in March. Tom Seymour photo

such changes take time. Peer review and other considerations demand that rule changes don’t take place quickly or arbitrarily. But in the end, most suggestions by regional biologists eventually find their way into the law book.

that managed to navigate the dam at Swan Lake and migrated down to the pond from upstream.

The upper end of river has a limited tailwater fishery, and when the dam at Swan Lake is open, trout from Smith’s Pond feel the effect and swim upstream, making them available to anglers.

This should make an excellent year-round fishery.

Another Goose River, this time in Rockport, depends solely upon stocking for its trout, and the biologists agreed that it, too, should go year-round. That will no doubt take several

Two Goose Rivers One such river, Goose River in Swanville, has made it to the top of the list, and I’m told that it will probably go year-round next year. That’s good, because the river feeds into Smith’s Pond, a flow-through pond several miles downstream.

Spring-fed, Smith’s Pond holds a year-round population of brook trout and salmon – stocked fish

(See “Midcoast Report” continued on page 63)

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62 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Riding Comfort to Soothe the Savage Beast Within Let’s start with an obvious fact – at this point in time, even a perfect off-road vehicle will never offer a ride as comfortable and quiet as a luxury sedan. Yes, there have been some trucks and SUVs I’ve ridden in that got kind-of close, but nothing at all like the ride of a quality sedan.

I haven’t ever owned a luxury sedan myself, but have driven several and can attest to the various levels of comfort offered with each model. My wife had a Cadillac when we met, and I

www.MaineSportsman.com

We off-road travelers must make a choice – a choice that involves compromise. Long wheelbases are more comfortable, but not as maneuverable in tight spaces. Aggressive tires are great on gravel, but loud on dry pavement. Each person must decide what level of comfort and back-road accessibility they require. think that car provided the smoothest ride I ever experienced.

My limited judgment comes from our yearly thousand-mile drive to family in Michigan.

After driving the thousand miles in the Cadillac, it really felt like I had only been in the vehicle for an hour or so.

A lot has to do

with how soundproof the vehicle is – road noise and the constant sound of wind turbulence causes a load of “road fatigue.” If any reader here remembers the days before air-conditioned autos, they will surely understand how having the windows down to cool things off on a long, hot trip led to the tir-

ing effects of road fatigue.

Let’s take just the opposite example.

When I drive my 2010 Toyota Tacoma for two hours straight, it feels like I’ve been on a thousand-mile trip.

If that trip takes place on a bumpy back road, double the damage.

Aftermarket Help When I purchased the Tacoma, it came with the standard Toyota suspension and some street tires that gave a pretty good ride on clean pavement. I replaced the tires with Goodyear “Duratrac” Wranglers, and still had a fairly quiet and comfortable ride.

Then I added a Rough Country (roughcountry.com) suspension kit that lifted the truck three inches and smoothed out the bumpy roads by a huge margin. The (Continued on next page)

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 63 (Continued from page 62)

ride on the truck remained fairly smooth and quiet, until the tires became slightly worn. I’m not sure how the tires changed, but now I find the tires are noisy and produce a felt “rumble” on paved roads. I do most of my driving with the Tacoma on dirt back roads anyway, so it doesn’t bother me one bit ... I just would not want to have to drive the truck for more than a few hours on paved roads.

The suspension kit from Rough Country didn’t affect the truck’s ride on paved roads one way or the other, but it really improved the off-road ride. With a set of quality road tires, this truck wouldn’t ride that bad on long road trips – not perfect, and far from a Cadillac, but not too noisy or

rough-riding at all.

That’s the balancing act that off-road travelers must deal with on a personal level. It is completely up to each person to decide what level of comfort they need.

Each of us must make that decision – in my case, I drive my truck in the woods, while we take my wife’s sedan on longer road trips that don’t include any backwoods travel.

I used to own a smooth-riding Chevrolet Avalanche, a truck that was really made for more driving on paved roads than backwoods roads.

When I forced the vehicle onto bumpy logging roads, the ride got nearly out-of-control unless I kept the speed down to a crawl.

The lightweight suspension had the truck rocking and rolling anytime the vehicle

Downeast Region (Continued from page 60)

on (Map 26, B-5) is another good bet for Washington County anglers to be successful in March. Ice anglers may want to drive a four-wheel-drive vehicle or snowmobile to within 1/4 mile of the lake by following logging roads starting from either Route 86 in Marion or off Route 1 in Whiting. The last 1/4 mile

Midcoast Report (Continued from page 61)

years.

But here’s a caveat – posting and new construction has put many of the popular access points out-of-bounds. So with this situation, does it even make sense to stock the river?

Whatever the fate of Goose River in Rockport, we can hope that all stocked streams and small rivers in the Midcoast region eventually get opened to year-round fishing. It only makes sense.

State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta The Annual State of Maine Sports-

got into a few bumps.

I tolerated it and simply took it easy when encountering any offroad travel.

Critical Choices A longer wheelbase seems to smooth a bumpy ride better than a vehicle with a short wheel base.

Most folks who ride backwoods roads prefer trucks with a short wheelbase because when a rider gets into a tough spot, the shorter wheel base offers a shorter turning radius that makes it easier to exit areas where space is limited.

Some folks forget about little details like this until they are stuck in a difficult offroad situation. A simple joy ride can turn into a survival effort if a rider is back in to remote sections of the state and gets stuck.

It happens quicker than you think ... one

Deep tire treads for off-road travel don’t perform as quietly as some prefer for paved-road riding.

William Clunie photo

moment you are loafing along, enjoying the scenery, and the next you are sliding into the muddy ditch.

If I know I’m going into a remote area, I make sure to include the retrieval equipment necessary for pulling my truck out of almost any problem. I also drive very carefully, with no hot-rodding or fancy dirt-track maneuvers. The grand-

kids say I drive like an old grampy, but I choose to take it easy and make sure I get home safely.

For me, the fun isn’t in the ride, it’s what I do when I get there, such as hunting, fishing or camping. If it takes grampy-like driving to get there in a safe fashion, then I’m all grampy.

¶

to the lake is walk-in access only across forested land.

Long Lake, a 130-acre water, has a maximum depth 48 feet. Splake, brook trout and smallmouth bass are the principal fish in the lake.

Long Lake is a long, narrow water that is remote and lightly developed.

The lake is cold and relatively deep for its size. Biologist began an experimental stocking of splake here in 1998.

Since then splake have been stocked on an annual basis.

Last fall, hatchery personnel released 200 10-inch splake into the lake.

General Fishing laws apply, except: Daily limit on brook trout, splake, or Arctic char is two fish; minimum length limit 12 inches; and only one may exceed 14 inches.

man’s Show, hosted by The Maine Sportsman magazine and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM), which will be held at the Augusta Civic Center March 27 – 29, 2020, marks the official beginning of the new season. Outdoors folks from around the state make the annual pilgrimage, heading over there to meet friends both old and new, and to check out all the new offerings from the many vendors at the show.

As a writer for The Maine Sportsman magazine, I get to work at the Sportsman booth, the first booth on the left upon entering the show arena.

This opportunity to meet and listen to readers often has far-reaching consequences. I’ve made lots of new friends

this way, thanks to this annual get-together. I even wrote a fishing book, inspired solely by urgings from readers of my “Trout Fishing” column.

Some of the fishing tackle I discuss on these pages first came to my attention at the Sportsman’s Show. I’ve learned, and so can you, about new tackle and new techniques, something far more valuable than the price of admission.

So as winter wanes and spring fever strikes, the best way to embrace the new season is by visiting the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta, March 27 - 29. From then on, it only gets better.

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www.MaineSportsman.com

64 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Tom Gets Invited to Take a Hike!

As I pen this column, I am looking across Jordan Bay on Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, B-1) and I can see the blinking lights of the tower atop Brown Mountain in Raymond.

The tower always serves as my orientation when on Sebago Lake at night, any time of the year. Last year, when I wrote about a cusk fishing adventure and mentioned the light, I stated that it sat atop Rattlesnake Mountain. I had heard that decades ago, and it stuck in my head.

After the column ran, I received a nice note from Fred Huntress, the owner of Rattlesnake Mountain.

He assured me that there were no towers on his mountain and advised me of the correct hill the tower sat on. Fred went even further and invited me to hike his mountain on the Bri-Mar Trail that he maintains.

Climbing Rattlesnake There are two routes up the mountain – the Bri-Mar Trail, accessed by a signed location on Route 85; and the Nubble Pond Trail off of Plains Road.

I hiked the trail on New Year’s Day this year and was treated to a great vista of nearby Panther Pond, Thomas Pond and Sebago Lake. You can choose a more direct (read “steep”) route to the top or more gradwww.MaineSportsman.com

On the hike up Rattlesnake Mountain, and I was treated to a great vista of nearby Panther Pond, Thomas Pond and Sebago Lake. The Bri-Mar trail off Route 85 would make a great snowshoe trek on a warm, sunny March day. ual trek depending on your ability.

This month, it’s a great time to make a snowshoe trek up the mountain. I plan to do just that and pack a lunch, preferably on a mild March day, which we often get to enjoy as the month wanes.

Dogs are not permitted on the Bri-Mar Trail, so leave Fido at home with a bone.

Snowshoe Trek Another pleasant snowshoe trek this month is the Stevens Brook Trail in Bridgton (Map 10, E-4).

This two-mile trek connects Highland lake to the west with Long Lake to the east.

Dogs on a leash are allowed on this trail, so bring the pup along.

Cusk Nights March nights are made for cusk fishing.

Even though many coastal smelting camps have pulled their shacks, the thick ice of Sebago and nearby Thompson Lake (Map 5, A-2) can provide the makings for a superb fish chowder.

Cusking is always easiest when you have a camp on the water or an ice shack to stay in.

Unless you are a night-owl, cusk fishing involves napping to be awaken each hour to tend the traps, as

required by law. My long-time fishing partner, Rene Lavoie of Lewiston and I would do just that – nap by the fireplace in the family camp as our bait lay on bottom. An alarm would sound on the hour and we would head outside, fire up the old Ski-Doo and check for flags.

Rene liked to pull off a good amount of line so the finnicky cusks could swallow the bait before they felt the resistance of the reel.

Cusk Bait For bait, we generally use saltwater smelt saved from previous outings on the Kennebec River.

Sometimes I used leftover shiners or suckers, dead and set on the bottom where the scent-seeking cusk will prowl.

Anglers with an ice shack can stoke up the woodstove and nap on a cot between trap-checking ventures on the ice. I must admit, I never slept in my ice shack, but I’m sure I could do it.

Anglers without camp or shack typically nap in the vehicles on shore, run the engine for warmth and venture out for the hourly trap visits. I suppose I could sleep

behind the wheel of my parked truck. I know I caught a few Z’s behind the wheel of a police cruiser years ago, but don’t tell my former Lieutenant!

Best Place, Time for Cusk In my experience, cusk prefer a sandy or gravelly bottom. I know of a few prime spots, so I can find them above the ice very easily. If you aren’t familiar with the lake bottom, an underwater camera makes easy work of finding such habitat.

The best time to scout out your trap locations is before dark sets in. Things on the ice at daylight are unrecognizable at night.

My cusk set-ups have reflective tape at the top of the trap for two reasons. First, it helps me find the traps at night, as they glow when my snowmobile headlight passes by them. Second, reflective traps help caution other sledders that there are traps set when they zoom across the lake on a midnight run.

Cusk angling is fun and helps pass the time at the tail end of the season. On top of that, their flesh is delicious!

Show Time It’s that time of year again! Time for the 40th Annual State of Maine Sportsman’s Show. Running from March 27 through the 29th at the Augusta Civic Center, there is literally something there for everyone.

I enjoy staffing the Maine Sportsman booth and chatting with many of our readers. Many of them make it an annual trip just to renew their subscription at the table.

Still others flock to the demonstrations – everything from turkey calling to fly-tying to the annual state confiscated gun auction.

Word is more than one person has had to buy their favorite firearm back after it was used in the commission of a hunting crime. Whatever your reason for attending, be sure to stop by the booth and say hi!

Correction: In the February, 2020 issue, I wrote that a new, more generous togue limit had not yet taken effect on Sebago Lake. However, that new limit did in fact become effective on the first of the year.

Therefore, Sebago anglers can now keep an unlimited number of togue under 26 inches, and in addition they can keep one togue over 26 inches.

Good luck out there!

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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 65

After a Decade, Maine Huts and Trails Struggles but Still Satisfies Eleven years after opening its doors, the Maine Huts and Trails (MH&T) association has been crippled with financial shortfalls this winter. The Kingfield-based nonprofit, with its four remote huts or ecolodges and an extensive self-propelled trail network in western Maine, went public with its financial problems in September.

One of the backcountry lodges, Grand Falls Hut, remains shuttered over the winter season, while the three other hut/ lodges are offering only self-service options for winter trekkers. In other words, no meals are served, and the buildings are staffed with only volunteer caretakers to keep the heat and lights on.

The news released in October came as a surprise to most in the western Maine communities of the high peaks area. And ongoing concern about the financial stability of the organization is evident. The closure of the Saddleback Ski Area near Rangeley in 2014 is still fresh in the minds of winter enthusiasts. Plans to reopen that venue may finally be bearing fruit, but it’s been a long six years.

Economic Tiger Takes a Nap MH&T has earned national recognition over the last decade and reportedly attract-

The Flagstaff Hut now feels like a really nice backwoods camp that you share with a large extended family. The overstuffed leather couches are not as shiny as they once were, but they’re twice as comfortable. The place is less fancy, but feels more familiar. That would be a terrible thing to lose.

This map shows the route from the LFD Road trailhead to the Flagstaff Hut.

ed more than 75,000 overnight visitors to the region. The group estimates an economic impact north of $50 million over that period. Fifty full and part-time jobs are affected by the closure, along with estimated $400,000 that MH&T spends annually locally for local food, services and supplies.

Where did it all go wrong? The lodges were built with generous donations from wealthy philanthropists, Maine businesses and individuals. However, MH&T reports that receipts from overnight guests, along with ongoing donations and membership fees, were not enough to meet outlays for staff, supplies, and services, including the costs of maintain-

The Flagstaff Hut has taken on the feel of a backwoods camp you share with an extended family.

ing nearly 50 miles of off-road trails.

There was a lastgasp attempt to raise $500,000 before the 2019/20 winter season opened. The partial closure this winter, self-service use with volunteer caretakers, is seen as a temporary fix while new funding and a revised business model is worked out.

MH&T winter trails are not being groomed daily this winter. They only receive attention after measurable snowfall or after the freeze/ thaw cycle and traffic causes the skiing surface to deteriorate.

A Different Hut Experience On a recent cold, bright Friday – the eve of a three-day holiday

weekend – the parking lot on Long Falls Dam Road at the Flagstaff Hut trailhead was nearly empty. Six inches of snow from an overnight storm remained unplowed at noontime. The main ski trail leaving from the trailhead toward the hut looked ungroomed.

My daughter, Grace and I had arrived for a day trip on skis into the hut.

And despite the bright sunshine, it felt a little gloomy compared to past visits. Skiers crowded the professionally groomed trails in past years, and the parking lots seemed to be always full.

But a friendly plow truck driver soon appeared while we were

clicking into our skis.

He made short work of the powder-covered lot while pointing us toward the trail. And while the fresh snow on the Maine Hut Trail was ungroomed, there was a solid base.

Two other skiers towing a sled had broken trail for us, and their toboggan had packed down a great ski surface.

Trails Might Be the Best Part I’ve spent several overnights in the various huts over the last decade. But because the lodges sit in what I consider to be my very large Farmington backyard, day trips have been a lot more frequent. Mountain bike trips in the summer and ski trips each winter have been the norm. In 2012 I arrived at Grand Falls hut by canoe one time.

Locals like me may be part of the financial problem. We enjoy the trails free of charge, find refuge from bugs and frigid, hot or wet weather at the huts, fill our water bottles, maybe grab a snack from the kitchen and move on.

It’s the trails that keep bringing us back.

To cruise for miles on groomed snow without keeping a wary eye out for snowmobiles is heaven to a backcountry skier. It’s completely different from making circles at the foot of some downhill (Continued on page 67) www.MaineSportsman.com

66 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Kill More Coyotes with the Right Light Spotlight Right By mid-March, the ice on many of Maine’s lakes and ponds begins to grow thin. For those who don’t enjoy the possibility of taking an icy plunge, we begin to think of other outdoor pursuits.

One of my favorite March activities is chasing coyotes. As with deer hunting, there always seems to be something new to learn about hunting these wily creatures.

Red, Green or White Light?

One of the latest discussions is around the use of spotlights.

Basically, spotlights for night hunting come in three colors: red, green and white.

While red is more traditional, green ap-

Most coyotes will spook if hit with the direct beam of a spotlight for more than a few seconds, so use the softer illumination on the edge of the spotlight beam to identify the target without sending it running off. pears to be increasingly more popular, and the new kid on the block is white.

A search online will yield testimonials singing the praises of each of these lighting systems. So how does a hunter choose?

In my experience and from what I have read about the experiences of other hunters, green lights, though exceedingly popular, seem to be the poorest choice for predator hunting. Red and white lights tie for second, with a slight-

ly higher number of hunters preferring red, including me.

There is even scientific research indicating most manufactured “red” spotlights emit visible light in the 620 nm wavelength, but a true red and the best “red” for predator hunting are spotlights that emit light in the 660 nm wavelength.

White lights have gained a lot of popularity over the past several years and more and more hunters are using them – especially those who enjoy videotaping their hunts.

Quick Scan Ultimately, despite the color employed, a hunter’s success in

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the field is dependent more on how the spotlight is used than on the chosen color. For example, coyotes can’t see red light, but that doesn’t mean a direct blast with a spotlight (of any color) won’t send them running.

When scanning fields for coyotes, quickly scan back and forth looking for eyes. Red lights are extremely effective in picking up a coyote’s eyes. This is because coyotes have a “mirror,” called a tapetum lucidum, beneath their retina that collects and focuses light back into the retina, enhancing their ability to see in low light conditions.

Looking for that eye

reflection is the key to success, and all that is required to do so is a 3-4 second sweep of a field. Scanning is, of course, much easier if it is done by two people, with one person operating the spotlight and the other operating the firearm.

Properly Identify Target After identifying a reflection, it is critical that hunters properly identify their target – a task that is exceedingly difficult when only an animal’s eyes are identified. Most coyotes will spook if hit with the direct beam of a spotlight for more than a few seconds. Instead, use the softer light on the edge of the spotlight beam to identify the target without sending it running off.

Shooting at Night For those unaccus-

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tomed to shooting at night, it is critical to be extremely familiar with the area. Houses, domesticated animals, non-target wild animals and other hunters can quickly turn a fun night in the woods into a nightmare.

I prefer to hunt coyotes at night with a shotgun rather than a rifle, as smoothbore shots tend to lose velocity quickly, limiting the lethal range which a slug can fly.

Also, a majority of the successful hunting at night is up close and personal, with a most shots occurring at 3040 yards. A cardinal rule of all hunting – but especially night hunting – is if you aren’t 100% sure of your target, don’t shoot.

Full Moon My favorite time to

hunt coyotes is under a full moon. The moon illuminates the night better than any spotlight ever made, and it’s completely natural. Placing an electronic call on the edging of a small frozen pond and sitting back in the woods 10-20 yards creates a fantastic ambush location.

When things work perfectly, a coyote will creep down the woods edging, exposing itself against the pond’s snow-covered surface, just as a hunter has a perfect shot. More often than not, however, the coyote scents the hunter or spooks, but that is the challenge of hunting coyotes, close range, at night.

Light, Light, Light!

When the full moon isn’t shining, a hunter’s best friend is a spotlight. My best advice when selecting

Self-Propelled (Continued from page 65)

ski mountain.

The trail to Flagstaff Hut is a perfect example. It winds for two miles through snow-covered firs just far enough from the lakeshore to avoid bitter winds. It’s built for travelers, not racers. No long, steep icy downhills, and no draining uphill climbs.

An Empty Hut Has Its Own Rewards When we arrived, Flagstaff Hut was completely empty. A note on the counter welcomed an overnight visitor and advised us that the caretaker would return around 3:30 PM. We stripped off boots and outer layers, left them in the drying room, and walked around the huge, warm space in our stocking-feet. The wood stove and the radiant-heat floors kept the sub-zero outside windchill completely at bay. We had lunch in front of the fire.

I once wrote in these pages that stepping into these massive, off-grid ecolodges – back when

a quality light is don’t penny-pinch.

A good quality spotlight, that will perform well in Maine’s cold climate and won’t easily break, is somewhat pricy. Good spotlights include the Orion H30 ($129.95), the Predator Tactics Reaper ($199) and the Wicked Lights W403IC ($219.95).

All of these models also have the ability to throw light well over 100 yards, a feature that will come in handy as a coyote hunter’s knowledge of an area and skill level increases and they decided to transition to using a rifle. Also, these high-power light systems are incredibly helpful in picking out coyotes on bait sites where extended range is likely to be needed.

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The author’s sons Manimal and Wildman with a coyote that had been raiding neighborhood chicken coops.

they were new – made me feel like a poor neighbor visiting a rich man’s home. The bright shiny woodwork and furniture, the highend visitors with their fancy gear, and the gourmet food being served by the staff all contributed to this impression.

Now, ten years later, the self-service huts are a different experience. The interior smells faintly like wood smoke, not shiny varnish. The guest log contains only a couple dozen entries since September. The overstuffed leather couches aren’t as shiny and slippery, but they are twice as comfortable. Someone had stirred a free cup of coffee and left the spoon on the counter. In other words, all of it is a lot more familiar.

Flagstaff Hut now feels like a really nice back-woods camp that you share with a big extended family.

That would be a terrible thing to lose.

¶ www.MaineSportsman.com

68 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Trapping Protects Maine’s Threatened and Endangered Seabirds Mink or otters that swim to the offshore islands along the coast of Maine have been taking a toll on threatened and endangered bird populations.

This has become a real problem, according to Linda Welch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Welch is the Refuge Biologist for the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge. In short, mink and otter have been swimming from island to island to hunt for seabirds.

The biggest impact has been on seabird populations nesting on islands that are located two to five miles off the coast. Several of the nesting islands have lost nearly 75% of the birds.

Endangered Birds and their Eggs Maine seabirds of concern include puffins, razorbills, and Arctic terns, which the State lists as threatened, and the roseate tern, which is listed as endangered. The Refuge works with the

State to get permits to do the predator control work outside of the regular trapping season.

To gain some knowledge of trapping mink and otter, the USFWS contacted and retained Dan Wagner, a past Maine Trappers Association President and well-known Maine Trapper and Guide, to show them how to best trap on the offshore islands.

During this period, Welch talked to trappers and read everything she could find about trapping mink.

She also took the Maine Trapper Education Course.

Welch said that mink on the islands are using very different habitat then than they use when traveling along streams and lakes inland.

Due to the tidal changes, trap sets had to be on dry land away from the water. She used plastic mailboxes and wooden tunnels to make cubby sets (the same as used by trappers for marten and mink inland), but

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they were challenging for her to carry (along with all her other gear) when working on the bigger islands with rolling topography.

Welch then started using the coated lobster trap wire to create folding tunnels, which mink like to go through when the wire is covered with grass and other debris. This photo is of one of the wire tunnels set with grass woven in the wire.

gle mix, and trained the dog to help locate mink. Given the islands’ dense growth, the dog is a big help in finding mink latrines and denning sites, and is really good at finding cached birds hidden by the mink in crevices in the rocks and cliffs.

If these predators arrive on the islands during the incubation period, the birds will abandon an island for the season. If the mink or otter arrive during the period the birds are rearing their chicks, these two predators will cause significant mortality to both the chicks and adult seabirds. The adult seabirds are committed to remaining on the islands during this period while rearing their chicks, and will not abandon them.

Lobster Wire Mink Set All photos courtesy of Linda Welch

Mink were found on the islands in open meadows and on top of cliffs, and they moved on and off the islands all year around. They would hit an island hard during the birds nesting season, and then leave for several weeks before returning.

Welch read that managers in the United Kingdom use hounds to find mink on their seabird islands, so she got a lab/bea-

Sea bird egg damaged by mink.

On Stratton Island, which is located about three miles off Old Orchard Beach and is owned by the National Audubon Society, over 500 nesting birds (mostly terns) were killed by mink in less than a week. Between 2007 and 2014, Maine Coastal Island NWR personnel trapped 14

mink on both Eastern and Western Brothers Islands. Common Terns, Black Guillemot, Common Eider and Leach’s Storm Petrels nest on both islands. Mink preyed on all four species and destroyed hundreds of nests during this period.

Burrow nesting seabirds such as the Atlantic Puffin, Razorbills, Black Guillemot and the Leach’s Storm Petrel are all highly susceptible to mink predation. With the exception of the Black Guillemot, these birds lay only one egg per season and will not nest again during that season. Trapping effort on both islands had successively resulted in an average of 350 nesting pairs of these birds over the course of the management efforts.

Another important seabird nesting island is Eastern Egg Rock, owned by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and cooperatively managed with the National Audubon Society. This island is five miles offshore and supports 1,100 pairs of Common and Arctic Terns and the federally endangered Roseate Tern, including 45% of the total number nesting in Maine. Eastern Egg Rock is also one of only four colonies of Atlantic Puffins in the (See “Trapping” continued on page 70)

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Mad as a March Hare I tucked my chin into my jacket to shield my face from the slush the four-wheeler was kicking up.

The four-wheeler had tracks, so I guess I should call it a snowmobile, since that’s how it was registered.

I was riding on the back, my Beretta 20 gauge over-and-under across my lap; Jeff was driving. I had just met Jeff two hours earlier, but here I was, riding up a mountainside on his snowmobile to hunt snowshoe hare.

I had always wanted to hunt rabbits. It sounded exciting, social, and lower stakes than other winter hunts like bobcats and coyotes. March is a perfect time to hunt them. By then, the ice is getting thin on my favorite ice fishing lakes, and I’m eager to hunt again after a few months’ break from it. Hare begin mating in March and like deer, are more active and take greater risks during the rut, increasing your odds.

Also like deer, male and female hare are called bucks and does.

I met Scot last fall.

He and his beagle, Darwin, tracked the deer I shot and lost (you’ll read all about that in our November issue). While we were tracking my deer, I asked Scot if he rabbit hunted with Darwin.

“Oh no, Darwin tracks deer only,” he said between heavy breaths as Darwin pulled him along the blood trail. “I

Since snowshoe hare tend to run in a large circle once they’re jumped, you might think they’d be easy to hunt.

However, they’re white like the snow, and their large feet make them silent runners. They are impossible to hear, tough to spot, and very, very quick.

The author carried a Beretta 20-gauge over-and-under double on her hare hunt. All photos by Melissa Goodwin

have other beagles for rabbits, and they don’t go near deer. Best not to have them do both.”

Scot offered to take me rabbit hunting, and today was that day. We were hunting with his friends from the Androscoggin Beagle Club – Jeff and Bobby – and my friend and fellow AT thru hiker, Melissa. This was Melissa’s first time hunting, though she carried an expensive camera under her arm instead of a shot-

gun. She is a freelance photographer and hiking and camping guide from Brooklyn, and she was visiting me for the weekend.

Scot, Melissa, and Bobby rode on the other snowmobile behind us. They towed a dog box containing three beagles – Tracker, J. Lo and Casey.

Unplanned Delay The morning started out a bit hectic.

First Jeff’s dogs, J. Lo (named, he explained, because, “she has a

big booty”) and Casey (“named after a girl I met at Tractor Supply the day I went to pick her up”) got loose when we were trying to load them in the dog box, and took off full speed up the road. We chased them up the road until we saw where they went into the woods. We stood on the road and yelled and barked and howled (Jeff said they like being in a pack and we should imitate other beagles; I think

he was pulling our leg, but it was pretty fun to howl and bark like dogs in the middle of the woods).

Eventually the dogs came out, and we corralled them into the dog box. We rode the snowmobiles to our starting point, donned snowshoes and let all the dogs out. We saw a few old hare tracks, and then heard other beagles howling and baying in the distance.

It wasn’t but five minutes until Tracker, J. Lo and Casey were out 300 yards south and running toward the barking beagles to join their pack, who sounded like they were having more success than we were.

Melissa and I waited nearly an hour for the guys to gather up the threesome, and when they returned, they announced we were switching locations.

Second Location The snowmobile came to a stop and I jumped off and put on my snowshoes again.

I loaded my 20 gauge and Jeff let the dogs out. They wore GPS tracking collars so we could see their location on handheld devices.

The dogs immediately started baying, an indication they had found a very fresh scent, Scot explained.

We stood on the snowmobile trail. I faced one direction, and Bobby faced the other. We were both prepared to shoot.

(Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

70 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

The beagles were anxious to begin tracking.

To get to hare country, the author was given a ride on an ATV outfitted with tracks.

Maine Sportswoman (Continued from page 69)

They Mate Like Rabbits Maine has two types of “rabbits,” though only one is truly a rabbit – the state endangered New England Cottontail. We were after the “other” species, the snowshoe hare.

Hare are larger and turn white in the winter, whereas cottontails stay brown year long. Since hare are delicious and near the bottom of the food chain, everything is out to get them, from hunters to bobcats to

hawks.

To make up for their high predation rates, they mate like, well, like rabbits, having up to four litters per year.

Not Easy to Hunt The bellows of the beagles got farther and farther away, and we walked down the trail toward their direction. Scot showed me his GPS unit, which revealed the dogs’ current location, and their recent track – it was an oval. Once jumped, hare usually run in circles, or figure-8s.

Trapping (Continued from page 68)

United States.

The National Audubon Society has reported puffins being killed by otter on Eastern Egg Rock, but Welch says she has not seen otter predation on puffins on any of the Refuge Islands to date.

Puffins nest on four islands, and two of them are more than 20 miles offshore.

This is a photo is of a mink in a trap on Petit Manan. That island has nesting puffins on it, but as far as Mink in a trap on Petit Welch knows, Manan. the mink have killed only terns and storm-petrels.

She said they trapped the mink early at the beginning of the nesting season, so as far as she knew they did not take www.MaineSportsman.com

It sounds like this would making hunting them easy, but they’re white, and their large haired feet make them silent runners. They are impossible to hear, tough to spot and very, very quick.

Jeff, Melissa and I took a few steps off the trail and into the woods. We heard the dogs getting closer. We were silent in anticipation; the dogs were close. I was ready.

Fast Action Then they started getting farther away and I relaxed. We started chatting and looked at the handheld GPS unit.

Then, seemingly

When a hare flashed by, the author made a quick but successful shot.

The beagles were excited to know they had assisted in the hunt.

out of the blue, a hare shot past in front of us toward the trail. It was nearly out of sight when I fired.

“You got it!” exclaimed Jeff.

“I did?” I questioned, incredulously.

“I see it down,” he replied.

I couldn’t believe it. I thought I’d shot behind it. “That was too easy; I guess we can go home now,” I joked.

We walked over to the hare and I picked it up. Its fur was so unbelievably soft.

We hollered to Scot and Bobby who were still on the trail and we waited for the dogs.

It was about three minutes before Kacey appeared, tracking the hare’s final steps.

Eventually Tracker and J. Lo made it to the scene as well. I couldn’t believe how far behind the hare the dogs were. It pays to always be ready, because you never know how far ahead the hare is.

See You at the Show!

I hope to see some of you at the State of Maine Sportsman Show in Augusta. I will be at the Maine Sportsman booth on Saturday, March 28th, so stop by and say hi!

any puffins.

Welch said that they were also trying to get puffins and razorbills to nest on an island in Jonesport, but they could not keep the mink off the island.

They started trapping on adjacent islands, running the trap lines from January through August. Mink just kept swimming out to the islands.

Puffins visited the island, but biologists could not keep the mink from killing a lot of the black guillemots and storm-petrels. Welch said they had to stop the project due to the mink predation.

The photos to the right are of a black guillemot and a tern that were killed by mink.

Folks at Maine Coastal Islands NWR believes that their ability to trap and remove predators from the offshore islands is a critical management tool needed to protect these rare bird species.

¶

A black guillemot and a tern, both killed by mink.

Welch gave me this picture that she had received from the United Kingdom of a gannet being killed by a mink. Just to illustrate the size of birds that mink are capable of killing.

A mink killing a gannet in the UK, a country where biologists protecting seabirds also do battle with mink and otter.

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Forever Chemicals Giving Us Fits In 1960, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring raised an alarm about the widespread effects of chemical pesticides, such as DDT, on animals in the ecosystem, especially birds. She also documented several cases of pesticide poisoning in humans.

After Silent Spring, environmental scientists have discovered numerous human-made chemicals that persist in the environment, such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls, or PCBs, that were widely used in the 1950s and 60s.

PCBs and other persistent pollutants are known to “bio-accumulate” in the food chain, reaching levels that may be many thousands of times higher in fish and wildlife than what can be measured in water.

In the 1960s and 70s, there was a devasting drop in the population of many raptors, including bald eagles, ospreys and peregrine falcons, that were poisoned or had trouble reproducing because of chemicals in the environment.

Only in recent years, after DDT and PCBs were banned or strictly limited, have we seen a recovery in the numbers of these big birds.

New Chemicals The mind-boggling number of new chemicals produced every year and their widespread use in products outpaces the ability of scientists and reg-

ulators to understand their possible longterm impacts.

Since the 1990s, for example, we have learned that a large class of chemicals called polyfluoroalkyl substances and perfluoroalkyl substances, abbreviated as PFAS, have spread around the globe and can now be measured in human blood and tissue almost everywhere.

Here in Maine, the PFAS problem came to light when a farm in Arundel found unsafe levels in cows’ milk.

The farm had been spreading sewage sludge contaminated with PFAS in fields as fertilizer.

That’s bad enough, but it’s not just cows.

These chemicals will also show up in fish, birds, and other wildlife. PFAS have been shown to be toxic in very small concentrations – in parts per trillion.

Pretty Handy Stuff PFAS are pretty handy compounds that repel water, stains and oil, reduce friction, and resist high temperatures, so they are used in many common products.

One formula was used in Teflon and other non-stick cookware for many years. Others have been used in stain-resistant carpeting, fabric treatments such as ScotchGard, and water-resistant fabrics such as Gore-Tex. Other forms of PFAS are used in

PFAS and other “forever chemicals” have been found in fish and wildlife in amounts that can be toxic to humans. David Van Wie photo

fire-fighting foam and in the aerospace industry.

Two specific types, known as PFOS and PFOA, have been shown to be “mobile, persistent, and bioaccumulative, and are not known to degrade in the environment.”

(ITRC 2017). In places where these two compounds have been released in large quantities, the concentrations found in water, plants and animals are startling.

Health Effects Some demonstrated health effects in humans and other animals include reduced birth rates, developmental impacts, liver impacts, immune system impacts, delayed puberty, neurological effects, and cancer.

The impacts are especially concerning for pregnant females and their fetuses, and nursing babies.

The good news is that manufacturers, like 3M, voluntarily reduced or eliminated production of PFOA and PFOS starting in

2000. But other types of PFAS are still being used and have not been adequately studied.

The bad news is that we don’t know what the effects of continued low level, chronic, life-time exposure to these chemicals will be on us or on wildlife.

Hot Spots The “hot spots” with the highest PFAS concentrations are near manufacturing facilities where they are made or used to make products. Military bases and airports that have used Class B fire-fighting foam are more likely to have PFAS in the groundwater, soil or nearby surface water.

For example, a river near a military base in northeastern Michigan has PFAS concentrations that are high enough that the State of Michigan has declared sections of the river and a wetland to be closed to all fish and waterfowl consumption.

Landfills often discharge “leachate” containing high concentrations of PFAS. When the leachate is sent to municipal wastewater plants for treatment, the PFAS cannot always be removed and may be discharged to the river where it can bioaccumulate in the fish and wildlife nearby.

No Drinking Water Standards Scientists are still

trying to determine what a “safe” level of exposure might be, if there is such a thing.

Meanwhile, nearly all of us have measurable amounts of these chemicals in our blood from multiple pathways of exposure, including the water we drink and the food we eat.

And yet, there are still no enforceable regulatory standards for how much PFAS, PFOA, PFOS and their cousins can be in drinking water and in our food, such as fish caught in our rivers, lakes and coastal waters.

The federal EPA has yet to set standards for PFAS in drinking water, but it has issued a “health advisory level” of 70 parts per trillion.

Several states have set their own standards for drinking water and groundwater, but Maine has not. Others have set “screening levels” that trigger some action by a water utility, or that are used as the target for groundwater treatment at known contaminated sites.

Only a few states are trying to set standards for surface water to determine what level will protect fish, aquatic animals and plants. Vermont is studying what Florida and Minnesota have come up with, while those two states continue to refine their own standards based (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

72 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

In the Beginning It all started in the fall of 1961. I was in Mrs. Beulah MacDonald’s eighth grade class at Riverside Grammar School in Vassalboro.

Mrs. Mac was talking to the class about going to high school the next year and that we should be thinking about what we wanted to do because we were going to have to decide whether we were going to enroll in the Industrial Arts course, the Academic course, the Business course, or the General course.

Up to this point in my life I hadn’t thought a lot about the future, but her little talk inspired me to give it some serious consideration. I asked myself, “If I could do anything for the rest of my life, what would it be?”

The answer came to me very quickly: “Hunt and fish.”

Well, I knew that I couldn’t make a living doing that, so what else could I do?

The man who lived right beside the grammar school was a Maine State Trooper and someone whom I really looked up to.

Maybe I could be a State Trooper like Big Nick. It would

be really interesting and exciting work but still, for me, there was something missing.

And then it came to me, “You could be a Maine Game Warden.”

In that instant, my life changed. I never looked back. I knew that I had to stay out of trouble and that I had to learn all that I could about hunting, fishing, trapping, and woods lore.

Setting the Course I went on to high school, took the academic course load, and then on to college at the University on Maine in Presque Isle.

During my senior year in college, I started the testing process for the Maine Warden Service. First was the written test, which was comprised of 100 general knowledge questions. 1400 people took the test. I knew that the odds were not in my favor, but I was going to keep taking the tests until I succeeded.

To my surprise, I was sent a notice to be in Augusta on January 26, 1971, at 2:15 PM to take the oral test for the Maine Warden Service.

Sporting Environment (Continued from page 71)

on the latest scientific studies.

Maine created a PFAS Task Force last year to work on this issue. But we have a long way to go. The draft report released in December 2019 did not recommend a drinking water standard, nor did it recommend testing for all www.MaineSportsman.com

On the Hotseat I had become good friends with the warden at Clayton Lake when I was stationed there as a forest ranger in the summer of 1968. We had talked at length about the testing process for Warden Service and what I should expect.

I was also told about three Warden Service Supervisors who were really tough on young candidates taking the oral test. I was just praying that none of those guys would be on my oral board.

When I reported to the Cross Office Building, Room 600 for my oral exam, there were several candidates there waiting for their turn to appear before the oral board. Most of them weren’t before the board all that long, so how hard could it be? I asked myself.

Finally, a man from the Personnel Department came out to get me. I followed him into Room 600, and there in the middle of the room all by itself was a metal chair.

He said, “Have a seat.”

After sitting down in the metal chair, I faced the Oral Board

What Were the Warden Service Oral Exam Questions?

The questions came fast and furious from all three members of the Exam Board. As soon as I started to respond to one question, they would interrupt and demand the answer to another. Here are a few of the questions I remember from that day: • What is the difference between a set pole and a pole set?

• How good are you with a canoe?

• What is a whitewater man?

• What do a rabbit and a weasel have in common?

• Do bobcats kill deer? Do they kill only injured or sickly deer?

• What is a varying hare?

They posed difficult hypotheticals, and if I answered correctly, they changed the hypothetical to make the answer wrong. They would keep removing options until there were none left. The process was intended to see how the candidate performed under stress, and it was very effective. seated behind a table.

There they were … not just one, but all three of the tough guys: Deputy Chief Charlie Allen, Supervisor Curtis Cooper from Aroostook County, and Supervisor Gene Mallory from Washington County.

The future suddenly looked pretty bleak.

The stress level was through the roof. It actually felt like the fillings were going to blow right out of my teeth, and then they started firing questions. Before I could

drinking water supplies to determine if they are safe.

While the state does require testing of sewage sludge for PFAS before allowing it to be spread, the Task Force did not recommend that sites that have been spreading sludge be tested. So we don’t know how big the problem is.

For anyone concerned about PFAS, now is the time to contact your legisla-

get one answered, one of them would ask another question. This went on for 45 minutes.

After I was told that I could go, I can remember walking out into the hall, lighting up a Camel straight, and taking a sip of water at the fountain. I was completely spent, and wasn’t certain that I had enough strength left to make it down to my car.

To be concluded next month.

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tor and email the Governor to set drinking water and surface water standards.

Your voice needs to be heard. Nobody wants another Silent Spring.

Van Wie is the author of “Storied Waters – 35 Fabled Fly Fishing Destinations and the Writers and Artists Who Made Them Famous.”

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Snowshoe Hare Hunting with Old Friends I used to bow-hunt snowshoe hare with my friends Link and Mike, and Link’s beagle hound. The dog was old, and I killed hare with a longbow as they slowly hopped along well ahead of his dog. But like most of the hound hunts I’ve been on, we usually spent a few hours hunting, and the rest of the day looking for the dog.

The archery tech at Kittery Trading Post told me, “We got one of your bows in today!”

He pointed to it hanging from the rafters where they hang used traditional recurve and longbows.

I always like to check out my custom recurve or longbows to see how they’ve fared after years of use.

I designed my longbows from scratch, using layers of plywood glued and bolted together. I cut and shaped the profile of each bow with a deflex/ reflex shape using a band saw. The results were great-shooting longbows that held up to years of hard use.

After making approximately 100 bows, I retired as a part-time bowyer.

The one that showed up at KTP, I remember well. I made it in 1997 from crossgrain-cut, red elm tapered laminations under clear fiberglass with a riser made from Shedua, exotic hard wood from tropical West Africa. It had no fancy inlays in the riser, no deer antler overlays on the grip. However, the woods I used just seemed to merge well together, like a piece of quality future,

so I didn’t decorate it other than with deer antler string tips.

This particular longbow I had built for a person who did not have traditional archery experience.

Rather, he came from the compound archery ranks, which is problematic for any traditional bowyer.

When it came time to shape the grip, I called him for a fitting (the last time I ever did that). He showed up and we worked out one of the strangest-shaped grips I have ever made – but it fit his large hand “like a glove,” he said, and he was happy.

I bought my old longbow on the spot, thinking, “Old Friend, you are going to get a makeover.” After close inspection I found the bow to be in perfect condition, with even the bow string and muskrat fur string silencers I’d made were like new. But that grip had to go.

I removed the old worn leather from the oversized grip and started grinding, then refinished the complete bow with five coats of hand-rubbed poly, hand painted the words Deer Stalker Longbows on the in-

side of one limb, and Custom by Val Marquez on the other.

Shooting a longbow, instinctively, is easy for me – there’s no trying to keep sight pins on the center of a 10 ring. With a longbow you draw the bow, lock into correct form, focus on a spot, release and use proper follow through. It becomes an instinctive action, like throwing a rock or riding a bike.

Locations One of my joys in life is roaming the winter forests shooting at stumps, logs and clumps of snow – or with some luck, a snowshoe hare – with a longbow. It involves camp fires, hot dogs on a stick and plenty of blunt-tipped arrows.

A spot where I enjoy hunting is in the Owl’s Nest in Shapleigh. When the snow is deep, I walk the snow-mobile trails looking for victims for a well-placed arrow.

The Owl’s Nest area was once a main road with an inn, store and blacksmith shop along with a few farms. Today only a few dilapidated hunting camps, moss-covered rock cellar holes, stone walls and dis-

Sitting near snowshoe trails at dawn and dusk works well this month, since male snowshoes have breeding on their minds and are actively looking for females. Photos by Val Marquez

mal, abandoned cemeteries reverting back to nature, remain.

When snow falls, it can become a creepy place, like something out of Steve King’s novel Dream Catcher (a book I’m currently reading).

Carrying a compound bow with sights, stabilizers and release aid is difficult in the thick cover along Davis Brook in the Owl’s Nest where the bunnies like to hang out. I have found by the time you line everything up on the bow and then try to center the sight, the little rascal has hopped by. Quick shooting at moving targets requires a recurve, longbow or shotgun.

Another spot to check is scrub-oak areas that were created as a result of the 1947 forest fire that started in Brownfield and burnt a large path to the sea in Kennebunk.

Snowshoes like to hide in these thickets and feed on bark, buds and small acorns that these scrub oak produce.

Old Friends Link Fry, from Lebanon, and Mike Leblanc of Sanford (both have since passed away) and I used to hunt with Link’s beagle hound in the swamps of Lebanon, Acton and the Owl’s Nest in Shapleigh – his dog was old and slow, and I killed hare with a longbow as they slowly hopped along well ahead of his dog.

But like most of the hound hunts I’ve been on, we usually spent a few hours hunting, and the rest of the day looking for dogs. My hunts along Davis Brook with my longbow always get me thinking about past hunts with them. It’s a sad place when you out-live old friends.

Ides of March Hare Under normal conditions hare feed at night and follow paths to feed, but breeding can cause movement anytime. March is an active time for hare, and hunting can be excellent. Female estrus begins in March here (Continued on page 72) www.MaineSportsman.com

74 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Rangeley’s “Ghosts of the Spruce Forest” Break the Silence The ghost-like appearance of the snowshoe hare seemed magnified by its blank white coat, blending in perfectly with the pure, snowy depths of a thick alder swamp just north of Oquossoc. The surrounding spruce forest further soundproofed the snowy woods, to an extreme level – something that most folks will never experience in their lifetimes.

The sound of logging trucks normally heard throughout this region during the warmer months of the year, gets snuffed out by huge snowdrifts and puffy snow that clings to drooping spruce branches. The white blanket of snow that covers this region during the winter months creates a magnificent and peaceful silence like no other.

In that silence, when a bird chirps or a hare appears, the interruption of silence can be so intense that it almost appears unreal. Once

I knelt down and whistled to call the dogs over to me. However, the dogs stayed where they were, with their noses in a nearby bush where I’d last seen the snowshoe hare before it had disappeared. Suddenly I realized I had been outsmarted by the wily hare.

Rumford hare hunter Ryan MacDonald was kind enough to let me hunt with him and his beagles a few years ago. William Clunie photo

a person gets past the initial interruption of silence and gathers their thoughts, they can sometimes experience what I like to refer to as the purest

form of reality known on this earth. The Native Americans that lived in the woods in this region many years ago called it “The Spirit that moves in all things.” It was explained to me that it is something you see in the wilderness so marvelous that it can hardly be explained to someone else.

Dreamlike Visions My beagles, little Ebony and the younger but bigger Molly, pushed the hare in a huge circle, slowly working the track in the snow that was almost too deep for them to navigate. A

www.MaineSportsman.com

late-season storm had laid another foot of snow on the existing base – a packed layer that extended several feet deep.

I heard the beagles’ occasional barks as they closed the distance on the hare, but the normally speedy hare chose to lope along at an easy pace as he ran up to me – stopping within a mere seven yards from where I stood. He wiggled his nose in the traditional “rabbit” way, and rotated his long ears like a radar system, sniffing and listening for the beagles on his track.

I couldn’t move my Marlin Model 39 .22 caliber lever-action rifle one bit without the hare spotting the movement. For several minutes it felt like I could hardly breathe without him seeing me. I attempted to direct the vaporous clouds of my own respiration downward to avoid his searching, black eyes.

When he moved, I brought the rifle up and felt the smooth wood on my cheek, but before I could line the iron sights up on the hare, it moved into a clump of low-lying spruce on the edge of the alders.

For another several minutes I aimed in the direction of the last place I saw the hare, and hoped it would come my way when the dogs pushed it out of the clump of brush.

As the minutes ticked on, I assumed the hare had slipped out some back way, disappearing in the white forest.

When the beagles came in close to the last known hare position I stopped aiming and released the rifle to a one-handed carry so I could pet the dogs.

I squatted down and whistled to the dogs to come over to me, thinking the hare was long gone – I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The White Ninja As soon as I noticed that the dogs were not paying me a single bit of attention, keeping their noses to (Continued on next page)

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The author’s beagle, Molly, passed away and left him without a rabbit dog. William Clunie photo

the track and nearing the last know position of the hare, I realized that the hare might still be in that clump of spruce.

Just as quickly as that thought surfaced, the hare bolted out of the clump of spruce and headed directly at me.

In a couple of long

Southern Maine (Continued from page 73)

in Maine, and first litters occur in April – an average 37-day gestation period.

Male snowshoes are on the move throughout the day, and setting up an ambush site near a well-worn bunny trail can produce action.

Dawn and dusk offer the best hunting. Snowshoes prefer a habitat with second-growth popular, birch, alder,

leaps, the hare vaulted up and over my right shoulder, going airborne like a white rocket turning on its afterburners.

The hare probably thought I was just another clump of low-lying spruce. The animal’s speedy “charge” from the underbrush surprised and baffled

me – something that wild animals often do.

It is what keeps them alive.

I never recovered from the shock of the charge to get off a shot at the rocketing hare.

When I turned around to see where it went behind me, it was gone.

Its ghost-like appearance upon arriving

red maple, and white pine near thick conifers. This month I’ll be stalking along good snowshoe cover with a longbow, or setting over a small fire roasting hot dogs and perking a pot of coffee.

Global Warming Concerns All is not well in bunny world – biologists are concerned with climate change and how it may affect snowshoe populations. Less snow in southern Maine may cause snowshoes to lose

at my position in the snow-covered swamp was topped only by its equally-magical disappearance.

The Native Americans who roamed these parts had it right – it is truly “The Spirit that moves in all things.”

¶

a major ingredient to their survival, which is white camouflage during the winter months.

Snowshoes need deep snow to survive, as well, since as snow depths increase with each snowstorm, they can reach higher and feed on succulent buds, twigs and bark. Also, deep snow allows them to evade coyotes and other large predators that can’t run as fast in deep-soft snow.

¶

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76 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Operation ReBoot and Fishing Derby Mother Theresa coined the phrase, “Give until it hurts,” probably to emphasize the point that we should all help by giving to the extreme ... until it hurts. Maybe I haven’t given enough, because when I give it always feels good.

I would propose that we “Give until it feels good.”

My granddaughter, Anna Morrow, has such a giving heart.

She lost a friend a while back, Peru outdoorsman Tim Holland, and she has helped out with “Little Tim’s Fifth Annual Ice Fishing Derby,” memorializing his life and their friendship.

The event keeps getting bigger each year, with all proceeds going to Camp POSTCARD (Police Officers Striving to Create and Reinforce Dreams), a non-profit organization that helps kids struggling with loss or trauma, behavioral issues, an incarcerated parent, or similar problems.

Police, paramed-

It is tremendously inspiring to know there are good people doing great things right here in our own community, including the organizers of Little Tim’s Derby, and the good work of groups like Operation ReBoot.

Operation ReBoot Outdoors anglers gather on Worthley Pond. Dan Waite is shown on far right. All photos by William Clunie

ics, firefighters, game and fish wardens, and others help kids at Camp POSTCARD enjoy a few weeks of relaxing in the outdoors each summer in Poland, Maine. During their time at the camp, some of these kids get to participate in outdoor activities they haven’t ever been able to enjoy. Some of these

kids also have never had consistent meals, routine hot showers, or the attention and affection of loving adults.

These fifth and sixth grade campers get to experience adult authority figures from a different perspective ... they join in with them, participating in activities like; dances,

Kids fishing at the derby, hoping to catch the prize fish. www.MaineSportsman.com

swimming and fishing.

They learn, maybe for the first time, that these authority figures are just regular folks like them.

Ice Fishing Derby Little Tim’s Fifth Annual Ice Fishing Derby takes place on March 7, 2020, at The Farm at Worthley Pond, 153 East Shore

Road in Peru, Maine.

The derby runs from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with lots of wonderful, warm food served from the East Shore location. Derby anglers have a chance to win plenty of prizes: a rifle (donated by Mexico Trading Post) for the largest trout, a shotgun (donated by Good Life Guns) for the largest non-trout, a drawing for a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license for anglers zero to six years old, traps from Jack Traps, guided trips from Bradeen Brothers Guide Service, and a 50/50 drawing for cash (last year was $527).

I checked the derby out last year – my granddaughter gave me a snowmobile tour of the event on the huge pond. We started out with a tasty burger from the grill and a hot chocolate to get the day started.

Our tour took us past some of the 294 derby anglers. As Anna guided the snowmobile (Continued on next page)

“Little Tim’s Ice Fishing Derby” organizers, Tim Holland and Anna Morrow.

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 77 (Continued from page 76)

around the lake, she told me that the first derby only had 107 anglers. Sledding past the various anglers on the pond, some held up their catch, showing off possible trophy winning fish, while others held up burgers and sandwiches, signifying their own kind of trophy.

Operation ReBoot Outdoors My main goal last year was to connect with Dan Waite, founder of the non-profit veterans group Operation ReBoot Outdoors (operationrebootoutdoors. com). I had heard this group was doing great thing for veterans, helping them “ReBoot” their lives through fishing and hunting programs throughout the state.

Anna pulled up to the Operation ReBoot

Outdoors fishing shack and introduced me to Dan and some of the helpers and anglers from his group. You couldn’t have created a happier bunch of anglers ... these guys were hooting and hollering, chasing flags around the location, helping kids in the group and just having a blast.

Waite said he serves about 134 deserving veterans, active duty military and law enforcement officers each year, helping them get back into the outdoors for an energetic and relaxing adventure.

I asked Mr. Waite how Operation ReBoot supports the ice fishing derby, and he said, “We used to fish with Timmy on this pond and he was always out helping the kids and other anglers we would run into out

Ice anglers gather on the east shore of Worthley Pond for the festivities at last year’s “Little Tim’s Ice Fishing Derby.”

there. He was such an inspiration and had a huge heart. Operation ReBoot obtains the gifts and awards for the kids at this fishing event. We feel it is a good way for us to give back in memory of our friend Timmy.”

It doesn’t get any

better than that right there. An organization like Operation ReBoot Outdoors helps so many others, and then they go to an ice fishing derby and continue to help.

With all the terrible things we see on the news every day,

it is tremendously inspiring to know that there are good people doing great things right here in our own community. A firm handshake and salute to you folks that make the world a better place.

¶

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78 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Hare Hunt: Keeping Tradition Alive Soggy mittens toast over a radiating lunchtime fire. Spruce needles crackle and hot dogs sizzle, ushering in the intro of a beautiful ballad. The woodland orchestra purrs with the soft rhythm of pitter-patter of melting snow

falling through softwood limbs. A light cowbell gallops into the symphony. Then, the trumpet sounds: a hound’s excited bawl ignites the chorus.

The concerto reaches its climax with a thunderous drum solo of three quick beats

from the shotgun.

The song breaks to a bridge. Silence gives way to a stirring a capella performance – an emotional cry of vocal runs climb the octave scale before fading to a baritone outro of congratulatory lyrics.

The rabbit is hung

in the crotch of an alder. And the hunt goes on.

A Dying Tradition?

Snowshoe hare hunting is a Yankee woodsman’s tradition.

It, though – like oldstyle New England deer camps – is a fast fading light in an ev-

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er-evolving world. The old-fashioned camaraderie of hunting is dying with those who propagated it.

It seems to this writer that the “old-timers” who hosted November deer camps are cut of the same cloth as those who run hounds (this applies to hunters of rabbit, coons, bear, coyotes, and all other forms of houndsmen). I’ve seen when deer-hunting patriarchs have passed away and camps have been boarded up or torn down. I’ve seen people who used to take me rabbit hunting as a kid get older and their beagles become house pets.

I know several who have hung up their snowshoes for the last time.

Perhaps my conclusion is entirely anecdotal, and outside of my bubble there is no empirical data to support a decrease in those participation in rabbit hunting. But if I am right – and time has claimed many of these old-timers, and with it, their traditions – then hope for the future of those traditions lies in an unexposed and therefore uninterested younger generation.

March is the perfect time to fill this ever-growing void.

Fair-Weather Hunting Warmer tempera(Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 79

dinner. There are also raffle/door prizes after the dinner.

The grand prize this year for adults is a Weatherby 20 gauge.

The grand prize for youth is a one-day guided hare hunt with an outfitter in Maine!

(Continued from page 78)

tures are more inviting to those softened by a pampered indoor lifestyle. Moisture in the air and snow leaves good scent for the beagles to detect. Compacting snow makes for easier traipsing.

And longer daylight hours mean that you don’t have to arise too early from the comfort of bed.

The rabbits are energized by the warmer weather, also. They are breeding, like rabbits do, and increasing their overall activity.

Especially as the snow melts.

If, by chance, the snow has melted entirely by the end of March (which rarely happens here in Coos County), they can be fairly easy to spot, as most will still retain their white winter coat.

All these elements combine for an exciting outing, typically with a lot of sightings, shooting, and stew meat. It is a great way to introduce young or new hunters to the sport.

Three generations of Schofields (Stephen, Benjamin, and Hunter) keep rabbit hunting alive and are an integral part of the annual Hare Hunt that takes place in the Groveton, NH area.

Introducing Newcomers I’ve worked with youth in a number of professional and casual settings over the past 10 years. The one constant is, they thrive on success. And if they don’t achieve it within a short time, they are likely to lose interest – quickly. That is not to say that they can’t or shouldn’t be challenged and learn how to accept loss, but their first basketball scrimmage shouldn’t be against the Lakers.

Just as their first time shooting shouldn’t be at competition skeet, using a .22. And their first time hunting shouldn’t be still-hunting the big woods on a crunchy below-zero

October morning.

Beyond being comfortable, there has to be some chance of excitement and success.

Howling beagles, rabbit sightings every 20 or 30 minutes, getting the gun off a couple times and hanging up a rabbit or two provides that. It acts as the hook for bigger and better hunts.

It also offers a relaxed environment to hang out with family and friends. You can talk and laugh with each other in a manner much less serious than, say, tracking a big buck.

Hare Hunt A group of local sportsmen and -women have tried to re-

vive the sport of rabbit hunting here in Coos County the past few years by hosting an annual Hare Hunt on the last weekend in March. The event is sponsored and coordinated by the NH Bear Hunters Association and a few key members that make it all happen.

The Association rents out the local American Legion Post in Groveton, NH to host the event. The good-time includes a fishing-derby-style weigh-in for the harvested rabbits, in which prizes are awarded for different categories (adult and youth). Following the weigh-in is a banquet-style spaghetti

Coming Together The best part of this event is that it is attended by many more than just the hare hunters. Entire families come to watch the weigh-in and eat dinner.

Sportsmen of all kinds attend to swap stories, out-eat each other, and show solidarity and support for each other – even if they don’t hound hunt or rabbit hunt themselves.

Sportsmen need to stand for each other.

If one faction of us is under pressure or in jeopardy (like hound hunters have been the past few years), then we all are. If not now, then in the future.

Those readers interested in supporting or participating in this year’s or future Hare Hunts can email nhbhaharehunt@gmail. com.

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★★★ SAVE THE DATE for the 40th Annual

State of Maine Sportsman’s Show!

March 27–29, 2020 Augusta Civic Center Augusta, Maine Stay tuned to the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show Facebook page and website www.show.mainesportsman.com for updates!

★★★

www.MaineSportsman.com

80 • March 2020 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————

Smilin’

Sportsman A handsome divorcé walked into a supermarket. He immediately noticed that a beautiful woman was staring at him.

She continued staring at him, so finally the man asked, “Do I know you?”

The woman answered, “I think you’re the father of one of my kids.”

The man panicked. “The Halloween party? The bachelor party? Mardi Gras?” The Sugarloaf gondola?”

The woman looked at him quizzically, and replied slowly, “No – I mean, I’m your son’s 7th grade teacher.”

•••••••••••••••••••

Bob: “My wife said if I didn’t stop pretending to be a famous detective, we’d have to split up.”

Ted: “What did you do?”

Bob: “I told her that would be great – we can cover more ground that way!”

••••••••••••••••••• Joe’s snowmobile was stuck in a snowdrift. Suddenly, he spotted a huge St. Bernard galloping toward him with a keg of brandy strapped to its collar.

“Hurray!” he shouted. “Here comes man’s best friend – and a great big dog, too!”

The Smilin' Sportsman Youth Edition A duck walked up to the convenience store counter, carrying a tube of bright red lipstick.

“That’ll be two dollars,” said the clerk.

The duck replied, “Just put it on my bill!”

••••••••••••••••••• Two windmills were standing at the top of a mountain ridge.

One windmill asked the other, “What kind of music do you like?”

The second windmill replied, “Me? I’m a heavy metal fan.”

••••••••••••••••••• A man walked into his doctor’s office, and said, “Doctor, I think I’m addicted to Twitter.”

“Sorry,” replied the doctor. “I don’t follow you.”

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

www.MaineSportsman.com

��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2020 • 81

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John Colannino – Broker & Forester American Forest Management, Inc. 40 Champion Lane | Milford, Maine | 04461 O: 207.817.9079 | C: 207.266.7355 John.Colannino@afmforest.com For more information on available properties please visit:

www.AmericanForestManagement.com

KINGSBURY - Nicely remodeled camp with frontage on Kingsbury Pond. Easy access right off Rt 16. Insulated with multiple heat sources for year-round use. Sleeps 10+ so bring your friends and family. Call for more info! MLS #1420349 - $129,900 SOLON - Looking for a country location with water frontage to build your dream home or vacation retreat? Look no further! This 14.5 surveyed lot features nice road frontage on the River Road in Solon. Power is available at the road. Enjoy 260 feet of water frontage on the Kennebec River. Cast to rising trout, salmon, and bass. Beautiful knoll overlooks a large field that leads to the water. MLS #1414118 - $32,000 WELLINGTON - MOOSE AND BROOK TROUT! Nice, off-the-grid cabin on 21 acres with spectacular view and over 1,000 feet of frontage on Wellington Bog (Higgins Stream). Enjoy fantastic hunting and cast to brook trout from your own property. This cabin has gas lights, gas refrigerator and range, and large sleeping area. Kingsbury road also serves as an ATV trail and snowmobile access is close by. Also enjoy easy access to Kingsbury Pond. If you are looking for your own private, slice of heaven, this is it!

MLS #1323247 - $55,000 CORNVILLE - Major road access to this 65.83 acre parcel. Mostly wooded, power at the road and approximately 450 feet of road frontage on Route 150 (Beckwith Road).

Snowmobile from this site to ITS trails. A little piece of peace and quiet paradise just waiting for you! Currently in tree growth for tax purposes. MLS #1331961 - $53,000 BRIGHTON - Approximately 78 acres of land with about 1300 feet of frontage on Solon Road and 2500 feet frontage on Moody Corner Rd. Plenty of room for hunting or build a home or camp. Currently in tree growth for tax purposes. MLS #1435924 - $65,000 EMBDEN - Approximately 750 feet of frontage on the East Shore Road with this 69 acre parcel of land. Property is just a short distance to the public boat ramp. Property is in tree growth for tax purposes. MLS #950558 - $53,500 03/20

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site, 4 water hookups and 4 sewer hookups, Tax Incentives possible. 207-474-0778.

kitchen, 2 bathrooms.

Restaurant, function hall, weddings, more.

Must see! $139,500.

FMI: call/text 207-3572702 — REAL ESTATE

COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN WESTERN MAINE On busy US Rt 2, on Andrsocoggin and Webb Rivers. Two floors, stage & balcony, basement, commercial

SMALL COTTAGE ON 10 ACRES Completely isolated, yet only 10 minutes from Downtown Belfast. More deer than people on land. Great for hunting camp or year-round liv-

HIGH MEADOW Realty Trust

320 High Meadow Road, Perham, ME (207) 455-8340 • realty@mfx.net www.highmeadowrealtytrust.com

These parcels would make great hunting camps!

45 acres: Woodland Center Road, Perham, ME .......... $45,000 57 acres: Fowler Road, Woodland, ME ....................... $35,000 100 acres: With cabin, Thomas Road, Woodland, ME $99,900 48 acres: Tangle Ridge Road, Perham, ME ................. $60,000 43 acres: Tangle Ridge Road, Perham, ME ................. $40,000 — Financing Available on Raw Land —

Lincoln - Cozy little cabin could be your new home or getaway. ATV and snowmobile trails close by as well as access to Cold Stream Pond. Outdoorsman’s paradise on Millett Mallett Road. Priced to move so you should come look today!! $45,000

Lakeville - Gorgeous views. Big acreage. Privacy and cheap taxes. Nice cabin has fire pits front and back, insulated and offers the potential for a full loft for sleeping.

Owners have had great luck with bear hunting on the land right on Upper Dobsis Road. $165,000

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Lee - Privately plowed, seaonal road. Electricity and nice frontage on a beautiful, clean Silver Lake.

Two lots being sold, could potentially sell one lot and keep the other. The well is on lot 14 while the buildings and septic are on lot 15. $139,000

ing. $80,000. Email: tomgseymour@gmail. com or call (207) 3389746 — MISC. FOR SALE TWO-SLED SNOWMOBILE TRAILER $500 OBO. Aluminum loading ramp $200 OBO. 207-782-8615.

PICKEREL SNOWSHOES Includes harness $200 OBO Lewiston. 207782-8615

WANTED WANTED DEER/ MOOSE ANTLERS Buying any size deer & moose shed antlers/racks or antlered skulls.

All grades bought by the pound.

802-875-3206 SKI-DOO, ELAN OR TUNDRA Any Condition. Have Cash. Will Travel. Call Or Text 207-522-6940

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

MAGALLOWAY PLT – This custom log-sided chalet on 9.4 private acres overlooks scenic Sturtevant Pond Brook! The 3 bedroom, 2 bath, year-round home offers open floor plan, spacious loft, cook’s kitchen with Wolf range/oven, cement countertops, and woodfired pizza oven. Heat with propane or wood furnace.

Energy efficient on-demand water heater and stand-by generator. Plenty of room in basement with workshop and garage door for drive-in storage. Deeded 20’ ROW to Pond Brook. MLS #1366701 – $282,500 RANGELEY LAKE - NIBOBAN SPORTING CAMPS on Rangeley Lake - now offering FRONT ROW CABIN #4 - end unit abutting the woods! Fully year-round and conveyed fully furnished featuring 2BR, open living/kitchen area, spacious 3-season porch with direct entry onto private flag stone patio - all just steps from 2400’ prime frontage on the South Shore. Beautiful setting on 45 park-like acres with blend of woods, fields, walking trails. Once you arrive, you’ll never want to leave! MLS #1408087 - $279,900 RANGELEY LAKE - Classic North Woods log Chalet with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, custom gas stone fireplace, master en-suite. Top quality materials throughout, wood/tile floors, granite counters, woodsy lighting.

Create additional living space in unfinished walkout basement. Large screened porch overlooking lawn to gradual entry waterfront, open lake/westerly views. Minutes to area amenities, snowmobile from your door, plus year-round rental history. OWNER FINANCING TERMS. MLS #1437531 - $649,000

Noyes Real Estate Agency 2388 Main Street • Rangeley, ME 207-864-9000 • info@noyesrealty.com www.noyesrealty.com

Danforth - Only 25’ from the water’s edge, family camp is log sided with a beautiful knotty pine interior. Large, detached 2 car garage offers parking or storage. Lakeside of cottage is all glass providing great views on Upper Hot Brook Lake. $135,000

Pukakon - Lakefront paradise cabin on one of Maine’s most desirable lakes, Junior Lake.

Fabulous fishing. Hunting, Snowmobiling and ATVing are just some activities out your door. Lake views through many windows. $345,000

Lakeville - Cabin with large deck only a few feet from the sandy shore. Generator, solar panels and running water. Enjoy fishing, hunting, atving, snowmobiling and more. Upper Syslabadobsis lakefront dream in low tax Lakeville. $99,000

T3R1 - Private 1.9 acre lot, driveway, seasonal road, ATV and snowmobile trail access, other lakes close by, convenient to Lincoln’s amenities, owner financing, 228’ frontage on Bill Green Pond. $24,500 Mattamiscontis - Great Frontage to enjoy all this beautiful River has to offer, fishing, hunting or paddling.

Located on a year-round Road, choose from the 1.6 or 2.4 acre lot for your new getaway on Penobscot River. Owner financing. $21,900 Lincoln - Nice 1.77/2.78 acre lots with 240’+/- of frontage, driveway in, electricity available and owner financing. Enjoy 800 acres of water to play on and snowmobile trails for winter fun on Long Pond. Reduced to $59,900 Lowell - This nice private 1.5 acre lot has a driveway already installed and offers very nice frontage with great views out across the water. Many recreational opportunities from this beautiful area. This is a great property on Eskutassis Pond at an affordable price. $39,900

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GREAT OUTDOOR LOCATIONS! #557 - MLS# 1372557 - Enjoy 20 private gated acres in Avon. Well maintained trailer. Generator ready, well, bathroom, and new roof. Hunt, fish, ATV, and sled. $49,900 #505 - MLS #1329918 - Great investment, 4 acres, 580 feet of road frontage, 2 drilled wells, and a 1200 sq. ft. Rangeley cabin - a real handyman special. $92,000

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

#414 - MLS #1367022 - Madrid TWP - Well maintained cottage and guest camp on 27 acres with 1400 ft. Harvey Pond. Off the grid living, 3 bedrooms, full bath. Development investment potential for 8 waterfront lots. $299,000 LAND – ACREAGE #167 - MLS# 1412781 - New Portland - 2 lots, 8 acres and 10 acres.

Driveway, power at street, standing fire wood. 18 acres for $25,000. #609 - MLS# 1439304 - Off grid, trail access. 46+ acres on Beech Hill Road in Sandy River Plantation. $55,000 #612 - MLS# 1436604 - Over 40 acres in Sandy River Plt. Off grid, Snowmobile and4-wheeler trail access, deeded Beaver Mtn Lake access! $67,500 #696 - MLS #1437729 - Seasonal waterfrontage on Mooseloomeguntic.

5 acres.Water access at Bemis landing Rangeley, Shelton Trail. $85,000

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